Pax Viginti Team 1 IC [5E]

[Ninja Dragon]

Jeevok follows the dragonborn's plan. He drinks another potion of healing. Then, knowing the satyr's magic is probably more needed, he grabs his pshysician's knife and casts the strongest spell available in it.

He barely realizes this is the first time he ever catches a spell, but he his ability to be startled by the things this multiverse has to offer is starting to numb lately.

[Thokk_Smash]

Eokos winces in pain at the cold mist, and in that split second of pain he feels his tether to the Wall of Force break. They drop and he feels his stomach lurch into his throat--both from the drop and the sight of the dragon now barreling towards them. He shouts a curse in Celestial to hurt the monster's ears and distract it, and he easily manages to avoid its clutches. He grabs a fistful of ruby dust and scatters it into the air, willing a large cage of pure force to appear around the dragon.

Now, he waits for Temaias to fly...when suddenly the man changes into an actual dragon! Eokos gives a whoop of exhilaration, and looks at the white candle in his grip with speculation.

[Nyan]

Temaias got ready for the drop, grabbing on to his friends as they prepared. However then the protective dome they were in was suddenly filled with an mist that bit hard with the sheer cold summoned. He winces slightly but it did little to phase his focus. Suddenly they dropped, now blindly but when they exited the mist Temaias eyes went wide with shock as the dragon was just bellow them and trying to snatch Eokos out of the air! However he was relieved that his friend was as nimble as he was, cursing pure incantations at the beast to distract it. With a cry of victory and zeal they dove down as the dragon was trapped in the cage.

However as they neared the end of their drop and Temaias channeled the power of his blood to create his wings it felt...Different. He felt his whole body and mind float as if his entire being was scattered, spread out in the mist. Like his body became clay taking form, a new shape. A heartbeat and a roar echoed in his mind as he drew power from the depths of his soul a place which he had never even realized was there.

Temaias crashed on to the lower platform, but everything was so...Small?...He stood on four limbs and he no longer saw his companions who had been in his arms just a moment previously. He was something else entirely. He could not even comprehend it fully but he felt strong. Even as the Mariliths returned, smaller than him now as he looked down on them with fresh eyes. He sensed them, he didnt even need his sight, he sensed everything around him. He realized his friends were on his back but even smaller than before. What was he?...

Temaias rose his now quadrupedal form, stretching and unfurling his new fresh wings, his massively powerful tail slamming in to the side of the mountain. He knew what he was...And it felt incredible. The now huge white dragon with a gleaming gem embedded in its forehead while the two other ion stones hovered around like a crown raised itself on its hind legs. Then suddenly crashing down with one claw underneath the closest Marilith, an explosion of light and rocks smashing the part of the cliff which it was standing on sending it flying of the cliff.

Another claw rends the next Marilith as platinum light cascades outward searing its wound. However Temaias misses his chance to devour the hated foe as it dodges at the last second. Temaias then crashed forward as the gem in his forehead shines like a sun with power. Temaias hears the dragon above cry out to him and he in turn roars back his proclamation!

"I AM THE LORD OF THE NORTH WIND, EXARCH OF THE PLATINUM DRAGON. MY NAME IS KING TEMAIAS! I AM HIS WRATH MANIFEST!"

With a roar that shakes the heavens Temaias summons forth ethereal shapes of dragons which start to rip at tear at the surrounding Mariliths.

[Ninja Dragon]

Jeevok watches in awe as his friend turns intop a huge dragon. Well, maybe some things can still surprise him.

"I'm so glad you are on our side!" - he yells, happy. As he jumps on Temaias's back, he throws a magic dart on a marilith, attempting to trip her. She is hit, but her strong body manages to keep balance.

Then he grabs his scimitar and tries to hit another marilith, missing her. He tries again, and this time she parries. Hitting things from the back of dragon is hard, he thinks. So he decides to change his strategy, and just trust the dragon.

"Temaias, attack that one!" - he shouts, as he points his shield to the marilith and focuses its magical energy on her, making her vulnerable to the next attack.

[TriciaOso]

The forcecaged dragon roars, and blades of ice drop from above once more. He continues to rant at Temaias in Draconic.

The mariliths swarms around Temaias, their blades whirling, but he throws up a magical shield that quarters their effectiveness. One of them targets Eokos instead and drags him from the paladragon's back, crushing him in her coils. The one flung from the ledge impacts the ground and a plume of black-tinged fire rises through the clouds, carrying a warm wind and a tinge of sulfur. The trapped dragon goes beserk and screams out the name "RUKON!"

[Thokk_Smash]

Eokos grips a small clay pyramid-like object in his pocket and incants, and then calls out, "Temaias, don't let these mariliths keep you from being the best dragon you can be!"

[Nyan]

When the Mariliths swarm Temaias after his initial assault and change of form he roars back at them in defiance as the light from the Tear of Bahamut shields his body. His voice echoing through the mountains.

"Your acrused blades wont peirce my scales fiends! My faith shields me!"

However one of the hated foes instead grasp Eokos off his back and drags him off. Temaias turns his attention immediatly to the Marilith who siezed him and with a clean swipe of one of his massive limbs, snatches Eokos back to him. Quite suprised himself at how well he handles his new form.

Jeevok, always of a tactical mind directs Temaias to attack one of the Mariliths next. Temaias has long since abandoned any doubt in the war-hero's tactical briliance and so like a steed being commanded by a rider he swipes his second claw at the designated foe. His claws errupt with brilliant light once more as it tears in to the beings flesh, worsened even further by the magic of the Battle-masters shield. Temaias thinks for a moment how different his war against Tiamat on his world would have been if Jeevok had been at his side and led the conflict. He wished it had been so.

He then turns his attention to the Mariliths who first arrived, now more determined than every to make sure none of these creatures would live after hearing the rather... indignifying encouragment by Eokos, not that he would chastise his friend for it. His jaw slammed shut by the creature but it just manages to get out of the way through a deft parry with its blades.

He then spread his wings once more and with a single beat launched himself up in the air, the Mariliths desperatly swinging at him with their blades but making little to no damage to his muscular form. Roaring back down at them to command the spectral dragons to continue their assault.

"BY BAHAMUTS WILL BE VANQUISHED! HE WILL NOT SUFFER THE UNCLEAN TO LIVE!"

[Ninja Dragon]

As Temaias flies upwards, Jeevok switches to artillery. He's happy he finally gets to use those fancy darts.

And use them, he does. While melee is his preferred style, he has had many chances to practice his aim in combat during his time as a rebel leader. Never underestimate the power of a good ambush, he says. So darts rain from above. The marilith attempts to parry the first one, but it hits her at a difficult angle, at her back. The next one hits her right in the middle of her eyes, attemtping to scare her. But her resolve seems strong enough to keep fighting. He then his her on the legs, to make her lose balance and become easier to hit.

Finally, the goblin watches as Eokos makes icicles fall on her and her allies, and the dragon goes down and eats her head.

Mission complete? He wonders. But Ramona's voice starts playing in his head, and he soon learns the answer.

"There's always more stuff to do, isn't there?" - he grumbles.

