|
Rampaging Dragon Menaces Karrnathi Countryside
KORTH -- The village of Haupberg Crossing was razed by an ivory-colored dragon as large as a covered wagon, survivors said on Far. "It came screaming from the sky at dawn to begin its destruction. Over and over again it bellowed, then breathed frost at anyone who came near and smashed whatever building was nearby," said Jool Hatresh, a tanner who fled on foot.
Karrnathi army units sealed off Haupberg Crossing after the dragon had departed. Survivors have not yet been allowed to cross the cordon and retrieve belongings from the wreckage of the town. Guards on cordon duty could not provide an estimate for when residents might be able to return to the village.
The dragon attack on Haupberg represents the third such incident this autumn involving small settlements near the western Karrn Bay coastline. On Rhaan 3rd, the town of Crystal Tide was attacked by a white dragon matching the description of the one that destroyed Haupberg Crossing. Sometime between Rhaan 16th and Rhaan 18th, the hamlet of Carver's Point was also destroyed by a large monster. None survived that attack, although subsequent magical investigation implicated a dragon.
"Indiscriminate raiding by dragons is unheard of in the region," said Karrnathi Army Colonel Thauk Rutellenach, who is responsible for coastal defense in the region. "We have our share of marauding monsters, but not dragons," he continued. "I remember working with a dragon briefly during the Last War, and I got the sense that most dragons were incredibly wise, patient beings."
Rutellenach said that patrols are being stepped up in the region, and that anyone sighting the dragon should contact the nearest army garrison. "To end this menace, we need to figure out where it's coming from," he said. "We're used to monsters coming out of the Karrnwood, but dragons have enough range that it could even be coming from somewhere in the open ocean to the north."
About the Author
David Noonan is a designer/developer for Wizards of the Coast. Before coming to Wizards, he was a daily newspaper reporter in Washington state. Apparently the city hall beat is good practice for an Eberron campaign.
|
