G'eldree cursed as the spelljammer listed to one side as the surviving passengers were sent skidding into the walls. The hull creaked under the strain as the tiny ship was tossed about in the planestorm. Suddenly, the slave-ship broke through onto a world. Unfortunately, it was heading for a rough landing.
"By Valkur, does anyone know how to fly this thing?" a nervous looking missionary had called out. The ensuing silence was not awe inspiring. Actually, it inspired feelings more along the lines of fear, horror, and terror.
The landing was hard, but any landing you can walk away from... Well, those other folks were already dead before the ship landed so they don't really count. Digging themselves out of the wreckage, the almost-slaves left to explore a bit.
"Where do you think we are?" Dilylene frowned at the strange looking vegetation and leaves. The ship had plowed into the grassy side of a foothill. Tall peaks decorated the skyline.
G'eldree looked up from where she was inspecting herself for wounds and damages. "I do not know. As long as the agents of Lolth can not find us here, it may be as good as a place to settle as any." The other drow and human missionaries were also wondering about the nature of their crash site.
One of the humans summed up the mood perfectly. "Shar's underthings! Where are we now?"
A rushing of wind and a cacophony of noise was their only warning as another 'jammer slammed into the hillside below them. The small, ragtag group formed up into a defensive position, fearing that more slavers of Lolth was upon them. To their surprise, a band of hardy dwarves trooped out of the ship, which was in better shape then their own. The dwarves, upon seeing the first group, also fell into a defensive formation and brandished their weapons.
The stare down only lasted a short while as both sides were interrupted by the arrival of a dragon, upon which a small human boy was sitting. The dragon could have been metallic, but its tarnished blue gray scales was not a recognizable color. A coppery red skinned elvish half-dragon alighted close to the dragon and boy. Reddish wings erupted from her back, her face was long and had draconic traits. Her fingers and toes ended in claws. Furry hide was tied around her breasts and waist. A curved sword hung by her side.
"Well, your highness," the half-dragon remarked, "it seems your kingdom is already growing."
"Dwarves, we're under attack. Form up! Shields ready and axes high!" The band of dwarven colonists drew in tight, preparing for a fight. "Dragons and drow! They intend to keep us from our rightful ore. We will show them what dwarves are made of."
Ilivbreena raised her hands, peacefully. "Hold, I think you have the wrong idea about us."
"That is correct," the leader of the missionaries vouched. "These are followers of Eilistraee. They do not mean anyone harm."
"Ha, typical drow lies and deceit," the dwarven captain responded before spitting onto the ground.
"Enough!" The majestic dragon roared as he reared up. "Who are thee that bring violence into Prince Ranma's realm?"
"We recognize no Ranma as our Prince," another of the dwarves shouted.
"Fools," the large dragon roared. "You have entered the Prince's lands without his permission. If you do not intend to play by his rules, leave."
The dwarves glanced nervously at their ship, which would require minimal repairs to get it to cross the planes again. "And who is this Prince Ranma?"
The half-dragon smirked evilly. "Who do you think the dragon would let ride him?"
The dwarves broke out in large guffaws and laughter. "That tiny thing?"
"Short in stature, he may be," the half-elf began to lecture the dwarves as she glared at them, "but big in heart and spirit he also is. Now, for what business have you invaded our realm?"
The chief dwarf once again took charge of the conversation. "You overgrown salamanders ought to keep to the skies. Our business lays below the ground."
"So, you have come to rape the rocks themselves to sate your greed..." The dragon trailed off as it turned its head to regard it's tiny passenger. "Very well, though I advise against it. The Prince will allow you to stay so long as you do not create trouble for any subjects. Now, be gone and scurry into the cracks and crevices like the cockroaches you are."
The dwarves murmured among themselves. "Very well, we shall accept your terms, so long as they do not become a hindrance to us. But first, let us deal with your little drow infestation."
The dragon swiftly interposed itself between the two groups. "Nay, you have no jurisdiction here. Moments after agreeing you would not be troublemakers and you are already itching to create trouble. Go, now! So long as you choose to be within the Prince's territory, you will be mindful of his laws."
The dwarves frowned in displeasure and grumbled among themselves. "Very well." They then boarded their ship before using it to hover gently and move away some distance from the drow and humans.
The dragon then turned its attention towards the rest of the new immigrants. "And what is your story?"
A human walked forward, before dropping to one knee in supplication. "Forgive us, your majesty. We are but missionaries, intending to spread the good word. We can vouch for these drow, who have turned their backs to the dark ways of their race and embraced the teachings of the goddess Eilistraee. Their temple and followers have good rapport with our temple and followers. Knowing how they are persecuted by their own kind for their religion and by other races for their identities as drow, we offered to take whomever wanted to come with us along on our journey, hoping they could find a safe home. However, we were all tricked. The ship we chartered to go explore for new worlds was really a goblin slave ship. Halfway into our journey, their polymorph spells wore off, revealing the true nature of the crew. They then tried to slap us in chains, while also boasting how they were planning on delivering our drow guests to Lolth herself in the Demonweb Pits. We fought hard and won our freedom, but in that scuffle the ship was damaged. We had been floating unpiloted since then, caught in one storm or another, until the ship found its own way to your world. We do not know where we are, nor do we have a way to go back home. We throw ourselves upon the mercy of the Prince."
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(Posted Sat, 07 Sep 2013 22:22)
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