dragoncalled | Welcome, New Scions.

Entry tags:

!introduction

Welcome, New Scions.

Here, There Be Dragons

New arrivals:
The dream you wake from is an unsettling one that feels like a memory. It sits out of place and too far forward in your mind, yet feels as real and clear as any other could be. It's the shadow of a massive creature blocking out the sun, skyline, or similar entity. A roar that shakes you to the core and and a feeling of dread and loss weighing heavy on you. Whatever the feeling or vision that comes across, it brings with it a sense that your world is no more.

A voice, reassuring and almost motherly in nature urges you gently to wake from your sleep. Rise from the ashes, little one, The voice calls in a whisper of wind and crackling fire, There is need of you, yet.

As the voice fades and the world of the waking returns to you, you are greeted with the sounds of faint bustling and the bounce of wooden wheels on stone or the sight of Upper Nuren's winding streets and open squares. A cloud passes by slowly near one of the stone pathway ledges and the sounds of nearby Touched and Remnants at work or leisure filter through the calm, cool air.

Whatever you had previously been wearing or carrying has been replaced. You might now find yourself garbed in a cloth tunic, pants or shorts, robe, dress or skirt, and sandals or boots if you wore clothing. A sash around your shoulders or a belt at your waist contains a small but weighted purse of gold coins, enough to acquire some materials, new clothing or food from the market and craftsmen in the city.

Current Scions:
Concern over the mild Winter has begun to spread through the city. The chill air should have come with the nearing end of the harvest, and so far the weather remains only pleasantly cool. The air barely passes the gentle cool of Autumn.

Nuren's citizens are spreading rumors that mountaintop ice and snow have begun to thaw, causing mudslides in the mountains. The thaw has displaced the Ice and mountain creatures, leaving them irritable and unpredictable. The sailors mention that the Frozen Shore has also begun to melt, and the waters around the Frozen Shore and the mountain areas have grown treacherous and unseasonably cold.

Throughout the city, activity springs to more vibrant life, with Scholars of the Cycle of Life and Scholars of Knowledge claiming that Benra has blessed the city again, bringing more Scions to help protect the great city. The rumors put the city's citizens into higher spirits, and music fills the cool air, spreading from Lower Nuren both up and down the mountain.

The Heart of Nuren

After waking, a pull starts from within your chest, growing stronger with each passing moment until it becomes the only focus. It tugs insistently once, then twice. A need to follow the pull curls around and through you, urging you toward a wide and torch lit staircase that leads down into the heart of the mountain. The steps are wide and sturdy, and the further down them you travel, the clearer the call becomes until you can almost hear it.

At the bottom of the steps, the large cavern beneath the city is revealed. The floor beneath your feet is warm to the touch, and the magic in the air calms your mind and fills you with a strange sense of safety and peace. No magic or harm can be done within the cavern. The cavern's floor is covered in circles of runes carved into the stone that surround small depressions in varying sizes, from a coffee cup's rim to that of a small circular table. Some of the depressions contain dormant dragon eggs of various colors, shapes and sizes. The runes surrounding them glow faintly with a magical light. Only the Scion who is bonded to the dragon within the egg can pass the runes.

Upper and Lower Nuren

Once you emerge from the cavern, the strange spell that fell over you fades. The bond between you and your egg or hatchling remains but your command of your own decisions and actions return and you are now free to explore, question and move about.

The streets of Upper Nuren are sparsely populated with Remnants, Touched and other scions with their eggs or dragons. Questioning any of the citizens leads to a variety of answers. You are a Scion of the Great Beasts. You were brought to the city from the ashes of time and space by the Great Phoenix known as Benra and the Great Serpent known as Mouros.

Pressing for more information will reveal that there are five Great Beasts. They are Benra the Phoenix, Chelba the Stone Giant, Renzu the Griffin, Mouros the Serpent, and Lysheu the Chimera. They are said to represent Mortality, Order, Knowledge, Time and Chaos.

You are in the great Mountain City known as Nuren, and its people are the last remaining vestige of civilization on this wild and dangerous planet. The Touched and the Remnants share an alliance and work together to keep the city protected and its citizens alive and fed. According to these citizens of Nuren, you are here to help them defend the city, unite the remaining races and restore balance to the elements.

