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Beren's jaw drops as Brick launches himself over the pillar. "Crazy Forged," he snarls. "Sari, let's go get him."
Beren shakes his head. "The Dragon is the key. I think we need to kill it. Valessa, what do you know? We need to plan while the wrym is still down."
Sari, lifting her bow, looks at Beren, "Hey, wanna see who's the better shot my shifty friend." "As long as we kill this thing," snarls the Shifter. The pair pull back their bows, look at each other once and smile- Beren also gives Sari a wink-, turn their heads back to the downed Dragon, and shoot. "Hey, I want to get in on this too," Rokko says, running over to the edge with his crossbow.
The Shifter rolls on his back to stand. His eyes widen as he sees the Dragon fly in for another pass, "Brick waaa...," his voice is lost in the wyrm's airy maelstrom. With bow in hand, there is little that he can do to help the Warforged.
Beren's eyes open as he takes a big gasp of air. He looks over to Merreck and gives a weak growl, "Thanks".
"Watch out, its com ..." Beren never finishes his warning as the speeding Dragon digs its claw into the Shifter, spinning him to the ground in a pool of blood.
"Oh S~@*!" Beren snarls as the Dragon approaches fast. "Ruuz, knock that thing down."
Retrieving his bow, the Shifter nocks an arrow. To the side of him, Valessa mumbles something, but his concentration on the Wyrm takes precedence over his listening. Drawing back his bow, Beren fires at the beast.
"Damn," Beren growls. "It's back in the air. We gotta take this thing down." The Shifter sheathes his swords and runs to his dropped bow. Rokko looks at Beren momentarily, "Ask, and you shall receive." The Goblin turns his focus back on the Dragon and fires his crossbow. The bolt flies wide and Rokko looks at the weapon with big eyes. He starts to shake it, "This thing must be broken."
Beren watches as the Dragon takes off and spews forth a smothering dust cloud. The Shifter feels energy sapped from his body. As the dust settles into his skin, his body feels stretched and his lungs scream for breath. He momentarily drops to a knee and watches his hands and arms discolor in front of his eyes, reminding the Shifter of the ancient Elf in the locked room he encountered when he first entered this accursed place. He growls up at the Wyrm, but even this action is weakened as he coughs up dust filled phlegm.
Beren notices the Dragon readying to take flight, "No! We cant let it get away," he growls. Forgetting his short sword for the moment, the Shifter takes a lunging overhead chop with his longsword.
"Are we even hurting this thing?" Beren snarls as he strikes at the Dragon again.
Beren sees Sari and Brick moving away, “Hey what the … Where are you … ?” the Shifter just shakes his head, “Damn Houses and crazy Warforged!” Turning back, he watches the Dragon shrink in on itself, Beren snarls with a toothy grin aimed at Valessa from the opposite side of the diminished Wyrm. “This thing is messed up,” the Shifter growls. “Let’s put it out of its misery, shall we?” Lifting his two blades, he attacks the Dragon.
Rokko watches Sari and Brick. “You know they might have the right idea,” he says to himself. “I guess the Warforged has some smarts after all.” Rokko eyes the scene then eyes the retreat, “Dammit, me and my principles!” Rokko turns back to the Dragon and stands with his crossbow loaded. Unable to get a clear shot with the two Rangers crowding the diminished Dragon he shouts, “Well move over or something. Don’t you know that the Goblin always saves the day? … From a distance, of course, though,” he says with a flash of sharp teeth that form a smile.
Beren moves to get on to the other side of the Dragon, "Merreck stay low!" he snarls, "Get yourself away from the edge." When in a good position, the Shifter looks for an opening and swings with his longsword.
Beren watches the Dragon rush past him towards Merreck. "Merreck, watch out!" the Shifter shouts as he finds an opening in the wyrm's flank.
Beren follows Sari's lead and drops his bow, unsheathes his swords, and moves to attack. "Ruuz, hang in there."
Rokko lifts his crossbow, "Hey scaly, you're in the wrong time and the wrong place."
"Ruuuuuuuuuuz," Beren screams as his companion is engulfed by the Dragon. The Shifter turns to Valessa, "Valessa, what do we have to do?"
“Stop her,” Beren growls as he watches Jyra retreat. “She may have something important.” The Shifter moves to line up his bowshot, but then out of the corner of his eye there is a flash of movement. Beren turns to see Brick in the air … “Crazy, stinkin’ Warforged,” Beren screams as Brick launches himself over the edge of the pillar toward the Mind Flayer. He stands there wide-eyed and shocked for a moment until the sound of the climbing Dragon helps him regain his focus. Jyra forgotten, Beren runs to the edge of the pillar, sets up a diagonal shot with his bow, and fires at the climbing monstrosity.
