CH 2: Lost City of the Ancients

[Talyn]

Raistlin froze with terror, his mind screamed at him that he should find cover... but his body would not listen. "Dragon..." he manages to say despite the fear.

Finally kicking his body into motion, he looks for the nearest large rock object to put between him and the dragon.

[Breila]

Desperate, but determined, Goldmoon raises her staff and shouts: "Goddess! I am here! At your command!"

[Jerrard]

Seeing the area the others went to engulfed in darkness he curses, "Paladine, aid me." He says quietly, Brightblade drawn he runs back to the group, his thoughts of Tanis and Flint forgotten.

[JadedDM]

Tanis jerks his head in her direction, his eyes wide in surprise which quickly turned to fear. What was she doing here? Where were the others? he wondered. He dare not speak these questions aloud, though, for alerting the guard.

Flint, however, wasn't so controlled. "What?" he blurts out in surprise. The lone Baaz guard turns his head to the prisoners and Flint quickly gets to his feet. "Err, uh...that is, what does a fellow have to do around here to get some food? Eh?" he asks, approaching the bars and trying to keep the guard's attention on himself.

While the guard was distracted, Tanis made a subtle gesture with his hand telling Laurana to get out of here. He somehow doubted she would listen.

Looking at the cage's door, Laurana would see a large, steel padlock. A ring of keys jingle softly on the Baaz's belt whenever he moves.

==========================

(OOC: mltillis hasn't logged in a week, so I'll NPC Caramon until he returns.)

Raistlin blindly gropes around in the magical darkness, attempting to find some kind of cover. His brother does the same. "Brother? Brother!" he calls, unable to find the mage. "Damn, I can't see my hand in front of my face!"

Goldmoon stands defiantly, her staff held high. No doubt she would look most impressive, were anyone able to see her.

"Goldmoon!" Riverwind shouts. All of the terrible nightmarish images he had forgotten were flooding back to him now. And yet, all he could really think about was that his beloved was in great danger. But he could not see her, could not see anything! Getting on his hands and knees, he wanders blindly, calling her name hoarsely.

Sturm, meanwhile, charges forward, Brightblade at the ready. He plunges into the magical darkness, in an attempt to locate and help his friends.

==========================

Raistlin seeks cover.
Caramon seeks cover.
Goldmoon stands defiantly.
Riverwind searches for Goldmoon.
Sturm charges into the darkness.

Round 2!

Party's Initiative (1d10): 5
Enemy's Initiative (1d10): 7

(Party wins!)

[Breila]

A little unsettled at having received no reply, Goldmoon lowers her staff into fighting position. She closes her eyes and concentrates on her other senses. Is there anything she can hear or smell?

When she hears Riverwind, she answers: "I'm here!" in Que-Shu. Unless she is attacked, she doesn't move from her spot.

[Jenara]

"I am going nowhere." laurana says with a look of anger, was this the thanks she got?

"Get him over here, i can surprise him and get the keys." she hadn't thought much beyond this point, everything else was just instinct.

Keeping hidden she readies her sword.

[Talyn]

Raistlin, still blinded by the magical darkness, keeps moving in one direction with his arms outstretched so he doesn't run into anything.

If nothing else, he will keep moving until he is out of the darkness and then reassess the situation.

[JadedDM]

She can not see through the darkness she had cast, but Khisanth knows that the intruders are still in the courtyard below. Her minions, the draconians, had warned her that a group walked the land, carrying the blue crystal staff. Lord Verminaard wanted that staff, wanted it kept safe with her, never to be seen in human lands. But she had lost it, and Lord Verminaard had not been pleased. She had to get it back. Therefore, Khisanth had waited an instant before casting her darkness spell, studying the intruders carefully, searching for the staff. Unaware that the staff is disguised as ordinary wood, she is pleased. She only has to destroy.

The attacking dragon drops from the sky, her leathery wings curving back like the blade of a black dagger. She dives straight for the well, where she had seen the intruders running for their lives. Knowing they would be paralyzed by dragonfear, Khisanth is certain she could kill them all with one pass. She opens her fanged mouth.

Goldmoon stands there in the open, not seeking cover like the others. She hears the dragon coming nearer. The great rushing sound grows louder and louder, then stops for an instant. She can hear huge tendons creaking, lifting and spreading giant wings. Then she hears a great gasping sound as if air being drawn into a gaping throat, then a strange sound that reminds her of steam escaping from a boiling kettle.

Suddenly, the Chieftain's Daughter is shoved violently aside. Not by the dragon, but by someone else. She briefly smells the scent of leather and sweat as she is knocked aside. Immediately after she hits the ground, she hears liquid splashing near here. She hears rocks splitting and crackling and bubbling. Small drops of the liquid splash on her hand, and a searing pain penetrates her being.

