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JollyDoc's Shackled City
- Thread starter JollyDoc
- Start date
Joachim
First Post
Neverwinter Knight said:My one-shot character dead a lot of cleaving! It really seemed that all my good luck had accumulated itself and was at my disposal this time. In combat alone, I rolled five natural 20s that resulted in criticals and I did not miss a single saving throw!
Much to the chargrin of the DM...![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
Anyway, it was nice to play again!
Sweet. I have been kicking around the idea of bringing Gardrid back should anything ever happen to Grimm where he couldn't be raised. I have been running so many potential bumped-up builds for my little battlerager...
Lela
First Post
JollyDoc
Explorer
“THAT’S NO MOON…!”
Caine began walking towards the knot of frightened refugees, hands held open to show that he meant no harm. As he approached, the aura of palpable weal that radiated from him seemed to calm their fear, but when he drew nearer, the red, smoking globe where his left eye used to be caused them to huddle together even closer.
“Be at peace,” the apostle spoke calmly. “Can any of you tell me what happened here? Why did these brigands target you?”
The group glanced nervously one to another at first, but then all of their eyes fell upon a middle-aged woman in their midst…the same woman the stone giant had been restraining. She stepped forward boldly, throwing back her head in an effort to regain her dignity.
“They wanted to know what I saw at the crater where the shooting star struck,” she said. “My farm lay only a few miles from the Lucky Monkey, to the northeast. I was coming back from a hunting trip when it happened. There was a flash of light, like someone tore the sky open, and a huge, black ball, bigger than two barns put together, came tearing out of the sky. There wasn’t any time to do anything. I only saw it for a second before it hit. It…it was horrible. My daughters and husband were probably still asleep. So many…friends…but thank the gods no one suffered. They couldn’t have. I covered my eyes and ears when I saw that black orb hit, and just managed to leap into a ditch before the fires and wind came. It seemed to last for hours, but I knew it only lasted and instant. Afterward, all that black smoke clung, like it was frozen in the air. It was like the end of the world…like the gods themselves smote the earth. Be we never did anything wrong! Why would the gods punish us? All those people…my family…now they’re just gone. And then things got worse. After the ground stopped shaking and the fire and wind had died down, I made my way back to my farm. The dead were everywhere, and the living weren’t far off from joining them. People were deaf or blind because they looked right at the blast, but I managed to find several folks, those you see here, trapped in the ruins of their houses. Of my farm…of my family…there was nothing left. And then, as we started to make our way out of that hellhole, the devils came. Evil beasts, black-skinned creatures with glimmering scales. They were led by three horrid monsters that wore wide gold necklaces and black armor. They headed straight into the crater! And they’ve been in there, in those poison mists and clouds of steam, ever since.”
Caine looked puzzled. “Can you describe any of these creatures to me? What did the brigands want to know?
The woman shook her head sadly, “They were asking the same as you. Wanted to know how many, and what they looked like, and what they were carrying. I’ll tell you as I told them…I can’t be sure. I think maybe there were two dozen, all told. The black-skinned ones looked an awful lot like orcs. The other three, I couldn’t see well, all armored up like they were.”
“I thank you my lady,” Caine said bowing, “You’ve been most helpful. Where will you go now?”
“To Cauldron, I guess,” she replied, gazing towards the southeast. “Anywhere except here.”
“If I may offer you a bit of advice,” Caine answered, “Cauldron may not be the safest place to be just now. There is much unrest there. I would suggest Redgorge instead. It’s only a day or so further, and much safer.”
The refugees thanked him, and then turned back towards the road leading to the distant mountains. As they passed round a bend, a lone figure appeared on the trail, coming the opposite direction. It was a human male, dressed in a chain shirt and an ornate cape. A large battleaxe and a longbow were slung on his back, and a steel shield hung on one arm. Once again, Caine moved to be the spokesman for the others, as they were still occupied with securing the prisoners.
“Well met, stranger,” Caine called, “but I’m afraid you are on a perilous road. It might be best if you returned from whence you came.”
“Well met indeed,” the man replied, “but my presence here is no happenstance. I seek those murderers that you have in your custody.” In response to Caine’s raised brow, the man continued, “My name is Tobias Hilcrest. I am on the trail of several members of an organization known as the Cult of the Dragon. They are a cabal of sorcerers, priests and monsters, many of which possess draconic heritage, and are all dedicated to the worship of evil dragons and the destruction of non-dragons. They are devout followers of the dragon goddess Tiamat.”
“Why do you seek them?” Caine asked cautiously. By this time, his companions had gathered close behind him, suspicion in all their eyes.
“A fair question,” Tobias smiled. “The object that fell from the sky recently in an ancient draconic reliquary known as the Fane of Scales. It is reputed to contain an evil artifact of terrible power. The Cult must not be allowed to recover it. They are the ones responsible for bringing down the Fane. I suspect they used some very powerful magic to disrupt the enchantments that kept it suspended high in the skies above. I was hired for one job only: to destroy the Cult members. There will be no arrests, and no prisoners taken.”
“Hired by whom?” Caine asked coolly.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” Tobias replied. “Suffice it to say that my employers have a great interest in not seeing the artifact that rests within the Fane fall into evil hands. Now, if you will allow me, I shall deal with these ruffians as per my orders.”
“I think not,” Caine said. “They are our prisoners, and we will question them and then decide their fates, but I assure you, summary execution will not be an option.”
“As you wish,” Tobias said, bowing, “but you are making a mistake. These people are cold-blooded killers. Your mercy is wasted upon them. They would not grant you the same boon.”
Caine returned to the unconscious form of the giant. Bending over the heavily bound figure, he began to weave a spell of minor healing, just enough to revive the brute, but not to return him to full strength. With a groan, the giant opened his slate gray eyes.
“So,” he rumbled in a deep basso voice, “do you mean to kill me now?” He eyed the hulking form of Grimm standing over him, his chain dangling loosely from one hand.
“On the contrary,” Caine smiled, “We offer you your life. Simply tell us your name, and your business, and we shall set you free.”
The giant looked skeptical. “Doubtful. Why should I believe you? Do not torment me. Kill me and have done.”
Caine spread his arms wide, allowing his aura to pour forth, “Look upon me, and know the truth of my words. We only require from you your pledge that you shall leave this place, and never return, and harry no other travelers that you may chance upon.”
The giant gazed on the radiant form of the apostle, and knew instinctively that the man did not lie. “My name is Tovak Bloodheart,” he began. “My companions and I were hired to find out information about the activities of the Cult of the Dragon, and return with that information to our employer.”
“And who would that be?” asked Caine.
The giant set his jaw stubbornly, and did not answer.
“I see,” Caine said. He could tell that the creature was telling the truth, but not all of it “Do you swear a blood oath to leave now, and abide by my instructions.”
Tovak nodded, climbing to his feet. “You are free to go,” Caine said, motioning towards the road. As Tovak turned to go, he caught sight of Tobias standing off to the side. Just for a moment, a look seemed to pass between the two. It was Wathros who noted it first.
“Wait!” the druid called. “Do you know this man? Have you seen him before?”
Tovak hesitated for a moment, then “No. I’ve never seen him.” He then continued down the road. Caine immediately sensed the lie in the giant’s last statement, and he turned to Tobias. “He lied when he said he had never seen you. Why would that be?”
“Of course he’s seen me,” Tobias sneered. “I’ve been tracking him and his companions for weeks. He lies because he is in fear for his life. He knows what I will do if I ever find him again.”
Caine could not perceive a lie in Tobias’ words, but he did not trust the man. If their recent sojourn to Occipitus had taught him anything, it was to beware of strangers bearing gifts. The apostle next moved to the woman who was still unconscious. He bent to revive her as he had Tovak, but when she awakened, it was instantaneous. Her eyes glared hatred at him. “Touch me not old fool!” she spat. “I don’t require assistance from the likes of you!”
