Craed had always been unusual by Dragonborn standards. It all started with his unusual coloring. Most Dragonborn are one color or at least have scales that vary between shades. Craed's scales are pitch black but with gleaming silver tips, giving him an interesting iridescent look. While strange in it's own right, other problems cropped up as he matured. After discovering that his breath was of lightning, the Paladin order invited Craed into their ranks. This was a great honor for any Dragonborn and was only given out to those who carried the 'Breath of Jeyld'. Craed refused, however. He was disillusioned with Dragonborn society and it's segregation. He enjoyed his walks through the foreign quarter and meeting new and interesting people. His people seemed far too engrossed with their own problems to embrace the diverse cultures that were waiting upon their very doorstep. And so, he refused that invitation and sheltered himself within the library. He read of the Dragonborn past and it's glories. He was most interested in the oldest stories of when Jeyld and Belradontius first created the Dragonborn. He was delighted to discover that the first of his people could fly! They were known as the Arkhosia. They were a tight knit tribe and used their instincts as much as their intelligence to survive. Craed truly respected these first Dragonborn and longed to have been born back in those days. He soon became dissatisfied with his life and retreated to depression. He became even more shy and quiet and stayed away from the public eye. He passed his time in silence.

The only recreation he allowed himself was his walks through the foreign quarter. This was the only time he felt truly alive. No one judged him here. Indeed, most people complimented him on his unusual looks. As he walked through one day he heard of interesting new arrival. A female shifter had come to visit the city and she had a most unusual ability to turn into an animal! Craed rushed to meet this woman and soon discovered her, marked by the strange totem she wore around her neck. He approached her and asked her if it was true that she could change into a lynx as the rumors said. She admitted that she could and transformed herself in front of his very eyes! He was delighted by this and asked how she came about this strange power. She laughed and bade him to follow her to a comfortable spot to sit.

She introduced herself as Mizzely and claimed that she was a druid. She told him of her tie to nature and the primal power of the world. She showed him that she could do many things besides simply turning into an animal and he watched as she launched a lightning bolt into a nearby bush. Not nearly as impressed by the lightning bolt (since he himself could breathe lightning) he asked more about the things that other druids could do. She admitted that there were not many of the druidic persuasion but that she had seen some command plants to spring forth and attack foes and others that could command the very wind! He listened with rapt attention and after hours of tales he begged her to teach him this art. She was taken aback by this plea and looked him over as if scrutinizing his every detail.

"I would guess that not many of your species would be so interested in my calling. Why are you so enamored with it?"

Craed thought hard about that question and gave an answer from his heart.

"Long have I been disillusioned with my people. They only seem to care about their gods and their armor and themselves. I have read that in the past we used to be more in tune with our instincts and survived and flourished with nature. We have lost much since then, but I wish to reclaim it. To show them that nature can be just as powerful a force as a wizards magic or a paladins faith."

She smiled at the answer and seemed quite pleased with it.

"Very well. Tomorrow I want you to bring me something that is both a part of you and a part of nature."

With that, they parted ways and Craed returned home to search for something that would satisfy his new friend.

---

The next day Craed met Mizzely at the same spot as before.

"What have you brought me that ties you to nature?"

Craed held forth his hand and showed her a fragment of leathery egg shell.

"This is part of the egg that I hatched from. I can think of nothing else that could so root me to the world as part of that which brought me into it."

Mizzely grinned up at the Dragonborn and he knew that he had chosen well. She agreed to teach him the ways of the druid and started by teaching him how to make a totem. She showed him her own totem and told him how and why she had chosen these specific items. She told him the story of when she made it and that before he could begin he must go on a vision quest to find the elements of his totem. He agreed without hesitation and prepared himself to go out into the forest and fast.

---

He had been in the woods for five days with no food or water. He was delirious with hunger and thirst but he vowed that he would die before breaking his fast. Upon the sixth morning he awoke to the sounds of a dying fox. The creature lay across the clearing from him and had an arrow in it's side. He felt pained for the poor animal and crawled over beside it. He removed the arrow and found that the wound was deep. He attempted to stop the blood but before he could do much more then press his hands upon the wound the fox died in his arms. He was shocked that this creature had died here before him. Before he could recover from this sudden loss his pangs of hunger overwhelmed him. He blacked out from the weakness and drifted off into darkness.

