Under The Auspice of the Dragon

[BeauteousDeath]

The Dragons are the oldest living species known on the continent of Sondheim Nix't Astal. They come in many different sizes and shapes and colors. Only about a quarter of the Dragon population are willing, and destined to have Riders. This tradition started two thousand years ago, and the Riders were Elven. It wasn't until eight hundred years ago that Humans started becoming Riders as well. Riders, like Dragons, come about differently. Marked, and Chosen.

Marked Riders: These Riders are destined from birth to become a Rider. They are Marked in some manner upon their physical body to show anyone what they are. This could be a birthmark, that looks like a tattoo, in the shape of a dragon anywhere on the body, or a scale somewhere, and even the eyes can be effected, instead of circular pupils, they could be vertical slits. Marked Riders, once accepting who and what they are with their Dragon, are often very serious and dedicated to their vocation.

Chosen Riders: These Riders tend to be almost as valued as the Marked Riders, but this really depends on the Rider and their Dragon. A human, or elf, are sometimes chosen by an unhatched Dragon if they touch the egg. Too often, these Riders take their situation for granted, letting the power of being a Rider, go to their head too much, or not enough. These Riders, more often than not, may have had a friend that was a Marked Rider, but always didn't approve of their friend's actions and decisions, or sometimes even family member. These Riders, even when accepting who and what they are with their Dragon, are often foolish, and never quite grasp what it truly is to be a Rider.

Typically, Riders and their bonded Dragons, feel the pain of the other. If the Rider dies, so does the Dragon. If the Dragon dies, however, the Rider often survives, but is never able to gain another Dragon, most surviving Riders do not wish to obtain a second Dragon for the simple fact of their bond. The bond between Dragon and Rider is unbreakable, even in death.

The Riders responsibilities don't vary much. Primarily, their main focus is to keep the peace between various cultures. They do this by settling conflicts before it comes to war. If war does come along, the Dragon and Rider must not take a side, they are to remain neutral, and intercede only by stopping the war. Usually by arranging a meeting between the opposing leaders of the war. Essentially, the Dragon and Rider are messengers, but very powerful messengers. If a Dragon and their Rider are seen fighting in a battle, it is most likely that they are fighting against both sides, to try and stop, very rarely are they choosing one specific side.

These days however, the Riders and Dragons have chosen a side to fight on and for. Theirs. One hundred years ago a king, by the name of Connor, has decided to declare war against the Dragon Riders. The reasoning? He had been born with a Mark, deigning him to be a Dragon Rider, unfortunately, there was no Dragon born with him. He was driven to a madness of jealous rage, and soon found that his Mark could consume the life force of the Dragon and its Rider, giving him more power each time he steals.

One could hear the movements of the people milling about, the conversations, see the grieving expression on the faces of those who had lost loved ones in battles, and the determination to make it through to the next day. The smell of the assorted foods cooking over fires from various cooks that had formed their establishments, as well as others that have lived in Extraho Servo for much longer than the villagers. Extraho Servo itself, translating to Common being Dragon Keep, is a very high, and wide tower. Built to compensate the much larger sized Dragons such as Apollo, whose head is the size of a very large barn, his body size matching, and one wing spread to its fullest, could cover ten large houses lined up side by side. The only easily accessible way into the keep was by flight. The keep itself is the original base of operations for the Dragon Riders, Marked or Chosen. Extraho Servo is located near the border to the west on Sondheim Nix't Astal, the continent in which these people are on, and inside the deepest part of the forest, where there is a clearing to accommodate the tower, and the Dragons around, and now, the people. Nearby, marking the border to the western bit of Sondheim Nix't Astal, are large mountains that would need to be crossed if the Riders are able to negotiate with the West.

Thunder is heard, even though it is a clear, bright day. People didn't seem to notice too much, however, those who were occupying the space that was determined as the spot for Dragons to land, moved away from it, for most, if not all, realized it was Marked Rider Caitriona Laoch and her Dragon Apollo that was bout to land in the clearing in the middle of the camp, within minutes, the ground shook with the thunderous thud of the large, black and silver Dragon claws on the ground and slowly he folded his wings against his his body.

They had just come from flying and checking the perimeter. So far, so good. Sliding off of Apollo's shoulder, Caitriona landed with a gentle thud on her feet, the sound of jingling heard from the chain mail she wears. The formal Rider battle armor. It looked like it would be for show, but it was functional. Black leathers for tunic and breeches, form fitting, and chain mail for extra protections with the few armored plates over the abdomen, chest and back. Covering the front of her torso is a silver Dragon, her chestnut hair is twisted, tied and braided to be off her neck, shoulders and face, green eyes darted here and there as she took in the busy people of the Extraho Servo. Her scar, as always, being one of the more prominent features on her, running diagonally from her right eyebrow, across her nose and ultimately ending at the corner of her left jaw. Her expression the usual blank mask.

