(Dholzuk Grimtooth – Totem of the Bat of the Drazûl tribe)
He scrunched his nose as the afternoon winds brought with them a strange scent. Tapping his staff the near middle aged troll-blooded orc walked using the staff in his hands as his third leg. His potent blood had granted him wast strength in magic both shamanic and arcane but in return it had taken it’s toll on his body. His hip was deformed and his spine crocked making the robed shaman seem like an old man as he tapped his staff on the ground while he walked hunched over. If he could stand he’d stand at 2.2 meters tall compared to the usually 1.9 meter tall Orcs walking around him.
The tent and hut city of the Drazûl tribe was situated on a huge ledge that overlooked the haunted mire between Hardows ridge and the Mighty Highland.
A soft squeak from his breast pocket made him chuckle as the bat cup clinging to him moved around a bit. Heading to his own tent he reached into his robes and pulled out the leaf-nosed bat the size of a small dog and looked at it. “What is it Ripmaw?” He asked as he saw the large eyes of the Harrow Bat staring at him only to get a few more squeaks from the bat and he chuckled as he placed the bat on her stand were she immediately went to the specially made waterskin he’d made to allow his bat access to the blood she needed to survive.
With that done he moved over to the cauldron in the centre of his tent and with a scant few muttered words he started the fire under it. Placing his staff to the side. It’s top carved in the totem of the Harrow Bat one of the three guardian spirit animals of the tribe each with it’s own shaman named as it’s totem. With a stick made of roughly hewn mana crystals in hand he began to stir the clean water within the cauldron before he began to place the dusts and powders he needed for the ritual.
The orange liquid with soft swirls of glowing blue within it began to take shape as he stirred it while channelling his mana into the crystal stick in his hand. Then as he allowed the liquid to simmer he placed two fire salamander eyes into a mortar and pestle and began to grind the dried eyes up into a powder. “I see you are hard at work Totem Dholzuk.” A deep gravely voice came behind him, noting the slight mocking tone Dholzuk sighed a bit and looked over to the Totem of the Dire Snow Leopard that had entered his tent.
Gazûg Fangbreaker looked at his college with a sneer as the large sabreteeth of his Dire Snow Leopard head headdress while his robes had the skin of the same cat incorporated into it. “Still worried about the vision the spirit of the bat granted you? This sun haired stranger that will enslave the tribes?” Gazûg asked while his sneer turned to a smile, despite their differences and usual dislike of one another both knew that their loyalty and drive for the well-being of their tribe was matched by the other.
With a complicated expression Dholzuk nodded. “Aye Totem Gazûg. It appeared so clear to me, this stranger with sun kissed hair and Bale fire burning in his eyes and on his hands. We will need to submit or be made to by him and those tribes that will join him but he will lead us to another. The man tribe south of our home will be his target. At least that is what I’ve managed to gleam from that vision.” He said allowing his collogue to hear the worry in his tone.
This took Gazûg slightly aback as Dholzuk wasn’t one to back down nor show such hints at weakness around the other totems, the champion, war master and the chief when they convened. “I know that this spirit walker only appeared a mere moon and a half ago but do you really think things will turn that dire?” At Dholzuk’s nod Gazûg was deep in thought before he spoke again.
“What of this Lugbûrz?” He then asked. “Did any of your visions pertain to that?”
Gazûg thought for a long moment. The reports of this Lugbûrz appearing around and inside the ridge had been strange. This great black metal armoured individual the size of a tall ogre-blooded black orc yet with physical power far surpassing what similar tribal warriors were capable of. Lugbûrz was sighted mostly in the midst of or just after a hunt of one of the great beasts that lived in or around the ridge. The strangest part was that the kill only left signs of what had happened with no corpse to speak of left behind. This baffled the tribes yet after two weeks since Lugbûrz’s appearance they had learned not to disturb Lugbûrz in any way.
Many a young hunter or warrior had grouped up and tried to prevent Lugbûrz‘s hunt or tried to interrogate him after one. Only the first week did they get survivors of these groups, Lugbûrz appearing to learn how to dispatch orcs well enough to not leave any survivors during that time.
