The Sleeping Citadel: Dragons' Chess

The Pawn

AN: Sonorhc, Reaper, and Nevermore are 3 OCs of mine (view on AO3, FF.net, Wattpad under my alt account: Irhaboggle) and since I wanted to do more with my OCs recently, I randomly came up with the idea to throw them into a short, elementary DND campaign. View character sheets here:

Iris: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119599415/gNdqH7

Storm: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119600148/S1U5rE

Sonorhc: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119600875/pH6AaF

Reaper: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119602030/MfUX9k

Nevermore: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/119602593/udZz32

"Well, isn't this just lovely?" Sonorhc asked sarcastically. "Why couldn't we have quested somewhere a little less... smelly? Like a bookstore, library, or something, I don't know!" But despite her whining, the angry little Deep Gnome led the way down the hall of stone and bone.

Oh, what stories you could tell! The Necromancer thought as she eyed some of the skeletons slumped against the walls on either side of her.

"Cuz stuff like that's for pansies!" Reaper gave a bellowing laugh. She was one of the few Dragonborn not to resent her Draconic heritage. She understood why her kin hated their ancestors, but in her opinion, it was still kind of epic. 'sides, it's not MY fault we're like this! Least I'm owed's the chance to change some of this curse into a blessing! If I find a little fun through it all, then let me keep it! Let me have my fun!

"B-b-but S-S-Sonorhc's right! We're facing down two Dragons, after all. Mates." The only thing more dangerous than a Dragon was a family, whether mates, siblings, and/or offspring. It seemed that the only one of their little, Dark Triad who cared was the third and most recent member, a Tiefling of shadows, silence, and shyness named Nevermore. She could shapeshift into shadows, ravens, or her purple Tiefling self.

She was the most anxious of the three, and waiting for them at the end of the long, dark hall was a mountain of gold and treasure. Resting upon it were two Dragons, intertwined. The first was a real monstrosity, massive and muscled. Her muscles tensed and flexed with every exhale, making her shining scales ripple. That was another part of her that caught Nevermore's eye in particular.

I have never seen a Sapphire Dragon with such pale scales before! Oh, perhaps a majority of her body is the more traditional indigo and dark blue, but there are still lighter hues here and there... Little did Nevermore know just how accurate her little hunch really was. The big, blue Dragon lying before them was actually a rare Aquamarine Dragon, but stigma about the shade of her scales led her to doing whatever she could to darken them. There was a misguided notion that the paler the scales, the more cowardly the Dragon. If anything, the Aquamarine Dragon was only all the more determined to be seen as strong, powerful, brave, and warlike, sometimes even surprising the real Sapphire Dragons of the realm.

Just about the only Dragon to see a side of peace in her was her smaller, purple mate, wrapped up protectively in her scales and tail. "Oh, hello!" Her smoother head popped up from behind her mate's large, well-muscled body. "I'm Vyola! And this is Sapphira!"

The "Sapphire" Dragon finally turned around to acknowledge the guests, her expression disdainful, almost disgusted. The trio of adventurers noticed the blue scales ripple even more as the Dragon's muscles tensed and flexed, a silent threat, warning, and promise.

"Y-y-you give out your true names?!" Nevermore gasped, breathless, sounding seconds away from passing out. "Just like that?!"

"Oh, those aren't our true names, silly! Those are just our "common" names!" Vyola laughed, purple eyes glowing mischievously. Beside her, Sapphira was still impassive, but it was clear that she did not wish for the guests—intruders—to question such a topic too much further...

Lucky for all of them, the overly-enthusiastic Reaper was more than happy to cut to the chase. Ah! My kin! She may have been a Chromatic Dragonborn (Red) while they were Gem Dragons, Amythest and "Sapphire", but she still counted them as "family."

Her red scales gleamed dully in the dim light of the tiny torches scattered across the walls of the Dragons' lair. "We're looking for adventure! And treasure! And a legacy!" Her golden eyes glowed with a fire all their own as she clutched her claws together in excitement.

"Oh, joy. Running chores for Dragons. I suppose they want us to play fetch for some ancient artifact or slay a pesky giant?" Sonorhc sighed, even though she'd agreed to come along. Why can't they just do it themselves? They've got the size, strength, flight, and breath power after all!

Sapphira finally spoke up, sounding equal parts amused and offended by Sonorhc's sass. "You are not far off, little gnome."

Little?! Sonorhc bristled, even though it was true. Even for a Gnome, she was stout, sturdy, and compact.

Sapphira, meanwhile, disregarded Sonorhc's indignation. "If it is quests you seek, it is quests you shall receive, however, we must be certain of your worth first, so come! Prove yourselves!" Her blue eyes flashed like lightning. "You! Dragonborn! Show me what you can do with a blade!"

"Aye!" Reaper saluted Sapphira smartly before unsheathing the giant broadsword strapped to her scaley back. Despite its weight and size, all she needed was one jump and one strong flap of her large red wings to take flight. Although the ceiling of the lair was small, dark, and cramped, Reaper managed feats of acrobatics and strength, slinging her sword around the air as she flew after it, never once missing or damaging anything. Or even if she was causing damage, she concealed it so well that even two full-blooded Dragons couldn't catch it.

Vyola, meanwhile, took interest in Sonorhc. Her purple eyes glowed once more. "Little one," she murmured, and although Sonorhc bristled again, something in her told her that Vyola was not trying to tease her. It was just simple truth that Sonorhc was small, and relative to a Dragon, she was very young. And yet... "Is it true that you are a Follower of the Death Gods too?"

"How did you know?!" Now Sonorhc was really bristling, the Gnome Necromancer swift to go on the defensive. Vyola only gave her a rather playful smirk for a Dragon, purple claw tapping her temple as she winked one of her glowing eyes. Ah. Right. Psychic ability.

Then the purple Dragon turned her head gracefully to the purple Tiefling, Nevermore. "You can dance with and weave shadows, can you not?"

"A-a-aye!" Nevermore snapped to attention, saluting the purple Dragon with a purple hand nervously. Vyola chuckled again.

"Very well then." With a tail, she gestured to some of the space Reaper left in her glorious wake. "Show me what you can do, bird-girl."

Nevermore was not a Dragonborn, but were not birds connected to Dragons through dinosaurs? With a shriek, she evaporated in a cloud of black smoke, and all that remained was a raven that kept morphing into a shadow that danced along the walls alongside Reaper and her fiery breath. All the while, Sonorhc continued to enchant and impress the two Dragons with the little creatures she resurrected right from beneath their very own lair. By the end of the three trials, Vyola, at least, was content to accept the trio of adventurers as worthy.

"Would you say the same, my love?" she asked her mate telepathically, trying to bite back a smile.

"Hmph. Yes. I guess. I would say so..." Sapphira grunted back, outwardly flat expression very much reflected within.

Vyola chuckled to herself and shook her head. Classic Sapphira. Then, she turned to her three, new, tiny champions. By the time they left the lair, they departed with a quest, and a tiny token given to Reaper. It was the first talisman they had to collect on the excursion, and it was a little, carved, red Dragon. It was a chess piece. A Pawn.