These are the visions concerning Drakontas and those connected with him revealed by the Scrying Bowl in Delphi. They appear in the order they were seen in, with the most recent prophecies at the bottom.
August 2, 2005
Images of a wooden prow cut through the harboring mists. Just as it comes into view it disappears under the shadow of a giant winged creature somewhere above and out of sight. A battered hat, its rim bent its floral band unravelling, cuts across this image and wipes it away before flying out of frame itself. During all of this a voice is reciting:
"And lo from upon Olympus, shall the Lord Dionysus bemoan the
arrival of his scaled nemesis that shall beach herself upon the
stricken bay of Ares. This minion of Poseidon's realm inks doom
in thick crimson, poured free from a mighty quill sprung from the
bow of one of the 9."
August 31st, 2005
Note: The actual prophecy did not change for several of these visions, but the images did.
Suddenly a vast smoke roils in and encompasses the world around you, shrouding it in billows of white fog. Your grip tightens on the scrying bowl and you feel frozen in place as the ground seems to drop down and spiral away from your mortal shell.
An image of a hand scratching a quill across parchment cuts through the mists, the ink neatly penning the words, "To The Prince." An owl suddenly dives into the frame and snatches the paper, winging into the sky and landing atop a statue of Triton high on an octogonal tower.
FLASH!
A sharp scream is heard.
FLASH!
Kamarthi is pulling a blade from the back of a slain guard.
FLASH!
The owl watches from atop its perch, eyes unblinking.
FLASH!
The chiseled form of Zephyros scatters flowers from the sky. One down, seven to go.
As the scene pulls back from the stone winds, a voice recites:
"Standing among woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
No Date
Several drops of steaming red blood fall across the mists onto a neatly folded square of parchment. A fist comes down and presses a signet on its ring finger into the freshly spilled wax, pulling away to reveal an image of a dragon in sharp relief.
FLASH!
You see Psarigada meeting with Albrecht. He hands her something.
FLASH!
Closing in on Psarigada's hand you see it is a square of parchment sealed with a dragon in red wax.
FLASH!
Psarigada steps from her ship, a group of owls perched on a nearby tree watching her curiously.
FLASH!
The chiseled form of Skiron spreads glowing ashes upon the land from a bronze urn. An overlaid image of a sundial points directly at II.
As the scene pulls back from the stone winds, a voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 4, 2006
The prow of the IDS Diakopto breaks the prevailing mists, another, larger cargo ship flanking its port side. Your view pans out behind the two ships, revealing the nearby ports of Piraeus in the distance. A lone figure stands on a promontory in sharp relief against a blazing sunrise.
ZOOM!
Your view suddenly flies in tight on the fore mast of the Diakopto and the dragon-shaped pennant snapping in a stiff wind.
ZOOM!
The view rushes downward to the deck in an unsettling way, ducking through a hatch and twisting nauseatingly through cramped corridors past dozens of busy crewmen.
WHOOSH!
Twisting through a final hatch, you find yourself hovering uncertainly in the darkness of the hold. Suddenly, two glowing red eyes pierce the darkness, eclipsing the vertical bars lining the cage they're within.
ZOOM!
Closing in on the eyes reveals little of the surrounding face save for the shimmer of scales. A dark hand gently lowers onto the craggy head, a gold signet ring on one of its fingers flashing in the red glow.
FLASH!
The chiseled form of Boreas blows chill winds through a large conch shell. A gleaming white steed below stomps its fore hoof thrice.
As the scene pulls back from the stone winds, a voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 8, 2005
A figure breaks through the prevailing mists, the face slowly coming into focus to reveal Vasileios. He stands upon a rocky outcropping overlooking a barren ocean of sand, several mercenaries sneering behind him as he looks into the distance. One of the men raises a bow toward Vasileios just as the shadow of a dragon swoops down from the sky.
THWIP!
The mercenary releases the arrow, its fletchings humming as it screams toward the unaware Vasileios.
FREEZE!
The action stops cold as Vasileios spins around in surprise and the arrow pierces his tabard, the slow spread of blood the only motion in the scene.
WHOOSH!
Your view swings back to the depths of the desert, a mirage slowly shimmering into reality and revealing the tall spires of some far away city. You hear a thud behind you.
YANK!
You suddenly spiral up from the scene to a bird's eye view of the body in a pool of blood. A pair arched eyebrows framing a set of wide, brown eyes superimpose the scene, gazing into your very depths before disappearing with a blink.
FLASH!
The chiseled form of Kaikias is revealed by a sudden flash of lightning, hail being hurled from the basket in his hands. The scene pulls away to show the hail falling on an empty field with four mighty oaks standing tall at its very center.
As the scene pulls back from the stone winds, a voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 10, 2005
The mists part to reveal Zea Harbor, the waters gently lapping up against the pilings of a wooden dock. A large war ship sits moored to the dock and its hull bangs rhythmically against the canvas bumpers along the sides of its length. The scene is quiet and everything seems calm, a few seagulls circling the waves and searching for food.