“Perhaps not, lady,” Caine replied, “but you must admit that we hold your life in our hands. Now, I will offer you the same as I did your giant friend. Tell us who you are and why you are here, swear to us you will leave and never return, and you may go free. Also, tell us if you know this man,” he indicated Tobias.
“I will tell you nothing, and I swear nothing” she hissed, “One man looks much like any other to me. That one is nothing special. Now, kill me or release me, but stop wasting my time!” Tobias smiled knowingly, and rested one hand on his axe in an unspoken offer.
“Release her,” Caine said to Grimm. “She will be of no assistance. But watch her closely.”
The woman had been stripped of all her possessions, but Grimm knew she still had her magic. As he leaned over to free her bonds, he growled in her ear, “One funny flick of the finger or strange word, and I’ll snap your neck like a twig. Caine may be a pacifist, but I’m anything but.” The sorceress glared at him, but wisely kept her mouth shut. When she was untied, she haughtily adjusted her robes, and then without another word, began walking down the road.
“That was a mistake,” Tobias said, watching her go, “and one I’m afraid you may not live to regret. Still, you seem a capable group. I would welcome your help in my quest.”
“I think not,” Caine said tersely. “We will go our own way, and you go yours. If our paths should cross again, then so be it, but your road is not ours.”
Tobias smiled again, “You are a stubborn one, old man. I hope it doesn’t get you killed.”
“Oh, I think I’ll be around a while yet,” Caine said, and then he quickly stepped towards Tobias and slapped him on the shoulder. In an instant, his pacifying touch took effect. Stunned, Tobias hastily stepped away, then wrapped his cape around him and vanished in a flash of light.
“Im afraid we haven’t seen the last of him,” Grimm muttered.
__________________________________________________________
As the company drew and nearer and nearer to the point of impact, the devastation grew more complete. Whole swaths of the surrounding jungle and plains had been left a smoking ruin. Farms they passed were leveled, as if a giant hand had simply swept them from the face of the earth. It was impossible to tell the time of day because thick, black clouds of smoke and debris completely blotted out the sky, leaving the landscape in a perpetual gloom. Finally, they reached the site of the Lucky Monkey itself, but there was little to show that the inn had ever existed at all. Only a few cracked stone foundations clung to the rim of an enormous crater, fully three-hundred feet across, and so deep that its bottom could not be seen. Black, scorched bodies lay strewn on the ground like cordwood. The acrid scent of vaporized flesh, stone and earth was almost overpowering. Most impressive of all though, was the actual “meteorite” itself. It hung suspended in the air some one hundred feet above the rim of the crater, and looked like nothing so much as a massive orb constructed from overlapping black iron plates. It was nearly three hundred feet in diameter and dwarfed the surrounding landscape. About halfway up, approximately two hundred feet above ground level, there appeared to be some sort of platform, jutting out like a large, black tongue. There was no doubt that this was the Fane of Scales.
As the Bright Axes silently surveyed the scene of destruction, Wathros caught a flicker of movement from the corner of his eye. Thinking there might be some hope of survivors, perhaps even Shensen, he called out, turning in that direction. His joy was cut short, however, when he saw the three creatures moving rapidly in their direction. Two of them seemed to be orcs, but their skin was pure black, and seemed to be scaled. Their armor was also black, as were the great axes they gripped menacingly. Their breastplates were emblazoned with the image of a many-headed dragon…Tiamat! Their eyes burned with deep red hatred. The third creature seemed to be some sort of large, reptilian animal. It walked upright on two legs, balanced on a thick tail, much like the velociraptors native to this region. It’s head, however, was odd. It lacked eyes, for one thing, and its mouth looked like a large cone. It issued a deafening roar as it charged.
Wathros assumed the trio wasn’t interested in diplomacy, so he wasted no time summoning a column of holy fire from the sky to smite one of the orcs and the destrachan, for so the beast was named. Rusty reacted almost as quickly as the druid, and created a familiar wall of whirling blades, but this time he formed it into a circle, one edge of which caught the destrachan, and hemmed in one of the orcs, leaving the other on the outside.
The destrachan squealed in pain, and quickly darted to the interior of the blade circle, extricating itself from the scythe-like weapons. Positioning itself in the center of the circle, it opened its huge maw, and produced an ear-splitting high-pitched wail. The bright-axes reflexively covered their ears, but before Rusty’s startled eyes, the morningstar he held simply exploded. Immediately following that, his belt pouch disintegrated, and the gold coins he kept in it vaporized. “Damn ye!” the dwarf raged, “Now ye’ve gone and got me riled! Never come between a dwarf and his gold!”
Grimm noted that several metal shards splintered from his chain under the barrage of sound, but the weapon had endured far worse. He wasn’t worried, but he also knew the creature had to be dealt with quickly before they were all left standing here with their…well, empty-handed.
The draconic orc that was trapped within the blade barrier stepped to one edge, opened his mouth, and spat out a stream of smoking acid. The caustic spray washed over Rusty and Wathros, burning their flesh, and leaving smoking pits in their clothes and armor. Still infuriated over the loss of his money, Rusty retaliated with a bolt of searing light, striking the black orc in the middle of its chest, and knocking it back several paces.
Watching the battle intently, Tilly moved quickly over to Caine’s side. “Caine,” the halfling whispered, tugging on the apostle’s sleeve, “make me invisible. I can put an end to this quickly. Trust me.” Caine looked down at the little halfling, and the look of determination and cold-blooded violence he saw there gave him a moment’s pause. Reluctantly, he wove the spell of invisibility, and silently prayed for the rogue’s safety, and for his soul.
Without thought for his personal safety, Tilly ran for the barrier of slicing blades. At the last moment, he tucked himself into a roll, and tumbled through the deadly wall, emerging unscathed on the other side. Rolling to his feet, he maneuvered behind the destrachan, and then plunged his sword up into its abdomen. However, just as the blade struck, the creature turned to its head to ‘look’ directly at Tilly, despite the fact that the beast had no eyes, and Tilly was invisible. It sidestepped away from the halfling, avoiding the worst of his blow. Once more, it opened its large mouth, and bugled another of the mind-numbing sonic blasts. Tilly stood transfixed and dumbfounded as his chain shirt was literally blown off his body and shattered into its component links. On the other side of the blade barrier, Rusty was again hit by the blast as well. His war axe crumbled in his hands, and even one of the rings on his finger disintegrated.
Grimm had had enough. Moving up to the very edge of the barrier, he snapped his chain through it, wrapping it tightly around the destrachan’s neck. With one massive jerk, he snapped the monster’s neck, and it hit the ground twitching.
Meanwhile, Kiko and Wathros’ lupine companion had managed to corner the draconic orc that remained outside the wall of blades. The creature’s back was to the barrier, and the monk and wolf now flanked it. Moving quickly, the orc dug a small flask out of its belt pouch, and quaffed its contents. To Kiko’s amazement, the foul thing then simply rose into the air, taking flight and escaping his trap. However, the monk’s frown quickly turned to a ‘grim’ smile, for Grimm, seeing the orc in mid-air, also took flight, thanks to Caine’s enchantment. The half-ogre streaked upward, hammering at the orc with his flail as he drew near. The orc whirled about, opened its mouth and spewed a scorching spray of acid right into the big warrior’s face. As Grimm recoiled in surprise and pain, the orc began to speed away. But no clean getaway was forthcoming. A searing beam of light arced from Rusty’s outstretched hand and blasted the beast from the sky.
Only one enemy remained, and Kiko was determined to prove his worth. Watching the pattern of the swirling blades, he timed his leap perfectly and jumped through them, landing right behind the other orc. The monk raised his hand for a killing blow, but at that moment, the creature’s chest simply exploded, and it collapsed. Standing behind it, covered in gore, was the grinning form of Tilly.
