Chapter Three: Trials Toward the Desert

Ashwyn followed close behind Sigurd as he walked into the trees. She she saw him walk to Lo she smiled sadly at the girl and turned away, not wanting to bother them. Instead, she walked to Zane and Cirro who were crouched in the brush.

"It might be a good idea to start studying dragons in our down time." She whispered to them. "It may be knowledge that comes in handy later on."

Zane and Cirro looked from her to each other and back before nodding their agreeance.

When Sigurd approached her again, she rose and turned her sights to the clearing again. She let out a slow breath, thinking. "I suppose it depends on how many patrols crest the ridge. There were... a lot of them down there. But.... yeah. That may be our best bet."

They watched for another few minutes and after a while, several heads poked up over the ridgeline. One... Two.... Four.... Ten imps crested the ridge and began looking around. They were talking amongst themselves and pointing to the sky where the dragon flew. As they talked they became more panicked and angry. One of the imps wore a gold bangle around his wrists. He slapped another one across the head and was yelling angrily, though none of the party could understand his words.

Ashwyn swallowed and steeled herself for a fight. She carefully lifted Pip from her shoulder and placed him at the foot of a large tree. "Stay here. I don't want you hurt." She whispered to him. He pouted but sat down just the same. She looked over to Sigurd. "Ready?" She said softly, gripping her bow firmly in her hand.

She stood and lifted her foot to step into the clearing when something happened. A loud roar shook the very ground they stood on and suddenly the clearing was a wash of flames. The heat was so intense that Ashwyn reared back and covered her face with her arm.

They could hear the imps screaming and loud clamping sounds and as the flames died down they saw the dragon standing there. He had the last imp in his mouth and was just tipping his head back to swallow what remained. Then he turned and took several steps towards them. "You know," he said. "Imps taste worse than elves." He said with a disgusted look on his face.

Listening to Sigurd's words, Lo watches him go in open mouthed shock at such kindness. Her grandmother would have chastised her, humiliated her. Her own mother never understood Lo's emotions, only dealt with them as something to grow out of. And Sigurd...a trained, battle-hardened warrior who by all rights and privileges should be telling her to buck up, get over it...he was showing her more kindness than she'd probably ever experienced. No wonder Ashwyn melted for him, she could feel herself doing the same. She might even consider his offer to carry her...or was that supposed to be a threat? Sure didn't sound like one...but no. He belongs to Ashwyn and there is no way Lo would ever do anything between them. Even after Ashwyn herself had offered...but that was before everything else had happened. Definitely not now.

Standing up and shaking herself off a little, Lo watches the rest of the group look at something in the clearing. Looking over the clearing herself, she squints a little at...something...several somethings. Having never seen an Imp before, Lo can't even guess what they are but studying physiology her entire life helps her figure the best way to do something about them. The joining of limbs to the body is always a weak spot; chest covers major organs, with bone structure protecting them, find the bone structure there's a way around it; head is always a good target, though in this case rather small. Steadying herself and flipping her staff so the silver side is pointed outwards, Lo watches Ashwyn and Sigurd for some sort of signal before stepping forward...only to jump back at the loud roar!

Watching the dragon make short work of the Imps is...well...but at the dragon's statement about how they taste Lo starts laughing. She can't help it, it's just too funny! The dragon's expression...his voice...everything is just hilarious all of the sudden. Not entirely sure where this bubbling laugh came from, Lo doesn't fight it. It feels good to laugh!

Sigurd unclipped his sword from back once again and swung it around, letting it rest on the ground beside him. He watched the imps come into view and he made a mental checklist of each one. If they were going to fight a large group he needed to make note of where they were, especially once the others got involved. He had a big swing radius after all"

Taking a step out of the forest, he was stopped by a familiar roar and a burst of heat and fire. Sigurd stabbed his sword into the ground and crouched behind it to shield himself from most of the heat until he felt the cool, though stale breeze. He looked up to see their Dragon friend had returned. Sigurd walked towards him with a smile at his comment "Can't say I've had either but I'll take your word for it."

Ashwyn stood once the heat had subsided and followed Sigurd out of the forest. She smirked at the dragon and crossed her arms across her chest.

"I have to admit.... I didn't think we'd be seeing you again." she said.

The dragon made a move that could only be described as a shrug. "Just had to stretch my wings. Been ages, ya know?" He responded, giving a mighty flap with his wings for emphasis. He looked down at the party before him and lay down against the ashy ground. "But, I figure I owe you at least a little something. For taking that scale off, ya know. So.... ya need a ride anywhere?"

Ashwyn smiled and turned to Sigurd. "Well... as a matter of fact..."

Zane and Cirro had joined them now and Zane cleared his throat. "Can you take us across the boarder? Passed the patrols? Into the wasteland?"

