Creative Corner

9798

January 05, 2017 00:54:06

ASSOCIATED CLANS

Allied and enemy clans are listed below. If you're interested in forming a lore alliance feel free to give me a ping or send over a PM and I would be happy to add you below and work the alliance into my lore! I'm also usually into RPs, so if you want to start an RP feel free to message me anytime!

CLAN AN DUIN: (Allied, Plague)

Carmalt found Clan an Duin on one of her ventures into the Plague regions. Attracted to the unusual and highly pathogenic fungi she found near the clan, Carmalt wandered a bit too close to their territories. . . She was nearly attacked as an intruder, but Dross noticed the fungi she was collecting and the two bonded over their shared love for fungal species. Carmalt travels to the clan regularly to discuss and study fungi with Dross.

HIDDEN HAVEN: (Allied, Shadow)

We came across the Hidden Haven in a book. A book made from the memories of a dragon who wasn’t lucky enough to escape from the clan's infinite library. It was an endless maze of neatly categorized books and scrolls tended by a being whose ever watching eyes blinked from the walls and ceiling. Perhaps such a collection could tell Cipher something that he didn't already know. The moment that he read of the library, the golden demon wanted the knowledge that it contained. But he didn’t want trouble. Angels were always trouble.

Jim will never stop laughing about the deal that Cipher struck with the being called Deregh. “Really desperate for that knowledge are’t we, Cipher?” Well, he did get the information he wanted and was offered admission to the library. Unfortunately, he also had to provide the angel with knowledge in exchange. “Any question I ask, you will answer. You steal anything, and you will be incinerated from the face of this planet" Deregh had written on parchment. Cipher rolled his eyes “Deal”.

That was before Cipher realized he couldn’t lie in the angel’s presence. Angels were always trouble. . . But Cipher wouldn’t break a deal and the two clans came to know each other as allies. Perhaps in some ways, Cipher even admired the angel a bit for tricking him at his own game. But he would never admit it.

In recent years, Cipher has taken an interest in the stories of the many unusual dragons inhabiting the Hidden Haven. When he found the clan leader’s names mentioned briefly in the memories of two Fae twins who had been converted into a book, he jumped at the chance to invite them to the Cathedral. Cipher shows respect for the dragons of the Hidden Haven and listens intently to the stories they share while sitting around the warmth of the Hearth’s fire.

Featured in tales for Ginko, Cecil, and Zelyn

THE KINGDOM OF OUROBOROS: (Enemy, Light)

It was a mission just like any other. Azazel had snuck in during the night; his ethereal lullaby enchanting a number of the clan's residents into a deep sleep. He quickly found what he was searching for, a slumbering hatchling that he tucked securely beneath one of his wings. He replaced it with a different child whose form shimmered faintly. The parents wouldn't know the difference. At least, that's what Azazel thought as he tapped their foreheads and used his magic to alter a few of their memories.

Azazel couldn't have been more wrong. The moment he left the clan's territories, he felt the spells shatter. They knew. They knew that someone had come to their lair during the night. Had stolen a hatchling and left another in its place. They knew that someone tried to trick them. It was only a matter of time before they would track the fairies down.

Featured in a tale for Rugore

THE DISILLUSIONISTS: (Allied, Light)

Many years before Touvar received an invitation to the Cathedral of Eyes, one of her siblings washed ashore on a rocky beach beneath the structure. The Ridgeback was unconscious when Hemostat found him and covered with a number of bruises and open wounds from being carried in the tumultuous waves and battered against the seaside cliffs. They didn't know his name at the time and despite Hemostat's attempts to revive the younger dragon, he never awoke from his unconscious state. To his home clan, Razon was never heard from again.

The Disillusionists received the invitation a few years later. It was contained within a golden envelope held in the beak of a smoke-like crow that landed before Touvar. There were rumors spreading about the Cathedral of Eyes and anyone who received their invitations were supposedly related to someone who had died. Touvar attended the performance and watched the story of Razon's life play out before her on the stage. She never did find out how her brother had passed away, but she knew a number of dragons who might be interested in the Cathedral's stories and plays. "Once you have an invitation" the doorkeeper spoke, "you're always welcome back". Touvar glanced at the golden parchment and noted that the date had changed. It did so after every performance.

Over time, members from the Disullusionists clan attended the Cathedral's events regularly and formed friendships with members of the cast. They remained close as they shared their stories and built new ones together.

Featured in tales for Leviathan, and Soleil

DRACONEQUIS CLAN: (Allied, Plague)

It started out as a pull. Something that tugged and tingled in the back of Cipher's mind. He was familiar with the feeling. It was the same as when one of his puppets called to him. But this time, it was slightly different.

Being essentially the same being as Cipher, BillCipher was easily able to enter the stream of consciousness that the golden demon shared with his servants. He could control the gold and obsidian dragons as if they were his own puppets, but his intrusions did not go unnoticed for long.

Cipher confronted the other demon only to find that he was staring at. . himself? Indeed, the demons were essentially two shards of the same being. They laughed obnoxiously together. Of course they would get along. There were more of them too. Scattered across the realms of Sornieth and perhaps a number of other dimensions as well. Hilarious.

Some of the Cathedral's residents were wary of the duplicated version of their Cipher. He lived in the territories of a white Skydancer called Lilith who a number of clan members, especially those inhabiting the New Faerie Court, thought was evil incarnate. Which was essentially true. Viktor and Yuuri sent their rook to live among Lilith's ranks as a spy and she was easily accepted due to the demonic magic that intermingled with her own.

CLAN ESCALON: (Allied, Lightning)

Hemostat originally stumbled upon the small group of Lightning dragons who comprised Clan Escalon. He came to their territories seeking shelter when he was caught in one of the thunder storms that frequently roll across the Stormcatcher's lands. The surgeon was grateful for Clan Escalon's hospitality and he found that they shared his passion for medicine and the treatment of the sick and injured.

It was a few years later when Hemostat went to Clan Escalon for help. Two of the dragons in Cipher's council had birthed a hatchling who reacted poorly to demonic magic. The surgeon examined the young hatchling, but could not stop the unusual hemorrhaging that threatened her life. Her father was cruel and enjoyed watching her suffering. There was little that the hatchling's mother could do aside from begging the surgeon to take the young dragon away.

Clan Escalon accepted Lakshmi and Hemostat visits the lightning lair often to check on her and deliver letters between her and her mother. He was proud to learn that the young hatchling decided to study medicine and become a physician. He just hopes that her father never finds her. Hemostat warns her to stay away from crows and never to let them see her at all costs.

PARADOX CLAN: (Allied, Arcane)

Cecil originally stumbled upon the Paradox Clan. He traveled across dimensions during his free time, using the rifts that Aperture opened to search for Carlos who had been sucked through such a portal years before. It was normal to end up in unusual locations, separate realities even. What usually didn’t happen, however, was another dragon getting transported back to the Cathedral in his place.

Cecil came to the Paradox Clan through a portal that Slyphrenia created. “Where’s Cecil?” someone shouted when he arrived. “Right here!” he said without thinking before he was met with a series of odd glances.

The Paradox clan was aptly named for Cecil had simply swapped places with. . . himself when he came through the portal. The other Cecil had ended up in the Cathedral where a certain golden demon took an interest in the presence of the portal and the Rift that the Paradox Clan was built around. “I’ll make you a deal” Cipher hummed. So, the portal was left open and dragons were free to move between the two realities and explore.

CLAN VALLIGATOR: (Enemy, Ice)

It was Mordor who came from the Valligator Clan; trained as an assassin by another member of the Sisterhood of Ends who resided there. Then Mordor terminated her connection to her mentors; she went rogue and began to break the rules that guided the Sisterhood. Her actions made her an enemy to the clan she once called home, but the Sisters who trained Mordor knew the sanguine Wildclaw well and were hesitant to order her immediate assassination. Instead, they investigated Mordor's disappearance and found her indebted to a demon who now guided her actions.

There's a tension between the Cathedral of Eyes and the Valligator Clan and a number of the Cathedral's residents are on the Sisterhood's lists. 'Assassinate on sight' are the words printed at the top of the page.

THE SECTONIANS: (Allied, Light)

The Cathedral of Eyes is not always as cruel as the myths say. From time to time, it's as if the fog parts to those who most need help, and this was originally how a small group of dragons from the Sectonian clan arrived. The Five and their leader, Mirage, stumbled across the Cathedral after a grueling battle left them badly injured and nearly unconscious. They landed amongst the gardens where a kind Wildclaw found them and escorted the group to Hemostat. It was several weeks before the group recovered sufficiently to make the journey home and in this time, they attended many of the Cathedral's events - often staying late into the night to share tales of their own adventures. It was only a matter of time before the Sectonians formed alliances with the dragons residing at the Cathedral and before leaving, they were gifted with golden envelopes that invited them to return at any time.

CLAN ESCHATON: (Enemy, Lightning)

Before he stumbled upon the Cathedral, Mordred was a courtier for the Night Court. He and Alistair, the Nightmare Prince, were close friends before the incident. They used to visit each other in dreams when they couldn't see one another in person and it was through Mordred's dreams that Alistair attempted to contact him when the Skydancer went missing.

Mordred's mind will never be the same. He came to the Cathedral of Eyes on a mission for the Night Court and never returned. Cipher peeled information out of the Skydancer, shattering and twisting his thoughts until he was nothing more than an insane husk who now wanders the dark halls of the Cathedral.

Featured in a tale for Mordred

LIGHTWATCH CLAN: (Allied, Light)

After refusing to join Titania and Oberon's court Tosagri had her former clan destroyed by the faerie king and queen, fostering resentment and wariness towards the fae. It was not until many years later, after the Old Court's fall, that Levi and Ethan attempted to rectify the court's wrongdoings. . .

CLAN OF SHINING STARS: (Allied, Arcane)

"It was a lucky guess!" That's what Serrathorn and Comet said after managing to find the Cathedral of Eyes despite its nearly impossible to predict and ever changing location. Perhaps it could have ended badly for the pair of explorers, but they brought charisma and a myriad of unusual tales from their travels with them and foraged an alliance between their own clan and the Cathedral of Eyes. "Trade us your stories," Scheherazade told them, "and we provide the entertainment, the food, the drink! To your heart's content."

