TTb: Episode 1 Avalon is Dragons

[Lyahdan]

Participating:
Madame Aldona
Ivan Sladivgorod Andreievich

Caerleon is a lovely city where it is impossible to miss the Glamour that permeates the Isles. Colors seem brighter, scents more vivid (this is not always a good thing). The white palace shines above it all and the Market swirls with activity all day every day. As our heroes pursue their goals, recently arrived to the city, they hear a great commotion somewhere at the other end of the marketplace.

Noting quite a few people hurrying away from said commotion, and several merchants packing up stalls, Little Ivan asks one what's up. "Who knows? Last time there was that much noise, it was a stampede of wee wyverns." He was obviously not staying to find out. Stepping onto a nearby porch, Ivan used his impressive height to look across the market and see what might be discerned at the other end ('Little' Ivan isn't actually so little).

Instead of the usual lazy milling of the market crowds, he sees something that looks more like an ant's nest poked with a stick. Just at the edge of vision, he can see a dark carriage hurrying away, and then a large, dark shape rising in the air and moving toward his part of the market. It's soon apparent that this is some kind of monster! Both Ivan and Aldona have done more than enough studying to recognize a dragon when they see one, though both have slightly different legends in mind.

Those legends are all flashing through their minds as the green-gold creature lands on a small building and begins tearing into a cart that sells delectable spiced, roast beef. Beneath the cart, the vendor and his small daughter huddle as scalding hot fat and coals shower from the cart, in fear for their lives and obviously in danger. Merchants and customers hide and flee as quickly as they can.

Ivan, well aware that one cannot wait upon gods and spirits to save anyone from the dangers of the world, doesn't even think before striding forward. He calls to two circling ravens, asking them to harry the dragon, while he crouches, and springs...launching an immense punch at the creature's umbilical scale. They're weaker in the spot where they once attached to the yolk of their eggs, he recalls. And indeed, the gleaming scale takes on a distinctly dented look as the dragon huffs in surprise and pain. The ravens swoop and tug and generally make themselves pesty, helping to distract the dragon.

Aldona scoops up fallen bricks, chucking them at the creature to distract it and allow the trapped merchant and his daughter to crawl to safety as the shower of hot coals lessens.

Unsurprisingly, the dragon's entire attention focuses on Ivan, and it rears up in an obvious, and terrifying, attack.

Aldona, having seen a really fetching bow in the window, darts directly between Ivan and the dragon, causing both to pause a moment in confusion at the sheer foolishness of the action. Unaware of their attention, she claims the bow, strings it, and launches a single pinprick shot at the dragon. Despite everyone's efforts, the dragon ends up with Ivan beneath one scaly foot and begins to squeeze.

Bloodied, but remembering boyhood wrestling, Ivan squirms partly free of the cage of claws, as Aldona bargains silently with the devil who is ever with her, and wonderingly breathes the name "Aelfric of the Fogs?"

The great head swings around, and Aldona faces a pair of unblinking eyes over hot, beef-scented nostrils. "How do you know my name, little one?"

With the dragon's attention, and the knowledge both that it can talk and that its claws are really large and really heavy, the pair begin to talk, each drawing bits from the other to flavor their rhetoric. Ivan speaks of his bond with Tura, who is the sky, and a friend to all things that fly. What alliance might be possible between the sky and the great and mighty Aelfric? The ravens land upon Ivan's shoulders, lending weight and majesty to his words, and calling the attention of at least one other in the Marketplace.

Aldona answers that she learned of him from the spirit that is always with her, that somehow knows many things. But...what was Aelfric doing here, destroying the market? What are the Fogs of his name?

Their words intrigue and interest the dragon, as it calms and realizes they aren't going to be punching it into the next county. Long ago he served the Duke of Fogs, but that was not in this realm. He's pretty sure someone summoned him, because he was sleeping in his own cave and then waking in this marketplace. He was hungry, and someone had offered him beer...spiced beef sounded awfully good after beer.

Ivan notes that people tend not to be terribly fond of having their beef torn away like this, and maybe Aelfric could consider one of those job things instead. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Aelfric scoffs and notes that this is what people get, summoning him so rudely and without any offerings. But there's the smell of forest nearby, and deer are as good as beef, with a lot less risk of running into Heroes. After a few more words, and indications that he would like to speak with them further about what this Tura thing is (and some marveling at how much Aldona knows at the young age of 5 decades), he flies off to find his deer.

The marketplace begins to move again as people come crawling from hiding places to marvel and congratulate the pair. "Wow, you punched a dragon!," said the girl who escaped from beneath the cart.

"And someday, so can you," Ivan tells her.