The chilling silence following Aspen’s icy breath lingered like a specter over the land. The once vibrant domain now lay frozen under a thick layer of snow and ice. The sudden frost haze had spread through every corner of the Frost Dragon’s territory, transforming the landscape into a winter wasteland. The cold was so intense that even the hardiest of plants and animals struggled to survive.
Aspen's voice echoed through his domain, a deep and resonant sound that carried a message of dominance and expectation: “Marked by my touch, you all are mine. Expand my domain, find me treasures, and protect what is mine. Those unbound by me are not welcome within my domain. See to it that I am not disturbed.” High above, the rhythmic beating of the dragon's wings drifted into the distance.
Lord Evergreen and Lady Brown were the first to notice the changes. The frost haze began to dissipate slowly, revealing the altered reality they were now part of. Men and women alike found their skin tinged with a strange, silvery hue, and small scales had begun to form beneath their eyes. Their eye colors had shifted to various shades of blue, from the lightest sky to the deepest ocean. The bottom lobes of their ears had faded away, and the tips of their ears had slightly lengthened to a point. It was as if Aspen's breath had not only changed them physically but imbued them with a piece of his frost magic.
“Marked by the dragon, I sense we are each Touched by Aspen’s draconic frost powers. Such power to alter so many. I can hardly believe this. Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine such a possibility,” Arch Magus Katheryne whispered from their side, her green eyes now a radiant blue.
Lord Evergreen stood before his entourage, examining his own transformation. His left arm, which had been lost saving the life of a peasant girl during a harvest festival, had miraculously regrown, covered entirely now in silvery scales that gleamed in the pale light. He flexed his fingers, each with talons like nails at their end, feeling the strength and resilience of the new limb. The scales were cool to the touch, yet they felt like an integral part of him. He glanced around at his people, noting the awe and fear in their eyes.
"Yes, we are marked," he said, his voice carrying over the hushed crowd. "Aspen’s power flows through us now. Lady Brown’s vision saved us. I think we all must gather our thoughts to understand what this means for us, for our survival as a nation, and for our role in the future of this land."
Lady Brown, standing beside him, nodded in agreement. Her own transformation was less dramatic but equally profound. Her once-brown eyes now sparkled like sapphires, and she could feel a strange new energy coursing through her veins. She raised her hand to touch the scales beneath her eyes, feeling the coolness and strength they imparted.
"These changes are not a curse," she said, her voice steady, then leaning in to speak softly into Lord Evergreen’s ear. "Okay, so far all of this seems like Aspen is very hands-off, but holy who cares I can really feel magic now. I feel like I’m bursting with power. You know this means we will have to accelerate our plans. May as well declare independence soon so we can properly maintain the sovereignty of Aspen’s domain."
Lord Evergreen turned his head to look at Lady Brown. “Can we even accept migrants under this scenario? How do we contact Aspen? He just flew off.”
“I think that's the point; he doesn’t want to be bothered. Now turn back and look at our followers and raise your fist. Act like we know what we're doing,” Lady Brown responded as she gently shoulder-bumped Lord Evergreen’s side.
The followers of House Evergreen and House Brown murmured among themselves, their fear slowly giving way to hope. They had survived coming face to face with a dragon, and now they had a chance to thrive within the dragon's domain.
Sudden high pitched roars echoed out from inside three dozen burrows. A collective gasp was heard as young children dressed in ragged clothes began running out of burrows while playfully being chased by large dog sized Frost Drakes.
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A few weeks earlier, the icy waves crashed against the cliffs as cries were buried in the roar of the ocean. Yet a single Frost Drake, near the cliff, heard the cries and curiosity over-took his desire to find a mate for this season's nesting. He peered down the cliff and saw the arms of small humans flailing like the tall grass in high winds. He had no young of his own yet, but he knew these to be the hatchlings of man. And he felt ill to leave them to the waters final embrace. His scales shimmering with an icy blue sheen, launched itself over the cliff's edge and into the water below. The drake's eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, seemed to pierce through the darkness, locking onto the struggling children below.
Soon the Frost Drakes numbered in the handful pulling over three dozen hatchlings of man to shore. A few were weak and did not survive.
The drakes brought the children to their burrows among the nesting grounds, a place untouched by the harshness of the outside world. The valley was frost covered, a step ahead of the rest of the land in its pursuit of winter. The air was cold but not biting, filled with a serene stillness that seemed to embrace them.
