socalfunplaces Page 59
Page 59
In the end, a total of 40 elves participated in the ceremony and thus became sacrifices for the sword-drawing ritual.
On the sixth day at dusk, Ms. Celinesh finally gave up in despair, and her voice once again echoed throughout the entire Comansel.
Her voice was filled with weariness: "Citizens of Comensel, residents of the City of Song, look at the consequences of your actions."
A precious gift was placed before you, but you failed to appreciate it. Some of you, driven by arrogance, turned into flames in the sky; others, who sought to maintain peace, lost the peace within themselves. This gift, defiled by you, could have given birth to a worthy crowned king, but the dream of a crowned king has been shattered beneath my feet.
I hope one day you will realize what you have lost. I hope one day you will learn from today's mistakes. I will shoulder my responsibilities, even if my shoulders cannot bear such a heavy burden.
If I fail, the ceremony will continue, and you will still have the option to accept the challenge of fate.
If I succeed, I will lead you to find hope!
103. Departure
As the word "hope" resounded in everyone's ears, Lady Silinxi floated to the Crown Sword.
The Sun Elf family immediately dropped their magic aimed at each other and joined forces to "condemn" the Moon Elf who dared to overstep her authority. Even the other elves who were confronting non-elf races cast their magic at the barrier, hoping to stop the "usurper's" actions.
As the endless waves of magic bombarded the barrier, Silinxi gripped the hilt of the divine artifact, the Crown Sword, with both hands... Then, there was no dazzling golden light that devoured people, nor the acrid smell of human fat being ignited into flames; she was unharmed.
Lady Serenhi has gained the Holy Sword's recognition!
The inherent radiance of the Crown Sword blossomed once more, merging into the protective barrier and turning it golden as well. Any magic the elves used against Lady Serenity was neutralized upon contact with the barrier, which simultaneously reflected a golden lightning bolt that shot back towards the original caster of the spell.
The attack from the divine artifact was invincible; no matter how powerful the elf, they were as fragile as bubbles in the face of this golden lightning. The gravity of the entire Mystron also shifted at that moment, and in an instant, the air was filled with the shattered remains of countless elves.
At least ten patriarchs of the once-powerful Sun Elf families perished in this counterattack by the Crown Sword. Each of them was a top-tier powerhouse who had long been a legend by today's standards, and the number of ordinary elves was countless.
Casalos had reason to suspect that this was actually a counterattack launched by an enraged Serenhi herself.
While the Crown Sword is hailed as a divine artifact, the definition of a divine artifact in Faerûn is rather...unconventional. The Three Holy Swords of the Aman'Thul Empire are essentially three +4 magical weapons with more symbolic than practical significance; their actual power is less than that of the Moon Blades passed down in certain ancient elven families. If a +4 magical weapon's passive counterattack could kill dozens of legendary figures in one fell swoop, Casaloz would be far from capable. The historical record of parrying and counterattacking attack magic is quite similar to the effect of a certain tenth-circle spell wielded by Serenhi—as the first walking magic network authority dog on Faerûn, Lady Serenhi is likely the only being to possess a true tenth-circle spell after the second-generation Goddess of Magic, Mystra, sealed magic network spells of tenth circle and above. Based on this alone, she is undoubtedly the strongest in Faerûn.
From Casalos's perspective, what was strange was that Lady Serenhi, possessing absolute power, could have easily inherited Iltagrim's will and continued the Comansur Empire, yet she didn't. It can only be said that dragons cannot understand the thoughts of idealists; respect and blessing are enough, after all, it's not Casalos that's suffering...
Witnessing this horrific scene, no one dared to attack Lady Serenhi, who wielded the Crown Sword, and "peace" briefly descended upon Mystron. Lady Serenhi, suspended in the air, shed tears of anguish. She wept uncontrollably, her choked words imbued with magic that silenced everyone as they listened to her final speech: "I have succeeded, and I will not assume the throne. But my heart will forever hold you all in it."
I will return when you truly understand the essence of dreams.
I will return when all races are truly united.
I will return when the prophecy of King Orsens is truly and completely fulfilled.
I will return when the time is right.
"My people, look to me, I will plant the seeds of hope for you."
The light from the Crown Sword resonated with the golden barrier, and golden arcs of electricity erupted from Lady Serenhi's hands and the blade, surging into the ruins of the Tower of Domination. The power of magic repaired the Tower of Domination, and the golden light reassembled the shattered stones. It was only a moment, yet it felt like an eternity. The Tower of Domination once again stood in the center of Mystron, taller and more sacred than ever before.
