Merule

The Right of Dragons

@EldarionI
That could be fun! What sort of personality does she have? Nilah likes to hang around with other dragons, and can be a bit of a smartass/prankster sometimes, especially towards humans.

The Right of Dragons

Syll Cainmere

The sun was slowly rising higher in the sky, with not a cloud in sight so far. A perfect start to an exiting day, at least as far as the inhabitants of the Village and the surrounding keep were concerned. From her perch on a stair leading to one of the higher terraces, Syll had a great view on the hustle and bustle of the city. There was a constant stream of people coming in through the gate, some of them possible recruits, but most of them probably just people looking for a chance to have a party in these stressful times. The day of the choosing ritual always drew mixed reactions from the trainees: on the one hand it was what most of them were working towards and looking forward to, on the other hand it would inevitably be a disappointment for most of them. After all, there were many more hopefuls hoping for a match than were actually chosen by the pond. To th common folk, however, every new winged defender was a cause (and at times, an excuse) for celebration. From what Syll had seen during previous choosings, the festivities would start up long before the new riders had been announced.

She took a bite of the bread and cheese she'd carried up here for breakfast, and let her eye wander to the cluster of building that made up the Village. She was going to miss this place. Sure, she never really cared for any of the combat training, and the spectre of competition was always hanging over everything the trainees did, but it had undoubtedly been her home for the past two years. That feeling had been what had pushed her over the edge in regards to attention the ritual. Sure, she could have dropped out, but the moment she did she would never truly be one of them any more. Even without dragons, the trainees stuck together. So if one day of hubbub and ceremony was the price she had to pay to keep the family she found in this community, so be it.

Speaking of hubbub and ceremony, though, she should probably be on her way. She stuffed that last bits of bread and cheese in her mouth, brushed the crumbs off her clothes and reached into her pocket for the crumpled piece of paper one of the head attendants had handed her that morning. With the address written on there in mind, she went on her way.

After only a few false turns, she managed to navigate the twisted alleyways of the keep to the place she needed to go. It was a nondescript building, a little shabby but obviously we'll cared for. If you didn't know to look for it, it was easy to miss the sign that said 'orphanage'. Of course, usually there were very few people who needed to find it that did not live or work there.

Syll was just about to knock on the door, when she noticed a pair of legs dangling from a window above. She took a few steps back until she could see fully the figure lounging there, and when she did her face broke out in a wide smile.

She knew that girl! They'd met when she'd tried to talk her way into the Village library a few months ago. It was usually only open to trainees, but Syll had vouched for her and they'd spent a couple of hours reading about dragons together. They hadn't met before or since, but Syll had recognised in her the star eyed eagerness to learn everything about dragons that she could, and she'd decided a little white lie that she was considered as a possible recruit couldn't hurt. Now it seemed that lie might actually have some truth to it.

"Hey kid!" she yelled, waving up to the window from her position on the ground.

"Are you by any chance waiting on someone to help you get to the Right?"
@EldarionI

The Right of Dragons

Are you still accepting new characters? If not, feel free to ignore this!

Syll Cainmere

Syll Cainmere

Syll

Age
26
Gender
Female
New or Been in Trianing
Almost reached the max of 2 year training.
Other
Syll's parents are both Winged Defenders, as are her older brother and sisters. As for Syll, she's only in the program to learn as much about dragons as she can before joining a ground crew somewhere. She has no interest in focusing all her energy on just one dragon, but she also knows her family will never let it go if she doesn't at least attend the ritual once. She is certain the dragons (or the pool?) will choose more suited people to be matched to dragons.

Nilah

Nilah

Class of Dragon
Tracker Dragon
Strengths
- opposable thumbs
- exellent mimic, can even mimic some human sounds
- fast and nimble
- can change the colour of her scales to blend in
- potent venom causing muscle spasms
- can sense electromagnetic fields (which makes her a great navigator)
Weaknesses
- very small
- cannot be ridden
- fragile compared to other dragons
- doesn't care all that much for protecting humans
- no breath weapon
- lightning disorients her
Other
Nilah is not particularly interested in teaming up with a human, but she does really enjoy the company of bigger dragons. So she spends her time hanging around the temples and sneaking off to explore the keep whenever she feels like it.

