THE UNDERLAIR
A Hidden Refuge for Ancient Breeds
Nestled close to the Behemoth is an odd little colony of dragons known as TLoMR- The Lair of Many References. Home to a colourful menagerie of dragons from Sornieth and beyond, it is a welcoming place with plentiful bounties. But it is underneath the Lair of Many References, in a series of twisting networks and yawning caverns, where a whole new world has come to light.
And it all started with a song and a dream.
A Hidden Refuge for Ancient Breeds
Nestled close to the Behemoth is an odd little colony of dragons known as TLoMR- The Lair of Many References. Home to a colourful menagerie of dragons from Sornieth and beyond, it is a welcoming place with plentiful bounties. But it is underneath the Lair of Many References, in a series of twisting networks and yawning caverns, where a whole new world has come to light.
And it all started with a song and a dream.
My name is Charon. To some I am a phantom, wafting through the caverns amidst a cloud of black and green smoke. To others I am an adviser, a voice of reason in the ear that has no discernible origin. However, to most of you I am simply a myth.
My existence is passed down from one generation to another. Ancestors tell descendants wondrous tales of the tiny light that guided them ‘home’, away from the chaos and confusion of the New World and its new laws. But, I assure you all that I’m quite real. You don’t see me much because my work takes me elsewhere. My destiny, as many may call it, was delivered to me upon my birth. Allow me to elaborate.
I was small then, much like I am still. I struggled out of my egg and into a large underground cavern, surrounded by the bones of Ancients that lived long before my time. It was quiet at first, except for the faint trickle of water in the distance. I had no food, no water, and instinct drove me towards that trickle. The closer I got of course, the more apparent something else became to me as well. Voices. Thousands of them, humming in different tones and pitches but nevertheless united like a chorus. I was soothed by their presence, alone and newly hatched as I was. They drew me ever onward, until I reached a pool in the middle of one of the caverns.
It was large, fed by a small waterfall leading up to a crack in the ceiling. Its surface reflected my image like a mirror. When I plunged my head in to drink, it was cool and refreshing on my parched throat. Under the water the voices were dimmer, a faint droning in my ears as I drank deeply. Raising my head, I looked around for anything I could sink my teeth into. Various insects darted across the walls of the cavern, strange glowing things that emitted a similar buzzing melody to the voices. I stumbled around, snapping at a few of them without much success. Hungry, I tried again and again until I'd worn myself out. Curling up on the floor, stomach gurgling, I had little choice but to close my eyes and sleep off the fatigue. That's when the Dream began.
They began calling to me, the voices, in straight lilting tones that were familiar but also strange and foreign. Like a song with garbled words. They implored me to listen to their mission:
'Oh Bridge between Lost and Found', they said, ‘Oh Barrier between Solace and Displacement, the world you find yourself in is not the same as it once was. Many have forgotten the Old Ways, and in doing so have forgotten those who came before them. It is not always a bad thing, but Sornieth is changing, Oh Bridge, and the seeds we sowed long ago have now begun to blossom.'
Then the visions began. Beautiful and terrible, they told the story of the fall of Ancient Sornieth. Of my kin, brought low by their own hubris. I remember it as a song, full of sadness and regret, and yet with a certain degree of hope. The Old Ways brought violence and terror, yet they could be morphed into something more wholesome. A refuge for other dragons similar to my own, ones that Came Before.
Yes, it was not all bad. The last vision was of a realm below the lands that cover this planet, dear friends, a realm of peace and prosperity with foodstores piled higher than the tallest mountain! It filled me with a sense of wonder, this vision, so young I was to not fully understand what they expected of me. The voices spoke again. 'It is up to you to right the wrongs of we who passed from this world through violent means and violent ends. Guide the uncertain to paradise, and let them live their best lives until they are ready for what faces them above. Remember our song and our plight, so that it may never be repeated.' And so, with determined clawsteps, I ventured above ground and stepped out into the Great Unknown. I listened as the songs of my ancestors rang through my ears. I knew what I had to do.