The rocks of the Tower of Domination transformed into diamonds, refracting and reflecting the golden light of the barrier, converging into a halo that rose from the base to the top of the tower. As the golden light ascended, the barrier changed from a sphere to a rhombus, resembling a smaller version of the Tower of Domination.
Silinshi floated steadily in the center of the barrier, surrounded by the four court mages chanting spells. The magical energy rapidly materialized, condensing into diamond-like crystals. Then, a brilliant light erupted, golden energy sweeping across the entire Mystron. The maze that enveloped the area suddenly emitted a dazzling light before contracting and merging into the barrier. As the chanting of the four court mages reached its peak, a fragrant, seven-colored light converged from the edges of the maze towards the barrier. With a thunderous roar, the golden diamond tower, Silinshi, the four elven court mages, and the Crown Sword all vanished without a trace…
With the departures of Iltagrim and Sylphine, the demise of the Comensel Empire was thus set in motion.
Iltagrim achieved and maintained his dream through his personal power, but in reality, this dream was impossible under a backward social system and relations of production, even with the gods...
Chapter 178
Under the watchful eyes of so many evils, he proved so fragile. In the short decades following his death, the dream that had lasted for over a thousand years burst like a bubble.
Following the sword-selection ceremony, the nobles of Mysdrono established the "Twelve Councils" as the decision-making body of the Comensal Empire. Although most council members maintained their integrity and kindness, self-interest drove them to become embroiled in various political struggles. Ultimately, the councils effectively became tools for individual noble families to advance their own interests. Comensal quickly transformed into a loose federation rather than a united empire.
On the other hand, the continuous establishment of sister cities and colonial cities also attracted more and more spellcasters and artists away from Misdrano, which no longer welcomed them.
During Iltagrim's reign, the Crown King encouraged the spread of Mysdrano's glory to other places. Many high-ranking mages left the City of Song, spreading magic to other regions and even other planes. While this policy continuously increased Mysdrano's prestige, it also gradually weakened the City of Song's magical defenses. The influx of fresh blood into the Royal Guard and Akerfeld became increasingly scarce. After Iltagrim's death, the loss of mages became even more severe.
Although many spellcasters still flock to the City of Song, most of them are only there to improve their magical skills. Therefore, when the dark army besieged the city for the first time, these newly joined spellcasters either refused to do their best to defend it, fled, or even defected to the enemy.
104. The trail finally appeared
The lengthy historical background is relevant to the present, but the Bronze Dragon Thinker is more concerned with the war itself.
Decline is the beginning of war. In every world, the cycle of history has proven the correctness of the words of a benevolent father forged in steel: backwardness invites aggression.
The once mighty Comanther Empire, the most powerful empire in modern times, was on the verge of decline, inevitably surrounded by wolves, each eager to carve out a large chunk of its flesh. The prestige of the high elven mages could still deter the covetous eyes of humans, dwarves, and other elven kingdoms, but it couldn't frighten the powerful demons from other lands… In ancient times, the three demons summoned by the archmage Adras Sordhenser to test the Comanther Empire broke free from their increasingly fragile seals, thus igniting the War of Tears—don't ask why Netheril again; that era saw little progress in society, even experiencing large-scale regression, allowing the archmages, wielding power beyond their time, to run rampant with demons. Not only in modern times, but also in the foreseeable future, major historical events on the continent of Faerûn are inextricably linked to Netheril, a empire in name only, a cluster of fishing villages.
The War of Weeping began with the northern massacre of the Year of the Despairing Elves and ended with the fall of Mysdranor in the Battle of the Last Glimmer in the Year of the Lost Spears. It encompassed twelve battles and hundreds of engagements, large and small. Nearly forty legendary warriors are recorded as having died or gone missing, and over three hundred thousand elves were killed by the dark armies led by the Three Evils. It is undoubtedly one of the largest, most prestigious, and most intense wars in the entire history of Faerûn, documented in detail.
Due to the utopian nature of the ideal state of Iltagrim, Mysdrono also attracted a large number of metallic dragon inhabitants. Conversely, the dark armies of the Three Evils also recruited many chromatic dragons as allies. The Weeping War thus became one of the few wars in Faerûn's modern history to involve dragons on a large scale, with countless dragons perishing in the war, and the twisted chains even giving rise to new dragon subspecies during the conflict.