Looking up at Apollo she nodded to him and he takes off with a single flap of his wings and lifts to flight for his hunt. A huge Dragon, after all, needed to eat enormous amounts of food, watching him, her expression softens quite a bit, but once he was out of her sight, it becomes the hard blank mask once more, and she goes toward the forge, relishing the sounds of a hammer hitting upon an anvil. Stepping in, she stared blankly at Chase, one of the Rider blacksmiths, aside from her, for a few moments before she went to a partitioned corner and as quickly as she could, she removed her armor, and changed instead, into a pair of dark brown leather trousers that hugged her hips snugly, boots of the same material and color, and a dark green tunic that laced at the neck.

She rolled her sleeves up and tucked the tunic into the waist of her pants as she left the partitioned area and grabbed her leather apron and gloves before she went to her work station and proceeded on fixing a long sword for one of the Riders.

 

[Redking6]

Voradin sat wordlessly against the side of one of the stone towers that had offered a great view of the valley and forest located below. He breathed heavily as he began to widdle at a small block of wood with a carving knife. He took time to savor the work as his deep blue eyes ran frantically across the wood. Nearly transforming it into the shape that he desired with his eyes. He breathed slowly, and as patient as the stone beneath him he made indentation after indentation. He forgot how long he had been within the confines of the immense city that sprawled around him, and he even forgot how long ago this war actually began. He sighed again at the thought, The block began to take shape as he meticulously gouged out sections of the wood, letting the shavings and splinters fall away into the open spaces around him. He looked away for a moment and wondered where Dargon had wandered off to.

Dargon sat in the valley below at the edge of the wood. His large and powerful frame nestled deep within a few jagged rocks that seemed to form an unnatural bedding for the massive creature. Dargon's heaving breath released heavily through his nostrils. This had been the first time in a long time that the dragon had known a moment of rest. He opened his red eyes and gazed across the wonder of the landscape, his head inching up from its resting place to jostle to and fro to quickly survey the surroundings. He wanted this moment to continue but knew that he couldn't stay long. He never knew who was out hunting, and what for.

Voradin yawned. Thankful that a moment of peace could wash over him and his fellow riders. He watched Dargon fly up the walls and nestle himself down next to Voradin trying his best to hide his large girth against the wall without harming any of the buildings around. "Have a good rest my friend?" Voradin asked of Dargon, letting his wods be carried across the open winds as he looked up at the might of the copper dragon that laid near him.
"I did...It has been so long since I could nap like that. I wish that all days were like this again." Replied Dargon, letting his back twitch slightly in the difficulty of the confines.
"Yes well...We all do my great friend. One day though, one day... Things will get better." Voradin left the small widdled figure rest against the stone, its form a great bears head. He got up and began to stretch and knelt down to sling his quiver and bow over his shoulder. Pulling the battle axe free and keeping it held within a leather gauntlet, unsheathed it from the saddle attatched to Dargon. "You may wish to sleep some more friend... We will no doubt have a long day ahead of us." Voradin said, as he watched Dargon rise from his resting place to fly amongst the skies. Voradin casually made his way to the blacksmiths building, hearing the familiar clank from steel hit across an anvil. "Hello?...Can someone please fix this blade?" He brought out his battleaxe and waited hoping that one of the talented blacksmiths would see to the weapon quickly.

 

[shyone]

(Hope I did good egough job discribing Andol's weapons...)

A cloaked figure sat off to the side of the market filled with people that had gathered around. The rider sighed softly as his odd eyes scanned the area trying to find what he was looking for. Above him, perched not to high on the rampart was a solid black dragon whose head was resting on the side of the rampart right about the cloaked figure, and looking out in the same direction that he was. The dragon had it's claws crossed under it's head as it seemed to let out what could be considered the dragonic version of a sigh as a feminine voice that held a motherly tone to it said, "Well have you seen what you are looking for yet?" There was no answer form the lips of the man who just stood there and stared at the crowd, though the differnce this time form only a few moments before was that his fingers started to rub together... creating a clanking noise form the metal finger rings that he wore on each finger. The purpose of the was that they ended in a knife just like each of his scales on his fingers, two it added to the penatrating power.

