The Aerie of the IceWyrms (the DoomWyrm Riders Side)

#1

This Majestic and ancient Aerie was used by the Falosini Army in ancient times to keep watch over this region. Some time in the unknown past, the Falosini in charge of this region disappeared or was killed. The Key of the Sylvan used by this settlement went missing, and they were cut off from all other Children of the Falosini communities. The Baribur thrived, using their K’iou and Bastard comrades as little more than slaves.

The Baribur found and raised the eggs of the doomwyrm dragon, End of Worlds, using the juvenile dragons as mounts and warbeasts. Side by side, Doomwyrm Rider and mount, were able to wrestle half of the Aerie away from the Icewyrms. While the DoomWyrm Riders claim to be the true owners of the Aerie, even their history says at some time in the past 2000 years they lost control of the Aerie to the IceWyrms, and had to fight to earn it back.

In modern times they are led by Dahelein ArchWing. His personal Doomwrym is the dragon, Sheen, which he is passing on to his daughter an heir Vahelein Skyknight.

The K’iou at the Aerie have no Forgemasters among them. The Bastards are treated in an outdated way, as little more than expendable cannon fodder for the DoomWyrm Riders.

Mayress Skyknight is the premier diplomat and Skyknight outside of Dahelein’s family circle, and is considered a second in line if Vahelein were to fall to final death or to disgrace. Mayress has already made inroads in negotiating with the PeaceLords of Boriel I’tash, much to the concern of the Heroes from Jemison Post.

[There is a different section for the Aerie sections controlled by the IceWyrms. Right now only Grim and Lurtor have access to this zone. Nuria and Eli will have to go and get either Lurtor or Grim to accompany them into this thread. ]

#2

Dahelein Archwing stood proudly next to PeaceLord Arnax watching them begin unloading the first of many shipments of weapons and armor.

Since they had lost the HomeForge so many centuries ago to the IceWyrms, Dahelein’s people had long given up on newely forged weapons. They had what claw and fang and scale their Doomwyrms provided as they molted from babies into juvenile, but beyond that they had no new sources of iron to make steel, nor copper to make bronze.

And while those K’iou still living among them had the skills to forge what they needed, the Great Gresla had been home to many of their tools for more advanced building. Yet a K’iou with hammer and foundry was an impressive sight. Each generation kept the weapons and armor as if they were newly forged, but that did not fill the deep need for arms.

So when the visiting PeaceLord Delegation from Boriel I’tash had promised armor, weapons and artifacts, Dahelein would have been a fool to say no. Getting PeaceLord Arnax as an ally was an unexpected relief to Dahelein, and when Arnax had come through, Dahelein knew it would soon be time to eliminate the IceWyrm threat once and for all.

Still he waited, knowing he had promised Grim and Lurtor at least some time to build their second Aerie. And if Dahelein was anything, he was an Archwing of his word.

Yet he had made no promises about turning away gifts from potential allies.

When the first of the Artificed Rocket Racks rolled off the airship, Dahelein nearly exclaimed with joy. He spun towards the surly Kumfei and said,“PeaceLord Arnax, what are those fantastic devices?”

“Those are a fine part of the I’tashi armament,” said the gnomish PeaceLord, “They can target both ground and aerial targets, and their salvos are quite devastating to both footsoldier and beast. A few of the racks are even capable of poisoning large settlements…if needed of course.”

“I can see many tactical applications,” said Dahelein with a snicker.

“These are but the first gifts,” said the Kumfei PeaceLord without a smile, "There are many valuable resources in this region. Resources we wish to share with your great and noble Aerie. But the IceWyrms do unfortunately hold these resource rich areas, preventing those who serve the ancients from utilizing those resources.

