The Strange Behavior of Valley Dragons

The Strange Behavior of Valley Dragons: Mystery in the Skies above Kryss

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. That would probably surprise most people since this area is known as the Dragon Valley now. Long ago, it was called the Valley of the God’s Head. You can still see that the small mountain at the Western end has enormous holes that look a bit like eyes and a mouth.

I know young mothers and fathers who have never seen a day here when those gigantic, winged creatures didn’t wheel and glide over us day and night. But some of us do recall when this was a very different place. Once, there was an alien evil here that enslaved the people for generations until the Revolt of the Wolves. I was still in a crib when that happened. Then, the land was clean, and life was simple for decades after the Revolt. Eventually, the dragons came. Now, more than a generation later, still no one knows why they fly here.

Many have their theories, of course, but I don’t think anyone has puzzled it out. We all can agree on just a few truths. One day they weren’t here. No one in these parts had ever seen anything like a dragon. In fact, I don’t think most of us believed in them. Some people thought that maybe there were a few somewhere on the other side of the world. Others thought that they existed at one time but had died out. I didn’t think they had ever existed at all. The stories seemed too scattered, too contradictory, and too exaggerated.

And yet, they appeared. I counted eight of them on the first day. Jerriss says ten or twelve. It’s hard for our weak eyes to track their movements as they circle and swoop and cross in the sky. I was fishing. I do remember that. From the bank of the river, I saw what I thought was a small flock of birds, but they were flying strangely. It was hard to tell what seemed off: the way they moved their wings, their speed, the way they tilted back and forth. Then, they got bigger and bigger until I knew they couldn’t be birds. Suddenly, I heard all the commotion from around the village. Everyone was outside staring and pointing and chattering. We all saw them. They were real.

As they got closer, I admit I got scared. I ducked into the overgrowth and stayed on my belly for so long that I fell asleep. Maybe I fainted. When I came to, I felt like one of those fools in a story who wakes up to realize he has had a wild and impossible dream. Then I looked to the sky and saw a massive shadow pass over the moon.

For nearly a year, we watched and waited for an attack. As with any new circumstance, there were different reactions. People responded based on the stories they had heard, the things they observed, and their own hopes and fears. Some tried to create weapons to fight the creatures. Others tried to communicate with them using bells or trumpets. Others took a more mystical approach, seeing their presence as prophetic, perhaps a sign from divine powers, meant to communicate an important message.

Twenty-six years later, they still streak the skies over the valley. We have not learned much about them. Some of my neighbors have gone mad with not knowing. It may have been almost merciful if the dragons attacked. We would have known their intentions. But they just circle, swoop, ascend, leave, and return.

Our village is now a town, and on its way to becoming a city. Travelers come to see the dragons now that they seem to have no interest to harm humans. In fact, they appear not to notice us at all.

Of course, we continue to speculate about their purpose. Had they come to find food? To find treasure? There were many legends about dragon eggs. Were there eggs somewhere in the valley, waiting to hatch baby dragons? Each story seemed about as likely as the last.

Once the initial excitement waned, many put their attention to profiting by the one unique thing that our village has to offer – a guaranteed view of dragons. So far, no one who has visited has ever claimed to have seen a living dragon anywhere else, although one or two have claimed to have seen the bones of dragons in museums in large cities like Rhoan.

Yes, the dragons have been good for business. Travelers come here with heavy coin bags, and we are very happy to lighten them. Everyone in Kryss has figured out a way to make a good living because of the dragons. Those of us who own taverns and inns gained customers quickly. Then, the entertainers had new songs and stories, the scholars began giving lessons about the history and ways of dragons, and the crafters made all kinds of dragon-like goods, from embroidered dragon coats to dragon-handled wood or iron spoons.

Many of us came to see the dragons as a blessing from the Divine, a gift that brought fame and wealth to our land after so much poverty and misery. One day, these dragons may be as famous as the Giants of Limoor or the Red Star Dome. Our flying friends are more than just bones or architecture. The dragons are living treasures. As long as they circle, Kryss will have visitors spending their money here. That’s enough for most of us, but I still need to know. Why are they here, what are they doing, and where do they go when they fly away?

So, we know that there usually seem to be from six to fourteen in the sky above our valley at any given time. All we have ever seen them do is fly around. They may have patterns and plans, but they elude us. They sometimes circle high, swoop down low, or glide along the river, but they never seem to land, attack, eat, drink, drop waste, or do anything that a normal flying creature would.

