[D4, EE - any participation] Here be Dragons

[OOC: Prince Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar range far and wide across Battle Valley. Anyone can post their reaction to the dragon in this thread, even if already involved in another thread elsewhere.

Will (Courage) TN 9 to see whether or not you're spooked by the mighty dragon. No mechanical impact, but may help frame roleplay.]

Prince Aemond Targaryen knows how to make an entrance, soaring ahead of the rest of the royal party on Vhagar, encased in night-black armour picked out in gold.

Even among those of you who have seen Dragons already, Vhaghar is an intimidating sight. The last surviving dragon from King Aegon's conquest is truly vast even at this distance. Her throat alone looks large enough to swallow a horse whole and she lights up the evening sky with bursts of flame.

But sight was not the only intimidating thing about Vhaghar - as she swoops and soars over Battle Valley she roars, shaking trees and frightening horses.

It is quite a display of royal might - none can be in any doubt: Royal attention has been turned to Battle Valley.

[url=courge test to respond tp dragon D4 EE][/url]: 4d6 13 (fear, what fear, I laugh in the face of fear Baw ha ha ha ha ha )

What is that? Septon Arlyn hears a roar and steps out from beneath the canopy. Oh gods, it is a dragon. Why did they have to bring a dragon? Weren't things difficult enough without the small folk fearing to speak because they might become food for the dragon? Septon Arlyn stares up in the sky with the other onlookers. You cant deny that it is an impressive sight though.

[url=Will courage][/url]: 3d6k3 13

Ser Jorah saw the dragon and marvelled. He'd never seen one before and they were everything they said.

Trelane stared at the dragon as well, his face set like stone.

"
Nothing good will come from him being here. I will tell you this now."


[url=Will courage][/url]: 3d6k3 12

Luecian heard the roar and froze immediately. That be a mighty primal sound, never heard by these ears before.. Scanning the area, he notices the majestic dragon in the sky and his eyes widen not from fear but in awe and admiration. That be one of the true royal beasts of the world, and even one as sadly learned as meself knows that Targaryens are kings because they sit on dragon's backs more than any throne.
[url=Dragon Sighting-TN 9][/url]: 3d6 11

[url=Will - Courage][/url]: 5d6k4 22

Corrine noticed the dark form approaching, and stopped briefly, to watch it soaring over Battle Valley. She knew that Aemond's presence, especially with his dragon, was sure to cause trouble, but she could not help but find the beast marvellous. She tried to imagine what flying on a dragon would be like, and thought of how much House Marsten's enemies would be deterred if she had one of her own.

[url=Here be Dragons Will][/url]: 3d6 10

Baelon looks up at Vhagar. Dragons were nothing new to him.
Hello cousin. Someday I will ride a dragon of my own... it is my birthright. Or maybe I will claim yours when you are gone...

[url=Here by Dragons Will (Courage)][/url]: 3d6 13

"
That's a royal entry and a show of force"


[i]"
Maybe the Blacks and Green's should just kill themselves with their Dragon's, then we might see if their fit to rule without them"

As the Dragon's roar can be heared over Battle Valley, the brave Marsten knight cannot help himself, but cringes. Wide-eyed he looks up to the mighty creature, as its shadow covers Ser Kevan from the sun. I saw one once, as a squire, but still they scare me... What good is the best full plate armour and the sturdiest shield to cover me from dragonfire? I can command as many men as I want, if I am fighting dragons, I will lose...
He tries to shake these feelings away and returns to his work, but somehow it feels hard to concentrate after this...
May the Seven make all these damned dragons drop dead from the sky...


[url=Here be dragons][/url]: 3d6 8

Ben was thankful he was alone at just that moment as the sky darkened. The thunderous roar bent his spine in to. He doubled over on his courser, his hands barely able to command the frightened horse into the tree line.

Once safely out of view under the dark foliage he straightens his back. His clenched fists relax and he attempts to calm the spooked horse. His eyes never once take sight of the fire breathing beast. His grandfather's description are more than enough.

One more reason to dislike that pompous arse.

[url=Here be Dragons Will(courage)][/url]: 4d6k3 8

(OOC: It appears the Marsten knights do have a weakness.)

[url=here there be dragons][/url]: 3d6+2 9 Yeah...claiming BoV should count, not like there's any consequence anyway.

Daddy...can I have one of those? Marq never knew when to be afraid. Not upon seeing a dragon for the first time, either, auntie Rhaenys had Meleys, and the red queen could match Vhagar they said. He actually asked father if he could have a dragon, receiving only a chuckle and a shake of the head. Did he not have enough of the blood to bond with one?

Or get himself killed. Marq quite liked living, so maybe he shouldn't seek the opportunity.

