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Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 6303176" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Althrizz “flew”, effortlessly moving along the grey mists of the ethereal plane through the early night. The two horse-sized black shadows of the hellhounds raced through the corridors and out into the surrounding night. The flames of their tongues spewing about their snouts as burning spittle sprayed onto the rocks and plants to either side, leaving a path of sizzling and smoking as they went.</p><p></p><p>The galloping magical beasts thundered down the rocky path toward the party’s location. Between that and their incessant baying, their approach would be no surprise.</p><p></p><p>The succubus had used her clairvoyance to find the camp site. The group had moved, slightly, into the a clearing in the woods. A bit away from the hot springs. Must have been the swordsman’s idea to offer them more maneuverability.</p><p></p><p>She debated, only a moment, the idea of appearing before them and offering them surrender. But where’s the fun in that. Let the hounds have some exercise and she could still claim a couple alive, as her mistress wanted. At the least, the fire-based beasts could soften them up a bit first...and if any died, she could claim them for herself.</p><p></p><p>The hellhounds bounded into the clearing. </p><p></p><p>The heroes were at the ready. The swordsman and daelvar forming a 'perimeter before the hooded magess. The winged one took to the air as soon as the dogs appeared.</p><p></p><p>Arrows rained down on them, but most snapped harmlessly off of the hellhounds iron-like pitch black fur. Then, all of the heroes weapons glowed with the accursed golden glow of the Hilltender’s blessings. After that, two arrows sunk into one of the hounds’ shoulders.</p><p></p><p>The painful distraction was enough to cause one of the dogs to leap and snap up at the winged archer. This left it open to a long slash from the sapphire-hilted blade of the Grinlian. Flames spewed forth from the wound and glowing red blood, flowed down the black fur like lava. The confused and sorely wounded beast swiped a clawed paw at the warrior, but missed.</p><p> </p><p>Haelan shouted a prayer to his Hill-goddess to protect his friends from the fires of the wicked. </p><p></p><p>He completed his entreaty none too soon as the second beast breathed a cone of fire at the Hilltender. The diminutive cleric closed p into a ball no larger than a foot and a half around, behind his magical shield. When the flames had passed, the ball of cleric was coated in a soft reddish glow. He seemed no the worse for wear.</p><p> </p><p>Now, the magess was busy casting something as well. But something about the motions and tone was strange, to Althrizz.</p><p></p><p>Still, as she threw up her arms on the final syllable, the warrior and cleric backed away from their attackers and the zephari easily lifted and twisted himself into the air as a maelstrom of ice and snow burst into being and fell upon the two hellhounds.</p><p></p><p>Intriguing, thought Althrizz. The magess was expanding her repertoire to include other forms of weather magic besides always throwing lightning around.</p><p></p><p>The party regrouped at the far end of the clearing as the beast were battered and frozen by the torrent of cold. The spell seemed to only last a moment, but when it cleared, one of the hounds (who had already sustained wounds from Pyrnion and Braddok) lay coated in ice.</p><p></p><p>The second beast paced cautiously around the edge of the clearing. Its instincts were to circle its prey, but with no other pack-member to aid it, there was no trap to press his foes into. The creature’s wicked intelligence was enough to have it continue to circle, looking to line up the land-bound heroes for another blast of its fiery breath. </p><p></p><p>The zephari was setting to pelt the remaining creature with arrows.</p><p></p><p>With a sigh, Althriz exited the ethereal plan beside the winged man and grabbed at him.</p><p></p><p>“Wuthuh???” Pyrnion uttered before he felt the warming caress of the demoness. </p><p></p><p>“Am I not lovely?” Althriz’s face was painted with a visage of innocence and hopeful longing. Her wings appeared feathered and flowing golden hair was perfectly accented with silvery plummage. Her eagle-like eyes and the feathery brows above them were the softest blue of the most perfect brightest spring sky. She was the most lovely zephari woman he had ever seen.</p><p></p><p>“You!...you...are.” Pyrnion said calmly. Had he ever seen such a beauty? Of either gender. This woman before him, she could be his mate. His mate above all others.