At the Top of the World

After a short rest in the secluded cave we moved to its mouth. The observatory sat farther up, nearly perched directly at Hatewind's peak. Even from here we could see large swaths of snow that had been disturbed -- between now and snowfall -- too large to be made by anything but the white dragon. Theo spotted more: blood and bones near the observatory's buildings.
 
We talked at the mouth, for some time. Everyone was unsure how to handle the observatory and the dragon that most possibly dwells near it.
 
The cold began to set in. Theo voiced the idea, but we all knew it: the dragon's magic filled the land around us, and the longer we were here the faster the wind would sap the warmth from us.
 
 

The Observatory of Hrothamari

Walled in by 30-foot high cliffs falling down its sides, the observatory was monumental. Snow and wind whipped around us, framing the compound as a painter would his work.
 
"Iwiek'Tzarreth," ("fat-ass" in draconic) whispered Izol. Yet he and Murg strode forward with false confidence. The cleric turned first, feeling a tremor beneath the falling snow. Then Izol felt it, then the rest of us, and the earth roiled beneath us.
 
And then the dragon exploded from the ground beneath us. Crystals wracked its form as it twisted into the sky, digging then soaring into the firmament. It roared in challenge:
 
"Come!"
 
And so we did.
 
It was clear immediately that this creature no longer had the cunning and brilliance of its race; the crystalline madness had taken that. Whether this was to our benefit or not remained to be see; the dragon turned midair to dive downward, raining arcane ice and red shards of crystal on Izol and Murg. Murg took the brunt of the blow, his defensive magics forced to protect Abaddar's chosen. Izol was less lucky: the crystals conferred a kind of madness, sending a concussive shock through his psyche to render him paralyzed.
 
With a quick chant from Theo golden light surrounded Murg. The cleric grew in size, Theo's magics combining with his own. Soon no longer our bugbear stood next to Izol but a giant golden ape.
 
"Impossible!"
 
Yrna took stock of the situation and acted quickly, summoning a raging cloud of locusts seemingly from the cold earth itself. The dragon was caught in the biting swarm (but to little effect). Steel ran for cover, firing a warning shot at the dragon. It missed.
 
Ape-Murg lumbered over to the observatory's ruined walls. Swinging up with his large hands Murg ripped a section of carved stone to throw at the dragon -- but in his haste ripped only pebbles and gravel. It swooped up to get out of the range of thrown rocks, roaring back at the ground in response. But we are the Vanguard, Ynra included: "I've killed bigger and badder than you."
 
And Theo pulled out the big guns: a fireball of supreme force catalyzed in the space around the dragon. Though it dodged a large part of the damage, twisted about with its wings to cover itself, the pyroclasm engulfing it for the briefest of moments.
 
On the ground Yrna did whatever magic it is that druid's do: taking the form of a giant eagle. She huddled close to the ground, waiting. Steel took a ready stance as well, aiming carefully with the Claw.
 
Then a howl broke across the winds. None of us needed to examine our surroundings to read the sign: wolves had found us (and the dragon) in Hrothamari's observatory. But these wolves were as twisted as the white dragon: red crystals riddled their white fur -- just as with the dragon's scales. It dawned on us that they may... ally with one another.
 
The dragon landed and roared once more: Steel this time recalled the last dragon the Vanguard had met. On that tower in the Nine Hells, with Venomheart astride it. He had killed that dragon, as he would this one.
 
Theo fired three rays of searing flames, all hitting the creature. Yrna leapt into the air to distract the dragon, beelining for one of the winter wolves to protect Theo in the meantime.
 
Steel took a Shot in the Dark. One bolt flew through the air, striking true into the side of the white dragon. It seemed to scoff as the projectile hit, its face then contorting in pain as the black magic of the bolt of white dragon slaying did as it was intended to do: (nearly) slay a white dragon.
 
Ape-Murg squatted for a moment before leaping high into the air. Arms outstretched -- only slightly larger than his own -- he grabbed onto the white dragon mid-air, catching it in a bear ape hug. The two struggled midair.
 
