Wings of the Dragon

You find yourselves in a cavern, not knowing how you got here and with people around you. You begin to look around, but a booming voice attracts your attention.
This is the Cave of Tiamat, mother of the dragons. We are offering you a choice. You may become one of our children, granting us freedom to repopulate this world with magic, or you may return and forget everything you heard here.
With a loud crack, text appears on the cave wall.
Here are the rules to this gift of mine.
Remember, all of you may become dragons, but only one needs to in order for my freedom to come about.
Choose wisely.

Rules (open) Rules (close)

You can change from human to dragon form, or vise versa, once a month. Once you have changed you will remain in that form until the following month, when you can change again. Aside from being immortal, you are no different in human form.

CHOOSE ONE FROM EACH CATEGORY


Size and Shape

-- Drake: Drakes are the smallest variety of dragons, roughly the size of a truck, and are physically weaker than average. They are uniquely multichromatic, meaning they have two different colours rather than one - possessing the strengths and weaknesses of both (if an immunity and a vulnerabily contradict, they cancel each other out).

-- Dragon: An ordinary dragon, similar in size to a large house. They are stronger than drakes but not as conspicious as the behemoth. Ordinary dragons take most strongly to the traits of their colour, both the strengths and weaknesses are more extreme.

-- Behemoth: A gargantuan dragon, as large as an entire castle. What it lacks in subtlety it makes up for it in raw strength, the behemoth is the strongest living thing that ever was. Don't expect it to fit into buildings or caves.

-- Coatl: Feathered serpents - though larger than regular dragons, their extra size comes from length rather than bulk. They are more agile than other dragons, capable of quickly moving their body to evade or attack, and can coil round opponents to constrict and crush them.

-- Wyrm: Long, bulky, and with underdeveloped wings, wyrms are poor at flying, but are natural burrowers. They are stronger than most dragons, and secrete an acid from their mouths that gives them a highly potent bite and allows them to quickly carve out tunnels and caves. They can also "swim" through deep sand as though it were water.

-- Shenlong: The longest dragons. Despite their size, their thin frame gives them below-average strength. Shenlong have a minor position in the celestial bureaucracy, which gives them the power to command weather, animals, and mythological creatures lesser than them (but noth other dragons).

Colour

-- Red: The most common variety, red dragons breathe intense flames. Dragonfire is hot enough to melt through almost anything, but difficult to control. Red dragons are virtually immune to heat and fire, and can rest comfortably even in molten lava. They are weak to cold temperatures.

--Blue: Blue dragons breathe jets of super-pressurized water, strong enough to cut through metal. They are noted for their swimming abilities - while most dragons are unweildy at best in water, blue dragons are as good at swimming as fish. They are weak to fire and extreme heat.

-- Black: Black dragons have no breath attack, but possess extremely thick armour. Other dragons are all but immune to small arms fire and can even survive direct hits from heavy weaponry, black dragons are twice as durable as even this. However, they are also much heavier, and as a result much more slow both on the ground and in the air.

-- White: White dragons breathe extremely cold blasts of gas, which can freeze almost anything in an instant. Unlike other dragons, they are comfortable in extremely cold conditions, and can freely live at the poles. They are weak to electricity.

-- Bronze: Bronze dragons breathe bolts of powerful lightning. They are the best fliers among dragons and are capable of flying much higher than any other kind, almost into space. They are weak to water and can not swim.
Wyrms cannot take this option.

-- Skeletal: Undead, scaleless dragons, animated by some strange energy. They possess the ability to "breathe" this energy out from their jaw - it is poisonous to other living things, sapping their strength, and causes the dead to rise as undead servants of the dragon. Due to their condition, skeletal dragons are flimsy and far less durable than other kinds of dragon.
Drakes and Shenlong cannot take this option.

Immortality
All dragons are immortal, but this comes at a price

-- Gold: You must amass a hoard of valuable metals and jewels (gold, diamonds, etc.) and sleep on it occasionally in order to prolong your life indefinitely. The hoard needs to be at least as large as you are. Be wary of Burglars.

-- Worship: You must convince a fair number of people to worship you as a god (a few thousand should do) to continue your eternal life. Their devotion must be sincere, and you'll need to keep the numbers up as members die or leave.

-- Maidens: You must ritually consume one fair maiden (or any sort of virgin really) each year to maintain your immortality. Expect this sort of behaviour to anger people.

Aspect
Even by the standards of other dragons, you have something that sets you apart

-- Majesty: You are a particularly majestic specimen of dragon. Humans and dragons alike will naturally regard you as a superior being, worthy of some respect. The weak-willed will feel naturally inclined to obey you.

-- Terror: You are a particularly intimidating specimen of dragon. People will feel instinctively frightened of you, even other dragons will think twice about getting on your bad side. Unnerves your opponents in a fight.