At the two week mark the Stone-hide tribe had sent a squad of elite warriors lead by their champion. Only one of the elites warriors returned alive and he’d said it was only because he’d learned the human common trade tongue. He’d been sent with a message for the tribes to not disturb Lugbûrz again.
If they upheld this single condition they wouldn’t loose any more of their people as long as he was left alone. However the scene described had worried Dholzuk immensely as one of the recent visions he’d received had implications towards it.
The messenger had told of a great shadow that had manifested as Lugbûrz had found out the messenger could speak the common tongue. It had been this shadow that commanded Lugbûrz though the language spoken between the two had been one the messenger had never heard before. Then the shadow had gestured at the messenger and the message was delivered and he released. Then there was the matter of the letters.
A week earlier himself and Gazûg had found letters attached to their totem staves one morning. A letter telling them of a meeting they were asked to attend this very night. Dholzuk knew both of them were nervous for it but his own vision had told him he had to attend.
The very night of receiving the letter he had received a visit from his totem in his dreams. She had told him that it was in his best interests to attend as the one he was to meet would grant him a blessing in her stead. A dragon was what he’d been told he was to meet and he could hardly believe it.
He knew dragons were powerful creatures but the way his totem had spoken of this one had made him suspect this dragon was something more. Something that had made his totem almost speak in the manner of a servant admiring a master other than their own. On the other hand the fact this dragon was so amicable towards his totem to allow her to grant him a blessing through this dragon did put his mind at ease somewhat.
Then again, there were dragons out there notorious for going back on their words when dealing with any not of their own kind.
Shaking his head at his train of thoughts1 he looked towards Gazûg and pulled the letter he’d received from his robes inner pocket. “I suspect we will get some answers to those questions tonight though who we are to meet I still do not fully know.” He then finally admitted.
Then with a slight exhale he spoke again into the lengthening silence. “How about we go meet Totem Târz and speak to him about it as well. We will be prepared for even a dragon so do not worry.” He said in a kindly manner to the younger totem in his tent.
“Dragon?” Gazûg said with wide eyes but then only wryly chuckled as he allowed himself to be ushered out of the tent to go fetch Târz as Dholzuk couldn’t leave his burbling cauldron at the stage it was. Once the powdered eyes were put into concoction he continued until he had finished.
The concoction finished, he poured it into a clay jar to ferment for two nights to finish the healing salve of his own making. While it took a day more overall to make his was almost three times more potent than the previous one they’d made. Keeping up a surplus stock had been his private endeavour in safeguarding his tribe.
A soft giggle at the flap of his tent made him sigh as he turned his head just far enough to allow him to see the small blue skinned feet he could see through the flap. “Unless you want me to put some itching powder into your collar again, I’d suggest you cease your mischief.” He said with a light chuckle as he heard the groan of annoyance on the other end of the flap.
In walked Tûhorn Ghûra, a little runt of a ice troll-blooded orcess, her blue skin, taller than her age and thin body and slightly larger tusks than normal a clear marker of her heritage. The twelve year old sized little eight year old orcess walked in with a light pout on her lips. Her thick grey mane of hair mostly held in a large braid along her scalp ending in a braided ponytail reaching between her shoulders though a few thin locks had gotten loose here and there.
The ragged hide clothing she wore hanging on her slightly malnourished frame and a bit of dirt coloured her neck, cheek and exposed legs and arms.
Dholzuk winced a bit internally at seeing the girl. She was one of the few orphans in the tribe and while they didn’t discriminate much against those with troll blood in them like himself or even ogre blood for that matter. It didn’t mean they didn’t have to prove themselves like all of those in the tribes and those mix blooded in some way or another more often than not had more to prove to the tribe than others.
Unfortunately Tûhorn hadn’t proven herself just yet and due to her body’s need for more food than normal orc children had left her slightly looked down upon more than the other orphans who already were at the lowest strata of the tribes social hierarchy.
Dholzuk had a soft spot for Tûhorn though and often handed out to her what he didn’t eat, sometimes settling for a lesser meal if she looked leaner than she was now. However as Totem the only one he could take in was his apprentice and unfortunately Tûhorn didn’t have that talent.
