[AU] Stone Bones

[Gideon]

Atlas

*Gasping in awe, Atlas quickly bows his head but then straightens.

"Leesea speaks truly, we wish to speak with you on behalf of the earth, Ancestor."

*Towering over almost every other creature he has ever met has not prepared Athas for coming face to face with such a majestic creature. For the first time in a long time Atlas feels small.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Leesea gasps at the sight of the serpent. She had expected it to be something grand and powerful, but one's imagination can only go so far.

Trying to keep her wits about her, she bows low before the serpent. In draconic, she says, "Guardian of the Bones of the Earth, we beg audience with you. The Earth has guided us here."

"Ones who have traveled so far are worthy of an audience," he growls in a basso voice. "You have my ear and attention. Use it wisely."

*The Shadow Serpent coils part of its massive body around a large stalagmite and sends its ball of shimmering light upward to the top of the cavern. It leaves his eyes in shadow, and they glow a disturbing shade of red. His teeth gleam redly in their reflective glow, as large as Atlas' leg.

 

[Ashy]

For once in his life, Darthallys is stricken with abject silence...

 

[dead_radish]

*Kelthet moves unconciously closer to the snail, watching the serpent with wide eyes. Despite his plan to let Leesea speak, words spring unbidden from his mouth.* "There is a corruption in your domain, Great Serpent."

 

[Rybaer]

Leesea glances over at Kelthet, then back at the Shadow Serpent.

"Er, well, yeah, that about sums it up," she says. "The vallorian have been using bits of the Bones of the Earth and corrupting them into foul weapons for their own evil purposes. On our journey here, we've faced the vallorian and their weapons a number of times...and we've brought a couple to you as evidence."

 

[Gideon]

Atlas

*Atlas will tip his bag out, showing both the stones and the corrupted weapons to the great serpent.

"We found these in pits a small distance back where we defeated several of the vallorians."

 

[Erekose13]

*Phaern too will empty the weapons from his bag o stuff.*

The small faen says meekly, "These were taken from their vats as well."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Corruption? What foolishness is this? The vallorians have been my steadfast allies. They give me tribute, and I allow them free rein in the caverns to keep out treasure hunters like yourself. Taking the bones of the earth and making weapons from them, where did you get such ridiculous ideas?" he booms, his eyes flicking over the weapons and shards on the floor, dismissing them. "You're trying to drive a wedge of discontentment between my allies and I. That's quite naughty."

*Leesea and Phaern notice something a bit odd about the Shadow Serpent's eyes. It's as if there's a film over them.*

 

[Erekose13]

[ooc: nothing risked nothing gained]

*Noticing the odd film over the dragon's eyes, Phaern implies that the dragon has been deceived, probably by magic. He holds off casting a dispel magic on the dragon's head, but will ready an action to do that while trying to talk sense into the decieved creature.*

"We have come at the behest of the earth spirits who are being torn asunder by these vallorians. They are weakening the very fabric of the earth, rending the bones of the earth. These weapons were built by them, an object loresight will reveal the truth."

 

[Rybaer]

Leesea grows increasingly concerned when the implications of the film over the serpent's eyes sink in. Something in Phaern's body language beside her suggests that he's seen it as well. But how do we counter this without posing as a threat? Magical control is difficult to beat with reasoning, no matter how convincing.

She watches the serpent's reactions closely as Phaern speaks. Good idea, Phaern, she thinks to herself. Lead it to find its own conclusions.


ooc - Leesea will try to dredge up her knowledge of magical control/possession to see if she can recall any effective means of countering it. Knowledge: magic +11.