Soon after the first Scions awake, the city begins to buzz with the news and gossip that more scions have arrived. The curious and braver citizens make their way to Upper Nuren to get a look, and the rumors spread like wildfire through the city that Benra has come again.

Outer Nuren

Although those rumors make their way to Outer Nuren, the citizens there show far less interest in making the long trek up to Upper Nuren. The unseasonably warm winter has done wonders for the fishing in the bay, and the docks are alive with intrepid fishermen and ship crews interested in making extra gold while the fishing is still good.

The taverns fill with activity and the markets are livelier than ever in the hopes of selling more of their wares and merchandise before Winter's chill catches up with the passing seasons.

Evening

When night settles on the city, the taverns, inns and squares fill with curious citizens hoping to meet the new Scions or catch a glimpse of the Scions they have already managed to glimpse a few times before. Food is offered freely, as well as blankets to guard against the cool night air.

The night sky fills with beautiful displays of magic from the Fire, Light and Energy Mages, the Osaaru equivalent of fireworks, though far quieter. Several Scholars in bright and colorful robes can be found approaching the new scions and older ones alike, offering to tell them more about the city, Osaaru and the Great Beasts. Mages of similar garb guide scions to the cavern homes, and help where they can in making the scions more comfortable.

Small comforts of food, pillows, decorative crafts and other small tokens are offered to visible Scions by the citizens of Nuren in hopes of earning their favor and friendship.

Notes

Please direct Introduction questions to the Plotting Post Q&A
As a Reminder: Bahemait is not one of the Great Beasts openly discussed or mentioned by the Citizens of Nuren who believe the Great Dragon is little more than an old legend.

We would also like to emphasize that the Spirit energy within every resurrected character is required to use all magic in Osaaru, even that which is brought from their own world. The drain of powerful or excessive use of magic will lead to exhaustion.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I usually talk to myself when I'm on my own. It makes it less lonely.

[He grins easily, maybe too easily considering their worlds are apparently gone, but the lameness of the joke comes from his attempt to soften the blow. If he laughs at it, if he just denies how terrible that it all is, he'll be able to face it. He just needs to keep facing it and not think about giving up.

Tony looks up at the display, smile unchanging, which means it is probably not as easy as he pretends it is.]

"Fireworks." Yeah, magic is pretty sometimes. I guess this is a rare opportunity. We're the lucky ones.

You'll have to let me know how that one works out for you. You know, before they put you in a straitjacket.

[But the wry twist of his lips shows that he's just kidding about that. Hell, they're probably all a little crazy right now. They've lost everything, had their lives yanked out from under their feet. When you think about it like that, talking to yourself isn't exactly the most extreme reaction a person could have.]

Whatever you wanna call 'em. They look close enough, I'm not gonna argue about names.

[A side glance at him, at that unchanging expression.]

Depends on your definition of lucky, doesn't it?

It's worked so far. Sometimes you're the only friend you've got. Even if that makes you crazy.

[Tony's smile is muted, but there is warmth in his eyes. He's still sad. They all are. But Tony is managing to cope with the humor he puts on to convince himself he isn't hurting. And it works. He feels better--enough to keep going.]

Mm. They're beautiful. [He looks back to Sam, and maybe the false smile falters a bit.] We are lucky. We're still here, able to see all of this now. We were the ones Benra or whatever force of chance happened to pick up out of the debris. I'm trying to be grateful for that.

Not crazy, just lonely.

[If Sam's ever wanted to hug a complete stranger, now would be the time. He's an empathetic kind of guy - wouldn't have gone into counseling if he wasn't - and goddamn, whoever this man is, he's making him feel lonely.]

Sorry. Moment of survivor's guilt. [He snorts, self-deprecating.] Oughta know better, all the years of therapy I've been on both sides of.

Listen, if you need a friend - I know I'm a stranger, but I think we all need someone here. And it'll keep you from having to talk to yourself, at least.

[Sam is a nice guy. That is Tony's impression from the answer he gives him and it is nice to have a sympathetic ear. But they are all stuck with the same sad situation and when Sam says survivor's guilt, Tony's expression takes on something more serious.]

I'm used to talking to myself, actually. It's a bad habit, I'm sure, but it helps me think. I didn't mean to make it sound worse than it is.

