Ring of Dragons

## Premise

Based on some fun on the Discord channel.

## Characters

* **Ring of Dragons**: A fellowship of dragon riders who swore to take down the dark queen.
	+ **Celebriel**: A high elf, and oldest member of the fellowship. He owns the blade Dark Power and rides the dragon Savage Rouge.
	+ **Eardir**: A wood elf, he was a known protector of his woodland home. he joined to help stave off the Dark Queen encroachment of his home. Owns the sword Oath Provider and rides the dragon Scarred Demon.
	+ **Eldur**: The dark elf. This stoic elf is the youngest member but first to join the circle. He wields, Dragon Halter, and rides Majestic Chaos.
	+ **Fean Gon**: A sea elf, seeking fame and fortune. A mercenary who joined for glory. His sword is called Lord Finisher and he rides the dragon Cruel Blaze.
	+ **Faraedan**: Another sea elf, he is an old grizzled fighter with numerous scars from many battles. His sword is Light Eater, and his dragon is called Majestic Inferno.
* **Morien**: Seemingly a Night Elf, Morien is actually a true born dragon called Wicked Hell Raiser.
* **The Dark Queen**: The queen of the dark elves, who rules the necropolis city once called Candle Forge, now called Skull Helm. Her skeleton army and monsters have terrorized the land. Even her own subjects are scarred of her. Her real name is Valna.

## Dragons

* **Trueborn**: These are the original dragons, noted for their lack of gem/crystals. They are wielders of powerful magic they often use to hide themselves.
	+ Wicked Hell Raiser: Morien's true identity, he helped formed the circle to take vengeance on the Dark Queen. He is a blue dragon, with a smooth coat of scales, tusks, a small frill, and spear tip tail, and cloudy eyes.
* **Forged**: Dragon created as familiars. Their eggs were created using precious gems or crystal, resulting in the gem growth in their wings. They are tied to their rider/creator, their form reflecting their master's nature, and if their master dies, they die. Forged dragons do not have true genders, being constructs. Their gems are the result of the gem/crystal used to create them.
	+ **Savage Rouge**: Celebriel's amethyst dragon, their gems glitter with magical sparkles and the beast has a smooth appearance, lacking frills and horns, giving it a feminine, serpentine look. Its wings do sport scars from past battles however.
	+ **Scarred Demon**: Eardir's dragon. This ruby dragon, glows from its crystals giving it an ethereal presence. He has large straight horns, a pointed tip on its tail, and scar on its snout where teeth are missing. His frills are also missing, torn and left as tatters.
	+ **Majestic Chaos**: Eldur's dragon. This amethyst dragon has dark scales that resemble black volcanic rock, large antler like horns, tattered frills, and scars all over its body, and black cracked scales that give off magical flames, while its crystals glow like a fire is behind them.
	+ **Cruel Blaze**: Fean Gon's dragon. This dragon has dull scales, but polished emerald growths. They posses tusks, tattered frills, and scars all over their body.
	+ **Majestic Inferno**: Faraedan's dragon. This sapphire dragon sports dark scales, broken antlers, small frills, and a pointed tip on their tale and always looks absently into the distance.

## Weapons

* Dark Power: Celebriel's blade. It is a slender straight sword, with a bird themed handle. The blade is total black, but glittered like the stars of the night. It is said it can draw power from those it wounds, giving strength to its owner.
* Oath Provider: This hand and a half sword, has a thick blade, with runes upon it. Besides being seemingly indestructible, it is considered a holy sword and can cut down monsters with ease.
* Dragon Halter: A scimitar. The blade is silver, and the handle is ivory with leather wrappings. It is said to be indestructible and said to protect against fire. It is Eldur's blade.
* Black Night: Eldur's katana which he never draws. The handle is ebony wood, with an obsidian butt, and black leather wrappings. The handguard resembles an oni's face, and the blade is a black edge.
* Lord Finisher: Fean Gon's blade. It is a scimitar with a saw edge back. Besides the standard enchantment for durability, it causes those it cuts to bleed out faster.
* Light Eater: Faraedan's blade. This sword sword has a handle made of red coral, and wrapped in seaweed made wrappings. Its end sports a sapphire, possibly from its dragon. The sword can erect an aura of shadow around the elf and his dragon, obscuring them from view by an enemy.

