We continue our walk toward Frostjaw’s dominion. And Rhun asks Rem’e if he needs a magical boost for his funny weapon, but Rem’e declines saying “I don’t need your god’s help. I can do that on my own.” Rhun and Rem’e then geek out a bit about embued weapons, and Rhun decides to help out Liadan instead when it comes time to face the dragon.
We keep moving toward the Shareen’s tower, and Rhun and Ariza make sure the party has a little extra protection from the frost energy we are sure to encounter…. even though we are only going to “talk” with Frostjaw.
Ariza is quite concerned that she has no way to battle an airborne dragon, as her best and only weapon that she thinks could affect Frostjaw is her curve blade and she’d have to be right next to him.
She keeps her eyes on the “horizon,” and she sees Frostjaw a couple hundred yards away resting on the ruins of the tower. We see him and his three loyal meffyts.
Rhun offers Shareen the chance to address the dragon first, but she expects that Frostjaw won’t let anyone else speak first, and says she’ll follow our lead.
Liadan sees Habistaw’s demenour stiffen and become serious, and she thinks “oh, crap.”
Liadan and Rhun whisper at each other about who’s battle this really should be, while Rem’e and Marilielle play some marching tunes as we continue our journey to the destroyed tower.
Ariza awkwardly waves at the huge dragon when we get close, but Rhun speaks “Great Frostjaw, you’ve summoned us…”
The dragon 🐉 grumbles back, “ah, you are wise to approach me, I have a task for you.” He asks how we’ve closed the gates, save three. Rhun answers with a non-answer and looks to Shareen, but keeps talking and asks for help closing the fire gate, and Frostjaw laughs and says nope. 👎 Shareen steps forward to say, “I can do it, but it will take time.” Frostjaw gives us one day, and demands again that the fire gate be closed.
Shareen begins walking back toward the tomb where we stashed the pylons, Rhun bows deeply and follows. We all head back to the camp. Ariza reminds the party to be silent until are clear of prying ears. 👂 Habistaw believes that we will OF COURSE slay the dragon.
Shareen seems committed to staying here and dispatching of the dragon. She wants to close the fire gate to buy us time to launch an attack. Once again, the party questions whether saving this strange bubble is really worth it… especially not for a small apartment that may or may not be ours when we, if we, ever get to leave this place.
But we still make a plan to get Ariza on the dragon to launch a physical attack. But can’t agree on whether or not we should close the gate. Eventually we take a vote, and decide the gate must be closed.
We head to the tomb for a night’s rest and gather one set of pylons. We hike around the fire lake and begin to set up the pylons. Rem’e searches for treasure in the sand dunes while everyone else works on installing the pylons, but he finds nothing.
While we work on closing the gate, Liadan tells Shareen that she understands her commitment to this realm and her pursuit of knowledge is admirable. We successfully close the gate and will walk past the tower and start planning how we shall deal with Frostjaw. Rhun offers to also cast a spell on Marilielle so she was air walk as well.
As we approach the tower Rem’e starts playing the eye of the tiger… on the ocarina, Marilielle tries to tackle the bass line on the lute… it’s not quite inspiring, so it’s quite lucky that when we approach the tower and the dragon is gone. Shareen thinks Frostjaw retuned to his lair in the area of air. And we head that way… Habistaw and Shareen help us all get airborne. 🧚♀️ 🧚🏻♂️ 🧚♀️ 🧚🏻♂️ 🧚♀️ 🧚🏻♂️ 🧚🏻♂️ 🧚🏻♂️. Once in the air, we buff ourselves with everything we’ve got and promise to try to stay 25 feet away from each other as we battle the dragon so that we can’t alllllllll be frozen in a single breath.
We make our approach, like the blue angles, and see a large island where we see the dragon resting. It’s a craggy ice and earth island that is floating among the clouds about 100 feet across. When we peer down there is just a white void, and we all try to avoid the thought of what would happen if we’re were to fall.
With the dragon in range, Rem’e charges forward but Liadan throws an acid arrow first. She’s thinks she’s a little off kilter – getting used to casting while airborne, but does manage to hit Frostjaw. Shareen calls out, banishing the three Meffyts in a blink.
