RPG, Chapter 6: The Battle with the Beast

[Rando]

!!STOP!!

Do not continue until you have finished Chapter 5!

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To Roland -
Archway is faster then he looks. As he sprints up the ravine he quickly pulls away from you. You see him put away his sword and draw his two flint-locks.

To Zilore and Dorgath -
After hearing Roland shout down the hole, do you continue to investigate the stone pannel you found, or do you go top-side?

To Jaspar -
A stream of orange flame streaks down the ravine. Soon, you loose sight of Stephen all together, and all you can see is smoke. The wurm's flame has lit the trees that stood on the the banks of the ravine, and a huge fire erupts on both sides.

 

[rkoelsch]

Having lost sight of Archway, I adjust my sights to where the smoke is and will travel towards that.

**sorry I misread the other post. I will follow Archway until I lose sight of him and the head for the smoke.

 

[EricBess]

While the dragon/Naren is otherwise occupied, I head for the lair, keeping an eye on the beast in case he turns on me. If I make it to the lair without attracting attention, I will be looking for anything that might help either a) fight the beast, such as a weapon of a fallen victim, or b) give us any indication of what it might be planning. If it is a shapechanger, he is probably far more intelligent than we give it credit for and there may be a way to reason with him.

 

[Spiderman]

"Zilore, maybe we should check out what's going on topside." I head to the ladder and climb up.

 

[sageridder]

"Right behind you."
***With Dorgath climbing the ladder,I press on the panel.If there is no obvious immediate reaction to this,I race for the ladder and head up.***

 

[Rando]

To Roland -
The direction that Archway is running and the location of the smoke are one in the same. Soon, Archway enters the smoke and disapears from your sight.

To Jaspar -
Looking behind you, you see the dragon walking into the ravine. Since the burning trees are putting out a lot of smoke, you can not see very far into it. Once inside the cave, you find a winding tunnel, about 20 feet wide and 15 feet tall. The entrance is littered with bones and rusted weapons/armor. You can not see where the tunnel leads, but the slope of it goes down.

To Dorgath -
Climbing up and looking into the ravine, you see Roland running up the slope, towards a mass of smoke. You see that about 50 yards up the ravine, the trees are ablaze.

To Zilore -
Interestingly enough, the slab does give when pushed. It seems to rotate a bit on one side (like a door on a hinge) even though you can not see any visible hinges.

 

[sageridder]

***Mutters to self.***
"Hurry up,Hurry up!"
***I will try to open it.***

 

[EricBess]

I doubt there is anything interesting this close to the entrace. I look further into the passage. Does it become too dark to see? Was the dragon heading in this direction?

 

[rkoelsch]

stop and concentrate; attempt to cast an ice spell in the location of the burning trees. After finished casting continue running in that direction.

 

[Rando]

To Zilore -
The panel moves aside and you can see a cubby hole behind it. Stuffed in here is a set of clothes and a bundle of papers.

To Jaspar -
You look back towards the ravine and see that the dragon has reared up on it's hind legs and is looking through the smoke and flame for it's prey.

The passage does get dark the farther you go into it, and quite foul smelling. But, after a few more paces, your eye catches a glint of metal.

To Roland -
Tiny shards of ice stream from your fingers to the burning trees. Very quickly, the fire is put out, and the smoke begins to clear. You see Archway far ahead, still running. Soon, he disapears over a rise.

 

[sageridder]

***What do the clothes look like?Can I read what is written on the papers?***

 

[EricBess]

I'll check out the glint.

 

[Spiderman]

"Hey Zilore, apparently some forest fire started but Roland put it out. I don't know where the others are. You need help or should I try to round up the others to check out that secret passage thing?"

 

[rkoelsch]

Yell out to Archway,"Wait for me, lets work as a team"
mutter under my breath,"This is crazy what person in their right mind runs towards a dragon" I continue to try to catch up.

 

[Rando]

To Jaspar -
As you carefully make your way through the darkness, you soon notice the "chinkle" noise you make as you walk. Stooping to check out the lint you saw, you realize you are standing in a pile of coins. Upon further investigation, you can make out that there are coins and gems, cups and platers, armor and weapons, all in huge heaps and piles all around you. You then notice a strange glow in one of the piles...

To Zilore -
As you quickly rummage through the pile, you see that the cloth is a set of traveler's clothes, and the papers are some deeds and titles, some tax duties, and border passes for someone named Naren Deseltain.

To Roland -
As the smoke clears, you see up ahead a dragon pacing slowly down the ravine, and Archway running up to meet it! The dragon rears up and roars as Archway lets loose with both pistols. Disgarding the spent guns, he draws his sword and cries out "Now you will die foul wurm!"

 

[EricBess]

I do what any good adventurer would do at a moment like this. After that, I check to see what is glowing. BTW, how far into the cave have I gone now? How much can I hear of what is going on outside?

 

[rkoelsch]

I am going to try to go along one side trying to be unnoticed. Once I am close enough I will try a bolt from my staff. Thinking to myself" Boy is it lonely out here!!"

 

[sageridder]

"Fire?OH DUNG. I'm on my way up"
***I stuff the papers into my pack,drop my cloak and race to catch up with dorgath.***

 

[Spiderman]

With Zilore coming along, I pop out into the open.

 

[Rando]

To Jaspar -
Digging through the piles of coinage, you see that the glow belongs to the blade of a sword. It is a heavy, two-handed number, but you can not tell much more in the dark.
(and to answer a earlier question, you are about 60 feet or so into the tunnel, which has a downward slope)

To Roland-
You let loose with a bolt from your staff. It strikes the dragon, which rears back in alarm. This gives Archway an opening, and he leaps up and slashes the beast across it's chest. Thick blood pours out as the dragon returns his attention to Archway. It bats him aside, hard against the ravine wall, and then starts lumbering towards you...

To Zilore and Dorgath -
Both of you are now top-side. Looking up the ravine, you see Roland throwing magical bolts at the dragon, and Archway fighting it with a sword. There is no sign of Stephen or Jaspar.