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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 2222088" data-attributes="member: 143">Thanks for the positive posts, everyone! After a considerable lull (for a while, I thought I'd have to go back to 3/week posting), I've hit a burst of inspiration, and have pounded out 6+ pages every day for the last week or so. Now I'm well ahead again, and into some juicy stuff; after writing a lengthy, dramatic scene today I literally felt physically drained from the intensity of it. Of course, once work picks up again, writing time will have to be cut back (it always does!).  * * * * * Chapter 384“If that thing drags him under, he’s finished!” Benzan shouted, an arrow fitted but nothing to shoot at as the dragon sank beneath the lava just a few paces from where Arun was slowly sinking to his destruction.  The paladin did not struggle, knowing it would only hasten his descent, and he held onto his sword yet, silent despite what had to be an agonizing pain as the lava cooked him alive within his armor.  “Dana!” the tiefling cried, as he turned to see his wife running toward the edge of the ledge.  A pale silver glow spread out from her cloak around her body as she leapt out over the lava, but while wisps of flame surrounded her boots as she landed running upon the surface, she did not sink.  Within moments she’d reached Arun, and reached down to grab his outstretched hand.  He’d loosed his grip on his shield, which had sunk beneath the lava, but would not relinquish his sword.But even as she grasped him, the dwarf was abruptly and suddenly dragged roughly back.  Somehow Dana held on, the magic of her mooncloak holding her above the surface even as she was pulled down and dragged with him, flames started to flare about her clothes. “Let go!” Arun cried, only his head and the hand holding her left visible above the surface of the magma.  But Dana only focused her attention upon him, holding his eyes with hers as she drew upon the other power of her magical garment, a blessed bequest of the moonfire, channeling its power into him.  The power of the cloak was a gift from the goddess, and meant for Her servant alone, but Dana reached out with her mind, offering a prayer on behalf of this righteous dwarf who had refused to surrender to the shadow.Their companions could only watch as the two were drawn further from the entry ledge, across the lake of burning magma.  Benzan turned to Cal, urging action, but the gnome could only shake his head; he had no spells that could help in this circumstance.  With Moltenwing’s jaws locked onto his legs, Arun was unable to break free.  Suddenly the paladin was yanked beneath the surface of the lava.  Benzan shouted Dana’s name, but even as she was drawn beneath the surface of the lava, the dragon’s weight overpowering the magic of her cloak, the priestess of Selûne maintained her grip on the gold dwarf.  She could feel Arun struggling now to free himself from her grasp, but she held on just long enough to channel one more spell into him, sending pure healing magic through the tenuous link, feeling that glorious surge pass through her into him, even as the lava scorched and burned her skin, tearing through her clothes mercilessly. Only when the spell was complete did she let go, bouncing quickly back to the surface, screaming as her cloak drew her back above the surface of the lava.  She was on fire, now, her hair burning, her clothes in tatters, only the still-functioning magic of her mooncloak keeping her from sinking back into the enfolding grip of superheated death.  But lying atop the lava was little better; within a few seconds the heat and flame would consume her. Fortunately the dragon’s tugging had drawn her close to a rocky promontory.  Dragging herself to her feet, she staggered to the relative shelter of the stone.  Her legs gave out as she reached it, and she had to claw herself up onto the exposed rock, collapsing on her back as soon as she was clear. I’m getting too old for this, she thought, fighting the pain that wanted to drag her down into the nice, pleasant realm of unconsciousness.  Drawing painful breaths into her scorched lungs, she managed to croak out the syllables of a prayer, burning one of her few remaining higher-order spells into a cure critical wounds spell.  Blackened, dead flesh sloughed off of her as the healing power flowed through her, revealing tender but healthy pink skin beneath.  She could hear her friends shouting her name, and managed to wave her hand.  Even with the healing, getting up just yet felt like a feat beyond her abilities. But she struggled up nonetheless.  Her limbs felt stiff and unsteady, and she didn’t need to look down to know that her magical boots were ruined.  She scanned the lava field, feeling a sick twist as she failed to find what she’d hoped to see.  There was no sign of the paladin; it looked as though her gambit had failed, her prayer gone unanswered.  Even if it had worked, the dragon would not have released its prize willingly. A brave man, she thought.  Even in the short time she’d known the paladin, she’d been impressed by his determination and skill. But the practical side of her knew that there was no time now for grief or reflection.  The dragon would not stop until all of them were dead, and it was likely already repositioning itself for another vicious assault.  She’d dropped her longspear when she’d rushed to Arun’s aid, but even with it she knew she was no match for the pyroclastic drake.  The magic of her cloak that allowed her to water walk was still in force, but she was leery of returning across the lava.  Another healing spell would return her nearly to full health, but she suspected that the dragon might be waiting for her to make the attempt.  If only this place didn’t interfere with her ability to dimension door, it would have been a trivial matter to escape. Isolated, surrounded by a sea of burning rock, Dana’s expression tightened into a look of hard determination, and she opened her mind to her goddess. Unfortunately, even as she began her spell, a noise from the lava field behind her drew her attention around. * * * * * Author’s Note: Some time after I wrote this section, I realized that Dana’s tactic was technically in violation of the 3.5 rules. Turns out I got confused between spell-trigger and use-activation items, in this case of Dana’s moon cloak. Once I realized my error, I elected not to replace the scene, since later events were heavily dependent upon the resolution of this event.  Instead I adjusted the text so that Dana’s efforts to use the powers of the cloak to help Arun were facilitated through an intervention to Selûne. In essence, I tried to treat it how I would treat a player’s desperate appeal in similar circumstances, if they tried to do something creative and heroic not directly allowed in the rules. As to how it works out… well, you’ll have to tune in tomorrow.  But Solarius's analysis is a pretty accurate description of the party's plight...</blockquote>

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