The dragon responds with a cold storm that encompasses Ariza, Marilielle, Rhun and Liadan. We are struck with sleet and blinded to all that exists around us by the swirling storm.
Fedor charges toward our foe, Habistaw throws some acid arrows, Marilielle casts haste on Habistaw and Fedor. And then Rem’e takes his musket out and says “good luck, little buddy” and fires at the dragon – and he knows he connects.
Rhun exits the storm, contemplates his options and decides that he should attempt a fireball, but it seems to have no effect.
Ariza moves forward and slashes at Frostjaw with her curve blade. Then it seems to take some more acid damage. Liadan also moves out of the storm and then casts another acid arrow.
Frostjaw seems to be getting irritated. Shareen scoots along the edge of the island and a large boulder is ripped form the ground and speeds toward the dragon, smacking it with great force.
Frostjaw slides backward after the earthen assault and Ariza and Fedor slash at his and Fedor makes contact as it unleashes a giant cone of frost. Ariza and Rem’e dodge and Habistaw and Fedor take a lot of damage.
Fedor is badly hurt but courageously moves forward, swings at his outsized opponent, but misses. Habistaw retreats a little as Marilielle begins to sing, inspiring courage in us all.
Rhun summons a lantern arcane upon the dragon’s wing. Ariza moves onto the dragons back but she was over confident in her acrobatic antics and is badly bitten on the way.
The dragon takes more acid damage, and Liadan throws another acid arrow at it. Shareen takes the cue, and follows with another acid arrow.
The dragon breaths deep, and claws at Fedor, and then reaches its head back and just snaps An unsuspecting Ariza off his back, flinging her now lifeless body away. 💀 Frostjaw notices his gums bleed a little from the prickly gnome’s outer ware catching as he tossed her across the island.
Habistaw throws a bolt of lightening, shocking the dragon while Marilielle races over to Ariza. Rem’e pulls out his dragon pistol and fires a flare cartridge, hoping to blind the dragon to provide some cover, but only manages to dazzle him for a short while.
Rhun moves forward and channels energy, stabilizing Ariza while the arcane shoots light rays at the dragon.
Frostjaw’s acid wounds weep, and he becomes visibly weaker. Liadan fires one last acid arrow at him, and the wounds drip icey drops of dragon blood. Shareen tosses another boulder at the dragon but he ducks below it, and he just keeps moving toward Rem’e, nipping at him with his large jaws, and definitely ripping a hole in his dapper coat (and also hurting Re’me).
Marilielle reaches Ariza and heals her, waking her from her death slumber. Habistaw casts at the dragon but doesn’t seem to do any damage.
Rem’e casts a spell, and is bitten as he speaks, but vanishes from sight and is able to move away from the dragon. Rhun moves toward Frostjaw and channels energy, healing Rem’e, Habistaw, Ariza, and possibly stabilizing Fedor.
Ariza stands up removing two vials from her vest, she drinks deeply and moves away from the party, Keeping her pinky promise to create distance between her adventuring pals.
Frostjaw’s acid wounds weep and he winces, even as Shareen throws a fireball that doesn’t seem to connect.
The dragon whispers a spell and disappears. Habistaw casts a spell, says “yikes” and moves away. Marilielle follows him while still singing.
Rem’e drinks a potion, stands up a little straighter and swaps weapons. Rhun’s lantern arcane fires at the area where the dragon was, but they don’t seem to hit anything. Rhun channels again healing Rem’e, Habistaw and possibly Fedor.
Ariza drinks the potion of see invisibility, and yells that the dragon is next to Liadan. Liadan moves toward the rest of the party, hoping to escape the dragon’s reach. But Frostjaw breaths in the direction of Rem’e, Liadan and Rhun. And only Rem’e is able to jump partially out of the way. Liadan wavers and almost falls.
Marilielle casts haste on Ariza. Habistaw throws a magic missile and doesn’t seem to do any damage. Rem’e shoots at Frostjaw, and he groans deeply and falls to the ground.
Rhun runs to Fedor and sees that Fedor is beyond help. He calls for the party to gather and he heals the group, and we mourn the loss of Fedor (while Rem’e thinks about allllllllll the loot), and we celebrate that we will soon be able to leave the strange sunless, nightless pocket realm.