The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 229
5/27/06
“The Garden”

The lab is hidden behind a few hundred feet of trees from the shore. The remains of an old dock can still be seen here. There is nothing else here.

They go to the lab. There are signs of trespassers here. Snow filled footprints can be seen. The wind and new snow make it impossible for them to tell what has been here and when. It is times like this the barbarian is missed.

The structure is a large round building with a high tower connected at one end. Opposite from the tower is the entrance. The only windows visible are within the tower. The twin doors to the front entrance are made from a sturdy wood that is reinforced with steel and iron. Igniting their lanterns they peer in. There is a very large room here with three beams of light coming from the ceiling. Snow has piled up and frozen under the three holes in the ceiling. The path before them is gravel. On either side of them is dried and dead grass. Dead small trees are here and there. A fountain and a few statues can be seen.

“An indoor garden?” asks Talon.

“House Cannith built themselves a greenhouse. Look up there- those holes. That is the ceiling. That is glass that holds back the snow.” Answers Cedious.

“What made the holes?” asks Pebbles while eyeing the holes and the snow under the holes.

“Does it matter? How do we reach the tower?” asks Bob in his click-ish way. He is not comfortable with the cold. His joints ache and his shell is becoming brittle.

“Did you see that?” asks Ippikak as he points his notched arrow at the biggest pile of snow that half covers a fountain.

Curious, Talon walks over to it. “Big frogs made of ice. Someone got creative.” He calls back then he feels it- the temperature rapidly goes down. The creatures made of ice then move to attack!

They face the Ice Beasts head on and destroy them. This is not before they take cold damage from the creatures.

They return to the path and Talon suggests closing the doors behind them. Not seeing a reason to disagree, Cedious okays it and the push the doors shut and latch them from the inside. They use their lanterns to follow the gravel path (which is frozen solid thus not crunchy) to another series of heavy doors. These have emblems of Cannith on them. Looking closer, they see ice has been broken off of them and there is blood on the doors. Someone has been here recently based on the broken ice.

Smiling, Talon goes inside. Here there is a long hallway with several doors that branch off. Looking the floor, there are signs of melted water that leads to several of the doors. They must team up to push them shut, but they decide to do so.

As they begin to walk down the hallway they can hear activity through each door. Everyone readies their weapons and prepares to take out some Emerald Claw bastards.

If they only knew what was there…..

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 230
5/27/06
“Tyranid Gaunts”

DM NOTE: Several years ago I was talked into trying to play 40K. I went with the Tyranid faction since there looked so neat and I had bought some before to use as Dune Reapers for Darksun. I painted them red with gold/orange/brown/black highlights. I am very proud of how these look and always wanted to do something with them in 3.5 DnD. This is the beginning…..

There are five doors and each person takes a door. Talon and Pebbles take the two on the right side and Cedious, Pebbles and Ippikak take the three on the left. Suddenly the doors open and out come horrifying creatures that attack from the right.

They have thick dark red chitin and long scythe like blades for front claws. They have venom-covered teeth and move quickly and with occasional leaps and bounds from cloven hoofed rear feet. A faint green glow appears around them as they charge out.

Ippikak becomes terrified and flees back to where they came from. [Fear SU] Talon is attacked and scratched. Pebbles is attacked and bitten. The venom works quickly and already she feels shaken mentally (lose 4 Wisdom). More creatures begin to rush and leap out from the doorway. The other two turn to help as they can.

Ippikak drops his bow and tries desperately to pull open the heavy doors by himself. He can not and looks in terror they swarm over the dwarf. She tries to strike at them but misses. Another bite is scored and she finds she can not remember her divine spells. She can not even enlarge and become enraged (Passion Domain) and thus is in a great deal of danger.

Talon fends of several attacks with only minor slices and bites. He kills one and becomes confident they can defeat these creatures. He is unaware that Ippikak has fled the battle and expects his aid. Cedious and Bob try to help him. Bob takes a vicious slicing strike that damages his chitin shell greatly (crit) and makes him wish for a warmer climate- like the Burning Sands.

Pebbles in a panic goes full defensive and tries to protect herself as best as she can. She has several wounds from bites and claws.

“What are these damned things!?!” screams out Talon as their shells block out most of his attacks.

“Nasty and soon to be dead!” yells Cedious as he throws dart after dart at them. He refuses to get too close to them. Their talons are nearly as long as he is tall!