_______________________________________________________
Caine gazed up at the massive orb above them, taking note of the ledge high up its surface. “It would seem that is our only way in.” he mused.
“We should send a scout first,” Grimm growled. “Let’s see what’s up there before we go charging in.”
“I will go,” Kiko said without hesitation. The monk was still chagrined about his poor performance in the previous battle. These people had saved his life, and he owed them a debt of honor. He had already failed in his duty once; he would not do so again.
“Not alone ye won’t lad,” Rusty said. “Ye might be needin’ some magic, not to mention healin’ if’n ye run into anything nasty up there.”
“I’ll come as well,” Wathros volunteered. “I feel a need to stretch my wings.” With that, the druid morphed into a large eagle. He leaped into the sky, and then swooped back down, snatching the wolf in his claws. Caine began casting his spells, preparing to give Kiko and Rusty the power of flight.
_____________________________________________________
Korakkus stood like a statue within the recessed doorway leading into the Fane. The doors themselves were barely hanging by their hinges. The crash had done most of the damage, and then he had opened them the rest of the way when Ravus and the others had gone inside. He knew they’d had a run in with the hydra, but apparently they’d managed to get past it without two many losses. What were a few black orcs? There were plenty more where they came from. He wanted to join in the battle with the hydra, but Ravus had been explicit in his orders. He was to stand guard here, and let no one pass. He meant to do just that, though he thought it highly unlikely that anyone would be able to reach the landing. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind, than he saw something curious. A large bird soared over the edge of the ledge, and it seemed to be carrying another animal. A wolf perhaps? Strange indeed, but a bird of prey and its meal were no concern of his. However, the next thing he saw totally caught him off guard. A dwarf and a human flew, without wings no less, over the platform’s rim, and landed, facing him. He felt his jaw hanging open, and he hastily closed it. Well, well. Perhaps the day wasn’t a total loss after all…
________________________________________________________
As soon as Kiko landed, he knew they were in trouble. The front door was unlocked, but not unguarded. The figure standing before it was huge, fully twenty feet in height. It resembled a blue-skinned giant, but its head was decidedly draconic, with bluish-white scales, and a shaggy white mane of hair. A pair of enormous, bat-like wings arched from its back. It held a gargantuan sword in both its clawed hands, and electricity crackled around the blade. Kiko instantly regretted the decision to come here without the full support of his companions, but he knew his duty nevertheless. He had to distract the creature and buy time for Rusty and Wathros to go back and warn the others. The monk was in motion as soon as his feet touched the ledge. So quick was his attack, that the giant half-dragon had no time to strike at him as he approached. However, as Kiko launched a flying kick at its groin, the monster managed to turn its body, and the monk’s blow deflected off its heavy plate armor.
Rusty and Wathros apparently did not understand Kiko’s tactics. Instead of using the opportunity to escape, the two priests instead opted to try and save the poor, idiot monk who was obviously suicidal. Wathros called a flamestrike directly on top of the half-dragon’s head, and then flapped his wings furiously to gain some altitude and put himself and his wolf out of reach of that deadly looking sword. Rusty quickly followed up with a blast of Holy force, buffeting the giant back several steps and striking it momentarily blind.
_________________________________________________________
Korakkus rubbed furiously at his bleary eyes. As his vision slowly cleared, he saw the small human moving in for another strike. Roaring a challenge, Korakkus swung his sword down in a vicious chop. He grinned evilly as the blade cut deeply, discharging a blast of electricity into the human’s flesh. As the creature retreated, Korakkus snapped his head forward, biting viciously into the thigh of the tasty morsel. He relished battle, especially against non-believing infidels such as these. Perhaps Ravus would reward him when he presented their heads to him. Perhaps he too would soon wear the holy torque.
_________________________________________________________
Kiko staggered toward the edge of the platform, bleeding profusely, his head spinning. Such brutal, savage ferocity. He could not hope to stand against such as that. He must warn the others. Turning, he leaped off the edge, taking flight once more, and then diving like a spear towards the ground far below.
Wathros watched the attack on Kiko in horror. The beast nearly killed him with one blow! It was obvious this battle would not be won by brute strength. Summoning his magic once more, the druid called up a brief, violent storm of ice and sleet. It engulfed the entire side of the platform where the half-dragon stood. It wouldn’t stop the monster, but it would certainly slow it down.
Rusty saw his opening once the ice storm struck. Falling back on the tried-but-true, he conjured another blade wall, this one running parallel down the exact center of the platform. The dwarf then landed on one side of the wall, and then relying on the spider-like stickiness of the boots he wore, he walked off the edge, and underneath, hanging upside down like a bat.
The combination of magical assaults did little more than anger and annoy Korakkus. Though he had never heard of a spell-casting bird before, the reality was staring him in the face, so he would deal with it as he dealt with all other enemies…with the sword! Spreading his great wings, he soared off the platform, away from the blinding sleet and cutting blades, and then swooped in a large arc up towards Wathros. As the druid saw this, he desperately struggled for altitude, but the weight of the wolf in his talons slowed him, and in moments, the dragon was on him. Korakkus sliced with his sword, battering the eagle and nearly knocking it from the sky. However, he was not able to follow up on the attack, as his momentum carried him past his foe. He would have to circle around for another run. Wathros wasn’t going to give the beast the opportunity. Knowing he had to retreat and regroup, yet unable to effectively do so, burdened as he was, the druid flew back towards the edge of the platform, and then dropped the wolf atop it. He gave a silent apology to his friend, but swore he would return quickly. Once again his form shifted, and where there was once an eagle in flight, there was now a large canine, which immediately began to plummet towards the ground. At the last moment, the dog blinked out of sight, reappearing in a fraction of a second safely at the edge of the crater.
_________________________________________________________
Kiko landed next to Caine, Grimm and Tilly just as the dog appeared beside them. “We’ve encountered significant resistance,” the monk said, looking askance at the strange animal, and working to control his racing heart and heaving lungs. “Another dragon spawn guards this entrance, but this one is…formidable.”
“Where is Rusty?” Caine asked urgently. Kiko hadn’t realized the dwarf wasn’t following until that moment. Caine looked at the blink dog, who gazed pointedly back up towards the platform.
“Hells!” the apostle hissed, his smoking eye smoldering even more than usual. Casting another fly charm, Caine slapped Grimm on the shoulder. “Go!” he cried, and then he called telepathically to his familiar. From out of his robes the little archon emerged. See to Rusty’s safety as best you can, my friend, the sorcerer communicated to his companion, but see to your own safety as well. Jules pulsed once in acknowledgement, and then vanished. Grimm didn’t hesitate either. He lifted into the air, willing himself to move as fast as he could, but with his great bulk, and heavy equipment, he knew it was going to be too slow. He prayed that Rusty would be okay.
