The Grey Dragons/Logs/20240403 Dragons 101 Xosiurion
4/3/2024
time
It has been 448 years, 293 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer.
It is the 8th month of Skullcleaver the Dwarven Axe in the year of the Silver Unicorn.
It is currently fall and it is night.
You're positive it's 8 roisaen before the Anlas of Starwatch.
Presented by: The Grey Dragons
Hostess
Illiya
You see Strawberry Nurse Illiya, Kirmiko of Zoluren, a Human.
Illiya has a heart-shaped face, slightly pointed ears, a pair of copper buckled strawberry-hued punka leather goggles over silver-flecked silver-limned sparkling violet eyes, a small nose and dimples. Her glittery rainbow-streaked pastel strawberry-pink hair is long and straight, and is worn in a deceptively careless-looking arrangement of upswept locks held in place by a radiant nine-leafed sungold tiara bearing an exquisite red diamond strawberry. She has fair skin contoured with glittering swipes of translucent crystal dust and a pair of pearlescent valkyrie wings with sungold feathers arching away from a slender figure.
She is tiny for a Human.
A baby fruit bat covered in ginger-spotted black fur floats lazily around her left forearm, glowing with a lustrous sheen against her skin.
She appears to be young.
Softly glowing chains of truegold are looped elegantly over Illiya's head, suspending a glittering lotus carved out of winter emerald just above her eyes.
She has a tattoo of a bleeding heart on her arm.
She is in good shape.
She is holding a dark glass snifter of Dragon's Spine Winter Ice wine in her right hand. She is wearing a dainty pet rat, a radiant nine-leafed sungold tiara bearing an exquisite red diamond strawberry, a lavish white spun glitter gown dotted with glistening merlot ruby strawberries, a glittery cupcake-shaped targe sprinkled with raspberry-pink spikes, a flashy ring pop set with a pink candy crystal jewel, a delicate sungold ring embedded with sparkling merlot ruby strawberries and a set of scintillating slippers stained a sunset strawberry.
Speakers
You see Follower of Xosiurion Navesi Daerthon, True Bard of Zoluren, a Kaldaran Bard.
Navesi has an aristocratic face, sharp black eyes and a straight nose. Her white hair is pixie-cut and thick, and is worn artfully tousled. She has pale skin and a lean, precisely composed figure.
She is statuesque for a Kaldar.
She appears to be in her prime.
She is in good shape.
She is holding a horned cambrinth dragon skull set with eyes of red-orange erythraean in her right hand.
She is wearing a set of lavishly carved dragonfire amber combs, a smoky blue aoustone muhenta shaped like a dragon skull, an ice-white irinai amulet whose core pulses with fiery light, a red-gold scaled dragon with black spines, a slim-fitting crimson dragonfire brocade jacket buttoned at a diagonal, a crisp white Imperial weave shirt, some luxurious crimson trousers cut from dragonfire brocade and a pair of expertly shined dark grey leather boots.
Waydren
You see Dragon's Shadow Waydren Amlir, a Human Ranger.
Waydren's flesh is covered by a magical coat of protective scales. They swirl swiftly through vibrant hues of all the colors of the spectrum.
He appears to be venerable.
He has a thick, evenly trimmed full mustache that droops heavily on his upper lip and a long, thick full beard.
He has a tattoo of a vibrant portrait of Lanival the Redeemer on his forearm.
Razor-like claws extend from his fingertips.
Waydren has unnaturally dark tiger stripes criss-crossing his skin.
He is wearing an azurelle battle longbow sporting seventeen forged ka'hurst raven feathers, a deeply cowled cloak of dark jadeleaf cloth inked with a shadowy gloomwood tree, a densely forged ka'hurst mail hauberk richly padded with electroweave, an eddy of muted sylvan light trapped in a cage of barbed dragonwood arrows, a rugged yeehar-hide herb pouch, a waterproof oilcloth gamebag fastened with riftstone arrows, an elaborate scorpion-shaped quiver bound in void-black shadowleaf, a pair of black spidersilk pants and some rugged leather traveler's boots.
