Facing Your Dragons

To know the people of Durashat is to know their tales of dragons. It is a rare day in the land of white stone that one may not look up and see a dragon circling high overhead, watching with curious eyes the lives of men.

The most common dragon tale is the grabbing of maidens engaged to be married. It is apparently so common that most maidens expect it and indeed seem to enjoy the anticipation.

The husband-to-be is the true unfortunate, for he must go about getting back his intended bride. His first trial is finding the dragon. Discovering the location of its den involves asking the inhabitants of the sky, either the Hushaf of Rim Nasur or a gryphn. Unless the young husband-to-be is very lucky, he is stuck asking a gryphn.

The gryphn take this duty both very seriously and with a high degree of hilarity. They are noble creatures with admirable senses of humor. The young man usually leaves with his question now answered but a whole host more about himself yet unanswered.

With the location of the dragon’s den now known, the young man has to get there. A nearly impossible undertaking, as dragon dens reside in the inaccessible peaks of Rim Nasur, where only wings may find their way. Though goats usually find their way anyway. Of course, the young man could ask the gryphn, but most prefer to learn the ways of the mountain goat.

It is not unknown for the maiden in question to have carried with her a substantial length of rope for just this purpose. Skirts of rope worn between layers of clothing are a popular item among brides-to-be.

At this point it should be mentioned that the young husband-to-be has never seen a dragon in any degree of closeness. Neither gryphn nor mountain may come between him and his intended, but a dragon is another matter altogether.