You see a dragon. He is green, with reddish highlights, and towers high above you. The dull color of his skin and the cracks in his wings indicate he is very old. He stares at you with frighteningly wise eyes.
His voice is so deep it seems to make the ground vibrate. "I am Motrax."
He sighs. A small wisp of flame comes out. "I am an ancient dragon, long past my prime. I do not roam the caves and hunt anymore, but devote myself to scholarly pursuits and playing with my cats."
1
ancient
0
"A thousand years I have been alive. I hope for a thousand more. But they will be quiet, filled with contemplation, not battle."
1
battle
0
"I have fought many, many battles. With Slithzerikai. With humans. And with my brothers."
1
brother
0
"I call the other dragons in these caves my brothers, but don't be mistaken. We are not hatched from like broods."
1
slith
0
"My brothers in cold-blood, but in no other way. There are many who are kind and wise, but the Slithzerikai who live nearby are exiles from their race. They are cruel and dangerous. I remember once, they had the gall to attack my home."
He tells the story, a story of blood and fire, ending in his victory.
1
dragons
0
"There are five of them living in these caves. Myself. Reclusive Athron. Cruel Pyrog. Wise Khoth. And Sulfras, strongest of them all." He sighs. "They are all young. I prefer not to speak of them."
1
battle
0
He launches into a rambling tale of a battle between himself and some huge demon, which he calls a Haakai. He seems unsure if he's told you the story before.
1
scholar
0
"I have humans come here, and I learn of their ways and of the land above ground. I would like to visit. Alas, your leaders would no doubt cast me below again, at best." He chuckles smokily. "I like you humans. Despite our first meeting."
1
pursuits
0
"I have humans come here, and I learn of their ways and of the land above ground. I would like to visit. Alas, your leaders would no doubt cast me below again, at best." He chuckles smokily. "I like you humans. Despite our first meeting."
1
meeting
0
"I met some of those in the First Visitation."
1
visit
0
His head rears back in surprise. "You haven't learned of the Visitation yet? When those above found these caves, they sent a large force below, led by a small group of powerful adventurers, with much magic. The sorry band hoped to subdue us all!"
"They were arrogant. They were stupid. And they were slaughtered."
1
slaugh
0
"To a man and woman. A group of them came here, fleeing a band of sliths. They attacked. I slew them, and cast aside their paltry treasures. Another band came, humbly this time, asking for sanctuary. I refused them, though they offered a bribe."
1
treasure
0
"My leftovers go to my pets - stupid, smaller cousins, who live down the tunnel to the west. I recall giving their trinkets to my pets to play with. Be careful, though. They anger easily."
1
bribe
2
"A stone key, which they said they found somewhere far to the west. I was enraged at being attacked, so I threw them out, and their trinket with them. They can't have gotten far before the sliths got them. They went southeast."
(You take note of this.)
7
0
1
cats
0
"Remarkable little creatures. I don't know how I lived without them."
10
stnd
0
You see a woman in long sparkling robes. She has long brown hair, set off well by the sparkling crystal around her neck.
"Greeting, traveller. I am Marian. What brings you here?"
"I have been here for a year know, conversing with, teaching and learning from Motrax."
10
motrax
0
"The ancient dragon of the cave. He knows so, so much of these tunnels, and the races in them."
10
tunnels
0
"I hope, one day, to plumb into his memory and find knowledge of a tunnel to the surface world. Then, I can escape this horrid pit." She looks at you slyly. "And maybe take the captain with me."
10
captain
0
She grins, very broadly. "Ko's the captain. If I left, I'd have to take him with. He's good to have around."
11
stnd
0
You see a tall, thin man with a long beard. He is old and frail, but you can feel great power coming from him.
He gives you a barely perceptible nod of his head. "I am Leith."
"I grow old. And I learn from the dragon."
11
dragon
0
"We understand each other. Although he was as old as I as an infant, I still find we think surprisingly alike. And one day he will mourn me."
11
mourn
0
He nods solemnly. "Yes. It gives my spirit great comfort to know it will be mourned by something so ancient."
11
sphere
0
"Sphere? Oh! You must mean Thralni's Orb. It was brought down here by the first visitors long ago. Years I spent trying to find it, knowing the gift of flight might help me escape. But I never did, and eventually gave up. I never could find it."
"Hmm. I did find out that Thralni met his end while navigating the water maze."
11
maze
0
"A bizarre mess of waterfalls, to the west of the Slithzerikai. Very dangerous and difficult to explore. I read an account that he went in, hoping to use to orb to save himself from disaster, and never came out again."
12
stnd
0
You see a skinny man in nice steel armor. He's almost manic - he can't seem to slow down.
He bounces up to shake your hand, a wild grin on his face. "Greeting! I'm Ko! Welcome to the Cavern of Motrax."
"I greet visitors to the cave. I also guard things I need to be guarding."
12
visitor
0
He goes into his spiel, quivering with happiness. "All visitors are welcomes to the cave of Motrax, to greet the ancient one, to teach and learn. The rules are simply: stay on the path, and behave."
12
guard
0
He straightens up. "It's a dull job. With Motrax around, only a fool would cause trouble. I mainly greet people, and take care of my cats."
12
cats
0
"Delta and Epsilon are their names. They should be in the cave. Motrax loves them."
12
path
0
"When visiting Motrax, go through the main cave. He'll be in the second cave in. He throws trash into the tunnels to the west, and lives in the tunnels to the east. I recommend against going into the latter. He probably wouldn't like it. "
16
stnd
0
You see a small, very sedate black cat. It has a tag around its neck.
The tag says 'Epsilon.'
"Meow."
16
gnrc
0
"Meow."
1
gnrc
0
He shifts his mighty bulk. "I know not of that."
17
stnd
0
You see a fast-moving gray cat. It has a tag around its neck.
The tag says 'Delta.'
"Meow!"
17
gnrc
0
"Meow."
18
stnd
0
You see a dim, insubstantial figure, lurking in the back of the cave.
It whispers "I was Zeld."
It speaks very quietly. "I wait here, trying for revenge."
18
revenge
0
"On foul Motrax, who slew me while I looked, merely looked, at his treasure."
18
treasure
0
"I tell all I can, as my revenge. It lies beyond the lake, beyond his lair, beyond the entry cave. But there is a passage, so humans can get to it, should he pass on. I found it. There are no traps in it! I set them off!"
His ghostly form wavers briefly in his anger and excitement.
1
sphere
0
He thinks. "One of the first visitors brought a sphere that allowed flight. His name was Thralni. I've been trying to find out more, but have had no luck."
25
stnd
0
You see a big, beefy, pasty-faced guard. He looks bored.
"I am Alex."
"Guarding the dragons." He snickers. "Get me! I'm guarding A DRAGON! I feel soooo useful."
