Eivedarium's Embrace
Great topaz eyes blinked, the massive maw opening into something that could be a grin, if such a creature could smile. Teeth with the structure of diamond, and just as strong, meant to crush rock and stone, shatter mineral and ore alike, were visible. The great scales of the Tane even in the dark caverns seemed to flicker showing flashes of topaz within their earthy brown tones. Here within the caverns of its peak, of Peril's Peak, as the small folk from lands well below and beyond the Forgehead Range called it, the mighty Tane pulsed with power. It could feel the Void within it, it had for decades, but none worthy had managed to stop it. Honestly, none were worthy.
It awoke from slumber for the mountain it called home spoke to it. Visions of a group, the first in years, a would be band of explorers and adventurer's. One had piqued the mighty dragon's interest, the rhythm of the stones and the mutative powers of foresight from the Void taint in his body and the very earth of his tunnels had shown him the group. Eivedarium was unsure how long it had been asleep. Months, years perhaps. What he was sure of, was amongst this group he'd seen was the promise of something new. "Another for my collection." a deep gravelly hissing like sound escaped the dragon's mouth. A person, but seemingly of metal, of iron and steel, magick and gears.
The great beast moved from its sleeping cave down into the gallery, its favorite space of the massive mountain complex, that which he knew from the last time entertaining guests, that the small folk so far away called 'Eiveda, Peril's Peak.' A worthy enough name, though the great dragon had many other titles and names it would perhaps prefer being known by in its tongue, such a name was acceptable for the small mortal folk. Moving into the massive 'gallery' chamber the mighty creature admired its collection whilst considering how it would deal with these guests, and in what ways he would provide them hospitality. It eyed the treasures it had collected over its life. Armor, weapons, gems, minerals, precious ores and metals stolen from its youth. However all of that was secondary compared to those treasures that ringed the great chamber.
Statues. Statues of brilliant copper and marble, amazingly lifelike, showing a wide variety of emotions and poses across a plethora of natural beasts and sapient creatures. Forty of them, to be precise, each with a hallowed and honored place ringing around the chamber. There were forty spots exactly, specialized alcoves at about head level for the mighty beast, some thirty feet above the floor of the massive cavern, and each statue stood within these alcoves, illuminated by a slight topaz glow.
"Decisions, decisions." Eivedarium grumbled, considering the choice carefully. Forty was the number. It was the number that fit, it was the number that belonged. There could be no more, and there should always be forty, except for those rare times one would be removed, whilst a new piece was 'collected'. Eventually, Eivedarium settled on a tall warrior, heroic, a cape that would have billowed in the wind, were it not stone and in a cave. With spear and shield, a full face helm, breastplate of bronze if the Tane's mighty memory served. One of the earliest pieces from the mighty dragon's collections, yet one it had most fond memories of acquiring. However, it was getting old staring at all the same pieces, and this was the oldest piece in its collection.
"Ithir telnavik astori." the Tane snarled, hooking the statue carefully with one of its forelimbs, and lifting it up to its face and mighty maw, watching with great amusement as the stone and copper began to shift and fade, the statue slowly becoming warm, softer, alive. The orcish figure blinked, as soil and dust fell from its brow, and immediately screamed in fear, averting its eyes, gabbering on in its crude and pathetic language. Eivedarium held it there, waiting for the petrification process to entirely reverse, enjoying the warmth, the palpitations it could feel from the creature's small heart though his foreclaws, the fear and confusion exquisite, as it always was from sapient or beast. As it began to attempt to squirm instinctually, words presumably escaping its mouth in its feral and primitive language, Eivedarium regarded the orc with amusement for a moment longer, before swiftly biting down, rending the orc in half, swallowing its torso before consuming the legs as well.
Eivedarium felt the pulsing and embrace of the Void and of the soil and stone all around him as he moved through the stone as easily as most would walk over it, ready to show these unwelcome guests the hospitality of Peril's Peak. As well as already picturing and considering how this new being might look in his collection, a most interesting new trinket.
It awoke from slumber for the mountain it called home spoke to it. Visions of a group, the first in years, a would be band of explorers and adventurer's. One had piqued the mighty dragon's interest, the rhythm of the stones and the mutative powers of foresight from the Void taint in his body and the very earth of his tunnels had shown him the group. Eivedarium was unsure how long it had been asleep. Months, years perhaps. What he was sure of, was amongst this group he'd seen was the promise of something new. "Another for my collection." a deep gravelly hissing like sound escaped the dragon's mouth. A person, but seemingly of metal, of iron and steel, magick and gears.
The great beast moved from its sleeping cave down into the gallery, its favorite space of the massive mountain complex, that which he knew from the last time entertaining guests, that the small folk so far away called 'Eiveda, Peril's Peak.' A worthy enough name, though the great dragon had many other titles and names it would perhaps prefer being known by in its tongue, such a name was acceptable for the small mortal folk. Moving into the massive 'gallery' chamber the mighty creature admired its collection whilst considering how it would deal with these guests, and in what ways he would provide them hospitality. It eyed the treasures it had collected over its life. Armor, weapons, gems, minerals, precious ores and metals stolen from its youth. However all of that was secondary compared to those treasures that ringed the great chamber.
Statues. Statues of brilliant copper and marble, amazingly lifelike, showing a wide variety of emotions and poses across a plethora of natural beasts and sapient creatures. Forty of them, to be precise, each with a hallowed and honored place ringing around the chamber. There were forty spots exactly, specialized alcoves at about head level for the mighty beast, some thirty feet above the floor of the massive cavern, and each statue stood within these alcoves, illuminated by a slight topaz glow.
"Decisions, decisions." Eivedarium grumbled, considering the choice carefully. Forty was the number. It was the number that fit, it was the number that belonged. There could be no more, and there should always be forty, except for those rare times one would be removed, whilst a new piece was 'collected'. Eventually, Eivedarium settled on a tall warrior, heroic, a cape that would have billowed in the wind, were it not stone and in a cave. With spear and shield, a full face helm, breastplate of bronze if the Tane's mighty memory served. One of the earliest pieces from the mighty dragon's collections, yet one it had most fond memories of acquiring. However, it was getting old staring at all the same pieces, and this was the oldest piece in its collection.
"Ithir telnavik astori." the Tane snarled, hooking the statue carefully with one of its forelimbs, and lifting it up to its face and mighty maw, watching with great amusement as the stone and copper began to shift and fade, the statue slowly becoming warm, softer, alive. The orcish figure blinked, as soil and dust fell from its brow, and immediately screamed in fear, averting its eyes, gabbering on in its crude and pathetic language. Eivedarium held it there, waiting for the petrification process to entirely reverse, enjoying the warmth, the palpitations it could feel from the creature's small heart though his foreclaws, the fear and confusion exquisite, as it always was from sapient or beast. As it began to attempt to squirm instinctually, words presumably escaping its mouth in its feral and primitive language, Eivedarium regarded the orc with amusement for a moment longer, before swiftly biting down, rending the orc in half, swallowing its torso before consuming the legs as well.
Eivedarium felt the pulsing and embrace of the Void and of the soil and stone all around him as he moved through the stone as easily as most would walk over it, ready to show these unwelcome guests the hospitality of Peril's Peak. As well as already picturing and considering how this new being might look in his collection, a most interesting new trinket.
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