Chapter 2-2: Conyberry
General Summary
Travelling south from Neverwinter, the party pushed ahead at a canter. The group made the turn onto the Triboar Trail shortly before the sun dipped below the horizon, and the trees cast long shadows across the road as they pressed on beneath the eaves of the forest. As evening came on they elected to camp a short distance beyond a sharp bend in the road, nestled in the protective cover of the trees. With practiced efficiency the party set up their campsite while Miaug and Badger brought down a mid-sized buck to feed the group. After a brief spell around the campfire, the party headed to bed, Miaug and Badger taking the first watch.
The night passed, and the other members of the group each took their turn keeping watch. During Aetilius's shift, as he sat staring into the dwindling embers of the fire, an uneasy shiver ran down his spine and he for a moment he felt with compete certainty that he was being watched. Grabbing Talon he got to his feet, peering into the dark spaces between the trees, just beyond the glow of the fire. He was unable to see any movement in the gloom, and after an excruciating few minutes he let out a deep breath and relaxed slightly. With a shrug he threw a couple of extra logs on the fire and sat back down, although he kept his hand resting on the hilt of his blade for the remainder of his shift.
A few hours later, Ryoko sat by the fire puffing tiny smoke creatures on her pipe and gazing up at the stars. The sky was clear and she could clearly make out the twin moons, Eleach and Cacolach, as they travelled across the inky void. The silverly light of Eleach mingled with the pale purple glow of Cacolach, bathing the forest in a faintly dreamlike glow. Suddenly, a shadow passed overhead - momentarily blocking the light from Eleach. Ryoko's heart leapt in her chest, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone. The next morning the group were quieter and more reserved than normal as they ate some more venison. A thick mist lay heavy across the forest, which combined with the oppressive darkness of the winter mornings seemed to smother much of the conversation before it began. After breakfast the party saddled the horses and continued along the road. The sun was just creeping over the horizon, and had begun to burn away the mist, when the path curved around a small hillock and opened out into the ruined village of Conyberry. Crumbling buildings sat on either side of the trail, nestled under the eaves of the woods, squat and silent like watchful guardians. The same oppressive stillness which had unsettled the group last time remained, but this time Ryoko was able to identify the source of the uneasiness. There was a complete absence of normal forest sounds - no birds sang, the crickets were silent here. Every slight sound the party made seemed amplified by the deafening silence. To your right of the road, the decaying skeleton of an old church tower loomed over the trail. In front, the squat remains of ancient terraced houses forced the path the curve to the right, over an old stone bridge which crossed a dried streambed. Beyond the bridge the group could make out the ruins of a slightly larger building - possibly an old store or town hall. The group dismounted and tied the horses up near one of the ruined buildings, before they began to press deeper. Suddenly the edges of Ryoko's scales on her arms began to tingle. She glanced around nervously, peering into gloomy corners or pockets of deep shadow, desperately looking for the source of her anxiety. The rest of the party moved on ahead of her, unaware of their companion's sudden unease.
A heart-stopping roar cut through the silence, and a massive shadow fell over the party. A green dragon soared overhead. As it passed, a billowing cloud of noxious green gas poured from it's open maw, engulfing the group. Clootie, Aetilius and Ramas coughed violently as the acrid gas burned their throats and lungs. The dragon wheeled around in the air, settling on top of the largest ruin and fixing the group with a baleful emerald glare, "I have been waiting for this! I have followed you since you drove me from my home. I don't know what I find more annoying - the fact that you attacked me, your terrible conversation, or the fact that I'm sure you are all genuinely stupid!" Venomfang snarled viciously.
Ryoko raised her hands to the sky and uttered a few syllables. Dark clouds rolled overhead and a thunderous blast of lightning arced downwards into the dragon, causing him to bellow in pain. Leaping from his perch, Venomfang began to glide back towards the party. Aetilius flew into the air to meet him. With a great sweep of his wings Venomfang knocked the tiefling from the air, landing in a heap on the ruined upper floor of the church tower. Ryoko called another blast of lightning down from the storm cloud above, but this time it thundered ineffectually into the ground beside the bridge. The dragon swept down and grabbed Clootie in his claws. He quickly soared back into the air, as Miaug loosed an arrow into his side just below his wing. With a snarl he dropped Clootie, who fell like a stone, thudding into the earth below. Miaug grabbed the gnome and pulled her into cover around the corner of the ruined terrace houses.