While I hope your peace summit is a success, if anything unexpected happens and you need the aide of your allies to the north…"

“I know I can count on his Lordship Boriel. He is a brave and noble successor to the Sylvan Masters,” said Dahelein, “I might go so far as to say, a rightous leader…”

“Too bad the Alliance of Freed Slaves doesn’t agree,” said Arnax, “Did you know another winter has passed with countless Northern Kingdoms people dying of starvation? And from what I learned, Beacon City as been spreading frost generators across the Northern Kingdoms, causing the temperature to go so low that some of the beautiful forests have died off…”

“One day I wish to visit these Northern Kingdoms,” said Dahelein, “Too bad I could not have seen their glory days. Had I know all I needed to do was send my Skyknights north and west and I would have such allies. Yet when I tried, those Skyknights never did come back…”

“Probably the Kasanthians,” muttered Arnax, “Those Shadowmancers and Nightmare Slavers have been a wall between there and here for over 1000 years…
Kasanthians are another thing you can blame on those barbarous Earthers…
They have no respect for the ancients…”

#3

Dahelein looked with pride upon the mighty frozen Aerie they had built alongside the IceWyrms. It was a fortress even more effective than the Aerie of the Icewyrm, and Dahelein felt greed in his heart for only the second time in his many millenia of life.

Ordering his Doomwyrm Riders to move quickly in the middle of the night, they slayed the IceWyrms and Workers and claimed the Aerie within a single night. The Month of peace might be broken but the Doomwyrm Riders now had a second fortress, this one not constantly defiled by their enemies the IceWyrms.

Sending word to Boriel’s PeaceLords, Dahelein invited them to move into the secondary fortress as respected allies. Within three days, a fleet of Airships arrived dropping off PeaceBringers, WarGiants and WarDevourers outfitted for arctic survival. It seemed Boriel had been waiting for just such an opportunity.

Now Dahelein had a fully stocked, fully armed and armored army ready and waiting next door to the Aerie of the IceWyrms. It seemed all out warfare was inevitable.

#4

Dahelein and Vahelein met in secret, and she seemed quite irate.

“My father, we have betrayed both our oaths to the IceWyrms and our promises to Grim and Lurtor,” said Vahelein, “How do you connect this to the tales of Honor and loyalty to the Falosini you raised me with? How would Berototh the Brave look upon these lies and deceptions. These assassinations in the night?”

Dahelein said, “He would accept it, as a necessary step in the final end to our enemies in the Aerie of the IceWyrms. Now you must choose is your loyalty to the Aerie and our victory over our enemies? Or is it to a Daggogoa like Grim? They were born without names for a reason, Vahelein. The Falosini knew Bastards are only useful to set off the traps of our enemies.
And in this moment, as the Bastard tricked the Icewyrms into building us a fortress with which to assail them, he has served his purpose.”

Vahelein said, “You speak with the betrayers’ tongue of a Quall Servant.”

Dahelein lifted his daughter up with a single hand and slammed her against the wall. “Shut your mouth, stupid child. All I do, I do for the Nameless Lords who brought us here. You do not know my burden. I am a Baribur Skyknight and my first responsibility is to protect my Falosini.”

Speaking through a slowly closing throat, Vahelein said, “Since my birth I have never seen a Falosini, and I have never seen your Nameless Lords. Why, if they are so perfect, do you only whisper to them behind closed doors?”

#5

Dahelein hurled her away with a force that snapped her leg and arm like twigs. Her silent tears showed this was not the first time such a violence had been enacted on the heroic knight. She stood up, drawing her blade and said, “What is the great secret you hold, Archwing? Why do we not use Grim to send word to the Falosini? To yell that we are here, that we need help, and that reinforcements and Falosini should be sent?”

Dahelein snapped his fingers and the sword melted away into a puddle. Vahelein snarled, running for the window and leaping out it. Her wings extended and she flew off towards the horizon.

Dahelein snapped his fingers again and a Draconic head popped up from the side of the window.

It was the Doomwyrm, Sheen, and Dahelein said, “Follow my daughter, but do not destroy her. Tell me where she goes…”

“Yes Arch-wing,” said Sheen with bowed head, then hesitated for a moment, “My Arch-wing, has the Skyknight Vahelein…
has she gone rogue?”

Dahelein said “She is a rebellious child as always. Follow her, and see if she is true to our struggle, or if she betrays it.”

#6

Asking to use the scale to communicate with Dahelein, Lurtor will says "Greetings Dahelein Archwing. As we are working through the issues of these lands, it has been a bit of time since we have talked. We were planning to come visit soon to check on how the new Aerie we had built for you is working out. But we have an issue. I wish my message would be under better conditions.