RUMBLE!
The ground beneath you shakes with a mighty heave.
ROIL!
The waters in the previously calm scene begin to bubble and froth as something large starts to break the surface.
CRASH!
Suddenly the head of an enormous sea serpent breaks the surface of the bay and snatches one of the circling seagulls out of the air. The three birds left of the flock let out harsh cries and race away from the ocean.
..calm..
The serpent's head disappears beneath the water, its red eyes the only evidence of its existence as the water stills. For just a moment you think you can see two more pairs of eyes join the first as they dive down and are lost to the depths.
FLASH!
The chiseled form of Apeliotis flies by in a clear sky, the basket he is carrying brimming with fruits and grains of the harvest. A large 'V' carved of glowing marble superimposes the scene as it fades to black.
As the scene pulls back from the stone winds, a voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 13, 2005
The mists part to reveal Zea Harbor, the waters gently lapping up against the pilings of a wooden dock. Suddenly time screams forward, the sun rising and setting four times in quick succession, the waters teeming with activity during the rapid timeshift. As time slows again you see the head of a mighty serpent dip beneath the waves. The night sky goes black.
Sunrise…
A crowd stands huddled around a well. As they part, the lifeless form of a man in seafaring garb comes into view, an arrow protruding from his chest.
Sunrise…
Psarigida stands before the Gates of Athens engaged in conversation when a young messenger rushes in and hands her a note. Your view swings to focus on the parchment as she breaks the seal, five words flashing out in blinding white: "The Dragon Has Returned."
Sunrise…
A pack of savage dogs corner an owl at the Peiraic Gate. A sudden force causes them to flee and seconds later an explosion rocks the foundations of a nearby mountain. White feathers fall like tears.
Sunrise…
As Saturn's Day approaches evening, an eagle flies across stormy skies. Gentle winds are blowing southwest, carrying change upon the snowy wings of an owl.
Sunset…
The chiseled form of Evros is shadowed by the setting sun, his bearded face wrapped in a heavy cloak. Huddled beneath the chill winds, six geese guard a nest of four eggs.
As the scene pulls back from the stone winds, a voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 16, 2005
The mists part to reveal all of Athens spread before you at a bird's eye view. The streets are teeming with activity and everything seems normal as the tiny people go about their daily business. From the southwest an inky shadow begins to ooze over the city as if cast by roiling clouds. As it covers the vast metropolis it begins to take shape…
FLASH!
Kamarthi slowly raises his head, a triumphant smirk painted across his lips. He raises a sword before him and the scene fades to…
Darkness…
You hear a splash! Blood begins to cloud the darkness as if spilled into water. A pair of red eyes flash open with sudden interest from within the velvetine blackness.
FLASH!
Psarigida's face is full of anguish as she rushes to the breaking waves along the coast of Piraeus. As the scene blurs into solid white you hear her wailing, "NOOOOOOOO!"
Brightness…
The blinding whiteness gradually dissolves from off-white to grey and then finally to black. You hear a triumphant laugh reverberating from within the cloying emptiness.
CUT!
The sudden sound of pouring rain envelops your world. Looking up from your spot on the sodden street, the dripping stone face of Notos greets your gaze. He pours water from a pot into a seven-tiered fountain below.
_,.-------.,_
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; ; . . ; ;
| ; ______ ______ ; |
| `/~" ~" . "~ "~' |
| ~ ,-~~~^~, | ,~^~~~-, ~ |
| | }:{ | |
| l / | ! |
.~ (__,.--" .^. "--.,__) ~.
| ---;' / | `;--- |
\ __. /^/ .__/
| / |
| |T~___!___!___/~T| |
| |`IIII_I_I_I_IIII'| |
| ,III I I I III,/ |/
\ `~~~~~~~~~~' /
\ . . /
\. ^ ./
^~~~^~~~^
As the skull fades from view, a voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 17, 2005
The mists part to reveal a full moon, the clouds pulling away to reveal a clear nighttime sky. A silhouette of a dragon and eagle suddenly take flight before opposite sides of the large moon, their claws ready to strike at one another. Just before they clash you see an owl fly between the two raging raptors and everything goes black.
GONG!
Zephyros appears in a flash of falling flowers.
GONG!
A hand wipes away a pile of ashes to reveal a fallen statue of Skiron.
GONG!
Boreas appears to blow a long peal on a conch shell.
GONG!
Kaikias laughs with glee as he hurls a hailstone straight for your
head.
GONG!
Apeliotis sits on top of a pile of grain surrounded by baskets of
fruit.
GONG!
Evros sits huddled in a corner, wrapped heavily in a cloak, gazing at
you.
GONG!
Notos turns from filling a pot of water, giving you a sad look.
GONG!
FLASH!
Lips appears in a flash of light, guiding the stern of a ship into a
bank of fog. Screams and flashes of light issue from the blanket of
grey, but little of what lies beyond can be seen.
A sudden voice recites:
"Eight have come and so eight shall go.