Aetilius got to his feet. Grabbing Talon firmly in one hand, and his shield in the other, he leapt back into the air and struck at the dragon's back. Meanwhile, Clootie climbed up onto the edge of the ruined house, and began to yell a long, strange tale with many odd phrases none of the combatants recognised. Venomfang stopped his assault for a moment to stare at her in utter confusion. Taking advantage of his distraction, Ryoko flicked her staff, sending a writhing tendril of thorny vines out to wrap around the dragon's leg. With a mighty heave she pulled him off balance, the thorns biting deep into his flesh, and he twisted his head around to glare at her. Venomfang dropped to the ground and slashed at the dragonborn with both of his claws, raking deep wounds across her chest.
Out of the shadows of the church tower, Ramas appeared, sinking both of his daggers into the dragon's back and causing him to howl in pain. Aetilius dropped out of the air, surrounding the dragon. Venomfang turned towards this new threat, and as he did so, Aetilius slashed across his chest with Talon. Clootie darted underneath Aetilius's sword arm, leaping up and grabbing the dragon's head to her shoulder and plunging it into the ground with a thud. Ryoko whistled and two Dire Wolves materialized in a cloud of golden light on either side of her. She dropped to her knees and transformed into a Dire Wolf as well. The pack darted forward into the fray. Venomfang reared up and let loose a blast of crackling yellow energy at Ramas, Aetilius and one of the Dire Wolves. The three felt a sudden jolt of energy locking their muscles, but they managed to push through it and continued to advance. Miaug loosed another arrow which pierced deep into the folds of the dragon's neck, finding a soft spot between the scales, and causing Venomfang to howl in pain. As he turned to face her, Ramas slashed across the back of both of his legs with his daggers. As Aetilius raised Talon to strike at the dragon's exposed underbelly, Venomfang knocked his attackers back with a beat of his wings, raising himself back into the air and swooping down on Miaug. He sank his teeth deep into the Tabaxi's body. The pain was too much for her and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Aetilius bounded through the ruins. A quick beat of his wings to clear the wall, and he dragged Talon through the flesh of the dragon's back. He hit the ground and spun around, slicing Venomfang across the back of the leg. While the creature was distracted, Clootie ran towards him, quickly casting a healing spell on Miaug as she passed. The gnome leapt up, kicking off the wall and grabbing the dragon's neck.
Ryoko and her Dire Wolves ran up the steps of the ruined terrace, tearing at the dragon's side. While Ryoko and the first Dire Wolf were unable to break through the dragon's thick hide, the remaining wolf bounded off his packmate's back and sank his teeth deep into Venomfang's exposed neck. With a twist of it's body the wolf tore the dragon's throat out; and he slumped to the ground, covering Clootie in gore in the process.
The night passed, and the other members of the group each took their turn keeping watch. During Aetilius's shift, as he sat staring into the dwindling embers of the fire, an uneasy shiver ran down his spine and he for a moment he felt with compete certainty that he was being watched. Grabbing Talon he got to his feet, peering into the dark spaces between the trees, just beyond the glow of the fire. He was unable to see any movement in the gloom, and after an excruciating few minutes he let out a deep breath and relaxed slightly. With a shrug he threw a couple of extra logs on the fire and sat back down, although he kept his hand resting on the hilt of his blade for the remainder of his shift.
A few hours later, Ryoko sat by the fire puffing tiny smoke creatures on her pipe and gazing up at the stars. The sky was clear and she could clearly make out the twin moons, Eleach and Cacolach, as they travelled across the inky void. The silverly light of Eleach mingled with the pale purple glow of Cacolach, bathing the forest in a faintly dreamlike glow. Suddenly, a shadow passed overhead - momentarily blocking the light from Eleach. Ryoko's heart leapt in her chest, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone. The next morning the group were quieter and more reserved than normal as they ate some more venison. A thick mist lay heavy across the forest, which combined with the oppressive darkness of the winter mornings seemed to smother much of the conversation before it began. After breakfast the party saddled the horses and continued along the road. The sun was just creeping over the horizon, and had begun to burn away the mist, when the path curved around a small hillock and opened out into the ruined village of Conyberry. Crumbling buildings sat on either side of the trail, nestled under the eaves of the woods, squat and silent like watchful guardians. The same oppressive stillness which had unsettled the group last time remained, but this time Ryoko was able to identify the source of the uneasiness. There was a complete absence of normal forest sounds - no birds sang, the crickets were silent here. Every slight sound the party made seemed amplified by the deafening silence. To your right of the road, the decaying skeleton of an old church tower loomed over the trail. In front, the squat remains of ancient terraced houses forced the path the curve to the right, over an old stone bridge which crossed a dried streambed. Beyond the bridge the group could make out the ruins of a slightly larger building - possibly an old store or town hall. The group dismounted and tied the horses up near one of the ruined buildings, before they began to press deeper. Suddenly the edges of Ryoko's scales on her arms began to tingle. She glanced around nervously, peering into gloomy corners or pockets of deep shadow, desperately looking for the source of her anxiety. The rest of the party moved on ahead of her, unaware of their companion's sudden unease.