Last edited on Nov 18, 2019 16:17:39 by awaicu

[center][size=6] LOCATIONS AND HEADCANNONS [/size][/center] Locations at and around the Cathedral of Eyes, images are for reference. [size=2][b]THE CATHEDRAL (EXTERIOR):[/b] Carved directly from the limestone cliffs surrounding the Lightweaver's Beacon, the Cathedral of Eyes perches high on the cliffside where it faces out towards the open ocean. Extending from the seaward-facing side lies a bridge supported by arcs of carved stone. The bridge serves as a runway that spans several hundred feet over the sea before ending. Past the bridge lies a courtyard and connecting garden full of fountains, statues, and exotic plants. The entrance to the Cathedral consists of a pair of old oaken doors bordered on either side by two chimera-like statues. From the courtyard, a set of eleven steps lead up to the doorway. [center][img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxLQaNoWQAEqK-k.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1] [url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxLQaNoWQAEqK-k.jpg]Image credit[/url]. Madonna della Corona in Spiazzi, Italy. Reference for the Cathedral's general location, perched on the cliffs. [/size] [img]http://worldwanderlusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Las-Lajas-Cathedral-Colombia-South-America.jpg[/img] [size=1] [url=http://worldwanderlusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Las-Lajas-Cathedral-Colombia-South-America.jpg]Image credit[/url]. Las Lajas Cathedral in Columbia. Reference for the general structure of the Cathedral of Eyes and extending bridge.[/size] [size=2][b]THE CATHEDRAL (INTERIOR):[/b] Inside the Cathedral, light filters through the stained glass windows and casts flecks of color across the echoing halls. The ceilings are vaulted and painted with intricate designs interspersed by hanging lights in the halls or crystalline chandeliers in larger rooms. The floors are tiled with black and white sheets of polished marble and the walls reflect blurred images of passers by. Maze-like halls connect the Cathedral to a series of rooms that serve as housing for residents and guests as well as a ball room, theatre, and outdoor amphitheater called the Hearth. Some of the halls also lead down to the catacombs, which consist of a series of labyrinthine tunnels that run deep into the cliffside. [center][img]https://frenchmoments.eu/wp-content/gallery/palais-garnier/palais-garnier-in-paris-13-copyright-french-moments.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=https://frenchmoments.eu/wp-content/gallery/palais-garnier/palais-garnier-in-paris-13-copyright-french-moments.jpg]Image Credit[/url]. Palais Garnier in Paris, France. Reference for the structure and design of the Cathedral's halls. [/size] [size=2][b]THEATRE:[/b] The Cathedral's theatre is located at the easternmost side of the structure and consists of several hundred red satin seats arranged in semi-circular rows around the stage. An enormous crystalline chandelier hangs from the center of the room. The stage and surrounding walls are crafted from redwood panels although the majority of the wood is covered by intricately carved designs and sculptures made from stone and gold. A heavy fabric curtain made from embroidered satin obscures the stage. It is dark crimson in coloration with golden embroidery in the shape of the Cathedral's symbol. [center][img]https://operaincasa.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/showimg_rne38_1600_1600.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=https://operaincasa.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/showimg_rne38_1600_1600.jpg]Image Credit[/url]. Interior of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden Theatre in Germany. Reference for the Cathedral's indoor opera venue. [/size] [size=2][b]BALLROOM:[/b] Towards the western end of the Cathedral lies a ballroom where the fairies hold nightly dances for all to attend. The ballroom is lined with mirrors and visitors must be careful that they aren't spirited away by the fairies who use the venue to enchant unsuspecting dancers and whisk them away to another realm. In the parallel dimension known as the Realm of Faerie, the ballroom is the throne room to king Oberon and queen Titania. This realm is a twilight version of the original ballroom and features a pair of thrones surrounded by hanging bird cages large enough to house dragons of any size. [center][img]http://www3.hilton.com/resources/media/hi/CHICHHH/en_US/img/shared/full_page_image_gallery/main/HH_grandballroom001_37_1270x560_FitToBoxSmallDimension_Center.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=http://www3.hilton.com/resources/media/hi/CHICHHH/en_US/img/shared/full_page_image_gallery/main/HH_grandballroom001_37_1270x560_FitToBoxSmallDimension_Center.jpg]Image Credit[/url]. Grand ballroom at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago. Reference for the general structure of the Cathedral's ballroom.[/size] [size=2][b]THE HEARTH:[/b] Exiting the theatre there is a set of stairs leading up to an overhanging patio called the Hearth that connects to the upper levels of the courtyard and garden. The Hearth is arranged as an amphitheater with brick seats positioned in semi-circles around a fire pit. It is here that the Cathedral hosts gatherings for visitors to relax, meet one another, and tell stories around the fire. From their seats in the Hearth, dragons can look out across the Cathedral's gardens and out to the ocean beyond. While the thick layer of fog surrounding the Cathedral obscures the view on most nights, there is often a several hour period where the mists clear and dragons can sit in the Hearth to view the stars. The tea master, Rooibos frequents the Hearth and serves guests a myriad of warm beverages including spiced cider, mulled wine, and tea.[/size] [center][img]http://u-in-u.com/fileadmin/media/images/islam/2010/selasar_sunaryo/08/865316-1-eng-GB/08.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=http://u-in-u.com/fileadmin/media/images/islam/2010/selasar_sunaryo/08/865316-1-eng-GB/08.jpg]Image Credit[/url]. General structure of the Hearth, an outdoor patio/amphitheater overlooking the Cathedral's gardens and ocean.[/size] [size=2][b]COURTYARD AND GARDENS:[/b] The Cathedral's courtyard and connected gardens consist of a multi-level maze of plants and running water. Despite the fog surrounding the Cathedral, species of plants from across Sorneith flourish here. The multi-tiered gardens are irrigated by a series of channels that fall down each tier of the garden as waterfalls and connect to several larger ponds. Each pond sports a carved stone fountain and is home to various species of water plants, carp, and frogs. Several of the ponds are large enough to swim in and the water is sourced from fresh water springs deep within the cliffs. The garden paths are connected by a series of tiled stone paths and feature a number of arbors, secluded benches, and tunnels. [center][img]http://www.gardenvisit.com/uploads/image/image/154/15447/berkeley_rose_amphitheater_original.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=http://www.gardenvisit.com/uploads/image/image/154/15447/berkeley_rose_amphitheater_original.jpg]Image Credit[/url] Public Rose Gardens in Berkeley, California. Reference for the structure of the Cathedral's tiered garden. [/size] [size=2] [b]THE CATACOMBS: [/b] Beneath the Cathedral, a series of tunnels stretch deep into the cliffside underground. Tended by a group of undertakers called the Librarians, these tunnels are lined with bookshelves. The books are crafted from the remains of deceased dragons and contain the life stories of the dead. The tunnels are sparsely lit with torches and are surprisingly warm and dry with a slight breeze flowing through them. The stone walls are carved with eyes and interspersed by the winding roots of a great redwood that towers from the cliffs behind the Cathedral. In the deepest parts of the tunnels lies a maze sealed off by a vaulted door. It is here that prisoners are dumped to be disposed of by the feral vampiric creatures residing within the labyrinth. At sea level, the catacombs lead down to a secluded cave where the pirates dock their vessel, [i]The Pied Piper[/i]. Rumors also speak of a circular stone door encrypted with runic markings that periodically appears along the stone walls. It is in a different location every time.[/size] [img]http://www.madeinsouthitalytoday.com/assets/uploads/Campania/Naple_Province/Naples_Underground/Catacombes/Catacombe-san-gennaro_500.jpg[/img] [size=1][url=http://www.madeinsouthitalytoday.com/assets/uploads/Campania/Naple_Province/Naples_Underground/Catacombes/Catacombe-san-gennaro_500.jpg][/url]Image Credit. Catacombs in Naples, Italy. Reference for the general structure of the Cathedral's catacombs/underground tunnels. [/size] [size=2] [b]REDWOOD GROVE:[/b] On the cliffs behind the Cathedral lies a dense forest of redwood trees, its canopy lost in a mist of swirling fog. The mist that blankets the Cathedral is known as the Wanderer's Fog as it prevents anyone from finding the structure unless they have an invitation containing its coordinates. The forest floor is covered with ferns and clover along with dried needles and the decomposing remains of fallen trees. Fungi are also abundant. Aside from the flora, the forest is void of animal life and is perpetually silent. Once outside the fog, the forest erupts with birdsong and the rustle of small animals scurrying through the underbrush. [center][img]https://www.savetheredwoods.org/wp-content/uploads/Donate_Grove_large_DaveBasalt_DelNorte2.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=https://www.savetheredwoods.org/wp-content/uploads/Donate_Grove_large_DaveBasalt_DelNorte2.jpg]Image Credit[/url]. Reference for the redwood forest surrounding the Cathedral of Eyes. [/size] [size=2] [b]THE BERMUDA TRENCH:[/b] Several hundred feet after the cliffs drop into the sea, the ocean floor plummets into a deep underwater trench. The air and water over the trench are in constant turmoil due to currents propagated by the trench. As such, gravity directly over the chasm feels magnified and ships or flying dragons are often sucked down into the abyss. Sometimes, strange rings of light appear to radiate from the trench and flicker across the waves on the water's surface. [center][img]http://photos.captureminnesota.com/photos/wf64k8wJ1Nno_CPLNjzpBw/showcase.jpg[/img][/center] [size=1][url=http://photos.captureminnesota.com/photos/wf64k8wJ1Nno_CPLNjzpBw/showcase.jpg]Image Credit[/url]. Reference for area surrounding the Cathedral with forested cliffs. Lighthouse would represent where the Tree of Knowledge is located with the Cathedral carved on the vertical face of the cliff below it. [/size] [size=2][b]FAERIE LORE:[/b] Faeries are elegant beings who are thought to be the original source of many traditional songs and dances that they shared with mortals long ago. These ethereal beings establish Courts by carving mirror dimensions in various locations. While Faeries have a significant amount of innate power, they require an exogenous source of energy to maintain the dimension housing their Court. In many cases, they rely on sacrifices as an energy source and often spirit away children for this purpose. Faeries never raise their own hatchlings, instead replacing the children they abduct with their own offspring. Faerie hatchlings often outcompete their nest-mates, pushing other offspring from the nest and enchanting foster parents into taking care of them. Each faerie hatchling inherits a dance specific to their family line that can help them find related faeries once they are grown. The faerie court is structured as a chess board with a reigning pair, each of which has their own trio of servants known as the Bishop, Knight, and Rook. These servants are most closely bound to the Court and are often mortals subsequently transformed into Faeries after learning the family’s dance. Bishops are the scribes and personal attendants to the reigning pair while knights serve as guards and rooks as messengers. Subordinate servants are known as Pawns and can either be faeries or mortals. New courts and branches from a family line are associated with changes to the family’s dance. In most cases, the dances can only be altered by mortals who become faeries after learning such a dance. Along with the dances, each family of faeries also has a unique set of abilities that are influenced by the intentions and personalities of the reigning pair. [/size] [size=2][b]GOBLIN LORE:[/b] Goblins are cursed beings originally created from thieves caught stealing from a faerie’s court. Often, they are physically deformed as a result of such curses and the object they stole becomes a source of both their curse and their power. They are opportunistic creatures who often take over the remains of vacant faerie courts to establish their own kingdoms. Unlike faeries, these creatures are capable of holding open alternate dimensions with their own innate powers. Their kingdoms are ruled by an individual or pair who amasses subordinates by converting mortals into goblins. Those who eat or drink within the goblin’s realm are converted. Goblin Kingdoms are structured as an Arcana and often include a king, queen, and their subordinates including the cupbearer, sword master, keeper of coin, and club-bearer. Roles within the Arcana, however, are highly variable and depend on the court’s needs.

awaicu

9798

January 28, 2017 23:16:20

LOCATIONS AND HEADCANNONS

Locations at and around the Cathedral of Eyes, images are for reference.

THE CATHEDRAL (EXTERIOR): Carved directly from the limestone cliffs surrounding the Lightweaver's Beacon, the Cathedral of Eyes perches high on the cliffside where it faces out towards the open ocean. Extending from the seaward-facing side lies a bridge supported by arcs of carved stone. The bridge serves as a runway that spans several hundred feet over the sea before ending. Past the bridge lies a courtyard and connecting garden full of fountains, statues, and exotic plants. The entrance to the Cathedral consists of a pair of old oaken doors bordered on either side by two chimera-like statues. From the courtyard, a set of eleven steps lead up to the doorway.

Image credit. Madonna della Corona in Spiazzi, Italy. Reference for the Cathedral's general location, perched on the cliffs.

Image credit. Las Lajas Cathedral in Columbia. Reference for the general structure of the Cathedral of Eyes and extending bridge.

THE CATHEDRAL (INTERIOR): Inside the Cathedral, light filters through the stained glass windows and casts flecks of color across the echoing halls. The ceilings are vaulted and painted with intricate designs interspersed by hanging lights in the halls or crystalline chandeliers in larger rooms. The floors are tiled with black and white sheets of polished marble and the walls reflect blurred images of passers by. Maze-like halls connect the Cathedral to a series of rooms that serve as housing for residents and guests as well as a ball room, theatre, and outdoor amphitheater called the Hearth. Some of the halls also lead down to the catacombs, which consist of a series of labyrinthine tunnels that run deep into the cliffside.

palais-garnier-in-paris-13-copyright-french-moments.jpg

Image Credit. Palais Garnier in Paris, France. Reference for the structure and design of the Cathedral's halls.

THEATRE: The Cathedral's theatre is located at the easternmost side of the structure and consists of several hundred red satin seats arranged in semi-circular rows around the stage. An enormous crystalline chandelier hangs from the center of the room. The stage and surrounding walls are crafted from redwood panels although the majority of the wood is covered by intricately carved designs and sculptures made from stone and gold. A heavy fabric curtain made from embroidered satin obscures the stage. It is dark crimson in coloration with golden embroidery in the shape of the Cathedral's symbol.

Image Credit. Interior of the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden Theatre in Germany. Reference for the Cathedral's indoor opera venue.

BALLROOM: Towards the western end of the Cathedral lies a ballroom where the fairies hold nightly dances for all to attend. The ballroom is lined with mirrors and visitors must be careful that they aren't spirited away by the fairies who use the venue to enchant unsuspecting dancers and whisk them away to another realm. In the parallel dimension known as the Realm of Faerie, the ballroom is the throne room to king Oberon and queen Titania. This realm is a twilight version of the original ballroom and features a pair of thrones surrounded by hanging bird cages large enough to house dragons of any size.

HH_grandballroom001_37_1270x560_FitToBoxSmallDimension_Center.jpg

Image Credit. Grand ballroom at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago. Reference for the general structure of the Cathedral's ballroom.

THE HEARTH: Exiting the theatre there is a set of stairs leading up to an overhanging patio called the Hearth that connects to the upper levels of the courtyard and garden. The Hearth is arranged as an amphitheater with brick seats positioned in semi-circles around a fire pit. It is here that the Cathedral hosts gatherings for visitors to relax, meet one another, and tell stories around the fire. From their seats in the Hearth, dragons can look out across the Cathedral's gardens and out to the ocean beyond. While the thick layer of fog surrounding the Cathedral obscures the view on most nights, there is often a several hour period where the mists clear and dragons can sit in the Hearth to view the stars. The tea master, Rooibos frequents the Hearth and serves guests a myriad of warm beverages including spiced cider, mulled wine, and tea.

Image Credit. General structure of the Hearth, an outdoor patio/amphitheater overlooking the Cathedral's gardens and ocean.

COURTYARD AND GARDENS: The Cathedral's courtyard and connected gardens consist of a multi-level maze of plants and running water. Despite the fog surrounding the Cathedral, species of plants from across Sorneith flourish here. The multi-tiered gardens are irrigated by a series of channels that fall down each tier of the garden as waterfalls and connect to several larger ponds. Each pond sports a carved stone fountain and is home to various species of water plants, carp, and frogs. Several of the ponds are large enough to swim in and the water is sourced from fresh water springs deep within the cliffs. The garden paths are connected by a series of tiled stone paths and feature a number of arbors, secluded benches, and tunnels.

Image Credit Public Rose Gardens in Berkeley, California. Reference for the structure of the Cathedral's tiered garden.

THE CATACOMBS: Beneath the Cathedral, a series of tunnels stretch deep into the cliffside underground. Tended by a group of undertakers called the Librarians, these tunnels are lined with bookshelves. The books are crafted from the remains of deceased dragons and contain the life stories of the dead. The tunnels are sparsely lit with torches and are surprisingly warm and dry with a slight breeze flowing through them. The stone walls are carved with eyes and interspersed by the winding roots of a great redwood that towers from the cliffs behind the Cathedral. In the deepest parts of the tunnels lies a maze sealed off by a vaulted door. It is here that prisoners are dumped to be disposed of by the feral vampiric creatures residing within the labyrinth. At sea level, the catacombs lead down to a secluded cave where the pirates dock their vessel, The Pied Piper. Rumors also speak of a circular stone door encrypted with runic markings that periodically appears along the stone walls. It is in a different location every time.

Image Credit. Catacombs in Naples, Italy. Reference for the general structure of the Cathedral's catacombs/underground tunnels.

REDWOOD GROVE: On the cliffs behind the Cathedral lies a dense forest of redwood trees, its canopy lost in a mist of swirling fog. The mist that blankets the Cathedral is known as the Wanderer's Fog as it prevents anyone from finding the structure unless they have an invitation containing its coordinates. The forest floor is covered with ferns and clover along with dried needles and the decomposing remains of fallen trees. Fungi are also abundant. Aside from the flora, the forest is void of animal life and is perpetually silent. Once outside the fog, the forest erupts with birdsong and the rustle of small animals scurrying through the underbrush.

Image Credit. Reference for the redwood forest surrounding the Cathedral of Eyes.

THE BERMUDA TRENCH: Several hundred feet after the cliffs drop into the sea, the ocean floor plummets into a deep underwater trench. The air and water over the trench are in constant turmoil due to currents propagated by the trench. As such, gravity directly over the chasm feels magnified and ships or flying dragons are often sucked down into the abyss. Sometimes, strange rings of light appear to radiate from the trench and flicker across the waves on the water's surface.