The wolves advanced: one throwing ice-breath at Steel, one up to Murg (and ready) just after the ape made it skyward, and the third running down the craggy cliffside towards eagle-Yrna too with its ice-breath.
 
Angry and desperate the dragon turned on the ape holding onto it: Murg. He managed to hold on as it battered him with attacks. Below on the group Theo ran up to Izol, shaking him out of the crystal madness that held him catatonic.
 
Yrna sped through the air. We all nearly gasped as her eagle wild shape faded, the elf druid falling through the air. As she fell she called magics to her, her fist glowing a brilliant many colors.
 
But Yrna fell too fast, plummeting to the ground before she could get in a swipe. The dragon swung slowly at her as she fell through the air, giving an opening for ape-Murg to strike back at it. As he hit the dragon it struck Yrna from seemingly nowhere.
 
Izol returned to his senses as a loud crash heralded Yrna's return to earth. She could still breathe, thankfully. He looked to the still-alive druid and then up to the dragon. White flames coalesced at his position before the firebrand engaged the dragon. Eldritch flame after eldritch flame crashed into the beast, the magic sinking into the beast to rob it of speed. Izol then rose up into the air to meet the dragon's gaze.
 
Murg walloped at the dragon beneath it. His foe shook, and we all saw the giant golden ape slowly slide off of his grappled foe. But more nimble than he looked ape-Murg swung around and under the dragon to right himself above it once again, fracturing its jaw in the process. Shards of red crystal flew everywhere, nearly ripping into his magical-beast skin.
 
One wolf tried for Steel, the tabaxi twisting around the attack. Yrna was not so lucky, another wolf sinking its jaws into her neck.
 
Blood covered the snow.
 
The last remaining wolf took a running leap for Theo, landing on the roof of the stone building he took refuge on.
 
 

Twisted Black and Red

 
We heard a voice, from the white dragon but not the dragon's. Then one voice became two, then three, then many. The red crystals glittered and cracked and shuddered within the beast's body.
 
Above the dragon a hooded figure faded into view. Piercing yellow eyes glared down at us from underneath a black, formless cloak. It reached out a black hand towards Theo. Then it disappeared in a flash of magic.
 
Then horror.
 
The dragon was transformed. It was too terrifying to hear the beast's screams, to watch its body twist and break and contort. Red crystal wings shattered over the white dragon's previous, destroying and replacing them. Three sets of crystalline legs sprouted from its belly, and as the dragon grew to a horrific size red crystal dust like blood flowed from its maw.
 
It looked at the ape still clinging to its new body and unleashed a hellish torrent of ice and mineral. Murg with his ape arms held on, but the dark force of the crystals gripped the feeble mind of the ape. Now he was in a rage, with all focus on the dragon beneath him.
 
Theo slid down the stone building, skirting his way to the other side of the roof. Another series of arcane words and gestures, and another fireball exploded behind the now-twisted dragon.
 
Unable to see the wolf hunting Theo Steel leapt towards him, climbing up to meet his friend and take a shot at the winter wolf. It howled in its final breath as the bolt found its left eye, sending the canine body down off of the building to the ground. Had it lived, its spine would have shattered. But Steel was already onto the next target, taking shots at the dragon in the air.
 
With a giant flap of its crystal wings the dragon beat at the air around it. Wind buffeted Izol, Murg, and the closest wolf and threw them prone. But with that it could do little more than wheel about in the air.
 
Izol plummeted to the ground, just as Yrna had. And just like Yrna had, his body stiffened (though less so).
 
Feinting with a left hook ape-Murg slammed down with his right hand across the crystal beast's neck. The dragon's skin rattled and cracked, more crystal dust filling the air. Murg, in close proximity, was in danger of the crystal magic once more: now a suggestive mood accompanied his rage. The red crystals weakened the mind's strengths, it seemed.
 
 

Death

The wolf that had fed from Yrna's body turned to Izol. In the same wretched manner that it for the druid the beast cantered across the snow and skidded to Izol. Maw met neck, and more blood poured out onto the snow.
 