"The Key," Beren snarls, "Is a Dragon … A DRAGON! Look down." Beren uses a hand to point toward the bottom of the pillar. "Did I mention that I hate this place yet?" Beren finishes with a growl.
Beren turns as he hears a familiar voice, "Valessa, Where Have You ... Really nice of you to join us. It only took you a thousand years."
Seeing the b&!*! remove herself from combat, Beren grins, "Can't take the heat honey, then get out of the fire." His grin fades when he spots the Mind Flayer. Sheathing his swords with amazing speed, the Shifter lifts his bow off of his shoulder, nocks an arrow, and shoots at the squid-faced aberration.
Beren shakes the dust out of his wild hair feeling somewhat weaker from the movement. Anger sets in as he sees Sari get attacked. The Shifter moves in to help. “Leave her alone,” he snarls.
The Dragon takes flight and circles while the Mind Flayer disappears and Ruuz is attacked. “Rat, Rat, Rat!” Beren curses as he shoulders his bow and draws his swords. Moving up to help Ruuz Beren growls, “Hey crazy lady, taste my sword.”
Beren moves to close the distance as he nocks another arrow. He stops suddenly and covers his eyes as the Key explodes. “Rat!” Beren exclaims. Where the Key was, there is now a Dragon. “Rat and Wolf,” Beren shouts, staring at the scaly beast. Watching the Dragon slap the Mind Flayer to the ground brings a momentary toothy grin to the Shifter. Looking at the Dragon, shifting his eyes to Jrya, and eventually gazing at the fallen Mind Flayer, Beren says, “One at a time. One at a time. See ya squid-face.” Beren pulls back on his bow and launches another arrow at the Mind Flayer.
Dragonmann:
Spoiler: Is Aubrey still playing Rokko, or should I consider the little Goblin an NPC at this point?
Beren continues moving up the steps while keeping the brain sucker in his side view. Reaching the top tier, the Shifter hears Merreck’s words and an intensity courses deep into his soul. Puffing out his chest and curving his fang-like teeth into a wicked smile, he pulls back his bow, shouts, “Hey Squid-Face, take your hands off that thing. Don’t you know that WE are here to save the world. Shouldn’t you be drowning in the Thunder Sea, anyhow? Here, let me help you die,” and lets the arrow fly.
Beren accesses the situation and realizes he will need to get closer and higher for a good shot. The Shifter turns his head as Brick starts to speak. Where in all of Khyber did that come from?, he thinks to himself. He moves swiftly up the stairs, making his ascent closer to the top. While he runs he speaks quietly to himself, "Keep your brains Beren, keep your brains."
Beren turns from the spiraling stairs and enters the room. He is initially amazed at the dynamic forces along the walls. Then he looks up along the ramp to the center column. First seeing Jyra, half-naked and tattoo covered, he is shocked at her appearance but otherwise oblivious to the meaning of her designs. He loses interest quickly though when he notices the aberration next to the ex Morgrave student. After hearing the creature speak, Beren lifts his bow and quietly says to himself, “Actually, the Key is ours.”
Beren starts moving upward through the stairwell, leading his team. Looking above and around, he moves slowly while readying an arrow in his bow.
Beren nods to Valessa, “You as well.” Then the Shifter turns to Ruuz, “How do those steps look to you? Can you detect any traps?” Finally he turns to Ghorkin and his assistant, “You two should stay here until we confirm that the next level is secure, then we will come back for you.” Then looking over his companions once more, “Brick, I guess you’re with me and be ready to use that club. Merreck, with that spell of yours, can we communicate back to you? Rokko, any preference on team? Just pick one and stay in the back for support unless you think it better to discuss Morgrave positions with the good Professor here.” Beren gives Ghorkin a silent snarl at this last comment before turning back to his companions, “We ready?” Then he nods and makes his way to the stairs on his left. His bow is out and ready for trouble.
Beren strides forward, bow in hand and arrow at the ready, "Sari and I should go first, each taking opposite stairs. You all right with that Sari? Hey, let's keep an eye out for traps." Beren then performs a careful scan of the floor leading up to the stairs and then the stairs themselves.
Beren is at Ruuz's side, bow in hand and on the lookout for trouble.
"I believe she knows something about this place. We follow her, we find where we need to be. And taking her out first will be important to allow us to complete this whole 'Saving the World' bull s$~@. Rat! Did I mention I hate this place?"
Beren stares down the hallway lost in thought, but then quietly replies, “Yeah, probably right. Just wanted to get rid of them though. Having them with, for us to save, is going to get one of us dead.” This time, Beren does not smile.
