January 29, 2005
Chapter 12: Dawn over Myth Ruidorr
As the morning sun began its journey across the sky, the gardiner led the two amazed visitors through his garden. When they inquired, he confirmed that he was indeed El'Al'Halen, and that he was the caretaker of Myth Ruidorr. He explained about the "mythal" that protected and hid the city from those who were not invited into its walls, and about the visions bestowed upon them by the Evermir.
After recovering from their surprise, Leif and Thomasin settled in beside the fountain with El'Al'Halen and brrought forth their questions. The sage seemed to know much of their stories already, but he listened patiently until they were finished. Then, with the sun approaching its zenith, he began the tale of the Wyrmfang...
He told of an ancient land, long lost to the desert sands. From this land came a great evil, born of an unholy pact between a dragon and the forces of darkness. As this evil descended upon the younger lands, riding the tide of its foul army, the races of elf, dwarf, and man set aside their differences and stood together to face down this threat. A great battle ensued at the edge of the mountains, and the army of darkness was turned aside by the combined might of the elven magic, dwarven iron, and human determination. But before victory was complete, the dragon Gor-Mal'Goroth emerged from the back of his forces, and threatened to destroy the allied army. Black fire bellow forth from the dark beast's maw, engulfing the land and the defenders that were trapped within it. All seemed lost, until suddenly the inferno stopped. Standing before the great dragon, apparently unaffected by the flames, was an old man in white robes. Behind him, floating off the ground, stood a large, iron-bound chest, its lid open. Meeting the horrible dragon's gaze, the old man reached into the chest and pulled forth a large hourglass, bound in gold. Gor-Mal'Goroth hesitated, for it seemed that he recognized the device, but before the beast could act the old man replaced the glass in the chest and closed the lid. Instantly, the chest vanished, and the dragon bellowed its rage.
But while the dragon was distracted by the old man and the glass, the leader of the human tribes, a warrior named Tahrken, crept forward until he was in striking distance. As the dragon reared back, roaring in rage, the warrior let fly his elven spear. The shaft pierced the neck of the terrible beast, dealing it a fatal blow. But Gor-Mal'Goroth did not die quickly, for the dark power that consumed him fought against death. Tahrken paid for his victory with his life, as the great beast crushed him in its death throes. Black fire engulfed the dragon, burning it from the inside-out, until only a charred skeleton remained.
Though victorious, the allied armies were solemn, for their win had cost them dearly. But the leaders of the races realized that strength in cooperation, and promised to work and live together in peaceful relations from then on. To mark this promise, a symbol was commissioned. The dwarf Rolm, a master forger, fashioned a dagger from one of the teeth of the great dragon's skull. He joined the fang-blade to a portion of Tahrken's ironwood spear, and capped the pommell off with a blood-red ruby that had been embedded in Gor-Mal'Goroth's hide. He tempered the new blade in the same black fire that had scoured the land. He called the blade Jarel'Sur, which in the ancient language meant "Wyrmfang" or "Dragon's Tooth". He presented the dagger to the leaders of the three races, who in turn presented it to Tahrken's son and heir in honor of his father's sacrifice and valor.
From there, explained El'Al'Halen, the dagger's history is lost. All that is known is that the descendants of Tahrken's army who settled in what they named Tahrkendale were also suddenly lost to the world. El'Al'Halen spoke of how he believed that a small part of Gor-Mal'Goroth's essence remained within the blade. Somehow, Leif's interactions with the dagger had made him vulnerable to its influence, and only a powerful healing could free him from the bond. El'Al'Halen directed the two to travel into the civilized lands of Cormyr and seek help from the priestesses of the Sah'Mystra there. As the sun began to set, Thomasin and Leif fell into a deep sleep, dreaming about the revelations imparted to them.
The next morning, they awoke on the shores of the Evermir. Though the lake was gone, they found small gifts left for them upon the sands. Thomasin, Leif, and Ash each received a fine, grey cloak of elven make, and Thomasin and Leif received a small crystal vial containing a few drops from the Evermir's wonderous waters. Ash received a gift of three small silver acorns that he seemed to treasure. As the group was packing up their belongings to begin the long trek back through the mountains, they suddenly found themselves in a great shadow. Looking up, they saw a dark winged form perched high upon a rock, silhouetted against the morning sun. The form opened its great toothy mouth and let out a friendly greeting, as well as an apology for trying to kill them the other day. With a shock, they realized that it was the same dragon that had attacked them in the orcish camp. The beast introduced himself as Brightwing, and made an offer to transport them - at El'Al'Halen's request - into Cormyr.
Posted by Terrepin at January 29, 2005 05:15 PM
Comments
Post a comment