Above the corrupt dragon wrestled further with ape-Murg. One, two times it raked claws across the polymorphed bugbear.
On the first, Theo's magic fell.
On the second, Murg's eyes rolled to the back of his head.
 
The cleric fell unceremoniously towards the earth, body contorted by the crash landing. It was difficult to see from afar if he had life left in his body.
 
The dragon twisted towards the ground, reaching for the nearest wolf. But the crystals inside it were growing, and breaking, and disintegrating. It hit the ground with the earth-shattering sound of glass cracking. The dragon was less of a beast now and more abomination, its form sloughing off like coagulating blood.
 
Staring on with caution Theo held an outstretch hand backwards, for Steel. In it the red liquid of life sloshed inside a stoppered vial.
 
"You read my mind," was all the tabaxi responded.
 
Theo summoned one last fireball, engulfing the red-crystal, white dragon entirely. Fire melted scale and stone in an instant. One claw reached for the skies only to thud back to the earth.
 
But from the flesh and muck of dead dragon a light flickered. The shimmer grew, and as Theo and Steel looked on the beast's form shrank and twisted (hopefully for the last time). White became gold, and we were soon left with the form of a new dragon. A gold dragon.
 
The magnificent creature stepped out from the mess, eyeing only the white wolves beneath it.
 
Ignorant of the "changed" dragon Steel leapt down from the stone outcropping. He ran through the battlefield and dove for Murg. Theo's potion in hand was fed to the unconscious bugbear, and after a few moments the brew took effect. Murg's eyes snapped open to see Steel's face soften. He spoke words the cleric couldn't understand, in his own tongue.
 
"Finish this."
 
A red energy surged across the Claw, left next to Theo overlooking the battlefield. Three bolts flashed from its barrel, taking the lives of the final pair of winter wolves. Each fell to the ground with no ceremony.
 
And then the tabaxi leapt up. Flourishing his cavalry sword at the dragon, Steel's face hardened once more -- unsure of what this new draconic form meant for the Vanguard.
 

Questions

It spoke faultingly at first: "I do not know."
"I am afraid I do now know who you are, or why I am here."
"Tell me, who are you?"
 
Coughing blood, Murg lifted his head only to give the gold dragon his title. His full title.
 
Theo interrupted. "Murg, get Izol!"
 
The bugbear pulled himself along the ground. Reaching out a hand for Izol, the bugbear found he couldn't remember. Remember anything.
 
"Abbadar!"
 
His prayer was left unanswered, Murg now only able to cry over the body of his friend. "I have failed in this transaction." Izol left his vantage point to meet Murg and Izol on the ground, and to be sad with them.
 
Steel moved towards his friends, his eyes never leaving the gold dragon and his sword never falling. "We are the Vanguard of Veradin, and we are here to collect things needed." He wanted to speak more but his voice would not let him. It was a moment before Steel continued. "Who are you?"
 
"I cannot say I know who you are, but lower your blade. I mean you no harm." As Steel relented the dragon continued. "I am Ciarsias, and I am... saddened to see your plight. I cannot help but feel that this is my doing."
 
It felt bad, then. And Theo spoke up, seeing that the gold dragon's white (and crystal) form was not its own doing. "There is a sickness in this land, and is very recent."
 
"I can tell you that my memory is incomplete, but not destroyed. I remember my form changing -- a curse place on me, many years ago. But these crystals. They are the last thing I recall." He continued, recounting how a month ago he (as a white dragon) had found crystals growing on the side of the mountain. Touching them was the last thing the dragon remembered, until now.
 
"But I will right my wrong. That is what Hrothamari would have wanted." It wrapped a grand gold wing around Theo, who burst into tears. Steel then sunk to the ground, overcome by exhaustion and the aftereffects of haste.
 
The wind and snow swept around us. Crippled by those we had lost, Izol and Yrna, the surviving Vanguard mourned while watched over by the returned golden dragon Ciarsias. Eventually he led the group to the inside of the observatory, for warmth and some safety.
 
"In the name of my master and oldest friend Hrothamari, I extend you what welcome I can."