Chapter 20: Song of the Draconic Hero

General Summary

As they come back from the astral projection:
Most of Uul's body is now human, with all but his entire right hand and nose upwards still hobgoblin.
Galaxa congratulates them and asks them what the next plan is:

IF MORROW
Galaxa can spot him

Morrow tells the Kings that after his time with the Kings and the turning in of Dimek, Morrow was given his wings back and
Morrow has no clue where Dink is.
Morrow will tell the Kings that he will wait for them in Hearthsfield, but that time is of the essence.
Sthimeisku:
Galaxa says of all routes they can take to the clansplains, Sthimeisku will be the best if they can find a ship that will take them to the Meer forest. This way they are not going through Hobgoblin territory. Galaxa mentions that the Terramin company has currently docked there but may plan to leave soon.
Trapizoid joins the party tasked with gaining the aid of the dragons of Sthimeisku by King Leopald.

Suddenly, the smell of salty sea air fills the carriage, from the outside Pennywhistle yells "What the fuck was that?" and Knuckledrag responds with "Oh yeah that just like, happens sometimes."
When you emerge from the carraige you see the trading town of Sthimeisku, one of the smallest towns youve been in, but the architecture is remarkable. Most buildings in Sthimeisku are huts with rooftops made of stone carved to look like scales. You see the Dragon kin walking around the area and surrounded by all the houses are three massive pedestals where you can see two sleeping dragons, one white, one red.
Out of the corner of the eye though, you see a very skinny, VERY old woman with white hair that waves in the air sizing up and touching the bicep of a Dwarf in worn armor.
"Well well, lookie here, bucha sexy young men comin to Sthimeisku of all places, and out of nowhere too. What are you fellas doin here."
She nods her head.
"Yeah those Terramin are a bunch of rough characters, been posted up here oh gosh, what not two days now. What's your business with them huh?"
The woman introduces Beardom the Bold to the Kings. Beardom tells them that he used to be a champion of Korrvigsguard but since retiring, he's been looking for work and wishes to be a guard in Sthimeisku. Beardom joins the party to help his case.
Interrupted by
Vrakxarzith's Song
The White dragon has its neck raised up to the sky and releases its song.
Though it's not linguistic, Budrash recognizes the song from somewhere and senses a tremendous amount of sadness in it.


They can shop wares:
An armoror sells "shed" weapons and armor:
Shed Armor HEAVY and has an AC of 16
Shed Dagger: 2d4
Uul tries to haggle with an armoror, intimidating him slightly, but then stealing some Shed armor only to be caught by a massive dragonkin who yells at him to put the armor back.

AT THE TERRAMIN SHIP
A KENKU named SPOTTER finishes putting down a crate and greets them telling them to go inside the captain's quarters if they want to meet with the captain.
Inside of the captain's quarters there are hundreds and hundreds of books, some clothing draped over maniquins and displays that look like they come from far away places. in the center of the room, sitting at her desk is the same old woman you spoke to earlier, posture much more upright and her captain's hat on her head.
"Hey there boys, long time no see"

Gale says that they were originally going to go to Nimtum, but she's intrigued by what the League of Every Organized Nation has to offer.

However they get her to:
"Alright, how bout this, give me a day to prepare. This is going to take all around a month to get to the Meer forest, so bare with me while I get the proper items for such a trip. And do me a favor, check on high priestess Xyyassa for me. I'm your captain for the next month, what I say goes. You want me and my crew to sail into dangerous waters? You're gonna have to help out where we go. Poor dear's been crying ever since MitneVrak was kidnapped.
They can go out and look at the dragons, as many dragonkin pass by, they bow to the dragons who sleep restlessly. In front of the red dragon is a Red dragonkin with a head dress.
She turns to the kings and sighs. "Co bless you, I am high priestess Xyyassa Kraldreas. it is not normal that we see friendly non-kin in Stheimesku. To what do we owe the occassion?"

Xyyassa tells them that Stheimesku has been the home of the Triad Family of Dragons since the first dragonkin were born.
"We were taught by MitneVrak, Ixendask, and Vrakxarzith. The dragonkin were but lizards before the touch of the Triad and we are who we are now because of them. But they have gotten old, and since MitneVrak disappeared 3 days ago, Ixendask and Vrakxarzith have been in this fugue state. We fear....that the Scalebound have finally come to kill us all"
"We know their camp is east about 10 miles into the forest. Any time hunters go out further than there they never come back... we have reason to believe they have been preparing this attack for a while,but without the Triad to protect us, they may slaughter us all."
As soon as they turn to leave, Xyyassa notices Budrash' Banjo slung around his back.
"You there, Kin, where did you get that instrument?!"
As she examines it:
This craftsmanship is amazing, it's practically ancient, could you...play something?
ROLL PERFORMANCE
PLAY Ixendask's SONG
"Many consider Draconic to be the oldest language, but before it, the Dragons and the Primords communicated in tone much like music. Their emotion, their history, their power within the language. There is much magic in a dragon's song. "

FOREST:

They have to scout through the Forest:
PERC/INVEST: 15 they can find hundreds of footprints coming out from a trampled path. The footprints head towards the Sthemeisku
NATURE: The air is thin, it feels dry.
Invest 20: They can find blood in the footprints.

