JJ sighs again. Blue light shimmers around his limbs as the celestial powers within him continue to slowly repair the damage to his form.
"I guess we need to make sure everyone is gone, and then get out ourselves.." says the boy. The enthusiasm has gone from his words though.
While you are looking at the moving clouds, you overhear a distant flap of wings and they open up. The largest red dragon you have ever witness makes its descend over the city of Cauldron.
The huge creature lands over the Cathedral of Wee Jass pinnacle breathing a terrible burst of flames that blasts the houses at side and side of the eastern gate avenue, where the last citizens are trying to evacuate the city.
A mature adult red dragon named Hookface has dwelt in the mountains near Cauldron for nearly 300 years. He spent the last 50 asleep in his lair far to the north. The dragon has had little interest in the city, and its residents have come to believe him to be more myth than fact.
However, this proves Hookface is all too real. The recent seismic activity has woken the dragon from his dreaming and attracted his attention to the city.
The dragon wears a small cloak around his neck, a couple of rings, and has a pale blue rhomboid stone spinning around his head. It seems entertained with the city and has noticed you yet.
Marigold's Round 1
"ಡ್ರ್ಯಾಗನ್? ನಿಜವಾಗಿಯೂ??" Marigold gawps as the dragon swoops down and perches atop the cathedral.
"A dragon? Really??"
Well, fire definitely won't do any good this time...
Before her companions have a chance to scatter Marigold attempts to bestow some protections against the dragon's undoubtedly evil aura.
______________
"Maxim, can you make Kikinnin fly? We may need him to for this one..."
Kythel sighs heavily, We may not all survive this...
He casts a spell upon Maxim granting him more vitality, he will use his Rod to Empower the spell granting Maxim a +6 to Constitution.
"Ahh, guys..." stammers JJ.
"We need the Professor. He knows about dragons. But I've heard of this one. He is called Hookface. He's been around.. not quite forever, but hundreds of years, but has been sleeping for the best part of the last centaury. I'd kind of thought he may have moved on, but I guess not."
He looks at the citizens, struggling to leave the doomed city, and the mighty dragon that looms over them.
"Spread out, this is going to get ugly."
He runs toward the beast, trying to get its attention.
"Mighty Hookface!" he calls out, trying to appeal to the dragons sense of worth.
"Your arrival is timely. Demons from another world would claim your territory for their own!"
"I know you know no fear of such things. But others perhaps don't understand and could do with an exhibition to remind them to be fearful of you!"
He looks around for hopefully another flight of demons to conveniently appear.
Dammed things, ever around when you need them.
Maxim squints at the beast, deferring to JJ's knowledge of the local monsters of legend...
"Hookface or Crookface, he's a Mature Red Wyrm, magic aplenty at its disposal... so ware it spells an' its furnace o' a maw!"
To Kythel's call for the Return of the Flyin' Anvil, the gunmage shakes his head wistfully;
"Alas I ain't got the spell a-vailable. Darned oversight on my behalf..."
Marigold protects all of you from the potential evilness of the dragon.
Maxim's skin gets a healthy lifting when Kythel touches him with Pharasma's power.
JJ runs forward and tries to call the attention of the dragon, but between the distance and the terrible shouts of terror from the citizens, his attempts are in vain.
Kikinnin runs forward following JJ.
Hookface roars over Pharasma's under construction tower and then observes delighted at the way everyone runs away from him, some falling to the ground and others stepping over.
The dragon then casts a spell and looks around searching for something.
detect magic
Spellcraft
Kythel is not quite sure what spell was cast. He grimaces at the new construction he just paid for potentially being damaged by this damned Dragon. Of course with all of the other destruction in the city it probably matters little but Kythel was proud of that design...
He clutches his Pearl and heads after JJ and Kikinnin, "My friends, who between you is more resistant to fire?"
Will DC 26
Marigold's Round 2
Marigold calls, a bit puzzled.
She rises into the air and moves to follow after JJ and Kikinnin, though she does heed her brother's words to spread out a bit.
______________
JJ dashes forward, trying to control is fear of the massive beast as he does so...
He once again calls out his plea to the beast.