[Thokk_Smash]

Safely in Temaias' clutches, Eokos strums a ditty on his lute. "Good job, everyone, you've almost killed a dragon! I think you've all earned a minute of rest, don't you?" he asks, his dulcet tones imbued with a magical Suggestion.

[TriciaOso]

As Temaias moves out of range, the mariliths leap at him, and two manage to entangle his limbs, dragging him towards the ground and hacking at him with their swords. But at Eokos's suggestion, they relent, and drop to the ground, coiling up to rest, sheathing weapons and drinking from waterskins. One takes out a handful of live mice from a Bag of Tricks and begins to snack. Only the lead marilith, badly ravaged by attacks and unaffected by the satyr's charm, screams at them to pay attention... until Temaias bites her head off.

Instantly, time seems to freeze and a shimmery unreality comes over the illusion. You all hear the voice of Ramona: "Finally! I got so much information from what was happening and I prepared some goodies for you, but I just couldn't get through as long as she was present."

"As long as the candlesticks exist in the illusion, she can manifest again, but this should give us some time to strategize. First, take these." To each of you, 4 coin-like tokens appear, one larger than the other three. "You won't be able to find an hour or eight to rest in there, so these should help... short rest in a can. And the big one is as good as a night's sleep."

"Observing all this has really let me figure out the rules for the candles. You need to get possession of them, blow them out, and destroy them. Normally destroying them would be a lot of trouble, but since you're in the simulation, you can just make a conscious effort to disbelieve them out of existence."

"However, you won't be able to do that until you blow them out, and you can't do that without defeating or getting permission from the draconic spirits. You've probably noticed each of the candle is aligned with a specific draconic spirit, like the big guy in the cage?"

"The good thing is, most of these spirits have both good and evil aspects... Tiamat cultists believe they are all different faces of their goddess, but if you have possession of the candle you don't have to accept that version of them. Just try not to let any more of the dragon spirits get the candle for itself, like the red one has.""

"Sushumna might have some more tricks, but I don't think she can pull off anything as nasty as summoning 5 more mariliths, not as long as you keep the candlesticks away from her. Now that you beat her you are on a much more even footing."

"Right now you're in some kind of ice-themed lair illusion that was created when you teleported with the white candlestick. Claiming more of them might unlock more of these, or maybe merge them with your current location? It's hard to tell... mixing teleportation magic with the summoning effect was kind of funky."

"We don't have a lot of time, but ask any questions you have -- I won't be able to help again unless you find and kill Sushumna again. I can try and look up or remember anything that might help. If nothing else, I can try and remember what I can about the dragon spirits."

"Are these dragon spirits iconic?" Eokos asks, flicking one of the smaller coins across his fingers. "The white one above called--I assume--the red one Rukon. Does that name ring a bell, or are these dragon spirits just generic?"

"No, they are draconic gods -- and according to many reptilian theologians, they went on to incorporate themselves into humanoid belief systems too. Rukon is the supreme evil of the Solar faith, for instance -- a treacherous vizier of the Sun King who betrayed him and brought down his reign."

"WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO CONVINCE THEM TO PUT OUT THE CANDLES? DESTROY THEM?" Temaias roars.

"Some of them may be convinced, but some you will probably have to destroy. I don't think Rukon has a good aspect."

"What of one named "Tempus"?" Eokos asks.

"The white draconic spirit was a god of war and honor. He taught law to the giants and created the ordning under the name Tempus. Some say the Celestial General of the Solar faith is the same god."

"Okay, that's something to go on!" Eokos says with triumphant relief. "Can you guess at the identity of any of the other colors without names? The white and red are the only ones we've encountered so far."

"The blue one is definitely Erathis, the chief goddess of the Reptilian Empire! She's a goddess of justice and duty. A lot of lawful beings worship her, as Primus's perfect neutrality means he won't intervene. Some of the metallics believe she's a secret consort of Bahamut and tamed him somewhat from his wildest nature, but that's heresy in Lssthp. The Tiamat cultists believe the green one withdrew to the fey realm and became the May Queen Maebe, and that she is also secretly the Archhag. The elves would hate that, but this is just what I was taught when I was... in that world."

"The black dra--" static "north," static "one of the great undead" static

And then she is cut off. And time snaps back, and it's still Temaias's turn.

[Nyan]

Temaias watches Jeevok aim his sights at the Marilith that first appeared, showering her with expertly thrown darts. However he is suddenly grappled by the mariliths strong tails, one around his arm, one on the back leg and a third around his neck. The last is warded of by the holy light of his god protecting him, hissing away like a vampire seeing a cross. He then gets showered with another barrage of blades. He roars and this time with pain and strain, his friends noticing rather quickly how his body buckles underneath the new weight and the strain of his wounds. His flight starting to become uneven and as he struggles to keep aloft.

However just when Temaias thinks he cant hold on anymore the saving grace of his Satyr friend saves the day. A strum of his instrument and some words in a foul, yet somehow beatiful tounge the fiends let go of Temaias and huddle up for a break. At Eokos word, letting him know not to attack those resting Temaias turns his head around to look at his companion. But without saying anything he called off his spiritual guardians, thinking his friend probably has a plan in mind.

However he then locks his gaze at the lead Mariliths and before she has time to command her allies to continue their attack Temaias channels his magic through the gem in his forehead. His whole body becomes tense and in a flash of light he suddenly appears back on the ground mid lunge at the Marilith, finaly snapping his maw shut around her head. His friends going for a bit of a tumble as they fall from their original elevation down on Temaias' back.

His huge body now moving swifter than it has any right to he digs claws in to the stone ground, his bleeding profusely from hundreds of cuts and his breathing is quick and ragged. The time then freezes and suddenly he hears the Illusionist talk to them all. He asks a question and they formulate their plan and once Time resumes he readies himself to go with their gambit. Preparing to at a moments notice launch himself up towards the caged dragon.

"Make sure not to fail and be swift. This form wont hold much longer."

[Ninja Dragon]

Now that the enemy leader is down, Jeevok realizes their goal is now really the mariliths. It's the candles. And if they can get those without fighting, they win.

Winning without fighting isn't really Jeevok's forte, though. But he knows whose forte is, and what they may need to pull that off.

He restores Eokos's power with one of the small medals he just got.

[Thokk_Smash]

Refreshed by the token, Eokos flips one of his small coins over to Jeevok as he slips off of Temaias' wide back. He saunters through the resting mariliths and with a few "'Scuse me, pardon me, don't let me bother you," he deftly scoops up each of the candles from their snake-like forms. He does a neat pirouette between two of them on his return to Temaias, and offers a hand for the dragon to scoop him up.

[TriciaOso]

As you slip the bronze candlestick with the blue candle away from one marilith, lightning crackles out from the flame to engulf it. The marilith carrying the black candle in the copper candlestick looks up sharply to stare at her. As you slip the candlestick away from the distracted marilith, acid consumes it from the inside. The third succumbs to poison once the iron candlestick with the green candle leaves its grasp, and quietly the bodies vanish, unsummoned.