They can follow the path to see:
A massive Gold Dragon, cut, bleeding, barely alive, and stripped away of nearly all of its scales. It breathes weakly as it moans with every exhale.
Trapizoid stablizes the dragon.
Suddenly, from the side of the dragon comes:
Rivly's Direwolves 5
HP: 30 AC: 13 ATK:+4 2d6

Rivly the WEREWOLF
HP: 60
AC: 12
ATK: +5 1d8+2 & 2d4+2 X 2

During this fight, Ryuk tells the wolves who attack him that he will turn them into puppies, they call his threat as a bluff but Ryuk immediately casts polymorph on a wolf, turning him into a Husky puppy. Meanwhile, Uul casts Phantom Steed and ties his rope to a lasso, riding away and lassoing the neck of a wolf. Trapizoid, conflicted over killing a puppy nervously casts create fog. After killing a wolf, Beardom is gifted the puppy by Ryuk, but is then attacked by Rivly in werewolf form, but before he can do any major damage, Sycamore launches a devastating sneak attack on Rivly, who is then finished off by Budrash who bashes his head in with a hammer. Uul chokes out the final wolf with the rope and shoots the puppy with a crossbow.

AFTER THE BATTLE
MitneVrak looks up and sees Budrash
"Aaah, hello Kin, I have not seen a Kin with the same coloration as me. I'm afraid I do not have much to give you, I was cheated out of the last years of my life by hunters. Is it me who you have come for?"
MitneVrak inhales: "I smell...me on you, Kin. What is that slung over your back.
MitneVrak's eyes go wide, This, was made from my scales. These designs, They bring back such memories."
He frowns
But the strings have been replaced.
MitneVrak Extends his neck out to present some of the last few blades of his back mane, still in tact.
"Pluck, and replace"
DEXT CHECK
Now I know why Co let me live, so I may see my Kin once more. May I teach you my song?
PLAY MitneVrak's SONG
"Please, Play it back to me"
As he tries:
"This song has great power, but it is not until it is performed with my child and my wife that its magic is triggered, I beg of you, all of you, return to Stheimisku, protect it. Play the song of our people, Kin, and you will have my strength, and the strength of all Dragonblooded with you.
MitneVrak's eyes go grey and he exhales.


STHEIMISKU FIGHT
As they return, they see that Stheimisku is under attack by over 100 Scalebound soldiers.
The village folk are trying to prevent the Scalebound from attacking the slumbering Dragons.
The massive ship docked at the village port has been raised from the water with a pillar of water, raining fire down from above to the scalebound.
Under a fallen hut, Xyyassa gets their attention and tells them they attacked not an hour after they left. Xyyassa notices the strings and begs Budrash to play the song of MitneVrak's to awaken the dragons.
SPLIT UP:
Go to the Third Alter
Defend the City

THIRD ALTER: Uul and Budrash take the war carriage and are jumped by 4 Scalebound Slicers when Budrash intimidates the Scalebounds by showing his Ky marking and threatening to kill them all after shooting a ballista bolt into the chest of a Slicer. All the Scalebound in the area flee.
Budrash begins playing MitneVrak's song, waking the two other dragons up. Uul casts invisibility to observe from a distance.

DEFEND TOWN: Ryuk, Sycamore, Trapizoid and Beardom charge at the invading Scalebound, Trapizoid


First Encounter 2 Slicers and 2 Grounders


After defending the city, the rest of the Kings join Budrash who is confronted by the leaders of the Scalebound group, Mokin the Goliath and Havel the Dwarf. Mokin launches an electric charged heavy crossbow bolt at Budrash, but is defended by Uul who steps in front of the blade and uses the old Fenden shield over his Crystal arm to defend Budrash, shattering the shield and protecting him.
The Kings focus their attacks on Mokin, hitting him with ranged attacks from all over until Sycamore springs from the fleeing crowd and stabs the Goliath with both of his daggers, inciting Mikin to stone skin all around Sycamore's daggers. As Sycamore hangs, Trapizoid calls down lightning from the heavens to hit Mokin and Sycamore, but the charge from Sycamore's electric dagger overcharges the spell, rendering him safe from the holy lightning and allowing him to vault off of Mokin. Uul casts enlarge on Sycamore who steals Mokin's heavy crossbow and blasts him in the stomach.


As the singing of the dragons fade and the sound of Budrash's Banjo is heard, from all around, higher pitched voices join in the harmony. The voices of the dragonkin, all singing together in unison, inspired and invigorated by the song. Budrash, as it is sung by your predecessors and your kin you recognize the song you play as the same song your mother would sing to you softly as a child, now booming and powerful. This is the oldest song, this is the Song of the Draconic Hero.

The singing fades and the fight continues, but Budrash is bathed in a glowing light, then you feel your scales shift, and your body transform as your claws grow sharper, your fangs grow longer, and from your back burst a pair of fully formed wings, above you hangs the faded image of MitneVrak, watching over you and imbuing you with the ancient power, of the Draconic Hero.

Beardom is now the first Dwarf to live in Stheimisku Trapizoid has secured Stheimisku as members of the League of Every Organized Nation.

Report Date

28 Oct 2018