[Or point out the painful truth to another Scion.]

It's nice to have someone to talk to, though. I mean, everyone has been great, but I don't think most people want to talk about the ones who aren't here.

[He holds out a hand.]

Tony Stark.

Hard to forget the ones who aren't. And you bottle it up, you're just asking for trouble later.

[Once a counselor, always a counselor. He's reaching out to take Tony's hand, and then-]

No. Seriously?

[This is kind of a mindfuck because WHOA NOT THE TONY HE'S USED TO.

But guess what, Tony?

You're getting a hug. Deal with it.]

...okay, if it turns out the other Tony is here somewhere? It's important you never tell him I did this.

What? What did-

[Tony was going to make another joke about bottling things up, but the strange recognition from the other man startles up and he draws back instinctively, tensing as the stranger moves forward. He wasn't expecting that response from anyone. Even if he does know him somehow, he doesn't think anyone will be happy that he made it through the destruction of entire worlds.]

Um. Okay.

[It would probably be a little less awkward if he knew why the guy was hugging him, but then, maybe not. It could just be another incident in Tony's life that he can't remember the cause of.]

[Sam's just going to drop his arms and back awkwardly away now.]

Sorry. Sorry, just got a little excited there. It's just, you know, nice to know someone...sort of familiar is here. I'm not usually a hugging kind of guy, promise.

[It's a goddamn relief that eases the persistent knot in his gut just a little, more like.]

You sure you're Tony Stark, though? Cause you sure don't act like him.

Edited 2016-11-09 03:14 (UTC)

[Tony draws back as well, not used to such impromptu contact. It's not that he doesn't like friendly hugs, but from a stranger he has to question what the man's motivation is. And the way he talks to him is familiar, which makes it all even weirder.]

You know Tony Stark personally?

[He knows plenty of people have heard of him, but that isn't the same thing as being his friend.]

Because I'm pretty sure I know what I act like. You, though, you I don't know. Do you have a name, or do you normally wear a mask and hug random strangers as part of your secret identity?

[Tony doesn't sound upset. This is a lot better than the recognition he could be getting. He is going to tease his new friend, though.]

That would be the lamest secret identity ever, and, let me tell you, I just met a dude who dresses up like a cat, so there's some pretty stiff competition there.

[...says the man who dresses up like a bird. Although he probably ought to be nicer to T'challa, what with the whole political asylum thing and all.]

Not to mention the guy who talks to ants.

[Sam, you haven't even met half the weird superheroes your universe has to offer.]

Sam Wilson. No mask, usually. I have some pretty sweet goggles, though. Some weirdo designed them for me.

[He listens quietly, politely, while Sam tells him about weird people he met. At first Tony thinks Sam is saying he met a cat person in Nuren. It's not that hard to believe considering what the locals are like. He almost asks about that, then Sam gets to the guy that talks to ants.

That makes him look more alert. And by the time Sam finishes saying his name, Tony reaches out to grip the side of Sam's arm, all his focus intent on the other hero.]

Are they here? You mean you know them. From your home world. Are they here? You know Hank? What about other people? Have you seen them?

Hank? No, the guy I know is named Scott. Scott Lang. [Something about the name rings a bell, though, and he frowns for a moment as he tries to remember.] Wait, you mean Hank Pym? Scott mentioned something about getting the suit from him.

[Although he'd been trying to tune him out at the time, because Scott wouldn't stop talking pretty much the entire time they were held on the Raft.]

Haven't seen anyone else yet. Just you.

[Hence the hug. Which he should never tell anyone about.]

Scott. [Well, that's like losing a friend all over again. He looks devastated when Sam tells him no one else is around. "Just you" is like a sentence, and Tony releases his grip on Sam's arm to bring his hand to his mouth, rubbing his face.]

How long have you been here? We don't know- they could still be here. We don't know they aren't somewhere on this rock. We can find them.

[There is a tight desperation in his voice that probably does sound familiar. A quiet determination that comes from not wanting to believe the worst, and he looks at Sam defiantly, almost childishly.]

We will find them.

[Something twists in Sam's chest at the desperate tone of his words. He's seen it before, guys who have wanted to go back into blown out buildings for buddies they know can't be alive. Hell, he sounds like Steve, bound and determined to save Bucky. And the thing is, Sam doesn't disagree with him. There'a an entire city, an entire planet, and their friends could be out there waiting to be found. It's not likely to be easy, but Sam's used to that.

