Part 13: Dragons of Color

Chapter 12: Dragons of Color



Nol Ulcarn was under siege. The city didn‘t put much opposition, so the Honour guard could just swoop in from their camp in the hills, hack at the gates a little, and then retire back for drinks.

There was a reason fo that: most of the defending elves have already been killed fighting the monsters in the surrounding area.

Correction: there had been a reason for that. A nearby Koatl temple was already destroyed under the relentless advance of Svarts.



And Sir Hugue, never a man to back away from a challange, was currently fighting two giant turles. With a bit of help from his far away mentor, the turtles were losing.



If Svarts hacking at one‘s gates were a problem, a flying ghost ship firing cannons at your walls was an even bigger problem.



“How do they set rocks on fire?”

“That be no ordinary rocks and no ordinary flame. These ghosts burn with lust for vengeance!”



And more Svarts were teleported in to subdue the wild the continent.

“I swear, there’s already moss growing between my armor plates. I hate this place!”



Back in Howling Sorrow, human warriors kept flooding through the gates. Dirty and unkempt, armed with whatever bits of steel they could find, they were great in one thing only: numbers.

“More enemies means more glory, lads.”



“Well, at least our lord says that Krel seems to be in an agreable mood. Maybe we won't have to turn Plains of Blood into actual plains of blood”



“Uh-oh”



“That turned out alright, so it seems”





Volundr was down on his knees and heaving water.

“MY FORGE!”



“The order stands: drive deep into Long Shores, tear the shard apart, but find that whirpool!”

“I promise to be back with you all soon... so soon”



Nor Ulcarn had fallen and Svarts were marching down the streets... and out through the other hate.

“You there! Elf!”

“Who, me?”

“You're the new military governor! Make sure the city stays productive or I'll skin ya!”



Svart really had their hands full...of enemies! The lands to the west of the elvish city were craggy and forested, and filled with various monsters.



"Today, my esteemed readers, we shall speak of Trolls. For a long time -- indeed, since the collapse of the Gigantic Midget Tower -- these magnificent monsters were considered extinct. Evidence of this ancient race could only be seen on tapestries or in an exhibit in the Royal Museum, called "The pee stain of the Troll slain by King Marius IV". But to our great suprise Trolls were not so easy to destroy after all. Remnants of species were discovered by Jacques Gnar de Crunch, the naturalist, during the Troubles. Later, Trolls gladly and extensively multiplied (thanks to the infinite wisdom of our Great Mage), and their population is no longer in danger of extinction. Today, like 300 years ago, you can encounter these green giants in any market in Ardania, merrily swinging their clubs about. Trolls stand out from other monsters owning to their size, strenght, the speed at which they heal -- not to mention their unhurried thought processes."
From "The Evergreen Ones", an article written by the noble werewolf Wolfus de Crunch.

Renegade trolls were mucking about in the hills, quite the sizeable nuisance for any warband in the region.



“Life elementals are not quite as harmless as they seem. Many hunters for their valuable healing substance have proven that it is worse to die from an excess of life in the body than from wounds”

And swirling green cloud, usually called life elementals, roamed the countryside, lost in this land of actually living.



“Flogging Peasants, Flaying Nobles And Other Acceptable Means of Conducting Realm Towards Accumulation Of Wealth”

“And you say the ghost ship just fished it out of sea? Well, I'll pass it to our king when I can”





“ANOTHER gauntlet of death? Well, isn't that just interesting...”



The ghastly ship had reached the edge of the shard. It lingered over the mountain a little before sailing off to harass a leviathan.



A caravan of Svarts was making its way through the jungle.

“I hate this place. And sprocket donkeys are all fouled up”

“Argh, shut your trap. Our lord wants us to wash the gate with mana, so we will do it”



“See? Back to the elf town, boys. There might not be wenches there, but I bet they still have booze”



“Flying knight strikes again! Yes, flee, flee, you covardly fish!”



“Now then, to look for a bloated corpse, possibly hugging a scroll box to his chest”



“No, this is just a hedge wizard and his collection of somewhat magical trinkets he used to sell to dupes”



“Ah, here it is!”



“Alright, the elves have these puoches. Whenever you're cut, just grind them, mix them with water and apply it to the wound. And whatever you do, don't smoke it”

“THE SKY IS MADE OF DIAMONDS”

“Krolm give me strength, that idiot smoked it, didn't he? Capture him before he hurts himself”



Sir Hugue slept in the shade of the leaves. He wasn't tossing nor turning, yet still he was talking in his dreams.

“...If by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling...”

His donkey was a lot more silent.



“Your Highness! Now cast the new spell and you will win this duel!”

“Like I said: I am the greatest of all!”



“Your Highness! You have cast a spell never seen before! That is a true feat even for a Great Mage – now your name will be forever added to Alley of Magic stars!”

“Like I said: I am the greatest of all!!!”



“I am very impressed, my colleague! You have shown that there is no end to magic and its spells! Maybe you really do have a chance to defeat the United One. I am looking forward to meeting you in Ardania. And... Good luck!”

“LIKE I SAID: I AM THE GREATEST OF ALL!!!”

“All right, you lot, disperse, nothing to look at here”

Mumbling Svarts left the square where a small wooden stage stood. Only a ring of Honorable warriors and rune warrior auxilia surounded it and three actors: one dressed in dark rags and black planks that poorly imitated King Lich's armor, another colored purple and likely playing Espritster.

“By order of Rurik, you are arrested for spreading subversive ideas, staging a play without permission from Guild of Actors, driving a pageant cart while drunk, as well as numerous crimes against writing, theatre and act of acting itself. You may also be charged for insulting the audience's intelligence. What say you?”

The acting troupe looked on to the surrounding troops before the one playing King Lich stepped forward...

“ I say...”

He said while drawing a hidden axe...

“DEATH TO THE DEAD USURPER! For freedom!”

The whole troupe quite literally jumped the troops that came to arrest them.

“Aw Sorrows, to arms!”

A Rune Warrior spun her axe and cut down an 'actor' dressed like crude immitation of Veremoud down.
“Cut them down, but leave at least one alive! We need to know if someone organized them!

And as the Svarts brawled in a melee, a tall shadow flashed a content grin and disappeared into an alleyway.

Normally, I don't like to break the flow of LP to say something, especially since my explanations lack finesse and other things that would help not sound like a scrub, but whoever wrote this quest end series of dialogue is a twat that makes your Great Mage sound like a hysterical drooling idiot



Poor immitations or no, King Lich did cast a spell to summon a dragon.

“Summoning a dragon... None have done it before... It feels... good”





"The rainbow dragons are creatures of legends and myths. To be fair, in search of rare creatures I've been to all the worlds, but I have never seen a Rainbow Dragon. I believe that if they ever existed, they are long extinct. More likely they have always been a product of the rich imaginations of the ancients."
(from the travel notes of "Wild Monsters" by famous researcher Sir Atten Vidborough)

The Rainbow dragong flapped his wings around, nodded in a approval to see a land free of Dremer and flew off to fight for his first lord in eons.