-- Sagacity: You are a particularly wise and compassionate specimenof dragon, or so you look anyway. People are much less likely to regard you as a threat or try and attack you, and will generally instead want to befriend you.
Skeletal dragons cannot take this option.

My mouth felt like cotton, my throat dry as a desert. I said nothing, but my long black hair stood on end as a voice rang out imperiously and told us of our predicament. Could it...be true? I had always loved fantasy, far more than the cold realities around me. Was this choice real?

The words on the wall dispelled any doubt that may have lingered. I didn't know if it was real. But I felt there would be no harm in trying.

And soon, images and words flowed into my mind. I saw all manner of dragon, passing over burrowing, powerful serpents, and fiery, stout drakes. I saw many forms, but eventually my mind settled on the long, regal one. Its body stretched seemingly endlessly, curling and twisting into infinity. Instinctively I knew, and my mouth formed the word for this creature; this was a shenlong.

The dragon I saw began to breathe something visible out of its mouth, and as it did, its breath--and its body--shifted colors, like a fish scale in the sun, or a particularly schizophrenic chameleon. It shifted, red, to blue, to bronze, to black, in many variations, until finally ceasing its vacillations at white, and the vapor escaping from its gaping maw turned to ice.

I saw visions of the dragon, soaring high above humans, and I saw throngs of excited people coming out to cheer its arrival. I saw it curl its long, endless body on top of a heap of gold and finery. I saw it at the foot of a frost-covered mountain, anxiously awaiting a young girl who slowly, reluctantly, climbed to its summit. I was repulsed by the last image, and the second I didn't much care for; and as though it shared my thoughts, the dragon flew down to be closer to the adoring masses.

Finally, I saw the dragon interact with these people. I could see it, hear it, speaking clearly, in an unbending, powerful voice demanding obeisance; I saw its tone change, to a congenial, wizened tone; I saw its rage awakened and its terrible might, an aura that could only be feared. The air around it crackled and became heavy, until the pressure lifted, and all that remained was the friendly, lilting tone that drew people to it.

As the vision finally faded, I took a shaky breath. What... what had just happened? Was that... was that what would happen if I took the deal the voice offered? I had, for a moment, felt such power and glory. It was... amazing. I was hungry for it, to be sure. Indecision wracked my body as I licked my cracked lips. I could feel desire needling its way through my chest. Ultimately, I decided to strike the deal, regardless of what path the others would take...

OOC (open) OOC (close)

tl;dr version: I picked Shenlong, White, Worship, Sagacity. Sorry for the wall of text.

"Okay. Where tha hell am I?" I look around the cave that I found myself in with wonder. "An who tha hell er.." I was unable to finish my sentence as a voice booms in my mind. 'Tiamat.' I say the name a few times in my head as the voice subsides. 'I know that name...Tiamat! Tiamat is a draconic goddess and five-headed queen of the evil chromatic dragons. She couldn't have possibly existed could she have? Well she stands for evil but...to be a dragon...'

Images flash through my head of the dragons I knew of from everything that had dragons. Vast, majestic, full of power and rage. A red dragon eating livestock and terrorizing people only to be stopped by a gold dragon to the cheers of humans and other races. I smile at the thought of joining the ranks of my most admired of creatures.

I look at the others. 'I don't know these people...if they choose to accept they could destroy and pillage. And otherwise ruin my dragon's name. I have to accept this power to help people.' Looking at the wall I read the words.

Another clearer image bursts into my mind. A swarm of dragons of various sizes and colors attacking a town. People running and screaming. Yelling for some unknown mountain guardian. The mountain beside the town begins to shake and crack large chunks falling off. A monstrous roar emits from the remains of the mountain as an absolutely massive dragon emerges. It stretches it's wings with another roar. It's black scale armor shines in the sun. Slowly and lumberingly it takes flight. Dwarfing the other dragons the monolith swats and claws at the swarm hitting three or four drakes per swipe. Several dragons launch breath attacks of various elements at the monolith is seemingly unaffected and continues to fight. The attacking dragons begin to retreat and the monolith tries to chase after them, but flies too slow to catch them. Satisfied the monolith returns to the town the remaining people bowing and cheering. Children run up to it and begin climbing on the monolith who simply lays down and lets the children play.

"W-will that be me?" I ask no one in particular my eyes wide as I look again at the words on the wall. "Yes...that is me."

(Black Behemoth, Worship, and Sagacity)

I was in my room, fast asleep. Swirling around in my mind were dreams of dragons, big dragons, little dragons, flying dragons, burrowing dragons. There were innumerable amounts of them, all with different hues of shimmering scales. I looked down at my own hands. Only they weren't hands. I had large claws where my fingernails should have been, a different amount of fingers than I should, and magnificent scales, in bright shades of red and white. Suddenly my viewpoint changed. I was seeing another dragon in it's place. Somehow though, I knew it was me.