Log
Also here: Lich Bane Reynne, Butcher Tweedee, Duskruin Arena Hero Vaerek, Outrider Vadrakar, Ranger Danger Paven, Songbird Mendira, Knight of Meraud Tirost, Shield of Starlight Betlind, Phantom Judge Crobin, Valynn (sitting), Mountain Lord Ezerak, Light of the World Gwenddolyn, Follower of Xosiurion Navesi, Leviathan Friend Lupdels, Veteran Apprentice Anuril, Belzor, Heart Tender Kethrai, Lady of Elamiri Ayrell, Strawberry Nurse Illiya, Miskton, Niliaevat Raesh Isen Ezathiel (sitting), Tempest Knight Saragos, Seele, Desert Dancer Zersha (sitting) and Lord of Elamiri Gridaksma (sitting)
Illiya exclaims, "Greetings dragon enthusiasts!"
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Illiya says, "If you missed the first lecture, or if you have to leave early, don't worry we'll keep you in the loop. And a quick reminder to keep things quiet so everyone can enjoy the lecture."
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Illiya says, "A huge welcome to all of you for joining our Dragons 101 Lunch and Learn hosted by the Grey Dragons! We're thrilled to see such a passionate crowd of dragon enthusiasts here today."
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Illiya says, "For those of you new to our events, the Grey Dragons are dedicated to adhering to the cycle of life and death, much like dragons themselves. It's a philosophy we hold dear, and Waydren will delve deeper into how that plays out for us."
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You bow to Illiya.
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You say to Illiya, "My thanks, Life Sister."
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You say, "For those who have met us on the fields of battle, you may believe that relentless pursuit of combat excellence is the sum of our existence. That may very well be true of our Wardens, but they are only one grouping within our family. Alongside the Wardens exist the Menders and Lorekeepers."
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You say, "Menders bring Life. Menders heal, and not just the physical wounds addressed by magic or mundane. When called upon, they help to heal emotional scars as well."
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You say, "Illiya is one such. While vicious when provoked, Illiya brings life and joy to those around her. She counter-balances the Death that Wardens visit upon those who stray from Balance."
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You smile at Illiya.
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You say, "Lorekeepers, on the other hand, seek knowledge. They gather first hand accounts from other adventurers and help to sift fact from fiction. But knowledge gathered is never hoarded. Rather, Lorekeepers share their knowledge freely with any that ask."
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You say, "They are the primary drivers behind events such as these: the Dragon Research Symposium held previously as well as the current series."
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You say, "While not Lorekeepers themselves, Ayrell, Navesi, Lupdels, and Kiiryn would make fantastic members of those ranks."
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You say, "As for Wardens...one only needs to count the feathers on my bow to know what we are about."
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You pat an azurelle battle longbow sporting seventeen forged ka'hurst raven feathers.
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You say, "Raven feathers."
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You wink.
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Ezathiel chuckles.
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Illiya grins at you, her dimples flashing into view.
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Gwenddolyn chuckles.
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Ezathiel jots down some notes.
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Kethrai snickers.
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You say, "More will follow regarding the Grey Dragons in future events."
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You say, "Thank you for indulging this brief interlude before Lady Navesi speaks."
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You bow to Illiya.
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You sit down.
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Navesi says, "Small point of fact - I am in fact a Lore Keeper, that is, a member of a particular sect of Bards, though that is separate from the Grey Dragons."
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Illiya says, "Now, some of you might remember our previous Dragon Research Symposium, which delved into some pretty complex lore."
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Illiya says, "Based on your feedback, we created this "Dragons 101" series starting with the basics about dragons of lore and today."
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Illiya says, "Each session is designed to build a solid foundation of draconic knowledge, like a treasure map unlocking the secrets of these mythical beasts."
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Illiya says, "In our first session, Ayrell enlightened us about the legend of the World Dragon and the Dragon Priests who worship it."
Illiya exclaims, "Today the journey continues!"
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Illiya exclaims, "So, grab your lunch, settle in, and get ready to embark on a journey into the world of these magnificent creatures!"
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Illiya exclaims, "This evening, we have the distinct honor of welcoming a renowned scholar and chronicler of history, Navesi Daerthon!"
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Navesi bows her head in acknowledgement.
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Illiya lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Saragos lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Zersha looks at Navesi and applauds!
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Kethrai lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Illiya says, "Navesi wears many hats, each one a testament to her dedication to knowledge and history."
