Ludus
(#52198687)
Level 1 Gaoler
Familiar
Fleetfoot Ampelope
Click or tap to view this dragon in Predict Morphology.
Energy: 42/50
This dragon’s natural inborn element is Lightning.
Female Gaoler
This dragon is an ancient breed.
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Collapse the dragon details section.
Personal Style
Ancient dragons cannot wear apparel.
Skin
Scene
Measurements
Length
12.88 m
Wingspan
5.05 m
Weight
6318.76 kg
Genetics
Soil
Pinstripe (Gaoler)
Pinstripe (Gaoler)
Umber
Flair (Gaoler)
Flair (Gaoler)
Spring
Carnivore (Gaoler)
Carnivore (Gaoler)
Hatchday
Breed
Eye Type
Level 1 Gaoler
EXP: 0 / 245
STR
7
AGI
5
DEF
9
QCK
5
INT
5
VIT
9
MND
5
Biography
L U D U S
Sentry
***
"These words hurt my head." She growled, lifting up a paw to dash the paper before thinking better and sighing, slumping her head on the table.
"You've done so well, Ludus." Baglis said, closing the book, "That's enough for today."
"...Thanks." Ludus said, "We can try again tomorrow, maybe."
Baglis smiled at her and thought warmly about how much she had changed; her eye was no longer swollen over, the gouge in her neck stitched up and long healed over. Her breath was odorless and her claws trimmed. She had learnt to lip read and sign when she needed, and now she was reading. It had only been a few moons and she was already more than capable of leaving the clan to start out on her own again.
Something told him she would stay however. She had found her own chamber, with a stove fire from Stye and a handsewn quilt from Cluster. She chopped wood and hunted, she stood guard over the lair from the look out and patrolled the woods at night to keep the clan safe. She was a natural born sentry, standing guard over hatchlings when Marmaroth needed a break or making sure Tonka came back from his postal flights safely and on time.
"Ludus...?" He said softly, putting the book back on one of his high shelves.
Ludus was in the corner, gently petting the head of the Owlcat that often wandered in to sleep by the hearth, Crumbles or whatever his name was. Ludus was getting better at being gentle.
"Yes?" She said, placing a heavy paw on the Owlcat head. It gave a deep rumbling hoot and she chuckled.
"I've held back my curiosity for a long time." He said, he sat down and signed to her to make sure she understood the longer words he was about to use, "I never asked where you came from before we took you in. But, may I ask you now?"
Ludus curled up on a woollen rug near the hearth in his study, her tail patting gently on the rug as she relaxed.
"Don't remember much," She paused, putting her head between her paws as she pondered.
Baglis laid down on his cough, the evening was setting in and they had plenty of time before dinner. He never hurried Ludus, as she needed a long time to sort out her thoughts before she presented them. Baglis signed the word 'listening' and settled in.
She nodded back, "I was .... taken somewhere from my clutch. Born in the desert but... very small and young... taken away across the world. Across the water, across the dark woods. A dragon stole me and tried to... sell me? Study me? Not sure. Couldn't hear. He would put me in satchel. Then the chain. I was very small, he left or got killed or stowed me away. I was alone. So I hunted, ate and slept across the world. Needed warmth in wet season, found a cave. Burrowbear was sleeping, she had cubs. She mauled me. I travelled a long time to find new cave, found you and Teasel. No... you found me."
Baglis watched her as she got lost in her memory, it was best to leave her to think rather than hug or comfort her. She hated to be touched and still had fears of getting stitched up, even if she knew it healed her.
"I would have died." She said softly, "If you had not ..."
Ludus paused again and put her paws together as she tried to find the word, she eventually signed 'patience.' One paw drawing slowly nearer to the other, even as it shrunk away.
"I am glad you are with us." Baglis said, "I know you have been through a lot. Thank you for your patience."
He signed the word and she sighed happily.
Sentry
Baglis tried to refrain from wrinkling his nose. He was an ambassador, he had to remain composed. Whatever this beast was, it could be reasoned with civilly. And if not, well, that's why he had brought along Teasel.
The smell was thick in the air; carrion in stagnant water. Liverwort and algae, dead fish and something sulphurous. Perhaps the water erroding the stone walls, perhaps rotten eggs...
The dripping made him flinch, Teasel put a tiny paw to his flank and he took a deep breath. It was no use dawdling. He had to enter.
"Hello." He called. An echo answered, bouncing off the walls until it was as soft as a whisper.
Nothing.
"Hello?" Baglis asked, his voice chorusing back, "We wish to talk."