The female dragon laughed softly as she looked over the crowd one more time, "So have you finally found your target? I am gald, because I was getting worried that your tracking skills where slipping darling." Again she softly laughed and the figure that stood there below her said nothing. It was a slient commuication that was held bettewen mother and son... no words were needed to be said for one to know what the other was thinking... 500 years alive together devolped that kind of connection. Once he was finally sure of exactlly who he was aiming for the figure walked foward moving as slowly as he could, and making sure to not draw attention. Though he knew that for this target the need for an escape would not be as likely as before, unless things where more serious than he had though. He did give one look back to his dragon to make sure that she would be on alreat and indeed just like always she tensed up and got ready incase she needed to move. Size wise, Segumas was about 3/4th the size of Apollo, but her agility was quite a bit above most other dragons of her size. Of course she wasn't as psychially strong as most dragons her size ethier.

Slowly he headed towards the area of the blacksmiths, as his eyes scanned and he thought to himself, 'Which one is it?... Which one is it?' He was kind of sure who he was looking for, though when he saw the man... Andol noticed that he was standing near one of his fellow rider, but frankly... this target was too improtant. Number one becuase of the large amount of paymant that he could feel resting against his side in a money bag. Though normally someone like this would have cost double the amount he had charge, but the person who had paid him had given him a peice of information about this target, that instantly made killing them... way more than any extra payment could provide. The caw of a raven could be heard as one floated down and landed on the cloaked figures head. It was all part of Andol's method of operation when he killed, plus he needed one of his pets to help him gain some proof. His movements where quick as he didn't like to cause any uneeded pain to his targets and the blacksmith that Andol passed close too suddenly dropped dead over his anvil, with a hole in the back of his neck and in the area of his heart, after letting out a scream... certianly a sloppy move on the rider's part.

 

[cevl]

Sneaking around the Market, invisible for those who didn't look, which were most, but in plain sight for the ones who did, was Jo'suhr. Several times something could suddenly disappear from one spot, and turn up on another again, nothing happening to it. It had become a game for him, to keep several of his more obscure skills up, as he couldn't really practice them any other place. Sometimes even things from hidden lockboxes showed up in other places. The people around had learned to accept this behaviour, though some still found it annoying. If he was found out, he'd often do some task for them to make it right. Needless to say he didn't often have to do those tasks.

Nya was lying on the beach, on the warm stones, next to the sand. Her body was like the one of her Rider, agile, but fairly muscular as well. She liked the warmth here, having grown used to it always being warm during the time she was getting her rider. She was around the size of an Elephant, because she was still pretty young. She had only just passed her half-a-century mark, which meant she was often treated like almost a baby, and if possible kept out of too dangerous situations. Jo'suhr had told her not to worry, that if they kept out of the battles and in the shadows they would be able to do more damage, but it still didn't feel right to her. That was one thing in which the two were different, he was relaxed, said it'd all work out, but she wanted to do things, wanted to help. And because she was still a dragon, most often she dragged Jo'suhr along with her if she wanted to help.

(Mezuh coming up)

 

[Lunarlight13]

Emerson was surprised at liveliness of the keep, but she knew she couldn't enjoy the view for long and slunk into the nearest alley. She knew she shouldn't be there but, she also knew that most of the people who visited had money to spare. As she crept across the alley she stayed low and quiet, while she covered her somewhat scarred face. Then as she neared a small blacksmith's shop she had the erge to enter because of an unknown force, so against her better judgement, she stumbled in.

Artemis was lying on a warm rock on the top of a mountain near the keep, just trying to figure out why he had such a strong erge to fly closer to the 'land people'. But fought it with a mighty conviction. But the compulsion was getting harder and harder to fight.

Emerson was surprised to see the people she saw, and fought the feeling in the pit of her stomach telling her to run, but instead stood her ground, still slightly nervous for what was to come next.

 

[BeauteousDeath]

Caitriona arched a brow on her blank face, the only reaction ever really shown, as she tossed a dagger to the idiot who killed Chase. Otherwise, she seemed immovable, and ice cold, including her green eyes. She looked around, noting that there were others in the forge with her.. At least one seemed to be there for an actual reason, needing his blade fixed, she nodded to the table, "Set it there, put your name on it. It'll be ready for pick up in three days," she told him in her typically flat voice, alto pitched so it was somewhat low, but not masculine.

She looked around at everyone else, eye practically throwing ice daggers as they scanned the room, "If you are not here to work or to put something on the table that needs to be fixed, you need to get out. Now," she said. Then she moved toward the one who killed her blacksmith, her left hand glowing and something sharp formed, "Who in the hells are you and why did you kill him?" she said as she advanced in a lethal predatory way.

