Dragon Diplomacy

Princess Guard - The New Era 2017/23/03 	 Titan Natasha 42

Diplomatic Interlude
As you prepare to approach on the jungle villa of the drug baron known to have the stolen sword... suddenly two of you are somwhere different. To be exact, on the lower slopes of a mountain shaped surprising like a rearing dragon's head. Lord Morrolan is there, clearly waiting for you. "Good day, Ableman Titan, Dragonet Natasha. I hope you can forgive this interrruption but I have need of your assistance."

Natasha blinks in surprise. Not least because she has no idea who this is. Evidently her reputation has preceded her, though. :)

Titan blinks and looks around, and says to himself, "Errands within errands." He nods to Lord Morrolan and takes a deep breath, "What do you need help with?"

Natasha pulls herself proudly erect and waits politely for explanations.

Lord Morrolan nods in acknowledgment of your willingness to help. "As Queen Alicia foretold a long lost path to the home world has opened. An adventurous group of young Elven nobles traveled it. Unfortunately that way-path terminates in a cavern which is occupied by a dragon. I fear any effort by my wife or myself would worsen the situation. We were among those leading the fight against the dragonkind. If the young nobles still live, you are the best hope we have to negotiate their release."

Natasha glances up at Titan to see if he has any idea what this is all about.

Titan nods slowly, thinking about it. "I can certainly give it a try. Where do we need to go?"

Lord Morrolan says, "A mountain in the Lyandi mountain range. I can transport you there. When you're ready to return just call my name twice. You will probably need some benefit to offer to be heard. The Queen has agreed that the dragon, who's name is Kalduhrah, will be given domain over the mountain and the lands surrounding it to a distance of fifty miles (he translates the distance unit he actually uses) if he will acknowledge fealty to the High Queen.

Titan says, "Okay. Anything else I should know?""

Lord Morrolan rubs his neck, "I'm sure there is but our knowledge of dragonkind was scant. We welcomed them to the Fae realms, not knowing the effect such a concentration of magic would have, and soon after that the only knowledge we sought was how to kill them." He bows to Natasha, "My apologies. Ancient history. Perhaps we now have a chance to take another path."

Natasha returns the bow. Then opens her mouth and says, "I do not not know the situation or the history. But why would Kaldhuhrah accept such terms?"

Titan raises a brow as he hears Natasha speak. He doesn't remember that happening previously.

Lord Morrolan says, "Like the Fae, the dragons we know are immortal. And now, by some means I do not fully understand, they have changed and regained intelligence, they like us will, I hope, consider the long term consequences of action. This is the home world of the Fae. It is sure to be re-colonized by Fae, and without a grant of land Kalduhrah will sooner or later find Fae encroaching on his location. A grant from the High Queen will prevent that happening."

Titan says, "I do think that the dragon may balk at the idea of owing fealty. But I'm just guessing at this point."

Lord Morrolan nods, "If you deem it necessary that can be dropped as a requirement. More exactly, left for further discussion. The land grant is dependant on the release of any surviving nobles though."

Natasha ponders how she would react. But then, she doesn't know much about other dragons, other than from stories.

Titan nods. "Fair enough. I think we're set to go."

Natasha nods assent.

Lord Morrolan nods, "Good luck." he says. He refreshes the Fae language spell on Titan and casts one on Natasha. A moment later you are standing outside the entrance to a huge cave that heads into the side of a mountain. The cave is lit by daylight with diminishing effectiveness for about fifty feet and then becomes dark.

Natasha sniffs at the air to get her bearings!

Titan looks around and then heads into the cave, intending to pull out his PDA for light if he needs it eventually.

Natasha instinctively moves to the sides of the cave, where there may be cracks to hide from a large dragon!

Natasha exhales a glowing cloud to see by.

From about thirty feet in the cave floor is scored with many claw marks. One might guess the dragon usually launches himself into the air at that points. The cave shows no sign of narrowing, although in a few spots it looks as if the walls have been clawed away to widen the passage. The light is dimming as you progress further from the entrance and it's soon PDA light time. Although the PDA illumination is strangely flickery and weaker than you expected.

Natasha investigates the claw marks, trying to extrapolate the size of the dragon.

Titan looks at his device. "It's trying too hard to get reception. Bah. It's chewing up the battery."

Natasha considers trying to recharge the battery. But suspects with this much mana about she may overdo it. :P

Natasha's voice comes from the glowing cloud rather than herself. "There are the tracks of two dragons here."

Titan raises a brow, "Huh. Could it be a parent and child?"

Natasha tilts her head. "Or somehow the dragon has been diminished in size. Behold how the claws, large and small, leave the same marks."

Titan nods, "Well, let's head further in and find out." He continues forward, figuring that if they do get attacked, he's the likely target.

Natasha is a bit braver now she's expecting not quite such a big dragon. Still, she keeps sniffing the air cautiously.

Advancing further you eventually come to a huge chamber. One question is answered almost immediately. In a freshly clawed out side chamber are a group of five bedraggled Fae youths trapped behind a force-wall of some kind. The chamber appears empty otherwise.

Titan looks around slowly and then checks to see if the Fae are okay.

Natasha scuttles over to the force-wall and ponders trying to eat it. But the dragon might take that as stealing!

Behind the two of you, after you enter the chamber, a area of seemingly thin air shimmers and a dragon appears. He looks quizzically at the intruders. "Ho, young one. Where have you come from, and where is your dame or sire? And what manner of creature is that beside you." The dragon speaks in Draconic.