__________________________________________________________
Rusty had heard the giant leave the top of the platform, and since he hadn’t seen the monster appear below him, he knew it must be after Wathros. The priest quickly scrambled back to the surface, being careful to avoid his own wall of slicing death. Oddly enough, Wathros' wolf was standing on the opposite side of the barrier, staring forlornly over the side. Rusty had not seen Wathros fall. What could have happened? At that moment, he heard a rush of wings, and looking up, he saw the giant coming in fast. The dwarf immediately began casting, blasting the brute with another flame strike, but the giant didn’t even slow. It soared over the top of the blade barrier, and chopped viciously at Rusty as it passed. Rusty’s vision went momentarily dark. So overpowering was the blow, that at first he didn’t even feel the pain, but when it came, it hit like a tidal wave. Blood gushed from his belly, and he was sure he could see his own innards showing. Staggering, he stepped underneath the platform once again, hoping to obtain some cover and concealment. Korakkus wasn’t fooled. As he banked and wheeled, he saw the little dwarf clinging to the underside of the ledge…easy pickings. He swept in, and delivered a second, devastating strike as the pitiful creature threw up its hands in a futile effort to ward off its own death. The dwarf went limp, but still hung upside down, obviously suspended by some sort of magic. Korakkus reached out one massive hand, and plucked it from the ledge, then flew back topside and dropped the body near the door. He would collect his trophies later. First, he had to find the dwarf’s companions, but then his eye fell upon the wolf standing shivering on the other side of the barrier of blades, right on the edge of the platform. The animal’s tail was tucked between its legs, and if Korakkus wasn’t mistaken, it had soiled itself. Yes, he could smell the stink of fear on it. This was going to be fun…
____________________________________________________
Back on the ground, Caine stared anxiously up at the receding form of Grimm. Then he turned back to Wathros and Kiko. “What about you two?” he snapped, an uncharacteristic sharpness in his tone. Kiko lowered his eyes in chagrin. He took a deep breath, focused his ki, and used his body’s own energy to mend some of his wounds. Then he took to the sky once more. As Caine next looked to Wathros, he caught a hint of movement out of the corner of his eye. Something came plummeting out of the air off to his left, landing just inside the rim of the crater with a sickening, wet thud. Fearing the worst, the apostle rushed to the crater’s edge. Peering down, he could just make out the bloodied, pulpy remains of a body. It was almost unrecognizable, but from the amount of fur on it, he knew it wasn’t Rusty. It was Wathros’ wolf. A deep growl came from beside him, and as he turned to look at the druid/blink dog, Wathros vanished in a flash of light. Caine knew he couldn’t wait any longer. Casting his fly spell upon himself, he followed his companions. Apparently forgotten in the general confusion, Tilly stood at the edge of the crater, staring impotently up as his friends went off to battle. He was all alone…
______________________________________________________
Wathros appeared on the platform in a second flash of light. The giant seemed to be waiting for him. It laughed uproariously. “Come back to check on your friends?” it taunted. “I sent one down to you. The other is right behind me. Care to join him?” The behemoth then charged. Instantly, Wathros’ body began blinking in and out of view. As a blink dog, he was able to move transiently between the material world and the ethereal. Fortunately, he blinked out just as the giant’s first blow fell. Unfortunately, he blinked back in when the second blow came.
Unnoticed in the melee, Jules appeared near the broken doors. He saw Rusty’s broken body lying on the iron floor, and floated quickly down. The archon could still sense the spark of life in the dwarf, and so he administered what aid he could. He was relieved when the priest’s breathing became less labored, and he opened his eyes. “Me thanks,” Rusty whispered. He could hear the giant rampaging nearby, and didn’t want to attract its attention again. “Get out of here, me little friend,” he said to Jules, and then sensing that Caine’s fly charm was still active, he flew quietly off the ledge, and far away…
Caine had managed to pass Grimm on the way up, and now the apostle had reached the underside of the platform. He could hear the battle above him, and knew he had to time his own attack just right, or risk the same fate as Wathros’ animal companion. Moving as cautiously and quietly as he could, he came over the edge of the ledge, right behind the half-dragon. Extending one hand, he calmly touched the back of the giant’s leg.
Korakkus stiffened. Whirling around, he prepared to crush the life out of the insect that had dared lay hands upon him, but as he stared down at the old human with the red, smoking eye, he found himself unable to deliver the killing blow. In fact, he found that he could not perform any act of violence at all! What sorcery was this? He knew that he had been enspelled, and he knew that now his enemies would use his lack of aggression to destroy him. He had to think! Calling on his own innate abilities, a gift from his mother’s side, he wove a great cloud of fog about himself and the platform. At least it would buy him a moment to regroup.
That moment turned out to be fleeting. Grimm rocketed over the edge of the platform. He had not seen Caine’s tactic, and did not know the giant was pacified. All he saw was the fog cloud, and he knew his friends and his enemy were somewhere within. Flying over the top, he listened intently, until finally he heard the telltale clank of plate armor. Smiling in satisfaction, he dove into the cloud, whirling his chain like Rusty’s blade barrier. His flail smashed into Korakkus, snapping him out of his inactivity. The half-dragon erupted into motion. This new attacker was one to be reckoned with. He had to put some distance between them. He dove off the side of the ledge, and then circled underneath, hoping the fog and the ledge itself would hide him long enough to catch his foe by surprise.
Caine sighed. Must it always come to bloodshed? At the very least, he had saved Wathros, and probably his own life as well. He would do what he could for the others, while they dealt with the threat in the way they knew best. It was at that moment, that Jules appeared next to him and reminded him of a very serious oversight. Tilly. The sorcerer realized his error, and chided himself for a fool. He quickly cast a spell, and then touched Jules so that he might deliver it to the halfling. In a flash, Jules was gone.
Far below, Tilly was struggling with feelings of despair and anger at his situation. Then Jules was there. The rogue’s relief was so great he could have hugged the little archon, if the thing had a body to hug. Jules touched him gently, and Tilly felt himself lighter than air. He could fly!
Rusty had taken his much-needed reprieve to fully heal his terrible wounds. Heedless of the fact that next time he might not be so fortunate, he sped back towards the battle. As he neared the platform, he could see the giant hiding beneath it. Hiding! Bah! He would show the beast what it meant to challenge a servant of the Weave. Chanting Mystra’s name, the priest unleashed a spray of glittering, diamond-like shards. They sliced thru the giant’s scaly hide, and their dazzling light clouded his vision.
Korakkus swatted futilely at the projectiles, trying once more to clear his eyes. The first thing he saw this time, was the old man. The fool was hovering in mid-air, several yards below him. Perhaps he still believed Korakkus to be cowed? Well, the half-dragon fully intended to show him his error in judgment. He dove, wings folded, straight at the apostle. His mighty sword sliced deeply into Caine’s side, but as the giant passed, Caine reached out once more, slapping the beast casually on the flank. Again, Korakkus felt his violent urges fade.
Once again, Grimm missed the interaction. All he saw was the giant closing on Caine. The half-ogre followed in a full dive, but just as he reached the monster, it banked, and Grimm’s flail passed just inches above its skull. The mere threat was enough, however, to again break Caine’s enchantment. Coiling into a barrel roll, Korakkus turned towards Grimm, and drove his sword into the champion’s thigh, before falling away to come around for his next attack. Grimm was still trying to regain his balance, when the half-dragon struck again, this time right between his shoulder blades. Howling in fury, Grimm slapped out with his flail at the giant’s retreating back as it passed.
As the giant flew under his position, Rusty struck again. A glowing, hammer-like wave of force smashed into Korakkus, causing him to momentarily falter in his flight. He spread his wings fully to balance him, and then wheeled around for a final run. He had apparently greatly wounded the half-ogre. Its blood poured like a river. Korakkus thought it another easy kill, although apparently his belief in his first kill had been premature, judging from the fact that the damnable dwarf still harried him. As he moved in for the killing blow, the big warrior suddenly dropped beneath him, and then snapped his spiked chain quickly up. The tip impaled Korakkus deeply in his midsection. Simultaneously, a second hammer-blow caved in his skull. Korakkus fell bonelessly to the ground far below.
Caine began walking towards the knot of frightened refugees, hands held open to show that he meant no harm. As he approached, the aura of palpable weal that radiated from him seemed to calm their fear, but when he drew nearer, the red, smoking globe where his left eye used to be caused them to huddle together even closer.
“Be at peace,” the apostle spoke calmly. “Can any of you tell me what happened here? Why did these brigands target you?”
The group glanced nervously one to another at first, but then all of their eyes fell upon a middle-aged woman in their midst…the same woman the stone giant had been restraining. She stepped forward boldly, throwing back her head in an effort to regain her dignity.