A heart-stopping roar cut through the silence, and a massive shadow fell over the party. A green dragon soared overhead. As it passed, a billowing cloud of noxious green gas poured from it's open maw, engulfing the group. Clootie, Aetilius and Ramas coughed violently as the acrid gas burned their throats and lungs. The dragon wheeled around in the air, settling on top of the largest ruin and fixing the group with a baleful emerald glare, "I have been waiting for this! I have followed you since you drove me from my home. I don't know what I find more annoying - the fact that you attacked me, your terrible conversation, or the fact that I'm sure you are all genuinely stupid!" Venomfang snarled viciously.
Ryoko raised her hands to the sky and uttered a few syllables. Dark clouds rolled overhead and a thunderous blast of lightning arced downwards into the dragon, causing him to bellow in pain. Leaping from his perch, Venomfang began to glide back towards the party. Aetilius flew into the air to meet him. With a great sweep of his wings Venomfang knocked the tiefling from the air, landing in a heap on the ruined upper floor of the church tower. Ryoko called another blast of lightning down from the storm cloud above, but this time it thundered ineffectually into the ground beside the bridge. The dragon swept down and grabbed Clootie in his claws. He quickly soared back into the air, as Miaug loosed an arrow into his side just below his wing. With a snarl he dropped Clootie, who fell like a stone, thudding into the earth below. Miaug grabbed the gnome and pulled her into cover around the corner of the ruined terrace houses.
Aetilius got to his feet. Grabbing Talon firmly in one hand, and his shield in the other, he leapt back into the air and struck at the dragon's back. Meanwhile, Clootie climbed up onto the edge of the ruined house, and began to yell a long, strange tale with many odd phrases none of the combatants recognised. Venomfang stopped his assault for a moment to stare at her in utter confusion. Taking advantage of his distraction, Ryoko flicked her staff, sending a writhing tendril of thorny vines out to wrap around the dragon's leg. With a mighty heave she pulled him off balance, the thorns biting deep into his flesh, and he twisted his head around to glare at her. Venomfang dropped to the ground and slashed at the dragonborn with both of his claws, raking deep wounds across her chest.
Out of the shadows of the church tower, Ramas appeared, sinking both of his daggers into the dragon's back and causing him to howl in pain. Aetilius dropped out of the air, surrounding the dragon. Venomfang turned towards this new threat, and as he did so, Aetilius slashed across his chest with Talon. Clootie darted underneath Aetilius's sword arm, leaping up and grabbing the dragon's head to her shoulder and plunging it into the ground with a thud. Ryoko whistled and two Dire Wolves materialized in a cloud of golden light on either side of her. She dropped to her knees and transformed into a Dire Wolf as well. The pack darted forward into the fray. Venomfang reared up and let loose a blast of crackling yellow energy at Ramas, Aetilius and one of the Dire Wolves. The three felt a sudden jolt of energy locking their muscles, but they managed to push through it and continued to advance. Miaug loosed another arrow which pierced deep into the folds of the dragon's neck, finding a soft spot between the scales, and causing Venomfang to howl in pain. As he turned to face her, Ramas slashed across the back of both of his legs with his daggers. As Aetilius raised Talon to strike at the dragon's exposed underbelly, Venomfang knocked his attackers back with a beat of his wings, raising himself back into the air and swooping down on Miaug. He sank his teeth deep into the Tabaxi's body. The pain was too much for her and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Aetilius bounded through the ruins. A quick beat of his wings to clear the wall, and he dragged Talon through the flesh of the dragon's back. He hit the ground and spun around, slicing Venomfang across the back of the leg. While the creature was distracted, Clootie ran towards him, quickly casting a healing spell on Miaug as she passed. The gnome leapt up, kicking off the wall and grabbing the dragon's neck.
Ryoko and her Dire Wolves ran up the steps of the ruined terrace, tearing at the dragon's side. While Ryoko and the first Dire Wolf were unable to break through the dragon's thick hide, the remaining wolf bounded off his packmate's back and sank his teeth deep into Venomfang's exposed neck. With a twist of it's body the wolf tore the dragon's throat out; and he slumped to the ground, covering Clootie in gore in the process.
Report Date
08 Jan 2020
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