Pebbles moves against the wall to protect herself further. She tries to remember any spell…ANY! And can not.

Ippikak calms down and overcomes his fear. He turns around and picks up his bow. With a deep breath he pulls out an arrow and aims it at a creature on Pebbles.

With Ippikak’s return to sanity, the tide of battle begins to turn. Finally, the seven creatures are slain. Pebbles is dumbfounded by it all.

“What are we to do?” she asks.

 

[megamania]

After a short hiatus due to family issues on my part, The Storyhour- Creation Schema should return next weekend with the group in trouble on Morlock Island. 'Til then-

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 230
6/24/06
“Exploration of Morlock”

“We should go on. It won’t be a problem.” Offers Pebbles.

Cedious looks at Talon, Ippikak, and Bob with great concern and uncertainty. His halfling nature gets the better of him and he agrees to it. They turn to the first door where Pebbles was standing.

The doors are not locked but they are closed. The hallway has about 12 doors on the sides and one at the end. They check out each door as they reach it. The rooms were once bedrooms for the Cannith employees whom lived and worked here when the facility was in use over 100 years ago. They search each room. They find mundane things like an occasional coin and less mundane things like an Emerald Claw soldier (torn apart) and two Cannith soldiers with fresh blood. This suggests Both parties were here already and fought these red chitin demon-predators. One room is occupied still!

Pebbles pushes a door open with her hammer and suddenly red armored claws reach down from the ceiling and grab her and begins to pull her up. Bob rushes in and leaps onto the four skinned creature (Gene- Stealer from 40K). With the extra weight, the three of them fall to the ground. Here the group is quick to attack and destroy the creature. Cedious and Talon are concerned now. This makes two types of these creatures. They are similar in appearance but different in abilities.

Finally they reach the last door. This is closed but slightly damaged from claw marks. They cautiously open the door. Inside the everbright lanterns flicker unsteadily. This was once a lab room that is over 50 by 25 feet. Now it is a mess of broken glass, wooden tables and shelves. Looking at the remains, they find when Cannith left over 100 years ago, they took most of the chemicals and arcane ingredients with them. They locate two doors. They check the room closest to them.

Talon reaches out to open it when Cedious quickly pushes his hand away. “It is trapped!” he yells. The halfling rogue checks out the lock better. “If touched this would have activated. I would guess it is a purely damaging spell.” He continues to study the door and finally the lock. He disables the trap with a quick tripping of the spell and opens the door. The halfling smiles ear to ear. It is a vault! There are dozens of small drawers on the walls including three large ones. He goes here first.

The drawers have a minor magical spell on they locks. Cedious is quick to figure it out. He still has the House Cannith Ring from his very first encounter nearly two years ago. Using the ring, he opens the locks quickly. The three large drawers are empty except for one item.

It is a bag about 10 inches long and 6 inches wide. Cedious peers in and wonders what these are. He pulls out a leather pouch with twenty thick card-like plaques within.

“oooooohhhhh. Owwwwww…..” thinks Cedious as he looks over the pouch fighting off the want to begin to pull out plaques. Pebbles looks at them. “I think they are magical. See the writing.”

Cedious turns it over and where his hand was is revealed the writing. In Common it reads –


DECK OF EVENTS

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 231
6/24/06
“Deck of Events”


DM NOTE [ I always liked the idea of the Deck of Wondrous things but wanted to do my own version. This deck is Dragon themed. How so will be revealed carefully and often through events that by pulling the card activates. I have the 1990’s TSR DnD trading cards and I collected up 20 them with dragon themes. Listing the names of the cards I then created 10 “good” things and 10 “bad” things that could happen.

