User blog:ATK1734/The Intrepid Tales of Brazen Storm - Volume 2: The Rings of Oblivion, Chapter 5

Reality is a fickle thing; to those powerful enough, they can bend it to their will on a mere whim. So too could Brazen Storm’s newest foe. Now to rewind the clock several moments to reveal the truth.

Hawk witnessed his friends fall under the Sapphire Dragon’s spell, watching in terror as a third eye opened on the Dragon’s head and its hypnotic gaze entrancing all under it (save for himself). As the Dragon took back his sacrifice, Hawk stepped from the safety of invisibility, revealing himself to the dragon as he attempted to blind the dragon with magic. After a futile attempt, the dragon discovering that Fenrir’s daughter to be a Drow priestess in disguise, a terrified Hawk could hear his Werewolf comrade stirring behind him and shifted gears to speak to the dragon.

With the Sapphire Dragon’s gaze fixated wholly on the Tabaxi, Fenrir managed to teleport inside and line the dragon’s gullet with dynamite he’d stolen from the Drow armory. However, as the others began to stir, negotiations turned sour as Hawk made an unwise suggestion that the dragon instead use the Drow as his sacrifice instead of Fenrir’s daughter, Lupa.

The dynamite erupts within the dragon’s belly but did little more than a cause smoke to leak from its nostrils. Rather than tempt luck any further, the party fled, Dilista and Spindeep causing enough of a distraction for the dragon to lose sight of them.

Bedlam erupted from all around them; the chaotic clash of sword and vicious roars rang throughout the halls of the palace. The dragons had turned their wrath upon the Drow who retaliated in kind.

With their foes comfortably distracted, Brazen Storm made their way to find the remaining slaves, who were locked in a courtyard behind some kind of barrier. Combining her acting ability with a cleverly timed Seeming Spell, Dilista was able to convince the guards to assist their brethren in fighting the dragons, leaving the prisoners unguarded.

Investigating the barrier, Spindeep discovered a magically protected ring that appeared to be the source of the spell. Though they tried many different strategies, it was not until the wise, elder Monk suggested simply using one of Fenrir’s javelins to lift the ring out. Employing the Elf’s wisdom, was the magic of the ring finally undone, freeing the slaves.

They stared at the strange assortment of their saviors but took little persuading to flee inside Fenrir’s Mansion to safety.

However, before all the Slaves could make it, the Dragons found them; as he threatened and attempted to intimidate all who were present, he revealed to them a ring on his own clawed finger.

A ring that Fenrir quickly took notice not only resembled the one in his hand, but also one that was previously in his possession.

However, a look of horror swept over the face of the Sapphire Dragon. He glared, fearfully, at the ring in Fenrir’s hand declaring that they now knew where it was.

The question was soon answered before the party could ask it, as before their eyes a fiery door burst from nowhere and outstepped their old acquaintance: Jericho, the Balor. However, our adventurers quickly took note that the Abyssal creature was now made monstrous in size by the power of the ring Brazen Storm had bartered away.

Jericho mused on their reunion, unafraid of the three, enormous dragons behind him, but his temper grew fierce as he demanded the ring. Quickly, Hawk and Fenrir were able to barter a new deal with Jericho: if he could save them from the Dragons, then they would pay their debt for another ring. Begrudgingly, the Balor accepted and soon set himself upon the dragons.

The Sapphire Dragon, having his ring taken by the Balor glares hatefully at the party before vanishing, abandoning his Cryst and Amethyst underlings.

Dilista, having discovered a dark and ominous presence within it, attempted to commune with the ring. However, her charms win her back a response so forceful that it nearly broke her mind; fighting through the pain, the Tiefling was able to discern only one word from the ring: Run.

Fenrir, with no intention of honoring their word a second time after the tragedy of Byroden, forced his companions into the Mansion and fled with them in his pocket.

And so, the werewolf ran, chased by the horrific sounds of dragons being mutilated and a very angry Abyssal realizing the trick. However, Fenrir was able to successfully evade the Balor and escape back to the Crystal Chamber, where the Red Dragon no longer waited…but in its place were several hundred dragon eggs.

Spindeep took over watching the ring as Dilista went to join her comrades in investigating the eggs. The Elven Monk could sense a dark presence staring back at him, the runes born upon the band changing its shape to reveal not a harmless golden ring, but a dark item to look like linked chains. The presence tore at the Elf’s mind, inching its way ever closer to his finger; but with the fortitude of his training, and many, many years of study, Spindeep was able to resist the temptation. However, he could not stop himself from feeling drawn to the power of the ring.

The remaining party members investigated the eggs, only to find that each was fused with the Crystals of Possibilities. Realizing the dangers of such hybrids, the party got themselves ready to flee through the roof (though not before Fenrir and Spindeep harvested a few dead dragons for themselves).

Hawk steered his dragon steed through the crystals, encountering a close shave but managed to not touch any of the crystals. Together, Tabaxi and Dragon set upon the mouth of the cave with dynamite and acid to destroy the abominable hybrids and delay their pursuer.

Successful in their endeavor, Brazen Storm fled back to Whitestone. However, unbeknownst to our intrepid adventurers, Jericho had followed them to the Crystal Chamber and began to mutate from a chance encounter with the Crystals of Possibilities. Their foe was buried under acid and rubble but his gaze was now firmly set on our heroes.

Setting up their camp just outside of Whitestone, the slaves began to rejoice and celebrate their newly returned freedom and begin to go their separate ways. Fenrir was greeted warmly by the survivors of his Longtooth Clan and declared that they would rest the night before setting out for home. The Werewolf and Tabaxi went to Lupa, where Hawk was able to heal her and restore her to consciousness. Though, to Fenrir’s dismay, Lupa was revealed to have been blinded by her captors.

With a comforting smile and a gentle embrace, the valiant members of our intrepid party watched on in pride as Father and Daughter were reunited at last.