The Dauntless II

"I'm sure. She's also a caster, had a divine symbol of Droskar on her," Dorrak adds, then the group bids their farewells and heads into the armoury for their reward, then back home.

After resting up, the group returns to the temple, hurrying their way through the lower floors and up the stairs at the Forge. There they find a set of armored skeletons, each armed with a sword flickering with unnatural flames.

As combat is joined, Antoinette rushes into the room, reducing to her hybrid form to better maneuver, but is quickly surrounded as a couple of the skeletons block the door. As she lashes out in all directions around her, Suki pushes one of the skeletons away from the door, and the party reverses the surrounding to now surround the skeletons. They stun Dorrak and Suki at points in the combat, but ultimately don't put up too much of a fight, the last one finally falling to a burst of magic from Django. As they collapse the flames flicker out from their swords, which fall from their once again lifeless hands.

As you open the door to the next chamber, a wave of blistering heat pours out. Massive stalactites hang down from the roof of this large cavern, while below a bubbling lake of magma sears and slowly churns. A stone ledge along the west wall narrows as it leads south to an exit, the lake of magma twenty feet below and the ceiling thirty feet above. As you proceed into the room, the heat rises until it becomes nearly unbearable. You move to get through it quickly, but as you charge forward, there's a visible swelling in the surface of the magma lake before it breaks, revealing a massive creature made of stone that emerges, stretching its arms and making a sound like... is that a yawn?

"Ugh, I was having such a nice nap, too," she drawls, leaning over to rest her arms on the ledge above the magma lake. "You're here to slay the dragon, yes?"

"Yes," Dorrak replies bluntly. "Please do not try to stop us."

"I mean, I don't really want to," the being shrugs. "I'd much rather go back to my nap, maybe take a swim. But Veshy and I have a bit of detente where he doesn't try to kill me if I don't let people through. Are you sure you can't just, like, let this one go? What difference is one dragon conquering an empty city gonna make?"

"Unfortunately, at this point, my life. I'm kind of in a pact that requires I take down this dragon," Suki says, pointing her fauchard in the direction of the stone being.

"Please stand down," Dorrak adds quickly, raising his hand peacefully, "There are good people in Kovlar who don't deserve to have a dragon's ambitions hanging over their heads. We will protect them at any cost, but there's no reason for you to have to throw yourself in our way. If you leave down those tunnels, just for a time, we'll slay Veshumerix. If we succeed, you're free to return here without a magma dragon's whims be all that stands between you and a brutal end."

"Hm..." the being tilts her head slightly. "Well, it'd be a shame, because I do like Veshy, but you all seem pretty strong too. Like, I guess I could soften you up for him and then he'll be more likely to survive. But also, I could die. Hm... y'know what? If Veshy asks you nearly killed me and I had to flee to the vents to heal." She lifts her arms and slides back down into the magma lake with a small salute.

Another huge lake of magma bubbles and seethes in the western half of this sweltering cavern. A wide stone ledge runs along the room’s eastern side, twenty feet above the level of magma below. As you sidle along the wall to keep away from the magma, this lake's surface doesn't rise so much as pop as two massive creatures made of magma, appearing as a hybrid of gorillas and bears, leap out with vicious roars.

The party leaps into action quickly surrounding and defeating one of the large elementals, though taking some fiery pain in the process. The second manages to alight both Dorrak and Nova before being brought down, but quick responses keep both of them from dropping. Following the encounter, the group retreats to the area before the magma to heal and buff. Finally they fly into the Dragon's chamber.

Though it seems your battle didn't disturb Veshumirix's slumber, the sounds of people flying into his chamber in clanking heavy armor, his great orange eyes open, and he lifts his head to glare at you.

"Intruders," he growls. "Assaulting my kingdom, undoubtedly slaying my subjects along the way. You will perish for your insolence, just as every so-called hero who has come for me has perished."

Suki sprouts wings and rushes in to challenge the dragon. He responds in kind by striking at her with fury, nearly taking her down. Antoinette and Dorrak follow up striking hard at the dragon. Suki flees to receive healing from Django, but before he can do anything the dragon launches a powerful breath attack at everyone. Django quickly rouses Suki as Dorrak and Antoinette rush to continue fighting the dragon. Suki joins them as soon as she can get up. The dragon launches more attacks before diving straight into the magma, sending a splash of it up at the surrounding group. The group spreads out as Django heals Dorrak. The dragon bursts forth from the magma to launch a final assault before Dorrak strikes back. Antoinette flanks and manages to finish Veshumirex with a decisive bite to the neck.

Veshumirix lets out a howling roar of pain, burning blood spurting out of his mouth. He gives you all a final death glare. "You... may slay me," he chokes out in a growl that remains intimidating. "But Dahak's wrath... shall cleanse you... from this world..." With a final choking gasp, he falls limp.

Antoinette never releases her grasp on his neck and quickly begins pulling the body up onto the stone ledge with Dorrak's help. Antoinette quickly harvests a good sample of blood before failing to get the dragon's heart removed. Her task done, she leans against a wall, away from the magma. "I am covered in burns, but we are all alive. I sure hope this frees the dwarven king like he wanted."

Suki comes in to land next to the corpse, her wings folding up behind her as she finds her footing. Hefting her fauchard, she makes a couple quick strikes to sever the dragon's head from its body. As she does, she feels a tugging, in the direction of the old king's throne. "It seems he definitely wants to see us at least," She says, walking over and hefting head. "I say we mount this back at the citadel."

"Not a bad idea. Let's go talk to the king first," Antoinette replies.

"We slew a damned dragon, I agree, we should put that memento on display," Dorrak marvels, slowly breaking into a wide smile. "Before the air in here starts burning us, let's collect what's ours by adventurer's rights, then head back," he gestures to the glittering pile.

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