Given the Bronze Dragons' innate interest in war, the Thinker's obsession with it is understandable—Cassaros suspects that the Thinker was one of the participants in the Weeping War. Considering its age, Ohmora Cedar was in its prime during the Weeping War, a time of vigorous energy, and its passionate participation in the war against the demons perfectly suited the Bronze Dragon's character. During the war game, the Thinker lost its usual calm and composure; its emotions fluctuated wildly with the course of the war, as if long-buried memories had risen from their graves, seeping into its dragon soul and continuing to torment it.
No one knows how many friends and brothers it lost in that war, or how heavy the shadow it left behind. Casalos accompanied it, replaying every battle that took place, taking the perspectives of the decision-makers on both sides of Mysdrano and the Dark Army, analyzing the impact of each decision on the course of the war, and experiencing this war that made the elves weep and the humanoid races of Faerûn weep from a completely new angle.
A new idea popped into Casalos's mind: if the rules of strategy games were slightly modified to make them more accessible and competitive, and some entertaining content added, turning them into a war simulation strategy game, it might be able to gain a lot of popularity among the Bronze Dragons, making it much easier to grind their reputation...
Casalos was playing chess with the Thinker day and night when, across the strait, outside the West Gate city that Casalos had wreaked havoc on, two paladin maidens in military attire walked by.
"Sister Fiona, is it really it that appeared here?" The girl walking behind had long, ruby-red hair that flowed in the wind, refracting the sunlight into magnificent colors, like bursting flames. In contrast, her face was expressionless and icy, despite her seemingly friendly address, making the surrounding temperature drop several degrees… It wasn't an illusion; the midday sun and the flickering flames couldn't mask the chill emanating from her breath, wisps of condensed mist swirling around her gleaming silver armor.
That's probably a phenomenon caused by the permanent magical effect on the armor!
The thugs guarding the city gate, ready to extort "protection money" from those entering the city, thought to themselves, excluding the two girls from their targets. In the past, these guys who seemed to have some strength would have inevitably been extorted, but recently they had heard that something big had happened up above, and the thug leaders had received warnings from their superiors, repeatedly ordering their men to keep a low profile and not cause trouble.
"Who else could it be?" Fiona, the girl leading the way, was full of spirit. Her emerald green eyes darted around as she glanced at the thugs behind her who had just turned their heads to the other side to stare at the other people entering the city. Her face was full of disgust and disdain.
If they weren't in the city, she would have already drawn her sword and beheaded the villain, instead of letting him be so brazen and arrogant. Now was not the time to provoke trouble, she told herself to soften her expression and tone: "Although the size described is a bit large, the age is roughly right. Who else could it be but this little guy of that age?"
"What a nuisance. It was hiding perfectly well before, how did it suddenly start causing trouble?" The red-haired, cold-faced girl raised her right hand, tilted her head, and put a finger to her lips: "What do you think it encountered that made it suddenly so powerful? Flying Flame, and the legendary vampire... Sister, do you think it might be false information spread by those green lizards? They're very good at this."
“I don’t know, but isn’t the purpose of our visit to investigate what happened and confirm the truth of the incident?” Fiona paused briefly, sighed, and continued, “Losley, after everything we’ve been through, we’re all different. To survive, we have to disguise ourselves and infiltrate their society, diligently learning their knowledge, their skills, and their strength to strengthen and arm ourselves.”
It was orphaned and helpless from a young age, surrounded by powerful enemies. Its survival was entirely due to its own efforts. Therefore, it's only natural that it has changed and grown as a result, changing more thoroughly and showing more significant growth than we have.
Rosely lowered her hand and straightened her head, her gray pupils staring directly at the towering top of the Temple of the God of Dawn outside the complex: "That's right, after all, the prophecy says it's our revival..."
Chapter 179
Hope is that he is the only designated next... Garugsingo!
105. Missed
Both girls were, of course, "old acquaintances" of Casalos. The one known as Sister Fiona was the tungsten dragon Fiona Milon, who fed it its first meal, taught it its first lesson in dragon life, and protected it as it entered its first slumber. As for Losley, she was the aloof little female dragon, the chrome dragon Losley Vilayal, who had a brief encounter with it during the Supreme Dragon initiation ceremony.