[OOC: in the name of establishing a precedent, Blood of Valyria is useful enough without adding to will tests caused by dragons. The final part of Marq's post adds the appropriate dose of fear however!]

[url=Day 4 here be dragons - Courage][/url]: 5d6k4 8

Nothing could have prepared her for this. The wingspan alone seems to blot out the sun. Trees quiver, winds thunder, horse and hound alike cow at the presence of the massive dragon. Loreia braces instinctively, yet freezes in that moment at the thunder it makes when it roars. She thinks back to her encounters in Thenn, quietly wishing she were still there, staring down giants. Vhagar, as she is called, appears as the vanguard of the royal contingent, a powerful reminder that the houses representing the crown must still answer to it, whether they liked it or not. They are simply a rung plucked off the ladder and inserted between the royals and the houses whose feud they were called to pacify. Though Viserys is a good king, long may he reign, the Seven Kingdoms are loyal to the Dragon because they were brought low by fear and conquest - Fire and Blood.

"
How do they even control these monsters?"
she murmurs breathlessly.

[url=Here Be Dragons - Will (TN9)][/url]: 4d6 13
Daveth looks up, and sees history flying over his head. Vhagar. Last of the original three. How much history has she seen? How much has she caused? And how much are you aware of it? Do you truly have no more intelligence than a mute beast, or are you simply wise enough to hide it? So many questions run through Daveth's head that it doesn't actually occur to him until afterwards that he probably should have been frightened of his close encounter.

At the first roar, Gwyn was running...running for the ridge top to look into Battle Valley. Overhead, over the valley, she spied the great beast all clad in black armor with unquenchable flame leaking from around swordlike teeth. The maesters liked to say that the ages of legends were past...but so long as even one dragon lived, they were wrong.

She couldn't see such a thing and not feel a shiver of fear...but mixed in was heady exhilaration, because on its back was the tiny speck she knew to be Prince Aemond. For all its primal power, the dragon was ridden by the man. Yes, fear the fire, the teeth, the claws, the fury...but so too imagine what the world must look like from atop its back. Was that why so many of the Targaryen line ruled so pitilessly? Once you had seen all the people of the world as ants scattered over a picnic lunch often enough, maybe that stayed with you.

One day, she thought. One day I'll see that too.

[url=Will (courage) for dragon overflight][/url]: 4d6 10

[url=Courage to not fear Dragon][/url]: 5d6 20
Yoren looks up to the sky as he feels gusts of air hitting him. As many smallfolk cowers in fear, Yoren waves. Such a beautiful animal, and so inteligent. Once I want to meet one myself. Yoren thinks fondly of a book he read on how to get along with dragons. He'd been captivated in his youth, and his curiosity had not lessened woth age. Targaryen propaganda, saying that only they can get along with them Yoren shakes his head. I just want to see one up close, to see such a wonder of nature.

[OOC:
[url=Random beneficiary: Here be dragons (1-13)/Rain at last (14+), 1st post =1/14][/url]: 1d18 3]

Before departing on D6 on Dragonback alongside her Prince (now that will set tongues wagging), Alys Rivers bumps in to Luecian Longbowas she readies to depart, and with a look of shock blurts out a prophecy before being dragged along by the exasperated looking Aemond. Both of the pair smell faintly of wine - enough for revelry, but not staggering drunk.

Fame and fortune for the bold
Arrows transfix the mind
Forget not fortune's foundation
Lest the earth yield to gambling

The rambling of a troubled wine addled girl, or something more?

[OOC: Luecian Longbow receives a floating destiny point that can be spent (not burned) between now and the end of story 3.]

[url=Will TN 9][/url]: 3d6k3 8

Darron watched the beast high in the sky along with the other Ironborn. He was paralyzed with dread, "
How easy it would be to come down and wipe us all out."
He thought to himself. He eventually composed himself and said "
What is dead may never die."
the other Ironborn respond with "
But rises again, harder and stronger."
.

Tristayne, for a moment at least, stared up at the glorious creature as it soared with childlike glee. Forgetting his woes, he thought of the majesty of beast and rider. As his adult faculties returned, he had a realization of the power of the Royal Line. Any other family, any other kingdom could be resisted, could be usurped, but the Targaryens were as unassailable as the stars themselves, shining silver and gold upon the backs of beasts more than able to topple a castle. He could not see opposition to the King and his line as anything but folly, while the beast that could burn a hundred thousand men still soared.

[url=Will to Avoid Fear.][/url]: 4d6 9

Reaction to Vhagar: 3d6k3 7 + 2 BoA = 9

Ser Jon had spent part of the day visiting the homes of the women that had been abducted by Gargon the Gross. It might have been beneath other knights to do so but Jon had returned to see how they were adjusting after their collectively awful experience. Jon could tell after talking to them and their parents that some were adjusting better than others. Who knew what horrors they had needlessly been exposed to. Jon's hope was time would heal these wounds.