Still he helped her as much as he could and was proper for his station. “I wanted to surprise you when you left your tent.” She said pouting a little while she held her hands behind her back. At Dholzuk’s narrowed eyes she sighed and pulled her hands forwards, a snowball in each hand. Only the left hand held a blue snowball and the other held a red one, at his curious stare she smiled.
“I put in some dye I made from flowers.” She said Dholzuk seeing now that the pout was disappointment from not getting to play her little trick.
Dholzuk gave her a pointed stare and the snowballs were tossed out of his tent while she gave him an innocent smile. “For all your meagre talent for the ice element that won’t shield you from doing such pranks to others. Many already dislike you Tûhorn do not spit on my grace like this.” He said sternly at the cowed young girl now staring at her toes.
With a sigh Dholzuk ruffled her hair and told her to scamper off as he’d noticed Gazûg and Târz coming towards his tent. Once the other two had come into the tent he told them of his visions that he’d withheld due to hesitance until now. After the expected reprimands from the oldest Totem and the annoyed words the youngest among them had been said the three got down to the meetings reason.
For the next two and a half hours they planned for every possible contingency they could think of. With a silent nod to one another they parted ways to take what reagents they might need for some of their magics. Getting his kit together he strapped the near corset sized belt around his abdomen, the small vials clinking ever so slightly in their secure fastenings along side pouches and stones or gems strapped similarly to the vials.
All of the myriad of differing liquids, powders and herbs dwelling in the vials and pouches that were within easy reach and use while still securely fastened in place. The stones, crystals and minerals used as foci to channel his most potent and draining magics through at the cost of itself also within easy reach. He wouldn’t take a dragon of any kind lightly even if it is approaching under the banner of friendship.
Worryingly he looked over towards his bed, a simple wooden box to hold a pile of large soft furs to sleep on. Biting his lower lip he moved to his bed and lifted the wooden frame and pulled it to the side. Digging into the hardened soil at the corner of his tent next to his bed he pulled out the dirt caked metal spike of roughly worked lead.
Within was his last resort, the last mineral he could channel for a spell that would claim his life if he dared it but if this dragon proved a threat to the tribe he wouldn’t hesitate. Gripping the lead covered mineral in his hand he placed it into a leather strap, tightly tied at his side.
With a deep calming breath he gripped his staff and looked toward Ripmaw gently suckling at the waterskin looking over at him with big innocent eyes. Smiling gently at the bat cub he shook his head. “Not this night little squeaker.” He said and then left the tent.
Stumbling right into Tûhorn as she was moving past his tent’s flap. He only stumbled a little but the little troll blood went rolling back with a yelp. Her near acrobatic roll however had her down on all fours at the end of her roll ready to move if she needed to. Dholzuk was surprised at seeing how quickly she’d moved and the light ‘wow’ above him had his gaze turned up.
On top of his tent sat a raven looking down at him with mirth clearly in its eyes. The subtle white markings on its face and along the edges of its wing and tail feathers made its unnaturalness plain for him to see. Swallowing he remembered the letter and nodded to the raven who nodded in return as if in response.
A chill ran up his spine and he swallowed as he looked down at Tûhorn. “Silly girl watch were you are going.” He reprimanded her and internally winced at the hurt look she gave him back as he stormed away from her. Hurriedly he made his way to where the other two totems stood just on the outskirts of the tent town. He felt bad about how hurriedly and tersely he’d left Tûhorn and promised himself that if he came back this night he’d make it up to the girl.
He was sure she was probably only there to check if he’d eaten yet given he and the others had missed the evening meal with the tribe. With a sad expression he followed after the other totems as they followed the strange raven that flew just a bit faster than walking speed. Allowing them to lightly jog every so often to have to catch up but also allowed to remain vigilant of their surroundings.
For almost an hour they travelled after the raven before coming to a spot Dholzuk felt was no accident, for before them stood the ancient ruins of a gathering plaza used once in ages past by the dwarfs that had been here before on the ridge. Now it served as the meeting point of not just the Drazûl and Iron-Jaws tribes but their other neighbours the Amûgdir tribe as well. He was amazed they’d never found this place useful for just such a meeting of the tribes for either trade and barter of some sort or a meeting of alliance and friendships between the tribes before.
