Tails of Lightning - Valge Kylm

[Nomster]

Valge's biography can be found here - clicky

Please note that she is not approved by the DMs and won't be. Anyone who does get in close RP with her is aware of this.

The name 'Tails of Lightning' comes from that yes, dragons have tails... but also when a bolt of lightning strucks from the sky, the end separates into several parts - tails. Lightning is the speciality of Bronze dragons. Those who adventure and RP with Valge may find it retold here from her perspective. This is the longest I've written in over a year. And it is a long post but there's been lots to catch up on, and even more to come. I have a bad memory in real life so it will also work as a reference point for myself. I may have written some parts incorrectly as I might have forgot details of the adventure. For anything such, or name mistakes (I'm bad with names) please do PM me.

"Those darn fishmen!" Valge had barely escaped with her life from the Bilberry Island. She did tell Domhnall more than once that the fishmen would best him. He had laughed and waved her concerns away. From when they guarded the caravan a few days past, Valge knew he was an able fighter. He had been standing close to her, trying to not let any bandits or pirates get close while she took them down with her bow. Sure, it had been their duty to protect the wagons and in that, each other. But Dom, he protected people back to the Gate and when they went hunting for gobbos along with the spellcaster Zavan, he had taken the lead again and had actually been singing while the smelly gobbos tried pounding on him. Valge knew in her gut that the Bilberry Island adventure wouldn't fare well but joined him anyway. Those bilberries had tasted utterly delicious and she didn't have any left for Juna after eating everything herself.

Sure enough, after the ship had taken them there one of the fishmen started casting spells. Dom had immediately rushed at it with his weapon but the fishman mage had done some damage already. As Valge had been there one time before, he urged her to show the way to the berry bushes. She could only find two this time and barely had time to pick a handful before the fishmen were attacking again. Despite the bandages she quickly had applied to him, he was bleeding. With a prayer to Io, Valge asked for assistance and wondered if Io had understood her when she received a lazy dog. Poor Lumi had to do all the work while the dog stood there with its tongue hanging outside its mouth. At last Valge managed to get the dog to understand that it was supposed to bite the fishmen but she knew that it would not survive. Using the dog as a distraction, she stripped herself off her armor and threw herself into the sea. She called out for Lumi who hesitated just for a moment before leaping into the water too. Together they swam to the shore; one hating and the other loving the embrace of water.


Valge and Lumi.

The shore was nearby a forest and luckily Valge had put all her belongings in that magical, pocket bag Hoihe had gifted her. He had said that if she could breath in it, it would just be large enough inside for her but not him, jokingly calling her his pocket Valge. She made a campfire which Lumi nearly laid down on top of eager to dry her wet fur. "Careful or you'll burn your whiskers off." Valge said and Lumi growled but moved. After Valge's skin had dried she put on her dress she took from the magic pocket and proceeded to dry her cloak and shoes. While she had rummaged around in the bag for her dress, she felt the edges of a specific gem. She now held it and watched how the light from the fire brought it to life. Rainbow was what she had named it, not one colour overtook the other. As soon as she thought it was more blue or green, it shifted to yellow or another colour. Of all the gifts Hoihe had given her, Rainbow felt the most precious to her. At the time he gave it to her, she had looked at it differently but as their relationship had developed, Rainbow held a new meaning.

While Valge gazed into the gem she thought back to the time she had arrived near Baldur's Gate not very long ago. She had meant to simply pass through and continue her search to reach her goal. She wondered now if all the things Hoihe kept saying about fate and that were true. The first person Valge supposed she could call a friend had been Arwyroe Melten, a Paladin of Sune "Beauty and loooooveee!", she could hear him saying it in her head as she thought of him. Valge had soon taken to call him Handsome, it was obvious Sune favoured him. Arwyroe just went a bit further, the awful clothes and that weird smell that constantly surrounded him. It had taken some time to get used to. He called it "perfume". She had called it the stench of sewer, and he had called her ugly. And somehow along that line she had told him her true form and he had laughed. Now she hoped that no harm would come from it, but didn't really think so. The reason she had told him was because she could perceive the goodness in him. He had protected her when she needed it and offered escort on the roads. It had taken Valge time to get used to accepting and also asking for assistance from others. It was not the first or the last time she missed her strong scaled, sharp claws and teeth. And the wings, especially the wings. Travelling was so much easier when she could simply fly over water, hills and mountains.


Bilberry Island.

Valge put more wood on the fire and Lumi glanced up but when back to what she did best - sleeping. A true cat indeed. Valge needed to be more careful, there had been people who were more concerned about Lumi than the real dangers that lurked in shadows. She went back to gazing into Rainbow, as if trying to find answers in it. On the journey from The High Forest to Baldur's Gate she had met several drunk and disorderly, all varieties of two-leggers. Except for a powerful spellcaster or something that could help her.

