Heralds of a New Age
Twenty Fourth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC
"Before aught else, I must admit that I am humbled... humbled and delighted, that through our efforts and your indomitable spirits, magnificent beings such as yourselves can now join us in the world of form," you speak nothing but truth to these beings, young in form but old in the dream, that you had called forth.
"You are each a marvel to behold, dragons newborn into the world of form, yet already you possess the wisdom and strength of conviction to deny She of Many Colors."
"To tell truth from lie does not seem a marvel to me," the dragon replies, its... no her tail lashing the stone in bemusement. Like in their pseudo-dragon ancestors, straighter horns mark a female.
"But then that is a word of flesh is it not? In the Dreamlands, all is a marvel and common place at once, for all one can imagine one can forge, though its ripples may be perilous. To dwell in a world so much more resistant to change will be strange indeed."
"Even so, you resisted, no small thing to me. It is because of that which I would ask your aid, requiring not only fortitude but the steadfast conviction of one who will ever seek to deny such beings, no matter how tempting the offer they make, and they will make offers, and threats." You glance towards Dany for a moment, meeting her solemn gaze with your own.
"They always make threats."
"Then they
are fools," one of the other dragons notes, the timber of his mind almost amused.
"A cautious dragon may stay his wrath for a time before a credibly delivered threat, but he shall eventually slip the noose and be all the more perilous for it."
"Must we only talk of wars and grim peril? yet a third dragon speaks, this one with an irregular star-shaped mark between her brows and somehow sounding younger than her fellows. In the blink of an eye she shifts to mortal form, the silver hair and amethyst eyes of Valyrian blood obvious in the doing, a mark of either the flesh-forge's guiding intellect or Lady Saenena's hand. "There is so much to do, so much to see, so many minds above to probe and question."
"The mortals will not appreciate being 'probed', Zavaenia," the last of the four notes, following suite to take human form.
"Unreasonable of them, if you ask me," Qyburn jests, the almost grandfatherly smile not quite enough to keep one from wondering how much he means the words.
You clear your throat to keep the line of thought from going too far. "There are a number of things with which
will call for subtlety, not fire and rage, ones I think you would handle well. I seek to counter Asmodeus, devils, and spirits of guile just as black. There are sadly all too many who are are sorely tempted by their offerings, however foolish the bargain."
Even the cheerful Zavaenia gives only a somber nod there. Although they have never met a devil, these four know more of their ilk than you did when you encountered your first imp, for they have flown among the dreams of elder dragons and perhaps even seen the shadow of diabolic corruption upon the dreams of men.
"Moreover, I seek to bring battle to the servants of She of Many Colors, both in the field and at the heart of their fastness so I might cast it down," you proclaim, speaking the Goddess' title without fear. It is not like there is any chance of her attention not being turned here at this moment. "And at last, proof of the place of Dragons in a world changed. While I will strike down the infants she brought into this world if they think Her so worth following, none of our kindred rests comfortably under the shadow of Her wings, and in that I think they feel the same. All of this and more I would ask of you, for the mutual prosperity of Dragonkind not twisted along narrowing paths by mad or equally careless gods."
"She is eternal," notes the first of the mind dragons to speak, though with neither anger nor fear. It is simply the inescapable truth of one of the eldest of all Powers.
"But not beyond harm," Dany notes, her words low but clear. "Sore wounded had she been and much did she lose to the Gods of the Valyrians, and though much of their works ended in ruin not all was lost, the truth is all around us." She motions to the forge. "Let us be wiser than they but just as bold, let us deal Her such a blow that it will be ages uncounted before she troubles us again."
"That lies at the heart of it all, my offer and my pledge," you continue smoothly. "If you help me protect my Realm from that which seeks to cast it down, you and your descendants, and like-minded siblings born of the same flesh and bone, will always have a place in my Imperium. Your foes shall be mine, your dreams as well."
The four mind dragons commune with each other for a long moment before as one they bow, or in the case of those who have not yet taken human form dip their sinuous heads slightly in recognition of your lordship. Then almost as one they shift into forms not much larger than Varys, though keeping their cerulean coloring and dart away, out of the forge and into the city above.
"I wonder what sort of rumors they will breed," Lady Saenena asks, shaking her head at their passage. "I must admit I imagined making something like them several times, but never in my wildest dreams did I consider I could then just allow them to fly free through the sky for all to see." The sorrows of lost Valyria are bright in her gaze, but still a wistful smile touches her lips.
What do you do next?
[] Return to the Riverlands to speak to the Ghost of the High Heart
[] Speak with the Red Priests of Volantis and commune with the Red God himself to ask for aid against Tiamat
[] Set up a meeting with either a powerful enough servant or manifestation of Weeping Lady of Lys' power to ask for aid against Tiamat
[] Have a personal meeting with the Chosen of Smith
[] Receive reports on the Genie War, including the performance of the wyverns
[] Write in
OOC: And here we are, the Mind Dragons will be available for assignment next month like usual. Not yet edited.