 

[dragonthingy]

Adam was walking through the marketplace with his loyal dragon Flick roosting on his shoulder, having shrunk using its unique ability. Adam was looking for a blacksmith to find a replacement sword after his old one was broken. He was looking for a Dragon Rider called Caitriona. He finally found her place, before seeing her and several other people in her shop, as well as a dead blacksmith keeled over his anvil.
He recognized them all, Dragon Riders like himself; Caitorina, Emerson, Voradin and an assassin he didn't recognize.
"Who in the hells are you and why did you kill him?" Caitorina said as she advanced in a lethal predatory way.
"I'm Adam and this is Flick" he said.

 

[shyone]

Andol had expected someone to approch him, especially becuase of the fact he had falled to keep the blacksmith quite when killing him... he knew that this would just make things far more annoying in the end than they had to be. Luckily one of his ravens had done thier work and part in all of this and now Andol had the evidenice that he needed so he really didn't feel like he needed to worry about anything. So when Caitorina approched him he just looked in her direction, though kept his hood up... the darkness of the inside completely disquised his freatures. Andol was one of the more marked of the riders, and really didn't like to show this fact off which was why he kept himself hidden under his cloak most of the time. When she approched him and began to threaten him... he didn't say anything... the young man usally never did. It took a lot to get him to speak.

Of course Segumas, knew that it was certianly time for her to step in... so the large black dragon suddenly took off form her spot form where she had been wacthing, and flew down to the area, of course the crowd was sent sprinting in differnt directions to make place for a dragon to land near this area, right near her rider... but Segumas didn't want a fight breaking out becuase of a misunderstanding. The large black dragon looked down at the female rider and said, "If you want to get a answer... it won't be form him. My rider... doesn't really have the habit of talking to humans. I would explian more, but he would have to give me premission first. As for what has happened here, my rider was given a contract to kill this man... and trust me when I say... you and the rest of the riders benifeted form it as well." The dragon paused for a moment and then looked to her rider and asked, " Andol sweety can you please have your birds show her the evidenice...?" Of course there was a long pause before the sighed and realized what had happened...

"Andol... did you store it in your mouth again... Could you please take it out and show her." Thier seemed to be a pause, as though the young man was thinking about wethier he really wanted to show his face, but then figured that he better... and so after a few moments he took down his hood and stared back at Caitorina, with his slit like eyes that blinked sideways... and Andol had a bad habit of blinking... alot. He just stared at her for a long time and then suddenly... horned young man, stuck his tounge out and there rested on it... the blacksmiths eye. Which if the other rider looked down she would be able to see that it had been plucked out of the blacksmiths head, by Andol's pet raven that now sat on his head. Though thier was somthing strange about the eye... and it was this that was the evediance as the dragon explained, "If you look you can see that the part that connects the eye ball to the brain... well... it has been tied in three knots. This man was a spy for Connor... his eye had been converted into basically a spy glass for our enemy..." Andol took hold of the eye and took it off his tounge, and held it out to Caitorina if she wanted to get a closer look.

 

[dragonthingy]

Flick hissed as he dragon flew down and hissed once more when Andol removed his hood. Adam kept his dragon calm, but nearly lost his cool himself when he learnt why the man was killed.
"You didn't have to kill him!" Adam yelled.

 

[Redking6]

Voradin squinted his eyes lightly to the hooded figure as he walked in. He never wore a helmet even in the heat of battle. The visors or nose guards always seemed to stifle his vision. He was cautious at best to those that chose them as a necessary or even stylish reasons. This particular figure seemed to give off an air of...Oddness. He shook his head lightly, chalking his feelings up to prejudice at best. But scoffed lightly as the man made his way towards the blacksmith. "Wait your tu..." His attempts at words faltered, the blacksmith now dead with a hole the size of a human heart made in his back. Voradin's eyes flared open and he let his reflexes take over bringing his axe up to bear as he went after the man. He watched as other figures came into view, the singular tunnel vision removed as he held his weapon in heavily clenched fingers. But his mind was keenly focused on the hooded figure. Voradin snapped into full reality as he realized a woman had already taken the initiative a blade held up to meet the figures face. He stood there posed from the back ready to help should things turned for the worse bit watched as a dragon came into full view its voice seeping into his ears. Voradin gave his head a quick shake but decided that he would wait to hear what this "evidence" was and decide from there. As he head the explanation he lowered the hold on his axe and shrugged. A dead supporter of an enemy was better then a live one but he thought it would have been better to squeeze some information out of him first.