The first time she had met Hoihe was in the Friendly Arms Inn, he was downing a drink after another of something he called Dragon's Breath. It had made her laugh, the very thought of that a dragon's breath could be bottled was absurd to her. Ale and wine tasted odd on her tongue and when Hoihe offered her a mug of Dragon's Breath she had drank it but it hadn't tasted anything like a real dragon's breath, which she had pointed out to him. Hoihe had then claimed he could really breath like a dragon and urged her to come outside the Inn, where he could show her. He then showed her his claws, which at first she thought he had taken from some beast and attached to himself. There was a small pond with a small waterfall. He breathed at the waterfall, really breathed at it and it had frozen. Valge had been very doubtful and could sense he wasn't a dragon in human shape and Hoihe had explained how he had the blood of a Silver dragon flowing in him. Silver of all! Well, at least it wasn't Gold. Later she had come to strongly suspect it might have been a Copper in his family instead. Valge had to trust him with her secret, she had said too much and appeared too knowledgeable about dragons anyway. What surprised her was that Hoihe immediately promised to aid her. At first she thought he was one who spoke with haste and much promise but it became clear as they spent more time together that he was the direct opposite of what she had first thought. It made her find him very intriguing.


Ulgoth's Beard.

He had showered her with gifts, gold and gems and had quickly found out the things that she liked the most. Hoihe had this way of talking about fate as if he had little control over his life. There was a strong presence of sadness and loss in his eyes, which became even more apparent after a loss of a great friend of his. When he returned from a journey he had made her a gift, a piece of wood that he carved with his claws. It was very symbolic. Typical long winded, far fetched Hoihe-symbolic. He had to explain every detail of it and even then, Valge was lost for words. She had many concerns and worries but as she spoke of them, Hoihe had already thought about them and reassured her. It would have been easy to reject him, refusing to even acknowledge such a union but as Valge had looked into his silvery eyes, nearly mirrors of her own, she had seen a spark of hope in all that sadness and found that she wanted to nurture it and see it grow. In a way, only realizing it later, she did feel alone being amongst two-leggers but always so aware of that she wasn't there by choice or one of them. The current form she was trapped in was also very weak and vulnerable. She didn't mind loneliness as she had always been solitary but being near other dragonkin made her feel more closer to her true self.

Hoihe had thus promised himself to Valge, offered her anything she wanted and promised that one day she would gain her true form back. Valge wasn't sure if Hoihe had added himself to her hoard or if she had done that. However things turned out, she was committed now and bound by her words. Yet she was well aware of their differences and inside her a fear had started to grow. Valge herself could expect to live for decades but Hoihe was human. Not only that but he was oblivious to any danger and every day he had a new tale to tell of some life threatening adventure which he miraculously had survived. She was too young to know how to react to these feelings and thoughts, but she did know that elves must have the same concerns with humans. Of course there had to be other dragons with such experience but that would involve to great a risk for her to seek them out. The elves perhaps could advice her. Valge sent a quiet prayer to Io. Rainbow symbolised Io for her now - all and everything in one form.

Perhaps this is how Io looks like - like a rainbow. Borrowed from Neytirix at Devantart.


Bilberry Island. Hoihe is cutting a crystal for Valge.

She put away Rainbow and picked up the smaller crystal shard that Hoihe had cut for her. Placing it into her left palm, Valge closed her fingers tightly around it, the sharp edges of the crystal shard cutting into her skin. The blood slowly dripped down on to the ground. Valge's concentration was entirely on the shard and she whispered words in draconic. The hairs on Lumi's fur stood up and she now stood up and looked at Valge, sensing the magic. When Valge was done she opened her palm and her blood has mixed with that of the crystal shard, which now had lost its cutting sharp edges. It was warm and the blood seemed alive inside it, as if pulsating with Valge's own heartbeat. "Its alright Lumi. Come on and we'll find a place to sleep." She extinguished the fire and walked deeper into the forest and stopped under a large tree. Placing her bloody palm on the tree's bark Valge asked for it to protect them. The blood slowly absorbed into the tree and the roots moved to make a hollow in the ground in which Valge and Lumi lied down. They were lying there tight together with Valge's cloak covering them as they always slept. A gentle wind brushed leaves on top of them so that they were hidden. As Valge fell asleep, she clutched the bloodstone in her hand.


Bilberry Island. Valge is sitting down drinking wine that has floated ashore in a box from the shipwreck. She believes Hoihe was reminded by how his ship had gone down.