"Leave." Answered a voice, booming from the throat of the cave.
"I insist we talk, whoever you are. We need to negotiate your--"
"MINE." A snarl tore through the air, its echoes gnashing and rippling the water.
Baglis trembled, but stood firm. He was not a small dragon, yet he was no warrior. He had insisted on approaching the cave first on hearing a beastclan member could be holed up inside, the sentries of the clan were further back in position. No doubt listening for his call. He would have no violence if it could be avoided. But this voice was not a beastclan member, it was too large, too imposing, too wild...
"This is a tomb." He said, narrowing his eyes, "You are living in the north entrance to our sacred burial cave. We can help you, offer you a shelter, a place to live or heal. But you must vacate this place."
"....Mine." The voice came again, weaker this time. It sounded hoarse and cold.
Teasel looked up at him and spoke in a low voice, "Whatever this is ... it might need you to use smaller words."
Baglis nodded, perhaps it was better to avoid them altogether.
He stooped his long neck and began to enter the cave, Teasel leapt in the air and tried to stop him. He wouldn't be deterred. Whatever this thing was, it needed to be reasoned with on it's own level.
He snaked himself inside the small cave; the North entrance to the BlackGlass mausoleum was rarely used, there had been plans to dig it out and widen it for some time. A mason arrived to inspect the premises when he was attacked, she came back with a long gash on her neck and a nasty infection. She had described a flash of teeth and sparkling green before retreating. It did not follow, and this told Baglis everything he needed to know. A predator chases, a scavenger defends. It was desperate, cold, hungry and by the smell of it, sick.
A gurgling, gutteral growl errupted from the back of the cave. Baglis walked steadily through the deep, foetid puddles with only the sky lights to guide him. Stag carcasses had built up and were heaped together, their ribs interlocked and stripped clean.
Baglis walked forward, he felt the shaking in his body try to overcome him. He took another rattling breath as Teasel caught up with him, standing by his side. Her wind magic was whistling in her paws. ready to strike and defend him. It went against everything she knew about beast-taming to invade its space, she trusted him regardless.
The growling continued, growing raspy and strained. Baglis had cornered whatever it was into the back of the cave, a nest it had crudely dug out for itself. He took something out from his side satchel and threw it onto a dry patch.
"Eat."
Dried spiced beef strips and suet cakes with herbs. They clattered to the ground in their linen cloth and spilled about. The growling died and two brilliant cyan eyes gleamed from the dark.
"Eat?"
"Eat."
The smell was thick in the air; carrion in stagnant water. Liverwort and algae, dead fish and something sulphurous. Perhaps the water erroding the stone walls, perhaps rotten eggs...
The dripping made him flinch, Teasel put a tiny paw to his flank and he took a deep breath. It was no use dawdling. He had to enter.
"Hello." He called. An echo answered, bouncing off the walls until it was as soft as a whisper.
Nothing.
"Hello?" Baglis asked, his voice chorusing back, "We wish to talk."
"Leave." Answered a voice, booming from the throat of the cave.
"I insist we talk, whoever you are. We need to negotiate your--"
"MINE." A snarl tore through the air, its echoes gnashing and rippling the water.
Baglis trembled, but stood firm. He was not a small dragon, yet he was no warrior. He had insisted on approaching the cave first on hearing a beastclan member could be holed up inside, the sentries of the clan were further back in position. No doubt listening for his call. He would have no violence if it could be avoided. But this voice was not a beastclan member, it was too large, too imposing, too wild...
"This is a tomb." He said, narrowing his eyes, "You are living in the north entrance to our sacred burial cave. We can help you, offer you a shelter, a place to live or heal. But you must vacate this place."
"....Mine." The voice came again, weaker this time. It sounded hoarse and cold.
Teasel looked up at him and spoke in a low voice, "Whatever this is ... it might need you to use smaller words."
Baglis nodded, perhaps it was better to avoid them altogether.
He stooped his long neck and began to enter the cave, Teasel leapt in the air and tried to stop him. He wouldn't be deterred. Whatever this thing was, it needed to be reasoned with on it's own level.
He snaked himself inside the small cave; the North entrance to the BlackGlass mausoleum was rarely used, there had been plans to dig it out and widen it for some time. A mason arrived to inspect the premises when he was attacked, she came back with a long gash on her neck and a nasty infection. She had described a flash of teeth and sparkling green before retreating. It did not follow, and this told Baglis everything he needed to know. A predator chases, a scavenger defends. It was desperate, cold, hungry and by the smell of it, sick.