Bilkon Rod of Metamagic, Maximize Lesser 3 times a day caste a spell as if
Maximized Level 3 or lower.
Staan of the Way Gain Lay on Hands power 1/day Heal # of character levels you have a day
Serpent, Winged Fly spell 1/day as caste by a Level 15 caster
Zollrendar Treasure made of Bracer of Gold 25 charges
1 charge = 50 gold 2 charge = 10 platinum 3 charge= 1 gem worth 150 gold
Silvara Gain Smit Evil once per day Add character level to one strike a day called
Blaze 1 /day BW of Fire Cone 6d6 Fire
Poresche Summon a Red Wyrmling to do as you ask. 1/Day
Chiange Lung 1 / day Breath Water as caste by a caster of 10th level
Stellar Dragon +2 NAC but slightly rougher / scaled skin
Azurem Bull’s Strength 1/day as a caster of 10th level
Moon Dragon At the next Full Moon lycanthropes will attack in mass thru a worm hole
Static Large Blue Dragon will Attack shortly
Maelstrom Huge Red Dragon will Attack Shortly
Kapak Draconian Fighter will attack out of nowhere to do battle
Astral Dragon Planar Creatures will “kidnap” PC and imprison him on The Plane of Battles
Sun Dragon Pyroclastic Dragon appears and attacks shortly then leaves
Edomira Transported (all) to her lair (Island near Xen’drik)
Tarninia Transported (all) to his lair (Shadow Marches)
Shonorr Large Silver Dragon will attack soon
Dracohydra ½ Dragon PyroHrdra attacks (base = Green Dragon fire / Acid BW) shortly

Many of these “Events” will occur as the DM wishes. I can do this to stir things up as I want. I can “save” the group from a possibly TPK by placing them in Xen’drik (which may be just as deadly) or have a dragon arrive that causes everyone to run for the hills.

Thus why I call it the Deck of EVENTS.

Pebbles suggest to Bob that magic can be gained from pulled a plague (card). Bob clicks at her in disagreement. Cedious holds the open pouch up to him in offering. Bob the Thri-kreen looks at it and pauses briefly. Then he grabs five of the cards.

Zollrendar A red dragon looking over his hoard
Chiang Lung A thin wingless dragon swimming in water
Sun Dragon A red fiery dragon
Static A Blue Dragon with ice / snow in the background
Maelstrom A red dragon flying that looks dangerous

Suddenly Cedious is aware of something within the original bag. He looks in the bag and finds a set of Bracers. These bracers have images of coins on them. Bob places these on after removing his other magical bracers. He hears a whisper in his mind. “When you need money I can help.” He then Hears another whisper but from another voice. “You may breathe in water like a fish.” Curious he concentrates on the other cards but nothing happens. He clicks his mandibles in annoyance.

Pebbles takes three cards.

Tarnia A black dragon confronting halflings
Astral Dragon Dragon with chains on it
Blaze A red dragon breathing fire onto someone

A whisper enters her confused mind. “You may breathe fire once a day.” The other cards do not speak to her but she feels the evil and hatred within them. She smiles.

Ippikak has seen no bad results so he decides to pick some cards.

Kapak Draconian ½ dragon warrior
Moon Dragon Black dragon
Bilkon Mage holding a dragon headed staff that is blasting at something

He hears a whisper in his ear. “I can maximize a spell a day for you.” The Arcane Archer ponders this then wonders about the other cards.

Cedious watches the action and decides not to be left out. He pulls the top five cards and puts the pouch down on the floor.

Stellar Dragon Winged snake that glows and sparkles
Silvara Silver Dragon with a rider
Shonorr A tentacled dragon
Dracohydra A multi-headed dragon
Edomira Red Dragon in flames

A gentle whisper comes to his ears. “You may smite evil once per day.” Cedious’ eye brows rise at this revelation. “I will help protect you.” Says another voice. Cedious develops small scales on his skin making his skin tougher and harder to damage.

As he ponders this and looks at his hands which have a rough texture, Pebbles sneaks the last of the cards.

Staan of The Way Lizardfolk in prayer
Winged Serpent Magical snake with wings
Azurem Charging Blue Dragon with a rider
Poresche Red Wyrmling on a leash

“I give you great strength” is heard in his mind. “You may fly” says another voice. “You may heal like a paladin.” Says another voice. Pebbles looks around listening to the voices with no body or origin. “I will serve you.” Comes another voice that she knows is the small dragon.

Cedious frowns when he looks down and sees the pouch is now empty and is about to say something when he sees Pebbles has the last of the cards but decides the heck with it.

“What’s behind the next door?”

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 232
6/24/06
“Stairs that go up into Danger”

The door leads to another hallway. One side has many doors that are evenly spaces and the other side has just a few doors. As they explore they find more sleep rooms including one with a badly mis-shaped human. Half of its body is normal and the other half is large and swollen. The arm would have dragged on the floor as it walked if it were alive.

On the other side of the hallway are several storage rooms that are now empty except for one room. This room has signs of someone having been wounded and bled. They hid here and treated their wounds before leaving again.