As you hop onto Temaias's back and he flies upward with supernatural speed, you realize the forcecage around the ancient white dragon has vanished, and it is swooping down at you in fury, 150 feet above. The silver candlestick with the white candle and cold flame throbs in your hand--you can feel the difference between the one you've mastered and the three you are merely carrying.

Below and behind, an ancient red dragon rises from the flaming clouds, 230 feet away and clutching the gold candlestick with the red candle in one giant claw.

[Nyan]

Temaias laughs in triumph as Eokos without any trouble takes possession of all candlesticks. And just as planned flies upwards towards the white dragon. However the beast was now set lose and first Temaias prepared for the worst but he then heard Eokos cry up at the dragon, Temaias seeing his words caused the dragon pause. He took the opportunity to dash past and simply land on the platform above. He almost crashes on to it as his legs give way, large amounts of blood splatters on to the stone floor as he trembles, struggling to even rise, wings flapping weakly as he tries to get his balance back.

"Gah!-...I'm not sure what will happen to this form once I use the token. Get off just to be safe." Temaias grunts, giving his companions just enough time to hop off his back before he uses the token.

When he does so he feels a similar sensation to before...His body and his consciousness seemed to float out to the ether, scattered to the winds and his form yet again feels like clay being molded. He almost feels the presence of his god shaping him in to a greater, stronger form than before.

To his companions the huge dragon starts to glow and slowly pieces of the body starts to flake off like dead leaves in the wind, cracks beginning to spread like breaking glass over the scales. Underneath a light akin to a sun shines and a freezing cold sets in even more harsh than the air around the mountain. A deafening roar from within the light is heard and the silhouette of a humanoid shape starts to take form before everything turns in to hill of ice, light swirling around inside of it. The ice then cracks, shatters and as the mist of ice settles from the eruption there is a familiar, yet different figure standing at its center.

Temaias was big before, but now he has grown even larger. Previously just shy of two meters now reaches that height from the ground to the top. His frame now larger, stronger seems to stretch the full plate which encases him. His face previously regal and smooth was now more bestial, ancient like he had aged to that of the greater dragons bellow them. On his head where there previously were none he now had two horns sweeping backwards, bending upwards at the midpoint and between them floats a tiny shard what seems to be a brilliant gem of platinum which the other two ioun stones orbit around. He grimaces slightly as he reaches behind his back and rips off plates of his armor that were on his back, unfurling two wings and a thick, powerful tail covered in larger scales like plates. The tail as well swishes around and then slams down on the ground as he tests out its dexterity.

Temaias looks around at himself, his wings, his tail, his hand and changes a few straps on the armor not to be so tight. Finally he looks at his companions with now gold, fierce eyes. "I'm ready." His voice was deep before but it has become even more so, older, ancient even with a slight reverberation as if there is a growl with every word.

When the white dragon then swoops up by them and speaks, Temaias slowly turns to look at it. He thinks about responding but remembers its all an illusion anyway and instead looks back at his companions over his shoulder, drawing his massive blade. "To war...My friends."

Spoiler: TEMAIAS PREVIOUS APPERANCE

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Spoiler: TEMAIAS CURRENT APPERANCE (PLUS THE HORNS AND GEM)

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[TriciaOso]

As you rise towards the white dragon, Eokos screams out into the wind:

“We have wronged you! Allow us this chance to make amends! We will fight Rukon with you to regain our honor!”

And he lets you pass.



As you settle on the ledge, Tempus flaps back up level with you, and snorts icy breath from his nostrils, but does not attack. "So. I see that I misjudged you. You are not invaders. You have merely brought your battle to my doorstep. HAH!"

"Long it has been since the sons of Bahamut called upon the Lord of War for aid. But I will not shy from battle against the Red Hand. Chaos and slaughter disgust me, but my loathing is reserved for those who sit in their palaces and scheme and betray." Another snort. "What hope is there in honor and loyalty when those who rule do not care for their people? What mystery that anarchy reigns when the lords of power forsake their obligations?"

"TO WAR!"

He folds his wings and instantly drops 200 feet into battle with Rukon.

There is something very familiar about this dude.

[Thokk_Smash]

Eokos sighs in relief as his words pierce Tempus' anger. There is still a long road ahead. But for now, they have a friendly enemy, at least.

He dispenses the unclaimed candles--blue to Jeevok, green to Temaias, and keeps the black. "We must keep the green and black from appearing for now," he says urgently. "If Erathis appears, we have an okay chance of parleying with them, but green and black are terrifying unknowns."

Strumming his lute, he touches Jeevok, who feels himself able to fly now. "I'll need your help getting to the battle, please," he says to Jeevok with a sheepish smile.

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting Fly from the Doss Lute on Jeevok.

[Nyan]

Temaias was hessitant for a moment to accept the unholy artifact. But begrudgingly takes it anyway for safe keeping. The thought of utilizing its power was not something he cherished.

Temaias ponders for a moment at this emotion he feels about the white dragon...Even tho its all an illusion it feels somehow a tangibility to him. "...Tempus huh?..." He says to himself as he steps up to the edge of the platform. Staring down at the two dragons doing battle. Something about it makes his skin tingle, the intensity of it all his draconic heart sings and his instincts are goading him to join them. He closes his eyes for a moment and exhales as he once again channels the power of his heritage outward. His body gets cloaked in energy shaping itself like an spectral armor around him and his wings grow to an appropriate size to actually keep him aloft. The energy radiates power and floats upward like a flame and shines with the intensity of a bonfire.

He then jumps off the edge and lets himself fall down only to stop himself, snapping out his wings and a strong flap to keep himself aloft. Now hovering beside Tempus he then speaks. "In my world white dragons are mere beasts with no sense of honor, order or civility. And embodies a part of the Anathema Tiamat, which in my world is the penultimate evil in the universe." He says without taking his eyes of the red dragon bellow them. "He as well represents a part of her. A being full of anger a wrath." He then looks at the white dragon. "Yet you speak of honor and virtues the Platinum dragon holds dear...I'd like to know more and how you are so different..." He then turns to look at the red dragon again. "...But perhaps another time."

He then closes his wings again and dashes down. Even with his magic shielding him he feels the intensity of the heat but it does not harm him at all. As he comes in elevation with the red dragon he stops himself again and points his blade at him. "MY NAME IS KING TEMAIAS! CHAMPION AND EXARCH OF THE PLATINUM DRAGON I CHALLENGE YOU TO BATTLE!" He then grips his blade with both hands to which the blade erupts in platinum light. He then with one flap of his wings closes the distance with the dragon and with crescent arcs of light cleave in to the red dragons flesh, through the guidance of his god both strikes land true.

He then channels the power of his magic through his gem and teleport upward, cloaking himself in an armor of ice and preparing for a downward stroke but before he has time to deliver it the large red dragon simply beats his wings and dashes up at Tempus. The sheer force of the wind casting temaias downward until he manages to catch himself again and regain his balance. "COME BACK AND FACE ME, COWARD! Or dont you wish to vanquish an agent of the Sun King?!" Temaias roars in fury up at the dragon.

[TriciaOso]

Jeevok looks at the three dragons fighting below. He knows what the best course of action is, but he still doesn't believe he is about to do that.

