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In his youth,
BurnClaw was not extraordinary for his race. His domain consisted of
the Brokenstone fields far from the edges of Elderwood and the Dead
Moor and was patrolled irregularly by the young wyrm. His lair was a
hollowed depression in the core of the volcano that had wrecked this
area, which even though dormant still contained several steam vents
from the molten flows deep below. The dragon inspired incredible fear
in both the ancients (the original humanoids of the planet) and the
wild elves of the wood. Mostly due to his habit of cooking whatever
meat he had caught before eating it. Many had watched the powerful wyrm
grab up a handful or two of elves or beasts and breathe his intense
firebreath into his claws before tossing the burnt flesh into his
awaiting mouth. Though he rarely ate, and even more rarely ate
intelligent creatures, the sight of such a cruel fate spread his fame
very quickly. Many sought to free themselves from the terror of the
wyrm and met the same cruel fate as his meal. BurnClaw never roamed
outside his land and as civilization grew it grew farther from him.
Fewer and fewer shepards and ranchers kept large herds in the area and
BurnClaw had to roam outside of his own territory to find food when he
required sustanence. The battles that ensued expanded his territory to
Elderwood and even across the Outlet into the Dead Moor. The defeat and
death of Lisserallin, a middle aged bronze dragon, allowed him to lay
claim to the foothills of the Grey Peaks, though the hoard of the wyrm
nearly escaped his grasp. The gold dragon Margileolir finding her
friend, and one time consort, dead had begun transfering his treasures
to her lair almost immediatly. BurnClaw had discovered the lair of the
bronze in time to claim only half the huge treasury, which was missing
most of it's magic and gems.
While battling the ancient black wyrm, Keristirtilin,
BurnClaw noticed the giant crabs and crabmen milling along the shores
and shallows of the Outlet. When he had burned the wings from the
dragon and plunged it below the surface of the sea, he dove onto the
sandy shore and rolled to wipe away the acid that ate away at his hide.
Suffering only slightly scarred sides and the loss of the tip of one
wing, BurnClaw continued his search for food. The giant crabs had
scattered at the sound and earthquake that he had caused landing
heavily on the shore. He carefully crawled to a position in the nearby
canyons, where he could still see the shore and quickly leap into the
sky, to await the return of the huge crabs.
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With his
telescopic dragon vision BurnClaw noticed several lizardmen searching
the opposite shore. Each wore a weathered black dragon scale upon a
leather necklace. The scales were obviously the product of the constant
loss of scales by wyrms and had been pierced cleanly most likely by the
acid of the dragon's breath. BurnClaw realized he could use these
creatures to lead him to the lair of the now deceased dragon to secure
the treasure in the hidden hoard. To search the dense murk would
require time and leave his own lair unprotected. He pondered how to use
their knowledge or gain their trust while he awaited the return of the
large crabs. Soon a few of the crabs hesitantly made their way into the
shallows in search of food. The lizardmen gesticulated at the great
crabs speaking heatedly among themselves. BurnClaw awaited more of the
creatures hoping to catch as many as would be needed to feed himself
thoroughly. Before the patient wyrm was satisfied with the number of
crabs upon the near shore, a large group of armed crabmen rose from the
Outlet and attacked the lizardmen. The two groups joined the fray
quickly, avidly seeking to slay the other.
Silently, BurnClaw leapt into the sky. Only the crabs and
lizardmen saw the behemoth take flight. The giant crabs scattered into
the sea once again. The lizardmen turned to flee into the swamp,
leaving the crabmen to think they had won. The unsuspecting crabmen
pressed their victory, but by pushing farther away from the Outlet they
had insured their doom. Blinding fire shot among them boiling many of
their number in the shell. The few who survived the sudden assault dove
for the salt water only to boil in the shallows as BurnClaw wheeled and
spit flame again. BurnClaw landed lightly on the soft wet earth and
began to eat the spoils of his ambush. As he sat ripping open the
shells and feasting upon the tender meat, he felt the lizardmen return.
Though he could not see them, he knew they watched his feast. He took
the last corpse of the crabmen and laid it across the collection of
weapons dropped by the reptilians in their flight. He slowly walked the
murky shore away from the location of the battle and curling up
comfortably waited for the lizardmen to grow brave enough to leave
their hiding and claim their prize. They obviously feared a trap, but
soon overcame their fear and scrambled out of the swamp toward the
awaiting corpse and weapons.
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