They leave the hallway and as expected, they enter the main hallway again. They decide to go through the main door that goes deeper into the complex to the base of the tower. Here Cedious finds a basic trap that is seriously misplaced here. By opening the door, a bucket of fluid that smells strongly of chemicals would fall. By having Talon reach up as Cedious carefully and slowly opens the door it is disarmed. They place the bucket to the side and go forward. Here they find a spiral staircase that goes up only.

“The tower I guess.” Says Cedious pointing up the stairs.

They begin to climb the stairs and reach the first level. Cedious’ keen ears can hear something within this level moving. He steps out with his weapon drawn and there are four of these mis-shaped ½ metal ½ human creatures here that attack in a sudden rage. Dimly Cedious remembers something like this. (The “Other” from Shadows of the Last War adventure) These creatures (1/2 golems) attack with surprising strength and hatred. The most surprised of these is Bob.

Bob steps into the doorway to attack one of the advancing creatures. Two of the creatures strike at him (crit x2) and tear his shell off then attack his softer vulnible organs. He dies nearly instantly.

Cedious finds himself surrounded by two of the brutes and the others hold in the doorway and allow one in at a time to destroy. After one is defeated Pebbles steps out of the stairway to try one of her new powers. She thinks about the card with the fire-breathing dragon and feels energy and warmth develop in her throat. She spits out her newly aquired breath weapon and Cedious ducks under it easily. However the ½ Iron Golem s take it as a direct hit. The smoke clears and they look healthier than before. “I want my Wisdom back!” she shouts.

The group defeats these remaining stronger creations then look around the level. They find it is largely abandoned. Some furniture remains but little of value. Much of the furniture shows signs of damage from battle. Claw marks and small spikes are embedded in several tables and some chairs have been broken.

The next level is the same and the level after this. Finally, thinking it is time to rest anyway, they reach the top level. Or at least they assume it is the top level as the stairs stop here. Cedious listens carefully and once more can hear something here. It is speaking but in a language he doesn’t know. They move quickly into the level and into a room to face the attackers one at a time but forcing a bottle necking of the foes. Then they wait for the attack.

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 233
6/24/06
“The Forgotten”

There are five mis-shaped humanoids this time. They approach with greater caution than the others. In common, one calls out to the party. “What do you want?”

Cedious looks around to his teammates and ponders the next step.

“Why do you ask?” he says shrugging his halfling shoulders.

“We saw you come last week and knew you would be killed as all the others and including the Forgotten. Are you House Cannith?”

Cedious pauses as he thinks about how to answer this. “We come from them. Yes.”

“Did Callus send you?”

Callus is silently mouthed to his teammates. They have never heard of the name either. “No. Jorlanna sent us.”

Silence then- “I know no Jorlanna.”

“She leads the Cannith house within Aundair.”

Silence.

“What or my people below?”

“We were forced to defend ourselves.”

“Borg is … resting then. That leaves but us then.”

“We came seeking something here. Something important to House Cannith.”

“What is so important that you and other humans would come to this land?”

Cedious is careful not to say too much. He fears a double-cross. “Where may something very very very important be kept here?”

“In the master vault.”

“Which is ….?”

“Sundered by the demons.”

Cedious shakes his head in disgust. “We are coming out. We are not here to harm you. We merely seek something for the current leader of Cannith.” Cedious tries to always remember these creatures have had no human contact in 100 years. They may not even know about the war.

They lead Cedious to the master vault. The creatures tore through the door and walls to reach what was inside. Searching for existing traps and magical effects, Cedious steps inside carefully and cautiously. This room is much like the vault they found downstairs but much much bigger. He wonders what must have been kept here in the glory days of this facility.

“The demons … what are these? Where do they come from?”

“You may have faced them already. They scout this place in hopes of catching us unaware. They have been very active since your ships came. They live in the torn lands.”

Cedious remembers seeing an area marked as lava and volcanic on the island. This must be the torn lands. “So these creatures came here to steal everything within this vault?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“We do not know. We are simple people with no ability to weave magic and miracles. We are the Forgotten.”

“Can I sleep now?” asks a tired and battered Pebbles.

“Can we stay here to rest?”

“Yes but they will come.”

“We can help you defend your home then.”

“Yes then. Rest.”

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 234
6/24/06
“The Tyranid Fiends”

Pebbles places herself in a deep deep slumber hoping to recover her energy quickly. Healing potions are used to recover as they can and they talk to the Forgotten.