"Mighty Hookface! The demons have come in force, trying to stake a claim over territory you have claimed. A show of force, destroying these trespassers in your lands would keep the rest of the minnows in due awe of you.."
Maxim squints at the red drake, attempting to discern what incantation it brings to bear;
[bigger]"Wyrm is castin' a spell fir detection o' magicks. Reckon it's on the hunt fir sumthin'..."
He moves forward towards the building, attempting to bring it into range of his spells...
As the gun-mage gets closer, he suddenly quails at the presence of the mighty red drake;
[b]"Hell's Teeth, that's a nasty lookin' critter!"
Kythel recalls a protection from energy spell, while Marigold takes flight and approaches the action.
Maxim rushes forward while readying his gun. The dwarf suddenly notices the huge size of the creature.
Meanwhile Kikinnin runs forward trying to keep up with JJ who yells again at the dragon.
The red one seems this time to notice the young man among the running people and lowers his head in his direction "Demons invade my city you say? Howfthd" the dragon rises his head towards the spiraling clouds and spots the falling demodands crashing at random places on the city "So that is... hahahaha..."
Turning again to JJ his eyes shine noticing the magical auras of the many objects on him "Well... thanks for the update... and now, just give me all that shinny attrezzo you are wearing!"
The dragon descends on a swoop trying to snatch JJ with his rear claws!
Hookface snatches JJ on his descend, squeezing him and grappling him firmly, while holding his flight 5 feet over the ground.
With self-reliance and evilness alike, the dragon opens his mouth and smolders of fire born from it. Hookface roars and a breath of flames emerge quickly bathing both Kikinnin and Maxim!
A passing by woman is cought in the flames and dies calcined.
Reflex save DC 28
Kythel is caught in the flames but his spell absorbs the worst of the damage.
He then casts Protection from Energy upon Kikinnin.
"My friends, I am running out of options to damage such a powerful creature..."
Still in awe of the mighty wyrm, Maxim fails to heed the warning signs and is engulfed in dragon-fire!
Scorched and staggered, with his whiskers now mere burnt stubble, the gun-mage levels his pistol at the drake and invokes his own magic;
"K-K-Kegel van kou... Ah skit!"
The spell's words die on his charred lips as he struggles to focus!
"As Sarenrae is my witness, I tried to do this peacefully." says and somewhat muffled, (and to be honest, somewhat muffled) JJ.
His left hand tight against his body, the boy does his best to bang the exposed underside of the dragon, or at least its leg, with Alakast, hoping it might let him go.
As he frantically flails, blue light spills from his wounds.
Marigold's Round 3
Marigold's suspicions are confirmed when Hookface attempts to execute a dragon-style mugging of JJ for his magical gear and she shakes her head.
I knew it! Stupid dragons...
She then watches with horror as the beast unleashes a gout of fire over Kythel and both of her dwarven companions. She flies ever closer to the dragon and attempts to pierce his thick, weathered hide with lightning.
Though she feels fear and unease wash over her she manages to steel herself and hold her ground as she casts. With no other foes to arc the lightning to, she instead discharges the excess upward into the sky.
... scorched and staggered, with his whiskers now mere burnt stubble, the gun-mage levels his pistol at the drake and invokes his own magic;
"Kegel van Koude!"
As he speaks the gun-mage's pistol fires a frigid blast at the huge wyrm;
Kythel, who has approached, is taken by the flames, but his spells protect him well. He replicates that protection on Kikinnin.
With great mastery JJ swings Alakast with a single hand, but snatched by the dragon, who seems to try to pull him up, it is difficult for him to pierce the strong scales of the red. The wounds magically heal for JJ, easing things up for him.
Rising her hands Marigold unleashes a powerful blast of electricity over the dragon!
The dragon protects himself with the wings, but still roars in pain.
The blast of cold is more dangerous for him, but he manages to avoid it partially too, exposing a ring on his claws that seems to absorb partially the coldness.
Resolved to make the dragon badly pay for snatching JJ, Kikinnin marks the dragon and raises Eldgammel while murmuring some words about his father and Abadar's protection of Cauldron.
Swinging the axe before him, he charges into battle, the dragon unable to answer back as it is grappling JJ.