"Well, you only live once, I guess"

He jumps into the abyss with the bard. As they plummet past Tempus, the white dragon snatches Eokos out of the air, leaving Jeevok to fall alone.

But Eokos's magic works, and as soon as he gets close to the red dragon, his magic slows the fall down.

Jeevok stares at the huge thing in front of him. One word crosses his mind.

"Prey."

He slashes. And slahes. And slashes. Hitting the thing 5 times. At multiple places. His body feels light as he floats on the air, his sword being the only thing with any weight. As he hacks at the dragon, lightning erupts from the stone of the mountain and arcs through his foe.

Then he finishes his barrage, and looks at the beast's eyes, seeing fear on them. The goblin smiles. It lashes out with a terrified tail attack, but misses entirely, earning it another slash.

---

Rukon falls back, devastated by the harm inflicted by this tiny creature. He fills his lungs with air and flashes out with pure fire. None of his foes escape at all, although Tempus shrugs off some of the damage with sheer draconic will. The horrible goblin is still looking hardy... but the satyr on Tempus's back looks dazed and the fly spell on the goblin cuts off. So the satyr is the mage!

The goblin's fall forces Tempus to waste an attack snatching it out of the air and throws off his bite. One claw rakes down Rukon's side, adding to his pain. He lashes out with his tail, and he and the white dragon spend their legendary actions battering each other.

---

But one errant tail attack smashes Eokos and knocks him unconscious. The satyr tumbles into the darkness of unconsciousness, where the black dragon awaits him.

Spoiler: A voice speaks...

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In the threshold between life and death, Eokos stares into the darkness...and it stares back. "So. What's your name, big boy?" Eokos asks.

A dry ghost chuckle. "I am Orcus. Before me was neither death or undeath, little soul. Lives merely ended. Spirit returned to planar matter. Before the Maiden, before my prodigal daughter, there was only me. I hunger. I am hunger."

Eokos looks around, affecting disinterest. "Got a big stomach on you?" he asks.

In the vast echoing dark you can see a pulsing green light. "This death is only feigned. It will feed me not. Come a little closer, little goat."

"Me mutha told me not to follow directions of strangers," Eokos drawls. "I am fine where I am. So that's your thing, neverending hunger?"

"My 'thing' is death, little friend, and what comes after. When you start by inventing death, imagine what you do for your next 3000 years."

"Death serves a purpose, but I am glad I did not invent it," Eokos says begrudgingly. "I'll be frank here--what do you know of the situation outside?"

"An attempt to summon Tiamat," he says. "Mother of darkness. The one who ended the rule of our race." A vision of a fireball streaming across the sky and towers tumbling.

"'Ended the rule of our race'," Eokos repeats, honestly intrigued. "It's not everyday one gets to listen to an ancient, mythical dragon. What does that mean, if I can ask?"

"Merely that. When dragonkind would not bend the knee, Tiamat brought down fire. In a later age the Giants would forge a sun from the scraps and humans worship it. But to her it was merely an instrument. She ends ages, you see. In fire or water, glory or betrayal. That's her ‘thing’."

Eokos nods, though he seems confused. "That is news to me," he says. "I do not wish her to end my age." He pauses a moment and considers the darkness again. "What is your opinion of this? Being here, being used to summon Tiamat?"

"I have ever been her instrument," whispers the voice of Orcus. "When she tore out the heart of the fire, darkness poured in. She to her hell, rukon to his, and I to mine. Fire, water, darkness."

"We are coming, little goat. And you will be a sacrifice on that altar. Come a little closer." The pulsing green tower draws closer.

Eokos backs away slowly, steadily, making sure the being knows that he moves not out of fear, but out of pragmatism. "I know a thing or two about instruments," he says defiantly. "And right now, you're not fully out yet. Don't think I won't play you like a damn fiddle the second my friends get me back."

---

In Temaias's ear, a voice speaks...

Spoiler: A voice speaks...

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You hear a curious purring reptilian voice. "Hello there, pretty boy."

"...I am no boy." Temaias replied firmly.

"Pretty man," hisses the serpentine voice beyond the candle. "A knight, yes? I love pretty knights."

Temaias snorts if such a thing is possible to voice in his mind. "Nay. A Paladin. Who are you? My mind is not yours to dwell."

"But you hold my favor, paladin true. Maybe you can come and see me sometime."

Even as the voice speaks you see Eokos smashed flat by Rukon's tail and instinctively try to dimension door closer.

Spoiler: And vanish.

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You find yourself instead in a woodland bower. On a natural throne of shaped entwined trees is a beautiful draconic woman in a green kirtle.
"So you did come!" She sounds delighted.

Temaias, fully prepared to save his friend in need moves to grasp as his friend but finds his grasp filled grass and earth. He snaps around, spinning once on the spot to get his bearings. Then the dragon lady calls out to him and his snaps his head to look at her. And with a roar more akin to the white dragons of his home he screams. "WHERE AM I AND WHERE ARE MY COMPANIONS!?" still full of adrenaline and ready to fight he seems ready to smite her at a moments notice.

She laughs enchantingly. Her scales gleam green like moonstones. "The realm of dreams, of course. The font of life. So fortunate you took my token and not the other, darling."
"I'm a much better companion than Orcus or that fool Erathis. As for Tempus and Rukon -- well. You've seen them."

Temaias steadies his breathing, slowly relaxes and goes from a fighting stance to a straight posture. The tip of his blade lowering but the grip on the hilt not relaxing. "I do not care for your companionship...If this is your domain then send, me, back, now." He growls. And by sheer force of will, he vanishes again.

---

Jeevok screams as the fire scorches his skin. He crouches and tries to recollect his thoughts. He knows he damaged the dragon hard, but things still got dangerous. Clinging to Eokos on the back of the battling dragons, Jeevok is alone.

Spoiler: A voice speaks...

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From that same presence in the candle, a crisp feminine voice. "Do you perhaps require assistance?"

"I believe I do. We must stop Tiamat's summoning at all costs.

But can I trust you?" - he asks.

"To oppose the Sky-render in all things? Always. I will marshal an attack. Please stand by."

Jeevok feeds a potion to the satyr and... stands by, as the dragons claw each other and mist and magma fly.

In the misty distance, clouds darken, taking on a bronze cast, and thunder rolls.

[Thokk_Smash]

Eokos comes back to life with a startled gasp, spraying remnants of healing potion into the scorching air. "Many thanks, friend," he mutters, gripping Jeevok's shoulder warmly. Suddenly his larger Rest coin is in his hand, who knows where it had been before, and he crushes it in his hand. He feels instantly rejuvenated and his eyes roll back for just a moment at the extreme experience.

Then he lays a hand upon Tempus' back. "As long as we fight together, tyranny will never win!" he yells, nearly shoving magical inspiration into the large dragon's body.

[TriciaOso]

From the region of blue-bronze clouds to the east, thunder rages, and a squadron of ten dragonnels with shining bronze riders emerge from the storm.

At their head is a slim feminine draconic figure of shining sapphire, who opens the action by raising her spear and firing a bolt of lightning at Rukon. He dodges, and it seems for a moment she missed... until the shattering thunder tears into him.