</p><p></p><p>Among his own kind, males and females only came together for their ritual matings, every 4 years. The rest of the time, the zepharim preferred to keep to their own genders for companionship and other familiar bounds. Male fledgings were taken after their second year, when they were capable of flight, to be raised by and with the males, likewise for zepharim women. But this...this female...he could nest with her the remainder of his days.</p><p></p><p>*CLANNNNNG* reverberated between the two flying figres as a small round shield bounced off of the woman’s head.</p><p></p><p>“AHHH!” she cried and turned to look at the Hilltender’s outreaching arm as the magic shield flew back to it.</p><p></p><p>“You dare!?” she said at first. “Beloved, you must stop him. He means me harm!” Althriz pleaded in her most weak and helpless voice.</p><p></p><p>A snarl formed on Pyrnion’s face. Not even the daelvar could harm his beloved. He set his bow in his quiver and drew his magic hand axe.</p><p></p><p>“You like throwing things at helpless women, beast! Catch this!” Pyrnion shouted at the tiny daelvar as he let loose with his axe. The golden weapon flew in a tight circle and landed, firmly, in the cleric’s shoulder.</p><p></p><p>“Pyrnion STOP! The demon has fooled you. LOOK! Look at her!” Trihna cried at the zephari while Braddok was desperately trying to keep the remaining hellhound’s attention on him. </p><p></p><p>“I have seen her, deceiver! She is the most lovely thaAAGHHZZZZ!!!” Pyrnion began to retort before a lightning bolt flew from the sky to strike both him and the shapeshifted demoness.</p><p></p><p>Althrizz shrieked as well, though maintained her flight. She sneered in disgust at the zephari’s weakness as he plummeted to the ground, streaming smoke. She should not have felt such pain from magical lightning...how had the magess...she looked to the sky. </p><p></p><p>A funnel of dark clouds circled above her. How had she...the druid! He was here somewhere.</p><p></p><p>Althrizz scanned the clearing. Sure enough, the half-elf was at the clearing’s edge, having moments before appeared as nothing but part of the treeline.</p><p></p><p>“You!” she shouted and teleported before another streak of lightning flew through the air where she had just been.</p><p></p><p>She reappeared immediately before the Fen and swiped at him with her taloned fingers, having fully reverted to her demonic shape. The attack struck the druid by surprise, but not before he had summoned another bolt down, directly on his location.</p><p></p><p>Althriz shrieked again, her form ravaged by the natural magic of the Ancient Order. She teleported again, immediately, back to the opening of the mountain’s “side door”, well away from the melee.</p><p></p><p>Braddok dispatched the hellhound while Haelan healed himself, then Pyrnion. He trotted on blond-topped feet to the smoldering form of the cloaked druid knelt.</p><p></p><p>“You shouldn’t have done that.” Haelan reprimanded before calling on Faerantha’s grace to heal his friend.”They weren’t supposed to know you were here.” he continued after the druid’s wounds were healed.</p><p></p><p>“I will survive, Hilltender. A calculated risk. My cloak’s enchantments softened the blow a bit. Didn’t know that incantation packed such a wallop.” the carrot-topped druid admitted as he stood.</p><p></p><p>“Maybe you’ll think twice before using it on a friend, then, in the future.” Pyrnion glared, rubbing the back of his neck as he rose. </p><p></p><p>“Haelan is correct.” Braddok also frowned. “You’ve given away one of our cards.”</p><p></p><p>“I apologize, warrior, but the daelvar was in jeopardy and, plan or no plan, I could not simply permit the abomination to persist.” Fen half apologized without sounding at all apologetic.</p><p></p><p>Braddok nodded. He understood the nature-priest’s tenets to an extent. He silently acknowledged that keeping the druid inactive among demons and supernatural creatures, like the hellhounds, was going likely to end just like this. Another calculated risk.</p><p></p><p>Either way, they were victorious. It could only be hoped that this victory would not rouse the dragon from her needed rest.</p><p></p><p>“What now?" Trihna asked, concerned that their gambit might prove exposed.</p><p></p><p>“We will press the attack. We’ll venture into the mountain and hope that we can achieve our goals without...or before...Desaarthal will become involved.” Braddok said grimly. “The succubus is obviously wounded. If we can end her now, our position is all the stronger.”</p><p></p><p>“But what about Al...ahhhh...Duor?” Haelan asked, nearly slipping. </p><p></p><p>“We will still be in the position we need to.” Braddok said plainly. He tightened the straps of his shield and adjusted his grip on Kandu. “Let’s go.”