A Gray Shadow
A whispered story
There are many tales surrounding dragons within the kingdom of Crendameth, tales parents tell their children to have them fall asleep or learn some naive moral through the actions of valiant heroes and brave adventurers, or how some gnome will claim their great-great-grandfather on their second cousin's side once fended off a fearsome red dragon with nothing but the iron spoon above the hearth. This tale, however, falls into the realm of stories parents, gnomes and all other are hesitant to tell, because they know there is some truth, however small, in it.
The legend involves the great dragon Folvrandr of argent scales and renown charisma. He was said to live in the areas surrounding the city known to-day as Deepview, his dwelling was found in a castle in the sky that would only be visible in times of great need. Shrines, altars and other places of worship would see heavy use all over the Amber Coast when calamity struck, and without fail, Folvrandr would swoop down from the heavens above to deal with the threat. He was so powerful that his cold breath could pacify a raging forest fire, cool the hottest of magma and even stop the sun's heat for over a day.
Many a cult to insidious gods, demons and other things would stage events to force him from his castle and attempt to sacrifice him. Never were they successful, and always would he bring them to justice. Folvrandr would often frequent the towns surrounding Deepview, if not the city itself, in a human male's form, clad in gleaming armor and sporting a sharp sword and a sharper smile.
However, there was one presence that would stand on par with Folvrandr. One that would wish his destruction for every single day to come.
Calautan the black once orchestrated a series of catastrophes, plagues and famines that would test Folvrandr's resolve and will. Once the latter seemed to be waning, she ambushed him. The resulting fight was so devastating that villages and towns were raised in the process, with Calautan holding some of them hostage only to destroy them at a whim.
The battle raged on, and on, and on, until finally it was taken up to Folvrandr's castle. As the land settled and the people dared to venture from their houses, they saw no sign of either dragon for two weeks until finally, in the dead hours of the night, a great splash was heard near Deepview. No corpse was ever found, nor did it wash up on any shores, but a day later the beating of wings was heard overhead, and a shadow was seen through the light of the moons.
The battle drew the attention of everyone, especially from the ruling lord at the time, who ordered that the body needed to be found. As the days became months, and the months became years, no investigation ever turned up anything, nor ever would. The first result would be found in a farm and by pure accident. The farmer, who was sleeping at the time, heard a distressed cry from his cattle, and when he went to check up, he saw something he could not explain. A small, winged lizard, with what seemed to be pieces of a scaly egg stuck to it, eating his cows alive. What disturbed him most was the thing's color. He had read on the colors of dragons, solid needing avoidance and metallic being good. This one, however, fell into neither category, as it was gray with no luster. The farmer was staring at a gray dragon, and was overwhelmed by a primal sense of destruction emanating from it. Once it noticed the farmer staring in concerned panic, it spread its wings and shrieked in what was described as a sound that could rend stone.
The farmer ran to a nearby village in fright. Once day broke, a dozen or so people, armed with clubs and pitchforks, accompanied the farmer back, but to his dismay, there was no dragon in sight. There was no cattle left alive, either. Only a single dying cow remained, partly disfigured by a foul-smelling acid and partly frozen.
Since then, there have been a multitud of places affected by the same phenomenon. It is said by anyone that witnesses the attack that a gray shadow appears to swoop down from the sky, fast and fierce, leaving nothing in its wake.
Summary
A Gray Shadow talks about the existence of a gray dragon, whose birth is shrouded in mystery, possessing the ability to seemingly breath acid and ice at the same time. Anyone who comes close to the dragon also falls victim to a primal fear resulting from a sort of "evil" presence emanating from it.
Historical Basis
Historians all over Crendameth agree that a silver dragon did exist around the city now known as Deepview. However, it is also widely agreed that this dragon was killed by either the invading soldiers of the Sunseeker Empire or in a territorial scuffle with some other creature, possibly a storm giant that might have also died in the fight. Dragons are quite rare in contemporary Crendameth. There have been reports of a black dragon circulating as of late, but it is unknown if these reports are accurate or can be trusted. It is also unknown if said dragon is the same as described in the legend.
Another point of interest is the phenomenon of freeze melting. There have been numerous instances of this phenomenon throughout the years spread throughout the extension of the kingdom, and even being reported half a dozen time across the Amber Sea in the countries of Ni'Hel.
Finally, sightings of the eponymous Gray Shadow have been dwindling throughout the years. This could be attributed either to the loss of interest or the age of the legend itself. The last recorded sighting was in the year 10 before Elmeyon's Rebellion, and the one who describe the beast said it covered a large town with its shadow. The town in question is, allegedly, one near the capital city, Solaris. Several inconsistencies exist with this report, however. For one, it would have been impossible for no one else to see the dragon in neighboring or nearby towns and cities, given its supposed size. Another, crucial aspect is that the town in question is a few houses away from being a small city, and when put into context as to when the legend first appears to be told, it is simply impossible for a dragon that age to be that large.
This last inconsistency is one that puzzles the ones who still believe in the existence of the Gray Shadow. The source of this sighting was never heard of again. Whomever they were, they have vanished without any trace. The residents of the town, however, can confirm that, on the date the source described the sighting, a general feeling of extreme uneasiness swept over the population almost simultaneously in the late hours of the night.
Spread
The legend has been passed around for the last couple of centuries, and is part of Master Esmer the Bard's Campfire Tales, a popular compendium of stories to be told in the dead of night. It is widely regarded to be one of the most famous legends in the kingdom. With varying names, the tale has also been told in the kingdoms of Ni'Hel, be it in the fallen kingdoms on the current ones.
Variations & Mutation
A common variation of the telling has either of the dragons appear in a deep-sea crevice as a wandering spirit, but it's accepted that this is a modern interpretation of the legend.
In the kingdoms of Ni'Hel, the dragon's depictions are described as more lithe and serpentine than in their Ar'Nuhûian counterpart.
One of the older versions of the tale included a third dragon, although it is unknown why said dragon stopped appearing in the legend, be it in written fashion or told orally.
Some versions of the legend have other monsters in play, such as dragon turtles and leviathans.
The locations often change depending on where the story's being told. In the case of the Ni'Helian kingdoms, the geography is entirely different.
Cultural Reception
Normally, campfire stories and their like tend to be disregarded by much after they're told. A Gray Shadow often evokes a sense of uneasiness around it because of the last reported sighting and the occasional freeze melting which can't be explained without being conspiratorial.
In both shores, the story is often regarded as one suited for older audiences, as it has imagery that might prove to be frightening for young children.
In Ar'Nuhûian culture, the legend is part of a collection of tales that have been gathered over the Ages to form something of a national epic. As such, although it is seen as something to be wary of, it is still a proud part of Ar'Nuhûian lore. The greater moral of the story is often said to be that even the best of us can fail, no matter how great the need, and it's always wise to be on the lookout, especially at night.
In Ni'Helian kingdoms, the tale is told more openly, albeit with less frequency. The moral of the story is often interpreted as a way to show that communicating with that which is unknown can prove to be a source of wisdom or of destruction.
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