Session 91: 12th April 2022 - Solid ground, unsolid guests
Shared custody
After returning from the Volcano, Xan and Theo return to Theo’s room, where he shows Xan his fireproof corner. He suggests the egg lives in the hole. She agrees.
As they discuss the fate of the egg, Xan brings up that they should record the process of raising the eggs. She asks why they were collecting them and why they wanted to bring back the dragonlords. Theo gives a speech, which though rousing seems to end with ‘we need to be heroes’ - and Xan doesn’t feel she is a hero. She’s just… here.
As they talk Theo seems to warm to the idea of documenting the dragon eggs and begins to input them into his grimoire. Xan sits on the floor as he speaks and wanders through his thoughts. She scratches into the floorboards in front of her, carving a doodle of a dragon egg. Theo notices but instead of getting frustrated, he corrects her for accuracy.
They agree to raise the egg as a shared responsibility, but Theo will retain it in his room. Xan places gifts of coins and small jewels around it as a gift.
The first night it was on the ship Xan slept by her door to listen out for anyone approaching. Protect the egg.
Solid ground, unsolid guests
They draw up on an island. It seems to have appeared from nowhere; no reef and no signs of natural structure.
While the party discusses Damon, the Lich, and Calliope mentions she ran away from her life without saying goodbye. She seems sad, but she is willing to face Damon. Xan dives into the water and swims across the water. She speeds so quickly, not having to avoid any reef.
It seems odd but if this is from Damon, it may be something that can help them with their eggs.
Calliope flies over the water and joins Xan on the shore. Xan tries to say some reassuring words, she too ran away from her home without saying goodbye - she tries to say that she understands, she is in the same place as Calliope. She is with her.
Calliope says she should go back to say goodbye to her home.
As the others join the group in the boat, via Hipposelacho, they ask what is next. Calliope draws a symbol in the ground, and after a long few minutes a woman, blue skinned and ready to enjoy the sandy beach. Xan frowns at her, “you’re not a nereid… wait is that rude?”
The woman laughs back “Oh no, I am not, I’m a Marid”
“I’m a nereid” Xan stutters, “Well sort of, half…”
The woman replies “How nice” and she moves on to ask why she was summoned. She is a water genie. Damon has used her to ask for things, and has used one wish.
After a little more of a wait, Damon appears, but he is in the form unlike before. He appears no longer as a lich form, but looks decidedly human. He greets them, by sending a message into their heads. After some back and forth about their previous meetings Damon finally mentions the eggs.
Dam begins to tell a story.
He, Xander and the rest of the dragonlords fled their homeland after a catastrophe. They sailed out but had nowhere to go - the lands were scoured by fire and turned to glass. The seas were turbulent and red. They were about to reach the end - thrust and starvation - when they exchanged glances as the last of their kind. This was their end.
But it was not.
Six dragons came to save their little ship, and were of noble heart and purpose. They found the last of the dragonlords and gave them food and shelter. They took them on their back and flew.
They didn’t stay anywhere too long, they were surrounded by the end of the world. You could no longer rely on sturdy ground. The seas would eat everything away then return to the vast nothingness.
They feared they were the very end of everything.
Barmitria found a place for them to go. She had heard of a land protected from the desolation, but she feared the fierce stroma and winds that wrecked the air around it. There needed to be a bond. They took what they needed and formed a bond with the dragons - taking their magical essence of dragons and the spirit of a person and intertwined them in a way that could not be easily undone. It was dangerous.
A dragon god gave them the knowledge - a platinum being. Damon oversaw the bonds and the rest of the group took a bond with the 6 dragons.
Without the power and knowledge of the platinum dragon, when they arrived in Thylea, they realised his voice and his power was distant and could not be reached. From here, only young dragons could build a bond.
A dragon just born is as clever as an adult man.
Between 3-18 days an egg will hatch, and this is when you may say the oath. But it can choose to leave before 5 years if it so wishes. Alke asks how this will help us with the end of the world in 52 days.
Damon says there is more to the dragons than just their skills in battle, their wisdom and spirit, morality will help to guide them.