</p><p></p><p>The hellhounds smoldered and eventually caught fire and burned, consumed by their own blood, through the night. By the morning, nothing but horse-sized scorch marks were left in the clearing.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 6303176, member: 92511"] Althrizz “flew”, effortlessly moving along the grey mists of the ethereal plane through the early night. The two horse-sized black shadows of the hellhounds raced through the corridors and out into the surrounding night. The flames of their tongues spewing about their snouts as burning spittle sprayed onto the rocks and plants to either side, leaving a path of sizzling and smoking as they went. The galloping magical beasts thundered down the rocky path toward the party’s location. Between that and their incessant baying, their approach would be no surprise. The succubus had used her clairvoyance to find the camp site. The group had moved, slightly, into the a clearing in the woods. A bit away from the hot springs. Must have been the swordsman’s idea to offer them more maneuverability. She debated, only a moment, the idea of appearing before them and offering them surrender. But where’s the fun in that. Let the hounds have some exercise and she could still claim a couple alive, as her mistress wanted. At the least, the fire-based beasts could soften them up a bit first...and if any died, she could claim them for herself. The hellhounds bounded into the clearing. The heroes were at the ready. The swordsman and daelvar forming a 'perimeter before the hooded magess. The winged one took to the air as soon as the dogs appeared. Arrows rained down on them, but most snapped harmlessly off of the hellhounds iron-like pitch black fur. Then, all of the heroes weapons glowed with the accursed golden glow of the Hilltender’s blessings. After that, two arrows sunk into one of the hounds’ shoulders. The painful distraction was enough to cause one of the dogs to leap and snap up at the winged archer. This left it open to a long slash from the sapphire-hilted blade of the Grinlian. Flames spewed forth from the wound and glowing red blood, flowed down the black fur like lava. The confused and sorely wounded beast swiped a clawed paw at the warrior, but missed. Haelan shouted a prayer to his Hill-goddess to protect his friends from the fires of the wicked. He completed his entreaty none too soon as the second beast breathed a cone of fire at the Hilltender. The diminutive cleric closed p into a ball no larger than a foot and a half around, behind his magical shield. When the flames had passed, the ball of cleric was coated in a soft reddish glow. He seemed no the worse for wear. Now, the magess was busy casting something as well. But something about the motions and tone was strange, to Althrizz. Still, as she threw up her arms on the final syllable, the warrior and cleric backed away from their attackers and the zephari easily lifted and twisted himself into the air as a maelstrom of ice and snow burst into being and fell upon the two hellhounds. Intriguing, thought Althrizz. The magess was expanding her repertoire to include other forms of weather magic besides always throwing lightning around. The party regrouped at the far end of the clearing as the beast were battered and frozen by the torrent of cold. The spell seemed to only last a moment, but when it cleared, one of the hounds (who had already sustained wounds from Pyrnion and Braddok) lay coated in ice. The second beast paced cautiously around the edge of the clearing. Its instincts were to circle its prey, but with no other pack-member to aid it, there was no trap to press his foes into. The creature’s wicked intelligence was enough to have it continue to circle, looking to line up the land-bound heroes for another blast of its fiery breath. The zephari was setting to pelt the remaining creature with arrows. With a sigh, Althriz exited the ethereal plan beside the winged man and grabbed at him. “Wuthuh???” Pyrnion uttered before he felt the warming caress of the demoness. “Am I not lovely?” Althriz’s face was painted with a visage of innocence and hopeful longing. Her wings appeared feathered and flowing golden hair was perfectly accented with silvery plummage. Her eagle-like eyes and the feathery brows above them were the softest blue of the most perfect brightest spring sky. She was the most lovely zephari woman he had ever seen. “You!...you...are.” Pyrnion said calmly. Had he ever seen such a beauty? Of either gender. This woman before him, she could be his mate. His mate above all others. Among his