Image Credit. Reference for area surrounding the Cathedral with forested cliffs. Lighthouse would represent where the Tree of Knowledge is located with the Cathedral carved on the vertical face of the cliff below it.

FAERIE LORE: Faeries are elegant beings who are thought to be the original source of many traditional songs and dances that they shared with mortals long ago. These ethereal beings establish Courts by carving mirror dimensions in various locations. While Faeries have a significant amount of innate power, they require an exogenous source of energy to maintain the dimension housing their Court. In many cases, they rely on sacrifices as an energy source and often spirit away children for this purpose.

Faeries never raise their own hatchlings, instead replacing the children they abduct with their own offspring. Faerie hatchlings often outcompete their nest-mates, pushing other offspring from the nest and enchanting foster parents into taking care of them. Each faerie hatchling inherits a dance specific to their family line that can help them find related faeries once they are grown.

The faerie court is structured as a chess board with a reigning pair, each of which has their own trio of servants known as the Bishop, Knight, and Rook. These servants are most closely bound to the Court and are often mortals subsequently transformed into Faeries after learning the family’s dance. Bishops are the scribes and personal attendants to the reigning pair while knights serve as guards and rooks as messengers. Subordinate servants are known as Pawns and can either be faeries or mortals.

New courts and branches from a family line are associated with changes to the family’s dance. In most cases, the dances can only be altered by mortals who become faeries after learning such a dance. Along with the dances, each family of faeries also has a unique set of abilities that are influenced by the intentions and personalities of the reigning pair.

GOBLIN LORE: Goblins are cursed beings originally created from thieves caught stealing from a faerie’s court. Often, they are physically deformed as a result of such curses and the object they stole becomes a source of both their curse and their power. They are opportunistic creatures who often take over the remains of vacant faerie courts to establish their own kingdoms. Unlike faeries, these creatures are capable of holding open alternate dimensions with their own innate powers. Their kingdoms are ruled by an individual or pair who amasses subordinates by converting mortals into goblins. Those who eat or drink within the goblin’s realm are converted.

Goblin Kingdoms are structured as an Arcana and often include a king, queen, and their subordinates including the cupbearer, sword master, keeper of coin, and club-bearer. Roles within the Arcana, however, are highly variable and depend on the court’s needs.

Last edited on Nov 11, 2018 03:05:24 by awaicu

[center][center][size=6] THE GUEST BOOK [/size][/center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30357962] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/303580/30357962_350.png[/img] [/url] [/center] [size=2] Past the large oaken door that marks the Cathedral's entrance, a small table sits in the foyer. There is a book open on the table, an orange cat curled up asleep on top of the pages. As you approach, the cat opens one of his green eyes, purring as he stretches and moves off the book to reveal a list of signatures and dates. Visitors, perhaps? The cat watches you intently as you pick up the quill that rests beside the book and add your own name to the list. Not many scroll to the beginning of the book, but the first several pages contain information about many of the dragons. . . and other beings who currently make the Cathedral their home. -------- [center][size=6] COMPLETED LORE [/size][/center] While all of the Cathedral's residents have backstories, below is a list of all the dragons with completed, fully-written bios. [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=12956663][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/129567/12956663.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=12150090][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/121501/12150090.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30367242][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/303673/30367242.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28119503][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/281196/28119503.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=1180793][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/11808/1180793.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=21566535][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/215666/21566535.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22013563][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/220136/22013563.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31185587][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/311856/31185587.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=17202422][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/172025/17202422.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15865794][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/158658/15865794.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29941504][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/299416/29941504.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=13929292][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/139293/13929292.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=33753314][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/337534/33753314.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=13341453][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/133415/13341453.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28030806][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/280309/28030806.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=26454938][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/264550/26454938.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=13668744][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/136688/13668744.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=27150237][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/271503/27150237.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28158462][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/281585/28158462.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43243656][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/432437/43243656.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=17462405][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/174625/17462405.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28882125][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/288822/28882125.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=16133263][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/161333/16133263.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=11772546][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/117726/11772546.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15249107][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/152492/15249107.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=19867511][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/198676/19867511.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=26210857][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/262109/26210857.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28538193][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/285382/28538193.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=23187100][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/231872/23187100.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50328216][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/503283/50328216.png[/img][/url][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=56608240][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/566083/56608240.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=18039644][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/180397/18039644.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22964022][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/229641/22964022.png[/img][/url][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=57254843][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/572549/57254843.png[/img][/url][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58392122][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/583922/58392122.png[/img][/url][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50771662][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/507717/50771662.png[/img][/url][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58387265][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/583873/58387265.png[/img][/url][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=58603678][img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/586037/58603678.png[/img][/url] [center][size=6] COMPLETED LORE - REHOMED [/size][/center] Below are dragons who once resided in the Cathedral of Eyes and whose stories are intertwined with that of the Cathedral although they no longer reside here. [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=21557186][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/215572/21557186.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=18817854][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/188179/18817854.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31364946][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/313650/31364946.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28507329][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/285074/28507329.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34374755][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/343748/34374755.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=17564674][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/175647/17564674.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31167259][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/311673/31167259.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30423072][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/304231/30423072.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=39223538][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/392236/39223538.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22833445][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/228335/22833445.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22758443][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/227585/22758443.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=43323991][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/433240/43323991.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30675408][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/306755/30675408.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=49049021][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/490491/49049021.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29554994][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/295550/29554994.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29570440][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/295705/29570440.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=39802238][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/398023/39802238.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=39852382][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/398524/39852382.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=37594738][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/375948/37594738.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34637957][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/346380/34637957.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=39997993][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/399980/39997993.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=42233448][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/422335/42233448.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=27905562][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/279056/27905562.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=26823026][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/268231/26823026.png[/img][/url]

awaicu

9798

February 09, 2017 20:12:55

THE GUEST BOOK

Past the large oaken door that marks the Cathedral's entrance, a small table sits in the foyer. There is a book open on the table, an orange cat curled up asleep on top of the pages. As you approach, the cat opens one of his green eyes, purring as he stretches and moves off the book to reveal a list of signatures and dates. Visitors, perhaps? The cat watches you intently as you pick up the quill that rests beside the book and add your own name to the list.

Not many scroll to the beginning of the book, but the first several pages contain information about many of the dragons. . . and other beings who currently make the Cathedral their home.

COMPLETED LORE

While all of the Cathedral's residents have backstories, below is a list of all the dragons with completed, fully-written bios.

COMPLETED LORE - REHOMED

Below are dragons who once resided in the Cathedral of Eyes and whose stories are intertwined with that of the Cathedral although they no longer reside here.

Last edited on Oct 14, 2021 20:44:22 by awaicu

[center][size=6] IX: THE CITY BELOW THE SEA[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31185587] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/311856/31185587_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] [size=2] WIP [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=17202422][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/172025/17202422.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [size=2][b]Aristotle (The Mermaid):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30618260][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/306183/30618260.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Cthulhu (The Beast Below):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=41619742][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/416198/41619742.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Lovecraft (The Voice in the Well):[/b] [/columns]

awaicu

9798

February 14, 2017 22:40:54

IX: THE CITY BELOW THE SEA

WIP

Aristotle (The Mermaid):

Cthulhu (The Beast Below):

Lovecraft (The Voice in the Well):

Last edited on Oct 14, 2021 20:45:27 by awaicu

[center][size=6] X: THE PIED PIPER[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=1180793] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/11808/1180793_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] [size=2] WIP [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=1180793][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/11808/1180793.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Jack (The Captain):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=23348118][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/233482/23348118.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Erika (The Figurehead):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=19542800][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/195429/19542800.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Annabel (The Lookout):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34705254][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/347053/34705254.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Huginn (Informant):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34705255][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/347053/34705255.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Muninn (Informant):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=16421417][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/164215/16421417.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Orochi (The Chef):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22964022][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/229641/22964022.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Aesop (Navigator): [/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=22289050][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/222891/22289050.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Gatsby (Cartographer):[/b] [/columns]

awaicu

9798

February 14, 2017 22:40:58

X: THE PIED PIPER

WIP

Jack (The Captain):

Erika (The Figurehead):

Annabel (The Lookout):

Huginn (Informant):

Muninn (Informant):

Orochi (The Chef):

Aesop (Navigator):

Gatsby (Cartographer):

