Cloudgatherer
First Post
Conclusion: Life and Death Aboard an Airship
"You bastard," Katrina and Star exclaimed. Katrina beat Star to the punch though, as she gave the wizard a knuckle sandwich. Fortunately, this caused Star's sap to veer off course as Cloudgatherer sprawled out on the grass.
"Glad to see you too," he said to the sky.
Slowly Cloudgatherer rose, rubbing a bright red bruise on the side of his face.
"I don't understand," Canthor spoke at last, "why didn't you tell us?"
"Simple, I like living," Cloud countered. "The word was 'out' that I was 'imprisoned' long before Diram took my place. If Diamondflower found out I managed to get free, I'd have *big* problems."
"What about Katrina? You couldn't tell her?" asked Remus.
"Katrina, I could not put you at risk anymore than you already were. The Dark Wizard managed to conquer your mind once, briefly, and you can't betray someone you think is imprisoned."
Katrina blushed slightly at the remark. She had failed against the Dark Wizard's magic, and for her penance she sought out Bryle's piece of the Medallion (also to free her husband). She realizes Cloud had helped her a great deal in the lands to the north, where a kingdom of vile monsters ruled unchallenged by the already known kingdoms of Aera.
"But what about the airship over Aenith now? What are you going to do?" Star exclaimed.
"Airship over Aenith...." Came as news to Cloud. He knew the Gnomes of Gnimili were building one, but was not able to stay very long. The airship was now above Aenith, and the battle had already begun.
The group began to take action. Cloud asked Diram to get Thrin (Diram and Thrin are simulacrum siblings, it turns out, who knows what magic Cloud used to make one female). Milo had volunteered his services, up until now he had been silently "inspecting" the equipment of the party ("Oh, I was just looking at it, here you go!"). When all was said and done, the group was going to attempt to take control of the airship, land it outside of Aenith where the Paladins of Bryle could board it and fight on even ground.
Using a very large magic carpet he took from the gnomes, Remus, Star, Canthor, Rax, Diram, Thrin, Milo, Katrina, and Cloud started to fly into the Mydrana forest. In a flash they appeared in a stone room, with an archway (a portal, no doubt), loomed in front of them. Cloud hopped off the flying carpet only long enough to use his keys, activating Aenith's portal, before flying through.
The sounds of battle could be heard even in the basement of Aenith's Great Library. The party quickly made their way outside and began their assault on the deck of the airship. Cloud was going to serve as a distraction at the end of the ship, while the other eight attacked its front, seizing control of the ship, and landing it safely.
There was a vital contingency in all this activity: Diamondflower. Cloudgatherer had already warned the group not to fight the elven archmage, he was far too powerful even for him. Instead, the Medallion (worn by Remus) would need to be used against him...
The fight on the deck started out easily enough, but then got real tough real fast. A prismatic sphere was erected around the ships steering, a small brigade attacked the party, and a senior elven wizard on board summoned a Balor to do his fighting for him. After all was said and done, Diram was dying or already dead, Thrin was unconscious, but stable, and the rest of the party had fair to severe wounds (after using healing magic). The Balor's death wipped out a fair number of attackers, it was fortunate Star was able to get out of the way of the blast. Canthor and Katrina battled the Death Slaadi that were conjured in to fight from a summoning circle built into the ship. Rax flew above the fray and used his magic and dragon skills whenever he could. Remus... made sure anything that stood in front of him didn't stand for long. Cloud joined the battle late, and managed to force the elven wizard to teleport away just before the Balor exploded....
As the party recovered from the battle, Cloud was treating to his simulacrums when Ivelan Diamondflower suddenly appeared. With a feirce blast, Cloud was flung over the side of the airship, smoke rising from the blast upon his chest. Rax dove after him, flying as fast as his gold wings could go. The party was near the prismatic sphere, and quickly took cover behind it as Ivelan flooded the deck with magical blasting energy. Remus attempted to use the Medallion of the Gods against the elven archmage, but an aura of energy prevented the blue beam from entrapping him.
As Rax rose above the airship holding Cloud, the wizard threw a spell at Diamondflower. "Now," he shouted to Remus.
The aura of energy around the elven wizard fluttered slightly, and Remus sent forth the Medallion's power again. This time it struck home, and Iveland Diamondflower started to change. As pieces of the Medallion disappeared from Remus' neck, Ivelan became a metal disk upon the deck of the airship, 1 foot in radius, stamped with the holy symbols of the Aeran gods.