As the hours pass, then you shall know."
As the wind fades from view, another voice recites:
"Standing on woods of distant shores, a faithful steed will
show you the way. There, in the name of the dragon, an enemy
shall be spared, or the eagle's talons shall drip with scarlet
essence. Then shall the 9 equal 1 and be bound by the golden
avatar's banner of injustice."
September 22, 2005
The mists part to reveal a whisper of lilac silk, its shimmering translucency hinting at dark olive skin. A tingling of bells and the sharp clang of a castanet break you out of your reverie, a face blurring behind the gauze of cloth with an amused quirk to its lips.
As the face fades completely from view, a voice recites:
"A flower from the desert shall blossom,
In hostile soil not of its native lands.
But protection shall it have in spades:
A dragon, a prince and an assassin's blade,
And a beast in possession of Kamarthi's head,
The body of Sekhmet and the tail of Ganj.
Beware for this flower has thorns."
December 12, 2005
The mists part to reveal a sack of dinars hitting the planks of a rough-hewn table in a shadowed room. A calloused hand reaches into the sack and pulls out a single dinar, flipping it into the air past a shrouded face with sharp features and piercing blue eyes. As the dinar falls, the one hand snatches it from the air while the other slices a barbed sword through the sack, spilling the dinars across the table. A wolfish grin flashes across the hidden face as the vision blurs and finally fades.
As the face fades completely from view, a voice recites:
"A sword shall travel from the bitter Aegaen coast,
To serve under the flag of an occupying force.
And the dragon's wings will further expand their domain,
Influencing through politics, not just intimidation.
The sword shall be thrust into the heart of the owl
With victory etched along its edge of gleaming steel."
No Date
The mists part to reveal a dragon standing guard over a group of cages, his talons dripping with blood. As the vision begins to fade, a single dinar comes rolling between his claws and wobbles to an unsteady stop… you hear it clang to the ground as the image goes black.
As the face fades completely from view, a voice recites:
"The dragon now has swallowed two whole,
One you know well, the other may deceive you.
A third stands still free. Know this well-
The dragon has chosen his next meal.
He reaches out a claw even now,
And you lack the sword to rend it. "
April 2,2006
The mists part to reveal an owl perching on the hilt of a sword. Its head swerves to take in a scene that slowly blurs into focus…
Blur…
A purple banner flaps on a broken gate, the town beyond unseen among the pillars of grey smoke…
Blur…
A head full of red hair is bowed down in pain over the pommel of a sword…
Blur…
A violent wash of waves breaks against a rocky shore. Another wave of scales breaks the surface for a moment before submerging again…
As the scenes blur for a final time, a voice recites:
"The lord of two may not gain a third-
He may gain a dozen.
The sword that wields itself could conquer,
Or it could bow to the dragon.
So is the owl that flares its feathers to flight,
Or falls to the ground in death at the sight.
What will be is not what must be…
What is known could become a lie."
April 20th,2006
The mists part to reveal a shadow passing over a statue of Persephone. A single drop over what slides down her cheek and lands in a puddle of water that morphs and swirls to become…
… a vast, dark ocean scape spreads from the beaches of a small seaside village. Your view shifts and dives beneath the murk, flashing through the depths until…
… a barred gate appears beneath the water with chains running from the posts to disappear in the depths behind. A movement catches your eye and the gate begins to tremble as…
… four glowing red eyes thrust into view behind the gate and glare balefully at you. The beast turns away and swims back into the darkness.
As the creature disappears a voice recites:
"The dragon is poised with pets at his knee.
While wheat fields quaver on the shores of the sea.
The owl must act swiftly, yet not fall to haste,
Lest breaking the beasts' chains all go to waste.
A failure is imminent, yet the outcome still sways,
The peace of the grain may yet see better days."
February 6, 2008
Suddenly a vast smoke roils in and encompasses the world around you, shrouding it in billows of white fog. Your grip tightens on the scrying bowl and you feel frozen in place as the ground seems to drop down and spiral away from your mortal shell.
The mists part to reveal a field of corn, the stalks spreading before you as you seem to float through them toward a small farmhouse.
The scene suddenly flickers and the farmhouse is replaced by a craggy rockface full of cavernous openings all the way to its peak.
Your view lurches as you suddenly find yourself flying up toward the rockface. One of the caverns flickers with an orange glow and you feel compelled to move in closer.
As you reach the opening a large dragon sweeps out of the cavern, taking to the air on strong wings as it flies off toward a small city along the shores of the Aegaen.
A twinkle of gold and gems catches your eye from within the depths of the cave, a lithe figure leaping from a hidden niche and heading for the dragon's horde.
A pair of red eyes flash from the darkness, the silhouette of the figure caught in the glow before the entire scene fades to black.
Through the darkness a voice recites:
"Taken from the native lands
And raised by knowing hands-
Their nature is not to be docile
And others will be quite hostile.
To take from one is to doom all,
And this fate the wise would forestall."
In reference to The Dragons.
