DM Jan Monday July 31st, 2006 1:31:55 AM
The Dragon Prophetess's Cards -
She lays out three cards - in a row - on the table's surface, then below the row of three - one single card. For a moment, nothing appears to happen, then all four cards begin to glow, then double their size and cast forth a bright vertical column of light. Their surface patterns swirl, and images take their place.
Top left = a male black dragon. Top middle = an iron gauntlet curled into a fist. Top right = a male green dragon.
The single card below, beneath the others = a male gold dragon.
The iron gauntlet revolves slowly - tightly clenched, it looks a thing of resolve.
The green dragon image rises upward. It too begins to rotate, revealing a gold foreclaw on the creature.
The black and gold dragons also rise. Anyone who has seen Sturtavent in dragon form will recognize the individual ridged forehead as being identical to the Mayor.
The black one - slightly larger than Sturtavent and Parnoth, with long, forward-facing horns and a near-white bony face. It is a male.
As she begins to deal - this time a vertical line of three cards, alongside the main formation, Ve can see Wu looking on with interest, and over by the door, Sirrius bent slightly, as Valdora whispers something into his ear.
Top wild card - a city floating on a lake.
Middle wild card - a group of humanoids, two of the smaller figures have dark skins. One of the taller ones is dressed in white robes.
Bottom wild card - a large, barrel-chested, armoured orc, on horseback. The orc carries a standard that flutters in the wind.
Shenlong Zhi looks across the columns of light at Sturtavent. "I do not recognize the black, but I suspect that his rise will enable Parnoth to grow bold."
The 'wild cards' begin to turn three dimensional, just as the others did.
The city on the lake becomes very familiar, it's inhabitants scurrying like ants, they look to be fixing things - rebuilding. The surrounding water seems calm, and at the edge, a haze of green jungle.
As the image on the middle card rises into the light, Cori recognizes herself, and the others, stood strong, faces looking outward.
As the orc on horseback rises from the table, everyone is able to get a better look at him. The flag flutters in a strong breeze - a lightning bolt in front of a dark mountain against a white background. Neither Cori or Nick recognize it, suggesting that it is new, or has been hidden for an age. The creature carries a grim look, as though something troubles him. His mount appears to share a similar sentiment, pawing the ground impatiently with one hoof. The animal is broad-chested with long, muscular legs and is stood on stony, barren ground. And behind them both, a grey troubled sky.
As the black dragon image continues to revolve, Dahlia suddenly becomes overcome with fear - pit fear, a mere accompaniment to what happens next. For a moment, an image of a much smaller silver dragon appears inside the same column of light supporting the black dragon. It's in her peripheral vision and it's gone in an instant.
------------------------------------------------ The Gypsy Cards -
On the table, there is a stack of undrawn cards, and four others laid in a line, face up.
Card 1 - a gruesome battle scene, and in the foreground, an armed soldier bearing a pike that has four infants skewered on it.
Card 2 - a tall lady dressed in clothing identical to Dahlia's, holding a mask in front of her face, and there is a man stood directly behind her, his face hidden, but one of his hands is reaching over her shoulder, and appears to be pulling the mask away.
Card 3 - a black dragon.
Card 4 - a crowd of people, their faces enraptured, all walking toward a distant tower. The tower appears to have been built in the shape of a raised and clenched fist.
The old lady taps at the first card. "We know not what to make of the rest, but this - four infants, that's a mighty battle, chile, an' you'll be needin' reinforcements - the best you can find..."
Out of the corner of Dahlia's eye, two of the cards appear to shimmer a little. On the dragon card, the silver dragon appears once again in the background. On the card depicting the lady, are shimmering tendrils, and Dahlia catches sight of the man's face as he comes briefly into view. It is a terrible face, full of woe and ruin. He seems to catch sight of Dahlia looking at him, and he dodges sharply out of view. As soon as he does - the tendrils disappear, and so does the silver dragon on the other card.
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Addinein's Journal so far:
....the village and its people on the river bank came as a welcome respite. Or so we thought. Their curse was made known to us in frightened whispers, for a dragon lived close by, and treated them like sheep - tasty morsels to be dragged off and marinated in the swamps before being eaten.
And so, it seemed that our quest, having left the Float many days ago, to discover the civilization it had vanished from, had suddenly developed a side track.
The people were friendly enough, farmers and fishermen for the most part. Although some of us occasionally caught sight of a ghost, or so it seemed at first - a tiny girl with silver hair, so unlike the others... ====
"...further conversations. They proved to be more interesting than those at the dining table with the village elders the night before. Clangden appears to have solved the riddle about the ghost girl. He was told by one of the families she appeared about the same time, months ago, as the small silver dragon we spotted just before our arrival. Apparently they'd had to nurse both dragon and girl back to health. Both had been badly injured. They didn't know what had happened to the dragon, but they reckoned the girl had been badly mauled by an animal. They leave bowls of mashed up food for the child, who cannot speak, by all accounts. I don't consider it prudent as yet to suggest to these people that the girl and the silver dragon might be one and the same... simple folk, and a little odd. They call the silver dragon 'Cloud'. It brings rain for their crops.
... caught sight of the girl again today. Just a glimpse. Ach.... horribly disfigured... territorial? If there's a black dragon already in the area..." ---------------------------------
In the Elven pool near the Tower of Saryd:
Something - a creature, horrible to look at, snaps savagely then moves out of sight. The scene becomes a broad vista of battle. Rotting things felled by arrows; fireballs exploding accompanied by a cacophony of screams. Lian can see K'Nara's firey blade cutting a swathe through the air; there are bowmen, elven ; a black ponytail and a flash of ribbons; blood spatters on the surface of the water; creatures trailing rotting flesh home in on a standard - its heraldic image one of a mountain with a lightning flash, and they drag the flag to the ground and tear it apart; Valdor's armour, the 'V' is unmistakable; someone dressed in white - Ingrge? Or Father Nicholas? The entire foreground and middle ground is utter chaos. A stark contrast to a shoreline, ships at anchor, and a calm body of water in the background.
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