After the Athelon Sanctuary was breached, amidst the chaos, Fiona searched for Casalos for a long time, staring at the raging magical aftershocks, but found nothing. However, she did manage to gather and rescue several other Athelon cubs, including Lothrie.
As the Athena survivors evacuated, Fiona's small group of cubs caught the attention of the ancient tungsten dragon Yola Orsea. The kind-hearted tungsten dragon, surrounded by two ancient chromatic dragons and several minions, teleported the group to a secluded location in Sword Coast at the cost of severe injury. After Fiona met with the other Athena survivors, she heard the devastating news that the severely injured Yola had ultimately failed to retrieve the sacred site.
Later, the Atheros were active in the heart of Faerûn for a time. Led by a few surviving ancient dragons, most of the survivors gathered together and clashed with the chromatic dragons before suddenly disappearing. Now it seems they have been guided and have all mingled in humanoid society, lying low, waiting for something…
Fiona led Lothley across half of Westgate City along the continent, heading straight for the Temple of Dawn, until they were stopped at the gate by the temple's guards.
"I'm sorry, madam, due to some recent events, the Temple of Dawn is temporarily closed to the public." The paladin blocking their path turned his gaze to the outside of the temple. Several days had passed, and the plaza ravaged by the two dragons remained in ruins. Piles of violently dismantled rubble were scattered across the potholed plaza, and the cracks left by the impact of the massive objects resembled a spider web in an abandoned warehouse. Several stonemasons were busy cleaning up the mess, but progress was slow due to limited manpower and resources.
Against the backdrop of this dilapidated square, the Temple of Dawn also lost its original splendor.
"If you're here to visit the Dawn's Abode, you might have to wait a while. Don't worry, West Gate City has many attractions; you'll have plenty of time to while away." Even though the temple had inexplicably suffered a calamity, the Dawnbringer's tone remained sunny and energetic: "If you're here to seek help from a priest, then you'll need to wait at the nearest inn. The temple is currently unable to receive guests, so every morning at breakfast, we send Dawnbringers to nearby inns to help you out..."
“No, we are not here to visit or ask for help.” Fiona shook her head, took out an insignia from the bag hanging on her armor waist and showed it to the paladin, and continued, “We are from Stardust City. Lord Dawn Smollett guided us here. In fact, we came here because of what happened here.”
Looking at the harp pattern on the emblem, the paladin hesitated.
According to an ancient agreement, the Temple of Dawn would provide the Harpists' Alliance with rest and assistance free of charge. However, he was well aware that Titus, the Dawn Lord of Westgate, didn't particularly like these harpists who interfered with his enjoyment of the Dawn's life. The last batch of Dawnbringers from the Temple of Dawn who were friendly with the harpists in Westgate had been sent out of the city a few days ago by the Dawn Lord under the pretext of escorting vampires. The young paladin didn't want to get involved with the Harpists' Alliance like this.
Seemingly understanding the reason for the paladin's hesitation, Fiona sighed and said, "We're just here to investigate some things... Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you or Lord Titus. We are not followers of the Dawn God; we're here for the sake of the dragons."
She turned her head toward the plaza, staring at the ruins: "That's it, and the other side that fought it. You reported to Lord Titus, and Lord Smollett said that Knight Eleanor Bolton, and the other Dawnbringers he brought, are all settled."
Hearing this, the paladin guarding the gate opened his mouth as if to say something, but after glancing at the two young women, he closed his mouth again. He nodded and walked into the temple, where the morning sun couldn't penetrate. Not long after, the old priest Casalos had seen before came out to greet him with a swaggering gait…
Casalos, locked in a fierce battle with the Thinker on the chessboard, was unaware that Fiona, whom it had been searching for, had already found her in Westgate City, and even less aware that this tungsten dragon lady had now become a member of the Harpists' Alliance.
The Crying War is a massive undertaking, and a war game with its background can't be finished in a short time. Spending a week or two on it is nothing to the Bronze Dragons. In fact, the war seminars held regularly among the Bronze Dragons often last for years. These naturally socially awkward guys are, in some ways, a bunch of die-hard military enthusiasts. Nothing interests them more than this kind of thing.
The Thinker's manor and ranch were clearly designed as a venue for such enthusiasts. The old butler was quite used to Liang Long hiding in his study and never coming out, and he would deliver plenty of food, drinks and desserts at just the right time every day. It seemed that he had long been accustomed to the Thinker's periodic eccentricities.
