Session 127: Dragon Dreams

General Summary

31st Brussendar-4th Sydenstar 836PD   31st Brussendar   After their lunchtime social with the Crimson Shields, Raphael decides to check in on Isolde Glorybuff but is promptly shooed out of the busy kitchen and told to wait till she finishes her shift. When the lunchtime rush passes, Isolde meets with Raph and the Unbroken.   Raph compliments on her culinary talents, and remarks that they’ve gained the attention of an Ancient Blue Dragon that seeks to capture her for his collection. The young half-elf chef is shocked in disbelief, but is convinced by the party’s words and corresponding information with her brief capture with the Crimson Shields. Raphael suggests she take some time to keep a low profile during the week of the planned collection day on the 4th.   However, Isolde is resistant despite the risk, she could not afford the time off and it had always been her dream to cook at the Gilded Dragon. Raph asks to speak with the manager, and offers 500gp to cover Isolde’s wages and book lodgings to stay, which is accepted.   1st-3rd Sydenstar   The party make their preparations over the remaining days, primarily to aid Nodrog in his quest for vengeance against Zolar, the party purchase a potion of Growth for him. Orlando also uses some of the harvested dragon claws to re-enchant the Wicked Sister hand-axes that passed from Quill to Nodrog.   Over the nights, Raphael dreams with Eva to build up their reconnaissance, learning that Zolar and Latara seem to be on friendly terms, and that she’s seen several Blue Draconian Soldiers.   In the early evening of the 3rd, Captain Kalcrya and the Storms Call skyship arrive at the Bandit fort. She takes them on a tour to demonstrate the new magical capabilities that Gilmore had enchanted on the ship for them.   As the group prepare for the night, Simeon prays in Commune with his Goddess the Moonweaver. He asks if Zolar plans to allow the Kord Shackle to be destroyed, and if Latara plans to take the Shackle from its bearer but is uncertain. However, when Simeon asks if the Shackle would pass over to the Unbroken if they killed Zolar, she replies that it doesn’t necessarily.   Raphael casts one last Dream, but this time on Zolar. A dream of puppets battling a smaller blue dragon, that Zolar would recognise as Griddyss his kin and his death. Then those puppets representing the Unbroken find and fight with Zolar, also a puppet, and as one lands the killing blow on Zolar, he looks up at the strings that control him, seeing the described visage of the platinum wizard controlling them. When he fails, she cuts his strings and discards the Zolar puppet, the word “fool” echoes at implied betrayal, the sounds of broken chains clatter and a hungry, black oblivion ends the dream.   4th Sydenstar   Dawn breaks on a hot, dry day in the deserts that surround Ank’Harel. The party untidy their previous work to hide their assault, to leave a provocative display of the decaying remains of Zolar’s kin.   Raven sets a professionally convincing set of false tracks that leads to the mountains, to divert Zolar away from where they are hiding on the skyship. With the display set, the Unbroken all board onto the skyship and Simeon sets a Heroes Feast for them to bolster their resolves for the fight to come.   Afterwards, Zeni attunes to the Storms Call’s new Spellhelm, and channels her magic to veil the ship from sight by cloaking it and the crew in invisibility. The Captain pilots the ship up high into the skies to avoid the Dragon’s flight path, and they wait with perspiring patience in the summer sun.   Nodrog and Raven take first watch, despite the cliched prejudices of orcs and elves, the two bond over their mutual exploits and Raven’s own past adventures with fellow orcs. As Orlando and Enessa come up on deck to relieve them for next watch, Orlando takes this as the opportunity to present Nodrog with his new enchanted hand-axes. The Storm Herald admires the craftmanship of the Gnome, and is honoured to carry on the fighting spirit of their previous wielder, but with a new name of “Dragon Bane”. Arthur and Simeon hold the final watch, and nearing the last few hours of Zeni’s concentration on the ship’s invisibility, Simeon spots a large speck flying across the mountains, Zolar!   The crew steel themselves with the approaching Ancient Dragon. They soon take the limited comfort of being several hundred feet away, when they hear the frustrated roars of the denied Dragon, as it rampages through the empty desecrated fort.   Zolar follows the false tracks that point back towards the mountains and sets off back to his lair. It is an intense couple of hours as the Skyship stalks it’s Dragon prey, at a safe but pacing distance across the mountains, until he lands at his lair. Several Draconian Archers guard the upper ledge and entrance, just above the lower entrance to the Dragon’s lair.   The Unbroken elect to enter the direct Dragon entrance, whilst the Skyship provides a distraction to the upper forces. The party prep themselves as Raphael, Raven, and Arthur wreath themselves in Mirror Images. Orlando casts Protection from Lightning, Simeon Blinks himself in and out of the ethereal plane. Nodrog focuses on the raging storm within him, Enessa lands with Death’s Whisper nocked, and Zeni is close behind the group flying down from the ship.   The Elemental Engines of the Storm’s Call announce the arrival of the Unbroken, as Zolar and his draconic forces lay in wait for them. The Ancient Blue Dragon rushes to the entrance, blocking the party on the small ledge of his lair, and exhales a roaring ray of lightning breath across the group.   However, the party were prepared for the line of lightning and they resisted the worst of the Dragon’s innate power, the Hero’s Feast emboldening them in the frightful presence of Zolar.   Arthur momentary stasis’s one of the draconian soldiers behind Zolar to cut off any reinforcement. Raven marks the Ancient Dragon as an Oathsworn of his Moon Bow, unleashing a silvery volley before misty stepping behind him.   Orlando follows Raven’s peppering with his own radiant barrage, critically striking the blue beast. The platinum haired wizard, known as Rytalia, teleports from behind the dais to pay Orlando in kind and unleashes an arcane barrage of magical projectiles.   Simeon calls on his divine blood to assume his Radiant Soul, he tries to fly over Zolar but the Dragon’s gargantuan form blocks the cave entrance. Seeing his fellow follower in faith, Simeon adds to Orlando’s protection by warding him in Sanctuary.   Zolar bites through the magical decoys that surround Raphael to pierce the Winter Knight’s armour, and then claws at the next nearby threat of the raging Orc. Nodrog downs the potion of growth and bellows back in engorged rage against the Suneater, cleaving deeply into the wyrm with his dragon slaying hand-axes. Zolar screeches in painful draconic for Rytalia to get rid of the orc.   Raphael follows in Raven’s misty steps to get behind the angered Dragon, and seeks to intercede Rytalia. He closes with her, Frostweaver ready to take the blood of another Lock-Breaker, but the Enchantress’s magic shield’s her from the Knight’s strikes.   Zeni keep herself in flight just off the ledge and finds the right spot to Fireball Zolar, Rytalia and 2 Draconian Soldiers fighting Raven. The flames from her Staff of Fire, barely flicker off the tough hide and protective magic of Zolar and Rytalia, but 1 soldier is instantly cremated in the blast.   Enessa takes the hat trick and also misty steps around the Dragon, to provide back up to her fellow Ranger and also deploy her Battle Plan to press the party’s advantage. Rytalia hopes her shield can hold as she tries to escape the melee with Raphael, but it provides just the opening for Frostweaver to slice at her back and smite her prone to the ground. The injured witch drags herself up to see the hulking Orc Barbarian, and she attempts to Banish Nodrog.   Fortunately, Arthur’s understanding of draconic clued him into Zolar’s order, and he was prepared to converge the future around Nodrog to resist the Banishment attempt, and keep him firmly in the fight. But which side will fall first…