Two of the dragonnels whip by Tempus, snatching up Jeevok and Eokos. The other 8 harry Rukon with fly-by attacks, the mounts rending with their claws and the bronze automatons pummeling with their fists.

Only a fraction of the blows land successfully, but they devastate the red dragon, and whip away with no chance for retaliation.

[Nyan]

As soon as Temaias reappeared he flapped his wings and looked up, luckily it seemed like the conflict had not ended. But what looked like reinforcements had apperaed in the shapes of the Dragonnels who dealt a devestating blow to the red dragon.

He grits his teeth with frustration having been completley ignored previously. But he was about to change that... With a roar conjures three lances of light which hovers over his head before launching forward at the foe from bellow. However the dragon either deflects them or dodges one a forth lance suddenly appears which suddenly turns in to Temaias himself. It was all a distraction for his real attack.

"YOU WILL RUE THE DAY YOU IGNORED A SON OF BAHAMUT!" He bellows as he breathes out a cloud of ice and mist which encases the massive dragon in ice. The paladin then raises his blade which errupts in holy flame. "BEGONE WITH THE WIND!" He cries as with one massive swing of the greatsword shatters the red dragon in a million shards of ice. The candle being the only thing that remains.

Temaias then swiftly swoops in and snatches it out of the air before it falls while shards if ice and glittering mist surrounds him. He looks to his companions for a second before suddenly he is swallowed by a cataclysm of flame, evaporating the ice in the air in an instant.

But as the flames vanish the dragonborn hero still remained, unharmed without a single scratch from the explosion. Shining like a beacon of light and hope. He looks down at the red candle in his hand with contempt and speaks. "Remember my name, Vizier. It's time to quench your meager flame." He snarls as he crushes the candle in his hand and it vanishes in to nothingness.

[TriciaOso]

In the aftermath, you settle on the ledge to convene a council of war with Tempus and Erathis. Tempus is wounded and unwilling to get involved further, simply wanting you to destroy his candle, and Jeevok grants his wish.

Erathis is willing to remain and lend her forces to your battle, and shares what she knows about Orcus and Maebe, the remaining spirits.

Spoiler: Maebe

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Maebe... is capricious. Tempus and Rukon are irrascible, trusting only in their own power. As you can see, I prefer a more modest incarnation and distributed force. Orcus is similar, commanding the spirits of the unquiet dead. Maebe has her devotees, but also a powerful magician in her own right.

She and Orcus have a long grudge... the war between Feywilde and Shadowfell ended the Mythic Age. But if anyone can be said to have won, she did. Her elves still rule Magh Meall, while the shadar-kai ended beneath the waves. Only the goblins survived that ruin, who had forsaken Orcus.

She is Muse and ArchHag both. But in this place, I think the former is more to be feared. She wields illusion like a knife, and her passions rule her. She will be strong, here, and will demand her way.

The good thing about bargaining with someone so capricious... what she wants may be something of great value to her, but not of any consequence in the larger scheme. A flower, a song, a lover. And if she cannot have it at once, or even once she has it... well, she may lose interest in time. If you owe her something, and can stall, the nature of the favor may change."

As a fey, she has no real concept of time, and so timing is paradoxically everything.

Spoiler: Orcus

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Orcus is lord of darkness and undeath. His daughter wrested death from him long ago, and you bear her token. (She points to Jeevok's shield.) But he still commands the might of the Shadowfell, and he is warden of the Oubliette, the Prison of Souls. His loyalty to Tiamat is unswerving, for she brought death into this world. As I am the mother of civilizations, Orcus salivates for the death of them.

He will have an army, but accordingly, will be less strong in his person. But in these late days, many mighty dragons have gone to the grave, so his forces will be strong. My army and I will do what we can to hold them off and give you a direct path to the Lord himself. His realm is the Great Darkness of the utter north.

After conferring, Eokos and Temaias swap candles.

Eokos conjures a path to Maebe's realm and enters, trailed by Jeevok.

---

Spoiler: Bargaining with Maebe

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As you step into the bower, Eokos, you immediately recognize the feeling of fey magic. Jeevok, it's less familiar to you, but weirdly, it also isn't completely strange. It tingles, and you can feel the magic responding to you even as you're responding to it.

There are no signs of other creatures when you look for them. But from the corners of your eyes you see faces in the trees and flitting sparks. They could be insects or pixies or maybe just motes of dust catching the light.

There is no throne, only an old-fashioned leather cauldron, a sack of leather on a brass tripod over a fire. It sits deep in the fire but does not burn, only boiling away. A wizened reptilian woman is watching it and periodically ladling more water into it as the steam rises. Her cracked and ancient scales are like flakes of green stone.


Without missing a beat, Eokos raises a hand to the wizened reptilian woman. "Lady Maebe, I presume,"[/COLOR] he says, flourishing his hand in a circle as he bows at the waist. "I am but a humble bard seeking an audience."

She looks up from her cauldron, peering at him with rheumy eyes. "A bard and a satyr. Welcome home, hehe."

"Alas, my home is lost to me," he replies with a mournful gaze and shake of the head. Still, he then looks around with fond reminiscence. "This is a delightful reminder, though. Love what you've done with the place. Sushumna's work is nothing compared to this."

She laughs, a mad cackle that feels performative; a real Hag's Hag. "Yes, she really lacks the imagination to make this work for her... fiends simply aren't creative, you know."

She waves a hand, and five candles in their candlesticks appear on the forest floor, burning in a circle, the flames replacing her campfire. "She is fighting you for possession of... what? The dream of a candle. An idea which she herself already has in her mind. She never doesn't have them. The fool."

"What have you done with that pretty knight? Doesn't he want to see me?"

"Me?" Eokos asks, placing a hand on his chest in hurt. Inkokos also places a small hand on Eokos's chest. "I've done nothing--although I suppose I am guilty of something. Guilty of not arguing your beauty to him."

She snorts and grumbles. "Forgive me for not putting on my best face for you and your goblin." She stirs the cauldron, and an acid reek rises from the contents; through the vapor, you see flickers of different forms and substances and ages and genders. Fully draconic, dragonborn and fey; moonstone, brass, emerald and green. Old and young, male and female, and everything between and beyond.

Eokos waves off her grumbling. "There are many types of beauty and even more ways to appreciate them," he says with a genuine smile. "This level of illusion? Beautiful and breathtaking. As a dabbler, I appreciate it immensely. Regretfully, mournfully, there are those that--for some reason or another--cannot appreciate all kinds of beauty. They don't seem to realize that vapidity or guile can have meaning as deep as the ocean if they only but look for it." (A 39 Persuasion roll)

"So true," she murmurs into the mist. "I admit, you are charming, as one of fey blood should be. But what are we doing, my dear? I do love illusions, but faffing about improving this one is not how I planned to spend my afternoon. Even if I am meeting charming company, for the most part."

"Well, aside from having a delightful conversation, I do need to know: are you willing to extinguish your candle, and bring this ritual to a halt? I would dearly like to put a thumb in Orcus' eye and keep the ritual from succeeding."

"I do despise Orcus," she muses. "And the possibilities of this age haven't really run out. Being me and not one-fifth of her."

