HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

 

1. Each picture has hyperlinks to the next screen, click on things you want to examine, move to, talk to, etc.

2. Generally you may go back by clicking near the bottom of the screen or either side as appropriate.

3. Other miscellaneous instructions or pictures may appear and may be hotspots.

4. Some pages have rollovers so try going off the main pic and returning.

 

 

YOUR GOAL

 

1.Wander around aimlessly until you figure out what a dragon is.

2. Kill it.

3. Figure out the REAL story.

 

 

Naevus Background Story

 

"Why me?"

 

Now there is an epitaph for your gravestone if ever there was one.

 

Ironically, your (very rational) fear of being eaten by Gods know what, drowning in some torrent, starving to death in some

forsaken forest, falling over the edge of some cliff, or whatever else fate has in store for you in the next minute-and-a-half

actually seems like a step up compared to the life you were living just...how long has it been?  Eight? No...NINE days ago.

You certainly hope whatever you did in your last life it can justify your punishment in this one.

 

Things could have been better. Your mother was once married to an important commander named Haroun, with whom she had your brother Crucio. As Haroun's accomplishments grew he attracted the interest of princess Taja and became her lover.

 

Many years passed and your mother lived a happy existence tending the son of her absent husband.  Calamity struck when

Taja found out that your mother had once again become pregnant. In a fit of jealousy, she had the commander killed on his next

mission.

 

In a bid to retain the commander's estate for Crucio, your (still pregnant)  mother sought audience with the princess and put

forth a claim under oath that she had been raped. Taja relented and arranged to have her father's physician-mystic, Tanek,

oversee the birth when the time came.

 

It didn't go well...

 

Officially, your mother died in childbirth. This too would have been your fate if Tanek would not have spun some fantastic tale about a strange mark on your back. You were spared and kept for "observation" purposes under Tanek's care. He named you Niran.

 

Your early childhood was the best time of your life - because you can't remember any of it. Your first memories consist of the beatings as you were "educated" by Tanek. But, they are nothing compared to the day you met Crucio. Tanek had brought you along to help in an emergency field operation at a training camp. Crucio took one look at you just knew. The resemblance was uncanny. You were the long lost brother who had killed his mother and caused him so much grief. From that day forward, he took great joy in beating you every chance that he could.

 

Tanek's tutelage provided you some relief. He had taught you how to read, how to locate and prepare herbs, and how to

address an audience appropriately. In the process he had accidentally taught you how to use history and theocracy to your

advantage. Through your mischief and curiosity you had learned some of his secrets on your own from his books and artefactswhile he was away. But that in and of itself did not leave you where you are today.

 

The common lore has it that at noon on the summer solstice a dragon is awakened by the sun streaming into its cave at just the right angle and comes to plunder the country in payment for tolerating the humans' presence. According to the bards' tales the dragon would burn castles and eat the inhabitants while ravaging the treasuries. Apparently one particular year arrangements were made to hide everything of value. That was the year of "THE GREAT BURN".  In his rage the dragon burned every structure and forest to the ground in retribution. After that year a council was formed and it was decided that in an effort to limit the damage, the local fifes would send tribute to the summer palace as a sacrifice. In addition a lottery would be held among the chieftans families for a human sacrifice in an effort to quell the dragon's blood lust. This strategy has worked for generations and the dragon comes unseen every year and collects his due at the stroke of midnight.

 

Of course that is the common lore...

 

Nobody has ever seen a dragon, but yet every year the tribute and sacrifice mysteriously disappears and the country remains

unharmed. You did not think much of the situation until one day when you were snooping in Tanek's room and found a ledger. Inside was the value of the items each chieftain had contributed each year and list of their children. Scribbled in the margin of each name was a list of other items desirable to "the dragon" and a circle around the name of particularly well liked offspring. The lottery was rigged.

 

You quickly flipped to this year's entries and saw who was being extorted. It appeared that this year the victim would be

Mered, the youngest son of a local mercenary chief who had been caught fraternizing with an enemy of the king...but most

importantly Crucio's best friend, mentor, and partner in mischief! You had the chance to get him off your back once and for all. You could warn Crucio about Mered's impending doom and he would be forever greatful.

 

To make a long story short, it didn't happen that way. At noon on the equinox the lottery was held. The crowd was anxious as  all the sweating chieftains hoped they had bribed Tanek enough. You stood at Tanek's side as he drew the name from the box. You watched as he skillfully palmed the ivory plaque to that of  his pre-planned victim and secreted away the original ballot in his pocket. It didn't say "Mered", it said "Taja". Tanek hesitated.

 

Crucio and Mered were the first to call out, "The Name!"

 

Tanek gave you a look of death. It was you who had prepared the names. Had you slept while guarding the ballots last night?

You had written all the names on the list, but that was not your writing in this particular plaque.

 

The crowd began shouting, "The Name!"

 

It was then that the fates intervened. As sky darkened and the sun disappeared behind the moon Tanek dropped the ballot

back into the box.

 

When it was over, Tanek spoke, "We have been spared! As the prophets of old have fortold, the dragon will have seen the

dark and sleep one more year. It is now in his weakened state that we have one year to find it an slay the beast."

 

It was then that it dawned on you that your life was about to change dramatically.

 

Tanek pulled you to the front of the stage and lifted the back of your shirt. "From his birth I have been training this champion the magical skills required to slay the winged horror! See the marks of the Gods on his back!"

 

This was not going well for you...

 

"At the stroke of midnight, Niran will depart alone to seek the beast. If he can remain pure enough to my teachings he will

succeed and return before the year has passed. If he is not up to the challenge the Gods will strike him down, and I will begin again. We must now go to prepare. Let the feast begin!"

 

Thus it was that you were rudely dragged back to Tanek's quarters, beaten, given a few provisions to continue the illusion of

your quest and banished from the only home you had ever known.

 

All week you have been travelling and are now beyond your homeland and into unknown territory. Goodluck.

 

 

 

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