The clash is terrible and just barely, but the paladin manages to cut through the well matured scales of the red, inflicting a terrible punishment on him.
Kikinnin's axe chops the dragons' claw holding JJ, freeing the young man while the dragon was trying to squeeze it. The dragon roars enraged as he loses his magical prey and turns to the dwarf "You dwarf are going to pay for that!"
Sure of his might, the dragon does no effort to retreat, instead just easily hovers on place, flapping its wings 5 feet over the ground.
Freed from the dragon, and reassured by the presence of Kikinnin, JJ jams Alakast up into the belly of the dragon that is hovering so conveniently right above him - while carefully stepping sideways to try and avoid being crushed by it should the mighty paladin chop the foul beasts head off.
Wielding the staff in two hands again feels natural to the youth. However given the dragons height and fearsome defences he moves away from his normal attacking style and concentrates on accuracy. Alakast rises to the challenge, the staff of his forefather burning with a new, holy, light as it strikes the terror of Cauldron.
Kythel Air Walks up as high as he can get (15') hovering over his allies and unleashes a wave of negative energy at the Dragon Selecting out his allies.
Channel Negative Energy
Seeing his icy damage bear fruit Maxim attempts to follow with a further bombardment of the great wyrm...
Drawing a bead on Hookface, he squints and unleashes another spell;
"Bliksem!"
JJ swings Alakast connecting on the dragon's belly, but the follow up hits are deflected by the scales and by a magical layer that shows up green in one of the swings.
Hookface is totaly taken unaware by Kythel's pulse and some wounds appear on his body immediately.
Maxim's magical follow up finds less success, as the electricity fizzles out in front of the dragon's natural spell resistance.
Kikinnin pushes over the dragon, swinging Eldgammel with all his strength.
Less precise this time, Kikinnin is unable to claim a dent on the dragon's defenses.
Marigold does something heroic!
JJ and Kikinnin suffer the closeness of the dragon, his presence burning like an oversized barbacue.
But both are well protected against it.
"Ahhh! What has happened in this place during this decades? Why you humanoids turned this tough?" Hookface complains while trying to finish the rocky dwarf, landing on the ground to attack also with his wings.
The red snatches Kikinnin on the axe arm, and although the dwarf manages to make it out, the dragon tears the skin apart while he scratches desperately against head and chest with his forward claws and wings. While the dwarf is still distracted freeing himself, the dragon strikes him with the tail.
Maxim frowns and utters a curse as his lightning bolt fizzles off the drake's scaled hide;
"Hell's Teeth! Alrighty Hookface... let's get savvy 'bout this dance."
He focusses on his pistol, converting arcane energy to empower the weapon
As hoarfrost coats the weapon he draws a bead, steadies his hand and fires;
Calmly he reloads the ice crusted barrel with another alchemical cartridge...
Marigold's Round 4
Though pleased that her lightning had at least some effect, Marigold knows that her powers of cold would serve much better - if only she were close enough.
She flies as quickly as she can towards the beast...
______________
Marigold's Round 5
As she closes in on the beast she winces as it turns its attentions to Kikinnin, ripping into the dwarf with tooth and claw.
Oh no...I can't use my magic with Kikinnin and JJ right there!
Though she knows it's dangerous getting too close she also knows that there's not much choice. She swoops to the side and conjures a small bit of healing power for herself and her friends within reach.
As Alaksast blasts the fearsome foe with holy light, JJ takes renewed hope. Of course then he has to witness Kikinnin, that Bulwark of the Watchers have his defences, and much of his body, literally shredded.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
Again and again JJ smashes the quarter staff against the mighty dragon. Against such mighty scales however Alakast is as a gnat trying to snack on a giant.
"MAxim, Marigold, Kythel... any of you have the blessing of speed still?"
Even as he talks he is working his way around to the other side of Hookface from Kikinnin, trying to distract the dragons attention.
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Calmly he reloads the ice crusted barrel with another alchemical cartridge...
When he pulls the trigger... nothing happens, instead the frost crust seemed to have iced the hammer and firing mechanism!
With a curse the gun-mage holsters the broken pistol
"Fix you later... Got us a drake to takedown..."
