Party: Qualinost
Vodren-Human Cleric
Ryai-Elf Spellblade
Shim-Human Artificer
Bomba-Gnome Monk
Broud- Half-Ogre Cleric
The group heads to Sky Hall to confront Paladithel and is met with five of his team to show them. Sitting in the stands is the Speaker of the Suns, who berates the two nobles for wanting to fight as Qualinesti burns. Bomba notices that Princess Laurana's ghost stands beside her father.
Ryai and Paladithel are given their stage to talk while cutting each other with petty insults. Ryai apologizes for the commotion but tells the speaker all he wanted from the start was an audience. He introduces himself as Ryai to the Qualinesti people and as his father’s son. Calling out Paladithel’s actions against him and telling them that he only returned to try and stop his barbaric ritual and get support to bring real change to the war,
Paladithel refuses to acknowledge Ryai as an elf and instead calls on him to answer for the death of Vanthanoris. Both dodge each other’s accusations while Shim presents the dagger to the crowd. Once dipped in holy water, it reveals something draconic. Ryai reads it, which translates to “elf doom,” something tries to reach Ryai, but he can’t break it. Shim and Bomba know it as a foe to elven kind and assume it is the dragon below. The white-robed wizard beside Paladithel and Ryai’s former magic teacher, Quivalin, recognizes the words and whispers to Paladthel. Bomba recognizes the word for ancient on his lips and the worried expression. Paladithel calls the authenticity of the dagger into question since they used a fake to blow him up yesterday. He asks Ryai about his plan, and Ryai asks for the clerics to be released and for them to save the dragon eggs from Pax Tharkis and that the Dandies are on their way to collect a dragon orb; Paladithel dismisses it as chasing fairy tales.
Bomba tries to appeal to the speaker by asking what Laurana wants. The mention of his daughter shuts him down, and when Bomba tries to push, he banishes her from the lands no matter the outcome; with them unable to reach an agreement, they take their places for the fight. Vodren tries to reach out to Habbakuk again but is given the same vision. Ryai stays steadfast in his resolve, and the two parties begin to fight.
Vodren summons his wolves, and they attack Quivalin and Paladithel. They break Quivalin’s concentration so he doesn’t paralyze Broud. Shim catches a few of the other fighters in a bomb. Bomba takes hits at an elven woman with an axe that tells her she shouldn't fight her. Broud takes after Quivalin and pins him to the ground. Paladithel signs to Ryai that if he dies, his father will die. Ryai asks Shim for the dagger to control the tree, but Shim won’t budge. He takes After Paladthiel meets him on the stage, and swipes at him with his claws. Ryai asks where his father is, but Paladithel taunts him with the Dragon Tree. The tree reigns down to kill Ryai on the spot but stops the assault instantly with a shield spell, snarling at him as Paladithel’s face goes pale. Quivalin slips out of Broud’s grasp with hold person and goes to take his head off. Vodren asks Ryai if he’ll be ok, but Ryai doesn’t take his eyes off Broud. Vodren summons his blade and attacks the wizard. He worries about killing the wizard but decides his friend’s life is more important than the wizard’s. Quivalin goes down, and Ryai manages to hide his relief.
Bomba decides to kidnap the Speaker to try to convince him that what she was saying was true about the princess. She takes him under the bleachers. She tells him the princess told her she willingly walked into the fire once she heard Tanis was dead and doesn't accept Paladthiel’s proposal. This enrages the Speaker but gets him to reconsider.
Vodren hits Paladthiel with his spiritual weapon and humiliates him. Paladthiel focuses on the cleric and sends the other fighters to take him down. Shim throws a fog cloud to make it harder for them to hit him, but he goes down. Paladithel takes his sword out and flicks it between Ice, Fire, and Lighting, telling Ryai to pick. Ryai, not wanting to give him satisfaction, tells him he has never given him a choice before. He slices at him with the blade, and Ryai retaliates with fire. Now bleeding, Paladthiel kicks Ryai between the legs, causing him to fall over. Paladthiel then leaves and tries to steal the dagger from Shim but fails. Bomba then bursts from the bleachers and hits Paladthiel, causing him to break his leg. Ryai scrambles off the stage to try and save Vodren and shoots at the figure in the fog. He misses, and the figure disappears. The tree lashes out and severely wounds Ryai. Shim rushes to stabilize Vodren but finds that he is ok and just unconscious. Broud heals them with his fire, and Vodren gets up. The figure emerges from the fog, spinning wildly, and hits one of her allies, citing wild magic as the cause.
Paladthiel tries to back out of the fight with the odds severely against him now and tells Ryai that if he lets him go, he’ll ensure everyone lives. Ryai calls for the clerics to live too, but Paladthiel lies to them again. Ryai calls him on his lies and demands to have his father safely returned, and Bomba threatens him. Paladthiel caves and sends the guards to retrieve Laith. The speaker calls the two elves before him and asks them what it will take to settle this. Ryai wants the Clerics freed, and Paladithel refuses to budge. Broud heals Quivalin and asks him about elf doom. Quivalin asks if the dagger is real, and Paladithel says it is. Quivalin pales, telling them they must stop the ritual. The tooth belongs to a dragon named Cyan Bloodbane. Everyone scrambles to contact them, but it’s too late, and the forest begins to contort and change. A voice rings in Ryai’s ear, thanking him as Paladthiel scrambles and tries to pass the blame.
Ryai shouts for the people to run, the tree contorts, and animals die. Aydrinel arrives with horses for the party, Laith not far behind. Broud asks Ryai once last time if he should let Paladthiel live.
Ryai tells him that whatever this is, it’s worse than death.
Vodren tries reaching out to Jimmy the Kender, and Brutus appears behind him. He quickly changes to Vajra as they sit on the horse, revealing his real name as Silver. The group escapes quickly and heads towards Pax Tharkis, looking for safety.
Add comment
Comments