Beren turns to Ghorkin, "Professor, you and your assistant should probably leave and go back to Stormreach. We've encountered some heavy stuff down here, and I don't plan on coming to your rescue again. You should leave while you're still alive. I don't think you're up to the task." Then the Shifter pauses to look at each of his companions and gives a toothy grin, "We've got a world to save." "So Ruuz, what's your plan?"
Beren looks up at Sari and shows a toothy grin, “I like the way you think, but I think it best to stick together. This place is making me sprout wisdom out my nose. I can almost smell it, and it is the scent of patience. Let’s see what Ruuz can discover, then we’ll find her so you can ‘beat the truth out of her’. Then hearing Ruuz rummaging through his pack the Shifter asks, “Forked stick?”
Beren, growing impatient from the need for revenge, shifts his head back and forth from Ghorkin to his assistant repeatedly, waiting for more answers.
Beren takes the offered potion from Valessa and adds with a shy smile, “Thanks, I will repay you by saving your life once I set off another trap.” The Shifter smiles briefly as his eyes look sideways barely making contact with his female friend and adventuring companion. His eyes quickly shift back to Ghorkin though and awaits his answer.
Beren is at a loss that his anger is taken out on an unconscious, potentially dying man. He stares down at the Professor lying there, still in need of healing. Then he starts to pace while growling and mumbling under his breath, “Stupid place! Stupid place! I am going to kill that b*+&%. Got hit with a trap again … grumble, grumble, grumble … .” Eventually he slows, slightly out of breath from smoke inhalation compounded by his current frustration level and exertion of energy. He then stops, pulls out a potion, and drinks it down.
Beren’s burn injuries slowly sink into freshly formed skinned and his movement seems less hampered. "Now you can shout at him." Hearing Merreck’s words, the Shifter turns back to see the professor stirring. Beren walks over and crouches down next to him and says calmly and matter-of-factly, “Professor Ghorkin, Jyra did this right? How about helping me repay those actions? Tell me everything you know about her.” Then Beren forces a smile directed toward Ghorkin, while he crouches at his side.
Beren’s nose twitches at a smell in the clothing. His smile quickly disappears, and he throws the clothes away from him, “Everyone down!” Beren screams as he rolls out of the way. A blast erupts though, and the reaching inferno temporarily engulfs the Shifter. He lets out a stifled growl as he is set ablaze. Once out of the blast range, he starts rolling on the ground to put out the consuming flames. Moments later, a smoldering Beren stands. His cloths are blackened and scorched, and his face is severely burned. Through a burnt fleshy mouth Beren growls, “Who is this?” Then he turns, walks up to Ghorkin and speaks very slowly and seriously while holding the hilts of his sheathed swords, “Who is this Jyra? How did you meet her? Why did she want to be here on this expedition. I want to know everything about her.” Beren then stares down the Professor until he answers.
Beren holds up the pile of clothing and shows his companions. At first, he has a confused look on his face while inspecting the fabric, but then his toothy grin slowly appears and the Shifter looks at Ruuz, "Hey, we might have a naked woman running around. You should be able to find her easily."
"I might have an idea on how to find Jyra. Can anyone remember any unique items she was carrying?" "How about that name tag labeled 'Backstabbing B!~+@'", Beren snarls. Then he just shakes his head, "No, sorry, didn't pay that much attention to her." Finally, nudging his head toward Ghorkin's healed assistant, "What can she tell us about her?" Beren then starts scanning the area for tracks. The Shifter takes his time, crouching down and completing a slow tedious search of the area. Beren checks every inch inside the room and continues out into the hallway.
Beren growls deep inside his chest, "Right under my nose yet. Rat, I hate killing humans." Then he gives a brief glance over at Ruuz and thinks, 'If she is human'. Then the Shifter puts his bow away, retrieves his blades, and starts swinging at the empty air, hoping to find hidden flesh. "Wait till tomorrow, I'll find you then," he grumbles softly to himself.
Beren enters the room and immediately realizes something is amiss. He notices the injuries of Ghorkin and his assistant and watches Ruuz run to the aid of the female. His lust for women is going to get him in trouble sooner or later, he thinks to himself. “Brick, how about some healing?” the Shifter yells back out into the corridor to get the attention of the Warforged. Then he scans the room looking for enemies or tracks left behind by enemies.
A growl ruptures from Beren's mouth after finding no additional clues from the statues, "Another dead end. Should we go check on the Professor?"
Beren turns to walk down the hall, bow in hand and arrow ready. "So, back to the upside Eberron, then retracing our steps to check in on the good ol' Professor?"
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