When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

If Autharyx is honest, Viltez' day sounds dreadfully boring. Hearing him talk about it, however, is not, so he just hums and nods at what he hopes are appropriate places as he get the dining area ready for their dinner. He turns around just in time to catch Viltez' smile and blush, and surprises himself with how... endearing that small action seems to him.

"As I see it, you are doing great," he cocks his head, curious to see if the compliments will make him blush even more. "Far better than I ever made for myself, that's for sure." He pauses a bit, then quirks his mouth in a slow smile.

"Or perhaps it is just the company that is far more pleasurable in this instance."

The ritual of sitting down together to eat is becoming familiar by now, and Autharyx finds himself genuinely enjoying it. So much so that he doesn't even really get nervous from having to come up with a plausible answer to the question about his past occupation.

"I took care of the shrine, as my family has done for generations. But where people used to come with the seasons to give praise and leave offerings to the protector of the lake, it has fallen into disrepair in the recent years. I am not even sure how long ago it was that anyone other than a fisherman sharing part of their catch has come to the shrine. I figured that I might as well get out a little and see beyond the lake and its river, though I do plan on returning there eventually."

Who Will Break? ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

Zach does his best not to wince at the mention of bible studies, but he does allow himself to share a dubious look with Sarah over the idea. A simple bible will do nothing to hurt him, of course, but he doubts he can get away without at the very least an annoying itch with Kiel reading passages and talking about god in that earnest way of his.

"I think I'll stay to finish my drawing," he says, aware that he's not being terribly subtle about his avoidance. "I'd love some company, Sarah, but I understand it if you'd rather head over to bible studies with Kiel," he adds with a smile, offering the girl an out if she wants it.

"After all, isn't it the best kind of piety to witness and enjoy the creation, in all it's forms?" He adds with a little wink at the priest. Zach doesn't spend much time thinking about the big guy upstairs, but when he does it's to wonder why he would make the world with such pleasures and then tell the humans to lock themselves up in cold churches and enjoy precisely none of those pleasures. Either something got lost in translation, or the G-man is a sadistic bastard.

When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

Autharyx stands still for a while after Viltez has left the room. He still feels unsettled by how close he was to losing track of himself, but being back in the beastman's house is doing wonders for settling in. Everything smells like Viltez, or at least reminds him of Viltez. There's nothing like the clean crisp tang of ozon on the air, or the earthy scents of the woods. Those are familiar to his past life, whereas he never smelled anything like the inside of a house when he was still a dragon. It's not exactly that the scent of home is better per se, but it is far enough removed from his previous life that Autharyx is able to relax a bit.

The hot water helps too, when he thinks to get in the tub. The heat sinks into his muscles, and it's only now they start to relax that he realises how tense he was before. The cuts and scrapes he got from trudging through the underbrush without regard have already healed, but it still feels good to wash away the last traces of blood and mud that had still been clinging to his skin. His hair is a bit more of a problem, but with a bit of patience and some soap he manages to untangle it before it gets a chance to become too unruly.

He's not sure how long he's spent in the bath, but by the time he clothes himself in the simple outfit Viltez left behind, it seems the food is already done. His hosts smiles at him as he enters the room, so he's pretty sure he's not delaying the dinner.

"The clothes are fine, I'm not 'putting up' with them," he says honestly. Sure, they seem to fit a little more snugly than his other set of clothes, but they are soft and comfortable and smell of Viltez- so now he kind of does too. It reminds Autharyx of lying in Viltez' bed, and those memories are hardly unpleasant.

He knows where to find the plates and cutlery this time, and goes to set them out. A few days ago he would have probably seen work like this as beneath him, but now it just feels like he's contributing something to a shared meal.He takes care not to brush against the beastman more than can be explained by the cramped kitchen. Though it pains him to admit it even in the privacy of his own mind, he is aware that it's probably a bad idea to follow his own impulses when it comes to contact with Viltez. With so much unknown social rules, it seems best to follow the example of the one who actually lives amongst humans.

"So, how has your day been? More fruitful than my own, I hope?"

Self-deprecation does not come naturally to him, but it is still preferable to any amount of pity from the other man.

When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

Autharyx must still be settling back into his body, because his skin seems more sensitive than ever when Viltez' tail slips around him to pull him closer. The feeling that runs over his spine feels kind of like a shiver, only it's under the skin and leaves a pleasant heat wherever it travels. Viltez' pupils seem very large all of a sudden and the dragon's eyes can't seem to decide whether they want to settle on those eyes or his lips. It all feels terribly unfamiliar, which should be annoying, but somehow really really isn't.

