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Raiders of Oakhurst - A memoir of Erais Gunterson
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<blockquote data-quote="Colmarr" data-source="post: 4418489" data-attributes="member: 59182"><p>I had never seen a creature so big. It was roughly the same height as the Greycows that traveling circuses brought to Kronos Keep each midsummer, all grey leathery skin, dangling ears and massive ivory tusks. But aside from its general size, the dragon was nothing like the Greycows. Its body was less stocky, almost equine, and instead of tree-like Greycow legs, it possessed the rippling hunter’s legs of a cat. Its muscular body glistened from tip to tail with chitinous white scales. The beast’s neck added another three feet to its length, and the armour-plated tail another three again. Its leathery wings flapped twice as it crunched into the snow ahead of us, flinging water and shards of ice across the cavern, even as the dragon’s horned head darted forward. As the last of the water rushed away from the beast’s snout, I met its eyes for a split second, and saw a bestial malevolence in those blue orbs that shook me to my very core.</p><p> </p><p>We all scattered, but we were too slow. The dragon opened its fang-filled jaws and roared, and then the air was full of rushing ice, stinging my exposed skin and piercing the vulnerable gaps between the rings in my chainmail. I felt my skin freeze and then crack, opening painful wounds that immediately began to chafe against my clothes. The world disappeared in a haze of grey and white and pain, and then just when I felt I would never know warmth again, the blizzard abated.</p><p> </p><p>Corrin was the first to react. “For Tymora and Waymoot!” he bellowed, and I could only stare in surprise as he charged the monstrous beast. His shortsword slashed out at it, glancing off the beast’s natural armour. In turn the dragon swiped at him with its claws, and I notice for the first time that each was tipped with ice-like talons the size of daggers. Corrin shouted a challenge to the mighty beast, and a nimbus of radiant power flashed into existence around the creature.</p><p> </p><p>Skamos shouted “Spread out!” and I hurried to my left, staying as close to the cavern wall as possible to keep space between me and the dragon. Behind me, I heard Skamos finish an enchantment and a ball of fire the size of a cart appeared on the surface of the lake. The ice immediately began to melt under the intense heat, and the fiery sphere was soon surrounded by the sizzle of boiling water and a pillar of steam. The flame licked out at the dragon’s haunches and its white scales began to crack and char almost immediately.</p><p> </p><p>The beast roared in pain and its blue eyes went immediately to Skamos. Fortunately for the tiefling, Corrin stood directly in the creature’s path, with the wizard safely beyond just inside the tunnel opening. Instead, the dragon leapt with all four legs, taking it clear of Corrin’s flashing blade. It landed with two legs on the ice and I expected it to fall awkwardly, but its talons dug into the hard surface instinctively, and it was moving again without any noticeable delay. Only then did I realize it was headed straight for me.</p><p> </p><p>The beast’s front claws descended on me simultaneously, and I threw myself full-length to the side. The dragon’s weight crushed the snow where I had stood moments before, and I had no doubt that it would have done the same to my ribcage had I not escaped. I tried my best to turn my dive into a controlled roll, but I could not manage it in the foot-deep snow. I sprawled awkwardly in the cold, all too aware of the fanged maw and razor-sharp claws poised to end me.</p><p> </p><p>Corrin saved my life for the third time in less than 48 hours. I heard him shouting behind me, and then the dragon answered in kind, except that its bellow was one of pain and frustration. I scrambled to my feet and turned to face the beast, which was standing on its hind legs, the muscles of its neck and forelegs twitching uncontrollably. Corrin darted at its haunches, shortsword flashing even as Skamos’ sphere rolled across the ice and slammed against the dragon’s hip. </p><p> </p><p>The dragon’s head darted forward again, and Corrin and I were engulfed again in the creature’s blizzard-like breath. I screamed from the pain of a thousand needle-like scratches, even as I lost feeling in my fingers and ears from the cold. </p><p> </p><p>When the roaring wind dissipated, the creature lashed out with its claws and dealt Corrin a blow that rang through the cavern like a thunderclap. Even though the paladin managed to get his shield up in time, the force of the dragon’s attack drove the diminutive halfling onto one knee. I scrambled away from the beast again, eager to be clear of its slashing claws, and fashioned a lance of divine energy. The blast flashed against the dragon’s scales, even as a counter-point blast from Tira crashed into the creature’s neck from the other side of the cavern.