Post by wingstriker on Dec 2, 2003 19:50:58 GMT
Great Io, the Ninefold Dragon, the Swallower of shades, the Great Eternal Wheel, the Sire of All Creation, looked down upon the wild lands to see what realm his first, best children, the dragons, had quartered for themselves. His opalescent eyes widened. He had expected to find his children at the rightful head of creation, ruling a harmonious world. With their natural majesty and the boons he had given them, nothing less would he accept. Such gifts of size and claw and wing he had given them! Further, he had graced them with breaths of power, the might of spells, long life, and more. But there was a price to exact for the cost of these gifts, and when Great Io saw the lands below, he knew, the price had not been met.
As dragon shed the blood of dragon, as gold claw ripped through red wing, Io gave forth a mighty cry. “If dragon blood must flow,” the Ninefold Dragon declared, “than let it be mine!” The greater god extended his claws and sliced through the beautiful scales protecting his own belly. The claws cut deep, and flaming red blood flowed freely from the wounds.
The blood fell in great drops, plummeting toward the world from Io’s perch high above the skys blue dome. The crimson rain splattered into the frozen waters of the Ice sea, there to sizzle and cool as great clouds of steam filled the air. Blood fell in huge fiery beads, separating the sea of coral from the blood sea. The last red drops poured into the southern waters. So hot were these bitter pellets that their fire spread to the water where they fell. So was born the Burning Sea.
AS the blood cooled and formed islands, Io sent dreams to the sages of dragonkind. In these visions, the Ninefold Dragon urged the sages to take their particular dragon branch to these islands. For it was here, among the islands formed from Io’s holy blood, that the Concordant Dragon wished his first, best children to grow and flourish. Here they would learn to rule in harmony as he had intended all along.
But once the migration started, Io departed for centuries at a time, Great Io immersed himself in these other lands, however, his travels brought him back to this world. He looked down upon the isles made with the blood of his life, and great anger flared within him. Dragonkind did still inhabit the islands, but not in the harmony as he had intended. Indeed, the fifteen dragon races were engaged in dracocide.
This is what I and my kind are taught from birth and even now forces itself into my thoughts. I was born on one of these holy islands called Exaurdon isle to a most beautiful women from the elf clans that live in the city of Summer. A magic place, a living city built for our Gold masters .
My father I do not know personally but I know is one of the majestic lords that rules on High a Gold Dragon. It is the practice of the lords to change their form and select a women from their vassals to bare them a special child. It was my mothers great honor to be one so selected over hundreds of others to bare such a child for the Clan Exaurdon. .Each of these children are raised in a military upbringing that fight for Clan Exaurdon in the great wars that have been going on for hundreds of years. Clan Exaurdon is one of the few that practice this old tradition still while others shun or even outright abhorred it. They believe the half breeds that are produced are vile creatures that should not be allowed to live. As a half dragon I strive to rise above the prejudices and limitations of our station. In most cases I am considered an out cast who must search for a way to prove my worth to the Dragons we fear, respect, love, and hate.
It was during one of these great wars against Clan Bloodtide that I found myself washed up on the shores of this island of Fredian. where the south desert reaches its dry hand out to the sea.
I remember the day as if it was just this morning, the sights , sounds and smells of that day are so vivid as the sun glinted off of the gold armor, the sounds of the trumpets and marching of my fellow brothers in arms we boarded the majestic flying ships created by my mothers kind for use in these wars. I remember the excitement I felt and honor in being selected to serve on such a vessel. Only the best and strongest in their powers given them by their dragon heritage are allowed to board one of these wonders of Clan Exaurdon. That afternoon our fleet of swift flying ships where joined by others from Clan Cloudwalker, Cliffwarlkers, Fastwing and Clan Sungazers , in all our fleet was immense and overpowering.
During the battle that day I remember manning one of the sun cannons taking aim on the flag ship Bloodtide itself. I was drenched in sweet that dripped into my eyes and blurred my vision. When I wiped my face and took site again there was a large explosion as the wall around me disintegrated! The hull of the bloodtide was protruding into my gun deck tossing me onto the floor among the wreck of gold painted wood . It was so close I could have reached out and touched it. I tried to scramble to my feet and prepare for boarding parties but tripped over the debris strewn all over the deck. I scrambled on my hands and knees to the hatch that would give me freedom to the decks above. As I wrenched open the hatch with my mighty strength given to my by my birth right I was tugged once again to the floor from behind. I looked back in panic to see what was dragging me backwards , and caught site of the hull of the Bloodtide backing out of the immense hole it had created , and in horror with it all the anchor lines for the cannon I was manning just a moment ago.