own kind, males and females only came together for their ritual matings, every 4 years. The rest of the time, the zepharim preferred to keep to their own genders for companionship and other familiar bounds. Male fledgings were taken after their second year, when they were capable of flight, to be raised by and with the males, likewise for zepharim women. But this...this female...he could nest with her the remainder of his days. *CLANNNNNG* reverberated between the two flying figres as a small round shield bounced off of the woman’s head. “AHHH!” she cried and turned to look at the Hilltender’s outreaching arm as the magic shield flew back to it. “You dare!?” she said at first. “Beloved, you must stop him. He means me harm!” Althriz pleaded in her most weak and helpless voice. A snarl formed on Pyrnion’s face. Not even the daelvar could harm his beloved. He set his bow in his quiver and drew his magic hand axe. “You like throwing things at helpless women, beast! Catch this!” Pyrnion shouted at the tiny daelvar as he let loose with his axe. The golden weapon flew in a tight circle and landed, firmly, in the cleric’s shoulder. “Pyrnion STOP! The demon has fooled you. LOOK! Look at her!” Trihna cried at the zephari while Braddok was desperately trying to keep the remaining hellhound’s attention on him. “I have seen her, deceiver! She is the most lovely thaAAGHHZZZZ!!!” Pyrnion began to retort before a lightning bolt flew from the sky to strike both him and the shapeshifted demoness. Althrizz shrieked as well, though maintained her flight. She sneered in disgust at the zephari’s weakness as he plummeted to the ground, streaming smoke. She should not have felt such pain from magical lightning...how had the magess...she looked to the sky. A funnel of dark clouds circled above her. How had she...the druid! He was here somewhere. Althrizz scanned the clearing. Sure enough, the half-elf was at the clearing’s edge, having moments before appeared as nothing but part of the treeline. “You!” she shouted and teleported before another streak of lightning flew through the air where she had just been. She reappeared immediately before the Fen and swiped at him with her taloned fingers, having fully reverted to her demonic shape. The attack struck the druid by surprise, but not before he had summoned another bolt down, directly on his location. Althriz shrieked again, her form ravaged by the natural magic of the Ancient Order. She teleported again, immediately, back to the opening of the mountain’s “side door”, well away from the melee. Braddok dispatched the hellhound while Haelan healed himself, then Pyrnion. He trotted on blond-topped feet to the smoldering form of the cloaked druid knelt. “You shouldn’t have done that.” Haelan reprimanded before calling on Faerantha’s grace to heal his friend.”They weren’t supposed to know you were here.” he continued after the druid’s wounds were healed. “I will survive, Hilltender. A calculated risk. My cloak’s enchantments softened the blow a bit. Didn’t know that incantation packed such a wallop.” the carrot-topped druid admitted as he stood. “Maybe you’ll think twice before using it on a friend, then, in the future.” Pyrnion glared, rubbing the back of his neck as he rose. “Haelan is correct.” Braddok also frowned. “You’ve given away one of our cards.” “I apologize, warrior, but the daelvar was in jeopardy and, plan or no plan, I could not simply permit the abomination to persist.” Fen half apologized without sounding at all apologetic. Braddok nodded. He understood the nature-priest’s tenets to an extent. He silently acknowledged that keeping the druid inactive among demons and supernatural creatures, like the hellhounds, was going likely to end just like this. Another calculated risk. Either way, they were victorious. It could only be hoped that this victory would not rouse the dragon from her needed rest. “What now?" Trihna asked, concerned that their gambit might prove exposed. “We will press the attack. We’ll venture into the mountain and hope that we can achieve our goals without...or before...Desaarthal will become involved.” Braddok said grimly. “The succubus is obviously wounded. If we can end her now, our position is all the stronger.” “But what about Al...ahhhh...Duor?” Haelan asked, nearly slipping. “We will still be in the position we need to.” Braddok said plainly. He tightened the straps of his shield and adjusted his grip on Kandu. “Let’s go.” The hellhounds smoldered and eventually caught fire and burned, consumed by their own blood, through the night. By the morning, nothing but horse-sized scorch marks were left in the clearing. [/QUOTE]
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