"I am well now," Autharyx manages, voice coming out a lot more breathy than he's aiming for. Viltez is right up in his space, lips and breath on his face and he will gladly let the bath grow cold if it means he gets to stay like this. Then the beast man leans back and Autharyx doesn't even think before moving to keep the distance between them as small as it was. He only has to lean down a little to fit his nose into the soft warm space beneath Viltez' ear and breath in deep.

"Hmmm, you smell good," he says thoughtlessly, lips just brushing the skin and voice a deep rumble that's almost a purr. His brain catches up with his mouth a second after and he straightens with a jerk before he can give in to the instinct to chase that scent with his tongue.

"Er, that is... Um, it's good to be back." He feels like this is probably the part where he should take a step back, but the tail is still around him and he doesn't want to start pulling it.

Who Will Break? ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

It's a bit of a surprise how strongly the little girl reacts. Zach had expected her to push back a little, certainly, but from how softly he had to coax her out of her initial timidity, he hadn't quite expected a passionate rebuttal of his morose thoughts. He allows some of the surprise to seep into his eyes as he adjusts his already quite high opinion of the girl upwards a bit more. Kiel sure knows how to pick them, or perhaps his care just has a way of bringing out the best in people. His first instinct is to ruffly her hair, but since he doesn't want to spook her he just gently bumps his shoulder against her's.

"I don't think you can ever be 'just' anything to Kiel," he starts, but before he can finish his thought the priest calls out to them as he comes strolling up the path. 'Speak of the devil..,' Zach thinks by way of a private little joke, smiling gently at the way Sarah runs up to the man. He doesn't have to pretend very hard to care for the little squirt. Children have never been his domain, and most of them haven't yet picked up the nastier sides of humanity. That this one might help him work into Kiel's good graces is just the cherry on top. The smile is still on his face when Kiel asks to see his drawing, and he turns his sketch pad so the priest can take a look. It's still in the sketchy stage, with just a few of the flowers starting to take shape in the middle.

"A little bit, nothing concrete yet," he says, "Did the work go well?"

Sparks from the Blacksmith's Hammer

Any semblance of a smile fell off her face when the goading failed. Yup, these were humans with a goal alright. No time for finesse then, not with three people- one more had popped out of the bushes to join the others- hunting for the man she was trying to protect. She surged forward without another word, blade at the ready. In spite of his words, Leigh saw the human's eyes widen as she took an arrow to the chest without slowing down. She could try to do this the neat way, but with time one the line she knew the fastest way to victory was to just soak up the damage that no mortal would expect her to.

To his credit the masked fighter managed to get up his second arrow right as Leigh rushed up to him. The tip of it drew a sharp line of red down the side of her throat, but the archer was not alive to see it. She didn't pause, just kept on barrelling straight through the underbrush, this time not bothering about concealing her approach. One of the pursuers turned to face her- just in time to get his knees kicked out from under him. Leigh stabbed her sword down, but was forced to abandon it to narrowly avoid a swipe that would have disembowelled her.

The woman in front of her wasted no time in swinging again, but this time Leigh moved into it, wincing as the sword carved a bloody path over her arm. But the movement served to bring her in close enough to slam her head into the assassin's nose before following it up with a punch in the throat. The knife in her boot finished the job.

Which left one more to take out. Leigh quickly rolled her shoulder to gauge the movement she had in her arm. Not optimal, but better than expected. The arrow still stuck in her chest ground painfully against a rib as she breathed, but there was no time to do anything about that now. Not while she was trying to find the last- there!

The last one must have heard their friends go down, because they did not move into her line of sight. She could hear rustling, though, but with the blacksmith to her left and wounded she did not want to take a chance. She turned and put herself between the rustling and the blacksmith, moving in close enough to see him.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help," she told him when she came into sight, knowing that she must make for a distressing picture right about now, blood on her face and more pouring from her own wounds. It went against all her instincts, but she turned her back to the last of the threats, making sure to keep her own bulk between him and the blacksmith. She would not die from another arrow, and perhaps a chance to have a go at her would tempt him into range.

