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Sapphire Skies

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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 8:29 pm


The great beast woke with a start, shuddering back to life atop a mountain peak. The creature took form and struggled to her feet, wings flexing weakly and claws fighting for balance. Weakness and disorientation grasped at her even as her hazy sapphire eyes fluttered open and searched. Jagged stone reached over her head, forming some crude shelter with an open gaping maw that offered little resistance to the elements. She was cold, unprotected, alone. Her body was wracked with aching pains.

She half-staggered, half-crawled to the mouth of the little cave. The overwhelming sense that she was missing something consumed her, wrapped around her, choked her with the force of a thousand years. The light brilliantly danced off of her scarred sapphire scales, glinting the color of a pure cloudless sky as they were illuminated by daylight. The open air swiped at her face as the wind gusted off the mountainside below. She could see for miles – open grassland and the ocean in the distance, framed by the southern horizon.

Caeriadne sunk low to the ground, perched atop the rocky mountain peak. Where am I? I don't remember this place. She was just able to see the very edge of the ocean, far to the south. I don't remember anything... Around her, hilly grasslands and mountain crags jutted and rolled into lush green grasslands. An awful pain coursed through her aching body, something so deep that even a thousand years of slumber could not have healed it. She carried a deep sorrow, long forgotten but still sharply tangible, that seemed to wrap itself around her and vine its way into her consciousness.

Even though she was wide awake, she spent many long hours just laying at the edge of the peak, gazing out. Looking. Watching. Waiting. An occasional sputtering gasp for breath was the only thing that broke the hazy silence of the mountaintop as the creature stared off into the endless sky.

I'm alive, she thought. A second chance.


Last edited by Caeriadne on Sun May 29, 2016 12:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 9:55 pm

The area she was in was rather devoid of life, but not in a peaceful way. It was eerie, as though she was looking at a field of war. As the sea winds made their way to her nose she would get the scent of why. Orks, Goblins, Ogres and Hill giants. This rolling land between the her mountain and the sea was ruled by roaming bands of Orks in a constant state of warfare this much she could smell. She wouldn't find much more in the way of civilized beings around here.
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 10:05 pm

Caeriadne had studied everything within sight intently. It took her mind off of the gripping pain tugging at her from within, and allowed her to keep herself focused.

Determined, she pulled herself up to her feet, stretching her weary body to its full length. She twisted the soreness from her neck and splayed her wings wide as if remembering how they worked. Her nostrils flared. No humans near here? That was a good thing, she scoffed to herself as she restlessly raked her talons against the stone beneath her. For the first time since awakening, she realized how ravenously hungry she was. No wonder she felt so weak - she was not in good health before the hibernation, and who knows how many years she was left with no sustenance. Even as logical and calculating as she was, Caeriadne knew she couldn't make sense of any of this or begin to better her unenviable position until she at least had a good meal.

She gave a few hesitant beats of her wings, shaking off hundreds of years of thick dust and grit into the open air, and then took a slow breath. She leapt from the mountainside, taking off into flight to soar across the open grasslands in search of something sufficient to sate her appetite.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 10:23 pm

The first thing worth eating she would come across was a herd of Axe Beaks preparing a nesting ground. She could smell something near by, something she couldn't quite place the smell of, but she knew she was not the only thing hunting these birds. But she was obviously the largest and strongest thing in the area.

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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 10:29 pm

Keeping high enough to not alert the large birds, Caeriadne glided back and forth over them, surveying the nesting ground for some time before deciding on her next course of action.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 10:32 pm

Whatever else was stalking these birds was doing the same thing, waiting and watching. The Axe Beaks seem to not notice anything being too amiss.
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 10:36 pm

Caeriadne began to gradually lower altitude, singling out one of the less dense areas that the birds were gathering. She began to plan out exactly which one she would pinpoint as her target - a fat, juicy morsel of a male axe beak that would make a decent meal. She circled around once more and then positioned herself on a straight-shot path towards the hapless creature. As she angled herself down slightly and aimed herself like a projectile in midair, she struck her wings hard and shot down from the sky, aiming to scoop the beast up with her back talons.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 10:40 pm

As soon as she got closed, the Axe Beaks noticed her and began to freak out. She did in fact manage to grab that male Axe Beak and the other birds began to scatter. From the tall grass a group of hyena like humanoids burst from their cover and took advantage of the chaos to take down a few of their own birds. She would immediately recognize these creatures as Gnolls, but their scent had changed over the thousand years she'd been gone.
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 10:47 pm

Caeriadne locked her talons down on the struggling bird and swept back up at a sharp angle, taking her prey up about a hundred and fifty feet before snapping her claws free and sending her meal hurtling down towards the ground with startling velocity. She angled in midair and lowered herself down towards the ground again, landing nearby the fallen Axe Beak. She gave a low hissing growl as a warning to any of the humanoid creatures that might be foolish enough to try and claim her prey.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 10:51 pm