“They wanted to know what I saw at the crater where the shooting star struck,” she said. “My farm lay only a few miles from the Lucky Monkey, to the northeast. I was coming back from a hunting trip when it happened. There was a flash of light, like someone tore the sky open, and a huge, black ball, bigger than two barns put together, came tearing out of the sky. There wasn’t any time to do anything. I only saw it for a second before it hit. It…it was horrible. My daughters and husband were probably still asleep. So many…friends…but thank the gods no one suffered. They couldn’t have. I covered my eyes and ears when I saw that black orb hit, and just managed to leap into a ditch before the fires and wind came. It seemed to last for hours, but I knew it only lasted and instant. Afterward, all that black smoke clung, like it was frozen in the air. It was like the end of the world…like the gods themselves smote the earth. Be we never did anything wrong! Why would the gods punish us? All those people…my family…now they’re just gone. And then things got worse. After the ground stopped shaking and the fire and wind had died down, I made my way back to my farm. The dead were everywhere, and the living weren’t far off from joining them. People were deaf or blind because they looked right at the blast, but I managed to find several folks, those you see here, trapped in the ruins of their houses. Of my farm…of my family…there was nothing left. And then, as we started to make our way out of that hellhole, the devils came. Evil beasts, black-skinned creatures with glimmering scales. They were led by three horrid monsters that wore wide gold necklaces and black armor. They headed straight into the crater! And they’ve been in there, in those poison mists and clouds of steam, ever since.”
Caine looked puzzled. “Can you describe any of these creatures to me? What did the brigands want to know?
The woman shook her head sadly, “They were asking the same as you. Wanted to know how many, and what they looked like, and what they were carrying. I’ll tell you as I told them…I can’t be sure. I think maybe there were two dozen, all told. The black-skinned ones looked an awful lot like orcs. The other three, I couldn’t see well, all armored up like they were.”
“I thank you my lady,” Caine said bowing, “You’ve been most helpful. Where will you go now?”
“To Cauldron, I guess,” she replied, gazing towards the southeast. “Anywhere except here.”
“If I may offer you a bit of advice,” Caine answered, “Cauldron may not be the safest place to be just now. There is much unrest there. I would suggest Redgorge instead. It’s only a day or so further, and much safer.”
The refugees thanked him, and then turned back towards the road leading to the distant mountains. As they passed round a bend, a lone figure appeared on the trail, coming the opposite direction. It was a human male, dressed in a chain shirt and an ornate cape. A large battleaxe and a longbow were slung on his back, and a steel shield hung on one arm. Once again, Caine moved to be the spokesman for the others, as they were still occupied with securing the prisoners.
“Well met, stranger,” Caine called, “but I’m afraid you are on a perilous road. It might be best if you returned from whence you came.”
“Well met indeed,” the man replied, “but my presence here is no happenstance. I seek those murderers that you have in your custody.” In response to Caine’s raised brow, the man continued, “My name is Tobias Hilcrest. I am on the trail of several members of an organization known as the Cult of the Dragon. They are a cabal of sorcerers, priests and monsters, many of which possess draconic heritage, and are all dedicated to the worship of evil dragons and the destruction of non-dragons. They are devout followers of the dragon goddess Tiamat.”
“Why do you seek them?” Caine asked cautiously. By this time, his companions had gathered close behind him, suspicion in all their eyes.
“A fair question,” Tobias smiled. “The object that fell from the sky recently in an ancient draconic reliquary known as the Fane of Scales. It is reputed to contain an evil artifact of terrible power. The Cult must not be allowed to recover it. They are the ones responsible for bringing down the Fane. I suspect they used some very powerful magic to disrupt the enchantments that kept it suspended high in the skies above. I was hired for one job only: to destroy the Cult members. There will be no arrests, and no prisoners taken.”
“Hired by whom?” Caine asked coolly.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” Tobias replied. “Suffice it to say that my employers have a great interest in not seeing the artifact that rests within the Fane fall into evil hands. Now, if you will allow me, I shall deal with these ruffians as per my orders.”
“I think not,” Caine said. “They are our prisoners, and we will question them and then decide their fates, but I assure you, summary execution will not be an option.”
“As you wish,” Tobias said, bowing, “but you are making a mistake. These people are cold-blooded killers. Your mercy is wasted upon them. They would not grant you the same boon.”
Caine returned to the unconscious form of the giant. Bending over the heavily bound figure, he began to weave a spell of minor healing, just enough to revive the brute, but not to return him to full strength. With a groan, the giant opened his slate gray eyes.
“So,” he rumbled in a deep basso voice, “do you mean to kill me now?” He eyed the hulking form of Grimm standing over him, his chain dangling loosely from one hand.
“On the contrary,” Caine smiled, “We offer you your life. Simply tell us your name, and your business, and we shall set you free.”
The giant looked skeptical. “Doubtful. Why should I believe you? Do not torment me. Kill me and have done.”
Caine spread his arms wide, allowing his aura to pour forth, “Look upon me, and know the truth of my words. We only require from you your pledge that you shall leave this place, and never return, and harry no other travelers that you may chance upon.”
The giant gazed on the radiant form of the apostle, and knew instinctively that the man did not lie. “My name is Tovak Bloodheart,” he began. “My companions and I were hired to find out information about the activities of the Cult of the Dragon, and return with that information to our employer.”
“And who would that be?” asked Caine.
The giant set his jaw stubbornly, and did not answer.
“I see,” Caine said. He could tell that the creature was telling the truth, but not all of it “Do you swear a blood oath to leave now, and abide by my instructions.”
Tovak nodded, climbing to his feet. “You are free to go,” Caine said, motioning towards the road. As Tovak turned to go, he caught sight of Tobias standing off to the side. Just for a moment, a look seemed to pass between the two. It was Wathros who noted it first.
“Wait!” the druid called. “Do you know this man? Have you seen him before?”
Tovak hesitated for a moment, then “No. I’ve never seen him.” He then continued down the road. Caine immediately sensed the lie in the giant’s last statement, and he turned to Tobias. “He lied when he said he had never seen you. Why would that be?”
“Of course he’s seen me,” Tobias sneered. “I’ve been tracking him and his companions for weeks. He lies because he is in fear for his life. He knows what I will do if I ever find him again.”
Caine could not perceive a lie in Tobias’ words, but he did not trust the man. If their recent sojourn to Occipitus had taught him anything, it was to beware of strangers bearing gifts. The apostle next moved to the woman who was still unconscious. He bent to revive her as he had Tovak, but when she awakened, it was instantaneous. Her eyes glared hatred at him. “Touch me not old fool!” she spat. “I don’t require assistance from the likes of you!”
“Perhaps not, lady,” Caine replied, “but you must admit that we hold your life in our hands. Now, I will offer you the same as I did your giant friend. Tell us who you are and why you are here, swear to us you will leave and never return, and you may go free. Also, tell us if you know this man,” he indicated Tobias.
“I will tell you nothing, and I swear nothing” she hissed, “One man looks much like any other to me. That one is nothing special. Now, kill me or release me, but stop wasting my time!” Tobias smiled knowingly, and rested one hand on his axe in an unspoken offer.
“Release her,” Caine said to Grimm. “She will be of no assistance. But watch her closely.”
The woman had been stripped of all her possessions, but Grimm knew she still had her magic. As he leaned over to free her bonds, he growled in her ear, “One funny flick of the finger or strange word, and I’ll snap your neck like a twig. Caine may be a pacifist, but I’m anything but.” The sorceress glared at him, but wisely kept her mouth shut. When she was untied, she haughtily adjusted her robes, and then without another word, began walking down the road.
“That was a mistake,” Tobias said, watching her go, “and one I’m afraid you may not live to regret. Still, you seem a capable group. I would welcome your help in my quest.”
“I think not,” Caine said tersely. “We will go our own way, and you go yours. If our paths should cross again, then so be it, but your road is not ours.”
Tobias smiled again, “You are a stubborn one, old man. I hope it doesn’t get you killed.”
