Veneficus

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Veneficus is. No one is quite what that entails, but she just is. One evening, in the middle of one of the worst thunderstorms in recent memory, she came. In her maw were chunks of ancient-looking and brittle bamboo, which she unceremoniously dumped in front of Popinjay.

"The wood-grass to appease you wind-beings, yes?"

She had slinked away into the shadows after that, and Popinjy had simply decided that it would be in her best interest to let this... dragon stay.

No one is quite sure what she does, or if that night was all some shared fever dream and Veneficus doesn't exist at all. In fact, Veneficus is just a name the clan has given her to substitute the lack of one. Her orange eyes tell of Fire origins, but the glow in them suggests something else. Should you spot this elusive dragon, best be on your guard.

---

You feel a chill run over your shoulders, and you glance around, only to find yourself alone in the corridor. A few more steps and you feel a light brush against your back. It startles you, but you glance up into the high ceiling to spot the faintest pinpricks of light. Squinting, you stare up at them for a few moments, before they blink.

A sudden feeling of dread overtakes you, realizing that there's something alive up there, and it's watching you closely. You try and angle your lantern up to see it better, but it's like all illumination is engulfed by the darkness.

"Run along, road-chaser."

You needn't be told twice by the grating voice before you hastily run through the corridor. You find yourself at one of the major junctions again, well-lit and calm. When you turn to look back at the corridor, you're met with a solid cobble wall.

Later, when digging through your bag, you find a small, orange paper crane that fills you with unease.