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Illiya says, "As a Lore Keeper, she believes a Bard's most sacred duty is to chronicle the events that shape our world, ensuring our histories are preserved for generations to come."
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Illiya says, "This dedication has led Navesi to found the First Land Herald, a publication that we all know and cherish."
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Illiya says, "But her passion for knowledge extends beyond current events to the vast lore of our realms, and especially the rich tapestry of Kaldar and Gorbesh cultures."
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Illiya says, "Navesi herself embodies this cultural bridge. Born to a Kaldaran father and a Gorbesh mother, she was raised to revere both the Thirteen and the Ten. While the power of the Thirteen has touched her life personally, her interest in the Ten has always burned bright."
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Illiya says, "Tonight, she will shed light on Xosiurion, the Gorbesh god of dragons."
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Illiya exclaims, "Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Navesi!"
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Zersha looks at Navesi and applauds!
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Lupdels whistles a merry tune.
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Kethrai lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Miskton looks at Navesi and applauds!
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Tweedee lets out a loud "Huzzah!" for Navesi!
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Gwenddolyn applauds.
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Crobin lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Raising her ice wine to Navesi, Illiya gives her a toast.
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Paven lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Ayrell applauds.
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Vadrakar makes a grunting noise.
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Ezathiel puts his quill in his rucksack.
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Navesi nods politely.
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Betlind lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Tirost applauds.
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Illiya lets out a hearty cheer for Navesi!
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Navesi says, "Thank you everyone, and welcome."
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Navesi says, "I will say that I tried to make this lecture brief and more on the simple, informative side, but I could not help but throw in a few interpretations and speculations at the end. I always welcome questions and discussion and hope it is not too much."
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Navesi says, "And now, let me begin. Copies of this lecture will also be available in Gorbesh."
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Navesi clears her throat.
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Navesi says, "The God of Dragons, Xosiurion, is one of the Ten (or arguably Eleven) gods worshipped by the Gorbesh and some Kaldar. These Ten are called the Gorbesh pantheon, also sometimes called the Alaudian pantheon after the Emperor-god Xin'Alaudas. Worship of them is common in Albaria, but more rare here in Kermoria, as many of the migrants to Kermoria have by now converted to our own version of the Thirteen."
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Navesi says, "What does it mean to be a God of Dragons? To the Gorbesh, he is the one who created dragons, rules over them, and commands them. Although he is typically depicted as a Gorbesh man wearing drake bone armor, he can take the form of a dragon. He is considered the most powerful of the Gorbesh gods, for ages called their 'undisputed master.' His symbol is the dragon skull, and he is said to have the Domain of Bone."
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Navesi gets a horned cambrinth dragon skull set with eyes of red-orange erythraean from inside her gold sack.
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Navesi says, "You may see here what is of course a replica of a dragon skull -- not to scale. Such skulls are also often carved for pendants, such as on the necklace I wear here."
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Navesi tilts her dragon skull side to side, making the light play off it.
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Navesi flicks her aoustone muhenta with the tip of her finger. It swings gently to and fro, glinting faintly with reflected light.
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Ezathiel peers quizzically at Navesi.
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Navesi says, "Each Gorbesh god is said to have dominion over a planet, much like the Thirteen, and Xosiurion's planet is Xosedas, or what we call Verena. Its proximity as first planet from the Sun is seen as a representation of power -- the closer to the Sun a planet is, the more powerful the god. Xosiurion is therefore the most powerful. It is also worth noting that Verena is a bright red-orange and supposedly has a surface of fire and molten metal."
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Navesi says, "Evidence of Xosiurion's influence is manifest in the way the Gorbesh treated him. First, in 1360 BL, Emperor Xin'Alaudas commissioned a massive temple to Xosiurion. We have no records of other gods of their pantheon getting such temples."
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Navesi says, "Second, the High Priest of Xosiurion has been a prominent figure throughout most of the written histories. In 1339 BL, Emperor Lakiumos divided the Empire into four regions and gave them to four of the High Priests to govern, including the High Priest of Xosiurion. Furthermore, during a time when several High Priests died, including the High Priest of Xosiurion, the High Priest of Sieben was promoted to High Priest of Xosiurion, suggesting the position was not one to remain unfilled."