One of these lines was rapped around my leg and dragging me out with it! I screamed and tugged trying to get loose of the ropes that were pulling me to my death. I new I was about to die for we were hundreds of feet above the great Burning Sea. I fell limp as my fingers lost touch with my ship and home for most of my life and for a moment found myself floating in mid air just outside the gapping wound in the side of the ship. A laud whistling started as reality crashed in upon me and I plummeted into the burning waters of the Sea.
I swam to the surface and beheld such a site of death and carnage as I witnessed the majestic ships of my home land being ripped and torn apart all about me. Bodies were everywhere giving the Sea its fitting name, one could not tell if it was the water or the Blood of my country men that made it so red. I felt a tug again on my leg and had forgotten that I still was entangled in the cannon lines from my ship. As I fought to untangle myself I was jerked up and out of the water and found myself once again in the air hundreds of feet from the bloody waters below. I could barley comprehend what was happening to me as I once again plunged into the waters that were to be my death. When I found myself jerked out of the water and able to take a breath , to my horror I saw the hull of the Bloodtide above me floundering to stay in the air above the waters dragging me along with its escape.
I know not how long I was dragged from the waters and into the air again and again but blessed dreams over took me . I dreamed of my home land and the living city with my mothers warm embrace welcoming me home after our victory at the Burning Sea. I felt her kisses upon my cheek telling me how much she was proud of who I was and who I had become.
Pain , that is what I remember when I awoke and some dark shadow looming over me licking my face. I groaned and pushed this big shadow away and wiped the salt water out of my eyes to see who was my savior. What stared back at me was a huge Brown Bear that sat back on it haunches and looked at me as if waiting to see what I would do. A Voice came out of the air “ Well Brownie what have you dragged out of the water now” I looked towards this voice and saw a small women dressed in woodsman’s cloths coming out of the desert that stretched to the horizon behind her. “ Oh my” she said “I guess you have found a new chew toy haven’t you Brownie.”
This little lass with the large Bear friend is Lexa a Druid of this island Fredian dreaming of how I came to be here as we make camp on the same beach as my arrival. “Clav are you going to day dream all day , or are you going to pass that water bottle over here” . “ you would think with that gold skin and gold eyes of yours the heat wouldn’t effect you so much” she shrugs, “oh well off to more adventures good friend Clav” she stands as does the bear and she rubes its ears gruffly and smiles back at me shouldering her packs and walking off into the setting sun. I shake my head with amusement and brush the sand off my armor shouldering my own packs to follow in her foot steps. I smile to myself at what a site this must be.
Clav
From Clan Exaurdon
May Io’s life blood save us all
As dragon shed the blood of dragon, as gold claw ripped through red wing, Io gave forth a mighty cry. “If dragon blood must flow,” the Ninefold Dragon declared, “than let it be mine!” The greater god extended his claws and sliced through the beautiful scales protecting his own belly. The claws cut deep, and flaming red blood flowed freely from the wounds.
The blood fell in great drops, plummeting toward the world from Io’s perch high above the skys blue dome. The crimson rain splattered into the frozen waters of the Ice sea, there to sizzle and cool as great clouds of steam filled the air. Blood fell in huge fiery beads, separating the sea of coral from the blood sea. The last red drops poured into the southern waters. So hot were these bitter pellets that their fire spread to the water where they fell. So was born the Burning Sea.
AS the blood cooled and formed islands, Io sent dreams to the sages of dragonkind. In these visions, the Ninefold Dragon urged the sages to take their particular dragon branch to these islands. For it was here, among the islands formed from Io’s holy blood, that the Concordant Dragon wished his first, best children to grow and flourish. Here they would learn to rule in harmony as he had intended all along.
But once the migration started, Io departed for centuries at a time, Great Io immersed himself in these other lands, however, his travels brought him back to this world. He looked down upon the isles made with the blood of his life, and great anger flared within him. Dragonkind did still inhabit the islands, but not in the harmony as he had intended. Indeed, the fifteen dragon races were engaged in dracocide.
This is what I and my kind are taught from birth and even now forces itself into my thoughts. I was born on one of these holy islands called Exaurdon isle to a most beautiful women from the elf clans that live in the city of Summer. A magic place, a living city built for our Gold masters .