First was Pluto, the Gaoler. I found him wandering through the Labyrinth and bestowed upon him my wisdom and vision for a peaceful existence. I led him down here and gave him a purpose- to rule over us all with a kind and gentle claw in such a fashion that the Old Ways would be preserved without bloodshed and violence. We built the UnderLair together, he and I, from the sweat on our backs and the callouses in our claws. My ancestors would have hated our union, and yet their lesson stood firm. How else could I learn from their mistakes except by befriending an old foe?
We found Cerberus together, Pluto and I. The young Aberration pup was barely a few hours old, starving and cold. We took them in, gave them food and shelter, and in turn they grew trusting and very protective of us. Pluto trained them to guard the entrance to the UnderLair, using those instincts to our advantage. That trust is what allows me to bring new residents in and out without a fuss. Cerberus knows me and lets me pass, but they adore Pluto. I still see them playing with him sometimes, out there by the entrance. It brings a smile to my maw. Cerberus is like a child to my dear friend.
Next came Elysium, the Veilspun. A healer and, to many of you who follow the light within these caverns, an angel. She is a gentle soul who came to me seeking peace, bringing with her the mystique and quiet majesty of an era long passed. Her medical knowledge is a vital lifeline for the UnderLair, and she is welcome to practice here for as long as she likes.
Then came Persephone, the grizzled Undertide. I gazed into her fiery spirit, her quick yet meticulous temper, and saw a dragon afflicted terribly with purposeless. I gave her an opportunity to mould her interests into something more...constructive. Something that would ease the loneliness. You see, she had left a family that did not quite understand her. I offered her the possibility of organisation, of responsibility. She took to it like water, naturally, but has retained her no-nonsense attitude. That Ancient is not afraid of anything, dragon or otherwise. Even so, she keeps a marvellous record of our numbers. The UnderLair could not ask for a better census keeper.
And to you, the many who have chosen to live here, temporarily or permanently, I extend a warm welcome. I serve you willingly and whole-heartedly, as a guide and as a friend. The UnderLair is a place of tranquility, a haven for Ancients who struggle with the Modern World. Many of you who have not experienced life above these cave walls will never see me, unless you choose to brave the world outside. I come and go as I please, and take whoever wishes to come along with me. All you need do is whisper my name. I will hear it. I always hear it. But please, stay as long as you wish. I ask only that you treat each other with the respect and kindess our lineages deserve. Because, in the end, all of us have our worries and our doubts. Here in the UnderLair, we face them and the future together.
My existence is passed down from one generation to another. Ancestors tell descendants wondrous tales of the tiny light that guided them ‘home’, away from the chaos and confusion of the New World and its new laws. But, I assure you all that I’m quite real. You don’t see me much because my work takes me elsewhere. My destiny, as many may call it, was delivered to me upon my birth. Allow me to elaborate.
I was small then, much like I am still. I struggled out of my egg and into a large underground cavern, surrounded by the bones of Ancients that lived long before my time. It was quiet at first, except for the faint trickle of water in the distance. I had no food, no water, and instinct drove me towards that trickle. The closer I got of course, the more apparent something else became to me as well. Voices. Thousands of them, humming in different tones and pitches but nevertheless united like a chorus. I was soothed by their presence, alone and newly hatched as I was. They drew me ever onward, until I reached a pool in the middle of one of the caverns.
It was large, fed by a small waterfall leading up to a crack in the ceiling. Its surface reflected my image like a mirror. When I plunged my head in to drink, it was cool and refreshing on my parched throat. Under the water the voices were dimmer, a faint droning in my ears as I drank deeply. Raising my head, I looked around for anything I could sink my teeth into. Various insects darted across the walls of the cavern, strange glowing things that emitted a similar buzzing melody to the voices. I stumbled around, snapping at a few of them without much success. Hungry, I tried again and again until I'd worn myself out. Curling up on the floor, stomach gurgling, I had little choice but to close my eyes and sleep off the fatigue. That's when the Dream began.