They were the earliest experiments that would one day lead to the modern warforged.

The fiends come from underground where the lava and steam rise to the surface. They have many different versions of themselves. Each has a specific ability or purpose. They have fought the soldiers and a scout so far. The creature’s leader is known only as Tyranid.

Cedious wonders if this means they need to enter their underground chambers to retrieve the sixth piece of the Creation Schema.

Pebbles sleeps as if in coma for 2 days. The others sit and prepare for the coming war. When they asked how many of these demons there were they answered hundreds. Hundreds…….

On the third day they came.

The soldiers swarmed the stairs and charged up the levels. Having time to prepare, Cedious and the others made a stand. As the creatures tried to force their way through the narrow doorway they were struck by arrow, sword and hammering limbs (1/2 golems). After a few minutes of sustained attacks there is a strange language spoken from below. The creatures back off and seem to almost retreat.

For the next six hours they test the awareness of the group by attempting to sneak in or swarm again. Each time they are blocked.

“We can’t keep this up.” Says Talon to Cedious.

“We need to get out. They have us trapped here.” Adds Ippikak

“Wake Pebbles. We need her.” Commands Cedious.

“Can we break these windows?” asks Ippikak.

“Better.” Says Cedious as he pulls out his magical rapier.

“Pebbles said something about flying.” Says Talon. “What of you?”

“I have rope and a means to levitate down.”

“And after that?” asks Ippikak

“We sneak in and steal the schema of course.” Says Cedious with a confident smile.

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 235
6/24/06
“The Adventures of Regganold & The Bard”

The village of Newdane was a quiet place not far from the Breland and Zilargo border. It is a dark and starry night with only the sounds of crickets and tree frogs in the air. Within a small glen of trees there are two wanderers sitting around a campfire. They have been traveling across Breland on foot for a very long time now. There have been many misadventures on the way. Tonight they laugh about these and other unfortunate events that have taken place in their lives.

The woman known only as the Bard listens to the believed to be dead ex-Cannith employee known merely as Regganold. He began with his earliest travels to Zilargo from Breland while camping with his crazed grandfather. Soon the talk came to his work with House Cannith.

The Bard listens and remembers every detail. This is what she does best. She takes life’s stories and makes them adventurous or funny. She then tells them for food or money as required. When she met Regganold and learned of his uniquely cursed ring she knew she had an epic story in the making. His stories about Lady Elaydren and his many trips to Zilargo add to the spice of the story. Regganold is less than innocent man of ill luck but means no one harm. He is likeable enough, for a mortal anyway.

“What did she want anyway?” she asks him as he begins to talk more about the wife of Merrix d’Cannith.

“Power of some sort. She always wanted power.” He says then pauses briefly listening to the fire crackle and pop. “She did mention the Creation Schema once. I think that is what she was looking for.”

The bard raises an eyebrow in an impossibly tall arch in disbelief. “THE Creation Schema?”

“There’s more than one?” suggests the clueless man.

“I have heard rumors that the warforged are not originally created by Cannith. Rumor has it they were created using secret and very ancient magic and artifacts from Xen’drik. The means to do this was inscribed on six interlocking pieces of a plaque. Each piece had a part in creating the thinking sentinels of the Giants. They were possibly created after the elven rebellion occurred.”

“Elven …rebellion?” he asks in complete unclearity.

“Never mind that, tell me more Reggie. You said she used some adventurers to find the pieces. Who were they?”

Regganold begins to tell her about Cedious and the others. Every detail is memorized by The Bard. An epic story is already in the making. A mischievous halfling, a bumbling gnomish artificer, warforged brutes of which had a strange sense of trophies (a goblin head!). Reggie avoids talking too much about the House of Pain and his time there. She has him repeat it once more. This time she softly hums a background tune to it. “It is writing itself!” she merrily says.

“Where are they now?”

“Lady Elaydren – Cannith suggested they were in Fairhaven just before I came to meet you in the mountains.”

“Really? It may be worth our time to check this out.” Then she suddenly stops. “The insects have stopped chirping.”

“Oh no- not the ring again!” Regganold stands up and braces to bolt at the first sign of an attack. Suddenly the ground erupts and a Bulette snatches Regganold and has him by the leg-

“Arrrgh! I hate this cursed ring!” Regganold begins to punch at the armored head doing nothing but damaging his knuckles on it.

