Dragon Boots Vision



It’s the middle of the day. You’re restless. While your party members have engorged themselves on the hospitality of the Shiny Aurix Tribe, you’ve been working. Trying to make friends and connections, trying to figure out where to go next, and trying to stop thinking of the boots. Most of your problems are solving themselves. Kobolds are lining up to meet you, shower you with praise, give you gifts, ask for blessings. And tomorrow there are two caravans leaving for other tribes. You’ve been invited to go with either one of those. But….the boots.

They’re dull. Dirty. Kinda smelly too. But you’re drawn to them. You know with a bit of work they’d clean up nicely. They look perfect for trying on too. Except you’re afraid of what happened last time with the helm. Sometimes you have the dream again: thick smoke in your nostrils, weight crushing your chest, feeling helpless as you’re about to die. But everytime you wake up gasping for breath and its okay. You’re not dead, you’re Verveshgix. Dragonwrought and future ruler of the united kobold kingdom.

Mustering up your courage you pull on the boots. They’re much lighter than you imagined. As you think this to yourself, you find yourself running. The sky is dark and filled with stars. Your feet scamper across rocky soil. You’re on a cliff somewhere. The scent of salt returns. Yes, you remember that smell to be the ocean. You love the way the ocean looks in the moonlight. If only you were close enough to see it. A voice calls out, “Come back to us, Kep! You’re going to be late for the festival!”

You turn to face the voice and see a handful of kobolds. They’re carrying baskets of food and walking down the other side of the cliff. They’re not waiting for you. As the heads bob out of view you feel a tinge of remorse. It’s not too late. Not this time. You skid to a halt and spin around. This time you’re going to run faster than before. Your feet barely touch the ground. Your heart is pounding in your chest.

'''Thud. Thud. Thud.'''

Each step you take flings you closer to your friends. Your tribesmen.

'''Thud. Thud. Thud.'''

They seem so far. How can they be carrying all that stuff and still be walking so fast?

'''Thud. Thud. Thud.'''

As you approach the edge of the cliff you can feel your balance start to give way.

'''Thud. Thud…'''

You go careening off the cliff. Your heart leaps in your chest and your stomach feels like its dropping. But instead of falling and ending up an armored mangled mess at the bottom, you can feel yourself flying. It’s amazing. One of your tribesmen (a wyrmling!) turns around and sees you in the air. She smiles & waves. Waving back and can feel the air gusting around your arms.

With a sudden jolt you wake up. Your body must have been leaning on the wall. You pull yourself off the floor, the whole time you’re grinning like an idiot.

You had been flying. The armor has wings.