"Maybe even all the way to where the gold man is?" Ashwyn added hopefully.

The dragon pondered for a moment. "I'll get ya into the wastes easy enough. But I'm not going back to that mountain. No way am I ever going back there." He shook his head. "But I'll get ya as close as I can." He lay flat on the ground and indicated with his head that everyone should climb on. "But this doesn't mean I like ya!" He added with a half-hearted glare.

Sigurd smirked he was going to have to tell his father about this. Diplomacy with a dragon. He doubted even his father would have that kind of insanity. "As far as you can will do, we can make the rest of the way on our own." He made the first motion to mount the dragon and situated himself between two of his spines. Patting the side of the dragons neck Sigurd had a thought "Alright, so now that we're on riding terms... and you have no name. We're giving you a name." He turned towards Zane "Gnome! what are some dragon names?"

Ashwyn followed Sigurd, hardly able to believe their luck. Who would have thought that they were about to ride a dragon into the wastes!? She situated herself behind the spine Sigurd was leaning back against, careful to watch the wing joint.

Zane plopped himself down next, struggling to fit his large pack and his body between the scales.

Cirro waited for Lo to sit before he followed. Part of him wondered if he should shrink down to make it easier for the dragon, but it didn't seem to complain having them all on hos back. It would be a new sensation to fly by the wings of another for once. He knew the pixies and sprites would fly with birds and such but he'd never had a need to. He looked forward to the experience.

"Now no one fall off, ya hear? I won't be catchin ya if you do." The dragon chuckled. He flapped his large wings and pushed off the ground, shooting straight into the air until the ground was hidden by the clouds high overhead. Then they were off, flying through the sky.

Ashwyn was far more comfortable on the ground, with her own body finding purchase on something solid. Flying was.... Not pleasant for her. She clutched at the spike before her, trying not to show too much of her terror as they soared. She barely heard it when Sigurd shouted something about a name.

Zane, however, was facinated by the flight, though nearly tumbled off several times as he leaned out to get a better view. When Sigurd spoke to him was another of those times. When he regained his hand hold he pondered.

"Well," he shouted over the wind noise, "there was Goldrut, champion of the red. Uhhm... Bozat, the clean. Qyrso the wicked was quite famous. Oh, how about Deze? After Deze, the destroyer? He was quite famous indeed! Burned down several kingdoms and waa said to hold the largest treasure pile on the eastern keeps."

Watching everyone from the shadows of the trees, Lo can mostly understand what's going on, but is stunned that the dragon not only returned but is willing to give them a ride!? A rare gift indeed! Slowly approaching the group, Lo isn't quite sure how to introduce herself to the dragon. She wasn't really a part of the moment they'd freed him; she'd been hiding in the back reading a book. Feeling more than a little embarrassed about missing something so important, Lo flushes but holds her head high as she leaves the treeline. Walking up to the dragon slowly, she makes sure he can see her before getting too close. However...it looks like things are pretty much settled by the time she gets there, so she just bows respectfully to the dragon in thanks and mounts up.

A dragon is a VERY different experience from ridin Sigurd earlier! For one thing, not nearly as warm. But the scales pose a danger of slicing skin, and while Lo quickly adapts and grabs hold of one of the spikes along his back it's definitely not soft wolf fur. Still though! Flying is exhilarating, and Lopiena grins into the surging wind. Following the ground, Lo watches the earth flow beneath them, wondering about the desert formations. Some areas look like they once held water; that might be useful to compare it to the Queen's map.

Listening to Zane talk about names for the dragon set Lopiena's mind whirling. If the dragon actually wants a name, it should be mighty, and memorable. A different dragon's name wouldn’t do...she didn't know many names or words that would be appropriate, but she'd picked up a couple from listening to strangers traveling through her village.
"Akatombo, red dragonfly. Mata o Afi, eye of fire..."

"Well I don't think this young one has earned a title yet do you?" he patted the dragons neck. "Unless you want it to be Dragon: The unchained, or Dragon: The intimidated by a werewolf half his size" Sigurd said with a laugh. "As for a name...." He thought for a moment "fiadhaich lasair is our old tongue for wild flame.. I dunno, I'll let you pick" He said generally, he was never good at naming things.

The dragon scoffed and glanced back at Sigurd on his back. "How about, Dragon: Who dropped a mouthy werewolf off his back and watched him splat into goo?" He chuckled, his razor sharp teeth revealed as he smirked.

"Although, Unchained does have a nice ring to it...." he added, pondering.

Ashwyn, despite her unease, had an idea. "Arvana is the ancient Elven word for freedom. So... how about Arvan: The Unchained?"

The dragon considered this for quite some time. "Hmm... I can live with that." He shrugged. The movement unsettled Sigurd and Ashwyn for a moment before he straightened up.