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Navesi says, "Third, Xosiurion is the only Gorbesh god for whom we have discovered evidence of sacrifices. The Emperors Iseum and Eados were both sacrificed to Xosiurion, as was Akrian Dein, in an effort to appease the god. Akrian Dein was likely considered a religious enemy, as he was an Elf who brought teachings of the Thirteen to Albaria."
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Ezathiel raises an eyebrow.
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Navesi says, "Finally, Xosiurion figures heavily in one of the greatest myths of the Gorbesh people -- the ascension of Xin'Alaudas. Xin'Alaudas was said to be abandoned on a raft as a toddler, set adrift on the Lakiidas Sea. He returned later, the only inhabitant of a great vessel. He became Emperor, then later battled Xosiurion for thirty-six days, the latter half of which Xosiurion assumed the form of a dragon. Xin'Alaudas eventually bested the god. The two spilled their blood and sealed themselves as brothers, and Xin'Alaudas became a new god in the Gorbesh pantheon."
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Navesi says, "Interestingly, despite all this power and reverence heaped upon Xosiurion, it is clear to our scholars that the Gorbesh gods do not grant favors as the Thirteen do, at least not here in Kermoria. We also have no record of them doing so in Albaria, though of course perhaps they do and we have simply missed it."
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Navesi exhales involuntarily and shifts her stance, as if now under a heavy burden.
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Navesi says, "Now, let's pause for a moment to reflect on what all this lore means. We learn that the Gorbesh know of dragons, that they believe them to be incredibly powerful, and that they believe there is a King among them, a God of Dragons, who uses the power of dragons to rule the other gods as the most powerful among them."
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Navesi says, "I must note some striking similarities to other lore related to dragons."
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Navesi clears her throat.
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Navesi says, "Here is where I get a bit more speculative, if you'll excuse me."
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Navesi says, "First, Xosiurion is said to shapeshift between Gorbesh form and dragon. Shapeshifting is said to be the purview of Life Dragons, who have taught some of this magic to the Rangers and can supposedly even take the form of S'Kra Mur. Shapeshifting can also be done by the Heralds, who have appeared as both dragons and Human-like, slightly Elvish, figures with luminous, dusky skin and long, lacquered fingernails. One wonders if Xosiurion, who does not grant favors, was truly a god or more of a very powerful dragon. Or perhaps even a Herald."
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Navesi says, "Second, some of the Gorbesh beliefs are strikingly similar to that of the Kather, who believe that dragons are gods unto themselves. Both Gorbesh and Kather believe that the Sun is a source of creation and the birthplace of dragons, with life-giving flames. However, it is unclear how Xosiurion creates dragons within the Sun."
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Navesi says, "I cannot help but compare the two cultures and wonder if they are separate mortal lenses perceiving the same phenomena, whether divine or not. Perhaps the fact that the Gorbesh pantheon does not grant favors is because they are more similar to the dragon-type gods of the Kather, or simply dragons themselves, rather than entities of the same sort as our Immortals. This may also explain how Xin'Alaudas was able to 'ascend', which may have been more easily done as a non-Immortal type being."
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Navesi says, "I will end my speculation for now, though, respecting the request that we not get too complex. I hope this lecture has been both informative and thought provoking. I look forward to your questions and discussion."
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Illiya exclaims, "Thank you Navesi!"
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You say to Navesi, "Interesting tie between Xosiurion and the Life Dragon shapeshifting."
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You ponder.
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Illiya says, "Wow, some very interesting observations about the similarities with other cultures."
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Miskton says, "Yes, not a connection I'd thought about before."
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Illiya asks, "Do we have any questions for our speaker?"
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Illiya asks Kethrai, "Yes, Keth?"
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Kethrai asks Navesi, "I'm curious about the sacrifices to Xosiurion. Two of them you mentioned were emperors, but one was a heretical enemy? Was it an honor, or a disgrace, to be sacrificed that way, or both...?"
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Navesi says, "From what I can tell, it is not an honor. There is not much detail, but for example, Emperor Iseum sacrificed himself just after the military was embarrassed."
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Navesi says, "Emperor Eados was declared weak, and subsequently sacrificed."
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Navesi says, "So my guess is that it was a sort of punishment, or a way to cull the weak."
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Navesi says, "Perhaps a way to tell Xosiurion that the society did not approve of the person and wished to appease Xosiurion and do better with someone else."
