text | un: stormsend

[bruxisms]

GREETINGS. I AM STANNIS BARATHEON, ONCE RIGHTFUL KING OF WESTEROS, AND LORD OF DRAGONSTONE AND STORM'S END, THOUGH OLD TITLES MATTER LITTLE HERE.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR ALL "REFUGEES".

[ is he using capslock because he believes that is the proper way to type? because he accidentally got his phone stuck on it? because he just wants to? the true reason will likely be lost to time, and none will ever know. ]

HAVE ANY OF YOU EXPERIENCED AN ODD OCCURRENCE WHERE YOU MEET SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE ACQUAINTED WITH, AND THEY RECALL EVENTS FAR DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU? NOT MERELY A LAPSE IN THEIR MEMORY, BUT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT EVENTS, SUCH AS A MAN STILL BEING ALIVE WHEN YOU KNOW HIM TO BE DEAD, OR HEARING THAT YOU MARCHED YOUR WIFE AND CHILD INTO BATTLE WHEN YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE UTTER FOLLY AND RECALL LEAVING THEM SAFELY UNDER GUARD?

[ he still cannot believe that anyone would do that, least of all a man who seems to share his name, personality, and so many of his memories, yet is very much not him. ]

I WOULD KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR THINGS WITH THOSE THEY KNOW. AS THOUGH THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS OF YOUR WORLD. ONE THAT SOME OF YOU RECALL, AND ONE THAT OTHERS DO.

AND EVEN IF YOU DO NOT, I WOULD ALSO HEAR OF WHAT YOU KNOW OF DRAGONS FROM YOUR OWN WORLD. AS A MEMBER OF THE SIMWE INSTITUTE, ONE OF MY TASKS IS TO STUDYING THEM, AND I WOULD HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

YOU HAVE MY THANKS, AND DO NOT WASTE MY TIME.

Comments

text; un: Iceheart

[ysayle]

I've met those who've known of events that followed those that I remember, but I've not met anyone who remembers events differently as yet.

[ "Yet". Always a Yet. ]

I would say I know a great deal about the Dravanians of my world, though they are by no means the only dragons. What is it you would wish to know?

[bruxisms]

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT IS A RARE OCCURRENCE. THUS FAR, I HAVE ONLY SPOKEN TO ONE OTHER WITH A SIMILAR TALE.

[ and onto dragons... a much lighter topic. ]

ARE THEY INTELLIGENT CREATURES? DO OTHERS IN YOUR LAND BOND WITH THEM, OR RIDE THEM? I AM CURIOUS AS TO THEIR NATURE.

[ysayle]

Worth noting for the future, certainly. Yours may be the first report, but how likely is it that it will be the last?

[What a world this is, that DRAGONS are the lighter topic.

Then again, for most Ishgardians, discussing recent dragon attacks was a bit like talking about the weather. ]

Highly. As smart as any children of the land. Of those known to me, there are a small number willing to treat, as long as peace is not disturbed. But the greater many belong to Nidhogg's horde and follow the dragonsong to war.

[bruxisms]

TO SEE AN ARMY OF DRAGONS TAKING FLIGHT, THAT WOULD BE A TRUE MARVEL. EVEN IN THE BEST OF TIMES, THERE WERE NEVER MORE THAN SOME TWENTY OR THIRTY DRAGONS IN RECENT MEMORY, WHERE I CAME FROM

[ he realizes that he must sound like half a child. but still... how can one not be amazed by dragons? ]

[ysayle]

[ "Marvel", he says. Spoken like a man who has never been taught to fear the skies. To know the darkness overtaking a town was not cloud shadow, but that of great wings.

But, even then, he is not wrong. Dragons, especially those who remain of the first brood, are truly marvels in their own right. ]

Admittedly, they do not mingle with us often, save for when they attack, but I cannot imagine a place with so few. Even knowing there are lands beyond Eorzea without dragons or dragon is hard to picture.

Then again, Dravanians come in many different shapes, and sizes. The larger they are, the older and more dangerous they're certainly likely to be. How large are the ones spoken of in your homeland?

[bruxisms]

[ perhaps not, for dragons had only been stories of times long past in his realm. but even still, his father's mother was a Targaryen, and his fascination with them might very well be genetic. ]

THEIR SIZE VARIED, AND IT WAS SAID TO BE MUCH THE SAME. IF UNINHIBITED, A DRAGON COULD GROW TO MASSIVE SIZE. IT WAS WRITTEN THAT WHEN BALERION, THE BLACK DREAD PASSED OVERHEAD, ENTIRE TOWNS WOULD FALL INTO SHADOW.

BUT THE LAST ONES WERE WITHERED AND WEAK THINGS.

[ysayle]

The older they are, the greater and grander in size they may grow. All children of Ishgard are taught to 'ware the skies in the event that the shadows cast by wings might permanently end their days.

What shape the Dravanians take as their form is often dictated by the prevalence of aether, and its particular aspect of course, but I have never encountered any that might be considered 'withered and weak'. Those dragons must have suffered much to end up in such a state.

[bruxisms]

IT WAS SAID THAT THEY DID. THEIR END CAME IN PART BECAUSE OF THE DANCE OF THE DRAGONS, A CIVIL WAR THAT DIVIDED MUCH OF WESTEROS, MY HOMELAND. BY THE END OF IT, ONLY FOUR DRAGONS REMAINED ALIVE, ALONG WITH A PALTRY STOCK OF EGGS. MANY OF THE EGGS NEVER HATCHED, DESPITE THE EFFORT OF THE KINGS THAT CAME AFTER THEM, THOUGH SOME WHISPER THAT THE KING AT THE TIME, AEGON III, POISONED THEM.

[ysayle]

I cannot say I do not know of those who would willingly smash the eggs of dragons, were they to be encountered, but I cannot imagine poisoning them.

It would seem no matter what the world, the actions of man impact others.

[ The disgust she feels likely doesn't radiate from those words, but she is genuinely sad to hear of their demise. ]

[bruxisms]

SO IT WOULD SEEM. OUR REALM SAW MANY A WAR BETWEEN MEN, OFTTIMES OVER NOTHING BUT PETTY GRIEVANCES.