Yet he wasn’t sure about what this meant as their destination was right on their shared borders with those three tribes as the raven flew towards it unerringly. When the bird sped up and landed within the ruins encircled by twin rows of broken walls most likely intended to ward off the winds so common to this region of the ridge.
The three totems slowed and looked at one another with worry upon their brows. In silent whispers they conferred upon the merit of continuing further as they were far from the tribe and couldn’t expect any help from them if worst came to worst.
Deciding that they might have far more to lose should they insult a dragon by not showing up to an offered meeting in good faith and an offered promise of a blessing from one of their very own totems. With that in mind they continued on carefully observing all avenues of sight for them.
Right as they came to the moss ridden and cracked arched doorway that once housed a gate in ages past they noted that where there had been a fountain in the very centre of the large square now before them had been a statue of two dwarves sitting at a table. The statues now cracked and the glue holding them to the chiselled stone columns serving as their seats long since faded by the look of them in the once filled pond surrounding their intricately carved platform.
Seats which now housed two figures, one tall and slightly hunched as it leaned over the table they both sat at. The other an elf of some kind, both wore fine robes the taller figure having a hood over its head as his profile was just visible in the light given off the twin full moons in the sky.
Both appeared to be playing a game of some sort with oval stones of black and white being placed and replaced on the board by one or the other. The three made sure to approach from an angle to prevent the two figures from spotting their approach until they entered the square proper.
The two figures appeared in comfortable peace as the two silently played their game, one with a mug of some beverage while the hooded one held a ceramic bottle in one hand. Hiding themselves to see the situation for what it was proved a boon as two armoured figures entered the square from one of the other four entrances to the square in situated with one for each cardinal direction. From the east came another raven that took its perch upon the elves shoulder where Dholzuk noted another which he suspected was the one they’d followed.
The armoured figures on the other hand were almost a wonder to behold, moving near silently as they strode towards the elf one coming from the north and the other south ward entrance. He noted that both armours mimicked a bird of prey one a Great horned owl and the other an Osprey.
With a closed helmet forged in the likeness of an Osprey hawk with even their signature beak and piercing eye slits made into the helmet instead of a visor. Allowing the twin spots of light serving as its irises in the black eye sockets carved into the helmet. One a deep purple while the other purest white and the masterfully crafted helm even came along with an articulated neck brace allowing for near full movement of the neck. The neck being just slightly longer than what would work for any human or elf but ended up allowing for near full movement of the neck as if the armour itself was a living creature.
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The scale armoured ulster coat ending in a configuration of rounded tail feathers at the back of the armours thighs with another slight poncho covering the upper part of the chest and biceps mimicking something akin to plumage. All looking like a dull mytril alloy of some sort used in the feather shaped scales covering the scale coat they wore. With an intricate lamellar armour expertly crafted in a form fitting manner with the plates also shaped in the fashion of feathers upon closer look.
The gauntlets and greaves formed into well articulated facsimiles of talons of the same bird of prey the armour emulated though clearly in the humanoid form of hands and feet. Around the thighs and up the back of the armour hung multiple magazines for the twin small repeating crossbows at its hips. Sheathed there along a pair of Spatha swords on either hip along with twin long daggers, coupled with the sharp looking claws at hands and feet ending in made it clear everything about the armour was designed for fast movements and deadly attacks while providing a medium strength armour that also provided the ability for silent movement.
The other in the semblance of a great horned owl strode just as the other, with dangerous confidence and sure grace. With a curved well articulated closed helmet allowing for the neck to move almost as well as normal, the visor being three eyed in shape. Coming together by three sharp dagger like plates that caused the helm to form a three eyed owl upon the face of the helm. With three glowing eyes of purple, white and light blue spots of light forming the moving eyes that the helm formed in its shape. Following down from the helm was a crafted leather armour clittering with the embedded scale mail masterfully done into the likeness of feathers that flowed down along the thighs as a surcoat forming the graduated form of tail feathers at the back.