“Oh, I think I’ll be around a while yet,” Caine said, and then he quickly stepped towards Tobias and slapped him on the shoulder. In an instant, his pacifying touch took effect. Stunned, Tobias hastily stepped away, then wrapped his cape around him and vanished in a flash of light.
“Im afraid we haven’t seen the last of him,” Grimm muttered.
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As the company drew and nearer and nearer to the point of impact, the devastation grew more complete. Whole swaths of the surrounding jungle and plains had been left a smoking ruin. Farms they passed were leveled, as if a giant hand had simply swept them from the face of the earth. It was impossible to tell the time of day because thick, black clouds of smoke and debris completely blotted out the sky, leaving the landscape in a perpetual gloom. Finally, they reached the site of the Lucky Monkey itself, but there was little to show that the inn had ever existed at all. Only a few cracked stone foundations clung to the rim of an enormous crater, fully three-hundred feet across, and so deep that its bottom could not be seen. Black, scorched bodies lay strewn on the ground like cordwood. The acrid scent of vaporized flesh, stone and earth was almost overpowering. Most impressive of all though, was the actual “meteorite” itself. It hung suspended in the air some one hundred feet above the rim of the crater, and looked like nothing so much as a massive orb constructed from overlapping black iron plates. It was nearly three hundred feet in diameter and dwarfed the surrounding landscape. About halfway up, approximately two hundred feet above ground level, there appeared to be some sort of platform, jutting out like a large, black tongue. There was no doubt that this was the Fane of Scales.
As the Bright Axes silently surveyed the scene of destruction, Wathros caught a flicker of movement from the corner of his eye. Thinking there might be some hope of survivors, perhaps even Shensen, he called out, turning in that direction. His joy was cut short, however, when he saw the three creatures moving rapidly in their direction. Two of them seemed to be orcs, but their skin was pure black, and seemed to be scaled. Their armor was also black, as were the great axes they gripped menacingly. Their breastplates were emblazoned with the image of a many-headed dragon…Tiamat! Their eyes burned with deep red hatred. The third creature seemed to be some sort of large, reptilian animal. It walked upright on two legs, balanced on a thick tail, much like the velociraptors native to this region. It’s head, however, was odd. It lacked eyes, for one thing, and its mouth looked like a large cone. It issued a deafening roar as it charged.
Wathros assumed the trio wasn’t interested in diplomacy, so he wasted no time summoning a column of holy fire from the sky to smite one of the orcs and the destrachan, for so the beast was named. Rusty reacted almost as quickly as the druid, and created a familiar wall of whirling blades, but this time he formed it into a circle, one edge of which caught the destrachan, and hemmed in one of the orcs, leaving the other on the outside.
The destrachan squealed in pain, and quickly darted to the interior of the blade circle, extricating itself from the scythe-like weapons. Positioning itself in the center of the circle, it opened its huge maw, and produced an ear-splitting high-pitched wail. The bright-axes reflexively covered their ears, but before Rusty’s startled eyes, the morningstar he held simply exploded. Immediately following that, his belt pouch disintegrated, and the gold coins he kept in it vaporized. “Damn ye!” the dwarf raged, “Now ye’ve gone and got me riled! Never come between a dwarf and his gold!”
Grimm noted that several metal shards splintered from his chain under the barrage of sound, but the weapon had endured far worse. He wasn’t worried, but he also knew the creature had to be dealt with quickly before they were all left standing here with their…well, empty-handed.
The draconic orc that was trapped within the blade barrier stepped to one edge, opened his mouth, and spat out a stream of smoking acid. The caustic spray washed over Rusty and Wathros, burning their flesh, and leaving smoking pits in their clothes and armor. Still infuriated over the loss of his money, Rusty retaliated with a bolt of searing light, striking the black orc in the middle of its chest, and knocking it back several paces.
Watching the battle intently, Tilly moved quickly over to Caine’s side. “Caine,” the halfling whispered, tugging on the apostle’s sleeve, “make me invisible. I can put an end to this quickly. Trust me.” Caine looked down at the little halfling, and the look of determination and cold-blooded violence he saw there gave him a moment’s pause. Reluctantly, he wove the spell of invisibility, and silently prayed for the rogue’s safety, and for his soul.
Without thought for his personal safety, Tilly ran for the barrier of slicing blades. At the last moment, he tucked himself into a roll, and tumbled through the deadly wall, emerging unscathed on the other side. Rolling to his feet, he maneuvered behind the destrachan, and then plunged his sword up into its abdomen. However, just as the blade struck, the creature turned to its head to ‘look’ directly at Tilly, despite the fact that the beast had no eyes, and Tilly was invisible. It sidestepped away from the halfling, avoiding the worst of his blow. Once more, it opened its large mouth, and bugled another of the mind-numbing sonic blasts. Tilly stood transfixed and dumbfounded as his chain shirt was literally blown off his body and shattered into its component links. On the other side of the blade barrier, Rusty was again hit by the blast as well. His war axe crumbled in his hands, and even one of the rings on his finger disintegrated.
Grimm had had enough. Moving up to the very edge of the barrier, he snapped his chain through it, wrapping it tightly around the destrachan’s neck. With one massive jerk, he snapped the monster’s neck, and it hit the ground twitching.
Meanwhile, Kiko and Wathros’ lupine companion had managed to corner the draconic orc that remained outside the wall of blades. The creature’s back was to the barrier, and the monk and wolf now flanked it. Moving quickly, the orc dug a small flask out of its belt pouch, and quaffed its contents. To Kiko’s amazement, the foul thing then simply rose into the air, taking flight and escaping his trap. However, the monk’s frown quickly turned to a ‘grim’ smile, for Grimm, seeing the orc in mid-air, also took flight, thanks to Caine’s enchantment. The half-ogre streaked upward, hammering at the orc with his flail as he drew near. The orc whirled about, opened its mouth and spewed a scorching spray of acid right into the big warrior’s face. As Grimm recoiled in surprise and pain, the orc began to speed away. But no clean getaway was forthcoming. A searing beam of light arced from Rusty’s outstretched hand and blasted the beast from the sky.
Only one enemy remained, and Kiko was determined to prove his worth. Watching the pattern of the swirling blades, he timed his leap perfectly and jumped through them, landing right behind the other orc. The monk raised his hand for a killing blow, but at that moment, the creature’s chest simply exploded, and it collapsed. Standing behind it, covered in gore, was the grinning form of Tilly.
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Caine gazed up at the massive orb above them, taking note of the ledge high up its surface. “It would seem that is our only way in.” he mused.
“We should send a scout first,” Grimm growled. “Let’s see what’s up there before we go charging in.”
“I will go,” Kiko said without hesitation. The monk was still chagrined about his poor performance in the previous battle. These people had saved his life, and he owed them a debt of honor. He had already failed in his duty once; he would not do so again.
“Not alone ye won’t lad,” Rusty said. “Ye might be needin’ some magic, not to mention healin’ if’n ye run into anything nasty up there.”
“I’ll come as well,” Wathros volunteered. “I feel a need to stretch my wings.” With that, the druid morphed into a large eagle. He leaped into the sky, and then swooped back down, snatching the wolf in his claws. Caine began casting his spells, preparing to give Kiko and Rusty the power of flight.