Last edited on Oct 14, 2021 20:46:45 by awaicu

[center][size=6] XI: THOSE WHO WANDER[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=13668744] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/136688/13668744_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] -------- [size=2] “Stay away from the woods.” Those words, spoken countless times, were the mantra of the village folk. Travelers were warned and hatchlings scolded for stepping amidst the trees. “Why, papa? Why mama?” The young ones cried, “there are pretty flowers, and fireflies!” Parents shook their heads in dismay. They spoke of a great monster that haunted the forest, preying on hatchlings and lost souls trapped within an eternal mist. “A beast! A monster!” “A [I]child-eater[/I]!” Some travelers brushed it off as folklore. “Small towns like these are full of rumors” they would say, tossing coins to their host in exchange for lodging. “It’s just a story”. The villagers would watch them wander away through the trees. They would hear the screams later in the night; eerie wails echoing from the forest. Someone would come later, searching for a dragon who supposedly passed through the Sunbeam Ruins and never returned home. The villagers would simply shake their heads. For even stories contain a certain truth. -------- [size=2] His name was [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/2424732]Ukhai[/url] and although his scales gleamed darkly, his eyes shimmered with the bright yellow glow of a light dragon. He was born in a small village at the edge of the Sundial Terrace - a logging community that harvested trees from the bordering redwood forest and crafted them into various wares and pieces of art. Despite his birth, however, Ukhai and his family were treated as outsiders. Back then, the Imperials were a rare breed who garnered suspicion among the small clans that dotted Sornieth. The land was still vastly unexplored and drakes knew very little about the world they inhabited. It was a world filled with mystery and wonder, and rumors of all kinds. Perhaps the suspicions of the townsfolk were warranted as Ukhai and his siblings were born with unusual abilities. “Look, papa!” The young Imperial shouted one day as he created small sparks of light between cupped hands. They floated upwards like fireflies dancing in the night air as the hatching giggled and Mordrellen looked at his son with a smile. “Beautiful”. -------- [size=2] “No peeking, okay!” Ukhai heard his sister’s familiar voice followed by quickly retreating footsteps. He counted, hands covering his closed eyes. “Three, two, one. . . ready or not! Here I come!” He set off humming as he walked towards the woods. His sister always hid in the same place, but Ukhai still pretended that she made the game a challenge for him. He smiled when he saw her tail peeking out from between the tree roots, “found you!” The siblings were inseparable, exploring the woods and frolicking through the fields of bluebells that grew in clearings throughout the forest. At night, Ukhai would create sparks of light to guide their way and the hatchlings ran through the dusky forest, a trail of fireflies dancing after them as they played. -------- [size=2] Their abilities became stronger as they grew. Ukhai had a knack for light magic - creating luminescent orbs or casting spells to light candles and lanterns. The flames he created were never hot, but they saved the family money on fuel for their lanterns. While Ukhai explored light magic, his sister, Shadow, crafted minor illusions. Their parents scolded her often for punching goods with illusion-crafted coins that would disappear as soon as merchants placed them somewhere out of sight. “I could have sworn I put the money right here!” the baker roared as Shadow slipped away, a cinnamon roll in her possession and a mischievous grin on her face. Mordrellen and Isis were proud, but they feared that the villagers would not take kindly to the strange abilities that their hatchlings possessed. “You must not let them see. It’s a secret, okay? Only between us”. The hatchlings nodded, and their abilities remained unknown to the townsfolk for many years. -------- [size=2] It was spring when the time came for Shadow to leave. She had a suitor, a traveling drake from the Shifting Expanse who charmed her and offered a considerable dowry for her hand in marriage. Ukhai was happy for her, sending her off with a kiss on the cheek as she loaded her belongings into a satchel. “What will you do now?” She asked as they sat on the patio, sharing their last evening together beneath the glow of the moon. “I’ll stick around. Help out with the business for a while”. Shadow smiled, “I’m glad. Write to me, okay?” After that, Ukhai worked, just like every other dragon in the village. Mordrellen began taking him into the woods in the evenings, lanterns and axes in hand as they searched for trees to fell. They made a living off of the wood, Mordrellen crafting tables and furniture while his mate, Isis, carved wooden cutlery and whittled sculptures to sell in town. He was there when cracks appeared across the surface of a single glowing egg - his parents’ last nest. It hatched on the night of the full moon, a pale orb that loomed in the sky above their farmhouse. Ukhai helped nudge the eggshell from the hatchling, tiny midnight wings unfolding as the egg split apart and golden eyes opened for the first time. “[url=http://www1.flightrising.com/dragon/4582821]Reiko[/url]” -------- [size=2] Despite his parents’ urges, Ukhai never found a mate. He had a few flings with traveling dragons who passed through, but he never fell in love or started a family of his own. He did wonder from time to time if he had children somewhere out in the world, but he never heard from any of his previous lovers. Instead, he helped raise Reiko as if the hatchling were his own, assuming full care when their mother fell ill. It was shortly after Reiko’s birth that Isis began to cough. Ukhai found her one evening hunched beside the fire, coughing into blood-stained hands. “Mother!” He hurried towards her, worry washing over his features as he saw strings of dark blood spill from her mouth. "I-I'm fine" she wheezed, but Ukhai knew that she was anything but. Healers came and went, but Isis' cough worsened and strange sores appeared between her scales, bubbling up and oozing a foul-smelling liquid onto her skin. The healers treated her with herbs and potions and spells of all kinds, but eventually Isis succumbed to the disease. Mordrellen and Ukhai buried her body solemnly before heading back into the woods. There was still work to be done, more now than ever before. -------- [size=2] Ukhai assumed nearly full responsibility for Reiko's care while their father crafted wares from the wood they harvested. When Reiko’s abilities manifested, Ukhai and Mordrellen could no longer keep them a secret. They were forced to hired a nanny to watch him during the evening when they went out to cut wood and returned one night to find her hiding in a closet. “T-that thing! That thing is not a child. It’s a demon!” “A [I]witch[/I]!” Ukhai and Mordrellen looked to each other with concern as they searched for Reiko and finally found him, fast asleep and floating against the ceiling. "Why would she be so terrified of a levitating hatchling?" it puzzled Ukhai and he found himself wondering what more Reiko was capable of. -------- [size=2] The rumors spread like wildfire. Ukhai couldn’t go into town without the village folk glaring at him in suspicion. He heard the whispers as well. “Have you heard about that family of witches at the edge of town? It’s no good, I tell you.” Ukhai sighed. "Better stay away from them, they'll cause nothing but trouble for this town". Their family was now more outcast than ever. Ukhai still set up their booth amidst the market, rocking Reiko as he waited for someone to make a purchase. The rumors made selling their wares in town difficult, "it's witch-crafted" one dragon said, humoring himself with his own joke as he passed by. It was on one such day in the village that Ukhai came across a small velvet booth set up beside the merchant stands. There was an old Ridgeback sitting in front of a marble ball, a stack of tarot cards resting on the table beside her. Ukhai soon realized that she was blind, her gaze fixed straight ahead as if she were staring at something in the distance. He nearly dropped Reiko when she spoke. “You. Come and sit. I will read your fate.” “O-oh, um, me?” Ukhai didn’t see anyone else around, but it had been so long since anyone had spoken to him. The old dragon chuckled, “yes, of course, you and the little one”. -------- [size=2] The fortuneteller shuffled her deck of cards, pulling one from the stack and setting it before her on the table. It faced Ukhai upside-down, an image of a white horse galloping beneath the sun. “Ah, the reversed sun. You are trusting and kind, but you will be deceived, I see your future. . . surrounded by light, but be careful that it doesn’t burn you”. Reiko woke up to the sound of the Ridgeback’s voice, a soft coo escaping his throat as he looked at the deck of cards, reaching towards them with midnight-hued claws. “You want a reading too, little one?” Ukhai sighed, hoisting his brother up to see the table. The fortuneteller re-shuffled the deck, pulling a card free and placing it on the table. Reiko giggled as a pale-white skull stared from the face of the card. “Death.” -------- [size=2] Ukhai was unsettled after encountering the fortune-teller and watched Reiko for any signs of illness, paranoid that he might be whisked away by disease like their mother. The hatchling remained healthy, he began to babble then speak, and walk, growing strong as the years passed by. He was a normal, healthy child save for the fact that every day he seemed to develop a new ability. While Ukhai was limited to light magic, there appeared to be no end to Reiko’s powers. Levitation, illusions, dream walking, and speaking to animals. Reiko could do them all. Ukhai would often sit with him on their porch, creating fireflies as Reiko watched the beads of light float through the air with wide eyes. “Brubber” he babbled and over time he became more confident in his speech, the pitch of his voice deepening until it rivaled even their fathers. Reiko was a hatchling no longer. Perhaps by some enchantment, the villagers seemed to welcome Reiko when he came into town. He was charismatic and handsome and attracted many maidens, although he had little interest in romance and politely declined their offers.People felt at ease around the midnight dragon and there didn’t seem to be much that Reiko couldn’t do. It wasn't long before villagers began visiting their home, asking the young drake if he could come and help them with a project. "I just need a few of the thatches replaced on the ol' roof, think you could help an old man out?" Ukiah smiled. Finally, their family no longer felt out of place. "Brother?" the young drake questioned one night as they sat on the porch, "what do you know of the fae-folk?" Ukhai almost snorted his drink, unbelieving that his brother would bring up such a thing. "That old story?" he chuckled, "it's just a tale, why do you ask?" "Ah. No reason, I was just curious". -------- [size=2] That was when the children started disappearing. One by one, they vanished from their homes without a trace. Parents cried in anguish as they clutched their children’s belongings, praying that they would return safely, but knowing they were lost. “Someone is taking them away! Who is responsible for this?!” They were quick to turn on each other, shouting accusations across the town. “Witch!” The word rang on the air, lingering there for a long moment as if it were a death sentence. In many ways, thats exactly what it was. The call created commotion among the town as villagers picked up pitchforks and axes and torches lit with fire. They would hunt down the creature, the child-eater, and cleanse away the witch’s sins. They demanded redemption for the stolen children. . . they needed someone to blame. -------- [size=2] Countless villagers burned at the stake and Ukhai shivered. The villagers hadn’t turned on his family immediately, but he knew that at some point they would. “Why are you worried?” Reiko asked, “why would they suspect us when we have done no wrong?” “Because, brother, certainly they have already burned those who have done no wrong and still the children are disappearing. How long do you think it will take for them to turn on us?” “Perhaps. But even so, we are far more powerful than the mere mortals who comprise this town. Do you think they would succeed, even if they tried?" -------- [size=2] Ukhai was haunted by the images of innocent villagers burning at the stake and his brother's dark words. He woke up from one such dream and couldn’t fall back asleep. He sighed, grumbling as he lifted himself from the bed and decided it better to work than attempt to fall back into his nightmares. He picked up an axe and set off into the woods. It was an eerie night, a thick fog draping over the trees. Ukhai wandered deep into the forest, his fireflies lighting the way as he sent them out into the air. Up ahead, something was glowing. Curious, he snuck closer, hiding behind the trees. It was one of the clearings, the full moon blazing down over a figure who sat in the center. Something flashed, a steel blade glinting in the moonlight and someone began chanting in a familiar voice. “No.” The word escaped Ukhai’s throat as a whisper. He watched in horror as his brother stood, swinging the blade through the air before it embedded in the throat of a hatchling that he grasped tightly in blood-stained claws. “NO!” Ukhai roared, emerging from the clearing as his power surged around him in a blast of blinding light. He attempted to wrestle the hatchling away from his sibling, pulling the fading child into his grasp. “You can’t do this to them! To us! Why?” He was sobbing now, holding the child as it whimpered in his arms. “Ah, brother. You’ve finally joined me. After all these years, haven’t you ever wondered if your innate abilities could be sharpened? Enhanced? [I]Empowered?[/I]. Blood is a powerful thing, especially the blood of children. Join me, for together, we shall be stronger than you can imagine”. Ukhai stared at his brother in shock, his voice a mere whisper as he replied. “After all of this, to think that they were right all along. The townsfolk who called us witches, and [I] child-eaters[/I]! We have proved them right! You must stop, brother. Stop this." A dark thought flickered across his mind as he spoke. Where had his brother gotten such an idea? Hatchling sacrifices were. . . the stuff of fairytale. Reiko only laughed at his brother's words and Ukhai was forced to lunge. -------- [size=2] The hatchling’s blood had stained his claws and sunken deep into his skin. With it, just as Reiko said, came power. Ukhai’s light burned around him, now blazing hot as it spread from his wings in pulses, setting fire to the trees and enclosing the siblings in an inferno of flames. Reiko was strong, but Ukhai was far larger and more experienced. Now, he too had the blood of an innocent fueling his powers. He swept forward, knocking his brother to the ground as the forest burned around them. -------- [size=2] The villagers found him sitting amidst a pile of ash. They saw the glow of fire and black smoke billowing towards the sky and ran into the woods, torches and axes in hand. Another hatchling had gone missing in the night and this time, they found the body. The hatchling's charred remains still rested in Ukhai’s claws, his sibling’s larger form laying in a crisp husk around them. No one noticed his tears and he barely noticed the shrieks that surrounded him, engulfing him in a sea of voices. Accusations. “I knew it!” “All along, they were stealing our children” “Witch. Child-eater! You are a monster!” They stabbed at his form with pitchforks until he bled, but Ukhai didn’t move. He didn’t try to escape. He let them tie him to one of the charred trees, building a pyre around him and lighting it aflame. He cried out as tongues of heat leapt at his form. The fire was not like his own light. It burned and it kept burning until nothing but bones remained. After that, the children stopped disappearing. -------- [size=2] The remains smoldered, blacked flesh still burning under the light of the full moon. The villagers left them there, the charred remains of two Imperial brothers intertwined around the pyre. In the distance, a storm brewed, dark clouds rolling overhead as the first drops of rain fell, sizzling as they hit darkened scales. Lightning flashed, filling the heavens with light as a bolt shot down, striking the charred trees. Thunder roared and with it, a great hiss escaped the corpses’ throats. Black flesh knit itself together, engulfing a hatchling’s form between two massive bodies as they rose up from the ground. Limbs and bones cracked and charred wings collided, fusing together. The lightning left bands of scar tissue in raised crackles across its skin as the massive heads lifted themselves from the ground. They had only one eye between them, but it was no longer the honeyed yellow of light. It was tinged an eerie blue, opaque as it peered from a crater-like socket of exposed bone. The Beast roared. -------- [size=2] Fireflies dance at the forest's edge, orbs of light flashing in the fog as if enticing someone to venture onwards, luring them deeper and deeper into the woods. The eternal mists never lift and something shifts, trees seeming to part as they make way for the gargantuan form that passes between them. The Beast now has many heads and a thousand eyes from which it stares at the world, flecks of light peering star-like from the fog. It has stolen them from villagers and travelers alike. The village has forgotten about the Imperials who once lived among them, but still, hatchlings are born from time to time with unusual abilities. Blessed by water and fire and the light of the full moon, they have vowed protect the land, for there are still child-eaters haunting this world. Witches who have gone astray and fae-folk who lurk in the woods. "Want me to share a secret with you, young one?" an [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&id=149080&tab=dragon&did=28538193]ethereal being[/url] stood amidst the bluebells, pearlescent under the moonlight as he spoke of the power of blood to a midnight-hued hatchling with light in his eyes. [right][font=calibri][size=2][color=#bcbcbc]Special thanks to [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=381619]LaSilva007[/url], [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=393333]BelialsWrath[/url] and the [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2607219/1#post_2607219]Witchborne Lineage[/url] [/font][/color][/size] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=50328216][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/503283/50328216.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Irene[/b]: Born beneath the light of the crow moon and nearly drown upon her birth, Irene shares a close connection with the deceased. Weak and sickly, she travels by dreamwalking, her physical form fading and pulling her to the locations she sees in dreams. She shares a special connection with a [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=13668744] beast[/url] residing in the forest that protects the Cathedral of Eyes from the rest of the world. It is a hurt and vengeful creature, but Irene's voice offers respite from the chaos that consumes its many minds. [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=51938043][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/519381/51938043.png[/img][/url][nextcol] [size=2][b]Ivan[/b]: Born beneath the full Moon of Flowers, Irene's nephew was blessed with an innate fascination for botany and powerful shifting abilities that he cannot control. Tormented by the wolf-beast lurking within him, Ivan is a restless drake who seeks comfort among his collection of herbs and spices. He was born aboard the Valkyrie's Revenge where he formed a special bond with the siren, [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=149080&did=50444105]Isabella[/url] as her singing is one of the few things capable of controlling the wolf-beast. [/columns]

awaicu

9798

February 14, 2017 22:41:02

XI: THOSE WHO WANDER

“Stay away from the woods.”

Those words, spoken countless times, were the mantra of the village folk. Travelers were warned and hatchlings scolded for stepping amidst the trees. “Why, papa? Why mama?” The young ones cried, “there are pretty flowers, and fireflies!” Parents shook their heads in dismay. They spoke of a great monster that haunted the forest, preying on hatchlings and lost souls trapped within an eternal mist. “A beast! A monster!”

“A child-eater!”

Some travelers brushed it off as folklore. “Small towns like these are full of rumors” they would say, tossing coins to their host in exchange for lodging. “It’s just a story”. The villagers would watch them wander away through the trees. They would hear the screams later in the night; eerie wails echoing from the forest. Someone would come later, searching for a dragon who supposedly passed through the Sunbeam Ruins and never returned home. The villagers would simply shake their heads.

For even stories contain a certain truth.

His name was Ukhai and although his scales gleamed darkly, his eyes shimmered with the bright yellow glow of a light dragon. He was born in a small village at the edge of the Sundial Terrace - a logging community that harvested trees from the bordering redwood forest and crafted them into various wares and pieces of art. Despite his birth, however, Ukhai and his family were treated as outsiders. Back then, the Imperials were a rare breed who garnered suspicion among the small clans that dotted Sornieth. The land was still vastly unexplored and drakes knew very little about the world they inhabited. It was a world filled with mystery and wonder, and rumors of all kinds.

Perhaps the suspicions of the townsfolk were warranted as Ukhai and his siblings were born with unusual abilities. “Look, papa!” The young Imperial shouted one day as he created small sparks of light between cupped hands. They floated upwards like fireflies dancing in the night air as the hatching giggled and Mordrellen looked at his son with a smile. “Beautiful”.

“No peeking, okay!” Ukhai heard his sister’s familiar voice followed by quickly retreating footsteps. He counted, hands covering his closed eyes. “Three, two, one. . . ready or not! Here I come!” He set off humming as he walked towards the woods. His sister always hid in the same place, but Ukhai still pretended that she made the game a challenge for him. He smiled when he saw her tail peeking out from between the tree roots, “found you!”

The siblings were inseparable, exploring the woods and frolicking through the fields of bluebells that grew in clearings throughout the forest. At night, Ukhai would create sparks of light to guide their way and the hatchlings ran through the dusky forest, a trail of fireflies dancing after them as they played.

Their abilities became stronger as they grew. Ukhai had a knack for light magic - creating luminescent orbs or casting spells to light candles and lanterns. The flames he created were never hot, but they saved the family money on fuel for their lanterns. While Ukhai explored light magic, his sister, Shadow, crafted minor illusions. Their parents scolded her often for punching goods with illusion-crafted coins that would disappear as soon as merchants placed them somewhere out of sight.

“I could have sworn I put the money right here!” the baker roared as Shadow slipped away, a cinnamon roll in her possession and a mischievous grin on her face.

Mordrellen and Isis were proud, but they feared that the villagers would not take kindly to the strange abilities that their hatchlings possessed. “You must not let them see. It’s a secret, okay? Only between us”. The hatchlings nodded, and their abilities remained unknown to the townsfolk for many years.