Conversation became more difficult as the dragon began to dive again. Once they were back below the clouds the wind speed began picking up and blew loudly in their ears. Looking down now would reveal a vast desolate landscape. They could see the Fey Forest when they first left the clouds but as they grew nearer and nearer to the ground that site vanished even for Ashwyn's keen elven eyes. By the time they landed there was nothing in view except sand, tan and redish rocks and the occasional dead tree or bush. The sun was low against the western horizon coloring the skyline with reds and blues and purples as the stars began to poke into view.

The dragon touched down gently and turned back around to the others. "Alright, everyone off!" He said.

Ashwyn gladly pushed off of the dragon and landed with a thump on the hard ground. She couldn't resist the sigh of relief as she stood under her own weight again.

Zane slid down, well, attempted to slide down. His robes caught on the spike which spun him around and he ended up half rolling, half tumbling down the leg of the dragon and landing in a heap on the ground.

Cirro stood while still on the dragon and hopped gracefully to the ground then turned to offer his arm to Lopiena in case she needed help getting down.

Once everyone was safely on the ground the dragon turned to face them. "Well, I probably won't see you again, seeing as your gonna get yourselves killed." He chuckled darkly. "But if for some reason you survive be sure to spread my name around, will ya? But maybe make it sound more... impressive." He said, puffing up his chest a bit.

Ashwyn smirked at him. "Where will you go now?"

The dragon now called Arvan shrugged. "I don't know. If all the dragons are north maybe I'll go south. Less competition, ya know." He winked.

"Arvana the Unchained. I like it." Lopiena grinned to herself, thinking of freedom and all it entails. The young dragon had a full life ahead of him, as long as he didn't attack the wrong place and get himself killed...

Descending down through the clouds, Lo looks around at the barren landscape. Certainly nothing she'd ever seen before, but deserts are natural formations in areas with no water. On the other hand, the Queen had said this area used to be forest, so there's nothing natural about it...all the same, there’s a unique beauty in the sparce vegetation and the colorful rocks. As the sun sets, the land seems to be painted a variety of colors and the sky is awash in flame...beautiful!

Taking Cirro's arm to get down...Normally she'd ignore such an offer, but watching Zane's less than graceful exit made her cautious...Lo steps onto the barren landscape and barely avoids falling to her knees. The feeling of wrongness returned a hundredfold! Turning away from the group, Lo violently disgorges the contents of her stomach. Let the dragon think she was airsick or something, but...this place...the forest wasn't burned here, it was razed! The very earth cries out in agony, and Lo can feel every burn, every death...

Sigurd looked around as they flew, he could almost have sworn he saw ThunderKnoll from between the clouds. He missed home and couldn't wait to sleep in his own bed again. As Aravan came in for his landing Sigurd found himself clinging tighter than before. When they finally stopped he waisted no time in leaping off the dragons back. "Well, though you've been uncharacteristically kind for a red dragon we thank you." He smiled.

When the dragon was gone he turned to the others, about to speak he was interrupted by a wretching sound. He looked over to Lopiena with concern "you alright sprout? Not a good flyer?"

Ashwyn waved as the dragon flew off. When she turned around it was to find Sigurd standing over Lopiena who was bent over and expelling her last few meals.

Even Cirro was looking... unsteady on his feet. Though something told her that it was more than just the flight that was bothering her. This place felt.... wrong. She couldn't really explain it. She'd spent most of her life in the forest and now with all of this sand and lack of life it made her feel.... well, she couldn't explain it. Just off. And she didn't have NEAR as strong a connection as Lo did to the trees. She approached Sigurd and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't think it's the flight." She said softly to him. She knelt next to Lo and rubbed her back. "Just breathe. We're going to be here for a long while and I don't think it's going to get any better. Focus on your breathing. In and out. Slowly." She said, her voice soft and as soothing as she could make it.

Trying to get herself under control, Lo waves away any help. "I'm fine..." she most definitely was not fine, but having just gone through an emotional breakdown earlier she didn't want to show weakness. Stepping away a little further, she drops her pack and grabs a water flask. Taking a sip to wash her mouth, she kneels on the ground and puts a hand on the ground. That was a mistake...

There was a pool here, spring fed and always cool and sweet. When the fires started, the animals came to the pool for its cooling waters. But the fire was stronger, destroying all life in its wake...the depths of the pool roiled with animals in death throes as the fire devoured their lives, burning away the very water itself...

Dropping the flask of water, Lo clutches at the ground feeling the death throes of those who died here. She can feel her skin blister and peel, feel their dying desperation to escape, hear their screams as a new scream joins them...her own...