She trickles a finger through the cauldron. "On the other hand... as your people say, dè a th ’ann dhòmhsa?" What's in it for me?

"Well, there's the satisfaction of snubbing Orcus once more, and remaining your own person with your own cognizance," Eokos says, listing off with his fingers. "You will get to leave this boring sham of an illusion. And--perhaps most importantly--you will surprise my good friend, Temaias. And, I am fairly certain, you would gain quite a bit of respect, and appreciation, from his as well."

"Oh, I am quite capable of surprises," she says. She looks up from the cauldron. "Why don't you go ruin Orcus's day, little ones, and then we can talk more? Next time bring... Temaias," she says, with all the satisfaction of a fey learning a name.

Jeevok stays silent during the whole conversation, letting Eokos do the talking. But it's clear Eokos's flattery isn't working. A master of illusion such as her won't fall for that, he thinks. He knows what the dragon lady wants, though. And he knows the best way of winning a negotiation, besides fighting, is figuring out the other party's wish and fulfilling it.

Temaias will be mad, though. But Jeevok knows the dragonborn's sense of duty will make him do it, in order to fulfill the mission. He will apologize to his friend later. "How about we make a deal, then. We get you one date with Temaias, and you extinguish your candle for us."

"Your word on it, goblin? To a queen of the fey?" Her eyes flash opalescent green. "You bring Temaias to me in Cape Sorcery, mine for one night."

"Deal. Whether the night ends up being a good one or not is up to you. But we will make him go to it."

"A deal," she says, and in a flare of green light returns you to the ledge. The green candle snuffs itself out and crumples, imploding.

---

Spoiler: Temaias is p i s s e d

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Jeevok comes out of the portal with Eokos. He takes a deep breath approaching the dragonborn, trying as hard as he can to look stern and responsible before giving the news.

Temaias did little efforts to speak with Erathis. Mostly concerned with the well being of his friends. However he expected them to take allitle longer and so the rigid scales over his eyes raised slightly as Jeevok approached. Looking at Eokos for a moment with a questioning gaze. "...Well?...I see the candle has been extinguished. You succeeded."

Eokos gives Temaias a...carefully neutral gaze. "I wouldn't say I succeeded," he hedges, his eyes flicking ever-so-quickly sideways to Jeevok.

Temaias now tilted his head, then looked down at the goblin now standing infront of him. "That's commendable Jeevok. What did you do that our silver tongued friend could not?"

Jeevok takes another deep breath. This is the scariest moment of his life since the goblin village was attacked by a dragon, and this time, it involves another dragon.

"Well, Eokos was making a formidable effort at negotiating with Maebe, but the problem is that she, master of illusions as she is, didn't seem to be buying it, at least from my impression. She told us to leave and come back later, and I wasn't sure what we would be able to do when we came back"

"I figured out the only way to get something from her was to be honest and give the thing she wanted and well... she wanted..."

He takes another deep breath.

"She wanted to go on a date with you. So I gave my word that you will spend a night with her after we are done with this mission. And with that, we made the candle disappear."
"I'm sorry, buddy. I know this isn't fair to you, but I didn't see any other way". - he lowers his head.

Temaias stared at his friend taking deep breaths and mustering his willpower to speak... What could be so dreadful that he would stand before him like that. He even smelled fear on his friend... Then he said it, and Temaias' eyes widened for a moment, for a second not thinking he heard right...Then he apoligized and the realization set that it was no joking matter. His body tensed, his fangs clenched, his fists closed in an instant and his tail slammed in to the ground as he roared. "YOU DID WHAT!?"

His fury flared out of him in the form of mist and ice with his shout. "YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT I EXARCH AND CHAMPION OF THE PLATINUM DRAGON WILL DAIN TO SPEND EVEN THE BRIEFEST OF MOMENTS IN THE COMPANY OF THAT HAG QUEEN!? WHICH REPRESENTS AN ASPECT OF THE ANATHEMA TO MY FAITH, THE MONSTER THAT TOOK MY BROTHERS FROM ME AND TRIED TO DESTROY MY WORLD?!" As he ranted the whole mountainside shook, the ground beneath his feet flared with energy simply from his wrath.

"WHO GAVE YOU THE POWER TO MAKE SUCH A PROMISE AT MY EXPENSE? DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF HER POWER AND THE UTTER BLASPHEMY THAT CREATURE REPRESENTS TO ME?" He stopped suddenly, clenching his teeth again and trying to regain some form of composure. His voice becoming terrifyingly calm but practically oozing with contempt and cold fury. "...How dare you tell me thus and then refer to me as buddy...Look up at me and tell me this was the absolute only solution..."

"I can't tell you that because I don't know for sure."

He looks at Temaias in the eyes.

"We could have found a different way. Maybe. We could have also failed and then tried to fight her, and then lost. And then Tiamat would be released into the real world if that happened. I saw a chance to complete the mission and seized it, and I believed you would ultimately fulfill the deal because you know even more than I do that Tiamat being summoned is the one scenario that cannot happen no matter what"

"And it didn't seem Maebe was even giving us the time of the day. She told us to bring you next time we came there, for that matter"
"There is something else. I didn't think she would just disappear with the candle and consider it done after making the deal. I was considering asking you first, getting you to go to the date inside this illusion, and then getting her to extinguish the candle. At least if you said no we could try a different deal. The way she did it it really made it irreversible"
"Tell you what, Temaias. I gave my word, but you didn't give yours. If doing that is something you absolutely cannot do, I will bear the consequences of lying to a Fey Queen"

Eokos chimes in (from a few feet further back than he had been before), "She did ask to see you once we had defeated Orcus. I do admit, she was not receptive to my own overtures of flirtation." He grumbles a moment. "She seems to be utterly obsessed with you at the moment, my friend. Her asking an audience of you was the most I could get out of her. It is likely she would have tried bargaining a night with you no matter what."

Temaias every breath was accompanied by a cloud of ice from his nostrils, his tail slamming repeatedly in to the stone ground as it thrashed around and the rest of him was practically vibrating with anger. But he let Jeevok finish his explanation and when Eokos chimed in the satyr felt Temaias gaze shift to him with frightening speed, harsh and cold like a icicle through the heart. But he gave no response to Eokos and simply moved his attention back at Jeevok. "No Jeevok. It is not that simple. You gave your word but on my behalf to her. If my actions cause you to break your word then I am just as accountable. And I never go back on my word." He takes a deep breath. Seemingly calmer but his words were still cold as ice. "If I'd let you face her alone I would break my oaths of protection...And another which is thus: Accept any challenge, no matter the odds...My wrath is at this was made without my blessing, your conceit that you could...Not that it was done."

"Well then, I thank you for it, Temaias.

So how about this: I will make it up to you.

Next time you need something from me, let me know, and I will do it even if it goes against my own wishes and nature. As long as it's not harmful to others. But I trust you not to ask something like that"

Temaias looks at him in silence then snorts ice. "You've grasped the ramifications of your choice. That is enough." He then looks over to Erathis and Eokos. "We still have Orcus to vanquish. Let's not linger on this anymore. Where do we head next?"

