The murals continued down the corridor, as Rotgoriel's claws clacked on the stone. The desertscape showed a lush, rich land with skies full of flying carpets and tombs full of bloody-mouthed undead.
Eventually it turned into a green spot with a lot of really big trees. There was a word for it, what was it, what was it... “Jungle,” Rotgoriel said to himself, remembering. Was it from the ancestors, or from Rich's memories? He had no way of knowing.
The jungle was filled with predators hunting, everything from cruel birds in the branches of the trees to striped cats stalking below. Prey hid and fled and died, and Rotgoriel approved.
He was entirely unprepared when two of the big cats leaped out of the wall, grew to full size in the space of a second, and charged him.
They latched onto his neck and one of his legs, doing their best to drag him down as he pulled his head back, dodging swiping claws. They were strong...
...but his scales were pretty much stone now, and aside from an uncomfortable pressure and some scratching, he took no real injury.
Not so much the cats, when he grabbed the one on his neck with his free foreclaws, and shoved down.
Bone cracked and blood exploded out as the beast wailed.
Your Brawling skill is now level 16!
A shake of his currently-gnawed leg sent the other big cat flying. It hit the wall, sending up a red '143', and bounced. Through a miracle of agility, it managed to land on its feet and look wildly around in time to see Rotgoriel lunging for it, jaws wide and roaring.
Dragons could roar, instead of naming the skill they wished to use. A fact Rotgoriel enjoyed when he was too busy killing to give thought to words.
But his teeth clacked on empty air.
How? He thought, angered that he'd failed at such a simple task.
Then it clicked. The beast was on his left side, the same side as his missing eye. He'd misjudged the distance.
The cat yowled and laid into him, claws lashing out at ludicrous speeds, tearing at his scales and doing very little.
Rotgoriel ignored the puny attack, roared, and struck once more.
This time he didn't miss.
Critical Hit!
LUCK+1
Your Chomp skill is now level 9!
The cat lost its head, and Rotgoriel got a mouthful of blood, bone, and meat.
And oh, did it ever taste good.
That's right, he thought. I was sleeping for years, wasn't I? Of course I'm hungry!
The striped cats went into his belly, as he felt the food do its work and start healing him. The minor scratches on his leg visibly faded, and he felt itching as the ones on his neck followed suit.
Then, unhurried, he set off down the corridor, investigating the occasional offshoot from the main branch. Those weren't painted, so he always came back to the main route.
Eventually the tunnel opened up into another room. This one was a set of terraces and jaw-like stalagmites and stalactites. The murals crept up them, recasting the smooth stone walls and providing a backdrop of a stone city in a jungle. Monkeys hung from trees, and stone altars ran red with the blood of screaming humans. Great apes roamed the streets, and all the buildings were carved stone.
“And so that is your final answer?” A woman's voice broke the silence, and Rotgoriel stopped, peering around for the speaker.
He found her near the ceiling, reclining on a small, bed-sized cloud. A blue-skinned woman wearing red and gold finery. His human companion had considered her beautiful, but Rotgoriel didn't care about that. What he did care about was the mirror in her hands.
His mirror!
“I understand that the cost is high, but the rewards are... what do you mean there is a dragon watching me? Wait. Behind me? If this is a trick to get me to look away Haqim, I swear I shall...” her voice trailed off. “Black dragon? Oh! Oh. We shall speak later.” The blue woman rolled off the cloud and drifted downward, white hair fluttering in time with her baggy pants as she descended. “Effendi! Good to see you awake!”
“You have my mirror,” Rotgoriel said, stretching out his claws.
“Of course. Merely borrowing it for the day.” She returned it without hesitation, and watched Rotgoriel sniff and fondle it with clear amusement.
Well, he had to, didn't he? Had to make sure she hadn't done anything to it. And the fact that the silver and gold felt wonderful under his scales was irrelevant. Totally beside the point.
After a minute, the woman coughed. “Ahem. Rotgoriel?”
“Hm? Ah, yes.” he squinted. “Who are you again?”
“Aunarox, your fellow servant of Anjuuta.” she frowned. “You are perhaps still waking up, oh blessed of dragons. It has been...” her eyes flicked upward. “Some time. A few years, I think. Not long in the stretch of a djinn's existence. Still, I must admit that after the excitement we had together, I found myself bored... in... short... where are you going?”
Rotgoriel halted, and stared at her, twisting his head around until she was on the side of his good eye. “I am going to return my mirror to my hoard.” Something else nagged at him. “Then I will go and find Geebo.”
“Ah!” she paused. “He was not with you?”
“No.”
“He must have woken up first, then. Golly, that could be troublesome.”
“Why do you say that?”
She fidgeted, just a bit, putting her hands behind her back, and kicking one curly-shoe'd foot against the ground. “Perhaps you may or may not recall, but I have a small hobby that entertains me while I am bored. The creation of... hm... guardians.”
“Guardians such as big cats that come out of the walls? Very tasty big cats?”
Her teeth were brilliant white against her blue skin. “Ah, so you came through that route! Yes, effendi! Minor threats, really, I have not had that much time to work and empower such things as the Rock Shassa you defeated back when we first met. Minor threats to you or me, anyway...” her voice trailed off.