But right now we have a group of Doom wyrms approaching the Post as we speak. Posed to Attack we fear. I was hoping to resolve any issue that may have caused this without deaths to either side. Head off any confrontation before someone does something to cause conflict between us."

#7

Dahelein said, “I will call them and check with them and see why they have diverted from their most important task…”

Lurtor waited and waited. Then finally the Scale crackled back to life, and he heard Dahelein’s voice.

“I have some concerning news…news I fear you may already be aware of…and have kept from us…but for what reason, I wonder…?” said Dahelein and Lurtor suddenly became deeply worried about where the conversation was going.

#8

"There is word from my Riders and their Dragons that the greatest of all Doomwyrms, the End of Worlds, the Dragon whose breath could annihilate all reality is gone. She who bore all the Doomwyrms in our Aerie, she who they consider mother, is now missing.

Why did the EEF not warn us of this great travesty? Why did Jemison Post not warn us?" asked Dahelein, "The blessed cave where all the Doomwyrms of our Aerie were born is now missing, hidden and buried under tons of ice and snow and rock.

Who knows how many of the eggs of the Doomwyrms that were there survived? How many died?

What happened to her?"

#9

Lurtor pondered hard on this. Their only chance to save things were to get Dahelein on their side. Lurtor couldn’t tell the whole truth, but some maybe. And he could not lie as he was sure Dahelein would be able to tell. And this might make Dahelein believe Lurtor was in control of all of this. Which he wasn’t, but to keep the secret he might have to take the blame. He had few choices.

Lurtor says "Events happened quickly. There wasn’t even time to warn the EEF, Post, or any who might be near by. We even had to rescue the EEF from the snow as well.

I’m sorry, I did not know the location of your eggs. If you need help to recover the eggs, I have access to many aqua mancers and teramancers that can help in the recovering and even build a new safer egg location. And I Offer any healing that can be done with the resources I have access to. I will do it personally if you wish."

Lurtor then paused to gather his thoughts and continued "Few know this, but as you knew of the End of Worlds being already here I can let you know this. The forces of the Sea kings knew her exact location. They will invade soon to try and take her. But worse a Qliphoth found her and was heading to her to attack. The warmonger’s forces were closing in on her. She needed to be protected and hidden. And Quickly.

I don’t know why she had no protection prior. I guess her protection was that that the knowledge of her exact location was known by few. And it is her protection once again. She must not be harmed or disturbed by those who wish her ill or to force her to destroy existence.

She is Large, but so is the Glacial area. With all of the mind readers, Quall, and others, no one is to know more than she is around. Less the better.

Dahelein, Anything i held back was for the protection of the End of Worlds, not to slight anyone. And there are too many events and big players going on at right now.

But Now you know more than almost anyone else. I tell you all this as I value our path towards friendship. And I hope it continues. We have been working to make you and yours safer by ending the conflicts that endanger you and yours. Even building a place you now call your own. There is more to be done, but that will come with time.

Please call back your Doomwyrms as I cannot let innocent people be killed for doing or knowing nothing. And I don’t wish to kill them. And I do not wish any conflict between us. Let us talk soon instead."

(OOC of course Lurtor is leaving things out, but none of this is a lie.)

#10

Dahelein said, "I appreciate your honesty in this, Lurtor.

I will be honest with you too. I understand your need to keep this secret. Sometimes secrets are of the utmost importance. I will not ask the location, but it will not be enough for my respected Skyknight Opileth Wayren. He has cared for End of Worlds for generations, and cared for her eggs and her babies. He led the training of many of my young skyknights and is one of my few close allies from the ancient battles.

He will see reason, I am sure. If not, you have my permission to eliminate him, but only if you truly must to avert innocent fatalities. He is a dear, dear friend but he is acting out what he thinks are orders from someone higher up than I.
But I can say no more than to add, my commands were clear, he and his Doomwyrm allies were to return home immediately and to tell no-one of the End of Worlds disappearance."