Casalos certainly couldn't stay cooped up in the study with the Thinker, facing a chessboard, forever; it had a lot to do. Although its urgency had lessened with its growing power, it still didn't have enough time to squander.
After conducting five simulations, showcasing the possibilities of the war from the perspectives of both the Mystron Alliance and the Dark Army, Casalos, having somewhat satisfied the Thinker's interest, found a very suitable excuse to bring the Thinker back to reality.
"Wargames are ultimately just theoretical exercises, and maps can hardly accurately reflect the battlefield at the time. Perhaps we could go to the ruins of Mystron to conduct an on-site investigation, and then combine that with the scenarios we just discussed, you would have a deeper understanding."
"Hmm? Going to Mysdrono? It's not far from here, but..." The Thinker was still somewhat dazed, his speech not yet back to its usual fluent and concise form: "But it's not safe there. The twisted maze is still in effect, the forces of the Dark Army are still roaming around the Great Forest of Comanso, the Weeping Elves have not completely withdrawn, and many evil forces that have come from afar are still entrenched there, forcibly seizing those treasures that belong to the Elves and the continent of Faerûn."
"None of them will welcome us!" the ancient bronze dragon concluded.
“Danger?” Casalos shook his head. “What war isn’t dangerous? If we call Toothpicker along, we won’t be afraid even if it’s an ancient red dragon.”
As luck would have it, the ruins of Misdrano were also on its original itinerary. There, it still had some loose ends left over from its previous grand gesture that needed to be dealt with.
106. A team of four is a standard configuration in D&D.
And so, Casaroz pulled the old dragon out of its study—as for whether Fang would agree to go to the ruins of Mysdrano with it, there was no need to think too much about it. Of the three dragons, Fang was the one who most wanted to explore the ruins of Mysdrano, and it had invited Casaroz to go with it more than once, which Casaroz had already agreed to but had never had the time to do so.
Whether it's for the high elf magic in the ruins of Mysdrano, to explore the secrets of the origin of the toothed dragon, or, like many adventurers who disappeared in the Great Forest of Comanso, simply for the elven treasure left behind by Mysdrano, it needs an outside help.
Now that the agreement has been fulfilled, and with the addition of the Thinker as a powerful ally, it can be considered a way of repaying the Tooth-Shaving's long-distance rescue.
In fact, the Thinker also had a peculiar interest in the ruins of Mysdrono. It is difficult to find out why these two dragons, who both hid in Waterdeep and had a fairly good relationship, had never traveled together before.
Even among highly social subspecies of dragons like the Bronze Dragon and Blue Dragon, each dragon remains a highly independent individual, with its own hidden secrets:
Chapter 180
The Thinker, who always claims to be young and strong and able to have a bunch of cubs with female dragons, has never shown any affection for any female dragon; what kind of experience lies behind the powerful arcane power awakened by the mage's spell... They are all dragons with stories, but they have never pried into each other's secrets. Not prying into the secrets of their allies is the basic principle of peaceful coexistence among dragons.
Casalos would never ask The Thinker or Toothshaker why they didn't invite each other to Mysdrono, just as the two dragons would never ask Casalos what happened in the sacred land of the Iron Dragon Clan, nor would they investigate where it came from.
When it suggested inviting Toothshaper to come along, the Thinker did not object, and Toothshaper did not object either, which was enough.
Teleportation is undoubtedly the best mode of transportation for long-distance travel, but because the magic locks shrouding the ruins of Mysdrono severely distort the magic network of the Comanso Great Forest region, the three dragons can only teleport to the valley region adjacent to the Comanso Forest first, and then fly into the largest and most mysterious forest on the continent of Faerûn using their wings.
To be in top condition to face the various dangers left in the forest, the Thinker suggests resting for one night in Cyberholm.
Irrigated by the pure waters of Lake Seber, the oak and maple trees of the Cyberholm region tower far above the surrounding forests, making this elven city hidden in the hills and forests easily spotted from the air. Cyberholm is one of the three major elven settlements in Comanso. Those elves seeking to escape the politics and social life of the elven court built this cathedral-like abode near Radiant Star and Moonrise Hills. In doing so, they distanced themselves from the City of Song, and thus narrowly escaped the slaughter of the Dark Army. After the fall of Mysdrono, a large number of elven refugees fled south and settled in the area surrounding Cyberholm, significantly increasing the region's population.