It was spring when the time came for Shadow to leave. She had a suitor, a traveling drake from the Shifting Expanse who charmed her and offered a considerable dowry for her hand in marriage. Ukhai was happy for her, sending her off with a kiss on the cheek as she loaded her belongings into a satchel. “What will you do now?” She asked as they sat on the patio, sharing their last evening together beneath the glow of the moon. “I’ll stick around. Help out with the business for a while”. Shadow smiled, “I’m glad. Write to me, okay?”

After that, Ukhai worked, just like every other dragon in the village. Mordrellen began taking him into the woods in the evenings, lanterns and axes in hand as they searched for trees to fell. They made a living off of the wood, Mordrellen crafting tables and furniture while his mate, Isis, carved wooden cutlery and whittled sculptures to sell in town.

He was there when cracks appeared across the surface of a single glowing egg - his parents’ last nest. It hatched on the night of the full moon, a pale orb that loomed in the sky above their farmhouse. Ukhai helped nudge the eggshell from the hatchling, tiny midnight wings unfolding as the egg split apart and golden eyes opened for the first time. “Reiko”

Despite his parents’ urges, Ukhai never found a mate. He had a few flings with traveling dragons who passed through, but he never fell in love or started a family of his own. He did wonder from time to time if he had children somewhere out in the world, but he never heard from any of his previous lovers. Instead, he helped raise Reiko as if the hatchling were his own, assuming full care when their mother fell ill.

It was shortly after Reiko’s birth that Isis began to cough. Ukhai found her one evening hunched beside the fire, coughing into blood-stained hands. “Mother!” He hurried towards her, worry washing over his features as he saw strings of dark blood spill from her mouth. "I-I'm fine" she wheezed, but Ukhai knew that she was anything but.

Healers came and went, but Isis' cough worsened and strange sores appeared between her scales, bubbling up and oozing a foul-smelling liquid onto her skin. The healers treated her with herbs and potions and spells of all kinds, but eventually Isis succumbed to the disease. Mordrellen and Ukhai buried her body solemnly before heading back into the woods. There was still work to be done, more now than ever before.

Ukhai assumed nearly full responsibility for Reiko's care while their father crafted wares from the wood they harvested. When Reiko’s abilities manifested, Ukhai and Mordrellen could no longer keep them a secret. They were forced to hired a nanny to watch him during the evening when they went out to cut wood and returned one night to find her hiding in a closet. “T-that thing! That thing is not a child. It’s a demon!”

“A witch!”

Ukhai and Mordrellen looked to each other with concern as they searched for Reiko and finally found him, fast asleep and floating against the ceiling. "Why would she be so terrified of a levitating hatchling?" it puzzled Ukhai and he found himself wondering what more Reiko was capable of.

The rumors spread like wildfire. Ukhai couldn’t go into town without the village folk glaring at him in suspicion. He heard the whispers as well. “Have you heard about that family of witches at the edge of town? It’s no good, I tell you.” Ukhai sighed. "Better stay away from them, they'll cause nothing but trouble for this town". Their family was now more outcast than ever. Ukhai still set up their booth amidst the market, rocking Reiko as he waited for someone to make a purchase. The rumors made selling their wares in town difficult, "it's witch-crafted" one dragon said, humoring himself with his own joke as he passed by.

It was on one such day in the village that Ukhai came across a small velvet booth set up beside the merchant stands. There was an old Ridgeback sitting in front of a marble ball, a stack of tarot cards resting on the table beside her. Ukhai soon realized that she was blind, her gaze fixed straight ahead as if she were staring at something in the distance. He nearly dropped Reiko when she spoke. “You. Come and sit. I will read your fate.”

“O-oh, um, me?” Ukhai didn’t see anyone else around, but it had been so long since anyone had spoken to him. The old dragon chuckled, “yes, of course, you and the little one”.

The fortuneteller shuffled her deck of cards, pulling one from the stack and setting it before her on the table. It faced Ukhai upside-down, an image of a white horse galloping beneath the sun. “Ah, the reversed sun. You are trusting and kind, but you will be deceived, I see your future. . . surrounded by light, but be careful that it doesn’t burn you”.

Reiko woke up to the sound of the Ridgeback’s voice, a soft coo escaping his throat as he looked at the deck of cards, reaching towards them with midnight-hued claws. “You want a reading too, little one?” Ukhai sighed, hoisting his brother up to see the table. The fortuneteller re-shuffled the deck, pulling a card free and placing it on the table. Reiko giggled as a pale-white skull stared from the face of the card.

“Death.”

Ukhai was unsettled after encountering the fortune-teller and watched Reiko for any signs of illness, paranoid that he might be whisked away by disease like their mother. The hatchling remained healthy, he began to babble then speak, and walk, growing strong as the years passed by. He was a normal, healthy child save for the fact that every day he seemed to develop a new ability. While Ukhai was limited to light magic, there appeared to be no end to Reiko’s powers. Levitation, illusions, dream walking, and speaking to animals. Reiko could do them all.

Ukhai would often sit with him on their porch, creating fireflies as Reiko watched the beads of light float through the air with wide eyes. “Brubber” he babbled and over time he became more confident in his speech, the pitch of his voice deepening until it rivaled even their fathers. Reiko was a hatchling no longer.

Perhaps by some enchantment, the villagers seemed to welcome Reiko when he came into town. He was charismatic and handsome and attracted many maidens, although he had little interest in romance and politely declined their offers.People felt at ease around the midnight dragon and there didn’t seem to be much that Reiko couldn’t do. It wasn't long before villagers began visiting their home, asking the young drake if he could come and help them with a project. "I just need a few of the thatches replaced on the ol' roof, think you could help an old man out?" Ukiah smiled. Finally, their family no longer felt out of place.

"Brother?" the young drake questioned one night as they sat on the porch, "what do you know of the fae-folk?" Ukhai almost snorted his drink, unbelieving that his brother would bring up such a thing. "That old story?" he chuckled, "it's just a tale, why do you ask?"

"Ah. No reason, I was just curious".

That was when the children started disappearing. One by one, they vanished from their homes without a trace. Parents cried in anguish as they clutched their children’s belongings, praying that they would return safely, but knowing they were lost. “Someone is taking them away! Who is responsible for this?!” They were quick to turn on each other, shouting accusations across the town.

“Witch!”

The word rang on the air, lingering there for a long moment as if it were a death sentence. In many ways, thats exactly what it was. The call created commotion among the town as villagers picked up pitchforks and axes and torches lit with fire. They would hunt down the creature, the child-eater, and cleanse away the witch’s sins. They demanded redemption for the stolen children. . . they needed someone to blame.

Countless villagers burned at the stake and Ukhai shivered. The villagers hadn’t turned on his family immediately, but he knew that at some point they would. “Why are you worried?” Reiko asked, “why would they suspect us when we have done no wrong?”

“Because, brother, certainly they have already burned those who have done no wrong and still the children are disappearing. How long do you think it will take for them to turn on us?”

“Perhaps. But even so, we are far more powerful than the mere mortals who comprise this town. Do you think they would succeed, even if they tried?"

Ukhai was haunted by the images of innocent villagers burning at the stake and his brother's dark words. He woke up from one such dream and couldn’t fall back asleep. He sighed, grumbling as he lifted himself from the bed and decided it better to work than attempt to fall back into his nightmares. He picked up an axe and set off into the woods.

It was an eerie night, a thick fog draping over the trees. Ukhai wandered deep into the forest, his fireflies lighting the way as he sent them out into the air. Up ahead, something was glowing. Curious, he snuck closer, hiding behind the trees. It was one of the clearings, the full moon blazing down over a figure who sat in the center. Something flashed, a steel blade glinting in the moonlight and someone began chanting in a familiar voice.

“No.”

The word escaped Ukhai’s throat as a whisper. He watched in horror as his brother stood, swinging the blade through the air before it embedded in the throat of a hatchling that he grasped tightly in blood-stained claws.

“NO!”

Ukhai roared, emerging from the clearing as his power surged around him in a blast of blinding light. He attempted to wrestle the hatchling away from his sibling, pulling the fading child into his grasp. “You can’t do this to them! To us! Why?” He was sobbing now, holding the child as it whimpered in his arms.

“Ah, brother. You’ve finally joined me. After all these years, haven’t you ever wondered if your innate abilities could be sharpened? Enhanced? Empowered?. Blood is a powerful thing, especially the blood of children. Join me, for together, we shall be stronger than you can imagine”.

Ukhai stared at his brother in shock, his voice a mere whisper as he replied. “After all of this, to think that they were right all along. The townsfolk who called us witches, and child-eaters! We have proved them right! You must stop, brother. Stop this." A dark thought flickered across his mind as he spoke. Where had his brother gotten such an idea? Hatchling sacrifices were. . . the stuff of fairytale.

Reiko only laughed at his brother's words and Ukhai was forced to lunge.

The hatchling’s blood had stained his claws and sunken deep into his skin. With it, just as Reiko said, came power. Ukhai’s light burned around him, now blazing hot as it spread from his wings in pulses, setting fire to the trees and enclosing the siblings in an inferno of flames. Reiko was strong, but Ukhai was far larger and more experienced. Now, he too had the blood of an innocent fueling his powers. He swept forward, knocking his brother to the ground as the forest burned around them.

The villagers found him sitting amidst a pile of ash. They saw the glow of fire and black smoke billowing towards the sky and ran into the woods, torches and axes in hand. Another hatchling had gone missing in the night and this time, they found the body. The hatchling's charred remains still rested in Ukhai’s claws, his sibling’s larger form laying in a crisp husk around them. No one noticed his tears and he barely noticed the shrieks that surrounded him, engulfing him in a sea of voices. Accusations.

“I knew it!”

“All along, they were stealing our children”

“Witch. Child-eater! You are a monster!”

They stabbed at his form with pitchforks until he bled, but Ukhai didn’t move. He didn’t try to escape. He let them tie him to one of the charred trees, building a pyre around him and lighting it aflame. He cried out as tongues of heat leapt at his form. The fire was not like his own light. It burned and it kept burning until nothing but bones remained.

After that, the children stopped disappearing.

The remains smoldered, blacked flesh still burning under the light of the full moon. The villagers left them there, the charred remains of two Imperial brothers intertwined around the pyre. In the distance, a storm brewed, dark clouds rolling overhead as the first drops of rain fell, sizzling as they hit darkened scales. Lightning flashed, filling the heavens with light as a bolt shot down, striking the charred trees. Thunder roared and with it, a great hiss escaped the corpses’ throats.

Black flesh knit itself together, engulfing a hatchling’s form between two massive bodies as they rose up from the ground. Limbs and bones cracked and charred wings collided, fusing together. The lightning left bands of scar tissue in raised crackles across its skin as the massive heads lifted themselves from the ground. They had only one eye between them, but it was no longer the honeyed yellow of light. It was tinged an eerie blue, opaque as it peered from a crater-like socket of exposed bone. The Beast roared.

Fireflies dance at the forest's edge, orbs of light flashing in the fog as if enticing someone to venture onwards, luring them deeper and deeper into the woods. The eternal mists never lift and something shifts, trees seeming to part as they make way for the gargantuan form that passes between them. The Beast now has many heads and a thousand eyes from which it stares at the world, flecks of light peering star-like from the fog. It has stolen them from villagers and travelers alike.

The village has forgotten about the Imperials who once lived among them, but still, hatchlings are born from time to time with unusual abilities. Blessed by water and fire and the light of the full moon, they have vowed protect the land, for there are still child-eaters haunting this world. Witches who have gone astray and fae-folk who lurk in the woods. "Want me to share a secret with you, young one?" an ethereal being stood amidst the bluebells, pearlescent under the moonlight as he spoke of the power of blood to a midnight-hued hatchling with light in his eyes.

Special thanks to LaSilva007, BelialsWrath and the Witchborne Lineage

Irene: Born beneath the light of the crow moon and nearly drown upon her birth, Irene shares a close connection with the deceased. Weak and sickly, she travels by dreamwalking, her physical form fading and pulling her to the locations she sees in dreams. She shares a special connection with a beast residing in the forest that protects the Cathedral of Eyes from the rest of the world. It is a hurt and vengeful creature, but Irene's voice offers respite from the chaos that consumes its many minds.

Ivan: Born beneath the full Moon of Flowers, Irene's nephew was blessed with an innate fascination for botany and powerful shifting abilities that he cannot control. Tormented by the wolf-beast lurking within him, Ivan is a restless drake who seeks comfort among his collection of herbs and spices. He was born aboard the Valkyrie's Revenge where he formed a special bond with the siren, Isabella as her singing is one of the few things capable of controlling the wolf-beast.