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Marigold rushes to approach the dragon in order to have magical reach with him.
Maxim overloads his gun with frost, which makes the firing mechanism to freeze and his forced to free the trigger before shooting again.
The halfling channels healing energy to the group at reach. Many wounds closing ensemble.
"You boy, Abadar is with you too!" Kikinnin makes use of his aura of justice to extend his smite to JJ before he can step too far away.
The dwarf throws himself resolved to combat and chops on the right leg making his axe deep into the red one, boiling blood splashing around.
At the same time Abadar's holy presence, materializes, wishing the dwarven hero to suceed once more, but you see the divine energy to dwindle as the day starts to be too tolling and long.
The fiery presence of the dragon is burning, but both Kikinnin and JJ are well protected.
The dragon roars at the warriors that are denting once and again through his scales, but he seems too proud to admit defeat just yet. He keeps his attacks on the paladin.
Kikinnin raises his shield blocking a wing, later the tail, but the dragon keeps powerfully smashing in all directions, tearing the dwarf on the chest with his claws, trying to snatch it with his mouth. But Kikinnin just manages to escape the jaws and continue fighting.
And suddenly JJ feels at peace. Peace with the world, peace with Abadar. The lessons of his uncle come back to him, and the hours spent listening to the preaching of Rufus.
Abadar was more than just the remote figure of his youth though. Abadar was the god of Community. And Cauldron was JJ's community. And, and...that horrid creature right in front of him was trying to destroy Cauldron.
The righteous anger of Abadar flooded through him, energizing his swings in a manner that was beyond the merely mortal. JJ continues to swing at Hookface as fast as he can, each blow powered by divine justice.
[ooc]Oh bah, one hit anyway[ooc]
Seeing the Dwarf take yet more damage, Kythel begins his descent towards his ally. As he drops he once again channels negative energy at the Dragon selecting out his allies.
Channel Negative Energy
As he arrives at the Dwarf's back, Kythel lends a healing hand to his comrade.
"My Lady, heal his wounds!"
Marigold's Round 6
Upon seeing Kythel channel his power into fully healing Kikinnin of his wounds, Marigold channels her own power into one last burst of fervor to aid him and JJ.
"ಅದು ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ! ಪರಿಗಣಿಸು!"
"That's it! Make it count!"
______________
Bereft of his Arcane Gun, Maxim instead calls upon the small magical pearl nestling in his pocket and recalls a previously exhausted spell .
The gun-mage forms his outstretched hand into a pistol shape and utters arcane words...
""Magische Raket!"
... firing a pentad of force bullets at the mighty drake;
He then pulls forth a wand
This time the dragon endures better the wounding energy of Pharasma channeled by Kythel.
Despite Hookface's magical protections and strong scales, JJ's manages to crush the dragon's closest leg, if only once. Alakast shines with the strong vivid energy of justice as he does so.
Kythel casts powerful healing magic he retains in his hands until with great audacity he reaches Kikinnin's position.
Hookface enlarges his neck to reach the cleric in his approach, grasping him with his powerful jaws! With the spell already cast and hold in his hands, Kythel battles to reach Kikinnin, and when the dragon brings back the head, with Kythel still in his mouth, he manages to touch Kikinnin delivering the magic that instantly recovers the dwarf at full!
Marigold inspires with her fervor the three heroes fighting toe to toe with the dragon.
Kikinnin gives his best to try free the cleric from the dragon jaws.
Hastened by Marigold's fervor, the dwarf manages to strike twice on the vile dragon.
Terribly injured by an unexpected resistance, and with a magical prey in his mouth, Hookface starts his retreat, stepping back to jump and fly away with Kythel badly squeezed in his jaws.
But before he has an opportunity to escape with his prize, Maxim reloads his gun and shoots a bullet. As he did a while ago with Dhorlot, the Dragon-Father, the blond powder-wielder pierces the dragon scales with a frosting blast that sinks deep and close of the dragon's heart.
With the lead intoxicating his system, and bleeding out from the holy power of Alakast and Eldgammel, the dragon stumbles and falls, rolling over Obsidian Avenue until it hits the Cathedral. The jaws loosen and Kythel gets free, graciously below a giant spiral of silver of the goddess of Fate.