## Part 1

The elf sat on the stone, one of many large boulders arranged in a circle. Swirls had been carved into them, and moss had begun to gather on a few of them. In the center was a campfire, where his meal, a few steaks, were cooking on the stone in the center of it.

The elf sported a dark grey skin tone, with white hair and purple eyes. He wore dark leather, scratched and old, and worn along with bits of iron armor, scratched up and dented. He sat with his knee up, staring at his fingers as he constantly snapped them, conjuring a match size flame, over and over as he waited, meditated. On his lap was a sword, a katana, with a black polished sheath, and a dark grey handle, the handguard resembling the mouth of an oni or ogre.

His silent contemplation was interrupted by the sudden gust of wind the swept over him. He sat up, and looked back the elf who now stood in the space between the stones. His was a pinkish, purple tone, with glowing blue eyes. He wore a robe of purple, white and bronze pieces, and head long locks of silver.

"When last I checked..." the dark elf said "Night Elves did not regularly show themselves in the day..."

"Yes, well, that is just a legend, we have no quarrel with the sun, we simply worship the night."

"Actually they simply fear the 'sun father' as they call him."

"Yes, well..."

"Look, I know you're not an elf, I saw your shadow, now, what do you want...?"

"I see..." The 'elf' stepped forward "I am Morien and I have a proposal for you."

"Oh..."

"Yes, I am in need of...warriors, of skill and magical talent..."

"And what task requires such warriors...?"

"Oh, there are many tasks that would requires warriors of such renown, daring heroes like in the tails of old, dear Eldur..."

"You know my name...?"

"Yes, 'both' of them." Eldur glared. "Oh, calm down, calm...down. From what I've gathered you do not want to draw that sword, and I can get you an excellent replacement."

"How...?"

"I am friend to dwarves."

"The dwarves are all gone..."

"No, but mostly. Few can say they feel the weight of ages like them, but fewer still can say they have the wisdom of the ages. They can forge for you, a new enchanted blade to replace that cursed one."

"And what do you want of me, for this 'barter'.?"

"Be my servant, help gather the others, and in time, slay her." Eldur sat up and looked at him.

Eldur sat upon the stone at he did all those years ago. He was upon the top of a tower over looking the sea. He wore robes of purple and grey under black armor, a scalemale shirt, and black plat armor on his shoulders, forearms, hips, and shins. He sported black leather boots and gloves, a leather satchel. Sheathed at his side were two swords, the black blade from years past, and a scimitar with an ivory hilt wrapped in brown leather.

Down came the first rider, on a wyvern. Like all wyvern his scales were like dark rocks, but this dragon had growths of purple amethyst all over its body, matching its owner's eyes. These gems sparkled like stars, while the scales had a polished smooth texture. With its lack of horns and frills, its serpentine appearance moved with a sensual feminine feel. The only thing that broke its pristine appearance were the scars on its wings, where the membrane had healed.

Its rider was a high elf, a blonde haired elf, with long locks, wearing silver armor over white robes with gold braces. He had at his side a slender blade, sheathed away, the handle sported a bird theme with the images of bird wings for the handguard and an eagle's head on the butt of the handle.

The dragon landed and curled up, lowering itself so its master could get off. He did, gracefully, gently brushing the lower jaw of his steed as he walked forward.

"Eldur..." he said "so you're here first...?"

"Yes, Celebriel..." Eldur replied. It was hard to tell if he was annoyed or simply uninterested with his stoic tone.

"And the others...?"

"On their way..."

"Hmmm, figure the merfolk and the wild elf, would be late."

"Is it not rude to call him an ogre...?"