A gurgling, gutteral growl errupted from the back of the cave. Baglis walked steadily through the deep, foetid puddles with only the sky lights to guide him. Stag carcasses had built up and were heaped together, their ribs interlocked and stripped clean.
Baglis walked forward, he felt the shaking in his body try to overcome him. He took another rattling breath as Teasel caught up with him, standing by his side. Her wind magic was whistling in her paws. ready to strike and defend him. It went against everything she knew about beast-taming to invade its space, she trusted him regardless.
The growling continued, growing raspy and strained. Baglis had cornered whatever it was into the back of the cave, a nest it had crudely dug out for itself. He took something out from his side satchel and threw it onto a dry patch.
"Eat."
Dried spiced beef strips and suet cakes with herbs. They clattered to the ground in their linen cloth and spilled about. The growling died and two brilliant cyan eyes gleamed from the dark.
"Eat?"
"Eat."
A large matted head emerged from the dark. She, he supposed, had twisted antlers and overgrown claws. It looked somewhat like the two hatchlings they had taken in last summer, the Gaolers... There was a large iron shackle about her neck, rusted and cutting into her skin leaving it shining raw. It weeped as it cut against her, she had outgrown it long ago.
The Dragon began gnawing tentatively on the meat before snaffling them down with little chewing. After she had finished she huffed, satisfied. Her breath was foul. Baglis saw a blackened tooth in the back of her mouth.
"Good?"
"Mmm." She hummed, still fixing her eyes at him before flicking to teasel, "Leave."
"No." Baglis stated, "Eat with us. Dry, safe, warm."
Baglis eyed a pus-flecked wound on her chest and another above her left eye which was swollen and sagged blocking her vision.
"Leave!" She snarled, snapping at the air.
Teasel looked up at Baglis and whispered, "Don't stare at her wounds, she'll feel threatened."
He nodded, the sickly dragon looked between them with suspicion. Perhaps she couldn't hear Teasel? If the Mason had snuck up on a scared, confused and half-deaf dragon, no wonder she had lashed out.
Baglis took a step back to give her space, "Not leave. Food. Come."
She snarled again, curling back her lips, "Mine. GO."
Baglis felt sweat bead on his scales, "Come."
The dragon lunged in the air at him and tried to scratch him with a ferocious bark. He recoiled back and Teasel took to the air, magic glowing in her eyes.
The clinking chainlinks attached to her iron collar was the only sound that echoed in the cave. The air was tense with threat. He locked eyes with her and knew leaving her here was a death sentence, if he didn't try she was going to succumb to the infection in her wounds.
"No!" He barked back, he felt his spectacles slip from his snout as he yelled. He hadn't yelled since he was a child, it felt strange... liberating. He adjusted his glasses when he was struck with inspiration.
He took them off and offered them to her.
"Help me look. Help me watch. We made them." He said softly as she tilted her head curiously at them, "Help you. Help ears." He gestured to his ears and then to her own. She pawed her ears and looked at him with a knitted brow.
Teasel landed with a flutter and slipped off the shawl she was wearing to reveal a large raised scar, "Help, help hurt. Healed." She said softly.
The Gaoler studied them. She tinked the glass lenses with a single claw and reached out to trace the scar on teasel's tiny chest as if she was brushing an eggshell. She looked up saw their grey whiskers, their healthy bodies and kempt scales and mane. The glasses, the cyan lamp that shed a thin glow from Baglis' shoulder and the golden tassels of Teasel's shawl.
"Help?" She said, she sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.
"Help." They said together.
The Dragon began gnawing tentatively on the meat before snaffling them down with little chewing. After she had finished she huffed, satisfied. Her breath was foul. Baglis saw a blackened tooth in the back of her mouth.
"Good?"
"Mmm." She hummed, still fixing her eyes at him before flicking to teasel, "Leave."
"No." Baglis stated, "Eat with us. Dry, safe, warm."
Baglis eyed a pus-flecked wound on her chest and another above her left eye which was swollen and sagged blocking her vision.
"Leave!" She snarled, snapping at the air.
Teasel looked up at Baglis and whispered, "Don't stare at her wounds, she'll feel threatened."
He nodded, the sickly dragon looked between them with suspicion. Perhaps she couldn't hear Teasel? If the Mason had snuck up on a scared, confused and half-deaf dragon, no wonder she had lashed out.
Baglis took a step back to give her space, "Not leave. Food. Come."
She snarled again, curling back her lips, "Mine. GO."