The gnolls seemed interested in what was happening, but more in her than her meal. They took their birds to the opposite end of the clearing to feast, there was an entire clan it seemed. Some of them were wearing basic cloth over their legs, and some were wearing mismatched armor. But one was wearing a full robe, it looked almost like a cleric's robe.
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 10:54 pm

Snapping her maw down on the freshly killed bird, she split the carcass into two bloody masses and then gulped the pieces down hungrily. She turned to gaze directly at the gnolls, letting her eyes lock onto them with fierce precision. She took a few deliberately slow steps forward, keeping her long serpentine neck low to the ground like a stalking snake.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 10:56 pm

The gnolls seemed to back up, except the one in their clerics robe. It stayed it's ground, it even looked up and mate her gaze. Either it was brave, stupid, or maybe it didn't feel that she would hurt them.
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:01 pm

Caeriadne appeared to be sizing up the gnolls, particularly the one that was apparently dominant amongst them. It was unclear whether she was deciding whether they would make a nice snack or if perhaps she should attempt to speak.

She slowly lifted her head, tilting it ever so slightly to keep her gaze locked on the robed gnoll. She gave another deep growl and then postured to her full height suddenly, baring her teeth in a threatening gesture to watch their reaction.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 11:09 pm

All of the Gnolls fell back quickly and looked scared, except for the cleric. He stepped in front of his clan and said loudly and clearly "Great divine beast!" He obviously thought she was some type of divine creature "My name is Korrok, the cleric of my tribe! We mean you no harm Great One!"
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:18 pm

After a long pause, Caeriadne snorted hard, sending a tiny puff of smoke through her nostrils before she spoke. Her melodic voice was feminine despite being made up of deep, low tones, but had an eerily commanding quality to it.

"Bring me another of the birds," she said plainly and stared ahead at the gnolls, seeing just how readily they would obey.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 11:20 pm

The cleric snapped his fingers quickly and a group of four gnolls brought her one of the birds they had killed but not started to feast upon yet. They kept their heads down as to not offend their new goddess as they laid the bird at her feet.

Korrok nodded "Does this please you Great One?"
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:29 pm

Caeriadne was quite pleased, but did not let it show yet. She pretended to inspect the bird closely, sniffing it and turning it over indecisively with her snout. She pawed at it for a moment, then swatted it into the air with one huge paw and caught it between her jaws. As blood gushed and bones cracked, she chewed thoughtfully and looked out over the crowd of gnolls before her eyes fell upon their cleric. With a decisive gulp, she downed the Axe Beak, her eyes locked steadily upon the gnoll the entire time.

"It does please me...Korrok," she answered, nodding her great horned head. Her gaze swept tentatively across the other gnolls.
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 11:32 pm

He smiled and bowed his head once, twice, thrice. He was obviously very reverent. "Our gods stopped answering our prayers long ago, many thing they were killed...but you...a beast of such power and shining magnificence! You must be divine! Please, please great one. Allow us to travel with you and venerate you!"
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:38 pm

Resting back on her haunches, Caeriadne took time to ponder this situation fully. She was in no position to decline - she had lived as a lone dragon eons before, and knew that was not her path. Not before, and not now. But would these demihuman creatures slow her down? What did she need more, pawns at her disposal or the freedom of anonymity and solitude?

"Why?" She asked slowly. "I am no god. I am a Dragon. Caeriadne," this was as much of an introduction as she offered, giving a graceful and proud nod of her head. "I will not fool you into believing I am something that I am not."
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 11:41 pm

They all exchanged glances for a moment when she said that but the cleric seemed to actually know the word dragon. "Dragon...I had no idea what they looked like. But great one, i remember in the old tales, dragons have been connected to the divine, some have even become godly! Great one please, allow this, we have nothing and no one! Our tribe number near fifty, we used to number near two hundred. We are lost, alone, and way ward!"
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:42 pm

Caeriadne scoffed, although it was more at herself than at these creatures that were throwing themselves at her mercy. So am I, she thought. So am I.

"Where is your...village?"
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 11:45 pm

They looked saddened by this, like she had just reopened some deep emotional wounds that had just managed to close. "We don't have one anymore Great One. It was destroyed by marauding goblins...we couldn't defend it anymore when so many of us left or died..."
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:46 pm

She nodded slowly. "Where are the goblins, then?"
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Post by Admin Fri May 27, 2016 11:50 pm

Korrok pointed north east "About ten miles that way, we have tried to stay close in case they leave our village but they haven't yet... I don't know if they ever will."
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Post by Caeriadne Fri May 27, 2016 11:52 pm

Caeriadne thoughtfully gestured one of her claws out, pointing at another of the freshly slain birds.

"And how many goblins are there?"
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