The Way of the Dragons/Sermons of Tenebrioun

Tenebrioun stepped back from his pulpit.

He thought... rather loudly.... "I've done as you asked Fafnir, I have built your temple, begun to gather your faithfuls, you teachings spread exponentially, and yet I am still told to wait?"

He felt a faint feeling of assent from his Dragon Guide. " Yes, You have. They will listen now, and a few may understand. Tell them.

Tenebrioun called for a Scribe and gathered a crowd.

"Listen Children. Hear of Fafnir's fall.

In ages long past there was a simple farming village in Present day Dragon's Roost. The people were common. Peasants, Farmers, Hunters. No government to speak of. No tax. No Laws. And no need for them. They cared for their neighbors, and were cared for in return. It was simple peace and prosperity.

They farmed primitively, digging irrelegular uneven holes by hand. Watering only by Rainfall, and where the rain landed. Their crops were not plentiful, but were sufficient to feed them. Fafnir watched them from his cave for centuries. And they never seemed to progress. Always the same farming, always the same tools, always the same style. There was no innovation.

One year there was a Drought. A horrible drought, all of the crops died. And Fafnir saw that the little village had no means to survive. They did not stockpile, a drought had never occured to them. They merely ate whatever they grew. Their Herds moved away as the crops died. They were on the brink of Starvation.

Fafnir saw this. He was torn between revealing himself to these people, and being seen as a monster, and letting the children starve to death for no crime of their own.

Fafnir decided to help. He flew out and hunted a score of Cattle, Leaving them in the center of the village at nightfall.

The next Morning, as Fafnir watched from his Cave, the People of the Village prostrated themselves before the beef, and thanked the sky for this gift.

Fafnir was confused by their response, but made no mention. He continued to watch the people. Over the years, he saw a priestly caste emerge. They continued their worship. Then came the monster attack.

As Fafnir was hunting one day, he saw a village miles away from his, burned, sacked, with half-eaten men, women, and as he saw upon landing, Children. There were bodies torn apart and shredded, seemingly for no reason other than bloodlust. He Roared in Rage and Frustration over this needless murder. At that moment, he vowed it would not happen to his village.

He immediately flew back to his cave, and personally forged Steel Swords and Armor for all the men of the village. Again leaving it in the center of the village at nightfall. He clawed crude pictures of how to wear it, and how to use it in the ground next to his gift.

The next day he saw them find his gift, and saw them puzzle out how to wear it, and how to use it.. (with very few injuries in fact).

And then a month later, the monsters struck...

Fafnir anxiously saw the approach. And he saw the simple villagers unaware of their plight. He considered for a moment, and realized he had already begun to break his personal oath of non-interference.

Fafnir sat on his scaled haunches at the mouth of his cave, took a deep breath and roared. His roar was loud and long, taking birds from flight, cracking the mountains around his home, and most importantly, causing all the villagers to cringe and look around. (as obviously the mountains echoed the sound around.) The Villagers saw the monsters and a general panic began. The men ran all around. The women cried in place. The children were caught in this wave of confusion, and Fafnir saw that his little wards were not yet prepared to use the weaponry he gave them.

As he prepared himself for the ultimate plunge into a major icon of their life, he saw a young girl, maybe 15 summers old, running about, but with a purpose. She carried the weaponry to the men, applied sharp kicks and slaps where necessary until the men began to make some form of organized defense.

Fafnir was amazed. A Female Human had marshaled her unruly terrified elders into a defense... of sorts.

The monsters struck. Battle was joined. Fafnir watched in amazement as the clumsy peasants and farmers listened and responded to this girl-child. And watched as their strikes became more precise, their Chaos became order, and they eventually repelled the monsters. Although not without great loss. He saw the men fall, but the girl-child was there to comfort them in their last moments.

When the battle was finished, and the final monsters slain, Fafnir looked upon the carnage, bodies lay mangled all about, Monster and man alike. The blood and gore, now that the heat of battle had left them, was too much for some of the men, as they fainted or vomited. But the girl-child... she was going around to all the bodies, closing the eyes and saying prayers over the fallen men, and ensuring the fallen monsters were killed.

He thought to himself, I must find out about this child... What creates such a being... Might Nailyon have returned?

As he considered how he would discover about this child, he saw the girl-child turn directly toward him and salute, eyes on his, unwavering.