Rotgoriel saw where her thoughts were going. “...but not so minor to Geebo, perhaps.”
The levels of charisma that he currently enjoyed let him read the way her face twisted. Embarrassment, a bit of annoyance. “Really now,” she huffed. “How was I to know that he would wake up first? I thought you would awaken together! I cannot be blamed if did not stay by your side. Now I must go and check all of the traps and guardians. On the other hand...” her voice lost the frustration, “...he is helping to provide adequate testing. Yes, this might perhaps be for the best.”
“Testing.”
“Of course! I have not been idle these last few years.” Aunarox spread her arms. “Every djinn loves the act of creation. My specialty is monsters. Surely you have not forgotten my creature, the one you defeated most impressively?”
Rotgoriel concentrated. “Vaguely. I was not myself then.”
“Ah, yes, the twice-named effect.” Aunarox studied him, her face still. “I have given the masked abomination's words much thought over these last few years.”
Rotgoriel eyed her, then the mirror that she had 'borrowed'. How many times has she used this? And for what? Speaking with other djinn, but to what end?
INT+1
Caution stirred in his chest, though he knew not why. “You have thought much on the Icon's words? And what have you concluded?”
“I have concluded that there is strangeness going on here.” She frowned. “Which is of little help to the situation. My sister back home met me with confusion, when I attempted to speak to her. She stated that I vanished long ago, and refused to believe I was anything but an errant wisp of dreamstuff! Fortunately not all were so close-minded. Though I know not what we can do at this juncture, they have agreed to lend any assistance possible. I have much enjoyed my stay in this realm, but I long to see the splendors of Dev once more. Prahd is too... inflexible. So many rules! So many small details to remember!”
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“Prahd?”
“That is our name for this realm.”
Rotgoriel blinked his eye and focused. Dragons are creatures of momentum, and he had been sleeping quite a long time. Though of course he was a creature of superior mental discipline, he was still rather sleepy. And now that he had his most comforting and reassuring treasure back, the urge was there to find a comfy spot and grab a few more days of sleep.
Just a few more days...
No, he decided. Geebo. The little draggit might need rescuing. The little creature was useless in a fight. Those two big cats that Rotgoriel had killed in moments would have made a meal of Geebo.
The thought was distressing. “He did not come this way?”
“Who?”
“Geebo.”
“Oh, him. No, I have not seen him, and I have been here for some time.”
“Then let us backtrack. Quickly,” Rotgoriel decided, and turned.
Then he paused. “Walking with this mirror is going to be troublesome. Could you carry it for now?”
“Of course, effendi!”
Back at his hoard, Rotgoriel considered the remaining two passages carefully. “Smoke and spices, or water and stone.”
“Ah yes!” Aunarox said, happily. “We must be near to the feast of the ifrit. I drilled into the heart of the mountain to find the heat required.” Then her face twisted in horror. “Oh, I certainly hope he did not go that way. My strongest creation is there. True, it is nowhere near the beast that you defeated, but it would surely make a snack of little—”
A screeching, hissing roar echoed through the caverns.
And Rotgoriel felt his muzzle pulling back from his fangs.
The scream was a primal bellow, that went straight past the thinking part of him and right into the back of his brain.
Enemy! the roar said. Challenge! It declared.
“What did you make?” Rotgoriel snarled at Aunarox. Then he charged as fast as he could down the passage, scales clattering, before she could reply.
There were murals on the walls here too, but he ignored them, only catching glimpses of full tables, red blood and pale flesh, and horrible fiery creatures devouring screaming people.
Fire...
A whooshing noise came from ahead of him, crackling and snapping and he remembered the sound of the fireball that an enemy Wizard had once thrown his way. In his minds eye he saw Geebo burning, collapsing into ash, and he pushed himself to run harder.
He tried.
But he was so, so much heavier now. It was harder to get around, and his new body was awkward. He bounced off a few walls, taking no harm from it but losing precious seconds.
The next noises filled his heart with dread.
It was the sound of tearing flesh, and spattering blood. It echoed through the tunnels as something ate, noisily.
The cavern that he burst into resembled the last... stalagmites clawing up, and terraces of rock showing where water had once fallen down. But a hole bored into the center of the room flickered and glowed with hellish red light as it puffed out black smoke. Braziers of beaten copper hung around the hole, the raw heat of the opening cooking whatever was in them and sending spicy clouds of smoke wafting around the cavern.
But he had no further time to stare at his surroundings.
The monstrosity across the hole from him demanded his full attention.
It was a mockery of a dragon, plain and simple. A black-and-green scaled body, whip-thin and hunched over stood on two legs, with its hands ripping at a red mass on the ground. Long claws rent flesh, scooping it into a beaked maw. Loose skin hung and shook around its neck, and a spiky spine trailed down to a lashing tail. A pair of tiny, useless wings jiggled on the thing's back.
Then it moved, shifting with a jerky, unreal speed as it hopped around to stare at Rotgoriel. Neck frills rose, as it roared a challenge anew!