</p><p> </p><p>For reasons known only to Amaunator, the dragon again followed me. It swiped at me, attempting to grab me with its wicked claws, and again I threw myself flat to avoid its attacks. The beast seemed determine to finish me, and I am ashamed to say that I took my Lord’s name in vain in my terror. </p><p> </p><p>Corrin again did his best to divert the beast from me, and I took the opportunity to pause and summon Amaunator’s light. Not willing to waste time rising from my freezing surroundings, I cast the prayer at the beast while still half-covered in snow. A spear of brilliance momentarily connected the dragon to the Sun Lord’s symbol in my outstretched hand. The light reflected from the creature’s glistening scales, filling the cavern with tiny rays of light as from a thousand shards of a broken mirror. Then the ray of light seered through the dragon’s chitin and the smell of cooking flesh reached my nostrils. </p><p> </p><p>My prayer seemed to have done the trick, and the beast finally abandoned its pursuit of me. It dodged around Corrin and moved back towards Skamos, the wizard’s fiery sphere trailing behind it. Corrin dashed after it, the halflings short legs carrying him at a seemingly impossible speed, and again threw himself in the path of the enraged beast. The dragon draw up in frustration, and lashed out with its freezing breath again. Corrin and Skamos disappeared into the white storm, and when they came back into view, the wizard’s robes were slashed open and covered with frost. Icy crystals glittered on the tips of the tiefling’s horns.</p><p> </p><p>Corrin gritted his teeth and yelled his defiance to the massive beast through wind-burnt lips. The dragon hesitated momentarily, and for a second I believed that the creature had been cowed. Then its fiendish blue eyes glanced at me, and my heart sank. By chance or by design, the dragon’s movement and Corrin’s protection of Skamos had left the beast with a clear line back to my position.</p><p> </p><p>The dragon charged me, massive legs churning the snow beneath it, and its right claw lashed out. This time, Corrin’s god deserted me and I could not avoid it. The dragon’s claws shredded the links of my chainmail and stripped it away from my left arm, leaving gaping furrows in my flesh even as the snow around me turned pink. I staggered to one knee from the pain, swinging wildly at the beast with my mace. Through the space between the dragon’s legs, I could see Corrin rushing to my aid. Behind him, Tira stood calf-deep in a snow bank, emerald energy building about her flashing hands.</p><p> </p><p>Even as she unleashed her spell, the dragon’s other claw swept round. Off balance and kneeling in the snow, I had no chance at all. The huge white paw crashed into my shoulder and head. Pain filled me, and then I was toppling into the snow. The last thing I remember was my vision turning white as snow erupted around me, and then everything went black.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Colmarr, post: 4418489, member: 59182"] I had never seen a creature so big. It was roughly the same height as the Greycows that traveling circuses brought to Kronos Keep each midsummer, all grey leathery skin, dangling ears and massive ivory tusks. But aside from its general size, the dragon was nothing like the Greycows. Its body was less stocky, almost equine, and instead of tree-like Greycow legs, it possessed the rippling hunter’s legs of a cat. Its muscular body glistened from tip to tail with chitinous white scales. The beast’s neck added another three feet to its length, and the armour-plated tail another three again. Its leathery wings flapped twice as it crunched into the snow ahead of us, flinging water and shards of ice across the cavern, even as the dragon’s horned head darted forward. As the last of the water rushed away from the beast’s snout, I met its eyes for a split second, and saw a bestial malevolence in those blue orbs that shook me to my very core. We all scattered, but we were too slow. The dragon opened its fang-filled jaws and roared, and then the air was full of rushing ice, stinging my exposed skin and piercing the vulnerable gaps between the rings in my chainmail. I felt my skin freeze and then crack, opening painful wounds that immediately began to chafe against my clothes. The world disappeared in a haze of grey and white and pain, and then just when I felt I would never know warmth again, the blizzard abated. Corrin was the first to react. “For Tymora and Waymoot!” he bellowed, and I could only stare in surprise as he charged the monstrous beast. His shortsword slashed out at it, glancing off the beast’s natural armour. In turn the dragon swiped at him with its claws, and I notice for the first time that each was tipped with ice-like talons the size of daggers. Corrin shouted a challenge to the mighty beast, and a nimbus of radiant power flashed into existence around the creature. Skamos shouted “Spread out!” and I hurried to my left, staying as close to the cavern wall as possible to keep space between me and the dragon. Behind me, I heard Skamos finish an enchantment and a ball of fire the size of a cart appeared on the surface of the lake. The ice immediately began to melt under the intense heat, and the fiery sphere was soon surrounded by the sizzle of boiling water and a pillar of steam. The flame licked out at the dragon’s haunches and its white scales