(Wow...rolled 18, +2 Con =20! Didn't expect to actually get out of that one)

Caught in the death throes of all those who died here eons ago, Lopiena is barely aware of the world around her but somehow the cooling breeze caressing her skin reaches beyond the wall of pain. Cool...breeze...not burning. It's all in your head, Lo. Snap out of it. Struggling to find balance, she mentally pushes against the pain with all of the calming exercises she'd been taught her whole life.

Think of a still pool of calm water.  The pool is red with blood, its waters thrashing with dying creatures...
Think of a willow, bending with the water as the river rages over it. The willow is burning, dying...
Think of the moon, cool with its light, apart from the world but still one with it. The moon...should be full, and rising soon...the ceremony...

Finally focused on something other than the dying all around her, Lo is able to move again and picks her hand up off the ground. The very action of breaking skin contact is enough to stop the pain; though she can still feel the forest dying at least she's not dying with it. Looking at her trembling hands, Lopiena is surprised that they're whole and unburned; her skin is slightly pale, not black and ash. Swallowing against the bile rising in her throat, she finally looks around at her companions and...what is that??

All of these mental games took mere moments, though to Lopiena it felt like an age since she'd felt anything other than pain. Seeing two massive and deadly creatures attacking...who is that?...never mind, whoever it is is frightened and in pain. After feeling so many deaths, Lo is hypersensitive to this new pain. Reaching into herself, Lo finds the inner strength that has kept her moving forward in spite of all circumstances. Picking up her staff with shaking hands, she focuses on the woman and calms herself with a deep breath.
"Heal." Her voice is husky from screaming, but the spell works surprisingly well. There’s still the poison, though...and the only spell Lopiena knows that fully heals poison requires touch. Leaning heavily on her staff, she slowly angles herself towards the woman, trying to avoid the big black scorpions. She's not up to a fight at the moment...

(Healing Word: d4 rolled a 4,+4 spell bonus=8 heal. It's also a bonus action so that leaves two movement actions toward the woman...less any slowness as deemed appropriate by DM)

Sigurd was at a loss at what to do with Lopiena's screams, he wasn't given much time to think however with the sound of feet that weren't any of his companions. He turned to see a woman labour over a dune with something swaddled in her arms, a child by the sounds of it. Curiosity kicked in as he wondered what caused her to be fleeing in such a manner. That was answered by two giant scorpions cresting the dune shortly after her. On reflex Sigurd unclipped his sword and rushed at the first pair of gnashing pincers.

Watching Lopiena snap out of her frightened trance he smiles to see her heal the woman, no one was dying today, not yet anyway... The sand made moving difficult for him, his rush was more of a fumbling trudge he stopped in his tracks realizing how futile running to them would be, they'll have to come to him. Sticking his sword in the sand Sigurd's hands flickered with orange flames "FIRE BOLT!"

ATK: 13+2= 15
<<if that hits>>
Fire bolt: 9

Ashwyn was at a complete loss as to how to help Lopiena, but the distraction of the running woman drew her attention away. When the scorpions crested the dunes Ashwyn jumped to her feet. Her first instinct was to draw her bow and take aim at the closest scorpion.

[Attack roll: 1 fuuuuuuuu]

Cirro trudged through sand towards the woman. He stumbled forward next to her and landed on his knees in the sand, even though the scorpion was baring down on them. He pulled the fork-like weapon from his back and took up a guard like position, while reaching a hand out towards the woman. His hand shimmered and a jet of energy flew from his hand towards her. Her skin thickened and for a moment appeared to be rough like bark. The sensation only lasted for a moment before her skin turned back to it's normal light brown.

[Cirro casts barkskin on the woman. Her AC is now 16]

Zane wasn't making the best progress with the sand, especially with his robes, so he decided walking wouldn't help him in this fight. Instead, he braced his feet in the sand and faced the scorpions. He held his arms out to either side of himself and his eyes flashed for a moment. "Magic Missile!" He shouted and pointed at the nearest scorpion. From his hand three strong blasts of magic launched at the creature.

[Zane does 12 force damage to Scorpion 2]

Trudging through the deep sand with aid from her staff, Lo can't do much more than watch her companions fight the scorpions. Sigurd's impressive fireball didn't seem to have any effect on the monsters, so they're probably immune to fire;  Zane's missles seemed to do something so they weren't immune to everything, at least. Well...that will be soon enogh, Lo is still not up to fighting just yet.

(Two movement, getting closer I hope?)

<CON save was 16>
Sigurd tried to dodge the scorpions claw but ended up catching it in the jaw, a little love tap, he'd been hit harder from his female classmates. He turned back to face the scorpion in its black eyes with a sickening grin. It was an arachnid and probably couldn't feel fear but it didn't matter it was within swinging distance of his sword. Reaching behind him he gave the crossguard a little bump from his back and carried the momentum over his shoulder and down on the scorpion.

ATK 17+6= 23. DMG 2d6+4 (5+6+4) = 15.