Titan can't understand any of that. He looks to Natasha, "Did you get that?"

Natasha nods to Titan, and replies to the dragon, at some length, with her dragon name and that of her mother, which is all that she knows. "My dame is dead, on a world far from here, the name of which I do not know. This creature is a human, such as live both on that world and that in which I now dwell." The dragon walks over to the two of you and arching his neck makes to gently rub Natasha's head with his own. "I am saddened to hear of your dame's death. Was it this kind," The dragon nods its head towards the trapped Fae, "who killed her?" he asks, and opening his mouth breathes out a gout of dragon fire that billows off the force wall. The fae nobles cower back against the far wall.

Titan takes a deep breath, and just lets Natasha do the talking since she's able to communicate with the dragon effectively.

Natasha says, "No, it was a human mage, with many men. But other humans rescued me, still in my egg, and saw me safe into the world."

The Dragon nods to Natasha, "I am Kalduhrah. Little one, you may share my range and cave until you are grown. Are you hungry?"

Titan still doesn't know what's being said, but he figures he should say...something. "We're here to negotiate a peace."

Natasha says, "I am not hungry, no. I may still be small, but not for hunger. I have come, not for want of a range, but on behalf of another to speak with you."

There's no response other than a brief glance when Titan speaks in English. But when he tries Fae the dragon looks at him. "Peace? Peace with whom?" he asks in hissing sibilant fae.

Titan nods, and says in Fae, "Between yourself and the Fae." He motions back toward the youths who are trapped.

Natasha adds, "It is so." Since it seems a rather unlikely story.

The dragon snorts, smoke emerging from his mouth, "You are courageous, and bold, to suggest peace between a dragon and the Fae, human." he says, then to Natasha, "You say likewise? Then I will listen. But know there is much history of terrible nature between the fae and dragonkind."

Natasha nods. "That I know, though being young I know but little." She responds in fae, to keep Titan - and the fae youths - in the picture. "But things have changed. If I read your tracks aright, you have changed, too. Perhaps it is part of the same change?"

Titan nods. "My understanding is that dragons no longer hunger for magic as much as they once did. That makes it possible for the two of your species to live side by side. We were asked by Lord Morrolan to negotiate the freedom of these Fae. They would like to offer you free domain here and the surrounding 50 miles, as a grant from the High Queen."

Titan says, "They do however, ask you to swear fealty. But...that is not a sticking point, and one I don't care to push. The only true requirement is freeing those folks. After that, they'd like to be able to speak to you on diplomatic terms."

The dragon nods, his long neck bowing gracefully, "A change came upon me. I lost much of my size but regained the intelligence I had lost. I remember less than clearly. But I remember. The terrible hunger. Always hunger. The long long ages when this land was dead. We turned on each other. Shamed am I to admit it. But our hunger drove us, and our minds were dulled." he says, and the shame when he admits to cannibalism is obvious. "Do you know what caused this change?"

Titan says, "Natasha may be able to explain it better than I can. But a mage...Harlequin and his daughter, if I remember right, helped to lessen the hunger."

Natasha shakes her head. "I know less than the human. But it is done. The great hunger is gone. And it is that hunger than caused the dragons to become terrible to the fae, and the fae to become hostile to the dragons."

The dragon listens to Titan. "Then I owe this mage a debt." he says. "As to these," the dragon nods to the trapped Fae, "I shall release them. The Fae I recall were mighty in the arts, fierce and powerful warriors. These are as children. I could not bring myself to kill them, so defenseless were they."

Natasha looks at the fae, wondering what they were like of old, for the elder dragon to speak of them so.

Titan nods. "Thank you."

The dragon speaks a word, that echoes longer than it should, and has a hair-lifting on back of neck tingle effect. The force wall winks out of existance.

Titan looks over to the Fae, "You can leave now. Remember the kindness shown today."

"If there is to be peace, then it would be best if fae were not to intrude too close." the dragon comments.

Titan nods. "Once the Queen makes the edict, they shouldn't intrude, except to speak to you about diplomatic matters. At least that is my understanding."

The fae stumble out, going around the edge of the chamber away from the dragon. Only one looks towards the three of you. "Thank you." He says. Then he, for it is him who is the world walker, opens a way and they hurry through it.

Natasha says, "They say that fifty miles in all directions is to be set aside as your range."

The dragon nods, "If this Queen you speak of wishes to speak with me, tell her I wish you and the little Natasha to be present."

Titan smiles and nods. "I'd be happy to be there." . o O (How did I end up as a Fae diplomat? Don't they have someone better to do this kind of thing?)

The dragon looks at Natasha, "This Queen has knowledge of us? That is the usual extent of our hunting range."

Natasha says, "In truth, I do not know the extent of her knowledge. But she seems to have more knowledge of me than I would have thought. I do not know her; I was asked to come as a dragon who deals regularly with mammals, I believe, and can speak for them." She adds, in draconic, "Indeed, a human has raised me in my mother's stead, and though she is far from intelligent, she is very kind."

The dragon rubs heads with Natasha again if Natasha allows. "Much has changed. If the change I have undergone is universal to dragonkind... perhaps peace with the fae is possible. I am willing to discuss the issue."

Titan nods. "I'm glad to hear it. It's supposely universal. I don't know enough about magic to truly understand the way it was done, unfortunately."