---

As soon as Temaias voices his intention to face Orcus, a yawning black cavern opens in the face of the mountain.

Spoiler: Into the darkness...

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The ledge underfoot extends only a few feet before coming to another precipe, this time with no ground visible below. Or above. Or in any direction ahead. It's as if the entire mountain is hollow and filled with a palpable darkness.

But far, far in the distance, a glowworm green light flutters, a twin to the acid green flame of the candle and familiar to Eokos from his dying vision.

Eokos looks to Erathis. "It seems Orcus has a love of the overdramatic?" he asks, not feeling the irony is okay coming from him because Orcus sucks. He takes a moment to ritual cast Telepathic Bond on the group.

Apparently it's familiar to Erathis, too, who says, "The Prison of Souls. That is where we will find him. In the utter North, death herself gathers the spirits of the unclaimed dead in darkness. But they must pass the soul prison, snare for the wicked. The unseelie fey built it long ago, as a necromantic battery. It was lost beneath the sea with their lands, and still traps the most chaotic evil souls."

Temaias looks upon the portal for a moment then without looking away speaks. "I'll get on with you on your steed Jeevok. My flight is a limited time and we dont know how long we will fly through the darkness."


Before they set forth in to the darkness, Temaias grasps his holy symbol and it starts to glow with a dim light through his fingers.

"Though we find ourselves in shadows, no blackness will ever enter our hearts. No treachery will touch our souls, no pride will sully our thoughts. We shall be pure amongst impurity, we shall be innocence amongst guilt. When all flee in hideous disarray, strong and sound shall we stand. Cowardice is wholly unknown to us, our courage comes from the Platinum dragon. Unbowed and unshaken against all foes, we shall claim victory with steel. Steady and surely we hunt them, those that harm those we guard. Death stalks us in many forms, the grotesque and the utterly inhuman. We are Bringers of Hope. Heavenly blessings are laid upon us, the world is ours to shield. Though sorceries shall be against us, no witchcraft will bring our doom. Though spell or incarnation blocks us, the Justicemaker shall see us victorious. No hex can overcome our determination, our resolve is strong as steel. Sigils and wards watch over us, prayers shall serve as our guide. For we are the Dragon's Chosen. There is much darkness awaiting us, yet the Justicemaker lights our path. Falsehood surrounds us at every turn, yet no traitor shall confound us. No despicable trickery will thwart us, no damnation shall bring us low. Et Draco Invocato Diabolus Daemonica Exorcism."

With these prayers on his lips he watches carefully for any potential foes. He casts See Invisibility, and also uses his Divine Sense to highlight the vast company of spectres and shadows that lie ahead in the dark.

Jeevok commands his dragonnel to fly forward while he listens to Temaias's prayer. Though he doesn't share the dragonborn's religion, his words still give him confidence, and make him forget the guilty feelings from what happened in the previous room.

Still, while one ear listens to him, the other one pays attention at the surroundings, as well as the goblins's eyes, waiting for an ambush. The Sun Blade shines its light into the huge darkness. It feels like a weak glow with how big the darkness is. Yet, in the vast darkness that soon swallows you, it becomes apparent that without the sun blade you would be able to see nothing. The radiant light creates a bubble of visibility around you and chases away the weakest of the spectral creatures that prowl the outskirts of your group.

The white radiance of the blade takes on a sapphire tint as Erathis channels her power through the candle and into the sword, and the bubble of visibility grows.

Eokos takes back the black candle for the protection from necrotic energy it will bring; Temaias's Draconic Form spell will protect him.

The dragonnels in the lead rank have been darting forward in a rotational scouting pattern. You have been journeying into the darkness for several minutes when Erathis notifies you, "We are about to make first contact with significant resistance. Eight minor black dragon shadows straight ahead. The Lightning Riders will engage them; I recommend we charge through and leave them to fight it out while we take on whatever lies deeper."

Spoiler: Last Preparations

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"Contact in 30 seconds - make any last preparations you have to make." She transforms from her lithe dragonbornlike form into a Huge adult sapphire dragon.

Eokos intones in Celestial and motions with his hand, and a crown of seven stars appears, floating around his head and shedding even more bright light in the area.

Temaias waits 20 so seconds. Prayers continuing, in his mind speaking to Jeevok. "We will strike at Orcus right away, no holding back. Lets repeat our victory in our first mission." He then leaps off the mount and he is suddenly shrouded in an aura shaping itself like a spectral armor of light, holy runes and sigils swarming around on the outside as the runes on his armor glows with platinum radiance. His wings growing and being cloaked in the same energy to hold him aloft in the abyss. His mere presence anathema to the undead forces around them as he took front and center of their formation.

He looks towards eokos who shapes a crown of radiant stars and in his mind comments. "I did not know you held a spark of the divine Eokos. Use the power well." His voice clear with respect.

Temaias' eyes the began to glow with ethereal light and his voice then echoed in to the furthest reaches of the darkness so that all souls would hear. Heralding their advent.

"We Paladins are his talons, we slay the darkness without fear! No Devil shall elude our gaze, no Daemon shall avoid its fate! For we are mankinds divine blade!!" He points his massive blade straight forward "CHARGE!!"

[TriciaOso]

Erathis kicks things off by charging into the center of the group of shadow dragons, then teleporting another 60 feet, with a flash of lightning and a blast of thunder.

Three of them take the full 59 damage and are stunned; the other five take 29.

As she charges ahead, expanding your bubble of visibility, you see two additional Huge dragons, except for Temaias who sees three.

One is grey in a way that seems faded, with huge eyes and crusts of fungus growing on his craggy scales. Erathis is engaged with this one.

The second one is a living corpse, a molted skin draped over a skeleton and animated with necrotic flames.

Only Temaias can see the spectral ghost dragon, but he shouts out a warning to his friends.

---

Jeevok orders his dragonnel to fly ahead as soon as he sees the first sign of enemies. He watches as Erathis goes past the smaller dragons on the enemy frontline and attacks a bigger one behind them. Jeevok orders his candle to support her by creating a cloud of sand around the enemies. Sadly, they seem unfazed by it.

"See, this is why swords are better" - he says.

He thinks he could dash past the frontline, but that would leave his flank unsafe. So he takes the catapult approach: wacking the enemy rows with his Sun Blade until it tears apart. He hit the first shadow dragon three times, and a blast of both light and thunder roars all over the battlefield. The beast disintegrates after the third hit.

From the burning wreckage of the wraith's corpse, an acrid stink arises as something liquid and amorphous tries to escape from the physical body, but you destroyed it too quickly; the animated acid is carried away into the infinite darkness with the undead dragon.

The Lightning Riders, too, charge into the pack of dragon wraiths, focusing their attacks on the stunned ones and tearing them apart. Temaias rides alongside them but does not attack, using his action to charge further ahead.

Erathis throws a hold monster spell onto the hollow dragon and slashes the deep dragon with her claws; a cloud of spores arise as it slaps back with its broad, heavy tail. You see Erathis being attacked by the darkness that surrounds you, as if it takes physical form to batter her. Temaias, you don't see an invisible creature--it's as if the darkness itself is briefly taking on physical form to attack.