"I don't understand..."

"I study history, and the division of our people form the original sun elves."

"I see. Hard to believe we would ever be related to such things ogres..."

"They are worshipers of the lord of change."

"Now it makes more sense..." Two elves came on their dragons. Both of them had blue tinted skin, and dark brown locks, with blonde strands and webbed hands. One was young, Fean Gon, with a green scale shirt, over his robes and sandals. He sported numerous trophies, the skulls of beasts and elves about his person like armor. His blade was Lord Finisher, a sheathed scimitar with a handle of blue stone. His dragon, had dull scratch covered scales but polished emerald growths,it had tusks instead of horns, the frill beneath its neck and around its cheeks were tattered from battle. Cruel Blaze was its name.

The other elf looked to be the oldest from all of his scars. His hair was tied in braids via coral clamps. He also wore the same scalemale shirt, but he wore armor made of a blue stone/metal carved into the shape of shells on his shoulders and bearing the images of fish and sea horses, on his bracers and shin guards. He had a shield made of this metal on his arm bearing images of fish, dolphins, and mermaids. His sword looked like a normal sword, but the handle was red coral, with treated brown leather wrappings, and blue sapphire on its butt, to match his dragon. His dragon, Majestic Inferno, had broken antlers, dark scales to hide its many scratches, and tail that ended in a spear tip. For some reason it was always looking about absently-mindlessly as if its brains had been knocked about one too many times in its many battles. He was Faraedan's dragon and the two had seen many battles together.

"Fean Gon, Faraedon, where have you two been?" Celebriel asked in a welcoming tone.

"Sinking ships, and gathering trophies...!" Fean replied.

"A task that would've been easier..." Faraedan continued "if this one had his eyes on destroying the enemy instead of collecting trinkets."

"Then who would believe if when we said we sank five ships full of skeletons?"

"Everyone, when they noticed the Dark Queen's navy does not harass our homes!" Faraedan sighed and shook his head. "So, only Eardir remains to arrive..."

"Indeed old friend..." Celebriel replied.

"Eldur...!" Fean shouted. The dark elf turned towards him "Where is your dragon, where is 'Majestic Chaos'?"

"He is around..." Eldur replied.

"Come now, afraid he will-"

"Leave it..." Faraedan shouted, like an angry parent. His dragon suddenly found its wits as it turned to Fean's dragon, growling. The other beast recoiled away in surprise, matching the facial expression of his master.

"What, it's all just some good fun..."

"It's all good fun until that thing needs to have its master's life threatened before it releases its grip on 'your' dragon's throat. Eldur is wise to keep that damnable thing away when he can! No offense..."

"Do not apologize for the truth..." Eldur replied "It never will." Everyone turned to the last dragon to arrive. Its gems were ruby red, its scales dark, hiding most of its scars, but the nasty old gash on its mouth, three claw marks where teeth no longer grow. Its frills were torn and tattered from battle but its horns remains, long straight points like the point on the end of its tail. 'Scarred Demon' was a fitting name.

Eardir wore a vest made of leaves and fines, over leather armor, he sported armor of bronze, and had a bronze hued skin tone, with wild dark blonde hair and ruby eyes. Like all the riders his eyes now matched the color of his dragon's stones, regardless of what eye color he was born with. He had several scars about his person, from battles, or from his rugged life style, like the single scar on his lips to match his dragon's. His blade, Oath Provider, was a straight sword, handing from his side. It was a hand and a half sword, with an unusually thick blade and runes running up and down its length on both sides. It matched his tone, athletic build.

"You are late.." Celebriel said as he returned to his dragon's side.

"Some of us are busy..." the wood elf replied "Some of us don't spend our days in fancy palaces, some are in the dirt and muck, the front lines, putting walking corpses back into the dirt, where they belong!"

"I am commander of an eagle,a general, you are but a soldier."

"I earned my rank, knowing you, I can only imagine whose bed won you yours!" Savage Rouge reared up roaring as Celebriel glared at the wood elf.