#11

Days passed and Lurtor wondered if Dahelein had been telling the truth. Unfortunately for Dahelein he had been telling the truth. His orders to Opileth had been to return home, but the aged Baribur caretaker would not return home without seeing the End of Worlds and making sure the Mother-dragon of their own Doomwyrm friends and allies was safe.

His battle against Grim was legendary, but in the end Opileth did not have justice on his side and he failed in combat.

When Dahelein learned that Opileth had been resurrected, and brought before the WarCouncil of S’vana, he was both enraged and full of fear. Any testimony the elder caretaker gave would show Dahelein had been direlict in duty for not reporting back to S’vana about many…many things.

#12

At first Dahelein kept his panic to himself, ordering Sheen and the other Doomwyrms to call back all their scouts and prepare for a full scale assault. He covered up his actions by saying he expected IceWyrm trickery, some vengeance ploy for their stealing the fortress they now held.

The Doomwyrms and their Riders believed this story with all their heart, and prepared an earnest defense. Those trained in artificing worked night and day to make sure all manner of Leyas defenses and Offenses could be employed if an attack happened.

But then Opileth Wayren returned and he called a meeting of all the Skyknights and all those who called themselves Doomwyrm Riders.

#13

Opileth Wayren announced to all, “We have been judged by the WarCouncil of S’vana my fellows and my friends. They have decided that since we have hid a terrible shame for so long, we have enriched the enemy. What was the dishonor of Dahelein is now the dishonor of us all.”

“What dishonor!!” demanded one Doomwyrm Rider, as his hand fell to raise his spear in violence.

“Hold your hand!” cried out Opileth, "The Dishonor of Dahelein was to fail to defend our Falosini Sovereign Xoto from the horn of the Quall N’drone. For most of you, it happened centuries before you were even born, but all this time Dahelein hid this secret shame. Had he reported it, he and some of our leaders might have been punished, but you the unborn generations would be untouched by it. Now we are all considered too tainted by his generational lies to be allowed back into the armies of the Children of the Falosini.

We have all been declared Nngao. We have all been declared the ones who are untrustworthy, and are banished to wander with no home in any community.

Dahelein is to answer for his crimes and must report back to S’vana for punishment."

Cries of dismay, and disbelief filled the halls of the Aerie.

One voice spoke out loud and true, and it was Vahelein, daughter of the Archwing, “If this is true, then why did you not act sooner Opileth Wayren, why did you not tell us all before this punishment was unfairly placed upon all our heads?”

“I am happy to see you return, my niece,” said Opileth with pride, “You will understand me when I say Dahelein made all the older Skyknights swear an oath of silence on this and many topics on our honor. If we were to say a single word our honor would be gone, and we would be declared Nngao. So we kept our words and our honor was safe.”

#14

Then that pride disappeared as Opileth said, “But now that the Warcouncil has declared us nngao, we have no honor, so our word means nothing, and Dahelein has nothing to hold over us anymore.”

One of the younger Baribur wouldn’t accept dishonor second hand, and threw his spear at Opileth catching the elder baribur under the rib. As the spear slid home, the younger baribur, a tough named Marakyn yelled, “If you are a nngao, I’m supposed to kill you on sight right?? The Old ways and all.”

He kicked the older Baribur over and continued his rant, "Well I say the WarCouncil of S’vana can go eat a bag of rocks for all I care. We didn’t need them OR the Falosini for the last two thousand years from what the old timers say, so why do we need them now.

We have our Dragons, and our allies, and a fortress that can take on an army and not fail.

I say we trust in Dahelein and we keep our names, and our ways. So what if most of us were never real Skyknights? We were always real Doomwyrm Riders, and that counts for way more!!!"

#15

Vahelein looked in horror at what Marakyn had done, and grabbed Opileth Wayren and flew from the Aerie, tears in her eyes.

Dahelein Archwing watched her go, knowing it might be the last time he saw her. But it was time for him to serve the people below who called his name like it was a mantra. They needed him to keep them safe, he thought to himself.

It was a turning point for his people. It was a time when they would not longer consider themselves failed Skyknights. Now they would be the Doomwyrm Riders, and he prayed none would stand in their way.