When he awoke he felt much stronger and at peace. He stomach seemed full. He quickly realized that he had blood on his hands and upon his clothing. It wasn't long before her found the remains of the fox, half eaten. He stared at the corpse. He thought he should feel revolted at what he had done but that strange peace kept him calm. He started to think. Perhaps this fox was sent to him. Maybe it was a sacrifice of nature for his own survival. He felt a kinship with this creature, this animal that gave up it's life to sustain his body. An epiphany hit him. He remembered the tale Mizzely had told him of her own totem and what each piece meant to her. He thought of the quick and clever fox and how he could relate to it's strange appearance compared to other canines. He had found his totem. He skinned the fox and removed the skull and tail and used the rest of the body to prepare more meals. Of the skin he made a small kilt and wrapped it about his waist. He took the skull and tail and tied them together with a thorny vine that was growing in a tree nearby. He carved a notch into the front of the skull and placed his bit of egg shell into it. He used more of the vine to make a loop and tied the new totem around his neck. He wore it with pride as he continued through the forest.

He found a few more items during his quest. The claws of a mighty bear and their representation of strength and the feathers of an owl with it's great wisdom and stealth. He added these to his totem and felt complete. And so he headed home.

---

Mizzely seemed to be waiting for him as he departed the woods. She saw what was upon his neck and, though taken aback by the sight of the skull, seemed pleased that he had found his totem. She asked him about his choices in each item and seemed interested in his reasoning of each one. Finished with his tale he watched her as she stood in thought and finally she grinned.

"At first I was quite startled that you had killed an animal to make your totem, but now I see that this animal had given itself freely. You have indeed found your totem and now you are ready to find your wild shape."

"How am I to do that?" Craed asked, very interested.

"Focus on your totem. Find that which inspred it. Find yourself in it. Focus on these thoughts and, if you are truly a druid, you will find the form that suits you."

Craed focused. He thought about the totem, and the fox. He thought of the vine, and claws, and the feathers. He thought of himself. And he found himself. He focused intently and a great warmth spread through out his body, enveloping him and changing him. He embraced it as it swept him down to all fours he crouched upon the ground. He opened his eyes.

"You have done well. I have never seen quite an animal like you before, but it suits you."

Craed looked over himself. He was a silver furred fox! But a very unusual fox! He had some very distinct draconic features. His ears were finned much like a Dragonborn and his head and spine were covered with black scales all the way down to his tail. The fur of his tail was also similar to that of a Dragonborns 'hair', or those long scales that served as Dragonborn hair. There were three of those scales, black as his own, upon his chin, giving him a small beard. He looked down at his black furred paws, contrasting so nicely with the gleaming silver fur of his body and lifted each one as if testing to see if they were really his. Delighted that this new body was indeed his, he gave out a joyous yelp and leaped into the air. Mizzely laughed at his display and watched as he changed back into his Dragonborn body.

"You have learned much in a very short time, druid. But there are other things you can do besides become a large fox." She winked at him and Craed grinned, ready to learn.

---

They had spent the past year together, with Mizzely teaching him much about his new abilities and Craed gaining more and more control every day. This time showed a drastic change in Craeds personality as well. No longer depressed or shy he became joyous and outspoken. He found that he enjoyed the company of more and more people and that he reveled in being part of a group. The other Dragonborn still found him to be unusual, even more so now that he could change into an animal, but they tolerated him and he, in turn, did nothing to aggravate them.

Craed was truly happy and felt that he was ready to put his new abilities to a purpose. He approached Mizzely and told her of some rumors regarding some unusual activity under the City of No Names. He wished to prove to the other Dragonborn that he was just as capable as any paladin and could do just as much good in the world, if not more. Mizzely listened to the rumors and quickly agreed that perhaps it was time they both began changing the world.

Will post some pictures later.

You have portrayed me beautifully, Craed