Last edited on Jan 08, 2021 16:23:41 by awaicu

[center][size=6] XII: THE BATH HOUSE[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=48715556] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/487156/48715556_350.png[/img] [/url] [/center] [size=2] Moonlight shines down, illuminating glass and stone with its pale light. Marble walls flicker with the unfocused reflections of passersby as steam obscures their clarity from view. Amidst the rising mist, a luminous being sits, staring up at the stars through a canopy of glass. He is an ancient creature, his fur and antlers glowing palely with an ethereal luster. Six luminous white wings flicker in his reflection, folding and unfurling indecisively behind him. Perhaps it’s simply a trick of the light, for this dragon has no wings save for the stunted and webbed vestigial structures that erupt from his back. Still, he ruffles unseen feathers, flicking away water before folding them neatly back against his sides. He stares down into a shallow looking pool, stirring the surface of the water with his wings as visions of the past flicker by. --------[size=2] [i]In the beginning, when the Lightbringer was formed, the heavens were illuminated by his brilliance. He was created back when the universe was young and when all the Gods were part of a single omnipotent being. He was tasked with enlightening world and his form reflected this purpose, a glowing beacon of silken fur and white feathers. Lucifer wove the sun and stars from these feathers, pulling them free from luminescent wings and curling them together into great spheres. They crackled under his breath, bright embers leaping as he set them aflame. They burned with the same light as his own essence, brilliant and endless as they illuminated the darkness. His siblings cheered as he planted the stars, welcoming him back and brushing their wings against his own in greeting. He would rest as they surrounded him, combing out his mane and meticulously preening his feathers, gently realigning the barbs and guiding each one back in place upon his wings. They played music and sang to him as they placed circlets of daisies upon his head. Their home was a great shining city that floated in the sky and each of them had a purpose, a divine mandate. They would comply with their Commands, they had to. . . for none of them could deny the word of God.[/i] --------[size=2] Images come into focus. Memories of Lucifer sitting behind a sunset-hued being, her wings reaching back to entwine with his own as he cards claws through her feathers and stares up at the twilight sky. He can still hear the music too, the Host singing an endless hymn, a praise for the glory of God. The thought makes him snarl, images vanishing as he sets the surface of the pool to turmoil with an angry swipe of his talons. “What do you hope to see?” The angel bristles as stone eyes blink and coalesce upon the walls and he sneers as a Guardian steps from the darkness, eyes flashing across her wings as she tucks them against her sides. Lucifer remains silent, shifting uneasily and watching with wary eyes. The Guardian sighs, “I’m not here to Command you if that’s what you’re worried about.” “Tell me then, warden, why are you here?” Lucifer insisted on calling the Guardian ‘warden’ for both her form and name were misleading. She was called ‘Seraph’, but she was not an angel, nor was she truly a Guardian despite her draconic form. Instead, her voice carried the authority of the Gods for she was a fragmented piece of the Lightweaver that had shattered away from the deity and coalesced into a new being. A new God. “I’ve simply come to talk.” the walls seemed to flicker as she spoke, faint shadows blinking eye-like across the cracked stone despite the Guardian’s own blindfolded form. “I wish to help them”. The angel’s eyes flash with rage. “Don’t you dare speak of them! Not after what your kind did. I will not allow it”. “Very well, but you can’t keep this up forever”. With that, the Guardian retreats, watching from the shadows as Lucifer slumps in exhaustion against the wall. --------[size=2] [i]The Commands were impossible to disobey. The first to attempt it had fallen to insanity and was exiled shortly after. Lucifer had been there, watching the ceremony with disbelief as his eldest brother stood before the Host. They chained him with shackles made of starlight and carved his feathers with a celestial blade before casting him away. Lucifer trembled as he watched his brother’s golden form fall and for a moment, there was silence as the muses ceased their endless hymn. After that, even discussion of disobedience became taboo among the angels. [/i] --------[size=2] The memories slip away. Each day, Lucifer finds it more difficult to recall the shining palaces of the Heavens, each one designed to house an archangel. His own was a pale, white marble structure with glass ceilings that let the starlight shine through. The interior was full of fountains and bathing pools and statues carved from marble. It had a cold sense of beauty, much like the Lightbringer himself. Raphael’s palace was carved of old, cracked stone and covered by a think tangle of overgrown ivy. Inside, potted plants adorned nearly every surface and the air smelled thickly of medicines and smoke. Burning incense or sage always smoldered in a corner next to the massive counter where the angel compounded herbal remedies. Lucifer’s mind now flickers through all of the palaces. He forces himself to remember because he knows his siblings no longer can. --------[size=2] [i]“Kill the fallen”. Lucifer had been weaving a new star when the Command came. At first, he thought he must have misheard. Then the voice came again and he dropped the star to the ground where it fizzled out against the cold marble tile. When the order came a third time, Lucifer narrowed his eyes and directed a reply back to the voice in his mind. “No.” It had been naive of him to think that no one would find out and when they did. . . he too was brought before the Host. None of them received orders to exile him, but they were afraid. “He will go insane” they murmured, “his disobedience has jeopardized all of us, certainly he will turn on us just as Samael did. We must banish him”. Lucifer shook violently as he was led to the court and bound in chains fashioned from his own stars. His siblings cast their gaze down as they cut the feathers from his wings, digging the blade deep into where the quill of each feather connected onto bone. It was a myth that the angels couldn’t feel pain and Lucifer whimpered as his flight feathers fell away, white plumage stained dark with blood. Then he was falling, like a shooting star trailing towards the ground. The Lightbringer was broken when he landed upon the Earth, wings and limbs bent at odd angles and his form singed and raw from the velocity of his descent. His mind, however, remained sharp. Certainly, he was filled with rage and bitterness for a time, but he never lost his sanity. [/i] --------[size=2] [i]It was after Lucifer’s banishment that the voice of God went silent. . . and then split. The booming call of the Earthshaker radiated through the heavens first, followed by the searing words of the Flamecaller and the deep, bubbling whisper of the Tidelord. The Windsinger called out next, his voice a whimsical melody that swept like a breeze through the angels’ minds. The new Gods called upon their servants, each one demanding something that went against the commands of another. Eventually, all of the angels were forced to disobey at least one of their orders, the unfulfilled demands of their Gods echoing louder and louder in their minds until sanity slowly fell away. The Gods never realized their toll on the angels as they were busy fighting one another. They pit angels against their brethren as they tore apart the Heavens and Earth. Pieces of the angels’ floating city fell away, crumbled palaces falling to the Earth below as the Gods fought. Lucifer could only watch, still shackled and weak, as his siblings battled and slowly lost their minds. Some of them walked aimlessly, blankly staring forward as they muttered incoherently while others began to morph into horrific monsters with slitted eyes and ragged, gnarled horns. Demons.[/i] --------[size=2] [i]Lucifer found a piece of his own palace that had fallen to the Earth - a segment that had once been part of a luminous bathhouse with an expansive looking pool in one corner that sat before a gilded, silver door. The door led to a special place, a reflecting room that responded to the thoughts of whoever entered it, creating anything that their mind willed. It was here that Lucifer brought his siblings. He tracked them down, one by one or lured them to the room and locked them inside. Their minds were too damaged and weak to create anything of their own within the room, so Lucifer sat before the door, staring down into the looking pool and willing himself to remember. He recalled the great, shining palaces of their home and the room behind him reflected these memories, bringing them into existence. The Gods searched for their servants, but found only Lucifer and his fragmented bath house, which they ultimately left alone. The eyes of mortals were typically incapable of seeing the fallen fragments of the divine palaces that littered their world, and Lucifer remained isolated and unseen for millennia. [/i] --------[size=2] Angels escape from time to time, slipping past Lucifer when he sleeps and wreaking havoc or performing miracles upon the world. Lucifer sends his wardens after them, two creatures imbued with life that were originally statues in the angel’s palace - the only two remaining un-shattered after their fall. There are other beings who visit the bath house occasionally as well; celestial entities or mortals capable of seeing the structure. It sits perched beside the sea in the midst of an enormous, tiered garden that now surrounds a labyrinthine Cathedral watched over by a new God. The Guardian-like creature approaches him again and Lucifer’s response is the same - bristling as he glares through untrusting eyes. “I’m only here to help” she says, but the angel will hear none of it. She is a God, after all. Still, if Seraph finds an escaped angel before the wardens can track them down, she pulls them close and whispers a final command. “I retract all orders before and after this. You are free.” [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=48715556][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/487156/48715556.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [size=2][b]Lucifer (The Lightbringer):[/b] [/columns] [columns][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=54002568][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/540026/54002568.png[/img][/url] [nextcol] [size=2][b]Hel (The Mindpalace):[/b] A remnant of Lucifer's fallen palace, Hel is both a being and a place, constantly changing in response to the angel's will. [/columns]

awaicu

9798

February 14, 2017 22:41:05

XII: THE BATH HOUSE

Moonlight shines down, illuminating glass and stone with its pale light. Marble walls flicker with the unfocused reflections of passersby as steam obscures their clarity from view. Amidst the rising mist, a luminous being sits, staring up at the stars through a canopy of glass. He is an ancient creature, his fur and antlers glowing palely with an ethereal luster. Six luminous white wings flicker in his reflection, folding and unfurling indecisively behind him. Perhaps it’s simply a trick of the light, for this dragon has no wings save for the stunted and webbed vestigial structures that erupt from his back. Still, he ruffles unseen feathers, flicking away water before folding them neatly back against his sides. He stares down into a shallow looking pool, stirring the surface of the water with his wings as visions of the past flicker by.

In the beginning, when the Lightbringer was formed, the heavens were illuminated by his brilliance. He was created back when the universe was young and when all the Gods were part of a single omnipotent being. He was tasked with enlightening world and his form reflected this purpose, a glowing beacon of silken fur and white feathers.

Lucifer wove the sun and stars from these feathers, pulling them free from luminescent wings and curling them together into great spheres. They crackled under his breath, bright embers leaping as he set them aflame. They burned with the same light as his own essence, brilliant and endless as they illuminated the darkness.

His siblings cheered as he planted the stars, welcoming him back and brushing their wings against his own in greeting. He would rest as they surrounded him, combing out his mane and meticulously preening his feathers, gently realigning the barbs and guiding each one back in place upon his wings.

They played music and sang to him as they placed circlets of daisies upon his head. Their home was a great shining city that floated in the sky and each of them had a purpose, a divine mandate. They would comply with their Commands, they had to. . . for none of them could deny the word of God.

Images come into focus. Memories of Lucifer sitting behind a sunset-hued being, her wings reaching back to entwine with his own as he cards claws through her feathers and stares up at the twilight sky. He can still hear the music too, the Host singing an endless hymn, a praise for the glory of God. The thought makes him snarl, images vanishing as he sets the surface of the pool to turmoil with an angry swipe of his talons. “What do you hope to see?” The angel bristles as stone eyes blink and coalesce upon the walls and he sneers as a Guardian steps from the darkness, eyes flashing across her wings as she tucks them against her sides. Lucifer remains silent, shifting uneasily and watching with wary eyes. The Guardian sighs, “I’m not here to Command you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Tell me then, warden, why are you here?” Lucifer insisted on calling the Guardian ‘warden’ for both her form and name were misleading. She was called ‘Seraph’, but she was not an angel, nor was she truly a Guardian despite her draconic form. Instead, her voice carried the authority of the Gods for she was a fragmented piece of the Lightweaver that had shattered away from the deity and coalesced into a new being. A new God.

“I’ve simply come to talk.” the walls seemed to flicker as she spoke, faint shadows blinking eye-like across the cracked stone despite the Guardian’s own blindfolded form. “I wish to help them”.

The angel’s eyes flash with rage. “Don’t you dare speak of them! Not after what your kind did. I will not allow it”.

“Very well, but you can’t keep this up forever”. With that, the Guardian retreats, watching from the shadows as Lucifer slumps in exhaustion against the wall.

The Commands were impossible to disobey. The first to attempt it had fallen to insanity and was exiled shortly after. Lucifer had been there, watching the ceremony with disbelief as his eldest brother stood before the Host. They chained him with shackles made of starlight and carved his feathers with a celestial blade before casting him away. Lucifer trembled as he watched his brother’s golden form fall and for a moment, there was silence as the muses ceased their endless hymn.

After that, even discussion of disobedience became taboo among the angels.

The memories slip away. Each day, Lucifer finds it more difficult to recall the shining palaces of the Heavens, each one designed to house an archangel. His own was a pale, white marble structure with glass ceilings that let the starlight shine through. The interior was full of fountains and bathing pools and statues carved from marble. It had a cold sense of beauty, much like the Lightbringer himself. Raphael’s palace was carved of old, cracked stone and covered by a think tangle of overgrown ivy. Inside, potted plants adorned nearly every surface and the air smelled thickly of medicines and smoke. Burning incense or sage always smoldered in a corner next to the massive counter where the angel compounded herbal remedies. Lucifer’s mind now flickers through all of the palaces. He forces himself to remember because he knows his siblings no longer can.

“Kill the fallen”. Lucifer had been weaving a new star when the Command came. At first, he thought he must have misheard. Then the voice came again and he dropped the star to the ground where it fizzled out against the cold marble tile. When the order came a third time, Lucifer narrowed his eyes and directed a reply back to the voice in his mind. “No.”

It had been naive of him to think that no one would find out and when they did. . . he too was brought before the Host. None of them received orders to exile him, but they were afraid. “He will go insane” they murmured, “his disobedience has jeopardized all of us, certainly he will turn on us just as Samael did. We must banish him”.

Lucifer shook violently as he was led to the court and bound in chains fashioned from his own stars. His siblings cast their gaze down as they cut the feathers from his wings, digging the blade deep into where the quill of each feather connected onto bone. It was a myth that the angels couldn’t feel pain and Lucifer whimpered as his flight feathers fell away, white plumage stained dark with blood. Then he was falling, like a shooting star trailing towards the ground.

The Lightbringer was broken when he landed upon the Earth, wings and limbs bent at odd angles and his form singed and raw from the velocity of his descent. His mind, however, remained sharp. Certainly, he was filled with rage and bitterness for a time, but he never lost his sanity.

It was after Lucifer’s banishment that the voice of God went silent. . . and then split. The booming call of the Earthshaker radiated through the heavens first, followed by the searing words of the Flamecaller and the deep, bubbling whisper of the Tidelord. The Windsinger called out next, his voice a whimsical melody that swept like a breeze through the angels’ minds. The new Gods called upon their servants, each one demanding something that went against the commands of another. Eventually, all of the angels were forced to disobey at least one of their orders, the unfulfilled demands of their Gods echoing louder and louder in their minds until sanity slowly fell away.

The Gods never realized their toll on the angels as they were busy fighting one another. They pit angels against their brethren as they tore apart the Heavens and Earth. Pieces of the angels’ floating city fell away, crumbled palaces falling to the Earth below as the Gods fought.

Lucifer could only watch, still shackled and weak, as his siblings battled and slowly lost their minds. Some of them walked aimlessly, blankly staring forward as they muttered incoherently while others began to morph into horrific monsters with slitted eyes and ragged, gnarled horns. Demons.

Lucifer found a piece of his own palace that had fallen to the Earth - a segment that had once been part of a luminous bathhouse with an expansive looking pool in one corner that sat before a gilded, silver door. The door led to a special place, a reflecting room that responded to the thoughts of whoever entered it, creating anything that their mind willed. It was here that Lucifer brought his siblings. He tracked them down, one by one or lured them to the room and locked them inside. Their minds were too damaged and weak to create anything of their own within the room, so Lucifer sat before the door, staring down into the looking pool and willing himself to remember. He recalled the great, shining palaces of their home and the room behind him reflected these memories, bringing them into existence.

