Expedition 45: Kill Dat Dragon Dead

### Summary

Follwing Mae'ra's counsel, we head to the Burning Hills to encounter the dragon Kazreme, but instead find his father Xovreme and his servant Enkidar. On the way out, we fight Kazreme in a brutal battle, but Kazreme flies away before we can slay him.

### Detailed Writeup

Before we leave Port Vrall, we equip ourselves with Calliope's batch of beautiful new dragonproof shields. With the new month of Monsarran, Arha finds that her divine sense has returned after being overwhelmed by looking upon the suns on the summit of Froststone. Allighul joins us as we prepare to leave the Nestle at dawn.

As we set out in the direction of the Far Hills, we are immediately faced with a choice: travel north first and cut a long swath through the Far Hills or travel more directly through the Felwood. Marzipan leads us through the Felwood, until our travel is disturbed by the sight of a massive elk charging at us!

We hurry to get out of its way, only to see three even-larger serpents pursuing it. They swiftly turn their attention to us.

With Tolyr's Hypnotic Pattern distracting two of them, we dispatch them easily, though a few of our number are wounded badly by their noxious venom. Nexrin, Calliope, Alighul get killing blows.

We forge ahead into the Far Hills. In the distance, we see a small army of brass-skinned humanoids. We try to skirt around them, only for them to notice us and charge! The have fiery hair and metallic skin--easily recognizable to those learned in the Elemental Planes as azers.

The fight is relatively brief considering the number of combatants, as Marzipan (having prepared the ability to turn elementals) instantly destroys 19 of them with a single action. The sheer number of enemies, however, combined with the fact that they explode on death, does some serious damage to us before the battle finally ends.

We make our way to the sweltering edge of the Far Hills, where we find a large volcanic hill with a massive doorway set into its base. Below the hill sits a recess in the earth in which a pool of water shimmers, oasis-like in the heat. Peering closer, it becomes clear that the pool reflects a different landscape than the one around us. We surmise that it's a portal to the Plane of Fire. A stream of faintly glowing water issues from the portal, passing through the recess and into the doorway set into the hill.

We prepare ourselves to surprise the dragon in its lair; Nexrin casts Pass Without Trace and Tolyr casts a 6th level Invisibility on everyone else. As we approach the doorway, we see that there's only a small ledge on the side of the opening that isn't covered by the glowing stream of water. We look around for alternate entrances and find a giant-sized campsite on the side of the hill.

Tolyr sends Annie up to investigate the summmit of the hill. The hill is mostly hollow. The 100-foot-radius circular chamber within is surrounded by a glowing ring of fire, and is filled by a series of seven daises that spiral up towards the open mouth at the top of the hill. Seated upon the central dais, Annie sees a massive dragon with subtly multi-colored scales, looking down at another huge figure standing with his arms resting on the third dais: a fire giant, standing 18-20 feet tall, clad in ragged furs and leathers. The two are conversing in Giant.

We recognize the layout of the daises from Marzipan's vision, wherein a fly representing the dragon we meant to kill sat upon the fifth dais and three flies sat upon the seventh. Confused, we discuss how the vision might correspond to the dragon and giant now within the lair, and begin to worry that the dragon before us is larger and more fearsome than the one we set out to kill.

As we're distracted talking amongst ourselves, the giant emerges from the dragon's lair and approaches his camp. Nexrin's concealing magic isn't nearly enough to prevent it from noticing him--realizing this, he steps forward, hands held up peaceably. The giant greets him in an unfamiliar tongue, and as it becomes clear they don't share a language, casts Tongues on himself to more easily communicate.

"What brings you to the home of Xovreme?"

Nexrin explains that we're investigating the reason behind the dragon attacks on the Nestle, and the giant politely tells him that it's not his place to speak on the matter. "It's my first day. It would be appropriate for you to speak with the master." He begins to lead Nexrin towards the entrance to the dragon's lair, and the rest of us are faced with a frightening decision: tail him closely enough to stay within Pass Without Trace range, or hang further back. Unable to coordinate due to our invisibility, we all choose to stay close except for Tolyr.

At the doorway, the waters withdraw before Nexrin and the giant, revealing a large stone passageway into the lair. The passageway terminates in a stone platform overlooking the vast cavern in the center of the volcano Annie had seen before. The water rushes back behind us as we all enter onto the platform (except Tolyr).

Another head uncurls from under the dragon's claws, this one white-scaled. In a slightly higher voice, it hisses "Talking talking talking, always so much talking. I'm going back to sleep."

Nexrin steps forward with a bow. "Greetings master. Thank you for your gracious invitation into your home. By what title should I call you?"

"Titles are the work of men. Call me by my name: Xovreme."

Nexrin and Xovreme engage in a tense parley. Xovreme explains that the dragon who attacked the Nestle was their son, Kazreme. "They were paltry treasures; he is a boy of little ambition." It quickly becomes clear that Xovreme is the dragon that the Sparksouled pay for protection, both from Kazreme and from Xovreme's 'cousins'. They suggest that a similar arrangement could be made with the people of the Nestle, and demand treasure from Nexrin to demonstrate his goodwill. Nexrin lets it slip that he came with more people, but covers his ass with some well-placed technically-truths. Under duress, he throws his bone dagger down into the flames surrounding the lair as an offering. Xovreme mentions that they have only just today taken on the fire giant, Enkidar, as a student.

Just as Nexrin is about to take his leave, the duration of invisiblity lapses, and we all appear behind Nexrin. "How interesting that your friends suddenly appear, almost as if they were under the effects of some spell intended to keep them from our sight." The white head pipes up: "Can we eat them? Can we eat them?" "Perhaps... How interesting, to have so many guests."

We frantically try to cover for ourselves, only to be extorted into each giving up valuable items of our own. Arha Misty Steps away rather than give up Drakesdoom. She and Tolyr see another dragon flying in from the west, a dire wolf held between his jaws. This one matches the size and color of the one that attacked the Nestle. Once we have all given up our treasures, Kazreme arrives. Xovreme speaks to him with scorn and suggests that we might fight him as a test. Without Tolyr or Arha present, we weasel our way out of the fight and retreat with promises of further treasure from the Port.

We make our way back across the Far Hills, but before we reach the edge of the Felwood we see Kazreme flying towards us, on the attack! We buff ourselves up for combat, but just when Kazreme comes within range he turns around and flies away, faster than we can pursue him. After we find some fireproof flowers and a magical shortsword, Kazreme circles back around to attack us again. This time, he does not flee.

A long, terrifying combat ensues, Kazreme devastating us with his breath weapon and taking advantage of his frightening aura and fly speed to stay out of range of most of our attackers. Arha gives as good as she gets with an everglow potion, Drakesdoom, smites, and, in a clutch moment, the power of Allocer interceding to save her from death. It is not enough, however. Arha falls under Kazreme's claws, and the dragon plucks up Drakesdoom as his prize. We nearly bring him down, but he escapes on the brink of death. Marzipan, fortunately, is able to Revivify Arha before her soul moves on, but we return home beaten and discouraged.