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Korakkus stood like a statue within the recessed doorway leading into the Fane. The doors themselves were barely hanging by their hinges. The crash had done most of the damage, and then he had opened them the rest of the way when Ravus and the others had gone inside. He knew they’d had a run in with the hydra, but apparently they’d managed to get past it without two many losses. What were a few black orcs? There were plenty more where they came from. He wanted to join in the battle with the hydra, but Ravus had been explicit in his orders. He was to stand guard here, and let no one pass. He meant to do just that, though he thought it highly unlikely that anyone would be able to reach the landing. No sooner had that thought crossed his mind, than he saw something curious. A large bird soared over the edge of the ledge, and it seemed to be carrying another animal. A wolf perhaps? Strange indeed, but a bird of prey and its meal were no concern of his. However, the next thing he saw totally caught him off guard. A dwarf and a human flew, without wings no less, over the platform’s rim, and landed, facing him. He felt his jaw hanging open, and he hastily closed it. Well, well. Perhaps the day wasn’t a total loss after all…
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As soon as Kiko landed, he knew they were in trouble. The front door was unlocked, but not unguarded. The figure standing before it was huge, fully twenty feet in height. It resembled a blue-skinned giant, but its head was decidedly draconic, with bluish-white scales, and a shaggy white mane of hair. A pair of enormous, bat-like wings arched from its back. It held a gargantuan sword in both its clawed hands, and electricity crackled around the blade. Kiko instantly regretted the decision to come here without the full support of his companions, but he knew his duty nevertheless. He had to distract the creature and buy time for Rusty and Wathros to go back and warn the others. The monk was in motion as soon as his feet touched the ledge. So quick was his attack, that the giant half-dragon had no time to strike at him as he approached. However, as Kiko launched a flying kick at its groin, the monster managed to turn its body, and the monk’s blow deflected off its heavy plate armor.
Rusty and Wathros apparently did not understand Kiko’s tactics. Instead of using the opportunity to escape, the two priests instead opted to try and save the poor, idiot monk who was obviously suicidal. Wathros called a flamestrike directly on top of the half-dragon’s head, and then flapped his wings furiously to gain some altitude and put himself and his wolf out of reach of that deadly looking sword. Rusty quickly followed up with a blast of Holy force, buffeting the giant back several steps and striking it momentarily blind.
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Korakkus rubbed furiously at his bleary eyes. As his vision slowly cleared, he saw the small human moving in for another strike. Roaring a challenge, Korakkus swung his sword down in a vicious chop. He grinned evilly as the blade cut deeply, discharging a blast of electricity into the human’s flesh. As the creature retreated, Korakkus snapped his head forward, biting viciously into the thigh of the tasty morsel. He relished battle, especially against non-believing infidels such as these. Perhaps Ravus would reward him when he presented their heads to him. Perhaps he too would soon wear the holy torque.
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Kiko staggered toward the edge of the platform, bleeding profusely, his head spinning. Such brutal, savage ferocity. He could not hope to stand against such as that. He must warn the others. Turning, he leaped off the edge, taking flight once more, and then diving like a spear towards the ground far below.
Wathros watched the attack on Kiko in horror. The beast nearly killed him with one blow! It was obvious this battle would not be won by brute strength. Summoning his magic once more, the druid called up a brief, violent storm of ice and sleet. It engulfed the entire side of the platform where the half-dragon stood. It wouldn’t stop the monster, but it would certainly slow it down.
Rusty saw his opening once the ice storm struck. Falling back on the tried-but-true, he conjured another blade wall, this one running parallel down the exact center of the platform. The dwarf then landed on one side of the wall, and then relying on the spider-like stickiness of the boots he wore, he walked off the edge, and underneath, hanging upside down like a bat.
The combination of magical assaults did little more than anger and annoy Korakkus. Though he had never heard of a spell-casting bird before, the reality was staring him in the face, so he would deal with it as he dealt with all other enemies…with the sword! Spreading his great wings, he soared off the platform, away from the blinding sleet and cutting blades, and then swooped in a large arc up towards Wathros. As the druid saw this, he desperately struggled for altitude, but the weight of the wolf in his talons slowed him, and in moments, the dragon was on him. Korakkus sliced with his sword, battering the eagle and nearly knocking it from the sky. However, he was not able to follow up on the attack, as his momentum carried him past his foe. He would have to circle around for another run. Wathros wasn’t going to give the beast the opportunity. Knowing he had to retreat and regroup, yet unable to effectively do so, burdened as he was, the druid flew back towards the edge of the platform, and then dropped the wolf atop it. He gave a silent apology to his friend, but swore he would return quickly. Once again his form shifted, and where there was once an eagle in flight, there was now a large canine, which immediately began to plummet towards the ground. At the last moment, the dog blinked out of sight, reappearing in a fraction of a second safely at the edge of the crater.
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Kiko landed next to Caine, Grimm and Tilly just as the dog appeared beside them. “We’ve encountered significant resistance,” the monk said, looking askance at the strange animal, and working to control his racing heart and heaving lungs. “Another dragon spawn guards this entrance, but this one is…formidable.”
“Where is Rusty?” Caine asked urgently. Kiko hadn’t realized the dwarf wasn’t following until that moment. Caine looked at the blink dog, who gazed pointedly back up towards the platform.
“Hells!” the apostle hissed, his smoking eye smoldering even more than usual. Casting another fly charm, Caine slapped Grimm on the shoulder. “Go!” he cried, and then he called telepathically to his familiar. From out of his robes the little archon emerged. See to Rusty’s safety as best you can, my friend, the sorcerer communicated to his companion, but see to your own safety as well. Jules pulsed once in acknowledgement, and then vanished. Grimm didn’t hesitate either. He lifted into the air, willing himself to move as fast as he could, but with his great bulk, and heavy equipment, he knew it was going to be too slow. He prayed that Rusty would be okay.
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Rusty had heard the giant leave the top of the platform, and since he hadn’t seen the monster appear below him, he knew it must be after Wathros. The priest quickly scrambled back to the surface, being careful to avoid his own wall of slicing death. Oddly enough, Wathros' wolf was standing on the opposite side of the barrier, staring forlornly over the side. Rusty had not seen Wathros fall. What could have happened? At that moment, he heard a rush of wings, and looking up, he saw the giant coming in fast. The dwarf immediately began casting, blasting the brute with another flame strike, but the giant didn’t even slow. It soared over the top of the blade barrier, and chopped viciously at Rusty as it passed. Rusty’s vision went momentarily dark. So overpowering was the blow, that at first he didn’t even feel the pain, but when it came, it hit like a tidal wave. Blood gushed from his belly, and he was sure he could see his own innards showing. Staggering, he stepped underneath the platform once again, hoping to obtain some cover and concealment. Korakkus wasn’t fooled. As he banked and wheeled, he saw the little dwarf clinging to the underside of the ledge…easy pickings. He swept in, and delivered a second, devastating strike as the pitiful creature threw up its hands in a futile effort to ward off its own death. The dwarf went limp, but still hung upside down, obviously suspended by some sort of magic. Korakkus reached out one massive hand, and plucked it from the ledge, then flew back topside and dropped the body near the door. He would collect his trophies later. First, he had to find the dwarf’s companions, but then his eye fell upon the wolf standing shivering on the other side of the barrier of blades, right on the edge of the platform. The animal’s tail was tucked between its legs, and if Korakkus wasn’t mistaken, it had soiled itself. Yes, he could smell the stink of fear on it. This was going to be fun…
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Back on the ground, Caine stared anxiously up at the receding form of Grimm. Then he turned back to Wathros and Kiko. “What about you two?” he snapped, an uncharacteristic sharpness in his tone. Kiko lowered his eyes in chagrin. He took a deep breath, focused his ki, and used his body’s own energy to mend some of his wounds. Then he took to the sky once more. As Caine next looked to Wathros, he caught a hint of movement out of the corner of his eye. Something came plummeting out of the air off to his left, landing just inside the rim of the crater with a sickening, wet thud. Fearing the worst, the apostle rushed to the crater’s edge. Peering down, he could just make out the bloodied, pulpy remains of a body. It was almost unrecognizable, but from the amount of fur on it, he knew it wasn’t Rusty. It was Wathros’ wolf. A deep growl came from beside him, and as he turned to look at the druid/blink dog, Wathros vanished in a flash of light. Caine knew he couldn’t wait any longer. Casting his fly spell upon himself, he followed his companions. Apparently forgotten in the general confusion, Tilly stood at the edge of the crater, staring impotently up as his friends went off to battle. He was all alone…
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Wathros appeared on the platform in a second flash of light. The giant seemed to be waiting for him. It laughed uproariously. “Come back to check on your friends?” it taunted. “I sent one down to you. The other is right behind me. Care to join him?” The behemoth then charged. Instantly, Wathros’ body began blinking in and out of view. As a blink dog, he was able to move transiently between the material world and the ethereal. Fortunately, he blinked out just as the giant’s first blow fell. Unfortunately, he blinked back in when the second blow came.