Kythel checks himself for wounds and cast a small heal upon himself.
Cure Light Wounds
"Truly I hope there is no more to be dealt with! A reprieve is necessary..."
Kythel casts a spell to check on the Dragon s it does not seem to be quite dead yet - Status.
"I can save the Dragon, he is weak enough and we still strong enough to slay him if needs be. Dare we risk it for such a untrustworthy, potential, ally?"
In the meantime, Kythekl removes the magic ring that helps protect the Dragon from Cold, his greatest weakness.
"Dragons, like demons, I suspect are beyond our ability to redeem." says JJ after a moment.
"Don't get me wrong, were Cauldron not in flames with portals to the abyss seemingly opening overhead, I'd be the first to suggest it. But we don't have the time or energy. And I suspect the best we could expect is for Hookface to flee, harboring a mighty grudge against us. He is awake from his long slumber, and many will die to feed his apatite if left unchained..."
"A-ally??" Marigold gawps. "He was h-happy enough to t-take advantage of the ch-chaos to try and l-loot items for his h-horde! Wh-why would we w-want him for an ally?"
Maxim eyes the drake, then nods in agreement at JJ and Marigold's words;
"Iffin' this weren't a heartless red, then we might be worth tradin' its life fir an alliance. Lil' Miss made a good point. Lootin' fir its horde... an what a horde that could be! If we leave Hookface alive, then collectin' our spoils will be a might more dangerous..."
Kythel picks up the ring from the dragon. It is still cold to the touch for the cone of cold it has absorbed from Maxim magics.
Cloak of resistance +4
pale blue rhomboid ioun stone
minor ring of cold resistance
ring of feather falling
bag of holding (type I)
There is another great tremor and you have to balance in place to avoid falling down to the ground.
With the dragon defeated a couple of people around you stand up from prone and start running. Many people is recovering from the dragon's presence and starting to react, some of the guards try to put down the fires while the last citizens evacuate through the eastern gate.
Kythel nods at his companions, draws his frost lance and finishes the beast off piercing its throat with the weapon so deadly to fiery Dragon kind.
"This ring is better suited for one of you my friends. The Lady protects me from such elements".
Kythel finds a space between the scales and buries his spear deep into the heart of the beast that just seconds ago almost ate him. The spear gets incredibly cold as it frosts Hookface's heart that exhales a last breath before dying.
With the dragon dealt with, the Watchers can easily guard the backs of the last citizens evacuating the city through the eastern gate.
Despite the level of destruction, your actions and planning have saved most of the lives of Cauldron. And although many has been lost, where there is life, there is hope.
According to your plans, the people leaving through the eastern gate slowly advances towards the village of Hollowsky. Around the caldera, three other columns must be advancing to Saserine, Redgorge and Kingfisher's Hollow, if everything goes as Kikinnin's sister laid out.
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JJ grins at the glint in Max's eyes.
"I can see 'treasure hoard' written all over your face. Once we get everyone to safety, that is probably a good plan. Also if there are dragon eggs, we really don't want to leave them lying around for just anyone to run away with.."
He thinks.
"Our enemies have some very long term plans. I suspect breeding a flock of dragons is exactly the type of scheme they would love to partake of."
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Kikinnin spends the time to clean Eldgammel of the drak's blood, occasionally looking skyward to judge the size of the strange black clouds, and any stray demodands falling from it. The black beard silently approves of the dragon's death, a worthy extermination if he's ever seen one.
"Mind's fogged up. Can't remember which direction my family's likely to have traveled. I'll have to trust they'll arrive safely. Maybe Redgorge. Gemma seemed partial to that destination. Dunno."
When conversation turns to dragon horde, Kikinnin is torn. "Not sure how we'd find it, but it could prove a boon to the citizens of Cauldron, forced from their homes. Refugees might put a strain on their new towns, if we can't save Cauldron from Cagewright destruction."
Kikinnin grows quiet, his mind a mix of weary and wary.
"Redgorge is where I told Sara and Tesa to head for. I really want to go there too." agrees JJ.
"But there are still a host of people to get out of Cauldron, and a myriad of dangers of the refugees on the roads. They have to be our first priority at the moment."