Caught deep in thought, Jon reflexively tensed when a large shadow flew overhead. A sense of dread washed over him when he realized what creature was the only one capable of producing such a shadow. Slowly looking up Jon saw the dragon. Though the young knight was white-knuckling the reigns to his horse he kept his composure. The hair stood on the back of his neck as he saw a dragonrider atop the dragon. A Targaryen no doubt. So unnatural.

As quickly as it happened it was over. The dragon and its rider continued on their way which happened to be the same way Jon was heading. Wonderful...

Reaction to Vhagar:

Here Be Dragon's Will Courage: 3d6k3 7 vs. 9, Fail

Triston had accompanied Ser Jon and done his share of grumbling about the state of these people, feeling less than pleased on their condition. He knew there was nothing he could do. Words of honey were of less use to a man without a tongue.

When the roar came, Triston was walking out of a hovel and leapt backwards slamming into the wall. His eyes were cast up into the air in true panic. He had never seen a dragon before. Triston's mouth was left agape as the massive beast become smaller and smaller in the sky. "By the gods," he said absently, casting a sidelong glance at his friend without another word.

[Raynald's roll: Noticing Vhagar: 3d6 11
and I'm going to roll a general Will for the Whoresons as well, just for fun, using Will 2: Whoresons' Will for seeing Vhagar: 2d6 7]

The Whoresons were traveling by a good number of days now, with their leader, the Mad Dulver, riding on the vanguard mounted on his trusty coursel. The rest of the men, sturdy and hardy, were marching on foot, escorting the pair of heavy carts used by the band to carry their equipment. It was not hard to follow the trail left by the thousand soldiers led by Theomore Tullison. A thousand men means a thousand mouths to feed on the land whose folk were happy - be it by silver or steel - to direct Raynald and his men towards the army. Over sun and rain and then sun again the party travelled south, halting only when necessary, be it to rest on a tavern, under a fig tree or even a small wooden sept. No bandit on his right mind would dare to attack the Whoresons, and normally it would be Raynald's band to rob any uncautious wanderer, but this time the travel went uninterrupted.

Until the dragon, that is.

The Red Dulver could already see the many colors of a dozen banners hanging over the host camp set in the Battle Alley when a loud roar made the ground shake and leaves rain down from the trees all around the Whoresons. Raynald held the reins to contain his mount as the sky itself got bloodied by the crimson flames of the giant monster. The men stood in silence for a second, being washed in horror by such vision, their dirty faces frozen and their eyes reflecting the fire in the sky. Noticing their fear, Raynald broke the silence with a deep laugh, looking over his shoulder to his men and shouting "You watch yourselves and behave boys, seems like we'll have plenty of grilled dornishmen for dinner these next days!"

Time would prove Triston right to fear Vhagar, as the great dragon would feast well on would be revolutionary small-folk in Battle Valley in the days to come, aided by Ser Theomore's willingness to accuse peasants of vile deeds and fuel Prince Aemond's wrath.

Ser Jon and Ser Raynald proved to be made of sterner stuff, perhaps buoyed by confidence gained in their displays of martial valour in the Valley, the latter gaining a taste of how men could break and run from such a beast, were it deployed against them. Ser Jon may have been afraid of the great beast, but such fear was wisdom rather than cowardice and it is true bravery to master your fears. Only madmen are unafraid of dragons when they dance through the sky...

Ser Galladon of Claw Isle, raised among the Ironborn, half-drowned, and granted absolution by the Seven, was seldom scared, least of all by beasts, but in the cacophonous moment of Vhagar's bellow, he found himself, fortunately alone, but more shaken by fear than he had been for many years. He could see nothing but the great expanse of scaled flesh, surrounded on all sides by the most expertly honed implements of death known to man or god. His mind was awash with dragonfire, and the bellow shook him down to his bones. The creature was slaughter made flesh, and in the suddenness of the moment, all the ways in which it could kill him, from excruciatingly fast snapping of jaws bigger than the horse on which he rode, to the excruciatingly slow agony of burning and infection.

He could not, for a long time, rouse himself from a stunned reverie, staring upward at the spot where the beast had been, and where it seemed to hang like an axe over a condemned man, only drawn out of it by the realization that Mya had thrown him down and bolted, leaving him in a pile on the ground, staring up at the creature, the mixture of enraged frustration and ice-blooded fear was new to him, and by the gods to whom he had made his vow, he swore never to allow it to conquer him again.

Courage: 3d6 7