Location: The ruins of Thistleblack a long abandoned town with a strange nature. Below the ruins are a dungeon with crypts and a time twisted magical library.
Party in play:
Rae - Elf. Fighter 1/ Wizard 4. One of the original members of the party that originated in the town of Little Plains. She is somewhat of a strategist and creative tactician always looking for an edge when the situation gets dicey.
Wulfe - Elf. Fighter 1/ Wizard 4. Originally from a small town north of Ptolus near the Moonsilver Forest, he wandered westward to satisfy his curiosity about the frontier areas of the empire. Joining the group early in their adventuring career he has been a steadfast companion and effective in any dangerous situation. He wields Cheval, a Faery forged longsword known for occasional bursts of radiant energy.
Korved - Human. Cleric 4. An itinerant priest, he arrived in Little Plains hoping to come to grips with his recent experiences. He had joined the Gaen faith at a young age and over time found his thinking more in line with her masculine aspect Hannan. The non-violent and amicable split in the church was his signal to explore the world.
Sparky - Human. Fighter 4. She's a force to be reckoned with in a toe to toe fight. Recent life as a sword for hire had led to some less than respectable jobs and little in the way of pay. Joining an adventuring group seemed a wise choice.
Celestia - Elf. Fighter 1/ Wizard 2. A bold and confident adventurer, she puts forward an unfearful countenance. A recent addition to the group Celestia is making herself at home as if she were there all along despite lacking the experience of the other members.
Jill - Human. Fighter 3. A sell sword by trade, she has recently been down on her luck and in need of work. Hired to deliver a bag of coins to this group she ended up joining as a means of escaping from the butt end of the empire. Capable with sword and bow Jill is a good fit for the team.
It was close to dusk when the party realized they were nearing the ancient ruins of Thistleblack. Having departed Slune in a hurry two weeks ago they neglected to restock their rations. Tired and hungry they debated camping on the plains or making for the ruins and risking the dangers therein. The decision was made. If need be they might be able to eat something they could hunt in the ruins. To Thistleblack.
Rae and Wulfe had been here twice before and on both occasions found reasons not to remain. Beneath one wrecked building was a passage leading down into an odd set of halls and rooms. Deeper in was a crypt with some active undead guardians that they had chosen to avoid. On their second trip they discovered a library far below, accessed from a crumbling tower, that was time-twisted and magically imbued. Both occasions were disconcerting and they anticipated this time would be no different.
Entering the ruins they noted the eerie quiet, no sounds, not even wind disturbed the scene. Rae pointed out that the expected creatures, giant ticks, giant beetles, giant lizards and even flying dinosaurs all seemed absent.
They chose to use the roofless wrecked building as their defensible campsite. Bringing the horses inside with them they then parked the wagons to block one entrance and built their camp fire just beyond the other. They set watch and proceeded to get some rest.
Just past midnight, early into second watch Celestia's keen hearing alerted her to the nearby arrival of something large flying in and landing in the direction of the crumbling tower. Jill, also on watch seemed fully absorbed in staring at the crackling campfire and missed this happening completely. Celestia made Jill aware of the possible visitor, but opted not to trouble the others as so far there was no definite threat.
After a time a voice broke the silence of her mind, but Celestia noted she could not hear it with her ears. "Isn't this interesting, I know one of you elves."
Speaking out loud she replied to the inner voice. "Who are you and who do you know?"
"She sleeps so soundly, do not disturb her. Elves do not normally sleep." Celestia knew the voice meant Rae.
The odd conversation continued without revealing the identity of the speaker. Jill hearing only one part of the discussion finally asked, "Who are you talking to?" Having Celestia explain it was a voice in her head did nothing to ease Jill's concern.
Eventually Celestia's own concern grew enough that she quietly roused all of her companions and whispered to Rae the generalities of the conversation. That is when the voice was heard by Rae. "I know you." This time it was only Rae hearing the internal voice to which she was replying out loud.
"Since we last met my tastes have become more extravagant. You and your friends will give me all of your gold."
"Shit" Rae knew it was the dragon that had slain half of the party early in their adventuring career when some of them objected to paying 400 silver to be left unharmed. She quietly informed everyone of their predicament and they agreed to pay the dragon.
Korved now as puzzled as Jill, looked around for anyone or anything hidden nearby, spotting nothing in the dimness. The the voice spoke to him. "One of you will bring me all of the gold you possess. Just one of you. It will be brought to the back of the tower."
