37

The Battle for Easthaven
With the chardalyn dragon en-route to Ten Towns, our heroes scrambled together a counteroffensive. They rode the griffons of Wyrmdoom Crag across the tundra without rest. Gadget and Tetro used tinkered stones and sky-written alarms to alert Ten Towns to the imminent threat. In Easthaven, the heroes rushed to prepare the townsfolk and hasten the militia, aiding Speaker Waylen and recruiting Vellynne Harpell, while the dragon was preoccupied in Bremen's destruction. Before they could meet Captain Imdra Arlaggath, the vanguard of the duergar offensive struck. Imdra died. As the fighting drew on, the dragon attacked. Ballista rounds met with dragon fire. Azgul goaded the dragon to land after flying after it, only to be slammed mid-air into a rooftop. But the bait was effective, leading the dragon to the heroes' bolt shooters, causing it to land. There, Vellynne's cast of Bigby's Hand grappled the roaring dragon by the throat.

Destruction's Light

#DestructionsLight Catching their breath in the blood-stained forge, our heroes laid out the maps and debated on their best course of action. The Chardalyn Dragon was en-route to Ten Towns. First it would strike Caer Dineval, then Bremen. Gadget asked the duergar engineers for weaknesses. There were none. In fact, the construct was designed to resist the cold, and as a construct, it was immune to typical charms and fears. The beast could even absorb magic, up to a limit. Their best bet would be to ground it. As for traveling to Ten Towns, the goliath Kapanuk Talltree was willing to return a favor. His scrimshaw horn in hand, they headed to the ice gate atop the fortress, and the goliath called for the griffons of Wyrmdoom Crag.
#DestructionsLight The griffons' flight to Ten Towns was met with the piercing winds of the tundra. The dim skies and light snow obscured their vision, but Azgul spotted the dragon heading off towards Bremen. Perhaps the griffons could beat it and save some lives. Gadget would entrust Kapanuk Talltree with tinkered stones depicting clear evacuation and battle instructions for the towns. They themselves would land in Easthaven and prepare for battle. A sunrise shone across Icewind Dale as they closed in, dying as quickly as it rose. Inspired by the brief light, the heroes steeled themselves. They were going to fight a dragon.
#DestructionsLight They had few hours, enough for a short rest. But more importantly, they needed to prepare. The skies had cleared, and so Tetro cast Skywrite notifying all towns of the imminent attack. Panicked townsfolk were rushing to shelters. A wounded man and his animals were aided by Oona's strength. Fern helped a child look for his mother as a crowd crush was broken up by guards in the market alleys. Gadget and Crank sought the militia armorers, demanding iron nets for the ballistae. Azgul found a harried Speaker Waylen, and after getting the lay of the town's defensive capabilities, he forced the Speaker to take cover with trusted men. Azgul then sought out Captain Imdra Arlaggath at the town's southern watchtowers.
#DestructionsLight #TheDevilYouKnow Azgul, Oona, and Crank started making their way towards Imdra Arlaggath, while the remaining party tended to preparations near the East Way. A cloaked figure was tending to her sled. Upon recognition, the party stopped abruptly. That was Vellynne Harpell. A shrewd Vellynne queried Azgul, wondering whether he was going to turn into a black ooze like the illusion who had been accompanying her for the last week. Crank took out the sample from the Lost Spire and Vellynne nodded in confirmation. Yes, that ooze. With the pressure of the dragon on everyone's minds, the wizened wizard acquiesced to lend them a hand, noting that despite the warlock's mysterious plans, they all had commanded several acts of heroics. She kept her one good eye on the half-orc warlock, nonetheless.
#battle #DestructionsLight With cries for arms, the tumult turned to terror, as cries of battle rang out. Oona, Crank, and Azgul rushed to the watch tower, only to see a knifed Imdra Arlaggath fall from the tower. Across the city, the duergar assault had begun. By the time our heroes felled the fire lance wielding duergar xarrorn, Captain Arlaggath had died. With the dust of the ground battle settling in their vicinity, shouts of fear arose. The Chardalyn Dragon was approaching and fast. Fern and Gadget prepared a ballista for a clean shot, entrusting the stalwart Tetro to its aim as the pair ran for cover. Soon, the skies flashed alight, dragon's breath rending the southeastern expanse of Easthaven in a radiant beam. Ballista shots pierced the dragon's armor but did not pin the behemoth to the ground. It took off for the eastern districts, toppling a structure in the distance.
#battle #DestructionsLight Our heroes rallied their wounded and reloaded the ballistae, picking off the remaining duergar stragglers who were fleeing past now burning buildings. Finn the puffin homunculus was notably back with a vengeance. Casting Fly, Azgul spotted the Chardalyn Dragon attacking a dockside fortification. Two Eldritch Blasts later and the chase was on. No match for the dragon's speed, Azgul was whipped hard enough to lose control over his spell, falling through a rooftop below. The ruse was effective, however. Entering range of the party's bolt shooters, another ballistae round cracked into the dragon. Landing in front of Vellynne Harpell, her cast of Bigby's Hand proved its might, grappling the beast by the throat.

XP

Total XP: 20601

200 ~ Allied with Vellynne Harpell

Loot

Pacifying Spores ~ Myconid sovereign in Sunblight Fortress ~ Gadget

❮ 36 · Chronicles · 38 ❯

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