[Nomster]

Each time Valge walked past that cave by the river, she was reminded of the green dragon, Achiusk. It had been strange, that Hoihe and herself had been at front of the cave system and thought it was a good place to lair and then later find it occupied by Achiusk. The image of Achiusk and his emerge from that very cave, his green scales covered in blood haunted her. Sometimes she also saw that Andros about the Fairly Arms Inn. He and his uncle surely must have said something to aggravate Achiusk. It was little use to think much about it, Valge knew that, yet she couldn't quite shake off how unjust these humans could be.



They judge by the scales, she said in a low voice to Lumi, meaning that people judged others by how they looked. Lumi lifted her head up but as Valge said no more, she went back to grooming herself. Achiusk had given Hoihe a green scale for Io's shrine and given his word on not to harm the humans. Valge had given Achiusk a green gem in return, shaped like the scale he had given. They had left the cave, except for Andros and his uncle who had asked to stay. A mistake. What was done, was done however and the two men had nearly paid with their lives. Better to focus on things which outcome I can yet effect..



Achiusk's hoard was small but still they got plenty of gold and a diamond each. Strangely enough a brass lantern was found amongst it.

[Nomster]

The second caravan escort (low levels)
Connected to City Relief Effort (Official Board)
The event itself Second caravan event


The giant Gobu, with a honey cookie at his feet. In the background the smoke from the burning wagon with the roasted horses.

They had barely moved the wagons outside of Baldur's Gate before they were ambushed. The ambushers were clever this time and used fire arrows to set one of the wagons on fire. No one seemed to have a pocket water elemental with them, so people tried to do what they could to quench it by throwing dirt and casting frost and ice. While everyone was focused on saving the burning wagon the wonderful scent of fresh horsemeat drove the giant Gobu forward. He wanted the horses, and if he were to help the hoomies he also wanted something sweet. Of course Valge being the druid she is knew exactly what Gobu meant while everyone was puzzled, panicked and whatnot about the situation. She gave Gobu cakes dripped in honey in exchange for that he would join and protect them against the ambushers. Gobu was most pleased at this and while the exchange took place, the horses had been roasted nicely. Gobu sat down and dined on the horses and offered Valge a leg, which she took gladly and shared with her cat Lumi.

Omar had been sent to rush back to the Gate and returned with fresh horses. Gobu was very excited about this but another honey cake steered him away from the fresh meat. They had tried to persuade Gobu to help with the burning wagon but Gobu had refused, not all honeycakes in the world would make him touch that hot fire. Gobu wasn't that stupid. The wagon was lost but now they had two horses instead of one to pull the other and were able to travel faster. They also made sure to ward the horses and the lone wagon from any dangers they could imagine. As they reached the river, the giant Gobu was wounded badly and the ambushers were concentrating all their force on him. At last, Gobu fell and the earth shook as his body hit the ground. Unfortunately he now blocked the river passage. Valge no longer had to worry about Gobu's wrath if she had to tell him she was out of them honey cakes. Gobu's body was heavy but the slippery stones made them able to push it away in order for the wagon to cross the river. Strange enough a water elemental assisted in moving Gobu's body. Valge grumbled and muttered about these elemental but made the conclusion that it must have played in the river and someone encouraged it to help them. Surely no one would have hidden one when there was a fire to extinguish..!

The rest of the journey they continued to fight off the bandits and many comrades fell. At last they had reached the bridge and could hand the wagon over to the mercenary company that would accompany it the rest of its journey. Some considered the escort a failure, having lost a wagon, horses and so many lives. Looking at the complete picture however, they had to agree that they did their best with the odds against them.

[Nomster]

The rain was falling heavily and Valge had found a small cave just enough for her and Lumi to shelter in as well as a small fire. Lumi had been sulking ever since they the goblins and Valge didn't really blame her. She doubted anything would seek them out in the rain anyway, as most would want shelter themselves. Lumi was cleaning herself of blood close to the fire and gave Valge an evil look when she could. Valge didn't think much of it, as she was accustomed to Lumi's behaviour and put some more wood on the coals. Some other day she might have soothed Lumi but this day had been an odd one. Thergal had found her claiming that the winds spoke that she wished to see him. It was true that Valge had asked about him but she hadn't expected a dwarf stalking after her in the wilderness. Thergal spoke openly about his change which had surprised her. He had not seem as mad as she had been lead to believe but his request for his version of a trial had been quite atypical for his kind. He did mention bandits which had been the types she went to hunt. Valge knew most had no remorse for killing them so why would she. Especially if the bandits attacked first.