Sparks from the Blacksmith's Hammer

Leigh closed her eyes and turned her head into the breeze as the rays of the morning sun warmed her face. It always felt like the forest was waking up when she was like this, even though she knew it never really slept. There was always life about, even here on the edges where the trees grew thin and even the forest floor was touched by the light of the sun. There were times where she missed the rich dark of the deep woods, the air rich with scents and sounds as the seasons crept by in their unending cycle. But the edges of the woods held a presence that she had not felt in ages: a human with power coursing through their veins the likes of which she had thought lost to the species.

By the time the whispers of this anomaly had reached her, it seemed he had been settled into the forest long enough to make the space his own. Where other humans would find the forest unwelcoming if not actively hostile, this one was welcomed like the humans of old had been. It seemed to be more unconscious than anything, though, since she had encountered no wards nor evidence of any of the traditional rituals that bound the humans of old to their land. Even so, she had made no move to approach him in his territory, preferring instead to spend the time settling back into the skin that used to be as comfortable to her as her fur. There was a courtesy to these things, after all, and it would not do at all to offer this human an insult just because it had been so long since she had any direct contact with humans.

Which had brought her here, walking around on two legs close enough to the edge of the forest to smell the fires of the human settlement when the wind was right. It was easier than she'd expected to slip back into old habits, and she'd even managed to slip into a couple of markets to listen and observe until she felt confident to join in herself. All in all things had been going well, and she was pretty sure she could work up to approaching the human on one of his runs into the city sometime soon.

Would he know her for what she was? Did he know what had happened to drain the magic from the human lineages? Did he have anything to do with the ones that tried to delve deep into the forest with their stolen magics, or was he really a callback to the humans that could live in harmony with the woods, rather than being either fearful or covetous of its powers? Judging from the way the forest had welcomed him, she doubted he was allied with the hollow magi, but it always paid to-

Leigh frowned as a shiver rippled through the trees. Something was wrong. She was on her feet and running before she consciously made the decision to do so, unease crawling over her skin. She'd grown accustomed to the presence of a human in the forest, but that had been a human the forest welcomed. Whatever it was that had forced its way into the wooded sanctuary, it was something that was very much not welcomed- and that could not bode well.

Instinct had her grab the bow from her back, and her two legs carried her through the underbrush and over fallen logs as surely as if she had been born to them. The sense of disturbance got stronger as she approached its source, and she didn't even hesitate as she passed the border of what she had previously categorised as the edge of the human's territory. She may not have been called on, but there was a treat. And if there was one thing that came natural to her, it was fending off intruders when they forced themselves into where they were unwelcome.

It wasn't long before she could hear running and voices, the intruders calling out to each other as they ran down their prey. There were at least three of them, probably more, and they seemed to be closing in on someone. Leigh slowed down just enough to limit the sounds she was making, and nocked an arrow while searching for a target through he trees. A human form burst through some bushes- bow and arrow in hand- and aimed somewhere out of Leigh's sight. Her own arrow released a moment after his, but it was too late to prevent the pained shout and sudden scent of blood on the air. She could feel the spirits of the forest sing at the offer of blood, the timbre of it something dark and raw at the unwilling nature of the sacrifice. Followed by satisfaction when the archer keeled over with Leigh's arrow stuck in his throat.

She managed to let another arrow loose before she's spotted, but the second assailant was still standing after taking it in the shoulder. Leigh dropped the bow and jumped forward with dagger in hand before the rest of them get a chance to prepare for her. The third nearly walk into her after rounding a corner, and got a dagger in the throat for their trouble. As they fall, Leigh plucks a sword from their hand, an upgrade from the short dagger she came into the fight with.

With the element of surprise gone, she moves to keep the intruders in her sight. If they were surprised to encounter her, the have already recovered well. Professionals then, but not in service of the public, if the dark mask drawn over their faces are anything to go by. Two of them lay bleeding out on the ground, and one had their sword arm taken out of commission by the second arrow she'd shot. That left two more that she could see, and possibly more out of sight.

Not great odds, but she'd faced worse and had come out on top. And it was highly unlikely these people had ever gone up against anything like her, which was good. Unfortunately they were still between her and the man she'd jumped in to protect, which was less good. Better keep their attention on her.

"Welp, looks like your companions could stand to pay better attention to their surroundings," she goaded, baring her teeth in a savage smile. With the blood from her second kill sprayed over her face and chest, she might just make an intimidating enough picture to keep their attention.