Day 6 (continued)
After the exertion of the battle against the ice wolves, the party takes a short rest, with Temerity administering healing. They discuss the potential of exploring the wolves’ cave, which causes some dissention, for Temerity wishes to go in, while Lavender and Theren do not. Orion’s opinion, when sought, is that caution is called for. Temerity begrudgingly and with little grace agrees to return to Mightrest.
Lavender leads the way back to the city, but she struggles under the weight of the ice wolf pelts, stumbling and swaying. The clothier is astounded to see them return and when she inspects them is very impressed with the offering. She willingly trades the party full sets of winter gear – cloaks, boots and tabards - in exchange for the pelts. She even presents Temerity with a pair of bright red horn cosies; Temerity is overwhelmed and thanks her profusely.
Temerity sits in the clothier’s for a short while using offcuts of fur to create little gifts for his menagerie: a cloak adorned with snowflakes for Aurius, a little carry sack for Guido and a coat for Korako, complete with fur ruff.
Theren heads to the alchemist while he does this to acquire healing potions; however, the potions are incredibly expensive. Taking his cue from Lavender’s previous offer to the clothier, he offers to work for the potions. The alchemist requests special yellow and purple flowers that are only found in a clearing guarded by fey. Lavender isn’t too happy about this, but they head out regardless. Temerity hangs behind the group a little, as he is putting the finishing touches to his sewing.
When they arrive at the clearing, the group approaches openly and without stealth. Temerity notices traces of sparkling dust trailing across the floor and over the plants, with particles of it hanging in the air, too. Theren speaks Sylvan to the fey, telling them that they come in peace to parlay. He speaks to the fey and mentions that they are on a quest at the behest of the lord and lady Winter and Summer. However, these fey are unimpressed with this pronouncement, stating that they are from the Court of Flowers and have nothing to do with the Court of Summer and Winter. Theren requests some of their flowers, stating that they are powerful and will aid them in their quest. They fey request a favour in return. Theren agrees that they will offer what they can. The fey want to take magic from Temerity and Theren.
Upon giving their request, a face appears in front of Theren. It has hair like split grass and a hat resembling a hyacinth. The fey mentions that Theren’s power comes from somewhere else. Theren explains that the power comes from his patron and is not his to offer. The fey looks at Temerity and asks about his power. Temerity addresses the fey in Common, but the fey cannot understand him. Temerity presents Koroko to them, as he frequently does to those he encounters.
Theren hastily mentions to the fey that Temerity is not offering to give them the rabbit, but that he often shows him to others. The fey express a deep desire to possess Korako. Theren berates Temerity for showing Korako to the fey. Theren cautiously tells the fey that the group cannot provide what is requested of them, so they will leave the fey in peace. Temerity happily plays with his menagerie. Theren calls him an idiot and leaves. Temerity hastily gathers up his group and follows.
As they are leaving the clearing, Temerity manages to spot one of the flowers that is growing outside the fey territory. He pulls Lavender back to prevent her from stepping on it. Theren carefully harvests the flower while Lavender disentangles herself from Temerity’s embrace.
They head back to the alchemist, who gives them two potions for the flower; Temerity and Theren take these, as Lavender has little use for potions when in her battle rage. Task completed, the group heads up into the mountains to the northeast of Mightrest. Temerity leads the way, while Lavender, in her cumbersome armour, and Theren, with his lack of experience in snow, struggle on behind. They reach a clearing near the foot of one mountain and Temerity organises the group in setting up camp. The group rests through the night.
Day 7
It was a rough night for the party due to Temerity and Guido’s stentorian snoring, so they rise early and pack away. Aurius leads them and they make good progress. Theren hangs back from the party, feeling dejected still at his persistent failure to negotiate with the fey. Temerity tries to lift spirits with a marching song but it fails, so he turns to Lavender and asks her if she knows any marching songs. Lavender is unnerved by this.
Theren, lost in his own thoughts, begins to sing softly an ancient song from his subconscious. Temerity begins to accompany him on the lute. Golden threads begin to form and intertwine as the two performers continue their duet. The song finishes and Theren feels a hint of connection with Temerity that he has not felt before. He asks how the bard knew the song. Temerity, uncharacteristically calling Theren by name, replies that he is uncertain. He implies that it came from Korako. Theren examines Korako and sees magic there; the magic is not familiar to him but it is clearly not innate to Korako. Theren asks Temerity about the rabbit, explaining what he has surmised. Temerity doesn’t know where the magic comes from – he simply found Korako in a forest one day. Theren opens up about his meeting with his patron and asks Temerity where his magic comes from. Temerity speaks of making music and the magic flows from the music, since he is a bard.
