Drogorian Dreams: Visions of a Moon Mage
414|3|21.
Greetings, readers. In these dark times, as always, I feel that the spread of knowledge is a necessary step toward resolving the problems that face us. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say. I have spoken about these visions previously, but distributing my notes on recent visions, with the aid of the First Land Herald, can help bring this information to more people.
By now you are certainly all aware of the recent storms that have been plaguing the lands, as well as attacks by minions of Drogor. Moon mages have been seeing many visions of late related to this, which can be divided into a few general categories.
Cloud and Thunder Eels
These unusual flying eels have recently been attacking from the skies, and visions I have seen would seem to indicate something other than Drogor himself calling them. Though almost certainly the messengers in question do serve Drogor.
A woodcut print is presented on the page, showing a drawing of a cloud eel: As long as an average Gnome’s height and as thick as one’s neck, the cloud eel moves about with an exceptional natural fluidity. It has benign, jewel-like silvery eyes that almost belie its predatory posture. The sleek body is covered in nacreous scales, patterned with pale cream-hued spots along its sides.
Visions
I was overwhelmed by foreign thoughts and sensations!
As my mind struggled to place it all into an understandable order and end the painful onslaught, I saw my kin surrounding me, their bodies floating, wrought beautiful with their illumination of the darkness which enveloped us always.
I felt the calling, and knew they did as well. In concert we moved — graceful, languid, but with unceasing purpose.
With a sharp jolt my surroundings fell away from me and my kin dissolved into nothingness! Briefly I felt a keen sense of loss as I reoriented to the here and now.
—
A blinding pain swelled in my head, disorienting me utterly. As the agony began to recede, I found that I was floating high above the world, looking down upon the tiny creatures below.
I twined with my brethren, squirming in slow, syncopated waves, though my gaze remained unwavering. So small, so far. The messengers spoke of the warm waters that flow freely from the tiny beings when their outer casings are split, and this thought pleased me immensely. Soon it would be my time. Soon I would split them all open and drink my fill!
A thunderous roar filled my ears and the vision faded, leaving me back in my own body once more.
—
I sensed that I was being called by the sanguine rush. The waves pulled at me, drawing me ever downward to where the messengers were born.
—
I am not sure that what is represented in this last vision are actually the eels, but it may perhaps represent the creation of the ‘messengers’ that put out the call being answered by the cloud eels.
A series of visions assaulted my senses, rending me numb to my actual surroundings for what seemed like an eternity!
First, three scales gleamed in the sun, wet and smooth and sinuous in their movements all the same, yet each differing in color — pearled white, placid green, and darkest grey. Next, I felt neglect leading to despair, leading to rage, leading to vengeance. A coldness unmoved by pain or reason. Finally, rivulets of blood intertwined then coalesced, massing themselves into a rough approximation of life! Just as I began to think I could make out the shape of what the new being had become, the visions left me.
I felt drained and utterly empty as I realized that but only the briefest moment had truly passed.
Looking into these creatures, I was able to find a reference to an Empath guild document written about them, though I’ve not yet been able to uncover the full document. From the reference about the aerial ecosystems of Elanthia:
“With the airborne flora and herbivores of Lemicus, and the carnivores of Drogor that prey on the latter, the denizens of these self-sustaining sky domains typically never come down to the surface during their lifetimes. The cloud eels and thunder eels are a notable exception, wont to ride their maker’s storms in marauding schools throughout Qi’Reshalia and beyond.”
Zoluren Royal Family
This vision, thankfully, seems to have had a happy ending, as I am informed that the royal family has safely returned to Zoluren. I present it here for the sake of completeness, and the relation it shows to the recent storms.
Vision
A fit of unbridled sadness and concern overtook my mind, causing me to close my eyes to fight back the emotional onslaught!
As they reopened, I saw a pale Elven woman with long dark hair and sparkling green eyes standing with a bronze-scaled older Merelew man dressed in opulent finery, the pair looking out over a raging sea. She turned to him and said, “It is what is safest for us all.” The man looked at her protectively and seemed to be readying himself to speak, but stopped short, sighing heavily instead. He nodded his head then regained his regal bearing, saying, “It is. I’ve had your ship readied. You and the children will leave immediately, then I will attend to the rest.” As the pair embraced, the vision faded, and I reoriented to the world around me.
Drogor Worshippers
In addition to the eels, Drogor has other minions among willing worshippers, and perhaps those who are not so willing. There have been several visions of ominous changes taking place, mentally and physically amongst those he turns his sights on.
Vision
A red haze clouded my vision, warping and distorting the world around me. As it began to clear somewhere, I felt overcome with a sense of indignant rage that was not my own, and yet guided my ever motion, pushing me ever forward.
Far now from my home waters, still I went on. I would not stop, I COULD not stop — not until every last one of them trembled in His name!
Regaining my own senses, the sanguine film dissolved from my sight, leaving me only with a profound hunger that lingered in its wake.
—
With a waft of briny air, my senses warped and shifted, leaving me consumed with fury, though I was not sure of the cause.
The Captain was arguing with me, telling me to change back to his original course, threatening me with the lash, telling the others that they would have my share of the platinum coins when he dumped my ungrateful corpse into the drink when he was through. He did all of this, and yet they didn’t cheer and holler for him to have at me, but simply gazed at us both with unblinking eyes.
The eyes of the deep.
I stopped talking, stopped trying to explain why the course must change. With a single thrust, the dagger found its mark. He lay bloody on the deck for only moments before the others rushed forward, drawn to the smell.
The vision receded from me, leaving me back in the here and now.
—
I feel it important to note that this next vision was seen from the perspective of some unfortunate soul, and any thoughts expressed are those that were felt through his mind, and are not meant to represent the feelings of the writer, or anyone involved with the First Land Herald.
I was struck by the twin sensations of something sharp tearing through my flesh and my lungs burning from lack of air! As the pain cleared, I found myself in another place, another mind.
I was dying. I could feel it, cold and familiar in its embrace.
Though the instinctual panic remained in my mind behind the whiskey that dulled its reality, it was nothing I’d not felt before and I was confident that I had the favor of the immortals with me. That’s why I gave up all of those orbs, after all. So many nights of drinking delayed, that had to count for something! That drunk old fool was wrong as usual. Special connection to the Divine? Yeah, maybe when he was younger and drank less than a barrel a day! So I spit on that old altar once — so what? Blasted fish-god liked the water, right? Ha!
Although … how did I end up in the bay this time, anyway?
As my salty tomb crushed the last of my life with its weight, the truth came to me with a final, horrifying clarity brought by the creature burrowing into what was once my body.
—
This last vision, of course, brings to mind the Drowned Ones, undead corpses animated by parasitic jellyfish. They are known to be found in the waters near Fang Cove, though I’m informed that some of them may have been seen elsewhere, as Drogor continues to make his wrath felt.
All in all, I would say that, though they present quite an impressive front, and can themselves be dangerous, I would say that the aerial eels may be a lesser threat than the other minions of Drogor, who may be able to execute plans more complex than simply trying to feast on us. I leave actual plans for defense to the provincial military forces, who are better suited to it, and the clerics who are better able to divine the will of the gods, but I hope the information presented may be of some use in those endeavors.
Miskton Ramahk, Court Mage of Ilithi
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