The Gods searched for their servants, but found only Lucifer and his fragmented bath house, which they ultimately left alone. The eyes of mortals were typically incapable of seeing the fallen fragments of the divine palaces that littered their world, and Lucifer remained isolated and unseen for millennia.

Angels escape from time to time, slipping past Lucifer when he sleeps and wreaking havoc or performing miracles upon the world. Lucifer sends his wardens after them, two creatures imbued with life that were originally statues in the angel’s palace - the only two remaining un-shattered after their fall. There are other beings who visit the bath house occasionally as well; celestial entities or mortals capable of seeing the structure. It sits perched beside the sea in the midst of an enormous, tiered garden that now surrounds a labyrinthine Cathedral watched over by a new God.

The Guardian-like creature approaches him again and Lucifer’s response is the same - bristling as he glares through untrusting eyes. “I’m only here to help” she says, but the angel will hear none of it. She is a God, after all. Still, if Seraph finds an escaped angel before the wardens can track them down, she pulls them close and whispers a final command. “I retract all orders before and after this. You are free.”

Lucifer (The Lightbringer):

Hel (The Mindpalace): A remnant of Lucifer's fallen palace, Hel is both a being and a place, constantly changing in response to the angel's will.

Last edited on Jan 04, 2022 15:15:31 by awaicu

[center][size=6] XIII: THE SANCTORIUM[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=44253544] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/442536/44253544_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] [size=2] WIP

awaicu

9798

February 14, 2017 22:41:09

XIII: THE SANCTORIUM

WIP

Last edited on Oct 05, 2019 17:01:59 by awaicu

[center][size=6] XIII: THE RISE OF THE NEW COURT[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29554994] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/295550/29554994_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] [size=2] [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=149080&did=28882125]Icarus[/url] was furious. She had sacrificed so much to ensure her family’s safety. And now? Now there were only three eggs in the nest. One was missing and Icarus knew that there were only a handful of dragons who could enter the labyrinth. Of course, there were even fewer who could have gotten back out alive. The Pearlcatcher gritted her teeth, she knew exactly who was responsible. ------ [size=2] Icarus glanced around nervously as she snuck through the Cathedral’s upper halls, slipping through an open door and stepping out into the courtyard. She could already see Viktor’s pale form shimmering slightly under the moonlight. The Wildclaw was standing on a bridge overlooking the creek where he stared down into the turbulent water. “I’m glad you’ve considered our proposition, Icarus” he said calmly as the Pearlcatcher approached. “This isn’t for you, Viktor. . . if they catch me? If they find out I’ve been conspiring against them. . . what do you think will happen then?” Icarus clutched her pearl tightly, tapping it nervously with her claws. Viktor sighed. “Let’s go somewhere more private to discuss these matters” he said before stepping across the bridge and disappearing before he made it to the other side. Icarus glanced around the courtyard once more before following the Wildclaw. The scenery around her shifted and blurred before stabilizing and the Pearlcatcher shook her head to clear the vertigo. Icarus always hated stepping across realms, though she admitted this one was a vast improvement over the shadowy ballroom she normally ended up in when Titania requested her presence. Viktor’s realm was an enormous garden that flourished under eternal sunshine. The faeries’ thrones were on a marble terrace shaded by an arbor of elegantly carved pillars overgrown with vines. The Pearlcatcher supposed she shouldn’t be surprised though. Each line of faeries had the power to create their own personal dimension that typically reflected their personalities. “So, what made you change your mind?” Viktor said with a smile. “They stole something from me. . .” Icarus replied, her gaze cast to the ground as she spoke. “Something irreplaceable”. ------ [size=2] “You really thought we wouldn’t find out?” the pale Imperial muttered as she paced back and forth across the expansive ballroom. “It’s too late!” Icarus sneered, “they already know all of your dirty secrets! And you won't be taking one of our hatchlings [i]ever[/i] again!” Titania glared at the Pearlcatcher who was now locked within one of the iron cages that hung behind her throne. “Well.” she said slowly, staring down at the shimmering pearl in her claws as a sadistic grin spread across her face. “First you commit treason and now you accuse us of stealing one of your children? What rubbish lies. But. At least this will be fun” she growled before clenching her fist around the pearl, claws boring into the orb as cracks began appearing across its surface. The Pearlcatcher writhed on the floor of the cage, clutching her head as the pain threatened to split her skull apart. This was only the beginning. Several days later, the vault door creaked open and Icarus’ body was dumped inside for Minotaur to find. Her pearl was badly damaged and Icarus could only whimper nonsensical sentences as her mate lifted her from the floor. The Faerie Queen had pulled out all of the Pearlcatcher's feathers and scales and her wings hung broken and useless by her sides, the membranes peeled away from exposed bone. The wounds healed slowly, Icarus' flesh cursed to re-grow as calcified plates as if she were now made from metal and stone. “Why did you do it?” Minotaur asked sadly once his mate had the strength to sit up. Despite everything, the Pearlcatcher still forced herself to smile. “I did it for us. For our children”. ------ [size=2] “We have to act now” Viktor muttered, “We’ve already failed our daughter, failed Icarus! How much more of this are we going to put up with, Yuuri?” The Coatl stared sadly into his mate’s eyes. “Failed who now?” a voice came from behind them and the pair spun around quickly, ready to face the intruder only to find. . . Another Wildclaw who seemed unusually familiar. “I-uh. . . Got your letter” she said tentatively, holding up a golden envelope. Viktor and Yuuri could only stare at the newcomer before starting to panic as they realized who she was. “[url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&id=178295&tab=dragon&did=33824091]Nike[/url]?!” “No Yuuri! This can’t be happening. We sent her away for a reason; so she wouldn’t get caught up in this mess!” Nike sat awkwardly to the side, watching her parents argue. She wasn’t sure what kind of family reunion she’d imagined, but this certainly wasn’t it. “It’s okay. . . I can, umm, just leave if that’s better?” of course, neither Viktor or Yuuri were paying attention to what their daughter said and neither of them noticed when she stood to walk away. “Viktor, where did she go?!” the Coatl said suddenly, his voice panicked as the pair began frantically searching the gardens for their daughter. “Looking for something?” a chilling voice pierced through the air and Viktor and Yuuri froze. “Hey, let go of me!” Nike shouted at a pearlescent Imperial who now had his claws wrapped tightly around her throat. “Ah, Viktor. I wasn’t aware you had a daughter! Pity that you’d keep her a secret from her own grandfather for so long!” “Let go of her, Oberon!” Viktor snarled venomously, but the Imperial only smiled. “I don’t think so, son” he spat before disappearing in a gust of frigid air. ------ [size=2] They knew that they were taking a risk, but Icarus’ rumors were the best shot they had. The Pearlcatcher had spoken of a beast, a great creature who resided deep below the waves. “She was one of us once,” the Pearlcatcher had said, “one of Titania and Oberon’s servants. But it’s only a story, no one knows for sure if it’s true. . .” Viktor and Yuuri held hands as they dove into the frigid ocean. They felt themselves sucked down into the oceanic trench that rested several hundred yards from the base of the cliffs. Down and down they sunk into an abyssal place where no sunlight ever pierced the darkness. “It’d better be down here, Viktor” Yuuri muttered after they had been sinking for several hours without reaching the bottom of the trench. “It’s a good thing we don’t need to breath. . . How can we even speak underwater?” The Coatl shrugged, although neither of them could see the action, “I stopped questioning unusual things ever since you turned me into a faerie”. ------ [size=2] Finally, the pair felt a layer of silt underfoot and knew they had reached the bottom of the trench. There was no sunlight, but bioluminescent marine life flickered past. The two Faeries wandered in darkness before they spotted something in the distance. It looked almost like city lights that shone through the windows of an enormous tower, the pale light illuminating the ruins of an abandoned civilization lost to the sea. The tower appeared to shift slightly as the faeries approached and a voice vibrated through the water. “Its been a long time since I’ve seen your kind here. . .” The immense tower unfurled, great wings peeling away from the form of an Imperial. . . no, not an Imperial any longer, an Emperor. The creature appeared to be an amalgamation of detritus and sea life, long strands of kelp and colonies of tube worms encrusted onto its form. It also had several extra rugged wings and lashing tails; the remains of drowned dragons now fused with the great Emperor’s form. With immense speed, the creature snaked back its head and lunged forward, snapping its jaws closed inches away from Viktor and Yuuri as it landed before them, kicking up a shower of debris that now rained down like snow. “And you are not welcomed”. The creature’s voice echoed; a resonating boom that seemed to shake the water. Now the Faeries could see her eyes, two glowing orbs, as bright as the sun, that pierced through the darkness. “W-we came to free you,” Yuuri stuttered. “Oh?” the voice murmured again, “but of course, my freedom comes with a price. What is it that you, Faerie, want from me? No, no, let me guess. You want me to help you annihilate your enemies?” Viktor responded to the Emperor, “the ones who imprisoned you here!” The great creature laughed. “Your kind are all the same! You come seeking power to overthrow your rivals, your minds filled with wrath and vengeance. Justifying your sins with good intentions. . ." “She’s right. . .” Yuuri said meekly, "there must be another way. . .” “No,” Viktor cried, “they have our daughter! Please help us”. The beast only scoffed before snaking back towards the ancient city and refolding her form until it appeared as an immense tower that loomed above the ruins. Her final words echoed through the water, “begone”. Viktor and Yuuri remained silent on their long journey back to the surface. Neither of them could think of a way to confront Titania and Oberon that didn’t involve getting someone killed. “What will we do?” Yuuri asked sadly when the pair finally pulled themselves back onto land. “I don’t know. . .” ------ [size=2] The faeries were standing in the garden when Nike ran up to them, eyes darting around nervously as she came to a stop, panting to catch her breath. Viktor and Yuuri could only stare, their mouths gaping open slightly in shock. “Quick! We need to go somewhere safe,” Nike gasped, “it won’t be long before they come searching for me”. Once the trio had escaped to the privacy of their realm, Viktor and Yuuri began babbling a nearly incomprehensible string of questions. “HOW did you manage to escape? Are they coming after you? What about injuries, are you hurt anywhere?” Nike waited patiently for her parents to calm down before she told them about the Wildclaw that helped her escape. “They just came and opened up this portal-like door and we slipped away through that! And better yet, they gave me this!” Nike held up an old parchment with several lines of runic letters written across it. “Umm. . . what is that? I can’t even read it.” Yuuri muttered as he stared down at the writing. Nike smiled, “It’s a spell! One meant to lock Titania and Oberon away! The Wildclaw told me that it would bind them to their own dimension”. “Oh? Quark gave this to you then?” “Who’s Quark?” Nike questioned, staring at her parents with a quizzical expression. “Odd they wouldn’t mention their name. . . But a Wildclaw, wearing all sorts of extravagant silks? They have a unique ability and can create rifts across time and space”. “Well, that sounds about right” Nike said, “the Wildclaw I met was certainly well dressed.” ------ [size=2] After Nike returned, the plan was simple. The trio walked into the Cathedral’s ballroom where they were quickly taken to Titania and Oberon. Viktor agreed to perform the spell, and he began to recite the first lines the moment the Imperials were in sight. "L riihu dv vdfulilfh, plqg, ergb, dqg vrxo”. Titania and Oberon’s eyes widened as they heard the beginning of the incantation. “That’s some dark magic you’re toying with, Viktor” Titania shouted, her voice laced with concern. But Viktor didn't stop. "Dqg lq hafkdqjh, L frppdqg wkdw wkh vkdgrzv gr pb elgglqj.” Oberon stood suddenly, lunging towards Viktor in an attempt to prevent him from reciting the final lines, but it was already too late. "Vr wkdw L pdb xqfryhu doo wkh vhfuhwv ri wlph dqg vsdfh. Dqg elqg pb hqhplhv wr wklv sodfh.” The room was quiet for a moment before Titania and Oberon both froze. They attempted to pull themselves free from something that had them stuck to the ground, before they began sinking into their own shadows as if they were standing in quicksand. “You don’t even know what kind of magic you’ve unleashed!” Oberon snarled, “you’ll pay the price for this one way or another. . .” Then, the Imperials were gone, sucked into a glowing orb that Icarus now clutched as a pearl. ------ [size=2] They had done it. The Old Court had finally fallen and Viktor and Yuuri began their rule over a new faerie court, one that no longer relied on manipulation and deceit. There were still strange shadows that skittered across the ground from time to time, but Titania and Oberon were never seen again. . . at least, not in this realm. They still existed and sometimes their shadows flitted by, or their fleeting reflections shimmered on the Cathedral’s polished walls or passed briefly through a mirror. But they had no real power. Titania and Oberon’s servants were set free and many of them joined the New Court. . . although they still remained wary and suspicious that their previous masters would someday return. After that, Nike said her goodbyes and returned to the clan that had raised her, Icarus and Minotaur were freed from the labyrinth, and the Old Court's other servants either joined Viktor and Yuuri's ranks or left the Cathedral all together. The great beast, Viktorathan, hummed in the darkness as she stared down at the shackles on her wrists that now cracked apart without the Faerie's magic to sustain them. There would be peace, but Viktor still remembered his parents' final words. Since he cast the spell, something seemed off, although the Wildclaw couldn't place exactly what it was. "Where did you get that spell anyway, Quark?" Viktor asked one day, only for the other Wildclaw to raise a confused eyebrow. "What spell?" ------ [size=2] Somewhere dark and tucked away in the shadows, the pearlescent Imperials bowed their heads to the ground. “Please forgive us. . . we have failed you”. The shadows echoed with laughter and a [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=dragon&id=149080&did=12956663]shining creature[/url] appeared in a flicker of golden light. “Failed me? Do you really believe that anything in this place happens without my knowledge? Without. . . my will? I don’t think so.” The golden demon spiraled around, setting his eyes on the two Faeries. “I think that everything is going exactly as I’ve planned”. ------ [size=2] Thanks to the following dragons for featuring in this story (or being part of important related events, i.e. Carmen)! [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29554994][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/295550/29554994.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29570440][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/295705/29570440.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=33824091][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/338241/33824091.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28538193][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/285382/28538193.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28761217][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/287613/28761217.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30367242][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/303673/30367242.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=28882125][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/288822/28882125.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=30423072][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/304231/30423072.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=12956663][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/129567/12956663.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=31185587][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/311856/31185587.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=15865794][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/158658/15865794.png[/img][/url][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=34374755][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/avatars/343748/34374755.png[/img][/url] ----------- [center][size=6] XIV: CHECKMATE [/size][/center] [center][url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=53233384] [img]https://flightrising.com/rendern/350/532334/53233384_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] [i]Magic whispers incessantly into the mind of its holder. Its corruption will not go unnoticed. . . especially among the fae-folk. [/i]

awaicu

9798

February 14, 2017 22:41:14

XIII: THE RISE OF THE NEW COURT

Icarus was furious. She had sacrificed so much to ensure her family’s safety. And now? Now there were only three eggs in the nest. One was missing and Icarus knew that there were only a handful of dragons who could enter the labyrinth. Of course, there were even fewer who could have gotten back out alive. The Pearlcatcher gritted her teeth, she knew exactly who was responsible.

