17th of Planting, Low Summer - early morning
At the Gates.
Skrit tells the party what the commander said: “It sounds like they have a bronze dragon captive. Maybe if we free it it will prove a powerful ally to your employers. It also may be a ruse.” Faust states to the party
Skrit rolls his shoulders, the mention of the dragon causing a small kick of nervous energy in his small frame. He paces for a bit as he watches the remaining kobolds retreat into the mines. "Or it could be a true retreat. Look at them. We more than decimated their forces at little risk to our own. We have them on the run, and should pursue the advantage. If we pursue them now we could capture a few more, pushing them further to desperation. You saw how beaten the Marshall was, it this is a ruse its a very desperate one"
"Our forces have several large spells left. A fireball and I have all my second and 1st level spells remaining. I have several smaller broad reaching spells. But for the most part I will be blasting with my wands." Vencer says wiping the dirt from his chest that he got from his tactical maneuver of flopping on the ground.
The party gathers near the gate, all can see numbers of kobolds retreating up to the mine entrances.
Treggin the stone giant nods to the adventurers, wrapping a cloak from somewhere around a gash bleeding on his arm as a makeshift bandage.
A 2nd horn blasts twice echoing across the valley and town. This one shorter and sharper.
Back on the other side of the bridge the party see Heste riding up in the wagon with supplies. He waves. Pyra notes a wagon near the smithy with the emblem of the merchant guild she worked for from Wayberry.
The streets and town of Drekaar stand empty it seems, victorious over the kobolds.
The round tower crumbles burning, as well as the smithy and a number of tents and other smaller buildings billow smoke into the sunny morning sky. The surprise, giant's boulders, fireballs and holy bolts, demon attacks (both imp and Irakul's contract), Pyra and monks attack from the former tavern look to be a resounding success..
“Are we able to use 5 minutes to eat some of those honeycombs? Can someone tie up those kobolds and put them in the cart?” Faust points to the two unconscious kobolds
Suddenly Faust has an idea. “Vencer! Can you use your owl to see where the kobolds are headed? Maybe we can get Treggin to lob boulders at them to slow them down and buy us some time!” Faust exclaims.
Amongst the smoke you can see the kobolds swarm to 4 different mine entrances. Seemingly (?) whichever one is closest to them. From previous flybys by the scouts (Mephisto and Vencer's owls) the mine entrances - all 4 - are not large at all. As this mine was originally created by dwarves and gnomes the entrances are narrow and not even 7 feet in height. Treggin advises to Irakul in giantish he will not be able to venture into them unless a great deal of work is done to widen and increase the height, taking days, weeks or more
Discussion ranges on to power supply for flying towers. Vencer thinks back to a discussion Doc and Cedric had after returning from Overlord Romack's flying fortress/city. The power source for those were ancient dragon hearts.
"And the Kobolds have a dragon.."
Faust, listening to this, recalls a conversation with his patron on high level magicks being used to extract or harness the essence of a creature for other use. Not quite the same way as the warforged was created, but somewhat similar. The power to harness and hold an ancient dragon heart must be immense. But to keep a flying fortress/city afloat.. A vast source is required.
Irakul, ponders this conversation on power sources, thinking back to when his arm went into the bag of holding and the life force seemed to be draining from him into the Shadow Lantern. The goliath wonders if that is similar to the demonic engine of the flying tower. His arm has a shadowy greyness to the skin, in bright light the arm is nearly translucent. Not 100% sure but it seems creeping further up closer to the warrior's elbow...?
Vencer gets a message or sending.. It is Ol' Greeta's voice.
"Ahh young wizard, I recommend ya come visit me.. I am at your cave, have a.. proposal for ye" then you hear the familiar cackle of her laugh. (Not an evil or bad, just how the old lanky woman laughed)
Vencer responds "Before or after we capture the town?"
A response.. "That is a choice isn't it.. Heehee.. " Then no more.
Vencer thinks back, trying to focus on the battle.. there was something about an old woman and a cave..
The square stone tower explodes in a ball of fire, debris and smoke at this point. It seems Mephisto was successful in the imp's role in the siege.
"Wasn't one of our prophecies an old woman in a cave?" [DM: Blogpost]
Meanwhile.. At the Holliday camp over past weeks...
Gothi: studying the tower's energy and source - her interest as one of the Foreclaimers [DM: info ]- with Lukann the wizard
Kantif: at 1st looked into creating a musket, both the gold and skills. The 1/2 ogre smith whom fled Wayberry offered to teach the artificer skills (tinker tools), but this would be a long term goal - months to years. Kantif then decides to assist with finding missing people. A gnome pawnbroker refugee from Wayberry asks for assistance finding his younger brother Kreeg. Offered 100 GP. Kantif heads out into the wilderness - avoiding roving bands of former Black runes, forces of IUZ, and more..
Graxusas: studying the tome continues to read and forget everything as he reads it. He is able to read and retain the knowledge of a portal spell. This gives him the skills to create an item/spell scroll. The people of Graxusas bathed in the toilet of a god and this gave them the sorcerous power. Take a month working part time on it
Doc Holliday: 1st, goes through the long and difficult process to create BAD NEWS the musket for his use. Calling upon the power of his goddess - Raven queen - he is able to create the gun and with some extra capability as well (similar to a bless spell +1d4 to hit on attacks)
2nd, the discussion on the evilness of using the tower's life force drain to power it. After some debate, the party decides with a majority that the souls and spirits being sucked out to power the flying tower, either the souls are destroyed or sent to the Abyss. Most in the party now have decided this is NOT a good way forward
3rd, Doc is interested in taking over the mining town of Drekarr - if the retainers are able to complete their mission. with the decision to NOT use the flying tower as a means of transport to Enstad, Fax and beyond. The party start heavily discussion on future plans for the town and rebuilding
The camera moves back to the retainers currently in the Siege of Drekarr..
twang of a bow and an arrow grazes her shoulder as she twirls out of the way. The party climbs up. Moving into the entrance, they are able to kill the kobold archer. The archer is killed and the heroes move onwards.
As the party moves up, the cunning kobolds let loose with a number of traps on the party, ranging from tumbling rocks to small pit traps and more. A one legged kobold is deep in one mine tunnel and sacrifices his life but the party are able to escape before the whole mine collapses all around them.
Venturing into the tunnel, nearly all the party are hunched over as the tunnel at its highest is only 7 feet. Pyra's skill at avoiding traps saves the party many times against the cunning traps left to stop and slow them.
After moving deep into the tunnels, the party comes upon a check point with kobold guards as well as a witch doktor (DM: seem to be sorcerer druidic type casters). They are able to defeat some but the docktor is able to escape and flee into the darkness.
The party comes upon a room with a balcony looking out over a vast cavern. far off in the cavern, a giant dragon head - ruby - is seen long neck coming out of a tunnel. It is not moving. Vencer thinks they are neutral. There was talk though before of a metallic dragon..
In the balcony room are a number of kobolds at least eight, all looking to be busy behind rows of crates and stalagmites and pillars.
A female kobold sits up against one wall bound hand and foot. She sees Pyra and tries to communicate. Faust sends up Mephisto - invisible to talk with her. It seems there is a power struggle between multiple factions of the kobolds. It seems the Marshall wants to sacrifice the dragon in a ceremony - or dragons? - which will give him immense power.
The party - now unsure now is a good time or later after the Marshall kills the dragon..? The female advises the one head is killed. 3 heads. 1 copper. 1 ruby. 1 blue..
The Cursed goddess - is a 3 headed dragon it seems......
The party continues to discuss.. who or when to kill a dragon to save or..
Until next time.
