April 22 Events
It is not every day when a group of companions earn the title ?Dragonslayer?, even if the dragon is a young one, thus, I recount this tale with pride. Would that I had Allie?s gift, and no doubt she is working on a ballad that will leave my humble attempts faltering in the dust, what a tale it will be.
For now, my own oration will have to suffice. But where to start this chapter of the tale? Ah yes, I remember now. There we were, in a pass populated by at least twelve strange goatish men who dubbed themselves the Ibix and challenged our right to proceed. We spoke to them, and they insisted we either defeat them, or give great tribute. My companions and I were weary of constant bloodshed, and there was something? noble, in the Ibix, if not in them, in their steadfast guardianship. Instead, we asked of this ?tribute?, and they directed us to their Witch Doctor.
I confess, for a moment I feared some twisted repeat of the encounter with the ?Hoohaha? of the Kobolds, a situation that, frankly, I wonder if I will have to pay Allie good gold NOT to recount, so embarrassing it was for Gralla and I. My fears were unfounded, for there was true wisdom in the shaman?s eyes, and he commanded our respect. Shanti, with her quiet grace, bowed and the rest of us followed suit as well.
The Witch Doctor spoke of a ?venom spitter? that had been plaguing the Ibix for sometime now since its parents were no more. Now, even a young dragon is no weakling, and in truth, fierce as they were, the Ibix would have been the easier prey. However, as I told the others, my father Kor raised me to believe that the easy battles were not often the right ones. They all agreed, and some voiced similar thoughts and beliefs.
My father, bless him, was an honorable man, but he had said, and so had many of the tribe where I was raised, that most southlanders were weak, and immoral. That they were too soft, and knew nothing of struggle, that only a few were truly honorable.
Father, was wrong in this last, for each of you, my companions, has the seed of greatness in you and for each of us, it grows.
But I drift from the path of the tale, let us return to the proper moment. We told the Witch Doctor we would do this, and return worthy of alliance with the Ibix. I would be lying to say it was purely nobility that drove us, for it was our hope that they could also give us more lore on how to reach the Oracle, as they were her defenders. Such knowledge is the only reward I asked for, though the Witch Doctor had hinted at some prize for our aid. We were given a horn, and told to blow it in the old city to drive the apes away, and summon the dragon.
Following the wise one?s advice, we returned first to the tree a sunset away, and made camp there. Shanti seemed distracted, but she is a private person. It is her way. Kind Thaylias soon stirred her to smiles, others joined in, and joked with Allie of the lecherous Captain that no doubt awaited her when we got back?and all laughed a bit. Oh, and I got a promise from Glimmerwing so that he will not dine on any of our eyeballs until we are dead.
The next day again we traveled, but my heart was not as light before. I will not lie, as the apes? sounds again filled the trees, I felt fear rise in my heart. I had nearly died from those damnable apes once, and the thought of them unmanned me more than the upcoming battle with the dragon itself. I even asked if now might not be a good time to blow the horn, but the others held truer to the original plan than I did. We ran towards the city, and I was certain we would be attacked. We were not, and it soon became apparent why.
They were herding us! They wanted us to go to the ancient city, and as we arrived we were face to face with the malefic eyed giant of their king, and hordes of his beastial subjects. I counted at least twenty on one side alone. There was no time for Gralla?s plan of a ward, and we all knew it. Now, NOW was the time.
Allie blew the horn.
It was a weak note, surprising considering Allie?s musical skill. The apes merely grew agitated. The horn glowed slightly.
Again she blew, and it brightened once more, this time an orange. The apes went from beyond agitated to furious, and prepared to attack!
Gralla prayed to the sun god for aid, and perhaps this blessed minds as well as body and soul, for I was inspired by a thought. Touching Allie?s shoulder, I called upon the splendor of the Eagle. I had used this magic before on myself, but never another. It was amazing to behold. Allie stayed the same height, but seemed taller somehow nevertheless. Her presence was almost tangible, and thus graced by godly favor and my own humble enchantment?
She blew one last time!
The apes squealed and screamed! They howled in pain, clutching their ears. Their great leader was no exception, and hurried away, the others scattering to flee what to them must have been a note too great to bear. It had worked!
And a leathery flap of wings soon was heard. Three horses long, not counting its thrashing tail; the ?Venom Spitter? had arrived. At first, it was beyond our spells and arrows, so we prepared as best we might. I yelled at the others to spread, but we did not all spread far enough. Like a green whirl wind, it was upon us, raining acid death upon the party. I was spared this first blast, as was Glimmerwing, but I saw it hit my companions. Thaylias took the worst of it, but held his ground as rivets of acid entered his armor?s cracks. The others fared better, especially Allie, who I swear somehow danced among the venom stream and avoided it entirely!