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Each child was cared for by one or two Frost Drakes. Secluded in their burrows the children adapted well to their new found saviors. They laid next to the eggs, the eggs as big as the children. For weeks the children played nearby and slept alongside the Frost Drakes and their eggs. The older children soon realized they were waiting for the eggs to hatch.
The eggs began to hatch not long after the frost haze laden with powerful magic had bellowed across the land and swept into the burrows. In the excitement of seeing the cracks form across the eggs the children failed to notice they no longer felt the bite of the cold. Overcome with joy they failed to realize they could sense the meaning behind the Frost Drake’s roars and low rumblings. But when the hatchlings started their call for food every child found themselves in awe. The call for food was heard but came with its own primal feeling, an inner urge to survive. The children watched as the adult Frost Drakes dropped rabbits and deer at the edge of the nests. The children slightly frightened watched the newly hatched Frost Drakes feed for the first time it was both full of gore and magical in its own way.
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Over the next few days, the people began to adapt to their new reality. The Frost Drakes encouraged their young children to go with the humans and stay by the sides of their adopted older siblings. An offering of a union between Frost Drake and Aspen marked Humans.
Word spread and with it realization amongst the humans of their new found gifts. Their silvery scales providing protection against the cold, allowing them to venture out into the snow and frost-covered landscape without succumbing to the freezing temperatures. Their newfound resilience gave them both comfort and strength, ensuring that they could continue their work through the cold winter months.
Lord Evergreen and Lady Brown spent long hours in discussion with their advisors, strategizing on how to best utilize their new abilities and how this would impact their plans for their independence. They were determined to turn this transformation to their advantage, to secure Aspen’s domain and expand their own influence under his name. The first step was to understand the full extent of their new powers and abilities.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky turned a deep shade of indigo, Lord Evergreen called a council meeting to be held at the newly completed Castle Evergreen. The leaders and advisors of both houses gathered in the great hall, their faces illuminated by the flickering light of torches and the glowing embers of the hearth.
"We must test our new abilities," Lord Evergreen began, his voice echoing in the stone chamber. "We need to know what we are capable of, and how we can use this power to protect our people and our lands. And we shall advance our plans for independence."
Lady Brown nodded in agreement. "Our transformation may have given us an edge, but we cannot face the challenges of this world without a united identity. Like our Aspen Touched features have reforged us physically, let us do the same to our mindset. We will lead this world into a new era.” the council members murmured their assent as Lady Brown and Lord Evergreen both stood.
Lady Brown continued “I and Lord Evergreen have come to a decision on the foundation of our future great nation. We shall govern our lands as separate states, each a kingdom in themselves save for a few key exceptions. The people shall have a voice in the election of representatives in a new series of governing institutions. The Halls of Fate, The Halls of Nobility, and The Halls of Justice.” Lady brown then continued outlining each institution's purpose.
The Halls of Fate was to be the arm of the people. A hall of government focused on determining the great nation's fate and governing laws. The Halls of Fate would create the laws, determine the taxation of all states, and be the largest hall of the governing institutions. All outside contact would be managed by the Halls of Fate. In addition the Halls of Fate may select during times of war for one Lord or Lady to reign supreme in the command of all military forces.
The Halls of Nobility was to be the arm of legacy and nobility. A hall consisting of the Lords and Ladies of all noble houses within each state. Each state’s nobility elects from amongst themselves a high-noble to reside as the primary governing official responsible for enacting the laws and taxes issued by the Halls of Fate. Each state was required to enact protocols for the introduction of new noble houses. David and Megan were attempting to change the concept of governing bodies and wanted the Halls of Nobility to be one of many steps in that direction by mirroring political parties of their old world. However by separating the parties and nobility from the Halls of Fate they hoped to avoid as much of the political infighting as possible.
The Halls of Justice shall be responsible for the resolving disputes in the interpretation of laws and the settlement of disputes between parties. The Halls of Nobility shall select members of the nobility to be designated as judges within the Halls of Justice. The Halls of Fate shall designate citizens of the working class to perform as jurors within the Halls of Justice.
The council members rose to their feet cheering in assent, and plans were quickly put into motion to have a name day festival. Where the name of this new nation would be unveiled and games of skill could both be used for entertainment and a test of their new abilities.
The council members went to work preparing the two largest settlements for their nations name day festival.