This surcoats small shoulder scarf acting as plumage almost and that with how it also graduated down at the back beyond the thighs along with the twin rows of feathers in the metal of the helm gave off the impression of a humanoid three eyed Great horned owl. The metal visible appearing to be the same mythril alloy that the Osprey sported.
With both feet and hands formed into facsimiles of talons with the hands ending in slight but very sharp looking clawed tips as with the slightly toed talon feet that would allow for more grip upon any surface it might stand on be it tree branch or other ground. With twin large quivers of arrows connected to the hips along with a larger one on the back allowing for much more arrows to be used before running out. Much more than any normal hunter or even ranged unit in an army would pack at any one time.
The large recurved bows in those clawed hands a black metal so at odds with the soft grey metal used in the armour itself. Yet also so completely right given how the shadows were drawn to both the armoured figures. Then finally another weapon, a strange sword of some kind with a handle only fit for one hand while being a straight sword of less than usual thickness sheathed at its right hip.
Both took up position of guards around the two playing figures while the two didn’t even seem all that bothered with their arrival. For a few more long moments the three totems silently observed out of sight as they were but as the silence was stretching on the elf spoke up. His strong near purring voice though the purr more a growl if only slightly lower than one under his voice as he spoke.
“This meeting will not really go anywhere if all you do is observe me and my knight play Go till the sun rises and we leave.” He said calmly as he placed a black oval stone down and then proceeded to change four white oval stones for black stones of his own.
The three looked at one another before Târz nodded and sighed, ushering the other two onward as they made their way towards the centre of the square. All three having looks of surprise as figures approached through the other gates of the square as well. From the eastern entrance ahead of them came Ratak the scholar, chief of the Amûgdir along with Borgu the Mystic and Ar-Kaius Dead Sun their chief Frost Walker of the tribe. The Frost Walker serving as chief totem of the tribe channelling the totem of the winter winds.
The southern gate held members of the Iron-Jaws tribe as well. With Az-Teru Iron-Jaw the matriarch of the tribe followed by a retinue made up of Gromni Trakashir the Totem of the Lava Drake, Ur-Dag Iron-Jaw the Forge-master of the tribe and Ghurâ Iron-Hide the Totem of the Irongorger. Followed by Firemaw Gromni’s pet Lava drake, yet the drake was quivering as if in the presence of a greater predator higher in the food chain than it was.
Dholzuk didn’t have much time to think on that as he looked over to the northern gate and grow wide eyed as he saw some of the leaders of the Exiled coming from that gate. With both Karzâg the Den mother and Kal-Gûl the Exarch followed by Gûnd Hoglick and Mozû the Raven. Dholzuk wondering exactly if this meeting was planned by their host or not, and if planned for what purpose was it?
The others were just as surprised to see the other groups as Dholzuk’s group had been but they hurriedly made their way to all meet up near the playing pair. Though all the groups did stand slightly apart from one another as they were wary of one another in such an unfamiliar situation despite the friendship among them.
Save the Exiled who the Iron-Jaws looked at with slight suspicion while the Amûgdir looked upon them with slight pity in their eyes over their abandonment by their own tribes. A sharp clap from the elf made them all flinch a little, much to his apparent amusement.
“I do bet all of you are wonder why you are here correct?” He asked in his smooth deep voice to the tribes members assembled before him and his hooded knight. “I have brought you all together for three simple reasons after I’ve watched over your tribes now for some time now and have decided to reveal my presence to you only. The other tribes have been found wanting in one way or another and have yet to earn that privilege.” He finished with a look of slight distaste as if disappointed in the other tribes before sighing as if it wasn’t something he could change now.
“Who are you?” Az-Teru Iron-Jaw asked with slight caution in her voice, especially given how this elf had spoken with such a grand manner. That along with the breath halting visage of his knight as he looked towards them. The man was tall, built almost like an ogre-blooded human but lither somehow yet his skin was shrivelled up like old leather in a grey hue.
The piercing blue glowing eyes staring at them or rather right through them as he stood towering at a similar size if Dholzuk himself was hail and whole. A stark difference to the androgynous looking elf with a shaved face and black hair that looked to shimmer purple in the moonlight at times that reached down to his lower chest.
