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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pedestrian" data-source="post: 3696860" data-attributes="member: 40208">Session 7: The Ruins of RhestMorning broke over the Blackfens, another scorching hot day with the sun blazing down onto the backs Xerxes, Sol and Kayan. The heat only added to their sweat as, abandoning even a pretence at stealth, they pushed the canoe granted them by the elves across the still waters of Rhest lake. Of the once mighty city, nothing could be seen but the occasional stone building breaking the waters, ruined reminders of a time long past.Ogre sentries stationed at what had once been the city hall hooted and bellowed as they swept into view, and the three ducked low as they could in their boat as javelins the size of small trees splashed into water. In short order, they were upon the boardwalk surrounding the building.Sol wasted no time, leaping out of the canoe, setting it rocking dangerously, and sprinting along the swamp soaked planks. Xerxes lacked his friend’s sure feet, and progressed slower along the slick wood. He noticed a second building, of unclear purpose, newly linked to the city hall by the boardwalk. Behind him, he heard Kayan trying to scrabble up the outer wall, relent and begin intoning a prayer to Pelor, and Xerxes struggled and lost against the urge to loudly blaspheme.From ahead, Xerxes heard the sounds of conflict, the clash of Sol’s axe and the feral grunts of the Ogre sentries. He climbed the steps, seeing the bold warrior fending off four of the creatures, holding them where the wall had fallen in – or been demolished. The crude brutes battered away at the half Orc with heavy lengths of wood bound in black iron, but nimble Sol danced between their blows, employing his own massive axe as a ward, while taking whatever opportunity he could to slash at the Ogres.Sol attempted to slip through the clumsy brutes, but a powerful blow crashed into his side, sending him skidding along the stone. Xerxes was about to rush forward, and channel the healing power of his belt, but the half Orc sprang to his feet and dived forward, spinning and slashing in a reckless fury of blood and steel before dancing back, once more parrying blows furiously.Xerxes leapt into the fray, spear in hand, but instead of gouging at one of the Ogres, he released a roiling gout of fire onto the debased giants. On fire, the brutes were quickly dispatched by an exultant Sol as Kayan gained the balcony.Before them was the long roofless top floor of Rhest’s former city hall. The years had not been kind to the building, and the new tenants even less so. Pile of stone and debris littered the ground, along with waste from the Ogres. Xerxes carefully trod forward, noting two staircases leading downward, and a large hole in the floor just ahead.He had reached the opening and was about to peer down when a sleek, night-black creature sped up and passed him, spreading its wings as it gained the open air. It was the size of a man, with thick black horn adorning its gaunt and bony head. “Skull dragon” “Black dragon” shouted Xerxes and Kayan at the same moment.“Mine!” Bellowed Sol as he charged forward, axe held high. With a mighty leap, he reached the creature, his axe carving a crimson arc through its dark hide, and then he dropped like a stone into the room below. There was a loud splash as he hit the water.“Ssssarvith!” the creature bellowed. At first, Xerxes thought the drake had spread its wings impossibly wide, as darkness engulfed the room, but discounted the thought. He heard a second splash. The dragon had followed Sol into the water. The southerner heard an invocation of the sun, and the darkness receded.Unsure what to do, and partially motivated by a desire to be out of the cursed light of the vaunted Sun King Xerxes flung himself over the edge of the pit, into the water below, just in time to see the dragon soar past him, away from a furious Sol. He also noted a large, grunting, two headed giant moving towards the half-Orc, before water drenched his senses. He panicked – he had never really learnt to swim – but managed to regain the surface. It seemed the water was restricted to a pool, and the rest of the room was still dry.From above, he heard a gurgling hiss, and then screams of pain from Kayan before the priest followed his two associates into the pool, the filthy water cooling his stinging skin. By this point, Sol had already regained dry land, weathering the blows of the creature Xerxes now recognised was an Ettin, and was now returning in kind the beating the creature had delivered. In short order, the beast had been felled by the warrior, and the other two were free of the pool.They had no time to recover, however, as a large set of double doors was flung open, revealing a ferocious looking goblin brandishing a bow, no doubt Saarvith, a taller hobgoblin wearing a black robe featuring a stylised eye and manacle and the dragon. The hobgoblin pointed one hooked claw at Sol “Obey.” The half Orc blinked and, in response, raised his middle finger to the hobgoblin before leaping forward. Kayan was quicker still, however, and invoked the judgement of the Celestial Throne upon the wicked sorcerer, binding him in place with spiritual weight. Sol barrelled into the goblin, and received several arrows in his chest as a result.Xerxes reached out with his mind and invoked the powers of his dimensional boots, teleporting just behind the dragon and Saarvith. He reached deep inside himself, letting the burning hatred of a god long deposed flow through his blood, filling his belly with a churning crimson flame before exhaling it over the two. The dragon whipped around, shielding itself and Saarvith from the worst of the fire with its wings, but the smell of charred flesh choked the air.Sol and Xerxes then found themselves subject to a deadly assault of claw and fang as the dragon lashed about in a fury. In response, Sol slashed his axe with deadly precision, puncturing the dragon’s flesh once more, though the goblin managed to dance aside at the last moment. Kayan, meanwhile, attempted to heal Xerxes, but he was filled with battle lust, and pushed aside the unwanted ministration of the weak servant of deceivers.“Regi! Flee!” crowed the goblin, and he scuttled up one set of stairs, and the dragon bolted up the other. Unwilling to let the pair get away, Sol and Xerxes pursued the dragon, while Kayan gave chase to the dragon. The stairs led back up to the top floor, where the leaders of the Red Hand in the Blackfens were about to make there escape. Seeing their pursuit, Saarvith span around to puncture Kayan with arrows, but his panicky shots went wild. The dragon, however, had much greater fortune, mauling the others and leaving them bleeding on the ground.The dragon was about to finish the job, but the insistence of Saarvith had him turning tail. Once more, they took flight, the goblin rushing down onto the boardwalk, the dragon leaping into flight.Still Kayan pursued, and once again he called down judgement, this time on Saarvith. The goblin was frozen in face, his fierce red eyes alive with hatred and fear. As the final words of the interdiction left his lips, Kayan heard the furious roar of the black dragon as it swept back round across the water. Its massive maw snapped down on him, flinging the Salacian into the hard stone wall. Pain shot through him as he felt his ribs crack. Gasping, he pushed himself up. Kayan reached to his belt, loosening the slender crystal wand strapped there. He would not die on his knees against this brute of darkness.He was shocked, then, to see the dragon had landed on the boardwalk, between Kayan and the goblin Saarvith. The creature appraised him with cold reptile eyes which, if Kayan had not known better, he would have took to have been fearful.“Parlay” hissed the creature in Draconic. Kayan, willing his hand not to cradle his injured side nodded. “I will take Saarvith, and go. You will let me, and save your friendssss.” The creature waited for his response, which came in the form of a sharp nod. Kayan backed away, not taking his eyes off of the dragon, not even to look at the bloody ruin of his side.</blockquote>

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