When Valge had returned to the Friendly Arms Inn to rest she met Celduil, the ranger, who asked if she was ready for her trials to become a member of the Circle. The time they met previously he had asked that if she saw Thergal to keep away from him and let him now. Valge had thought to speak of it after her trials were done but events hadn't unfold as she had imagined. Celduil instructed her to find two healing leaves by some shrines which she did with ease. The second trial had been more perilous. Celduil lead the way and told her that she needed to find an item, an arrow, in the caves the goblins dwelled in. Valge headed inside with Lumi and a bear she had called for assistance from the forest just outside the caves. She took each step cautiously, knowing that Celduil would be watching her unseen. Well, tried to be cautious. Those goblins were fierce and there had been quite a lot of blood shed, theirs and hers. When Valge reached the end of the caves and knew she had been everywhere, she realized she must have missed the item. She looked again and did not find it. Celduil had appeared visible now and Valge asked him upon which he said she had not looked hard enough. He started to lead the way to it when she suggested that perhaps she'd shoot an arrow at him and retrieve it that way. He had said 'you could try', and she had. Lumi however had seen it as an incentive to attack and didn't quite walk out the cave. Celduil had been angry, thinking Valge wished to kill him. If she had, she would have aimed better and not waited for an invite to do so. She had known his armor wouldn't let her arrow through. Besides, she had nearly died there from those goblins. All her wards and healing equipment had ran out and she was weary from shifting so much. Valge was doubting Celduil wanted her to pass the way he had hid the arrow amongst the other debris. When they walked outside, she didn't argue that he didn't let her pass the trial. She was too weary and tired of the elf thinking her a fool. As Valge wrapped her cloak tighter around herself she thought that Kegor had been right in that she could not choose both paths to walk.

[Nomster]

The sky was endless blue with white cotton clouds and she was soaring high up in the air, looking down at the world that had become like an ant's nest. Next to her was a shape much greater than her own, also with power far more superior. She could sense it... like small sparks whenever her wings got close enough to it. The flew together for what felt like an eternity. The world underneath kept changing from vast forests, large oceans and dry deserts. It did not matter to them. They were above all else, here in the open sky, it reminded her once again, what she was.

The shape and scales of the other was silvery, with purple hues, almost like.. like lightning yes. It looked at her and she could tell it was pleased. No words transpired but there was a small build up which grew greater. The white cotton clouds became darker and the air had a tension to it. Io lowered her wings and dived down, leaving the storm clouds surrounding Valge. It was a gift, she knew. The lightning struck down at the land beneath her before Valge took control of it and surrounded herself in it, like a capsule. She could no longer see Io but knew she was gone. Valge woke up and could still hear thunder. Looking down at her hands and half-elf body, she saw it came from her. She purred and relaxed herself, once again taking control of it. She then remembered Lumi and looked around, she was nowhere to be seen. Valge stood up and went deeper into the woods to find her. She was happy for her gift but feared what it had done to her Lumi.

[Nomster]

//Originally posted Mon Jul 02, 2012

Joining En Dharasha Everae



Starting from the green cloak which is Valge to clockwise, hearing Laisren's story:

Lumi the cat
Laisren
Saline
Kyree
Solarina
Mendel
Narindir



Those who joined in the scouting:
Laisren
Saline
Mendel
Kyree
Solarina
Zavan
Tildon - the only human

The giant temple surrounded by vampire elves, their souls crying out in agony. Clicky for image

It was by a pure chance Valge had found herself in the midst of these elves and their search for a new safe settlement. She made her usual round of haggling with the merchant at the Friendly Arms Inn when she saw Laisren and they started to talk. She knew little of him but when she first had arrived to the region as a foreigner, he and Mendel had welcomed her as their kin and showed her Donor Amar. So when Laisren said he no longer lived there she knew something was amiss. His story was a long and sad one, and as he spoke other elves came and sat down to listen. Valge knew that despite that she had only met Laisren once before, that this was an elf that others looked up to and followed and most important of all, was someone who acted in the world for the right reasons. If she would speak of this aloud, it would make little sense but as Valge thought of it, together with the feelings in her gut, it seemed clear so she chose to trust and believe him. Laisren had also spoken of things she had tried to gain information on but doors been slammed in her face with a 'you're not important enough' sign. When Laisren was finished with his story, he stood up united with his beloved Saline and asked for others to join them in seeking a new safe settlement. Some had hesitated and some had no doubt at all. While Valge had no intention to live amongst the elves like an elf, she was curious of it all and wanted to see it with her own eyes. What she had then seen had even further made her sure of that some darkness troubled the lands. If she could help rid of it, she would.

[Nomster]

// Originally posted Sun Jul 08, 2012

Recent happenings outside the Friendly Arms Inn had made Valge retreat to the woods. She had not made the decision with a light heart as she did enjoy observing people. When people had observed her too much in return and she had seen and felt their desire for blood, her conclusion had been that the walls and laws in the towns would not protect her as these beings saw themselves higher than the law, or chose to disregard it whenever it pleased them. In the woods, the branches and bushes would form protective shields around her whenever she was in any danger and they would whisper words of comfort and the sound of running rivers would soothe her. Valge was sitting next to a river with Lumi at her knees who was sleeping after a heavy meal of fresh bear meat. Perhaps others would see her retreat as a weakness but Valge knew what battles to choose and for this one, she wasn't strong enough. Not yet. She would not forget however. Her long life was well suited for patience, in time misfortune would come to those who meant ill, and then she would rejoice.

