Legacy of the Dragons
Briessec-Cur ANDY JAMES
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The savagery of the Southern Wastes has borne legends of mystic pyramids, cruel slavers, and fearsome beasts. But no myth is as peculiar as that of Briessec-Cur, a sibeccai more likely to be seen in dreams than in flesh. His name varies with the attitude of the race spotting him. Briessec-Cur translates into both spirit speaker (for those sibeccai who believe he exists) and wind-talk (a derogatory expression for nonsense—the preferred translation for most sibeccai). The rhodin give him the prosaic name “Goldfur.” Despite their lack of spirituality, the rhodin fear the mere mention of Briessec-Cur as a bad omen. The verrik of Zalavat bordering the Southern Wastes take a more enlightened perspective. Recognizing his ability to travel and speak through dreams, they have named Briessec-Cur “The Dream Walker.” But even the verrik remain unaware of Briessec-Cur’s past. Part of his mystery is that he seemed to appear in the Southern Wastes overnight. Unknown to anyone, BriessecCur is a creature of dreams made solid. Just as the akashics developed a group memory, so too did a small tribe of sibeccai explore dreams with hopes of developing shared dreams for their people. They sought to preserve the history of their race in dreams so future generations could passively gain the wisdom of their elders. The tribe developed a complex ritual for finding a spirit of the dream world to guide them. But as they began the ritual one night and slipped into the dream state, a band of rhodin ambushed their encampment. The slumbering sibeccai were mercilessly slaughtered. From their blood rose Briessec-Cur. The sibeccai had successfully summoned him into their dreams, but their deaths had the unexpected effect of pulling the dream spirit into the physical world. Briessec-Cur emerged into a world much harsher than the one he knew. The spirits of his home had gone silent; instead, he heard new voices singing new songs. When the rhodin overcame their surprise and attacked him, he entreated the new spirits to aid him. The rhodin were decimated.
Combat Briessec-Cur always casts greater beastskin and plant armor well before going into battle. He wades into melee with his club, Nature’s Fury, using his spells and special abilities only as backup. If outnumbered, he summons a dream hunter (see next page).
Using Briessec-Cur Briessec-Cur wanders the Southern Wastes searching for a means back to his dream world. The dreaming sibeccai envisioned him as one of their kind, with an above-average physique and unusually rich golden fur. He retained this form when made solid. Although the summoning tribe lies dead, Briessec-Cur feels obligated to fulfill their dying wish: guiding the splintered sibeccai tribes of the Southern Wastes toward unification. While otherwise unconcerned with the
affairs of this world, his limited experience with the rhodin has shaped an intense dislike for them. He is aware of the verrik to the south indirectly, through the dreams of travelers to and from this nation. Although Briessec-Cur would like to know more of their strange mental gifts, he avoids direct contact for fear of how they would react to him. The sky, the earth, and the shrubs sing to Briessec-Cur with many voices, but one song in particular has caught his ear. Its resonating tones contain great power while warning of grave danger. It is the song of the Hadath, a powerful energy pattern hidden within the fabric of the universe. The essence of the Hadath is bound to every man, plant, and stone of the universe, woven throughout all spirits of this world. Since the Hadath is present everywhere in this world, only a greenbond from another world can recognize it for what it truly is. Briessec-Cur is unfamiliar with the legends of Virdella Tesham, an otherplanar creature who seeks the secret of the Hadath, but the songs warn Briessec-Cur that a great evil searches for it. For now, he resists the temptation to unveil the Hadath and access its power. While Briessec-Cur most likely could use the Hadath to go home, doing so would reveal its hidden form and risk destroying this universe. Briessec-Cur has levels in somnamancer, a prestige class from Chapter Three of The Diamond Throne. Briessec-Cur, male sibeccai Grn8/Somnamancer6: CR 14; Medium humanoid; HD 8d8+16 + 8d6+16; hp 86; Dying/Dead –3/–14; Init +2; Speed 30 feet; AC 12 (+2 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 14; BAB +8; Grapple +9; Attack +11 melee (1d6+3 +1d6 earth +1d6 water, critical 20/×2, club); Full Attack +11/+6 melee (1d6+3 plus 1d6 earth plus 1d6 water, critical 20/×2, club); SA Nature sense, infuse with life, trackless step, bond with the green, percipience, speak with spirits, induce sleep, subtle steps, dream tracking, dream spy, silent sheath, control dream, summon dream hunter, sense dreamer, steal dreams, spells; Hero Points 2; SV Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +14; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 12 Languages: Common, Giant Skills and Feats: Concentration +14, Diplomacy +14, Heal +9, Knowledge (magic) +14, Knowledge (nature) +10, Sense Motive +9, Sneak +10, Spellcraft +10, Wilderness Survival +9; Craft Spell-Completion Item, Creator Mage, Elemental Mage (earth), Elemental Mage (water), Power of the Name, Slippery Mind Nature Sense (Ex): Briessec-Cur can identify plants and animals with perfect accuracy and determine whether water is safe to drink or dangerous. Infuse With Life (Sp): Three times per day, Briessec-Cur can heal 3d8+8 points of damage. Nature’s Gift (Su): Once per day, Briessec-Cur can add a +4 divine bonus to any d20 roll he makes in the following round. He can impart this gift to an ally he touches during the following round (the ally must use the bonus in that