Glimmerwing approved of my choice of locations, before flying off out of battle range. I hope it is no reflection on me, that my ?familiar? is a coward. Still, he has been of use, and is bound to me, and I to him, so perhaps it is best for me that he is.
The rest is a blur to recount the details of. At first, only Shanti?s magics seemed to have any effect at all! The rest of us cast spells that seemed as ineffective as the wind against a mountain, and Thaylias? first few arrows bounced off its thick hide.
It laughed at us, thinking itself invulnerable and above us all. I almost agreed, but Shanti assured me that magic would get through? sometimes. She was right, praise the spirits of my ancestors!
The Dragon was rewarded for its hubris in pain, as Shanti cracked and thundered in a way that would make a storm cloud proud hurting it again. Thaylias arrows this time struck true. Gralla summoned a glittering weapon of Solorias it could not escape, and that fought for as if she were wielding it in the sky. The ?magic missiles? lanced out again, one two three, and this time, drew blood!
?So, you can be hurt,? I found myself addressing the dragon in its tongue.
It noticed this, and breathed upon me. I rolled, even as the acid tried to cling to me like sweat. I cast again, and the others did not let up their attacks.
It was Gralla?s actions I recall the most, and well I should, because, as usual, more than one of us might have died without her. Between Thaylias and I chiefly she moved to heal, even as the spiritual weapon above strove to smite the wyrmling. Nor was she passive in letting that weapon do all the fighting, flames she did receive from her god, but they washed off the dragon?s protections I fear. Once or twice, even Shanti?s strange magics had no effect.
Allie suddenly began to boast of how she would rob the dragon?s horde while it fought us. I did not know what she had planned, but tried to help. I spoke the creature?s tongue, and mentioned much the same. Much to my delight and concern, it became so incensed it landed to the earth the better to destroy us, particularly I. It?s bite was fierce, but in truth I had faced worse from the apes. Mighty Thaylias wasted no time in drawing his blade and slashing at the dragon?s tail. We had it surrounded, but with dragons that is never as good as it sounds.
My own sword nicked and cut at the beast, but for every blow that did a bit of pain to it, there was another that skidded off those vermillion scales. So it went, Shanti blasting way with all her will, Thaylias putting all his considerable might into driving his own blade deep into its haunch, Allie and I doing what we could, and Gralla? Gralla kept us alive, racing back and forth around the dragon to heal first this person then that.
The dragon grew blooded, and its anger turned to a kind of desperation. It breathed anew on me, and I felt weak. Slashing ineffectively as I flanked its side, I attempted to rejoin the others, especially our healer.
Then, like a deep bell of doom, Shanti?s power rang out one last time, and the dragon shuddered, and fell! It collapsed, and exhausted, we all nearly did the same!
Glimmerwing fluttered out of the gloom, settled on the dragon?s snout, and claimed the dragon?s left eye as his share of the treasure, beginning to dine.
I think, for all my cheering of the group on, I was surprised by our victory. A dragon slain? By us? Young or not, this was great glory! Allie immediately suggested we seek out the horde, and I asked Thaylias if he would do the honor of removing the head of the dragon.
However, we still had to deliver that head, and things, as they say, were not over yet? but it will serve as an ending of sorts, for now.
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 25, 2005 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Dramavictim ]</font>
Nice work, Kel. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Allie's desire to hunt down the dragon's horde is prompted by more than greed, btw. Remember, something took the elder dragon's horde and that something might try to claim the junior's. There may be useful items in the horde, as well as other clues. There's also that we do owe the goblin captain a lot of gold...4,000 GP or so or he keeps our steeds.
Well told Kel. [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]
But who said anything about the elder dragon's horde being taken? [img]wink.gif[/img]
Stay tuned.... [img]graemlins/island.gif[/img]
<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 24, 2005 02:02 AM: Message edited by: Starshadow ]</font>
Sorry Lirinor missed out on the fun, booty, etc.
Have to meet that Dad of yours one of these days, Kel.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OOC again, natch [img]wink.gif[/img]Originally posted by Einkilirinkor:
Sorry Lirinor missed out on the fun, booty, etc.
Have to meet that Dad of yours one of these days, Kel.
Lir at least got some exp though, so cheer up [img]smile.gif[/img]
And glad folks liked the recap.
I heard rumor of the XP and think that's just swell!
Anyone care to enlighten me as to how much you all earned?
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">4000 I believe.Originally posted by Einkilirinkor:
I heard rumor of the XP and think that's just swell!
Anyone care to enlighten me as to how much you all earned?
Someone double check that please, but I think so.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You got it as well...they all voted unanimously to give it to youOriginally posted by Einkilirinkor:
Anyone care to enlighten me as to how much you all earned?
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