Hours seemed to pass while Valge and Lumi sat by that river, one sleeping loudly and the other in silent reflection. Those she had so far asked had answers which surprised her. Perhaps she could gain more understanding, see things from more than one pair of eyes. valge remembered Laisren's words and what he had told her of what he hoped En Dharasha Everae would come. She decided that she would hear his answers and then reflect again. Lumi half-opened her eyes and lazily peeked at Valge as she stood up and began chanting. The fur on Lumi started to stand up and a strange trickling feeling, like a wind penetrating the protection of her fur,. Lumi opened her eyes wider, alert now, ears twitching and moving in every direction, eyes peering into the forest for anything that might be attracted to the magic. Nothing. Except for a mild gust of wind that rustled the leaves. The wind swirled around Valge, playing with her cloak and hair gently. She spoked incoherently and with emotions she fed to the wind. If that wind would find Laisren and he would listen, he would sense that the bearer of lightning and of silver hair sought him and when breathing in the wind, worries and unclear answers would fill his nostrils.


// Commune with nature to send Laisren a 'message'.

[Nomster]

// Originally posted Sat Mar 02, 2013

The Fate of Triel

After her long absence from the Sword Coast, during when no one knows where or what she was doing, Valge returned to lands troubled by the Orc War. She had thought the orcs had all been dealt with and was quite surprised to hear that wasn't the case. En Dharasha Everae showed her around in the village that now was their home. Valge has sensed peace amongst the ancient trees, yet many elves wished to fight against the orcs, their bloodlust strong. The village Elders had thought the threat being too far away to be of any concern but... was it right to watch kin suffer and do nothing?

It had gnawed at her mind and her bones. She hadn't dared to voice her opinion of what she really thought, instead she spent her time in the woods, whispering in the trees as the wind, trying to get the ancient ones to reveal their secrets. It could be hundreds of years before she learned anything of value to her, as the value of things to trees were different. Valge didn't have that time. What she had were choices. At last she made her choice known to Laisren and the others;

"I will ward those who cannot protect themselves, help those who suffer, heal and revive the land." Valge paused, thinking how to best word what she wanted to say next. She knew she didn't have a way with words so what she said must be said with care. "You might say it can be prevented by death and destruction of the orcs, that the ends justify the means. I however cannot view it as simply. If we don't act, there will be destruction. If we do act, there will be destruction as well. It might not make sense to you, see it as druid blather." then she quickly added, "Of course now if the village was overrun or someone nearby in real danger I would act and not merely watch! But I will not go in to battle by choice. I will assist in any other way I can."

While Valge waited for the others to approve or disapprove of her choice, she helped the villagers with potion making by gathering ingredients. The trees had told her one thing, which plant was the best for stomache ache after drinking unclean water. If you were a badger.

[Nomster]

// Originally posted Sat Mar 02

Ambush

En Dharasha Everae were preparing to scout the area around Boarsky Bridge and soon felt that something wasn't right. Mendel, who had scouted ahead, returned wounded with a report of an ambush at the bridge, bodies lying everywhere. The elves decided to attack and were met with severe resistance. Valge stayed behind the group, judging it to be a safe distance. No sooner than in an eyeblink she felt fatigued and collapsed. It turned out that the heroes of this battle had been Aiden and Nai who with a stroke of luck, willpower and effort managed to get the wounded to safety and teleport to Baldur's Gate where the priests could tend their wounds. Aiden had found Nai petrified to stone near the bridge but happened to have a wand that reverts that effect. After some confusion the elves gathered that they had come upon a group who were on their way to Triel with much needed supplies. The supplies were however lost and the mood was low at their failure. Not everyone refused to give up as it was and it was decided that Aust be sent to rush his way to Triel where he would mark a leaf for teleportation. The remaining people decided to rest while they had a chance and gather what supplies were available to them in the Gate. In their tired state they couldn't see any other option of getting supplies to Triel than that through teleportation. They were told a mountain pass could be braved but the group wasn't fit for the journey.

// The dullest party ever in Fugue.

Those who participated & were rescued,
Valge, Laisren, Callas, Aust, Deacon, Mendel, Uriel Honorblade, Sayiel, Aiden and Nai.

[Nomster]

// Also posted at The Fate of Trial RP thread.