Korved objected, insisting they see who they were talking with and that they put the gold out beyond the campfire in exchange for the dragon ensuring their safety until morning. Rae also chimed in to reinforce the safety request.
They gathered their limited gold into a single bag. Whispered debate included the idea of maybe slipping the Crystal of Calling in with it hoping to plague the dragon with constant visits by undead. This was decided against and instead they only prepared the gold.
This time an audible throaty voice answered back with the request and instructions for where to deliver the gold. "And one of your horses."
A whispered debate began between the party about this new condition. While the others were distracted by their debate, Celestia took the bag of gold and led their older gray work horse out. She had come close to the tower before they realized what she was doing.
She returned unharmed.
Following shortly was the sound of beating wings and the terrified death screams of the old gray horse. It was all they could do to keep the remaining horses from complete panic. The dragon didn't stop to eat, instead returning to its roost atop the tower, shrouded from view in the darkness. Satisfied for the moment the dragon agreed to their safety till morning.
They had no idea how big their tormentor and robber might be aside from Rae's knowledge that on last meeting it was a wyrmling and inexperienced.
Accepting their predicament the party decided to return to the watch schedule so some of them could attempt to rest. This time the elves chose to go into a trance state instead of a full sleep. The humans would have to take their rest as they could manage.
Dawn arrived and the party began preparing to travel, but not without some trepidation. They could now catch a glimpse of the wyrmling and it was about twice the size Rae remembered.
Seeing that they were awake and active the yellow dragon decided to show itself in full glory so they would appreciate its benevolence. Flying to above their campfire it hovered, fanning the flames higher with the beat of its wings. There in full view was a yellow dragon wyrmling the size of a large man with wings even wider that its main body was tall.
"I am Vitrixis."
The party had planned for this in whispered conversation as they were bedding down and now proposed another deal with Vitrixis.
Korved spoke up. "We have another deal to offer you. We are travelling first to our town of Little Plains and then onward to Ptolus in the east. If you will protect us on our journey we will pay you 1,000 gold pieces when we arrive."
"Have you withheld gold?! Pay it now!"
It is in our vault in Ptolus. We don't have the gold on us only the key. Consider what we have already paid you a down payment."
"Your journey will take six of your weeks or more. My time is more valuable than your small offer and what you have already paid is but a drop. Give me the key, I will claim your vault as mine."
Korved again spoke up. "You would have trouble in a city the size of Ptolus being an animal."
Vitrixis cut him off, "An ANIMAL?! It is YOU that are animals to be eaten or spared as dragons see fit."
Rae knew she needed to speak up and attempt to defuse the growing tension. "A dragon would encounter resistance in the city. How would you get to and from the vault safely? We could help you."
"YOU KNOW NOTHING OF DRAGONS! YOU ARE FOOLS! (I got to raise my voice for this part of the role-playing. It was fun booming this out.)
Vitrixis grew angrier seeing that these lesser, unworthy beings did not appear to be cowed by his display. He breathed a gout of blazing hot sand onto the two closest below him. Korved took the worst of it collapsing into unconsciousness with burns to his exposed flesh. Jill was also burned, but had avoided the severity that took Korved down.
Wulfe didn't hesitate, firing off a heightened burst of Magic Missiles. Sparky, Jill and Celestia pelted the dragon with arrows, some of them striking home.
This was not the plan. Vitrixis now gambled that they had been lucky. "GIVE ME THE KEY!"
The answer was not to his liking. More spells and arrows were loosed and the wyrmling was gravely hurt. Rae thought he might hear her thoughts and without voicing it told the dragon to back off. Deciding his life was presently worth more than his pride Vitrixis darted away at speed as the party behind him readied to send a coordinated volley should he return.
After the dragon was out of sight Wulfe tended to the stricken Korved. He stabilized his companion who soon awakened and was able to cast curative magics on himself and Jill.
Still starving, discussion ensued as to what could be done about food. Hunting would take time, but Korved had another idea. "Cut a bunch of meat off of the dead horse. I can purify it and we can cook it. We can then take it with us and get out of here."
Their cooking done the party split the two remaining horses to pull both wagons and they began to put some distance between them, the dragon, and Thistleblack.
Meanwhile deep below the dead had been stirring. At first it was the active guardians. Now the ancient dead were emerging from their long rest. The processional through the crypts, hallways and rooms of the dungeon below the ruins made its way upward. The calling had been heard and they would follow.
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