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Illiya asks Gridaksma, "Question?"
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Gridaksma asks Navesi, "It was mentioned the life dragons ability to shapeshift as knowledge, are you refering to what was written by Aaron Albuam?"
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Navesi says, "And what I have learned from Rangers such as Waydren. Albuam's account is of course fanciful and may not be accurate."
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You ask Navesi, "May I add to your answer here, addressing Gridaksma?"
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Navesi nods to you.
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Navesi says, "Please."
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You say to Gridaksma, "Rangers learned our shapeshifting magic from Paglar, who in turn learned it from the Life Dragons and Anmuva the Kather."
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You say to Gridaksma, "With it we take on Draconic aspects, such as the scales you see on me now, as well as the ability to bend away from harm."
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Gridaksma says to you, "I'm quite familiar with the magic formations you speak of."
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You say to Gridaksma, "We cannot rule out that other Dragons, such as the Elemental, are also capable of such feats. We simply know that Life Dragons are."
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Illiya nods to you.
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Navesi says, "It certainly may not be. Our Rangers are not, after all, Life dragons."
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Gridaksma says, "That was what I was wondering. Thank you."
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Miskton asks, "Or are they?"
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You say to Navesi, "Speak for yourself."
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You wink at Navesi.
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Illiya asks Crobin, "Question?"
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Crobin says, "Yes, I am hoping it wasn't answered and I just missed it."
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Navesi says, "Excuse me a moment, receiving a gweth from home."
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Crobin asks, "But...do each of the races have their own Dragon Gods?"
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You say to Crobin, "While not Navesi, I can speak in part to that. Other races, outside perhaps the S'Kra, do not have their own dragon gods that are known."
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Crobin nods.
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Crobin says, "I see."
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Crobin asks, "Is there a particular reason why not?"
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You say to Crobin, "That is a philosophical question likely far afield of the current discussion."
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Crobin says, "Most of the time I don't speak much of what others call higher authorities."
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Illiya asks Lupdels, "Question?"
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Lupdels asks, "I find it ... disturbing to ponder the similarities between the sacrifices made by the Gorbesh to their God of Dragons and the sacrices made by the Dragon Priests ... but also, the difference in the role of the son. The Gorbesh place the sun as the source of dragons? While our World Dragon myths say the sun was what the Dragon wanted to consume?"
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You say to Lupdels, "Not to mention the Sun Dragons of the Kather myth."
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Lupdels nods to you.
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Navesi says, "Yes, in the book The Gorbesh Calendar, the author clearly calls the sun the 'birthplace of dragons.'."
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Navesi says, "'The sun represents a sort of beginning. Creation. Perfection. It is the birthplace of dragons, and its flames are the givers of life. Because of this, proximity to the sun is seen as representing power.'."
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Illiya nods to Navesi.
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Navesi says, "One could link the two by noting that the Sun seems to be a source of great power. Perhaps that is why the World Dragon wished to consume it."
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Illiya says, "Interesting observation about the similarities of the sun and dragons in different cultural myths."
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Navesi nods at Illiya, obviously agreeing with her views.
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Kethrai asks, "Also, the Kather believe that the World Dragon was... different from other Dragons, because it was created from a moon, right?"
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Navesi says, "Well, they don't refer to the World Dragon specifically, but rather a 'Moon Dragon.'."
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Lupdels says, "The World Dragon was also created by Huldah and and Dergati, perhaps in a corrupt emulation of the creation by the Sun ..."
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Navesi says, "However it certainly does seem like their description of the Moon Dragon matches our description of the World Dragon."
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Navesi gives Lupdels a slight nod.
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Illiya asks, "Do we have any more questions for our speaker?"
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Illiya exclaims, "In that case a big thank you to everyone for joining us tonight!"
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Illiya says, "Stay tuned for our next Dragons 101 Lunch and Learn in two weeks, where Lupdels Del'Albaum will enlighten us about Life and Elemental Dragons."
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Navesi says, "Thank you everyone for your discussion with me. If you wish to talk further at any point, about dragons, Gorbesh, gods, or what have you, I am always ready."
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Kethrai says to Navesi, "It was really informative! It's so hard to find good information about Gorbesh history and beliefs."