“At least the ring will grow it back. Brace yourself.”

“Huh?!?”

The Bard pulls out her rapier and raises it over her head next to Regganold and the Land Shark.

 

[megamania]

THE CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 236
6/24/06
“The Tyranid Attack”

The icy wind tore at the two ships as it crossed over the cold frigid waters below. No one stayed on the decks of the airships except for one individual. This person wrapped herself in a thick and magically accented cloak designed to keep her warm and protected. Her name. Lady Elaydren ir’Vown d’Cannith.

With dreams and visions of the nation of Xen’drik being under her control she has been seeking the six separate pieces of the Creation Schema. With these six pieces she can control creation. Xulo has promised her this and so much more. Kim Elderich can have the pieces after she is done. But perhaps he does not deserve it. He would only study it then take notes and hide it away in his mountain fortress in the Dwarven Mountains within the Mror Holds.

Then she sees it. She sees the landmass she has been looking for. Morlock Island. She calls the alarm and decides which way to approach the island. They come from the south but there were hidden warnings of great dangers in the south of the island. Whatever drove the dragon house of Making away from the island came from there. It came from below the ground where volcanic activity was common and thus very dangerous to explore.

“Where to malady?” asks the airship captain.

“Go to the west and we’ll approach the faculty from the north or along the shore through the bay.” She never turns to face the captain. Her entire attention is focused on the island.

Unseen by her is the creature on the shoreline. Its red and dark brown chitin and long claws hint at its heritage. A fiend of some sort. It moves very quickly and goes to tell others like itself of the coming visitors.

Not far away, mere hours, comes two more ships. These proudly fly the green clawed hand of the Emerald Claw. The minions of Vol. They are pursuing the Cannith ships hoping to learn where the Creation Schema and its secrets are.

Using a scrying device, the one leader watches the two ships. They have neither banners nor flags but they know they belong to Cannith. He sees the island and notes her reaction to it. The mage smiles. “Success!
Go and tell them we have found the fabled island, Gropordor.” A black raven with red eyes caws and hops off his shoulders and flies to the door and out the window to locate the Masters of the ship.

Gropordor returns along with a tall and gaunt female elf. She looks undead but is not. She has ritually damaged her skin to make it appear dead and destroyed. “Lady Demise- we have located the island. It is a mere two hours ahead of us.”

“Well done. Prepare your spells and I will awaken the troops. We make history soon.”

The two ships close in on the shoreline. The cold winds whip at the ships and the very water and island. Snow is lifted and gives cover to everything in the air and on the ground. Perhaps this is why the two ships did not see the creatures below.

100’s of Gaunt fiends scurry and speak in fiendish below. Stealers leap and pace on the rocks and bare trees. Warriors look up with their 5-foot long claws. Their drool is acidic and seeps from their mouths. Other creatures, some much bigger also pace and chatter impatiently below. It has been so long since they have eaten fresh humanoid meat.

One creature leans forward. Its hunch back begins to tremble and glow then suddenly a wicked blast of black lightning fires out. Then another and another. The airships are caught unaware. One blast of corrupted energy rips into a brace that holds the fire elemental in servitude. The ship twists and turns and comes dangerously close to hitting the other ship.

“Idiots!” the necromancer yells out. “Call forth the mages and prepare the ballista.” She reaches into her belt’s many pouches and prepares a spell. “I did not come this far to be stopped by House Cannith.”

The mist and low clouds part and suddenly the raw anger in her voice disappears. “Back off! Full Reverse! Did you hear me?!? Back away!”

It is too late as a blast of black energy filled with fiendish essence strikes the ship. The fire elemental begins to roar is hopes of freedom. The ship stops and hovers, as the ship captains must once more regain control of the rebellious elemental. The other ship has already lost altitude and looks to be burning as it slips from the safety of the high sky.

Demise calls up a powerful wind and uses it to push back the ship and also cover the ship from any possible missile fire. The elemental is once more under control and the ship moves out of range. A fireball erupts on the shoreline as the one ship strikes the ground. The elemental is free and rises in pride and then this is followed by anger. Survivors of the crash flee. Many are plucked from the ground and consumed by the flames of the elemental while the red armored creatures attack others.

“Fiends. I have heard they run rampant within these frozen lands. Very well. We must study the land before us and relocate the Cannith ships before entering the island’s airspace.”

The disfigured elf goes to her quarters to report and prepare the proper spells.