The three dragons descended into the forest through the dense canopy, only to be surrounded by dozens of wood elf guards who appeared out of nowhere. Arrows imbued with magic were nocked onto vine-bound bowstrings and pointed at the dragons' heads.
Casalos just clicked its beak without making a sound. The most irritable Shaving was already baring its teeth, ready to pounce on these ignorant two-legged bean sprouts, but the Thinker spread out a wing and blocked it.
"Put down your weapons, we mean no harm." The Thinker released an aura to calm the wood elves, and called out in Elvish, "Otarelia, your old friend, the bronze dragon Ohmora Cedar, has come to visit. Don't you intend to come out and greet him?"
"Oh, it's you."
A soft sigh rang out, and a beautiful female elf dressed in a semi-transparent white gown walked barefoot out of the forest. As she raised her hands, the guards of the wood elf guard lowered their longbows.
"After all these years, you've finally decided to come and see me, you thinker."
Hmm, there's a story behind it?
Casalos and Shaving immediately perked up their ears; this couldn't be considered them actively probing the Thinker's secrets...
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed through the vast stone ruins, waking the giant dragon that was resting atop the tallest building in the center.
Nargathra opened his eyelids, his lava-ball-like eyes slightly turning as he raised his head. Burning air spewed from his large nostrils, stirring up dust from the ground, and the pungent smell of sulfur filled the stone temple, which was covered with scorch marks.
"Doris," the dragon whispered.
A shadow surged from the void, then transformed into a slender, short drow elf with dark skin. She knelt on one knee, her head bowed, unable to look directly at the hideous red dragon's true form: "My lord, your loyal servant awaits your command at all times."
“Cersita is getting more and more ‘naughty.’ Go and teach her a lesson so she’ll remember her place.” A hint of sorrow appeared on the red dragon’s scaly face; if Drow looked up and saw it, he would be scared half to death.
A touch of sorrow could not conceal the red dragon's brutal nature. The red dragon's cruel voice continued to command: "Last time I broke one of its wings and it didn't stop for months. This time, just cut it off directly. Anyway, I'll heal it when it's time to get rid of it. It won't be considered a violation of the responsibility that Lady Mercy imposed on me."
"I obey your command, my lord."
The drow vanished into the shadows, and soon after, the dragon's mournful howl echoed from the spot where the explosion had occurred. Nargasera closed its eyes contentedly, resting its head comfortably on its front paws, but this time, it couldn't fall asleep.
An indescribable sense of crisis quietly took hold of its heart.
It wasn't awakened by its equally brutal daughter, but rather by a fortuitous glimpse of opportunity by powerful arcane magic, a warning of impending danger. Unfortunately, the ancient red dragon Nargarthra wasn't as adept at prophetic magic as Flamebringer Baragas or Grommash Hellscream, and the twisted maze of the Mysdrano ruins severely limited its senses, preventing it from noticing that just moments before, four "adventurers" had entered the Mysdrano ruins.
These four adventurers were rather unusual. Apart from the burly man carrying a greatsword who could barely be considered a combatant, the other three didn't look like the kind of people who would venture into a dangerous place like Mysdrano. One of them wore a tailcoat, a tall, wide-brimmed hat, and a single gold-rimmed spectacle; another man had a large belly and was also dressed in luxurious clothes, with a silk shawl over a waistcoat with gold trim and gleaming leather boots; the last woman was an elf, wearing a silk dress that was almost indistinguishable from nudity, and she walked barefoot on the gravel path without getting a speck of dust on her feet.
107. A Different Kind of Adventure
The seemingly high-ranking elf, Otalelia, whose full name is Otalelia Kanos, is actually an ancient silver dragon on her head… Using the first half of her dragon name, pronounced in common language, as her usual way of disguising herself as human seems to be a popular convention among metal dragons. The common language abbreviations of dragon names also generally follow the same pattern.
After all, the current Dragon Language is a runic language similar to Dwarven. Translating a dragon's name into Common Language results in a very long string of letters, making it extremely inconvenient to use. It's perfectly normal to use a shortened version, following the conventions of Common Language names. The reason for using it as a disguised identity name is similar. Unless one is proficient in extremely specialized areas like runic language translation, Dragon Language naming rules, and Common Language name patterns, generally no one would associate two names together—there are so many people with the same name, and how can you say that two names with slightly similar pronunciations in different languages are the same entity?