Voradin decided that this matter was best left out of his hands as he held the large battleaxe in one hand letting the hilt of the blade hit the floor. He wasn't sure what to say, if he needed to say anything. The situation had resolved itself and he needed not interfere to come to a solution. The traitor was dead and the "evidence" was provided. Sweet and simple. Voradin looked around and smelt the hostility grow thicker in the air around him as he heard raised voices coming from another figure. He rolled his eyes lightly and shook his head to get himself back from whatever this little event was. He felt compelled to answer Caitorina's request. "Well. If this is all...'Wrapped' up I'd say I can go about my business. Would it be at all possible to shorten that time to say...A day?" He shrugged at his own request trying his best to negotiate though he could only wonder at the possible outcome.

 

[BeauteousDeath]

"You think I did not know that," she stated flatly. The six foot tall woman seemed emotionless, with the exception of a temper, "I was using him, feeding false information, and you've ruined that," she said, she shook her head and turned from the hooded man.

She went back to her station, and picked her hammer up, Apollo stood outside, one silver eye peering through the window at her, a low growl emanating at the possible threat toward his Rider, still. He remained where he was instead of ripping the roof off and plucking Cait out.

Caitriona in the mean time turned back to Voradin, "Do you not see the amount of work I have?" she asked him then, "Two days is the best I can do, take it or go repair your own blade, as of now, I'm the only Rider Blacksmith here," she continued on, giving Andol a pointed icy look.

 

[Redking6]

Voradin raised his hands up into the air as a sign of retreat from this little vocal combat that formed out of nowhere, letting the axe fall back into his body. "Fair enough, fair enough. Just thought I would ask." He said with a small nod of his head as he grabbed the weapon and placed it on the table as he brought out a small piece of paper and signed his name on it placing it on the weapon. "Thank you." He said as he turned slowly and began his short walk out the door. He stopped for a moment as his hand clutched at the door frame. He looked back. "Perhaps...Would you like some help? I'm not as good as well...The dead man I can assure you but, I have some skill with a forge." He said as he spun back around waiting for a reply.

Dargon hovered over the forest looking around the various sights as he let his jade eyes trail over the woods and rocks. He sighed lightly before he made his way back. He had already seen all this numerous times and was now beyond bored of it. He listened to his gut instincts which told him another nap was in order. He ascended into the air as his copper wings lifted him gently through the gusts of wind. He landed softly on the edge of one of the ledges and perched himself there closing his eyes and letting the sun beat down on his skin and wings as he let the blissful feeling of sleep take him again.

 

[dragonthingy]

"It looks like we've got bigger problems" said Adam, giving a small berry to Flick. "Whose going to keep feeding false information?" With only a second's thought, he responded to his own question.

"I guess I could, if you wanted me to."

 

[Lunarlight13]

Emerson just stood there in shock of seeing a dead body for the first time, and a dead one at that. She just stood there, staring directly at the dead man above the anvil, until she heard Adams voiceand finally snapped out of her trance, only to be put right back into it when she finally caught sight of Andol and his strange horns.

 

[cevl]

Mezuh awoke late in the morning, close to the beginning of the afternoon. He needed as much sleep he could get, as he didn't know when he would need to be fit once more. He kicked a woman, a dragon mark going from crotch to neck, wings wavering over her breasts, out of his bed. He didn't remember her name, only remembered the moment she was brought in, and several times in the dungeon. She was now another shell, used to draw power from, and for enjoyment. The king had no idea that was the reason why he needed that much space, thinking he used it for alchemy and training of kinds. He stood up, dressing in his robes, adorned with jewels flaming with power for those who could see it.

He made his rounds through the dungeons, drawing the power of the captives there, keeping them at levels where they could barely think of fatigue. Ones who had become too weak just died, giving him an extra rush of power as the power which kept them alive went through him into another gem. He would have someone clean the bodies up later. After that he went towards his tower, all the way to the top, taking two steps per pace. When he got upstairs he lay his hand on the black gem there, and his sight conjoined with his dragons'. He looked around, and made the dragon scan the area, to look for Riders. When he didn't found any, he decided he'd take a trip into the enemies' lair. He let his dragon be saddled, the saddle looking like it was made out of human hide, and stepped up on it. Soon all petty squabbles would be forgotten. Though with all their forces they easily overwhelmed him, he was still, and had always been, a force to be reckoned with. With a surprise he could easily destroy a quarter of their base without getting harmed much.