"You bastard," Katrina and Star exclaimed. Katrina beat Star to the punch though, as she gave the wizard a knuckle sandwich. Fortunately, this caused Star's sap to veer off course as Cloudgatherer sprawled out on the grass.
"Glad to see you too," he said to the sky.
Slowly Cloudgatherer rose, rubbing a bright red bruise on the side of his face.
"I don't understand," Canthor spoke at last, "why didn't you tell us?"
"Simple, I like living," Cloud countered. "The word was 'out' that I was 'imprisoned' long before Diram took my place. If Diamondflower found out I managed to get free, I'd have *big* problems."
"What about Katrina? You couldn't tell her?" asked Remus.
"Katrina, I could not put you at risk anymore than you already were. The Dark Wizard managed to conquer your mind once, briefly, and you can't betray someone you think is imprisoned."
Katrina blushed slightly at the remark. She had failed against the Dark Wizard's magic, and for her penance she sought out Bryle's piece of the Medallion (also to free her husband). She realizes Cloud had helped her a great deal in the lands to the north, where a kingdom of vile monsters ruled unchallenged by the already known kingdoms of Aera.
"But what about the airship over Aenith now? What are you going to do?" Star exclaimed.
"Airship over Aenith...." Came as news to Cloud. He knew the Gnomes of Gnimili were building one, but was not able to stay very long. The airship was now above Aenith, and the battle had already begun.
The group began to take action. Cloud asked Diram to get Thrin (Diram and Thrin are simulacrum siblings, it turns out, who knows what magic Cloud used to make one female). Milo had volunteered his services, up until now he had been silently "inspecting" the equipment of the party ("Oh, I was just looking at it, here you go!"). When all was said and done, the group was going to attempt to take control of the airship, land it outside of Aenith where the Paladins of Bryle could board it and fight on even ground.
Using a very large magic carpet he took from the gnomes, Remus, Star, Canthor, Rax, Diram, Thrin, Milo, Katrina, and Cloud started to fly into the Mydrana forest. In a flash they appeared in a stone room, with an archway (a portal, no doubt), loomed in front of them. Cloud hopped off the flying carpet only long enough to use his keys, activating Aenith's portal, before flying through.
The sounds of battle could be heard even in the basement of Aenith's Great Library. The party quickly made their way outside and began their assault on the deck of the airship. Cloud was going to serve as a distraction at the end of the ship, while the other eight attacked its front, seizing control of the ship, and landing it safely.
There was a vital contingency in all this activity: Diamondflower. Cloudgatherer had already warned the group not to fight the elven archmage, he was far too powerful even for him. Instead, the Medallion (worn by Remus) would need to be used against him...
The fight on the deck started out easily enough, but then got real tough real fast. A prismatic sphere was erected around the ships steering, a small brigade attacked the party, and a senior elven wizard on board summoned a Balor to do his fighting for him. After all was said and done, Diram was dying or already dead, Thrin was unconscious, but stable, and the rest of the party had fair to severe wounds (after using healing magic). The Balor's death wipped out a fair number of attackers, it was fortunate Star was able to get out of the way of the blast. Canthor and Katrina battled the Death Slaadi that were conjured in to fight from a summoning circle built into the ship. Rax flew above the fray and used his magic and dragon skills whenever he could. Remus... made sure anything that stood in front of him didn't stand for long. Cloud joined the battle late, and managed to force the elven wizard to teleport away just before the Balor exploded....
As the party recovered from the battle, Cloud was treating to his simulacrums when Ivelan Diamondflower suddenly appeared. With a feirce blast, Cloud was flung over the side of the airship, smoke rising from the blast upon his chest. Rax dove after him, flying as fast as his gold wings could go. The party was near the prismatic sphere, and quickly took cover behind it as Ivelan flooded the deck with magical blasting energy. Remus attempted to use the Medallion of the Gods against the elven archmage, but an aura of energy prevented the blue beam from entrapping him.
As Rax rose above the airship holding Cloud, the wizard threw a spell at Diamondflower. "Now," he shouted to Remus.
The aura of energy around the elven wizard fluttered slightly, and Remus sent forth the Medallion's power again. This time it struck home, and Iveland Diamondflower started to change. As pieces of the Medallion disappeared from Remus' neck, Ivelan became a metal disk upon the deck of the airship, 1 foot in radius, stamped with the holy symbols of the Aeran gods.
