After a moment, So Khong's face relaxes, and becomes once more utterly neutral in expression. ”It occurs to me- your spell is about to run out. And it is almost bright.” He turns south, away from the northern black forest. His gaze reaches far.
Like a thousand candles, no, ten thousand candles, an inferno of incandescence ignites in your vision. A sunken presence in the middle of the land, five hundred miles distant, announces itself with an eruption of blinding crimson light.
And then your spell fails. An instant of skin-scorching heat-
-immediately cools away as So Khong barks in High Ifrit, ”Flammae non tangere!”
The glare from Volcano—unless it goes by a different name here—becomes more tolerable and the air feels somewhat easier to breathe.
(remove fatigue and gain 6 hp)
”Two of you at least seem to be under the impression that I have not changed. Perhaps my protection, given freely as a show of good faith, will aid the matter.”
Unphased by the heat and light, So Khong looks at Inam, Kallik, and Etrah. ”Now, will you allow me to escort you to the hatching grounds?”
Slowly, reluctantly stowing her blade, Inam frowns. "It's a start. I admit, I don't know what to make of you yet, but I will follow you to your this....Hatching Ground of yours." she replies.
Stepping towards Ibinu, she whispers 'YOU REALIZE THIS COULD BE ANOTHER TRAP RIGHT?" Before offering a smile to So Khong, "After you good sir."
Flittering about in the blazing fire, Etrah breathes a long sigh. "Oh, so nice to feel the heat on my feathers again."
"You could make him an omelet..." he adds with a smirk. "As for your leading us? I would be pleased to see what you have to show me. Perhaps you have bettered yourself, perhaps it's an elaborate ruse. Either way, we wish to go where you plan on taking us, so why fight it?"
Ibinu rolls his eyes at the whisper as if to say... no duh.
Relaxing his concerns about incineration when the new fire protection rolls over him, "thank you So Khong. That was appreciated. I'm assuming that is a daily occurrence and I'm surprised the infectors can survive against it. Tell us what, if anything, you know about them and how me might vanquish their evil?"
So Khong stares ahead, carefully picking his way through the ash. You all find the journey marginally easier in his presence. "As much as bright continues to be a daily occurrence before I died. Or did you manage to change the seasons as well as birth a phoenix?"
"As for how they survive - I have not been allowed near the grounds until now. Too dangerous for unprotected elen, and I am considered a valuable servant."
"Let us know when we are close, will you?"
As they walk, Ibinu hums a small traveling song to himself.
You hear a cracking sound, echoing behind the next hilltop. So Khong cocks his head, apparently hearing it as well. "Unfortunately, we do not know what the spawn look like. We have seen the dead, and we have seen traces of darkspawn, but never the creatures themselves."
He surveys each of you from the same midnight-blue eyes you remember from his previous life. The former inquisitor checks each of you for weakness, hesitation. "Prepare yourselves as need be and let us be on with it."
Ibinu drinks his mutagen and wrinkles his nose at the flavor as his skin seems to thicken and his frame surprisingly bulks up. He then pulls out his shield potion and gives a thumbs up as he walks towards the sound.
As you crest the final hill, stumbling over another patchy of slippery ash, to the south you see-
a field of rocks. As far as you can see - a field of rocks. The hill drops sharply, then flattens to a yellow-brown dirt field. The rocks are all vaguely gray or dark gray, and range from fist-sized to house-sized.
"This is the Field of Embers. Where Volcano's children come into being." You see that the rocks are all glowing slightly red, as if fresh out of an oven, or a furnace. One in particular, about a hundred feet down the slope, has large fractures running along its face. More loud cracks issue from the stone.
Etrah's feathers, already casually radiant in the light of Vulcunus, seem to respond now to the stone below. Both feathers and stone burst into a white radiance for a moment, then fade. Etrah is unchanged. The stone, however...
You realize now that the stone is like an egg shell - you see a red, scaly claw poke out. So Khong nods. "You are about to see the birth of a salamander- the race that lives in the city of Incus."
After a moment though, So Khong frowns. "That looks more like a beast than an eleni..." As more claws break through, you see a curved, serpentine neck, long fangs, and a forked tongue.
This is a dragon. It is a newly-hatched dragon, but a dragon nonetheless.
'So, is this where I was forged as well then?' ponders the paladin, turning towards Etrah. 'You were definitely born here.'
"So pretty." she gasps, breathless at the sight.
Leaping up and down in place, Inam squeels "Oh! Oh! Oh! Oooooh! Perhaps Volcano has chosen to forgive the dragons of old! Perhaps...Ooooo maybe we have a chance here to prevent a repetition of the old days!"