Temerity whispers to Theren that he wonders where Lavender’s rage comes from. Theren talks of a person being built of their experiences, while Temerity confides that he believes that he and he alone causes Lavender’s rages. Theren agrees that Temerity certainly contributes to the rage, which the bard takes as the highest flattery. Lavender, who has overheard some of the conversation and suspects that they are talking about her, turns and informs them that if they wish to speak to her then they should do so. Temerity responds by bluntly asking why she is always so angry. Lavender gets irritated and storms off.
Temerity returns the conversation to Theren’s arcane connection and comments that Theren has grown in power recently. Theren deflects the compliment, admitting that without Temerity, the party would be dead by now. Temerity asks him about reaching out to his patron. He offers that he and Theren could try together. Cautiously, Theren agrees. At this, Temerity leaps off to join Lavender up ahead and to wind her up. Theren smiles at the bard’s irascibility.
As they continue up the mountain, things become more dangerous and disturbing. They spot the carcasses of ice wolves strewn about across the mountainside. They are badly torn and have clearly not put up a fight. Lavender identifies them as hunting kills. She mutters a prayer to Auriel and feels a warm shiver run through her. They begin to move more stealthily.
The group reaches a flat summit covered in piles of bones. An excavated area forms a sort of living space. A horrifying screech comes down from out of the air and a white ice dragon lands on the far side of the lair. By its size, they judge it to be a juvenile, but it is nevertheless extremely dangerous.
Theren moves a short way to the left of the group, as they are vulnerable together and uses shatter against the dragon, inflicting thunder damage against it. Orion stays close to Lavender, preparing to aid her – he does not want to try and cross the carnage of the lair towards the dragon, as picking his way across the bones would hinder him. Temerity moves off to the right of the group and offers inspiration to Lavender. Lavender shoots her crossbow at the dragon and, with Orion’s hand guiding her, she finds a point between its scales.
The dragon moves forward across its lair towards the group, bellowing a challenge to them for daring to trespass in its lair. It blasts the group with its icy breath. Temerity has moved far enough away, but Theren has not and he takes the full brunt of the icy shards, rendering him unconscious. Lavender and Orion suffer damage also. Orion moves around the rim of the lair to the prone warlock, removes the healing potion from Theren’s pack and administers it. Temerity attempts to distract the dragon, mocking it from the opposite side of the lair. The irritated dragon tries to take off but in its vexation clips its wings. Temerity uses the opportunity to heal Theren further. Lavender snarls at the dragon and fires her crossbow again, but without Orion to guide her, it does little damage. Even so, dark blue blood is beginning to drip from it.
The dragon is angry with Temerity’s taunts, so fires its icy breath at him, causing major damage but the bard stays standing. It glares angrily at him and Temerity matches the glare, returning fire damage with his hellish rebuke.
Theren staggers up and moves further away from Orion, separating the party even more. He launches an agonising blast, causing massive damage and cascading golden sparks down across the back of its head. Orion speeds forwards and flurries his fists, but the intense cold causes most of his blows to miss and he slips over on the uneven floor of the lair. Temerity, facing down a dragon that is mere feet from him, mocks it again and heals himself in preparation for the next attack. Lavender fires her crossbow again, but it pings off the hard scales.
The dragon turns and slashes Orion with its back claws, but he rolls aside and it misses. It hurls itself at Temerity, getting in a glancing blow with its claws but missing when it tries to bite him. Theren fires another agonising blast, but the dragon is now on the opposite side of the lair by Temerity and the blast goes ever so slightly wide. Orion picks himself up off the floor and leaps again at the dragon, flurrying blows and hitting it several times with his fists. Temerity continues to mock the dragon, referring to it as an overgrown lizard, while continuing to heal himself. Lavender, seeing that the dragon has now left the unstable terrain of its lair and it perched on the rim by Temerity, charges towards it now that she has a clear path. She spins her sword into a reverse grip, jumps up and plunges her blade into its eye with such force that it skewers the skull to the ground. Temerity leans forwards as the light dims from the dragons remaining eye forever and whispers the word lizard one final time.