Session 050: Talking to Dragons
General Summary
Zenith and Talasea approach the dragon.
Talasea calls to it, "Most majestic of creatures, I would like to beseach you to parlay, if you know what that means."
The dragon lifts its great head from the water to consider them, waves crashing over its back.
Zenith hears a grumbling like rocks crashing together.
Talasea hears:
Ye who would parlay, witness ye my names: My enemies name me Stardevourer, for I could consume thee and everyone thou hast ever loved and still hunger. Mine children name me Mother Nightmare and Father Fear for I have taught them what it is to be afraid. Mine prey name me Terrortongue, for I glut myself upon the nightmares of all who are so foolish as to consider thy realm to be real. And that silly box full of frantic creatures, it is a feast. Ye who have been sent by the One Left Behind and for what. To negotiate for the smallest blip of existence. What wouldst thou offer unto me that could possibly slake mine thirst?Zenith and Talasea are assaulted by a wave of terror that drips from the mouth of this creature, magical fear sinking into their bones. "Stardevourer, Terrortongue, sir," Talasea says, "we could offer you the answer of what the most delicious fruit from a strange land, not that it really exists or anything, tastes like. Here, try this fancy Sun Orange." Talasea magics up a big ass orange and offers it to Terrortongue. "Subpar," says the super old dragon that feeds primarily on fear. "Shit," says Talasea, internally. Zenith sounds one Life Alert, based on vibes alone. Then Zenith hears a sort of static in his head. And through it, a familiar voice.
Zenith... Zenith is coming, I must- I must hold on... I cannot be captured... When... When will he get here... Zenith is coming... Zenith... Zenith...The static and the voice cut out. Zenith looks around frantically, but is distracted from his search by the flinching of the dragon in response to his quick movement. Terrortongue's gaze fixes on Zenith and narrows. "Thy mantle," Terrortongue says, while Talasea whispers quick translations to Common for Zenith. "It is. Somewhat bright in mine eyes. It smells of divinity. I will have this. Surrender thou this garment and I will let thine ship depart from my waters unmolested. I will have this or an item of greater value." "Um, no?" Zenith says. "How would you like to have information instead of an item?" Talasea asks. "For we know that your children have been stolen from this place through cracks brought into our realm. If there is a chance you would like to know who is stealing the children who call you Father Fear and Mother Nightmare and were slain by them, we could have a deal perhaps of greater value than an item." Terrortongue looms in close. "You say my children, whom I kick from the nest as babes to fend for themselves, terrors in their own right, are being stolen?" "Stolen and murdered," Talasea lies. Digging into the warmth of Temperance's magic, Tal manages to shrug off the magical fear. Zenith signals to Talasea to say can I try something crazy? "One minute," Talasea says, preparing to pull some bard shit. "So you're interested, but do we have a deal?" Talasea asks. "If I agree," Terrortongue says, swallowing the if on their tongue as their calculating gaze considers Tal, "and let your ship go, you will tell me who is hunting me and mine? And how?" "Uh, how, like specifically how, the exact process or-" "You will tell me what you know," Terrortongue growls. "Yes," Tal says quickly. "I will tell you everything." Tal spins a story of going to Narwhada and hearing rumors of a city falling asleep and finding a dragon dead. He gestures the outline of the symbol. Tal continues that they learned of five strangers who had arrived at Narwhada beforehand: Bane Syruphana, Maxim Rogova, Valentin Germanova, Oliver Worsley, Philip Turner, all part of the fantasy Illuminati, the Fog Between. Throughout their journeys they encountered more dead dragons that looked like Terrortongue, all associated with different people from the Fog Between. Tal says his guess is that the Fog Between is trying to create rifts and murder the children because they were responsible for killing the dragons of old. Terrortongue listens carefully to this, still amongst the thrashing waves. "It was ages past and it was yesterday that mine brethren sought flight through this realm," Terrortongue says. "And their dreams were so great and so terrible that they spawned new echelons of creatures that prey upon this realm still. Creatures that do as I bid them and tremble. Whatever sent my brethren running, what you say kills us still, they have made an enemy this day. The Fog Between will regret the day that they preyed upon me and mine. And you... you will regret the day that you gave your bounty before extracting a promise." "You promised!!" Tal cries. "We had a deal, literally!" "I promised nothing," Terrortongue hisses, their terrible grin baring teeth as tall and sharp as spears. "ZENITH, ABORT," Tal yelps. The two Dimension Door away as a wave of fear hits them, clinging to them as they appear on the deck of the Pearl Dagger, 500 feet away. The ship braces for battle, the crew beginning to concentrate on getting the ship to fly. Meanwhile, Terrortongue darts toward them at impossible speed, nearly invisible beneath the star-black water. A desperate battle commences between the dragon and the North Wind and the allies they came to protect. The ship soars high above the water to avoid the tentacles of liquid that reach up and drag crew members from the deck. Terrortongue tears Aphid's summoned creatures limb from limb and leeches health from the victims of its fear. Zenith leads the crew through attempting to manifest various weaknesses, but conflicting images and the difficulty in attempting to overpower the will of a living creature makes it hard to do so. The ship's cannons do manage to strike a few devestating blows against Terrortongue's hide. Zenith and Syvin (polymorphed into a Huge Giant Crab) jump onto the dragon, Zenith standing upon their snout, Syvin clinging to its back. Wounded and snarling, Terrortongue looks around at the enemies surrounding it. Then they shift the Reverie around them, disappearing from view. Zenith is taken with them into an even grayer and more ethereal plane, where Terrortongue thrashes their head, sending Zenith flying. Then Terrortongue disappears again along with Syvin, leaving Zenith stranded alone and unseen by the rest of the party.
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