"ENOUGH!" Morien said, walking up the stairs. "I did not call you all here to bicker like school girls." Savage Rouge curled back down as Celebriel turned around bowed. The dragon still growling.

"Why have you called us, drake...?" Eardir asked "some of us have duties to perform."

"A most important duty is at hand..." Eldur sat up and turned towards Morien, as steam began to rise up behind him from the sea below. "Eldur, call your dragon..." Immediately there was a sense of unease as every dragon either became alert to took on a defensive stance, while their owners had clear visible worry.

"Lord Morien, I am not."

"At some point in time, you will have to control that beast and running away from that undertaking will not complete it. Call him..." Eldur sighed, biting his lips, and closing his eyes. He calmed down, and then opened his eyes, and stood up.

The steam that was behind him became greater, a large plume. Then came the sound of cracking stone, and tremors upon the tower. Something was climbing. What came from over the side was a black wing with Amethyst, that was the stone of Eldur's dragon but everything else was somewhat different. it had large antler like horns, tattered and torn frills and black scales, but this dark tone did not hide its scars, which glowed like cracks in volcanic rock. Its frills were tattered and its tail ended like a spear tip, but all over its body were cracks in ts scales around its glowing amethyst growths, from where flames seemed to rise up, like the flames coming from its eyes like torches.

It crawled onto the top of the tower, Eldur walking back, sea water evaporating, and screeched a horrid hiss of a roar that made the other dragons recoil in fear and revulsion. While the others had a saddle of leather, his was made of a black material, made to deal with the heat.

The first thing it did after it roared was, begin to approach Savage Rouge, the weakest looking dragon. That was until Eldur stood in front of it, his katana drawn to his throat. The sword's blade was a dark metal, the edge was totally black. The dragon just hissed and looked at his master. The others could not help but feel like the beast was daring him to do, to try it, and it was. So Eldur did something else. He put the blade beside his own neck, and for once, expression an emotion, hate.

"Behave..." he growled with pure spite and venom, gritting his teeth. The dragon stepped back and curled like a proper steed.

"Lords of Light, you have problems..." Celebriel remarked as the other elves nodded in agreement. Eldur looked at him, stoic again, but his annoyance showed his dragon's as it stared at the high elf as he put away his sword.

"Well..." said Morien "With that over, let us get down to business.

## Part 2

"I assume this is big..." Celebriel said as he sat on his dragon's tail "considering you called for all of us."

"Indeed." Morien replied "We are planning to take out the Dark Queen." Majestic Chaos, flared up, and the others dragons also raised their heads. "Don't look so surprised, what else did you think I formed this group for?"

"Wingmen when we go partying...?" Celebriel remarked in a jest.

"The Dark Queen's forces are growing day by day, right now we've been able to keep her at bay, but look at your dragons, many of them show the signs of battles, many times over."

"So make new riders..." Faraedan shouted.

"If only it was that easy. To be a rider takes great magical power, and what would be the point if they don't know how to fight?"

"Fair enough...? What is next then...?"

"The Dark Queen seeks to consolidate her forces, what she cannot win alone by force, she seeks to win by alliance, by matrimony. She seeks to make a diplomatic reach to the other elven kingdoms, with the promise of matrimony, if not alliance. In truth she plans to bewitch the kings and queens of the elves."

"Peace...?!" Fean Gon remarked.

"So long as it means, she is in charge..." Eldur remarked.

"Indeed." Morien replied "This also means she will be vulnerable. There will be no military movements, for the time being, not into our lands."

"So...an offensive..." Eardir said with a smirk as he stroked his beard." Morion nodded.

"We will wait for the moment when she is vulnerable, to strike. Some of you will harass her forces, maintain normalcy, but when the time comes, the signal will be sent, your dragons will know."

"Until then..?" Celebriel asked.

"You wait...?"

"And when will we know this signal...?" Eardir asked.

"Your dragons will know it, and thus you will know it."