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ximilialog2023-09-18 07:01 pm
CONCLUSION: GOLD SAILS, RED SKIES
Cian had promised Andy that she would help her recover the gem — anything that might help Andy towards her own goal of finding the woman she’d lost, and anything to keep the gem away from the possibility of it falling into the hands of someone like Captain Greybeard. Cian herself has no desire for it — to have or to use; birthright or not, it has done its part.
So when she is asked to meet with one of the dragons with her sister … it is an easy choice. Cian, together with Hivin, listens to what the man called Chishiya has in mind: a trade with the dragons, and protection of this island in return for the gem.
By her side, Hivin nods her assent and the four of them begin making their way to where the Eldest Dragon has arranged for them to meet.
After Chishiya leaves, the Eldest Dragon waits. They bide their time watching over the younger of the hoard as they wile away the hours of the day unbeknownst to the events of the early morning hours, not knowing that there is a shift in the air and their future is about to change. Whether it’s for better or for worse remains to be seen but protecting themselves and their kind is the Eldest Dragon's highest priority.
Thankfully, and perhaps surprisingly, Chishiya comes through.
However, the Dragon also notes that there are three other humans with him, and assuming that the three are all sisters, the dragon watches the way they interact, the way they seem to wait at the spot that they had set up, expecting the presence of the great beast.
Perhaps it is a risk to meet these creatures, but the Eldest Dragon is the only one with any kind of experience interacting with these small fleshy creatures, and with centuries of existence under their metaphorical belt, they leave their perch to join them. The great wingspan of the largest and eldest dragon casts a long expanse of shadow over the meeting point before the dragon lands on its feet seamlessly, the presence of the creature stirring up a gust of wind that flaps at their clothing and hair.
The dragon turns their deep-gold gaze from one woman to the other to the last.
Chishiya, understanding the value of honesty and truth and knowing that one false move with the dragon could tank the Orbers’ chances, shakes his head and admits that the tallest of the women is Andy, one of his fellow crewmates. He assures the dragon that she is simply here to accompany the sisters, and gestures to the eldest one whom he calls Cian. The dragon looks now to her. She would be the one who can claim one of their kind, the one that had been made for her. She could take the young dragonling back to Hhial and begin a new era of High Queens of the united lands. And yet she looks inexperienced and so unlike their Queen that the prospect seems unlikely now.
This is when Chishiya and Cian begin to explain their offer: a fair trade, a barrier that protects the island just as the gem has done, in exchange. The dragon listens carefully, eventually nodding in agreement.
The Orbers gather near the edge of Dracness, by the port where the Blue Dawn and eventually the other two ships, had entered from. Cian and Hivin stand by the group. Yennefer, Wei Wuxian and Sabriel, with Fitzchivalry having offered his aid to the trio, have begun the preparations to create a barrier which would shield the island of Dracness from detection by any other outside ships.
A few of the dragon hoard have arrived to witness the events, either curious about their newfound company, or insistent to understand what the Eldest Dragon has bargained with the foreign creatures they have no experience with and have never seen before in their lives.
Yennefer begins the spell, with Wei Wuxian and Sabriel to act as support. Fitzchivalry stands by the other three, offering his physical form and energy to provide power to the spell.
“I don’t think this will be enough power!” Yennefer shouts, across the waves of energy that the magic-users within the Orbers have produced to create enough of a shield over the expanse of Dracness.
But as the four struggle to support the spell, chaos and havoc breaks out around them.
The magic from the barrier spell starts to fall over the island, slowly but surely, urging the crews to leave as soon as they can to escape it. Being behind the barrier means that they will be kept here and the pirates need to return to Hhial to claim their glory and wealth. But the other crews have been busy, gathering as much of the Kalain gold and treasure as they can carry, loading it onto the ships and hiding them away into the rooms below deck. Those from the Hawking have taken to pilfering all manner of maps, books, and artifacts from the former queen’s cottages and now they race to find the source of the barrier spell to stop it. Meanwhile those from the Silent Plunder fill wooden chests and barrels with gold and pearls and jewels as much as they can carry, and want to take what they can, leaving the island once they’ve exhausted it of its value.
But perhaps the worst offense that both ships could commit under a united flag of greed and heartlessness is the kidnapping of two of the younger dragons, one dragon each. Trapped behind cold, metal bars and shackled in chains around their legs and around their snouts, they are subdued to keep them from causing too much of a ruckus. The ships plan to take them back to Hhial to sell to the highest bidder.
News spreads amongst the dragon hoard, however, that two of the young dragonlings have gone missing, and not only that but they have been taken … and eventually word reaches the older dragons, working up along the unofficial chain of command. It stokes the fires in their throats, and the distrust in their hearts. The Eldest Dragon might know the difference between those whom they can trust and those they cannot, but the younger dragons only see all non-dragons as a threat.
Screeching and full of rage, some of the hoard fly down to meet the two ships, and seeing several pirates hauling the dragonlings in cages send them into a frenzy. They spit fire without hesitation setting the airships aflame, and then swooping in close, they snatch with their claws at the nearest pirate, tearing them to bits or swallowing them down in a combination of fire and blood and sharp teeth. Screams and cries fill the air as members of the Hawking and the Silent Plunder alike try to flee but to no avail … more dragons appear and they mean to free their fellow dragonlings before the barrier spell is complete and they lose their kin forever. It becomes a bloodied massacre.
Only one ship manages to slip past the others, hidden in a crux of craggy rock and empty of its crewmates who have joined the Orbers by the beginnings of the barrier spell. The Blue Dawn stays moored by the sandy shores of the sky island.
Even in the middle of all the chaos and dragonfire, the four Orbers are still engaged with trying to hold on to the spell that would defend the island once the orb is gone — but with just Wei Wuxian, Yennefer and Sabriel as the three creating the spell, and with only Fitzchivalry to support them, it is not enough to cover an entire island, to remain in place for centuries to come …
But then, when the spell seems to flicker with its lack of strength, Cian and Hivin join in, the innate power that binds all the Kalains to the dragons glowing within them. They both expand their gifts, binding themselves to the spell itself, tying it between them like an anchor that will keep the spell alive.
As the shape of the barrier spell slowly disappears, blending into the sky, the Eldest Dragon gratefully bends their head towards the sisters who have chosen now to stay with them here, not unlike a Kalain had done once before them.
Slowly, the dragon shakes their wing, and one scale falls out — as it does, it shifts from silver to copper, seeming to turn in the air before it takes on the shape of a sphere and falls into Cian’s outstretched palm.
Her parting words are all the crew hear, before they feel the familiar tug, calling them back to the station.
The bright, near-blinding white of the station is perhaps a welcome sight to some, while others may feel they were whisked away from Dracness far too fast — but as their eyes adjust, they will see Viveca and Degar waiting for them as per usual. Chishiya, reflexes fast, steps forth to give the orb that still rests in his hand to Degar, who takes it with a nod.
A sympathetic look in her eyes betrays the fact that she suspects not everyone will see their latest mission as a glowing success — even if, on paper, it certainly is one.
Viveca smiles in agreement — it has been a long few months for the team, and some rest and relaxation is certainly well earned.
N O T E S
This is the end of the 16th mission! If your character goes back to review the mission file, they will notice that next to its name, a little check-mark in green has appeared.
This is not an official log — however, for the next couple of weeks, your characters have downtime on the station and all its locations (aside from the north wing) are available.
Players are encouraged to make their own logs for what they do during the downtime.
Should characters want to talk to Viveca or Degar, they can do so here.