He reaches out, gripping Tony's shoulder to reassure him.]

We'll find them. But you might wanna think about getting some sleep first. It's too dark to run around looking for anyone in a place like this.

[Each day Tony keeps telling himself it'll be all right. That if he's there, then other people must have survived too. He even tries to convince himself that the rest of the world isn't really destroyed, just stolen away to some pocket dimension or lost in one timeline and can still be recovered. They are ridiculous thoughts, but they keep him stable. But Sam reminding him of specific friends just brings his anxious pain back to the forefront and it takes some effort to come around again. He looks over at the hand on his shoulder, head bowing in defeat.]

I've slept. [Not well, but newcomers are all most likely still adjusting.] I'm not going to run out into the city now. I'm not that crazy.

[He smiles a little.]

But you're here. That's a start.

Uh-huh. Crazy enough to talk to yourself, but not crazy enough to run around looking for people in the dark.

[It's said in a gently teasing tone of voice, though, and he squeezes Tony's shoulder again before he lets his hand fall away. Sam feels the same sort of anxiety, but he's trying to repress it. He's good at keeping it together in front of people.

(Most of the time.)

Mostly he worries that this Tony operates with the same obsessive drive of, hell, half the people he knows, including the Tony back in his world, who would gladly go without food or sleep for days on end to accomplish a goal. They're all getting too old for that sort of thing.]

You found the caverns and everything? Or are you staying somewhere else?

[Sorry, bro, you're getting mama henned now.]

Well, not without a flashlight.

[Come on, Sam, don't look at him like that. The hand on his shoulder actually goes a long way to soothing him, though, and Tony smiles. A friendly gesture is what he really needs. He's lonely and desperate, and despite his awkward reaction, the hug was welcome.]

I haven't been in sleeping much, but I guess I'm going to live in the caverns. Uh. I'm not really a cave type of guy.

[Is he being adopted now? It's actually kind of touching, even if it confuses him.]

Is that where you're staying?

Yeah, good luck finding a flashlight here.

[There are streetlamps, but they seem to be fueled by magic - at least, that's Sam's guess. While he wouldn't be surprised to see a magic version of a flashlight (hell, he's pretty sure he had an amulet like that in D&D once), this probably isn't the time of night to find one.]

Who is? I'm too much of a city boy for caves.

[He wonders for a moment what this Tony's story is like, if he was held prisoner in caves in Afghanistan. (He remembers the search effort, being pulled off normal PJ duties to fly sweep patterns, bitching about letting guys bleed out while scouring the desert for some rich asshole civvie.)]

Guess so. I haven't exactly gone to pick one out yet, but. If it's free housing, then that's where I'm gonna be. Can't exactly afford rent anywhere else.

[And yes, Tony, you are being adopted.]

Well, I could find a torch. And if there's an emergency I have a light.

[A little, unreliable light, but he doesn't say that. There's no point in making Sam worry about him. The comment about the caves gets an absent smile from Tony that probably means he's thinking about the same thing, or similar. It's wry and tired.]

We can't afford anything. We're just lucky that we're honored guests and not prisoners or outcasts. They could be giving us a whole different treatment.

[He's grateful. He really is, but it's hard to keep that in mind when he's still mourning. And Tony seems to realize how his response sounds, because he makes an effort to be more cheerful. See? He's fine. No need to adopt him.]

But I've been offered food and information from everyone since I woke up here. They seem happy to have us. I just hope we're living up to their expectations.

It's bizarre when you think about it. We could be anybody, but these people are goddamn crazy enough to just...welcome us without question.

[Sure, they don't have any belongings - even the clothes on their backs have been given to them - but Sam knows enough people who don't need anything at all to start some serious trouble that he'd be cautious if people started randomly appearing.]

Crazier than you, even. [A teasing smile. He doesn't really think Tony's crazy.] Somehow having a dragon is enough to make you trustworthy in their eyes, like baby dragons can somehow judge character.

[Maybe they can. Maybe it's more magic bullshit. Hell if Sam knows.]

Personally, I'd like to know more about what their expectations are.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Welcome, New Scions.

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