“I am a new great spirit, born but a scant three months ago.” The elf said with an inviting smile. “I have come here to make contact with those tribes I’ve found to be honourable and true enough to reveal my presence to after speaking with some of your own totems before hand.” He said and Dholzuk noticed that not only himself but Gromni and Borgu as well.
“So you’re the dragon.” Borgu stated in his rough elderly tone of voice only to earn an assenting smile from what Dholzuk now realized was a dragon masquerading as an elf of some sort. Appearing to be a dark elf but not quite one with his more predatory features and the bone ridge along the upper edge of his ears. His eyes twinkling with delight, one cross shaped pupil black and surrounded by a ring of grey and the other the inverse of the other. Yet the left eye with a grey pupil surrounded by a black ring appeared to peer into some facet other than the world they themselves could see.
With a raised arm as the others appeared to be about to speak the dragon silenced them again with a gentle smile. “I understand you must have many questions for me about not only myself and why I’ve decided upon the four tribes before me above the others.” He started with a calm tone before he paused and frowned a little.
“What’s this?” He then said as he sniffed the air before snapping his fingers and causing a pulse of blue energy out from him followed by a black energy pulse. “Ah.” He then said with a wide smile as he leaned a little to the side to look through the gate Dholzuk and the others had come through.
“You know, young lady, it is considered rather rude to spy on a dragon.” He called with a friendly smile on his lips.
The assembled people at the middle of the square waited for a long while before a soft squeak of fright came from the gate they were all looking at right then as Tûhorn hesitatingly came into sight. Only for the girl to stiffen as one of the dragons ravens landed on her shoulder and cooed softly to her.
The raven somehow emboldening the girl with coos and gentle nudges as she came forwards under all of their gazes. Dholzuk feeling his heart hammer in his chest in worry for the clearly scared girl. “Oh really?” The dragon suddenly said aloud as he walked past the assembled tribe members and walked slowly to the girl before picking her up once the raven on her shoulder had jumped off to land on his own free shoulder.
“What is your name little one?” The dragon asked as he smiled gently at the girl holding her head down, unwilling to meet the dragons eyes as she halfway sat on one of his forearms with the way he’d picked her up.
“Tûhorn what are you doing here?” Dholzuk decided to ask as the dragon carried her the rest of the way. He looked at her with worry as she looked up to him and slowly pulled out the lead spike he looked down to see had fallen from his hip.
The sudden growl from the dragon as his eyes met the spike made everyone stiffen. Before Dholzuk realized what had happened Tûhorn was placed in his arms while the dragon kept the spike in his hand. Studying it as he walked passed.
“This…. Complicates things.” The dragon said with clear annoyance in his voice as he began to peal the lead off of the black spike as if it was the peal of a fruit. The inside looking like a piece of a jaggedly carved obsidian spike almost the size of half a forearm. Even the way it glittered as the light fell on its facets was the same but the black smoke that emanated from the spike gave it’s other worldly properties a clear focal point. The smoke acted as almost a liquid, moving down instead of up as one would expect most smoke to do.
“This is the bone of a voidborn.” The dragon then stated after looking it over with narrowed eyes as the spike suddenly began to warp and bubble before turning to a snake that slithered around the dragons wrist before disappearing all together.
Dholzuk had his heart in his throat at the hard look from the dragon into his own, dreading the question to come. “You were prepared to channel this in defence of your tribe?” He then asked with genuine curiosity and at the orcs nod he continued. “Even knowing doing so will not only kill you but could possibly damage or even destroy your own soul?”
At the question Tûhorn looked up at him with horror and fear on her face but Dholzuk looked dumbfounded. “I only realized it was a one time use to channel that… voidborn bone.” He started swallowing after having what it truly was revealed to him. “I hadn’t known about the damage it could cause to my soul however… but if the threat to my tribe was great enough I would.” He said steel growing in his eyes.