began to crack and char almost immediately. The beast roared in pain and its blue eyes went immediately to Skamos. Fortunately for the tiefling, Corrin stood directly in the creature’s path, with the wizard safely beyond just inside the tunnel opening. Instead, the dragon leapt with all four legs, taking it clear of Corrin’s flashing blade. It landed with two legs on the ice and I expected it to fall awkwardly, but its talons dug into the hard surface instinctively, and it was moving again without any noticeable delay. Only then did I realize it was headed straight for me. The beast’s front claws descended on me simultaneously, and I threw myself full-length to the side. The dragon’s weight crushed the snow where I had stood moments before, and I had no doubt that it would have done the same to my ribcage had I not escaped. I tried my best to turn my dive into a controlled roll, but I could not manage it in the foot-deep snow. I sprawled awkwardly in the cold, all too aware of the fanged maw and razor-sharp claws poised to end me. Corrin saved my life for the third time in less than 48 hours. I heard him shouting behind me, and then the dragon answered in kind, except that its bellow was one of pain and frustration. I scrambled to my feet and turned to face the beast, which was standing on its hind legs, the muscles of its neck and forelegs twitching uncontrollably. Corrin darted at its haunches, shortsword flashing even as Skamos’ sphere rolled across the ice and slammed against the dragon’s hip. The dragon’s head darted forward again, and Corrin and I were engulfed again in the creature’s blizzard-like breath. I screamed from the pain of a thousand needle-like scratches, even as I lost feeling in my fingers and ears from the cold. When the roaring wind dissipated, the creature lashed out with its claws and dealt Corrin a blow that rang through the cavern like a thunderclap. Even though the paladin managed to get his shield up in time, the force of the dragon’s attack drove the diminutive halfling onto one knee. I scrambled away from the beast again, eager to be clear of its slashing claws, and fashioned a lance of divine energy. The blast flashed against the dragon’s scales, even as a counter-point blast from Tira crashed into the creature’s neck from the other side of the cavern. For reasons known only to Amaunator, the dragon again followed me. It swiped at me, attempting to grab me with its wicked claws, and again I threw myself flat to avoid its attacks. The beast seemed determine to finish me, and I am ashamed to say that I took my Lord’s name in vain in my terror. Corrin again did his best to divert the beast from me, and I took the opportunity to pause and summon Amaunator’s light. Not willing to waste time rising from my freezing surroundings, I cast the prayer at the beast while still half-covered in snow. A spear of brilliance momentarily connected the dragon to the Sun Lord’s symbol in my outstretched hand. The light reflected from the creature’s glistening scales, filling the cavern with tiny rays of light as from a thousand shards of a broken mirror. Then the ray of light seered through the dragon’s chitin and the smell of cooking flesh reached my nostrils. My prayer seemed to have done the trick, and the beast finally abandoned its pursuit of me. It dodged around Corrin and moved back towards Skamos, the wizard’s fiery sphere trailing behind it. Corrin dashed after it, the halflings short legs carrying him at a seemingly impossible speed, and again threw himself in the path of the enraged beast. The dragon draw up in frustration, and lashed out with its freezing breath again. Corrin and Skamos disappeared into the white storm, and when they came back into view, the wizard’s robes were slashed open and covered with frost. Icy crystals glittered on the tips of the tiefling’s horns. Corrin gritted his teeth and yelled his defiance to the massive beast through wind-burnt lips. The dragon hesitated momentarily, and for a second I believed that the creature had been cowed. Then its fiendish blue eyes glanced at me, and my heart sank. By chance or by design, the dragon’s movement and Corrin’s protection of Skamos had left the beast with a clear line back to my position. The dragon charged me, massive legs churning the snow beneath it, and its right claw lashed out. This time, Corrin’s god deserted me and I could not avoid it. The dragon’s claws shredded the links of my chainmail and stripped it away from my left arm, leaving gaping furrows in my flesh even as the snow around me turned pink. I staggered to one knee from the pain, swinging wildly at the beast with my mace. Through the space between the dragon’s legs, I could see Corrin rushing to my aid. Behind him, Tira stood calf-deep in a snow bank, emerald energy building about her flashing hands. Even as she unleashed her spell, the dragon’s other claw swept round. Off balance and kneeling in the snow, I had no chance at all. The huge white paw crashed into my shoulder and head. Pain filled me, and then I was toppling into the snow. The last thing I remember was my vision turning white as snow erupted around me, and then everything went black. [/QUOTE]
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