The Fate of Triel - The Betrayal

After looking over supplies, preparing potions and bandages, Valge walked outside the palisade of Triel to ask who else was wounded from the first attack and who needed wards. As people came towards her and she started to bless them, Valge could hear the sound of fighting behind her back. "Fighting... but that's inside the fort! I just came from there and everything seemed alright..." she thought to herself and turned around to look. The fort had been infiltrated and was overrun by black orcs and the like. Quickly she threw herself on the ground and rolled down the rest of the way towards where the archers were standing. "Here I thought I would avoid the front line and yet find myself in the middle of it."

By Io's blessing Valge was unharmed surprisingly enough and quickly began to heal those who were wounded. The melee fighters were fighting at the entrance of the fort with the archers moving to shoot from the outside. The hostile forces took advantage of this and the archers were soon set upon by large trolls. They saw no other option but to retreat over the stone bridge and be split from the rest. The stone bridge had been set up with explosives before which had not been detonated, it was unclear why the idea hadn't worked but people were thankful for the retreat route.

The stone bridge proved to be a strong holding point as the trolls marched forward, more than twice the size of anyone defending and a very fearful sight. Arrows, bombs and spells of fire and acid were hurled at the trolls who were being kept in place by walls of fire and twines encircling their large feet. Continuously the defenders had to fall back and many were wounded. Valge hadn't thrown a single spell to harm anyone but she realized if she didn't do something she would die alongside the rest of them. "Surely its not -my- fault if the trolls decide to take a shower in acid rain or walk through fire..." She asked for help from elementals who were able to distract the trolls while she cast her spells. It didn't do much against the trolls' thick hides but anything at that point mattered for their survival. When the last foes who had followed them at the stone bridge fell, they still couldn't quite believe it, they had been betrayed by their own side.

People blind with grief wanted to go back and save whoever they could and had to be talked and held back until they regained their senses. It would be a foolish mission to take on an army by themselves whilst being injured and fatigued as well as low on ammunition and spells. The elves of En Dharasha Everae refused to take part in such folly and left with their wounded to their home village.

---------------

The last people standing, From top to bottom,
Mendel, Garag, Feralyn, Callas, Nemna, Ray Lee, Missy (the sun dial, went to hide in the bushes ), Shyntvayas, Valge, Laisren aaaand tiny Deacon on the bridge.

*Valge joined a few minutes before the fort was attacked from the inside. I can't account for anything that happened prior but hope I got the events right.

[Nomster]

In the cold regions of the Cloud Peaks, Valge stands knee-deep in snow next to Lumi watching the landscape in silence. She had known for a while that there would be a time when they had nothing more to offer each other. The number of times each of them struck out on their own journey was becoming too frequent. The Cloud Peaks was the area of Lumi's choice. Apparently last time they had been passing through, Lumi found tracks of her kind and been filled with longing.


My friend. We've been together for years now, a comfort to one another. We were like two leaves on a tree, huddled together for protection and then drifted apart by elements we couldn't control. Its time that we followed our call in life. May the wind hide your tracks and scent, Lumi.


Valge casts the last blessing of Akadi over Lumi, weaving the spell with her hands and chanting in a low voice. Wind swiveled around Lumi and then faded away, leaving Lumi's white coat glittering with flakes of snow. Valge then reaches out and strokes Lumi once, leaving her hand cold as the flakes melt. She turns around with a determined expression and walks towards a tree which absorbs her, leaving Lumi by herself in the vast mountains.

[Nomster]

A few months back... upon the return to the Sword Coat, it become more apparent than ever to Valge that things change. It should have been obvious to her, yet it felt unexpected. Was this how she would live for hundreds of years, every passing year changing the landscape and the people living of the land? Somehow her home in the High Forest had never changed this much. Even when she returned for a visit, everything looked exactly the same. A new young sappling here, an old fallen tree there. Nothing big except for that her home had been taken by a young wyrmling who she couldn't bear to chase off. It was a good lair after all, of course it wouldn't have stayed unused. How do humans, or even elves for that matter, get used to people coming and going? It hadn't been a good decision to go back to the High Forest, being remined of all she had lost. Now she was left with a bitterness in her heart.

Following the En Dharasha Elves had amused Valge and helped relieve her thoughts of her troubles. They had offered her a home. She had hesitated but accepted. The village intrigued her but she felt the En Dharasha wasn't as concerned for its safety as she was. The War with the black orcs, it had nothing to do with them. Blinded by bloodlust and revenge, she thought some of the elves to be. Over time, Valge started to feel tied down to the settlement. Her bones ached to travel across the lands. Why couldn't she had turned to someone like the Oak Father instead of the impatient Lady of Air? He would have approved of her settling down and tending to the forest. Valge started to disappear for longer periods of time, returning only once in a while. It was long ago since now that she had gone back and she wasn't quite sure that she would. The winds called her to other places and she needed to follow them...