The hard look the dragon gave Dholzuk persisted for a few more moments before he smiled in a friendly manner. “She was right, you are worthy of my blessing.” He then said with a wide toothy grin that showed off the three sets of fangs he had in his mouth. Then his smile faded. “However the troubles of the tribes is greater than I had anticipated. There are more of you than I had expected and not all take to it as well as some.” He said looking from Dholzuk down to Tûhorn over towards Ar-Kaius Dead Sun to Gûnd Hoglick to Karzâg the Den mother to finally land upon Dholzuk once more with a complicated expression on his face.
"What does that mean?“ Karzâg asked speaking up as her gaze firmed into that of what was required of a young chieftess as her role had slightly become. The Ogre-blooded Gobliness would stand tall and proud, just as tall as the elven guise of the dragon in fact if it wasn‘t for the strange bend to her leg and hip along with a slight crook to her spine that bent her forwards a little. Yet she was still a striking woman and strong if the compact muscles visible on her arms through the sleeveless brigandine she wore on top of the hide pants and shin armoured boots she wore.
Her posture was helped along by the deadly spear she had serving as a helpful walking stick.
The dragon had looked over to her and his smile had turned gentle. "It means that what I will be able to provide to the tribes will be more than I had initially thought.“ He said as he walked back to stand in front of the four assembled groups before him. "Now where was I again? Ah right! I brought the four tribes here before me to not only announce my presence as a new greater spirit willing to lend my aid to the tribes of Hardows ridge.“ He said with a smile on his lips.
"What do you mean four tribes? There are only three tribes here and their group.“ Az-Teru Iron-Jaw spoke up as she took a small step forwards. Her powerful build larger than normal for orcs of her tribe showing her strength to not only hold the tribe together but finesse as well by the customized armoured coat she wore. Made of finest Lava-drake scales with the drakes head serving as an intimidating head piece that fit Az-Teru‘s head perfectly. Along with the many tokens of forge mastery hanging on her belt along the hammer sheathed at her waist so both at home in the forge as on the battlefield with its simple utilitarian design.
The dragon‘s smile almost turned to a sneer as he looked at Az-Teru. "I should warn not to insult one of those I‘ve chosen as my totem.“ He said with an amused grin as the entirety of the tribe members before him stared in open mouthed astonishment.
"You-You mean to make us your tribe?!“ Mozû the Raven gasped finally into the silence that had followed. The Black orc‘s more athletic build rather than the heavier build of regular orcs was hidden beneath a feather poncho of black raven feathers leading down to a dark brown leather armour that fit his body well along with the twin axes at his waist and the Sallet helmet he wore that had given him his moniker. The roughly forged Sallet helmet not having a lower face guard and instead a roughly but decently forged obsidian steel into the likeness of a raven with slightly widened eye holes for better visibility with minimal risks.
"I do, I‘m even offering you shelter within a cavern I‘ve excavated for my purposes that will have far better living conditions than you live in now. Kal-Gûl the Exarch, will you please step forward?“ The dragon said in an inviting manner at the end while gesturing towards Kal-Gûl who stared dumbstruck at the declaration.
Karzâg turned to her father and excitedly looked up at him with a hopeful look blazing in her eyes. The tall ogre looking so much like a heavily muscled man standing at 2.5 meters tall with wild locks of grey as the age was showing slightly in his long living species. The slight sag to his muscles also told of the same story but the lack of the more common slightly wider head of normal ogres Kal-Gûl‘s proportional head gave an indication of a rare pure-blooded ogre. His hide half robes and slight armour over his chest, wrists, tights and shins also told that he was still more than useful in a battle while the elder-wood staff with a jagged rock spike ring around the top spoke of his prowess as an Elder Geomancer.
"Who are you?“ Kal-Gûl asked as he looked down at the dragon‘s elven guise and the now rather insistent looks from the others gave it away that they wouldn‘t go any farther until that at least was answered.
With an amused smile he walked past them onto the square proper and stopped when he was about four meters away from them all. "Upon my left shoulder sit the Ashes of the dead and upon my right sits the Dust time.“ He began gesturing to each raven in turn before they flew up and off his shoulders as the shadow seemed to rise up in small curtain around the dragon to cover up most of his lower body.