Then she hears a scream. It is a deep-voiced scream, a man's scream--Riverwind. So terrible, so agnoized is the scream that is all Goldmoon can do to not add her own voice to that horrible wail and reveal herself to the dragon. The screaming seems to go on and on and then it dies into a moan. Goldmoon feels the rush of a large body swoosh past her in the darkness. The stones she presses her body against shake. Then the tremor of the dragon's passage sinks lower and lower into the depths of the well. Finally, the ground is still.

There is silence. The darkness vanishes. The sun shines again. Caramon is on his feet first, looking wildly for the telltale red robes of his brother. Sturm charges into the scene, moments too late.

What remains of Riverwind no longer resembles anything human. The man's flesh has been seared from his body. The white of bone is clearly visible where skin and muscle has melted from his arms. His eyes run like jelly down the fleshless, cadaverous cheeks. His mouth gapes open in a silent scream. His ribcage lays exposed, hunks of flesh and charred cloth clinging to the bones. But--most horrible--the flesh of his torso has been burned away, leaving the organs exposed, pulsing red in the sunlight.

Once he has his brother, Caramon returns to the body. "May the true gods have mercy! Sturm, he's still alive! I saw his hand move!" Caramon chokes. "We have to end it!" he says hoarsely, his throat raw with bile. "We can't let him suffer like this."

=================

Goldmoon stays where she is.
Raistlin attempts to find the border of the darkness spell.
Caramon stays in cover.
Riverwind finds Goldmoon and pushes her away.
The dragon uses her acid breath (8d8): 50 damage.
Riverwind's saving throw vs breath weapon (1d20+1): 17, pass. He takes 25 damage. Riverwind falls. His small shield, hunting knife, backpack (and everything in it) and quiver (including 9 arrows) are destroyed.

(OOC: Guess Raistlin forgot his staff can cast Continual Light at will? )

[JadedDM]

Tanis does not respond to Laurana, but Flint does. Whether the old dwarf heard her or was just thinking along the same lines as she was, he meanders over to that side of the cage and starts rattling the bars. "Hey, guard. These bars on this side seem kind of weak. Could snap at any second. Might want to check on that," he says.

Of the draconians, the Baaz are not known for their intelligence. It's part of why they are often relegated to front-line fodder. And of the Baaz, these particular ones were particularly dumb, which is why they were left to guard Xak Tsaroth instead of fighting the war. Thus, it's not terribly surprising that the Baaz in question walks over to investigate what the dwarf means, oblivious. It examines the bars carefully, leaving its backside completely exposed to the hidden elf.

[Breila]

"Oh Goddess, no! you can't allow that!" Goldmoon screams as she rushes over to her beloved, tears streaking down her cheeks, devastated. "Oh Goddess, please, save him, save my beloved, I will be your servant for ever and ever!" with that desperate oath, she touches Riverwind with the blue crystal staff.

[Talyn]

Raistlin, now that the dragon is gone, finally manages to collect his wits. He blinks and looks around, his gaze resting on Riverwind. His gaze becomes unreadable and he leans heavily on his staff as he watches the scene.

[Jenara]

Laurana strikes swiftly, driving her sword into the creature, pulling it out as fast as she can, hoping it doesn't get stuck.

1d20+3=17 = Hit AC 0.
1d6+2=8 = 8 Dmg.

(Is the creature suprised?)

[Jerrard]

Sturm stands over the fallen Plainsman, sword in hand, the ancient blade flashing in the newly restored light.

"Paladine, may you take this man to your realm, to protect him where this world couldn't." Sturm begins, starting then to recite the oath. "We must end his torment." He says simply, raising the blad above his head, ready to end Riverwinds life.

[JadedDM]

The illusion of a simple wooden staff melts away, again revealing the beautiful blue crystal beneath. The staff glows with a weak, sputtering blue light--almost as if it is taking considerable effort. The glow transfers to the fallen plainsman, restoring his eyes and restoring his flesh.

Then the glow gives out completely. Riverwind is alive and his organs and bones are now longer showing, although he is still badly burned (and his destroyed equipment is not restored). He takes in a deep, shuddering breath, clearly still in great pain.

In Goldmoon's hands, the blue crystal staff feels weak and empty. Only by staring deep within it can she notice the slightest spark of power. The staff is nearly completely drained of all energy.

Meanwhile, Laurana strikes with lightning speed, plunging her blade into the creature's heart and then quickly retracting it. The baaz freezes, turning to stone. Its equipment, however, including the key ring on its belt, remain unpetrified.

==========================

Goldmoon expends two charges of the Blue Crystal Staff to cast Cure Light Wounds. Riverwind recovers 8 HP.

Laurana strikes the baaz guard (17, hit) for 8 damage. Baaz petrifies. Laurana makes a DEX-3 check (1d20): 4, pass. Her sword is not trapped.

[Breila]

Goldmoon looks at the staff, disbelieving. It had already cured wounds far worse, why didn't it do more for Riverwind? It looked as if it had lost its power, but why?

However, taking care of Riverwind is now more pressing. She puts the staff aside, looks at Riverwind, and then at the three men. "Can we bring him away from here, somewhere where I can bind his wounds in a non-magic way?" she asks them.