Baglis felt sweat bead on his scales, "Come."
The dragon lunged in the air at him and tried to scratch him with a ferocious bark. He recoiled back and Teasel took to the air, magic glowing in her eyes.
The clinking chainlinks attached to her iron collar was the only sound that echoed in the cave. The air was tense with threat. He locked eyes with her and knew leaving her here was a death sentence, if he didn't try she was going to succumb to the infection in her wounds.
"No!" He barked back, he felt his spectacles slip from his snout as he yelled. He hadn't yelled since he was a child, it felt strange... liberating. He adjusted his glasses when he was struck with inspiration.
He took them off and offered them to her.
"Help me look. Help me watch. We made them." He said softly as she tilted her head curiously at them, "Help you. Help ears." He gestured to his ears and then to her own. She pawed her ears and looked at him with a knitted brow.
Teasel landed with a flutter and slipped off the shawl she was wearing to reveal a large raised scar, "Help, help hurt. Healed." She said softly.
The Gaoler studied them. She tinked the glass lenses with a single claw and reached out to trace the scar on teasel's tiny chest as if she was brushing an eggshell. She looked up saw their grey whiskers, their healthy bodies and kempt scales and mane. The glasses, the cyan lamp that shed a thin glow from Baglis' shoulder and the golden tassels of Teasel's shawl.
"Help?" She said, she sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.
"Help." They said together.
***
"These words hurt my head." She growled, lifting up a paw to dash the paper before thinking better and sighing, slumping her head on the table.
"You've done so well, Ludus." Baglis said, closing the book, "That's enough for today."
"...Thanks." Ludus said, "We can try again tomorrow, maybe."
Baglis smiled at her and thought warmly about how much she had changed; her eye was no longer swollen over, the gouge in her neck stitched up and long healed over. Her breath was odorless and her claws trimmed. She had learnt to lip read and sign when she needed, and now she was reading. It had only been a few moons and she was already more than capable of leaving the clan to start out on her own again.
Something told him she would stay however. She had found her own chamber, with a stove fire from Stye and a handsewn quilt from Cluster. She chopped wood and hunted, she stood guard over the lair from the look out and patrolled the woods at night to keep the clan safe. She was a natural born sentry, standing guard over hatchlings when Marmaroth needed a break or making sure Tonka came back from his postal flights safely and on time.
"Ludus...?" He said softly, putting the book back on one of his high shelves.
Ludus was in the corner, gently petting the head of the Owlcat that often wandered in to sleep by the hearth, Crumbles or whatever his name was. Ludus was getting better at being gentle.
"Yes?" She said, placing a heavy paw on the Owlcat head. It gave a deep rumbling hoot and she chuckled.
"I've held back my curiosity for a long time." He said, he sat down and signed to her to make sure she understood the longer words he was about to use, "I never asked where you came from before we took you in. But, may I ask you now?"
Ludus curled up on a woollen rug near the hearth in his study, her tail patting gently on the rug as she relaxed.
"Don't remember much," She paused, putting her head between her paws as she pondered.
Baglis laid down on his cough, the evening was setting in and they had plenty of time before dinner. He never hurried Ludus, as she needed a long time to sort out her thoughts before she presented them. Baglis signed the word 'listening' and settled in.
She nodded back, "I was .... taken somewhere from my clutch. Born in the desert but... very small and young... taken away across the world. Across the water, across the dark woods. A dragon stole me and tried to... sell me? Study me? Not sure. Couldn't hear. He would put me in satchel. Then the chain. I was very small, he left or got killed or stowed me away. I was alone. So I hunted, ate and slept across the world. Needed warmth in wet season, found a cave. Burrowbear was sleeping, she had cubs. She mauled me. I travelled a long time to find new cave, found you and Teasel. No... you found me."
Baglis watched her as she got lost in her memory, it was best to leave her to think rather than hug or comfort her. She hated to be touched and still had fears of getting stitched up, even if she knew it healed her.
"I would have died." She said softly, "If you had not ..."
Ludus paused again and put her paws together as she tried to find the word, she eventually signed 'patience.' One paw drawing slowly nearer to the other, even as it shrunk away.
"I am glad you are with us." Baglis said, "I know you have been through a lot. Thank you for your patience."
He signed the word and she sighed happily.
Coded by @Palushiemalus #124501
Bordered Gifs by @Delamire
Bordered Gifs by @Delamire
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Exalting Ludus to the service of the Lightweaver will remove them from your lair forever. They will leave behind a small sum of riches that they have accumulated. This action is irreversible.
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