He gestured to his knight and continued. "There stands the Black Tower, Abhorash Svartritter. He who stands against any foe that stands in his way. As I‘m sure you‘ve all no doubt noticed he‘s been proving this claim against the strongest of the beasts that this ridge has to offer over the past month now.“ The dragon said with a smile as the others looked back towards the dragon, now clearly naked behind the curtain he‘d raised up to cover his dignity.
"And I am the guardian and judge of the dead.“ He started as black scales began to sprout and some even combine into an almost insectoid version of the guise before slowly it grew, and grew. "I am the one who safe guards the passage to the next life.“ A rumbling voice much stronger than before boomed from the transforming figure that now stood four meters tall.
A humanoid body with a large tail slowly moving back and forth behind it with sharp claws on each finger and toe. The body so clearly some humanoid version of a dragonic bat with near sparkling obsidian scales the twinkled ever so slightly in the light of the moons. The head so much like a bat, dragon and elf had merged to one creature with the large ears of a bat clearly visible at the sides of the near draconic head while a pair of curved horns sprouted from his head right above where his ears were.
Then he opened his four eyes, the lower set the one he‘d had during his elven guise while the top had twin orbs of brilliant amethyst with the expected pupils of a dragon upon this set of eyes stared them down. "I am the Dragon of the void! And my sovereignty is death itself!“ He roared as two wings almost more than half the square itself in wingspan unfurled. The wings membrane appearing to be made up of toughened black material that allowed something like the twinkling of star light appear within its depths while oozing the same liquid acting smoke that the voidborn bone had given off just more noticeable on such a large creature.
However the effect it created for the open wings was that it was like a hand with long fingers spreading open a corridor into some other reality. The wings looked like they went on for much longer than they had any right to be.
The tribes members fell to their knees as the dragon‘s aura hit them for just a split second and all realized that this dragon was no pretender to his names. Even now they felt like he could snatch their very souls out of their bodies with but a mere glance as the dragon towered over them looking at them like an adult with a group of children between the ages of twelve to five before him.
"So Kal-Gûl, will you accept the totem of the void dragon as yours?“ The dragon thundered as he looked at the ogre now looking so much like a child in front of him. The elder Ogre took a few steps forwards and sank to his knees before the dragon.
"What is your gift to what you wish our tribe to become?“ Kal-Gûl asked up at the dragon who looked amused at the question.
"I offer you the task of safeguarding the souls of your fellow tribesmen, to heal and offer aid outside what the others can offer. I have tasted the foulness that has begun to try and infect the other tribes, you will be my bulwark against this corruption.“ The dragon declared before leaning down to place his large hand over the whole of Kal-Gûl‘s shoulder.
"In return I offer you to become the totem of the tribe of Zabrûm and to make your hopeful home in my own little realm of Ilzkâl Rogâtar. Where I will defend you, teach you to stand upon your own feet, to learn what the city of Veta can offer the tribes in useful knowledge and trades to bring them back to the other tribes.“
The air remained silent safe the rumbling steady breath of the dragon as he looked at Kal-Gûl. Dholkuz thought for a bit and noted that the words the dragon had spoken had been of the old tongue. The tribe of the Void living in the Starlight Outpost. It sounded mystical and looking down he saw Tûhorn staring up at the dragon with his still open wings. Not with the wary awe that the others had at the sight but more in open mouthed wonder, like she felt a connection to something regarding the dragon now radiating his power in a gentle manner while Dholkuz was without doubt that he could forced them all on their knees with the ease of a mental flick.
The dragon lowered his head as Kal-Gûl began to speak in hushed tones, nodding and a sudden near sob of absolutely profound relief almost escaped Kal-Gûl‘s figure as he shuddered slightly. Then as the ogre placed his hand upon the large clawed one upon his shoulder and declared.
"I Kal-Gûl herby pledge myself to the Void Dragon as my totem should I be accepted?“ Then before their wide eyed astonishment the shadows leaking down from the dragons wings pooled and moved to surrounded and envelop Kal-Gûl moving appearing almost to be forcing its way into his mouth as his figure soon became obscure in the growing ball of liquid dark smoke and the final ringing of a loud declaration from the dragon.
"The Void Dragon accepts!“