My father I do not know personally but I know is one of the majestic lords that rules on High a Gold Dragon. It is the practice of the lords to change their form and select a women from their vassals to bare them a special child. It was my mothers great honor to be one so selected over hundreds of others to bare such a child for the Clan Exaurdon. .Each of these children are raised in a military upbringing that fight for Clan Exaurdon in the great wars that have been going on for hundreds of years. Clan Exaurdon is one of the few that practice this old tradition still while others shun or even outright abhorred it. They believe the half breeds that are produced are vile creatures that should not be allowed to live. As a half dragon I strive to rise above the prejudices and limitations of our station. In most cases I am considered an out cast who must search for a way to prove my worth to the Dragons we fear, respect, love, and hate.
It was during one of these great wars against Clan Bloodtide that I found myself washed up on the shores of this island of Fredian. where the south desert reaches its dry hand out to the sea.
I remember the day as if it was just this morning, the sights , sounds and smells of that day are so vivid as the sun glinted off of the gold armor, the sounds of the trumpets and marching of my fellow brothers in arms we boarded the majestic flying ships created by my mothers kind for use in these wars. I remember the excitement I felt and honor in being selected to serve on such a vessel. Only the best and strongest in their powers given them by their dragon heritage are allowed to board one of these wonders of Clan Exaurdon. That afternoon our fleet of swift flying ships where joined by others from Clan Cloudwalker, Cliffwarlkers, Fastwing and Clan Sungazers , in all our fleet was immense and overpowering.
During the battle that day I remember manning one of the sun cannons taking aim on the flag ship Bloodtide itself. I was drenched in sweet that dripped into my eyes and blurred my vision. When I wiped my face and took site again there was a large explosion as the wall around me disintegrated! The hull of the bloodtide was protruding into my gun deck tossing me onto the floor among the wreck of gold painted wood . It was so close I could have reached out and touched it. I tried to scramble to my feet and prepare for boarding parties but tripped over the debris strewn all over the deck. I scrambled on my hands and knees to the hatch that would give me freedom to the decks above. As I wrenched open the hatch with my mighty strength given to my by my birth right I was tugged once again to the floor from behind. I looked back in panic to see what was dragging me backwards , and caught site of the hull of the Bloodtide backing out of the immense hole it had created , and in horror with it all the anchor lines for the cannon I was manning just a moment ago.
One of these lines was rapped around my leg and dragging me out with it! I screamed and tugged trying to get loose of the ropes that were pulling me to my death. I new I was about to die for we were hundreds of feet above the great Burning Sea. I fell limp as my fingers lost touch with my ship and home for most of my life and for a moment found myself floating in mid air just outside the gapping wound in the side of the ship. A laud whistling started as reality crashed in upon me and I plummeted into the burning waters of the Sea.
I swam to the surface and beheld such a site of death and carnage as I witnessed the majestic ships of my home land being ripped and torn apart all about me. Bodies were everywhere giving the Sea its fitting name, one could not tell if it was the water or the Blood of my country men that made it so red. I felt a tug again on my leg and had forgotten that I still was entangled in the cannon lines from my ship. As I fought to untangle myself I was jerked up and out of the water and found myself once again in the air hundreds of feet from the bloody waters below. I could barley comprehend what was happening to me as I once again plunged into the waters that were to be my death. When I found myself jerked out of the water and able to take a breath , to my horror I saw the hull of the Bloodtide above me floundering to stay in the air above the waters dragging me along with its escape.
I know not how long I was dragged from the waters and into the air again and again but blessed dreams over took me . I dreamed of my home land and the living city with my mothers warm embrace welcoming me home after our victory at the Burning Sea. I felt her kisses upon my cheek telling me how much she was proud of who I was and who I had become.
Pain , that is what I remember when I awoke and some dark shadow looming over me licking my face. I groaned and pushed this big shadow away and wiped the salt water out of my eyes to see who was my savior. What stared back at me was a huge Brown Bear that sat back on it haunches and looked at me as if waiting to see what I would do. A Voice came out of the air “ Well Brownie what have you dragged out of the water now” I looked towards this voice and saw a small women dressed in woodsman’s cloths coming out of the desert that stretched to the horizon behind her. “ Oh my” she said “I guess you have found a new chew toy haven’t you Brownie.”
This little lass with the large Bear friend is Lexa a Druid of this island Fredian dreaming of how I came to be here as we make camp on the same beach as my arrival. “Clav are you going to day dream all day , or are you going to pass that water bottle over here” . “ you would think with that gold skin and gold eyes of yours the heat wouldn’t effect you so much” she shrugs, “oh well off to more adventures good friend Clav” she stands as does the bear and she rubes its ears gruffly and smiles back at me shouldering her packs and walking off into the setting sun. I shake my head with amusement and brush the sand off my armor shouldering my own packs to follow in her foot steps. I smile to myself at what a site this must be.
Clav
From Clan Exaurdon
May Io’s life blood save us all
