The Age of Worms / The Zenith Trajectory pt. 15/ Fos the 23rd, 3593 CE / 11-7-21

In the aftermath of Milton's passing, Nari pushes forward to explore what lies at the top of the stairs in the birthing chamber, but human White Eyes, whom they found while investigating the prison cells of Bhal-Hamatugn, is appalled and leaves the party. His fellow prisoner, the gnome archaelogist Cherrit, decides to continue following Not by Choice to see what the next adventure might be. At the top of the stairs, they find another closed door, but after searching it for traps, Nari feels it may be opened safely. Unfortunately she's forgotten about the ulat-kini guard they left behind in the birthing chamber the day before, and who has now made his way up to the chamber beyond this door. Upon seeing Not by Choice, he triggers a mechanism to send sharpened stakes flying at the party, striking both Nari and Jozu, and weakening the raptor with some sort of toxin. The party leaps into action, and the guard, who has little hope of prevailing, scrabbles desperately at the door leading into the next chamber. Unfortunately, in doing so, he sets off a magical trap, filling the room with electricity. Though the bolts of lightning finish off the ulat-kini, Not by Choice is able to withstand the powerful bolts. A voice from the other side of the door calls to the group. Entering the room reveals the source to be a large black dragon calling himself Dhorlot the Fecund. As it is revealed that the party slew Dhorlot's nemesis, the red dragon Dottrog, the sinister creature gains some grudging respect for the party, but it also becomes quickly clear that a debt is owed due to Milton's slaying of the dragon's entire brood of aquatic offspring. As Dhorlot bargains for the use of Nari as a new brood mother, the parlay is interrupted when Harrov attempts to slay the beast. The attack is thwarted, and results in Cherrit being killed in a slurry of acid from the Dhorlot's maw, and Harrov on the brink of death. To add injury to injury, Dhorlot tears free Harrov's third arm, and then demands that the party bring him his stable of ulat-kini females to continue the monster's dark experiments in eugenics. With Harrov as a hostage, the party hurries to the section of the compound that contains the ulat-kini females. Meanwhile, Harrov regains consciousness, and with grim determination, resumes his onslaught. Though the mocking Dhorlot regards Harrov as an easy opponent, Harrov is able to use all his remaining might to smash the dragon in the face with his hammer, shattering his jaw. The enraged Dhorlot ends Harrov's life with a massive swipe of his claws.