They began calling to me, the voices, in straight lilting tones that were familiar but also strange and foreign. Like a song with garbled words. They implored me to listen to their mission:
'Oh Bridge between Lost and Found', they said, ‘Oh Barrier between Solace and Displacement, the world you find yourself in is not the same as it once was. Many have forgotten the Old Ways, and in doing so have forgotten those who came before them. It is not always a bad thing, but Sornieth is changing, Oh Bridge, and the seeds we sowed long ago have now begun to blossom.'
Then the visions began. Beautiful and terrible, they told the story of the fall of Ancient Sornieth. Of my kin, brought low by their own hubris. I remember it as a song, full of sadness and regret, and yet with a certain degree of hope. The Old Ways brought violence and terror, yet they could be morphed into something more wholesome. A refuge for other dragons similar to my own, ones that Came Before.
Yes, it was not all bad. The last vision was of a realm below the lands that cover this planet, dear friends, a realm of peace and prosperity with foodstores piled higher than the tallest mountain! It filled me with a sense of wonder, this vision, so young I was to not fully understand what they expected of me. The voices spoke again. 'It is up to you to right the wrongs of we who passed from this world through violent means and violent ends. Guide the uncertain to paradise, and let them live their best lives until they are ready for what faces them above. Remember our song and our plight, so that it may never be repeated.' And so, with determined clawsteps, I ventured above ground and stepped out into the Great Unknown. I listened as the songs of my ancestors rang through my ears. I knew what I had to do.
First was Pluto, the Gaoler. I found him wandering through the Labyrinth and bestowed upon him my wisdom and vision for a peaceful existence. I led him down here and gave him a purpose- to rule over us all with a kind and gentle claw in such a fashion that the Old Ways would be preserved without bloodshed and violence. We built the UnderLair together, he and I, from the sweat on our backs and the callouses in our claws. My ancestors would have hated our union, and yet their lesson stood firm. How else could I learn from their mistakes except by befriending an old foe?
We found Cerberus together, Pluto and I. The young Aberration pup was barely a few hours old, starving and cold. We took them in, gave them food and shelter, and in turn they grew trusting and very protective of us. Pluto trained them to guard the entrance to the UnderLair, using those instincts to our advantage. That trust is what allows me to bring new residents in and out without a fuss. Cerberus knows me and lets me pass, but they adore Pluto. I still see them playing with him sometimes, out there by the entrance. It brings a smile to my maw. Cerberus is like a child to my dear friend.
Next came Elysium, the Veilspun. A healer and, to many of you who follow the light within these caverns, an angel. She is a gentle soul who came to me seeking peace, bringing with her the mystique and quiet majesty of an era long passed. Her medical knowledge is a vital lifeline for the UnderLair, and she is welcome to practice here for as long as she likes.
Then came Persephone, the grizzled Undertide. I gazed into her fiery spirit, her quick yet meticulous temper, and saw a dragon afflicted terribly with purposeless. I gave her an opportunity to mould her interests into something more...constructive. Something that would ease the loneliness. You see, she had left a family that did not quite understand her. I offered her the possibility of organisation, of responsibility. She took to it like water, naturally, but has retained her no-nonsense attitude. That Ancient is not afraid of anything, dragon or otherwise. Even so, she keeps a marvellous record of our numbers. The UnderLair could not ask for a better census keeper.
And to you, the many who have chosen to live here, temporarily or permanently, I extend a warm welcome. I serve you willingly and whole-heartedly, as a guide and as a friend. The UnderLair is a place of tranquility, a haven for Ancients who struggle with the Modern World. Many of you who have not experienced life above these cave walls will never see me, unless you choose to brave the world outside. I come and go as I please, and take whoever wishes to come along with me. All you need do is whisper my name. I will hear it. I always hear it. But please, stay as long as you wish. I ask only that you treat each other with the respect and kindess our lineages deserve. Because, in the end, all of us have our worries and our doubts. Here in the UnderLair, we face them and the future together.