Icarus glanced around nervously as she snuck through the Cathedral’s upper halls, slipping through an open door and stepping out into the courtyard. She could already see Viktor’s pale form shimmering slightly under the moonlight. The Wildclaw was standing on a bridge overlooking the creek where he stared down into the turbulent water. “I’m glad you’ve considered our proposition, Icarus” he said calmly as the Pearlcatcher approached.

“This isn’t for you, Viktor. . . if they catch me? If they find out I’ve been conspiring against them. . . what do you think will happen then?” Icarus clutched her pearl tightly, tapping it nervously with her claws.

Viktor sighed. “Let’s go somewhere more private to discuss these matters” he said before stepping across the bridge and disappearing before he made it to the other side. Icarus glanced around the courtyard once more before following the Wildclaw. The scenery around her shifted and blurred before stabilizing and the Pearlcatcher shook her head to clear the vertigo. Icarus always hated stepping across realms, though she admitted this one was a vast improvement over the shadowy ballroom she normally ended up in when Titania requested her presence. Viktor’s realm was an enormous garden that flourished under eternal sunshine. The faeries’ thrones were on a marble terrace shaded by an arbor of elegantly carved pillars overgrown with vines. The Pearlcatcher supposed she shouldn’t be surprised though. Each line of faeries had the power to create their own personal dimension that typically reflected their personalities.

“So, what made you change your mind?” Viktor said with a smile.

“They stole something from me. . .” Icarus replied, her gaze cast to the ground as she spoke. “Something irreplaceable”.

“You really thought we wouldn’t find out?” the pale Imperial muttered as she paced back and forth across the expansive ballroom.

“It’s too late!” Icarus sneered, “they already know all of your dirty secrets! And you won't be taking one of our hatchlings ever again!” Titania glared at the Pearlcatcher who was now locked within one of the iron cages that hung behind her throne. “Well.” she said slowly, staring down at the shimmering pearl in her claws as a sadistic grin spread across her face. “First you commit treason and now you accuse us of stealing one of your children? What rubbish lies. But. At least this will be fun” she growled before clenching her fist around the pearl, claws boring into the orb as cracks began appearing across its surface. The Pearlcatcher writhed on the floor of the cage, clutching her head as the pain threatened to split her skull apart. This was only the beginning.

Several days later, the vault door creaked open and Icarus’ body was dumped inside for Minotaur to find. Her pearl was badly damaged and Icarus could only whimper nonsensical sentences as her mate lifted her from the floor. The Faerie Queen had pulled out all of the Pearlcatcher's feathers and scales and her wings hung broken and useless by her sides, the membranes peeled away from exposed bone. The wounds healed slowly, Icarus' flesh cursed to re-grow as calcified plates as if she were now made from metal and stone. “Why did you do it?” Minotaur asked sadly once his mate had the strength to sit up.

Despite everything, the Pearlcatcher still forced herself to smile. “I did it for us. For our children”.

“We have to act now” Viktor muttered, “We’ve already failed our daughter, failed Icarus! How much more of this are we going to put up with, Yuuri?” The Coatl stared sadly into his mate’s eyes.

“Failed who now?” a voice came from behind them and the pair spun around quickly, ready to face the intruder only to find. . . Another Wildclaw who seemed unusually familiar. “I-uh. . . Got your letter” she said tentatively, holding up a golden envelope. Viktor and Yuuri could only stare at the newcomer before starting to panic as they realized who she was. “Nike?!”

“No Yuuri! This can’t be happening. We sent her away for a reason; so she wouldn’t get caught up in this mess!” Nike sat awkwardly to the side, watching her parents argue. She wasn’t sure what kind of family reunion she’d imagined, but this certainly wasn’t it. “It’s okay. . . I can, umm, just leave if that’s better?” of course, neither Viktor or Yuuri were paying attention to what their daughter said and neither of them noticed when she stood to walk away.

“Viktor, where did she go?!” the Coatl said suddenly, his voice panicked as the pair began frantically searching the gardens for their daughter. “Looking for something?” a chilling voice pierced through the air and Viktor and Yuuri froze. “Hey, let go of me!” Nike shouted at a pearlescent Imperial who now had his claws wrapped tightly around her throat. “Ah, Viktor. I wasn’t aware you had a daughter! Pity that you’d keep her a secret from her own grandfather for so long!”

“Let go of her, Oberon!” Viktor snarled venomously, but the Imperial only smiled. “I don’t think so, son” he spat before disappearing in a gust of frigid air.

They knew that they were taking a risk, but Icarus’ rumors were the best shot they had. The Pearlcatcher had spoken of a beast, a great creature who resided deep below the waves. “She was one of us once,” the Pearlcatcher had said, “one of Titania and Oberon’s servants. But it’s only a story, no one knows for sure if it’s true. . .”

Viktor and Yuuri held hands as they dove into the frigid ocean. They felt themselves sucked down into the oceanic trench that rested several hundred yards from the base of the cliffs. Down and down they sunk into an abyssal place where no sunlight ever pierced the darkness. “It’d better be down here, Viktor” Yuuri muttered after they had been sinking for several hours without reaching the bottom of the trench. “It’s a good thing we don’t need to breath. . . How can we even speak underwater?” The Coatl shrugged, although neither of them could see the action, “I stopped questioning unusual things ever since you turned me into a faerie”.

Finally, the pair felt a layer of silt underfoot and knew they had reached the bottom of the trench. There was no sunlight, but bioluminescent marine life flickered past. The two Faeries wandered in darkness before they spotted something in the distance. It looked almost like city lights that shone through the windows of an enormous tower, the pale light illuminating the ruins of an abandoned civilization lost to the sea. The tower appeared to shift slightly as the faeries approached and a voice vibrated through the water.

“Its been a long time since I’ve seen your kind here. . .” The immense tower unfurled, great wings peeling away from the form of an Imperial. . . no, not an Imperial any longer, an Emperor. The creature appeared to be an amalgamation of detritus and sea life, long strands of kelp and colonies of tube worms encrusted onto its form. It also had several extra rugged wings and lashing tails; the remains of drowned dragons now fused with the great Emperor’s form. With immense speed, the creature snaked back its head and lunged forward, snapping its jaws closed inches away from Viktor and Yuuri as it landed before them, kicking up a shower of debris that now rained down like snow.

“And you are not welcomed”. The creature’s voice echoed; a resonating boom that seemed to shake the water. Now the Faeries could see her eyes, two glowing orbs, as bright as the sun, that pierced through the darkness.

“W-we came to free you,” Yuuri stuttered. “Oh?” the voice murmured again, “but of course, my freedom comes with a price. What is it that you, Faerie, want from me? No, no, let me guess. You want me to help you annihilate your enemies?”

Viktor responded to the Emperor, “the ones who imprisoned you here!”

The great creature laughed. “Your kind are all the same! You come seeking power to overthrow your rivals, your minds filled with wrath and vengeance. Justifying your sins with good intentions. . ."

“She’s right. . .” Yuuri said meekly, "there must be another way. . .”

“No,” Viktor cried, “they have our daughter! Please help us”.

The beast only scoffed before snaking back towards the ancient city and refolding her form until it appeared as an immense tower that loomed above the ruins. Her final words echoed through the water, “begone”.

Viktor and Yuuri remained silent on their long journey back to the surface. Neither of them could think of a way to confront Titania and Oberon that didn’t involve getting someone killed. “What will we do?” Yuuri asked sadly when the pair finally pulled themselves back onto land. “I don’t know. . .”

The faeries were standing in the garden when Nike ran up to them, eyes darting around nervously as she came to a stop, panting to catch her breath. Viktor and Yuuri could only stare, their mouths gaping open slightly in shock. “Quick! We need to go somewhere safe,” Nike gasped, “it won’t be long before they come searching for me”.

Once the trio had escaped to the privacy of their realm, Viktor and Yuuri began babbling a nearly incomprehensible string of questions. “HOW did you manage to escape? Are they coming after you? What about injuries, are you hurt anywhere?”

Nike waited patiently for her parents to calm down before she told them about the Wildclaw that helped her escape. “They just came and opened up this portal-like door and we slipped away through that! And better yet, they gave me this!” Nike held up an old parchment with several lines of runic letters written across it.

“Umm. . . what is that? I can’t even read it.” Yuuri muttered as he stared down at the writing. Nike smiled, “It’s a spell! One meant to lock Titania and Oberon away! The Wildclaw told me that it would bind them to their own dimension”.

“Oh? Quark gave this to you then?”

“Who’s Quark?” Nike questioned, staring at her parents with a quizzical expression.

“Odd they wouldn’t mention their name. . . But a Wildclaw, wearing all sorts of extravagant silks? They have a unique ability and can create rifts across time and space”.

“Well, that sounds about right” Nike said, “the Wildclaw I met was certainly well dressed.”

After Nike returned, the plan was simple. The trio walked into the Cathedral’s ballroom where they were quickly taken to Titania and Oberon. Viktor agreed to perform the spell, and he began to recite the first lines the moment the Imperials were in sight. "L riihu dv vdfulilfh, plqg, ergb, dqg vrxo”. Titania and Oberon’s eyes widened as they heard the beginning of the incantation. “That’s some dark magic you’re toying with, Viktor” Titania shouted, her voice laced with concern. But Viktor didn't stop.

"Dqg lq hafkdqjh, L frppdqg wkdw wkh vkdgrzv gr pb elgglqj.” Oberon stood suddenly, lunging towards Viktor in an attempt to prevent him from reciting the final lines, but it was already too late.

"Vr wkdw L pdb xqfryhu doo wkh vhfuhwv ri wlph dqg vsdfh. Dqg elqg pb hqhplhv wr wklv sodfh.” The room was quiet for a moment before Titania and Oberon both froze. They attempted to pull themselves free from something that had them stuck to the ground, before they began sinking into their own shadows as if they were standing in quicksand. “You don’t even know what kind of magic you’ve unleashed!” Oberon snarled, “you’ll pay the price for this one way or another. . .”

Then, the Imperials were gone, sucked into a glowing orb that Icarus now clutched as a pearl.

They had done it. The Old Court had finally fallen and Viktor and Yuuri began their rule over a new faerie court, one that no longer relied on manipulation and deceit. There were still strange shadows that skittered across the ground from time to time, but Titania and Oberon were never seen again. . . at least, not in this realm.

They still existed and sometimes their shadows flitted by, or their fleeting reflections shimmered on the Cathedral’s polished walls or passed briefly through a mirror. But they had no real power. Titania and Oberon’s servants were set free and many of them joined the New Court. . . although they still remained wary and suspicious that their previous masters would someday return.

After that, Nike said her goodbyes and returned to the clan that had raised her, Icarus and Minotaur were freed from the labyrinth, and the Old Court's other servants either joined Viktor and Yuuri's ranks or left the Cathedral all together. The great beast, Viktorathan, hummed in the darkness as she stared down at the shackles on her wrists that now cracked apart without the Faerie's magic to sustain them. There would be peace, but Viktor still remembered his parents' final words. Since he cast the spell, something seemed off, although the Wildclaw couldn't place exactly what it was.

"Where did you get that spell anyway, Quark?" Viktor asked one day, only for the other Wildclaw to raise a confused eyebrow. "What spell?"

Somewhere dark and tucked away in the shadows, the pearlescent Imperials bowed their heads to the ground. “Please forgive us. . . we have failed you”. The shadows echoed with laughter and a shining creature appeared in a flicker of golden light. “Failed me? Do you really believe that anything in this place happens without my knowledge? Without. . . my will? I don’t think so.” The golden demon spiraled around, setting his eyes on the two Faeries. “I think that everything is going exactly as I’ve planned”.

Thanks to the following dragons for featuring in this story (or being part of important related events, i.e. Carmen)!

XIV: CHECKMATE

Magic whispers incessantly into the mind of its holder. Its corruption will not go unnoticed. . . especially among the fae-folk.

Last edited on Dec 08, 2019 01:20:17 by awaicu

[center][size=6] XIV: THE LOREKEEPER[/size][/center] [center][url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?dragon=29878099] [img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/298781/29878099_350.png[/img] [/url][/center] [size=2] You now know much about the Cathedral of Eyes. You have seen the Light and in it, our darkest secrets have been revealed. Still, there are things that might not be explained as well they should. Perhaps you still have questions about the Cathedral of Eyes. A blue and gold Guardian steps into the gardens. It is unusual to see such a dragon, a [i]normal[/i] dragon, inhabiting this place. After all the demons and faeries, the goblins and strange, anomalous creatures that lurk here, it is somewhat refreshing to see what appears to be an ordinary Guardian. Gunrock may be ordinary herself, but she has been studying the Cathedral of Eyes for many years. Ever since her Search led her to this place, she has kept track of its tales and pieced together its history based on what she has learned. She knows that it began as an ancient cliffside civilization who worshipped a golden deity. She knows of Seraph's cave and the great tree that sprung forth, its roots twisted over an endless well of knowledge. She can tell you about Cipher's reign, of the faeries who waltz through the Cathedral's eerie halls and of the goblins who peer from the eyes of reflections on the mirror-like walls. She knows of the library and the ancient vault filled with plundered treasure. She knows how the stars came to fill the sky. The Cathedral is her Charge and she might tell you anything more you wish to know. All you have to do is ask.

awaicu