Even the “Sky Fixed,” the ones who have become so obsessed with watching the dragons that they no longer have any function in society, can’t distinguish details about the creatures. We have all seen some of them fly away and fly in at various times, always to and from the West, towards the sea. But we don’t know for sure how many there are. They appear to take turns in groups, some flying away while others stay, others joining the their kind over the valley throughout the day or night. Some townsfolk think that there may be up to fifty flyers, but only about six to fourteen over our skies at one time. Their sizes vary; that’s something we can tell from a distance. Other details, like color, shapes of heads, horns, scales, ridges, are harder to make out from so far away. When they swoop low, it never seems to be when they are close to us….

Anyone in Kryss could have told you everything that I have told you so far. The reason I have come to you is because I have something more to tell, something that I don’t think anyone else knows. I saw one on land, much closer than I ever planned to be. It’s clear that the beast meant me no harm, but it was still the greatest terror of my life.

I pride myself on providing guests with the best local delicacies, as you all will see if you choose to honor my offer and come to investigate this mystery. I will provide your room and board, of course. I was born in Kryss, but I was educated for a time in Gwyrith when I stayed with my uncle, so I learned a bit about how to talk to noble folk and how to make them happy with my cooking and hospitality.

I was foraging for mushrooms, herbs, and berries in the woods above the river on the north side when I was startled by a violent rush of wind. I looked up, still crouching over a Foxpaw plant, and saw one of the dragons land rapidly, crushing several small trees beneath it. It was facing the entrance to a cave, a place I had entered to take refuge from sudden rain on a few occasions. I had never gone far into the cave, just far enough in to stay dry and still see when it stopped raining.

Well, this creature seemed to want to go all the way in. It wanted this very badly. It was probably one of the smaller dragons, but it was the size of the largest river ship I have ever seen, with a long neck and a broad head that reminded me of a giant, grey, scaly hound with horns and ridges. It stuck its huge head into the cave entrance, which was not much bigger than the average doorway. It shoved and pushed and then slammed itself against the entrance, as though it hoped to force its gigantic shoulders through the small space.

My mind scrambled to make sense of what I was seeing. Had it gone mad? In my confusion, I didn’t even notice its beautiful silvery grey scales until they started to tear about the left shoulder. It was straining and slamming itself against the cave walls until bits of its thick skin scraped off and fell to the ground. It didn’t seem to roar or make any vocal sound, although its attacks were violent. But its breath was so heavy that it vibrated the earth in waves. It pushed, turned at angles, clawed with its massive front legs. At one point, it turned to probe inside with its outstretched wing. This is when it turned and looked in my direction.

It had not seemed to notice me at all until it turned to thrust its long wing into the opening. After only managing to get about a third of its wing to squeeze in, it lifted its head, sniffed the air, and then seemed to look around, adjust its eyes, and lower its gaze directly in line of sight with me. I had risen from my crouch to stand as I watched it, but I fell to me knees when its eyes met mine. I was a full bow shot away, but it was too close. Just as I was about to close my eyes and prepare for it to… I don’t know what I thought it would do. Spring upon me and devour me? Breath fire? Cast a death spell? It turned back to the cave and went back to its attempts to get in.

At some point, I glanced up at the sky to see that many of the other dragons were circling low, as though they were looking to see what this one was doing. This is the only time I heard any of them make a noise. It was like a low hum, a vibration that rumbled the guts and had pauses and went slightly up and down. It was like the largest, lowest horns I have ever heard blown.

When I looked back at the cave-seeking dragon, it appeared tattered and exhausted, a sight I never could have imagined. After one more feeble attempt at throwing itself at the cave opening, shaking the river bank a bit less this time, it took a moment to collect itself before crouching, breathing deeply, and then springing into the air. I fell back and set a while, trying to process what I had seen.

I have not told any of my neighbors about this because I still don’t know what to make of it. I don’t see anything good or productive coming from telling them. But I have to know what’s in that cave. I have been too afraid to go in by myself. I can admit that. I need help. I just hope that the dragons will stay, even if we help them find what they are looking for.

Just in case you may be thinking that this is just some wild yarn to bring in more travelers, I have proof. In this bag, you will find a few of the scales from the mad dragon that nearly killed itself trying to squeeze into that cave. I tried to clean the blood off, but nothing I used worked.

I’m old. I’m not afraid to die in the dark. What I can’t stand is the thought of dying without knowing what’s in there. I see that powerful monster in my dreams, throwing itself against the walls of a mystery. To know that secret is everything to me, but I don’t think I can get that far without your help. If I die in those caves after learning the truth, I will die fulfilled. Either way, you will receive everything I have after I am gone. That is my offer.

Transcribed from the spoken testimony of Neryth of Kryss by Gaalwynn of the Grey Company