Standing on the beach we feel healed enough to continue on and we all also feel a new sense of power, but in much need of rest.
Ariza expresses her concern that we don’t have Sixabelle’s head to show the salamander as promised. Rhun helps set a plan for dealing with the salamanders if we run into them on the way out of the heat before we make camp for the night.
We reach the rocky earth and hightail it toward Shareen’s tower. Upon arrival, we exchange polite greetings, report in that we took care of Sixabelle. With Sixabelle gone, Shareen encourages us to deal with the dragon sooner than later. We notice that Marilielle is pensive about the loss of Sixabelle. Rhun falls asleep mid-sentence while telling us how he might help us with Frostjaw. The rest of us settle in quickly for a “everlight” night’s rest.
We wake up the next morning and feel especially refreshed. Over breakfast, we discuss next steps and confirm that we need to seek out Frostjaw before installing other pylons. We spend much time discussing how to get the dragon onto turf that we can actually survive.
Rem’e uses the ocarina to make water and pours a few drops of the Shaitan’s heavy liquor into it, and pretends it’s a mimosa.
Rhun and Liadan create scrolls of airwalk and fly while Rem’e hangs out with Marilielle for a day and learns that he can use the ocarina’s abilities without limits. Ariza wearily watches the horizon, and spends time with Shareen – finding out about the mephits that are in Frostjaw’s employ. While patrolling and checking in on the golems, Shareen ensures Ariza that she has pylons ready to go if we survive this dragon. And Shareen offers to help us fly out to the island.
While patrolling on the third morning, Ariza spots Frostjaw flying toward the fire-riden area of the realm. She runs back to the tower and yells to everyone that she hopes they are prepared at this point – because we’ve gotta go! 🧚♀️ 🧚🏻♂️ 🧚♀️
Shareen cast fly on the entire party, Rhun casts resistance and protection. And off we sprint.
We see the massive old dragon blowing frost down at the ground, ❄️💨 and we guess that it’s fighting the salamanders. Seeing Frostjaw, Rhun bolsters Rem’e’s charisma.
Rhun, Liadan and Shareen toss fireballs toward the dragon while its still several hundred feet away, and the party spreads out while still moving toward the dragon.
Rem’e fires at the dragon and completely misses… Ariza throws a handful of flame at the dragon, and also seems to miss.
The dragon flys into the party – biting Rem’e and pushing Shareen out of its way, laughing as he continues past us.
Ruhn’s lantern arcan tosses a fire spike at the dragon and it seems to do a little damage, giving us all a little hope. So Ariza lets Binx go, and tells her to stay safe, and the tosses another handful of fire at the dragon. It seems to make contact, and she moves in the same direction that the dragon is moving.
But the dragon shrugs off the injury, laughs agains and speeds away. It’s out of range but Ariza tosses another handful of fire at it anyway.
Rem’e suggests that we check out the area to find the salamander’s weapons, hoping that they will help defeat the dragon. From our high vantage point we see a large porcelain container that’s on an island in the lake of fire. Ariza gets close to it, but it’s too large for her to lift and she’s fairly sure she be burned badly if she tried to touch it.
Rhun commands the lantern arcan to transport the vase to the shore.
We examine the 3 ft tall, 1 ft wide container, and find it to be covered in scenes from the city of brass.
But it’s still too hot to touch.
While we ponder the vase, Rhun and Rem’e check out the salamanders’ armory. They find a cache of weapons and armor, but only find one thing that’s immediately useful – even though it is all of exquisite quality – they only grab some masterwork arrows for Liadan. Moving on to the Salamanders, they find two masterwork spears.
Rhune commands the archon to bring the vessel along back to the earth area. But it disappears, fading out of existence before it can obey. Rhun asks if Shareen has any insights, and she doesn’t have anything to offer.
Rem’e gets the two spears and loop them through the handles, and we carry the urn off the beach. We remain vigilant and watch for other creatures in the area as we leave the lake of fire.
We head back to Shareen’s tower and are horrified to find it in shambles. Frostjaw ruined the gardens and orchard, toppled the second floor of the tower and killed the golems. Rem’e hands Shareen his flask and Shareen drinks deeply. Rem’e says nothing as he solemnly stands at Shareen’s side while the others search for the pylons in the ruins – and they seem to have survived.
Concerned for our safety in the close proximity to the lair of the dragon, we decide to take the urn back to the entrance to the material plane and the tomb, where we find Habistaw and Fedor hanging out at the gate. They’ve been drinking, and they have a hand cart full of supplies – including wine, beer, and real food.
Rhun asks if Habistaw has ever seen a vessel like this. He hasn’t!
We decide to camp outside the gate in this plane and introduce Habistaw and Shareen. Habistaw doesn’t quite understand that we haven’t already vanquished the dragon.
Rhun and Liadan sleep, Shareen heads back to her bed in the tomb. Ariza, Marilielle and Rem’e take shifts keeping an eye on the sky and the urn and resting. ⚱️
💤 ⚱️ 💤
When the magic users rise, we decide to open the urn. We find dozens of gems (60 – half large cut Smokey quartz, and half large cut rose quartz, worth 50gp each), ornate gold broach set with a large green gem (shielding, absorbs magic missiles, worth 1500gp), and bronze tablets that are scrawled with writing.
Marilielle seems to understand the writing, and picks them up and tells the party that they were what Sixabelle promised to her. Marilielle offers to trade her share of the rest of the goods and her help in exchange for the tablets. She’s honest and says that she’s looking for someone on the fire elemental plane… We all agree that they are of no use to us and she’d be helpful.
💎 💎 💎
Shareen comes to us and sees the large party and we ask her what she wants the next steps to be. And she clearly and simply states that she wants Frostjaw gone.
We spend much time talking about possible outcomes and plans. Habistaw suggests we all help each other be more worthy of facing a dragon, as we ponder that meaning a small creature with a whirlwind for a lower body demands that we visit with Frostjaw, at Shareen’s crumbled tower.
We look to Shareen for guidance. Rhun agrees to meet with them. Ariza suggests that we turn the vase into a tanglefoot trap before we head out. With Rem’e and Liadan’s help they create a entangling trap and cover it with jewels.
Everyone starts buffing and shielding… and looks toward the tower… resigned. 🤷♀️