Stepping forward without hesitation, she smiles. "Hello there young one. We welcome you to life! I am called Inam, do you have a name yet?"
'Ah, it's nice to watch such a...is that...Vulc!'
Before the phoenix can react, Inam steps into harms way. 'Dang it! Naive little...'
Shaking his head, Etrah prepares to assist the elen.
The great triangular head cocks to the right, a curiously elen gesture. It looks at each of you slowly, as if to assure itself none of you are advancing or readying to attack. "Bring me meat." The words are clearly pronounced, accentless. The voice is as deep as the largest pipes in the Great Temple's pipe organ. The rumbling nature of the bass growl causes the ash you currently stand in to quiver slightly.
The dragon sits on its haunches. Though it is no longer hostile, there is a tense readiness in its upright reptilian posture that bespeaks instantaneous violence. It now looks more...curious than anything. It squints at you, sniffs toward you, tastes the air, and listens very carefully to any words you say or sounds you make.
Quietly following along behind the slyph's and So Khong. Alternating between watching the surrounding area and beacon of deceit that is So Khong. Muscles tense like a drawn bow string.
Though curiosity at the Field of Embers pulls at her attention. What a place like this must be in the Forest. Everything here is so hostile and violent. Glancing at the bright light of Etrah and then the egg. Sucking in a deep breath and a small grin pulls at her green lips. It's amazing.
A few steps brings her to So Khong's side. Tilting her head and grinning at him, "You heard the hatchling. Go get some meat for a creature of Volcano."
A terrible thought crosses Ibinu's head and it almost brings a smirk to his lips, So Khong is made of meat... why did I think that? Ugh, I am not a good person sometimes.
He turns and whispers to their new ally, "it looks like we are negotiating with this thing. Not a bad idea in my mind, but as things go this could go really bad really fast. Any idea where we could find something to placate the beast for at least a short time?"
So Khong shakes his head, and the glazed look of fear fades from his eyes. "Yes. I have learned to hunt for the lizards and other desert-dwellers that occupy this place. Keep him...pleased...until I return."
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Pleased to see the creature can speak at such a young age, Inam steps forward. With her hand held out, she smiles. "Our man servant will return shortly with food for you. But alas, I didn't catch your name."
"It truly is a pleasure to be standing before such a magnificent...uh..."
Pausing, she considers 'Creature? Beast? Elen...? What's the right way to...aw screw it'
"...you." she finishes.
"Ssarkofaugos." He turns to Etrah. "Brother, I smell you upon one of these." He points his nose toward Inam. "Have you claimed the others as well?" His long neck swings toward Ibinu and Kallik.
Surprised to hear the word, he stops flapping his grand wings for but a moment.
Turning to face the creature, he smiles. "Claim? Not exactly, though I do what I can to protect them. You are right though, that one..." he answers, motioning towards Inam as well "...is my charge."
"By Volcano's will I marked it as mine to guide and train in the righteous ways. The elen...is rough....around the edges yet, but she'll get there. Even if it means taking more drastic measures in her training."
Spinning quickly towards her companion, Inam's mouth drops open. "Do what? Wait a second...I..."
Trailing off, she seems confounded by the rather frank statement of the bird. 'He's never spoken in such a fashion before...'
"Am I...have I don't something wrong?" she asks her teacher.
"Oh, not really. Just saying there's a lot for you to learn before you realize you full potential."
"Unfortunately, I foresee more heartache and deeper pain for you before the full righteousness of Volcano's promise can be wielded by you." grimacing as he speaks, his eyes seem to unfocus...looking somewhere far away.
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Ibinu thinks for a moment and then nudges Kallik to follow his lead before speaking up, "we have pledged ourselves to follow the one called Inam, whom as you have clearly recognized is led by the powerful being before you. Please, oh mighty Ssarkofaugos, pay us minimal heed."
After his blatant pandering he stays back, observing intently and preferring to let the diplomatic ones do whatever negotiating or information gathering is necessary. We have no clue how to even harm this being and I think information is a lot more useful anyway. I think I can put up with a little condescension...
As the dragon's manner relaxes somewhat, you see an oily stain of darkness crawl out from under a nearby rock. It is slowly making its way directly toward the dragon.
Clinching her jaw at Ibinu's words and casting her gaze away from Ssarkofaugos and her companions. Nodding but not trusting her voice with deception. Right the stories said they were arrogant.
Quickly turning her head and lifting her axe to point at a crawling stain
of darkness, "Darkspawn." Having said something Kallik rushes at it.
