Hello, Everyone!
I've finally managed to get over my block and post an actual story update. Thank you for being so patient with me!
Last time, our heroes, having just had an encounter with Nurvureem the Black dragon, went to see the city's ruler, Dynatos Perres. They were led into his home and waited to be chewed on because of all the destruction they were kinda responsible for. However, Mr. Perres seemed more interested in the heroes' mission to Ekoba. Some forgotten secrets were revealed, some thanks given, and then Mary mentioned the Gold dragon's corpse the trio had found in Ekoba.
Dynatos Perres was clearly surprised and concerned with that information. He called for his Agent Elaria, and sent her to 'check on the others', whatever that meant.
“Wait,” Mary said. “Didn’t you already know about Diohastos? Back at the ‘Gastrognome’, that was one of the things Kalien and the Dry Hand were talking about!”
“You…” Perres looked confused. “You never got to telling me about that conversation. You left in the morning without passing by my office.”
Mary searched her memory and found that he was right. They’d promised to tell him everything when they saw each other again… But they didn’t. And it seemed that it was too late now. Things had become so much more complicated!
How could they have been so careless?
The trio proceeded to tell Perres about the conversation Aurum had listened to in the restaurant. About Diohastos’ death, the fact that Nurvureem had killed him, the search for ‘a buyer’. The part about the Artefact from Belfast being passed on to someone and that something was ‘to begin soon’. And the information about the death of someone named Meltharond having driven ‘the White Queen’ mad.
At the mention of the last part, Mr. Perres took a sharp breath.
“I didn’t know things had gotten that serious,” he murmured. “Francesca needs to know. Bruno, can you send her a message?”
“Tomorrow, yes,” Bruno said. “I’m spent now. Plus, I can only Send to people I know.”
“We know Lady Kaire,” Mary suggested. “Will she do?”
“Yes!” Perres sighed in relief. “She could relay the message.”
“There’s something else,” Mary said. “Do you think she can check on some teleportation coordinates I’ve written down? They’re for the circle that the Dry Hand used when he teleported out of Belfast's tunnels.”
“Francesca could certainly help with that,” he said. “I hope we can reach her in time, she’s in another Plane of existence right now.”
“What?”
“She’s in Pandemonium with Sir Vizarius Naga. They’re searching for a certain Arcane artefact.”
“Oh, I see,” Mary said, a little disappointed. She had secretly hoped to get to meet the mysterious Francesca Findabair, the Mage she'd heard so much about.
“Ok, but how do you know about Diohastos?” Aurum asked.
“There are… there were three young metallic dragons in Eastern Erathos,” the ruler of Pamagos said. “One of them lives on the eastern shores of Lake Dunlain, the other near the road south of Raxstrad, and the third… well, that was Diohastos. I’ve sent Elaria to check on the other two and warn them that they might be in danger.”
“Wait, that second one? He lives south of Raxstrad?” Aurum said. “Wasn’t that where that Papajorhax guy lived?”
“Rabajorhax? That’s his name, yes,” Perres said.
Aurum beamed. “I knew it! I told you he was a dragon!”
“We met him a while ago,” Mary said. “He invited us to his home and we spent the night there. He was nice, I liked him. He was taking care of a bunch of orphans. Is Elaria going to him first?”
“I’m not sure, I usually leave it to her judgement.”
“What’s the name of the third dragon? The one near Lake Dunlain?”
She remembered all the wonderful vacations she used to have with Lilly and Bramble on the lake’s shore when she was little. Turns out that the whole time, she used to be close to a dragon!
“Partunax,” Mr. Perres said.
Then, the conversation shifted to the White Queen. She was an Ancient White dragon, one of the mightiest creatures on Erathos--not only the Eastern part, but all of it! She was one of the de facto rulers of Erathos, her domain being the White Waste deep in the North. All the other countries tended to leave her alone and didn’t interfere with her deeds. The last time she was stirred was about a thousand years ago, when an assassination attempt was made on her. Enraged, she had set out south, bringing sudden and horrible winter on her wings. Half of Eastern Erathos got covered in thick ice back then.
It was said that a wizard named Meltharond had overpowered her once, making him worthy of her respect and friendship. Now the Dry Hand’s words--about his death bringing her to madness--made more sense. In her distraught state she could be persuaded to do a lot of harm to the land.
"So, it’s all about dragons," Agatha said. "The Green one, included."
"I'm sorry?" Mr. Perres said. “Green one?”
"Morgax. He's the reason I’m here,” the tabaxi said. She proceeded to tell him everything she'd already told Mary and her friends.
Dynatos Perres looked like the whole world had crashed down on top of him. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
“We’ve informed Belfast,” Bruno said. “They are tightening our border security.”
“Miss… Agatha, was it?” Perres said. “Why come to me with this information? Why not go to your own rulers?”
“Because if they haven’t done anything about it by now, I doubt they ever will,” she said.
Her ears twitched but she covered it up by clearing her throat.
“So, hearing you speak of all those dragons and cultists, I’m starting to wonder,” she said. “Could all that be connected with that Tiamat monster Mary read about? What if they’re trying to free her from her prison? You said something about a powerful Artefact that the Dry Hand had stolen?”
Mr. Perres shook his head. “I don't think that alone--as powerful as it might be--would be enough to free a being like Tiamat,” he said. “She’s been imprisoned by the Gods themselves!”
“OK, but what will you do about Morgax’ army?” Agatha asked.
“Whatever I can. We haven’t exactly been idle on our southern borders, you know? We have teams of people thinning up the goblin patrols over there. Mr. Airhammer’s sister and her party are there as we speak, doing that very job by my request.”
Mary glanced at Bruno’s reaction but he didn’t say anything. He suddenly looked alarmed, his whole body tense. He glanced around, confused.
“Did you hea…” he began.
But then they all heard--and saw--what he had.
“Bruno!” a mystical voice called.
A portal opened in the air in front of the Cleric. A bloody figure stumbled through, magical scroll burning out in her hand.
“I’m sorry. They got me,” Tesaya whispered, before collapsing into Bruno’s arms.
Ok, people. It's dragons. Dragons everywhere. And suddenly, Tesaya? What? How? Why?
Let's find out together, in our next episode
Mary's Patron
our DM
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide, the Glossary and the Map for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: These are my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum, Bruno and Agatha) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.