'The Fall of Irieabor (cont.)
...That Fatal Day...
...The battle was over before it started. The priests of Selune did not even stand a chance. Rays of light and pillars of flame even from the high priests and priestesses did not do so much as knock a few scales from the deadly, but magnificent dragons that ruled over the spires that day. I was mesmerized by their power and their grace as they shredded the Selunites in minutes. The high priestess became a meal for the largest of the greens.
I guess this delay, and the Heroes near-sucidal distraction of the lich, gave the main force of the Shields time to smash through the gates. Lord Bron single-handedly defeated the leader of the Black Talon Mercenary company Taurgosz "TenHammer" Khosann, and the remnant of Irieabor's troops, bolstered by the initial success of the assault began to make ground. The victory was short-lived. The dragons, done with their aerial battle looked to the ground. I sent a message to Sergei who had joined the assault with the remaining five members of Ivan's Cormyrans, to run and run fast. He listened and got the men out of there before the clouds of green death fell from the sky. The rest of the soldiers, Black Talons and Shields alike broke and ran from the High Town. The ghost of Lord Bron did not appear anywhere among the routed. The citizens who got wind of the tragedy at the High Towers fled as quickly as the could. The exodus of Irieabor had begun....
...The Cormyrans, Sergei, and I together fought our way from the city, recruiting Shields when we could and killing Black Talons as we found them. We showed no mercy to these betrayers even when it was asked. Finally across the river Chionthar, we met up with Aris, Nosr, Kyros, Grim and Ellysidell. As we laid low for the rest of the day licking our wounds Aris told me what had happened...
"Benito summoned an astral deva, his name was Kharmanos, to accompany us, and he recruited a half-celestial bard--Sylvia, I think her name was-- that happened to be in the city and wanted to aid our suicide mission. The lich knew we were coming, 'appearing' amongst us, he blasted us with sonics and acid and enclosed us in a wall of fire. Benito and the deva made short work of the horned devils that he sent against us and most of us escaped the firewall. However, we spent more than a few powerful magicks on what was a projected image. Souliess, battered by the initial attack teleported away. I don't blame him and I hope that he is safe and warm back wherever he disappeared to. Afer clearing the tunnel, we plodded on to our doom and met little resistance in the castle. The place smelled of death and what had once been a magnificent building was in a state of ruin and a rapid state of decay. The lich was waiting for us at the top of the staircase that led to the tower and the [prismatic] sphere that was his 'sanctuary'.
"He hit us first with a wave of magic so powerful that it disrupted all of our prepared spells, destroyed our potions and scrolls, and turned many or our magic items to normal ones. Fortunately, Blue Destiny survived, but now all of us who had relied too heavy on magic were at even more of a disadvantage. The humbling did not stop. In the blink of an eye we were enclosed in sphere of force and Grim, Ellysidell and Ivan had a glazed and confused look in their eyes. The lich was there mocking us and demanding our surrender. Behind us, an undead cariacature of my former companion, Mourn of Evereska, clawed at the invisible wall that separated us. More undead followed. It was too much. I gave the order to retreat that Nosr had been begging me to do from the start. Sylvia, Benito, and Kharmanos stayed."
We ran into Sylvia later. She had remained watching from an ethereal perch to see the lich utterly destroy Kharmanos with a word. Then she saw Benito sacrifice himself for us all and run into the sphere. Hearing this, we all bowed our heads saying a silent prayer to our gods for Benito's soul...
...Depending on whose point of view, things got better or they became worse. For us, it was better. For the people of Irieabor, tragedy beyond measure. At sunset we watched the city, saw the dragons flying in the sky occasionally dipping amidst the towers to snatch up a morsel adding insult to the already hopeless masses that fled the city. It began with a hot wind and we looked west. The Chionthar churned violently capsizing the few boats remaining, and from out of the sun, the largest red dragon I had ever seen and ever want to see descended on Irieabor.
I later learned that it was Balagos, "The Flying Flame". We all hid unable to help an unnatural fear that the beast radiated even that high in the sky. Peeking from under the cover of the woods we saw the mighty red destroy one green dragon and chase the others away. I suspect and I hope that he finished them both. Balagos, "saviour" of Irieabor returned at night and finished the lich's job, razing the High Tower toppling the highest point and sending the prismatic sphere crashing to earth. Balagos burned the High Town and settled down for the evening. Shortly before dawn, he left.
Who can fathom the mind of a great lizard? He destroyed or sent our foes packing, but left the way open for the Zhentarim to march into Irieabor unopposed the next afternoon. For that matter who can understand the Eldereth Veluthra? My only source of information leads me to conclude that the elves just wanted to cause havoc and see us humans destroy one another with their minimal effort. Was the sword secondary? I feel that we will never know...
THE END