Some weeks after, still a couple of months ago



In a clearing in the deepest parts of the Cloakwoods burning incense are laid out in a circle. Between the piles of incense are several gems, laid out to catch the sun rays that reach down through the trees. Valge stands in the middle, her face in a deep frown as she's concentrating. The forest becomes eerily silent. She holds up an ametrine towards the sun, high on the sky. The ametrine sparkles and shines and as she speaks in draconic, it changes hue showing all colours of the rainbow and if someone else would be there, they'd swear they saw colours no man had ever seen before.

The scaled mother, oh Io mother of all dragonkind.

Hear this prayer of your lost, wingless one. Grant me the strength and power to be with you in the skies again. I shall serve you as I have always done and spread your wisdom wherever I go. If you will not grant me this, I will still love you as I have always done Mother. I then only ask for the strength to endure without scales and wings.

Valge sways a bit back and forth and the ametrine returns to its usual state. As she speaks in druidic, the wind in the clearing increases. The smoke from the incense is carried away by the wind.

Hear me Lady of Air and accept my offering!

Valge releases one hand from the ametrine and digs in a pocket, hand emerging with some gold flakes and ground gemstones. She throws it up in the air and for a split moment, it seems it floats there before a gust of wind carries it away. Some get stuck on her face and hair, Valge does not care and carries on addressing Akadi.

If it is your will, grant me the power to soar high and feel the strength of your winds under my wings again! Wherever I go, your winds shall carry me. If I fall, it shall be by your doing. Free me from the chains that bound me to the ground and carry me! In your name, I shall soar across all of Faerûn and honour you.

Valge continues to chant until hours pass and she loses her sense of time and of everything else. When she next becomes aware she is unsure why its dark, is it because its night outside? She opens her heavy lidded eyes and stares up at the sky. The first rays of the rising sun can be seen. She tries to move her arms and legs but they all feel wrong to her and won't respond. She stays in that state for some time, until she can feel the sunlight warming her. It means the sun is high on the sky again. Valge makes another effort to move and this time her legs respond but they still feel wrong. Somehow she moves her head and looks at her feet. They're scaly and the toes are webbed. Bronze scales. Valge jolts up and falls over, unable to bear the weight of herself. She lies there on her side and simply tries to gain sense what's going on. She knows she's not a true dragon, there's something missing but... Does it matter? No. Not as long as she can soar high above the ground and feel the air under her wings.



Concentrating this time on every muscle in her body, Valge managed to stand up and wobbles for a while before standing steadily on all four feet. She tries to move her wings a bit and as they respond, a jolt of happiness shots throughout her. She takes a few steps and walks around. She's eager to take to the skies but knows its too son. Yet, she longs for it. With a strong push of all legs and frantic beating of her wings, running on the ground (all which must look ridiculous if anyone witnessed it), she manages to take off. Its tiring. Each wing beat sapping away her strength. She stays low and scans the ground for a landing place. Finding one not very far away, she lands clumsily with a loud sound as her body impacts on the earth. It doesn't matter. She's still graceful in the air. She curls up to rest and heal the injuries from the bad landing, the tail resting under her chin. How she had missed this comforting posture.

[Nomster]

Transformation of the soul

Valge dived down in the clear waters outside of Ulgoth's Beard once again. No clams could hide from her sharp eyes and their shells hold little protection from her sharp teeth and talons. She stayed out of sight from any fishing boats and had enjoyed this activity for days. Buying clams from the market was not quite the same as catching them yourself, with the chance of finding a pearl. Valge had found few, none of them perfect enough to keep so she had eaten them. Perfect shape or not, they were still as delicious as she had remembered them to be.

As she was prying another clam open she sensed rapid movement in the water. She froze and began to sink to the bottom as she no longer kept herself afloat. The frills on her head and back stood up and she turned her head around. With the help of her frills, she could determine that the directions of the movements.

Normally she wouldn't be bothered by movements in the water, after all, water always moved. But certain sized aquatic creatures could still pose a threat and it was always wise to be on the guard. The frills near her earholes twitched. Had she been mistaken or was that... The clam Valge had been holding dropped from her talons. She heard it again and kicked out with her back feet, gaining speed and leaving a sand cloud behind her. Her heart raced as her legs swam as rapidly as she could make them. It was not long before she could taste blood. As she breathed, she drew it inside her nostrils and mouth, getting an involuntary taste of it. It was the downside of breathing in water, you tasted everything. Dragon blood, and it wasn't hers.

