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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Joshua Randall" data-source="post: 1263246" data-attributes="member: 7737">The Dreadwood Wyvern, Part IIOtieno narrowed his eyes and targeted a scorching ray at the beast. The blistering hot stream of fire streaked outward, but the Dreadwood Wyvern twisted in mid-flight, evading the spell, which splashed harmlessly against the invisible force-barrier that protected the audience from wayward magic. Kell’s nonmagical ranged assault fared no better, one of his arrows missing completely and a second bouncing off the wyvern’s tough hide. Meanwhile, Brogun incanted a spell of summoning, drawing upon divine power to bring forth a holy ally to aid in the battle. A gleaming creature appeared in mid-air next to the Dreadwood Wyvern — a strange combination of horse and eagle, its hair and feathers both gleaming white. Yet even as the celestial hippogriff opened its beak to slash at its target, the wyvern plowed into it. The draconic creature’s mighty claws tore into the hippogriff, rending it horribly, white celestial blood raining down upon the sand. The Dreadwood Wyvern then clamped its jaws down upon the hippogriff’s back and neck, chomping through sinew and bone — and then through nothing, as the shattered summonee disappeared back to the heavens. By Kirabá’s beard! Brogun thought in alarm. Several paces away on the sand, Otieno pointed a finger at the wyvern. These don’t miss. A pair of magic missiles darted through the air, catching the creature just under its right wing. It growled in pain and dove towards the one who had hurt it. “Otieno!” Kell shouted, snapping off a shot as he raced towards his companion.* The arrow took the Dreadwood Wyvern in the cheek, and it opened its mouth wide in fury. Even as Kell dashed in front of Otieno, the wyvern snatched at the Herbalish with both claws, tearing through his leather armor, furrowing the flesh beneath. Kell was driven to his knees. He threw up his hands to ward off a further blow, then felt something sharp and hot slide into his upper back. Kell had been poisoned before, in the fight with Nasir and the other Cener. While that had been painful, it was like a soothing balm compared to the effects of the wyvern’s sting. Every muscle in the ranger’s body clenched spasmodically. “Oh gods, it hurts!” Kell cried out, tears running down his face.** Meanwhile, Brogun had taken the opportunity to enhance Kednor’s strength with a spell. “When that thing comes near, pound it,” the cleric stated emphatically. Kednor merely grunted in annoyance: as if such a plan weren’t obvious. The problem was that the wyvern showed no intention of remaining on the ground long enough to be vulnerable. As soon as it had stung Kell, it beat its powerful wings once more, rising in the air to hover in place.  The Dreadwood Wyvern threw back its head and shrieked in momentary triumph. If a dumb beast could be said to be playing to the crowd, this one was doing so. In the stands, people surged to their feet, a few shaking their fists in anger, but the majority cheering for the monster. Muammar Hafiz grinned broadly: it looked as though the wyvern would solve the problem of the meddlesome adventurers quite nicely. Yes, quite nicely indeed. Back on the sands, Kell sobbed in agony. He looked over at Brogun in an unspoken plea for help. The dwarf frowned and shook his head sadly.*** So the ranger did the only thing he could: he knocked arrows to his bow and continued firing at the wyvern circling above. Otieno blasted it with another pair of missiles, then grabbed Kell by the shoulder. “Move!” the sorcerer shouted. “We must take cover.” They staggered over the sand and took refuge under the luxury box that jutted out in an overhang. Kell withdrew a potion of Laumspur and quaffed it, feeling some of the wounds on his torso close. But the horrible fire within his veins continued to rage as the poison worked its way through his system. Seeing the archer disappear from view, the wyvern turned its attention to the heavily armored short ones. It climbed through the air, attaining some height, then turned on its side, folded in its wings, and dove. Below, Kednor stood his ground, his warhammer held low and to the side, ready to sweep upwards and connect in what the paladin hoped would be a devastating power attack. He stepped forward, and the two combatants crashed together. Kednor swung his hammer up and then down, clipped the Dreadwood Wyvern in the side of the face on the upswing, but missed completely with his second stroke. The monster tore into its target with jaw, talons, and wing buffets. Its claws punched through Kednor’s armor; its teeth clamped around his head. The wyvern grappled its prey and lifted him into the air, then squeezed its talons. Blood streamed out of dwarven armor, and though Kednor struggled vigorously, even his enhanced strength was no match for the Dreadwood Wyvern’s grappling. Brogun rushed forward to aid his cohort, but was too late to land a blow on the wyvern as it took to the air. Cursing, the cleric attempted a spell of blindness upon the beast, to no avail. From under the overhang, Kell steadied himself and took up his bow once more. He gritted his teeth against the poison and took aim. One arrow, then another, shot upwards to strike the wyvern, even as Otieno zapped it again with magic missiles. The Dreadwood Wyvern had had enough. It decided to put an end to the archers cowering below. First, it squeezed its claws one last time into the dwarf, then dropped him to the sand below. Kednor landed awkwardly — for a moment, the others thought he was dead; but the stolid warrior clambered to his feet, wiping the blood from his eyes. As this was happening, the wyvern flew down towards Kell and Otieno, alighting on the sand in front of them. It slashed at the ranger with its claws, but miraculously missed, merely shredding the Veins banners that hung from the luxury box above. Kell took a deep breath and fitted another arrow to his bow. He knew he would only get one shot at this. From beyond the wyvern, Kell could hear the sounds of mailed boots upon the sand as one of the dwarves charged forward. To his side, Otieno attempted to cast on the defensive, but the Dreadwood Wyvern swiped out a single talon, smashing the sorcerer into the wall behind. His feet pounding the sand, Kednor tore across the arena floor. As he did so, he called upon the holy power of Kirabá to smite this enemy. At last the dwarf reached the Dreadwood Wyvern and swung his hammer in a tremendous overhand blow, slamming it into the creature’s spine. Just as the wyvern turned its head to confront this new threat, Kell released his arrow — and the shaft flew true, striking the great beast in the left eye.**** With a mighty groan, the Dreadwood Wyvern crashed to the blood-soaked sand.  * Flavor text only; Kell doesn’t actually have the Shot on the Run feat.** You’d be crying too if you took 11 points of Con damage.*** Brogun could not yet cast neutralize poison, and hadn’t prepared delay poison.**** Sneak attack thanks to Kednor flanking the wyvern.</blockquote>

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