Unnoticed in the melee, Jules appeared near the broken doors. He saw Rusty’s broken body lying on the iron floor, and floated quickly down. The archon could still sense the spark of life in the dwarf, and so he administered what aid he could. He was relieved when the priest’s breathing became less labored, and he opened his eyes. “Me thanks,” Rusty whispered. He could hear the giant rampaging nearby, and didn’t want to attract its attention again. “Get out of here, me little friend,” he said to Jules, and then sensing that Caine’s fly charm was still active, he flew quietly off the ledge, and far away…
Caine had managed to pass Grimm on the way up, and now the apostle had reached the underside of the platform. He could hear the battle above him, and knew he had to time his own attack just right, or risk the same fate as Wathros’ animal companion. Moving as cautiously and quietly as he could, he came over the edge of the ledge, right behind the half-dragon. Extending one hand, he calmly touched the back of the giant’s leg.
Korakkus stiffened. Whirling around, he prepared to crush the life out of the insect that had dared lay hands upon him, but as he stared down at the old human with the red, smoking eye, he found himself unable to deliver the killing blow. In fact, he found that he could not perform any act of violence at all! What sorcery was this? He knew that he had been enspelled, and he knew that now his enemies would use his lack of aggression to destroy him. He had to think! Calling on his own innate abilities, a gift from his mother’s side, he wove a great cloud of fog about himself and the platform. At least it would buy him a moment to regroup.
That moment turned out to be fleeting. Grimm rocketed over the edge of the platform. He had not seen Caine’s tactic, and did not know the giant was pacified. All he saw was the fog cloud, and he knew his friends and his enemy were somewhere within. Flying over the top, he listened intently, until finally he heard the telltale clank of plate armor. Smiling in satisfaction, he dove into the cloud, whirling his chain like Rusty’s blade barrier. His flail smashed into Korakkus, snapping him out of his inactivity. The half-dragon erupted into motion. This new attacker was one to be reckoned with. He had to put some distance between them. He dove off the side of the ledge, and then circled underneath, hoping the fog and the ledge itself would hide him long enough to catch his foe by surprise.
Caine sighed. Must it always come to bloodshed? At the very least, he had saved Wathros, and probably his own life as well. He would do what he could for the others, while they dealt with the threat in the way they knew best. It was at that moment, that Jules appeared next to him and reminded him of a very serious oversight. Tilly. The sorcerer realized his error, and chided himself for a fool. He quickly cast a spell, and then touched Jules so that he might deliver it to the halfling. In a flash, Jules was gone.
Far below, Tilly was struggling with feelings of despair and anger at his situation. Then Jules was there. The rogue’s relief was so great he could have hugged the little archon, if the thing had a body to hug. Jules touched him gently, and Tilly felt himself lighter than air. He could fly!
Rusty had taken his much-needed reprieve to fully heal his terrible wounds. Heedless of the fact that next time he might not be so fortunate, he sped back towards the battle. As he neared the platform, he could see the giant hiding beneath it. Hiding! Bah! He would show the beast what it meant to challenge a servant of the Weave. Chanting Mystra’s name, the priest unleashed a spray of glittering, diamond-like shards. They sliced thru the giant’s scaly hide, and their dazzling light clouded his vision.
Korakkus swatted futilely at the projectiles, trying once more to clear his eyes. The first thing he saw this time, was the old man. The fool was hovering in mid-air, several yards below him. Perhaps he still believed Korakkus to be cowed? Well, the half-dragon fully intended to show him his error in judgment. He dove, wings folded, straight at the apostle. His mighty sword sliced deeply into Caine’s side, but as the giant passed, Caine reached out once more, slapping the beast casually on the flank. Again, Korakkus felt his violent urges fade.
Once again, Grimm missed the interaction. All he saw was the giant closing on Caine. The half-ogre followed in a full dive, but just as he reached the monster, it banked, and Grimm’s flail passed just inches above its skull. The mere threat was enough, however, to again break Caine’s enchantment. Coiling into a barrel roll, Korakkus turned towards Grimm, and drove his sword into the champion’s thigh, before falling away to come around for his next attack. Grimm was still trying to regain his balance, when the half-dragon struck again, this time right between his shoulder blades. Howling in fury, Grimm slapped out with his flail at the giant’s retreating back as it passed.
As the giant flew under his position, Rusty struck again. A glowing, hammer-like wave of force smashed into Korakkus, causing him to momentarily falter in his flight. He spread his wings fully to balance him, and then wheeled around for a final run. He had apparently greatly wounded the half-ogre. Its blood poured like a river. Korakkus thought it another easy kill, although apparently his belief in his first kill had been premature, judging from the fact that the damnable dwarf still harried him. As he moved in for the killing blow, the big warrior suddenly dropped beneath him, and then snapped his spiked chain quickly up. The tip impaled Korakkus deeply in his midsection. Simultaneously, a second hammer-blow caved in his skull. Korakkus fell bonelessly to the ground far below.
Joachim
First Post
Well written there. In my estimation that was the toughest fight in the module, and I think you captured it elegantly. Truth be told, Grimm was not nearly as bad off at the end of the fight as you made it sound (66 out of 89 hps), but Rusty, Kiko, Caine, and Wathros all got HAMMERED by that Giant...in most cases by only one hit.
Now, this is what sucks. Because of the way the writing 'turns' are positioned, I have to post now. I only get a day or two after I am done with my post, and I have to go again. Hopefully I will be able to get something before too long. Next update:
THE DM MAKES IT A BODAK MOMENT
(get it...instead of A Kodak Moment...aren't we witty with our titles)
Now, this is what sucks. Because of the way the writing 'turns' are positioned, I have to post now. I only get a day or two after I am done with my post, and I have to go again. Hopefully I will be able to get something before too long. Next update:
THE DM MAKES IT A BODAK MOMENT
(get it...instead of A Kodak Moment...aren't we witty with our titles)
Nightingale 7
First Post
Hmm,great updates,but this time around the group's strategy was a little lacking,eh?The monk going head-to-head versus a half-draconic giant,splitting the party in half,forgetting poor Tilly behind,Grimm breaking Caine's Pacifying touch,before anyone has a chance to regroup.You must have been lucky that the only cold body after the dust settled was Wathros's wolf(seriously,how many companions has he gotten through as of yet?Most hunters would struggle to get such a body count 
)
On another note,when will we be able to see stat write-ups for the rest characters?Up till now Gfunk's and Joachim's characters are hogging all the glory.I wanna see Wathros,Tilly,Kiko and Rusty too.
)On another note,when will we be able to see stat write-ups for the rest characters?Up till now Gfunk's and Joachim's characters are hogging all the glory.I wanna see Wathros,Tilly,Kiko and Rusty too.
LordVyreth
First Post
I don't know about you, but the part that made me wince the most was when the Destrachan broke all their stuff! I hate when that happens as a player, and tend to limited stuff-breaking when DMing.
Yeah, I was laughing my ass off when the Destrachan showed up. Caine could even keep rust monsters as pets! BTW, I have to disagree with Joachim. Though this may have been the toughest fight in the module on paper or CR wise, the next one nearly claimed half the party.
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Mortepierre
First Post
Nightingale 7 said:
I disagree. To me, that was good role-play. Kiko acted in character and, besides, he couldn't have known what fierce adversary was waiting for him.
Way to go Kiko!
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