Valge slowed her movements and raised her frills again, peering around her. She let out a sound of her own, deep and resonating in the waters. There was no reply or other sound heard but she could detect some movement and began swimming quickly again. The taste of blood increased, almost making her dizzy but she pushed it aside and focused on her surroundings. The blood was thick here and the water was no longer clear. Something swam above her in the telltale movement of a shark. Valge pushed out with her tail and wings and got her jaws around the unexpecting shark, for a moment breaking the surface of the water and landing with a loud splash. She battled with it, rolling around in the water, loosing sense of direction. With her teeth she managed to injury it grievously and let it go. She didn't have the time to make a clean kill and it twitched and swam around but at least it wasn't a threat anymore. There were other sharks to take care of, she came at them with a ferocity that surprised herself. After some time, they were dead or had fled. She herself had come away lightly, her scales and magic gave her enough protection from the blows that struck her.


Whilst Valge had been dealing with the sharks, a shape had been sinking to the bottom. She swam after and under it, lifting it up on her back and wings and uttered a spell of wind directed underneath her. It brought bought of them up to the surface quickly and she started with surprise at the dragon's scales. They were bronze. Like her own with the difference of being more yellow but the bronze hue could still be discerned in the setting sun. She prodded the dragon with a taloned foreleg and there was no response but she could tell that it was still breathing, though unevenly. Its left backleg was bleeding heavily and Valge uttered a healing spell to stop the bleeding. She began to pull it towards the shore of an island. It was slow going and now and then, she had to stop and let go to fend of another shark who were attracted by the scent of blood.



There were many caves on this particular island and she knew of one with an entrance from the water. It was difficult to get the unconscious dragon out from the water, it being much heavier in the air and especially whilst not injuring it further. Valge did as best as she could and pushed it with her head, sending a prayer to Io thankful for that she hadn't been blessed with sharp horns all over her face. She was exhausted and felt like collapsing in a pile herself. This was the most she had worked in her re-gained shape and she felt it all over her bones and muscles. She stubbornly pushed aside her own weakness and needs and tended to to dragon. The bleeding had stopped but the wound gaped open and she saw it extended towards it stomach, where the scales were slightly more fragile. She put her nose lightly against it and muttered another, more powerful healing prayer that would make the wound close itself. She didn't see if it had the desired effect as the cave turned upside down and she passed out herself.

When Valge woke, she found herself in her humanoid shape and groaned. Her head pounded and she felt like she could sleep longer but she had things to do. She got some roots from a pouch on her belt and chewed on it. It relieved her head somewhat and she got up on her feet carefully. The cave spun around a bit but steadied itself and she could see some moss growing that gave of a faint, blue light that enabled her to see anything. The dragon she had rescued was still in the same spot and Valge walked carefully towards it. To her relief, it had stabilized and she leaned over it to inspect how the wounds had healed. The scales she could do little about, they would grow back given time. What was important was the flesh, the muscle tissue and any organs. Her healing had done good and what remained was mostly on the surface. She applied an ointment to it that would speed the healing, not feeling strong enough to heal it completely by magical means. The dragon lay completely still but something made her turn her head a bit and she met its yellow eye. It didn't say anything and Valge continued in silence, not knowing what to say herself.

"Have I a human to thank for my rescue?" It spoke draconic in a low, weak voice.
Valge fidgeted with the jar of ointment and put it away. "No," she responded in draconic but didn't offer anything else.
"I am *Shochraos* and I thank you." The dragon, he - Valge was quite sure now it was a male - was still lying down and staring at her.
She thought what she would say, what and who she had been before wasn't true any more. "You may call me *Selara*."
With that name she offered Shochraos her protection and he understood it as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

As Shochraos got better, Selara regained her strength as well and began to hunt for their food. Large fish, sharks and sahuagin. They soon went hunting together. Shochraos rarely spoke and mentioned nothing of her changing shapes or her strange magic. In time, he did tell her how he had come to be under attack and nearly died. He had left his home nest to seek a place of his own and had been careless. She began to teach him things, how to take down certain foes and where the best food sources were found. Sometimes they travelled on land, taking only to the sky when Shochraos had healed completely. His side was still weak as the new scales gew slowly. Selara began to speak about the wind and the Queen of Air as well as Io, the creator of dragonkind. Shochraos listened and always gave her words some thought, sometimes occupying his mind for days until he brought a topic up to discuss again. As mentor and student, they traveled along the Sword Coast. Sometimes great lightning clouds followed in which they danced in the air only the way dragons can. When a storm appears, look to the skies and there you might see a glimpse of them.




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This marks the end of Valge's story.

It has been a bumpy ride to get her to her final goal, with -a lot- of mistakes on the way. Having little knowledge of D&D and lore, playing a druid turned out to be quite a challenge and I disregarded a lot of the setting. In PnP, the freedom of creativity is much stronger and unfortunately, such freedom isn't always good or possible in online player words. You learn from your mistakes, right?

Thank you to those who thought advice and kind words were the way to set me on the right path.

The dragon art is from: http://netarliargus.deviantart.com/

I don't want any comments here, if you have any, message me.