The Keys of Telku / Into the Fire pt. 8 / Von the 21st, 3593 CE / 9-12-21

Outside the gates of the ruined dwarven city of Kragarak, Brazzermal the Burning has escaped a trap set for him by the adventuring party made up of current and former retainers of Tarrus the One-Eyed, Lord of Liem. He has exacted his revenge on his attackers by killing the young mage Argent, and now the terrifying magma dragon rises into the air to confront another of his attackers, the fire priest Sultar, the monster's missing eyes seeming to create no hindrance in his ability to locate his enemies. Bladehelm the dwarven fighter attempts a mighty leap, hurling his axe at Brazzermal, but both the dwarf and axe clatter to the ground, having done no damage to the heavily armored dragon. Sultar, empowered by the demon which has possessed him, seems unafraid of the massive dragon's flames, until Brazzermal takes a new tactic, destroying the cliff above the demonic gnome and burying him in rubble; just as Sultar had attempted to do to the Brazzermal moments earlier. Meanhwile, Jaunzagarrath uses his devilish powers to grow in size and rise into the air, attempting to grapple the red hot dragon. For a moment, it seems as though he has succeeded, but then Brazzermal shrugs him off with his mighty wings. John and his passenger Baijo go tumbling back to the ground. Baijo attempts to negotiate with the dragon, but in doing so, inadvertently informs the monster that it may be in possession of the one of the legendary Keys of Telku. Even as he bats the hapless Bladehelm aside, Brazzermal tells Baijo that his only chance of surviving will be to lead the dragon to the Key. The commander of Brazzermal's kobold guards suddenly emerges from the ruined city, informing him that the other half of the party has overcome his fellow kobolds and are looting his hoard, moments before the kobold commander's mount is laid low by Dhakab, who has scaled the rockface leading to the still-open upper gallery of the ruined gates of Kragarak. Brazzermal roars with fury at this subterfuge, immediately taking flight and heading for his treasure chamber. Baijo prays with all his might to Vespera, and it appears the goddess hears his prayers, for an angelic silhouette surrounds Dhakab the desert warrior as he throws a blade with unerring accuracy through the wing of the great dragon as he passes overhead, crippling the beast, though not deterring his quest for vengeance. Dhakab pursues his quarry into the dark stone halls of the dwarven city. As Baijo heals the survivors, they begin to figure out how they are going to scale the ruined gate and pursue the monster. Meanwhile, the others are looting the treasure after having defeated their kobold attackers. They hear a noise from below, and Night scales the rocky platform which contains Brazzermal's hoard, climbing down to find a figure floating in the waters of the underground lake eighty feet below. The gripple cleric, Stele, has come to these caverns pursuing rumors of a ghostly presence. He points out to the Adventurers a ship floating in the underground lake beneath the hoard chamber, a ship that has no reason being there. And yet, they recall the story given to them by King Tharin of Amarath, that of a ship lost at sea, of his missing uncle Lomaran whose pendant was discovered by a knight exploring Mount Galadea, and of the ship's other cargo; a Key of Telku! Adrienne, having no fear of the water thanks to her gillperson heritage, dives down to the lake eighty feet below, slipping effortless into the water to join Stele, where she too observes a decrepit ship floating on the water's still surface. As the others debate their next steps, the ring that Marrow looted moments ago begins to warm and glow with a warning; a dragon is approaching!