Those of you who knew the history about Hookface realize he was more of an outsider in this battle that decided to take his chance at getting new additions for his hoard after a long rest, but does not have anything to do with the Cagewrights and the demodands.
Hardly able to remove the idea of a dragon hoard from his mind, Maxim collects a few scales from the dragon body, to use them to fuel the necessary divination spells to find the dragon's lair.
While you decide where to go next, Kythel spurs you to walk back to the other side of the caldera to visit the Town Hall and collect Kravichak Riolgh's remains from there.
Cauldron has been evacuated. Violent tremors began rocking the city several hours ago, followed by lava-spewing fissures, monsters falling from the sky, and other catastrophes. In the shuddering red clouds above, a vortex is slowly forming above the city—a spiraling scar in the clouds within which can be seen glimpses of an alien sky. As blasts of steam and ash vent out of the volcano, they spiral up and merge with these clouds—your most panicked thoughts even assure you to see tortured faces hidden in them.
The Town Hall doors are unhinged due to the violent tremors. Inside you find a nervous and hyperactive Ryan trying to load documents into a bag of holding with the help of Rufus and Sargent Skylar Krewis "For Abadar's sake! You look terrible!" the man points at your broken, ragged and burned clothes and holds up his golden key to channel energy healing the reminder of your wounds, if not your tired muscles "Please, tell me you know how to put an end to this madness. All this eruption is terrible, but I do fear these events are but symptoms of the true doom that has come to Cauldron."
"The Cagewrights, long plotting to turn Cauldron into a gateway for the fiendish demodands of Carceri... they have completed the ritual of planar binding, isn't it? They got the life energy of the Shackleborn to create this gateway..." Ryan looks down defeated, then timidly raises his head to look at you for hope "Please tell me there is something we can do. To save Cauldron, or at least to prevent the gateway to complete its opening"
A few bits of information that might help you set a course of action or at least help you follow up the dialogue:
The volcanic activity is not natural. It should have erupted already, given the magnitude of the tremors and minor venting of gas and lava—it almost seems as if some vast force is barely holding the eruption in check. But judging from the increasing magnitude of the tremors and minor eruptions, the power of this force is failing rapidly.
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"Um...a-actually, I d-don't think it's open j-just yet," Marigold finally pipes up after considering all that she and her friends have learned. "I th-think they're using the v-volcano to p-power the whole th-thing! L-like an energy s-source. It's p-powering them opening the p-portal...which is what's f-forming in the sk-sky over C-Cauldron."
She furrows her brow, thinking.
"M-maybe if we could interrupt the p-power supply, the p-portal would close..."
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JJ's eyes focus on the swirls in the sky about Cauldron. "You know, I've done a lot of reading in the last year, about different planes and how to get to them.." he starts, slightly uncomfortable talking about academic topcis.
"I think that is a portal, and its growing. But its growth is being fed by something. Likely something beneath Cauldron itself. Didn't we read about a 'Tree of Captured Soles'?" he asks.
"If we could find that. And fast, then we could cause the portal to collapse in on itself before it completes its formation. I hate to think what that would do Cauldron, but at least it would stop the city becoming a gateway for the hordes of the abyss to pour out through."
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Maxim glowers at the forming portal as he listens to his companions;
"Agree with Surabar. Iffin' we can close the conduit, then perhaps we save what's left o' our fair Cauldron..."
He wistfully looks over the decimated cityscape;
"... Ain't like I got much trade to deal with. So let's get after it?"
It is difficult to judge, but the gateway is definitely not opening fast. You should have at least 1 day, perhaps 2. On the most optimistic you might have 3 days, but by then the portal might be just too big to stop the worst demodands from entering.
"Hey! Did you not say Vhalantru had a map of Cauldron's underground and he was searching there the Cagewrights lair? A place called the "Fiery Sanctum"?" Ryan raises with stern look while leaning over the table with both hands "That matches with your observations. If Vhalantru thought the Cagewrights lair was under Cauldron, and your observations tell the portal is feeding from a source under Cauldron... then it is likely this Tree of Shackled Souls is located in their lair or close to it! Perhaps completing Vhalantru's work might be of help here"