The small dragon, aside from the oddity of its multicolored scales looked relatively normal. It sliced through the air on its wings as it flew in the direction of a large village. The roar of people could be heard as the dragon approached. But as it landed, the reactions of them wasn't hostile, as one would expect. Rather, they cheered and ran up to it. They clamored gathered around it.

Then, it spoke. "Silence!" it commanded them in a deep and wizened voice. The voice was still friendly in tone though, despite its commanding nature. The crowd quickly hushed and fell silent. The dragon again began to speak "Keep quiet, and ask one at a time, and you shall receive answers from the great oracle." The crowd formed a semblance of a line, still messy, but far more organized than one would expect of such a large group, and began advancing towards the dragon. The dragon answered each of their questions, giving cryptic prophecies to each of them. Finally, hours later, when the line was finally nearing its end and the sun began to lower over the horizon, the dragon rose, and shot off in the direction of a tall snow-capped mountain.

I rubbed my eyes, now conscious and awake, but something looked off. I frantically looked around, and came to a realization. This was not my room. This was not my bed. It appeared to be a cave. There were two other people there. I tried to say something, but just then a booming voice bellowed over them from nowhere. Was this real? Dragons? It was just like my dream. I smiled, knowing exactly what my choice would be, and uttered a single word.

"Yes."

The cave echoed with the thrum of what felt like a thousand wingbeats all occurring at once. Thoroughly shaken and somewhat disturbed, you all fall to your knees, then fade into the oblivion of unconsciousness.
My new children, we are most pleased. You now have the choice to assume your draconic, or retain your humanoid, form. Remember, you have chosen the price of your immortality, and the gift will fade quickly if you do not achieve your aim.
Had you chosen sacrifice, a single virgin each year would suffice.
Had you chosen riches, then you perhaps could have raided one of the various financial institutions we have been advised exist in this era, how clever these mortals are now.
But Worship....
My dear children, of the multitude of believers out there, you must each gain at least one thousand, and your congregation must be maintained each year, lest your powers fade into obscurity.
I wish you luck, and offer two suggestions:
First, that there are many who would believe given a single sign.
Find them, and show them that magic has returned.
Second, that my children in ages past often quibbled and quarrelled amongst each other.
They are now all dead.
I wish you luck, my children. Please...
Make me proud.
A sensation passes through you, as if the gentle caress of your mothers were carried along by the breeze, then fades as you feel the tingle of the eldritch power coursing through your veins and arteries to the very extremities of your forms, your shoulder blades aching softly.

I felt uneasy as whatever powers had beckoned me here flowed through me. It... wasn't unpleasant. It felt as though something had passed straight through me, seen everything about me. It felt... otherworldly. I felt as a child would, standing in the shadow of a giant.

For a moment I felt both fearful and awed, like a baby seeing a lightning storm for the first time.

And then, the presence left, and, in the absence of such a primal, overpowering aura, I felt, for the very first time, strong. Stronger than anything. Strong enough to move mountains.

At the same time I felt the indelible urge to test this sensation, to see my strength for myself. My breath created a small white vapor, blood rushing and throbbing through my veins, tingling running over my skin like rain. I wanted to run wild, to show the world I was not the same... I could conquer it. I could have the world bow before me, force it to right its wrongs. I could...

I shook my head slowly, dispelling the heady dizziness. There was no need to use it yet... I needed to plan my next move, first. I... wait. That... that didn't sound right, either. I had, for a single terrible moment, thought of people as... pawns? What? What was I turning into?

...First of all, I needed to unravel the riddle of what the voice had told me. Magic... has returned...? Were there others, like us? I needed more information...

I shudder as the feeling passes through me. 'Did that really happen?' I look myself over. I look no different physically, but I can feel it, feel it coursing through my veins. A power, raw and unrestrained, yearning to escape. Do I let it free? "Yes."

I shake as the power swells. Building and building until bursting. 'Yes! This is what it feels like! O to be a dragon...' I begin to scream as loud snaps and cracks can be heard from me. I hunch over as my spine breaks, contorts and grows. I scream out in pain, but it slowly turns into a roar as I begin to grow. My skin turns to scale, wings erupt from my back, and a tail begins to form. My size doubles, then triples, and I continue to grow. My scales begin turning black and hardening. 'This is it!'

I slam my now clawed hands into the ground, each the side of a car at least, and make the ground shake. Stretching my wings wide I give a mighty roar. "Yes! Yes!" My deep, gravely voice booms as I laugh the draconic power rushing through me. "Finally a dragon! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

I feel something crawling on my tail, but barely through my thick scale armor. Whipping my tail to my eyesight I see one of the other people who were with me in the cave clinging to my tail. "Having fun are we?"

(That person is UD and he gave me permission to have him do that.)