Lifting the white blade and swinging with both hands into the crawling darkness.
Ssarkofaugos rears back in alarm at Kallik's sudden charge. Apparently not understanding the threat, he bellows, "Take control of your charges, brother! I will have no servants approach me in such a manner!"
Without waiting for a response, he breathes fire upon Kallik, catching the spawn as well.
Ibinu yells to the dragon, "can't you see the Darkspawn she is attacking? It's a threat to all of us!"
He darts forward and pulls a couple things out of his bandolier, mixing them together. With a practiced eye he throws the vial at the spawn, angling it to miss Kallik.
for and rounds.
"DIE EVIL SPAWN!" shrieks the sylph as she follows her companion into battle. "Your leige! Watch it, the dark fires are licking at your heals!"
Chuckling as his ele charges, yet again, into battle without a second thought, Etrah flutters towards Ibinu.
Once within range, the phoenix casually reaches out and touches the sylph's right shoulder. A surge or red light shoots into Ibinu.
"May Volcano guide your action, young one."
The lone oily spawn quickly dissolves under the combined assault of the Blessed.
Only a second after the first spawn is slain, you all hear a claw-on-stone screech as several more spawn--these are crystalline in nature--abandon all pretense of subterfuge, vaulting over nearby rocks. They vaguely resemble a cross between a scorpion and a praying mantis, with stinging tails and scythe-like claws.
In perfect unison, all five of the mantis-spawn rear back, and, with a sharp motion, throw one of their scythe-claws. Three of these hurtle toward the dragon; the other two sail toward Inam, whistling in the air.
All three bounce off the dragon's scales. One slices Inam's arms, drawing a sharp line of blood.
With a bass roar of anger, the dragon charges toward the western spawn. He connects with both claws, ripping off the spawn's remaining scythe, but does not kill it completely.
Nodding his thanks to Etrah, Ibinu darts past Inam and Kallik. Collecting reagents again he smiles as at least two enemies are clustered together. He tosses a bomb at one, expecting the other to at least be zapped by the explosion.
for and rounds.
If the 13 vs. Touch AC misses, the bomb explodes at the Blue X, harming no one that is visible on the map.
Letting out a yelp when dragons fire curls around her. Gasping at the pain while looking around, "Of course."
Growling at the smell of burnt hair and clothing. Tightening her grip on the axe with one hand while the other twitches, crackling with lightening. Running forward.
Viewing these creatures, Etrah realizes, and will tell you after the fight, that the reason these spawn can survive bright in this harsh realm is that they have infected creatures of this plane. It is very likely they do this by infecting the eggs/embers, then hatch as an unholy hybrid.
Ibinu connects with the spawn, and the adjacent is also hit by the strange fluid celerity. They are both still alive, but the primary target's armor is now cracked.
Inam charges forward to follow up on Ibinu's attack, hammering the crack in the thing's hide (critical!). Spilling purplish fluid onto the dusty ground, the spawn twitches, and stops moving
Kallik charges forward and lands an ear-splitting, crackling blow against the spawn, carving off a piece of its chest. It struggles to remain standing, but does not fall.
The spawn, now at close range, bring their stingers to bear on the Blessed and the dragon.
The dragon's scales deflect the stinger, and it simply crunches the spawn with its teeth
You notice another oily infector on the ground, sneaking up on the dragon. It is about ten feet northeast of the dragon
Declare actions!
Map!
Seeing her friend struggling, Inam rushes closer to Kallik to catch the attention of the spawn. Holding her sword aloft, she invokes the Warrior's mercy for Kallik. A shimmering white aura envelopes Inam and her allies, closing the wounds the spawn have made.
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Ibinu tosses a single bomb at the spawn standing back among the rocks/eggs, excluding them from any damage. "You all doing okay? You looked pretty bad there for a second Kallik. Don't be a hero... er more of a hero than usual I guess."
for and rounds.
Shaking off the poison trying to sap her strength, she looks upward, towards the gods. 'Volcano, help us!'
Nearling dropping to her knees with the weight of the blow. Her visions starts twisting until the familiar touch of Inam drives away some of the pain. Lifting her head back up and growling. Pointing just behind the newborn dragon, "There is another one."
Lifting her hand that hold the axe but angling as if it were a bow. With her free hand she draws back a string that isn't there.
Ibinu hits the eastern spawn, following up on the splash from last round. It is now severely damaged.
Inam channels energy.
Kallik loses concentration on her spell, but is not attacked by any spawn.
The spawn all turn toward Inam as she channels the divine energy of Volcano. The Eastern spawn vaults over one of the eggs in its haste to attack Inam.