[Thokk_Smash]

Eokos watches the fray erupt with a critical eye. There--a tail of shadow! That must be Orcus! But why is he just shadow...well, either way, he certainly won't appreciate a shot of light! He directs the dragonnel to approach Erathis as one of the sparkling stars above his head rockets at the shadow harrying Erathis. He lays a hand upon Erathis' scales and heals her a paltry amount as the light drowns out Orcus, for the moment at least.

[TriciaOso]

The blaze of light drives back the shadows and deprives Orcus of his turn this round. Eokos also raises the candle and sketches a shape in the air, projecting a Slow spell over the three larger dragons. They bristle and resist the spell, forcing it back with sheer will. Erathis reaches with her own will to hold the Hollow Dragon in place, wrestling with its own magical ability to resist and triumphing; the Hollow Dragon is unable to join in the salvo of attacks that come. The other two dragons swing into position, the Ghost Dragon's ethereal form briefly inhabiting the same space as the Deep Dragon's mouldy body, and they release a combined breath weapon of icy and fungal spores that hits everyone on the field but the Hollow Dragon.

Ghastly fear overcomes many of the combatants, and some are paralyzed with terror, falling out of the bubble of light and into the void, where spectres slowly tear them apart, including two of the dragonwraiths and many of the Lightning Riders. Only Temaias is completely untouched by the magical fear effects. Eokos and Jeevok's mounts are frozen too, and so is the bard; both of them begin to fall into the void. The remaining dragonwraiths mow through the surviving Lightning Riders, but Erathis swoops through the field of battle too. She snatches up Eokos and Jeevok, as well as the last surviving and unparalyzed dragonnels. As Jeevok vaults onto the new mount, Erathis set a trembling Eokos on the other, and breaks one of his short rest tokens with her massive claws. His crown of stars disintegrates, but his paralysis is broken.

The Hollow Dragon asserts its will once more and breaks Erathis's spell; it turns to face Jeevok, claws and fangs bristling.

[Ninja Dragon]

Jeevok, once again, endures the breath weapons being thrown at him. His well trained body resists the one from the Ghost Dragon, but his mind is just short of resisting for the one by the Deep Dragon.

Fortunately, Erathis gives him a new mount. Jeevok is still afraid of the Deep Dragon, but the mount is not. And fighting against things he is afraid of isn't really new to Jeevok. He just needs to use the right tactic.

He focuses again on the candle, this time to summon a thunder on Hollow Dragon. He knows the thing can resist it, but then he focuses on his ability to see a little ahead into the future, a remnant from their last adventure at Zazzelbrax's domain. Just a little, but enough to know where the lightining needs to hit so the enemy can't avoid its effect. And hit, it does. The Hollow dragon looks stunned. Jeevok then asks his new dragonnel to take him to it.

The goblin knows he has to make it count, before any more breath weapons hit and start incapacitating his team. He will focus every ounce of his being into destroying the thing in front of him. So at the end of it, even if he comes short, Temaias can finish it off. So his Sun Blade shines with Sun and Lightning as he butchers the creature in front of him. Stunned, the monster is completely defenseless to his attacks, and Jeevok hits it 6 times.

Then he prepares his final trick, using his shield to weaken it even further. But a second later, the dragon just disintegrates in front of him.

Jeevok laughs.

"I'm sorry Temaias but it seems this thing was too puny to need two people to kill. I'll have to leave the uglier one for you."

And he turns the shield around. Still afraid of the creature, but his trust in his paladin friend's ability to finish it off being just enough to make Jeevok able to focus the grave energy on it.

[TriciaOso]

The shadows grow heavier once more and seem to swirl into a vortex, a column passing through Eokos, Erathis and Jeevok. Orcus is on the move again, but for now there is no apparent effect. The Deep Dragon also flaps its wings, and a cloud of spores flies around Jeevok, but he resists the effect. Erathis reaches out with telekinesis to restrain the deep dragon as Jeevok calls out to Temaias.

[Nyan]

Erathis took the initiative as Temaias watched her fly over him only to deal a massive blow to the other forces with resounding thunder. Temaias joined the charge with the dragonnels as his warchant continued. "Masters of all weapons are we, no defense exists against our wrath! With the Justicemaker shall we fight, with an Aegis to shield us! In glory shall we save Mankind, honor shall be our everlasting creed! Protection unending shall be our fate, in battle shall we be steeled. We shall be unstinting in our duty, we shall hunger for holy war! For we are Swords of Justice!

The dragonnell riders crashed in to the fray gave Temaias the opening to advance, flying above them as they locked lances and fangs. Hoever his charge was interupted for a breif second as the breaths of two of the larger dragons washed over the group. He felt a stab of pain in his mind and a sheer cold that even cause the last remenants of his ice barrier to shed and vanish. However Temaias knew no fear of the abominations in front of him. "When all flee in hideous disarray, strong and sound shall we stand! Cowardice is wholly unknown to us, our courage comes from the Platinum dragon!"

Erathis luckily takes care of his companions leaving Temaias to set his focus on the deep dragon, in the corner of his eye he sees Jeevok cut down one of them in one fell swoop despite his fear of the other. "Bloody battles unending constantly await us, redemption the reward for our vigilance! When possession rears its unspeakable head, ours is the blade that descends! When empyrean horrors invade our realm, our exorcisms shall hurl them back. There is no chaos spawned horror which can resist our indomitable anger! With undaunted courage we shall prevail, no arcane magics shall overcome us. We are the Bearers of Victory!" He roars this triumphantly as Eokos as well lays down his holy wrath on the shadows and slows down their foes.

Then Erathis cry out to Temaias as she restrains the Deep one. And Temaias grips the blade in both hands, his blade flaring with holy fury as his whole body his cloaked with platinum light as he charges his attack. The foes before him seeing the aspect of the wrath of the platinum dragon which roars at them. "No corruption shall blemish our multiverse! No immaterial fiend shall be spared! No malevolent spirit will oppose us, no creation of sin shall survive! Nothing shall evade our cleansing fire! Not Daemon or Spawn or Devil, I AM HIS SWORD OF VENGANCE!"

With this like a lance of light Temaias charged and with one swing of his blade, which extends with holy light to grow to massive size cleaves the deep dragon in half only to have it explode with holy light that would outshine the sun itself. Temaias channeling every ounce of his pent up wrath in to the swing. But then there was a crack of thunder and Temaias appears out of the light still shrouded around his form. His blade now crackling with lighting. He swings two times in the air but it seems to be hurting something as the radiance explodes outward, outlining the spectral dragons form.

[TriciaOso]

Eokos encourages Jeevok and uses the Physician Blade to restore life to the ragged-looking Erathis. Meanwhile, the ghost dragon howls and counterattacks, but Temaias is immune to its necrotic energy and resists its icy bite. The black dragonwraiths vomit up animated breath weapons, living clouds of acid that move to attack Eokos and Jeevok even as Erathis moves to blast the wraiths and the ghost with her sonic blast, catching Temaias in the wake.

The acid elementals flail at the heroes's mounts, but fail to kill either one.

And then Orcus take his turn.