Rotgoriel pulled in a long breath, ready to answer the challenge with a roar of fire and death..
…and paused.
Neck frills?
Every instinct he had was telling him to burn the thing down.
But...
“Geebo?” he asked instead.
The creature paused. Its mouth hung open, and gore slopped down into the smoking hole.
Too much gore to be the result of a dead draggit.
Geebo was tiny. He wouldn't have been a full meal for this thing. And that pile of flesh beyond was big, a bit too big, and... yes, there were arms poking out of it. Meaty, smooth-skinned arms.
Geebo had scales. And more importantly, he had a beak. And neck frills.
“You have killed my cook, servitor!” Aunarox yelled, popping out behind him and shaking her finger.
“Geebo,” Rotgoriel said, softly, as the creature's black eyes focused on him, and filled with recognition. “What has happened to you?”
The thing blinked, then abruptly hurled itself to the floor, groveling. “Master...” Geebo's voice was different now. Deeper. But still recognizable as the little draggit that had helped him ever since he'd come out of the egg. I am sorry. I.. I was so hungry... so hard to think now.”
“You are forgiven,” Rotgoriel told him. “Finish eating and tell me why you have changed.”
Geebo had his face buried in the corpse before Rotgoriel finished the sentence. A minute and a half later he looked up and belched, then sat down on his haunches, folding elongated arms around double-jointed legs. Legs that had tatters of Geebo's clothing around them, Rotgoriel could see now that his mind was a little clearer.
A little clearer. Not completely. Something in the back of his head still remembered the challenge. Still saw Geebo as a threat.
“I ranked up,” Geebo said simply. “I am no longer a draggit. I am a drakkit.”
“Well,” Rotgoriel said, considering it. “I have changed too.”
“I did not choose this form, Great One. I am sorry if it offends.”
“It... does not.” The more he studied it, the less it seemed like a mockery of Rotgoriel. It had wings, true. But it was humanoid, more or less, not four-legged. No, it wasn't much like him at all. Even if the sprinklings of black scaled highlights mixed into the rows of green looked a bit like his own hide. “Come,” he decided. “We have things to discuss.” Then he blinked his eye. “Wait. I have one more friend to collect.”
“Oh?” Aunarox asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I need to use the mirror to speak with my human.”
“Ah.” Her face fell. “Regretfully, oh esteemed effendi, the mirror is unusable for a day. I have just used it. Please allow me to throw you a small feast for the inconvenience!”
After some consideration, Rotgoriel graciously allowed her to conjure up a small herd of oxen, and even more graciously shared the feast with Geebo. Then they slept... though Rotgoriel's unease still poked at him, and he told Geebo to find a different cave to nap in. The not-so-little drakkit went without hesitation or any sign of resentment.
And the next day, Rotgoriel held up his mirror and spoke the proper words. “Activate Planar Contact.”
And there was Richard, staring at him from an older, leaner face.
Staring at him with a look of... fear? Now that was strange.
Then again, Rotgoriel was truly awe-inspiring now. It was only logical that a human, even an exemplary and skilled one, could be intimidated.
“Brother!” Rotgoriel boomed. “How long has it been?”
RUTGER'S CHARACTER SHEET
Spoiler: Spoiler
Name: Rutger Royal
Age: 3
Jobs:
Cleric (Konol) 1, Cultist (Anjuuta) 7, Young Dragon (Stone) 10
Attributes Pools Defenses
Strength: 336 Constitution: 336 Hit Points: 672 Armor: 190
Intelligence: 61 Wisdom: 73 Sanity: 134 Mental Fortitude: 190
Dexterity: 15 Agility: 40 Stamina: 55 Endurance: 25
Charisma: 55 Willpower: 331 Moxie: 386 Cool: 165
Perception: 301 Luck: 56 Fortune: 357 Fate: 18
General Skills
Brawling – Level 16
Climb – Level 4
Dodge – Level 13
Fly – Level 14
Ride – Level 1
Stealth – Level 2
Swim – Level 2
Stone Dragon Skills
Burninate – Level 13
Chomp – Level 9
Draconic Tongue – Level N/A
Dragonseye – Level 15
Earth Resistance – Level N/A
Flameborn – Level N/A
Hoarder – Level 1
Limited Equipment – Level N/A
No Thumbs – Level N/A
Sandblast – Level 1
Scaly Wings – Level N/A
Slow to Age – Level N/A
Tail Slap – Level 2
Cleric Skills
Blessing – Level N/A
Faith – Level N/A
Godspell:
Holy Smite – Level 1
Lesser Healing – Level 1
Shield of Divinity – Level 1
Cultist Skills
Conceal Status – Level 1
Curses – Level 1
Dark Chant – Level 1
Darkspell: Fool's Gold – Level 1
Enhance Pain – Level 1
Occult Eye – Level N/A
Servant of Darkness – Level N/A
Transfer Wounds – Level 1
Unhinged Mind – Level N/A
Unlocked Jobs
Conjuror, Fire Elementalist, Grifter, Knight
Gear:
Mirror of Planar Contact, assorted low-level reagents and crystals, and a dozen bits of golden furnishings and random objects