Arcade’s Journal -- Wyvern Bait

. . . Cadrienne has returned, having been sent to do field research once again. We have not seen her in over a year. She seems much changed, more solemn and thoughtful. Apparently, she had arranged for all of the memories of our time adventuring together to be removed from her mind to avoid being distracted by them. Extremely odd, and disturbing.

She actually showed some romantic tendencies towards Alix, which Nolin and I both immediately rushed to disabuse her of. I have informed Alix that his future career as a napkin ring is assured if he pursues her. . . .

. . . Tom-Tom was on a bender, experimenting with his new brew, and Velendo was visiting Ortigal’s farm for a few days. Cadrienne, Nolin and myself were taking our ease in the Manticore’s new dining room, when Tao walked in. She had nearly completed her training, and regaled us with stories of roaming the humanoid-infested interior of the countryside. She suggested that we organize an expedition to rid the area of some of these foul and dangerous beasts.

Her tale was interrupted by the arrival of Tephis Birdhouse, enthusiastic aspirant to hero-dom, and likely future casualty. Since we saw him last, digging a hole under our trophy room in an attempt to make off with non-existent treasure, all at the instigation of a certain "Deepleaf," Tephis has been preparing to accompany us on a quest. He has purchased a full set of ornamental (nearly useless) plate mail, with a matching shield, festooned with gewgaws.

A full-scale debate ensued as to whether Tephis should be allowed to come along. I argued that it had to happen some time, and that now was as good a time as any. Nolin countered my argument by making me fully responsible for the lad . . . !

. . . decided to check out the Hartwood, a site of recently increased humanoid activity, including orcs and ogres. Tephis showed up mounted on a high-spirited charger, and wielding an epee. It turns out that he is actually a member of a lesser house of nobility in Kindric. He also has been a squire, but unfortunately his progress was such that he needed to serve with several different knights . . . .

. . . stopped to check in on Erilyn Windfellow to see how she was recovering from the Elzid incident. Her father told us that she is doing very well, and seeing a local lad. We have decided to camp in the fields before entering the forest . . . .

. . . on second watch (Nolin’s), disaster struck. Nyquil’s insistent pecks awoke me, and he hooted warnings of a huge, black flying shape. As I sprang to my feet, an ebony lizard with a fifty-foot wingspan swooped out of the night sky, grabbed Nolin, and flew off. It was moving so fast that it was out of range before my Magic Missiles could strike! I instructed Nyquil to follow them, and roused the party.

While Tephis struggled into his armor, Cadrienne, Tao and I rode after the lizard as fast as we could. Nyquil directed us as the beast circled to the east, and then flew north into the Hartwood, straight for a cave on a small wooded hill. We could hear Tephis, yelling for directions far behind us, as we arrived at the base of the hill. Taking pity, I asked Nyquil to guide Tephis to us. We quickly formulated a plan.

Cadrienne and Tao climbed up and circled around until they stood on the lip overhanging the cave. I moved to a position twenty yards outside the cave mouth and cast Mirror Image. We could see the creature, hunched just within the entrance with its back towards us. It sported a tail with a large stinger, dripping a black liquid on the cave floor. The plan was simple. Tao was to drop a large branch on the beast’s tail, and Cadrienne would drop a torch in front of it as it turned to face us. I would then hit the torch with Pyrotechnics to blind it, while Tao leapt onto its back.

The plan fell in ruins, however, as Nolin made his move before we could act. He made a break for the cave entrance. A wing buffet threw him back into the cave as the tail whipped forward to strike. Seeing the movement of the tail, I cast a Stinking Cloud into the cave, but I was too late. Nolin resisted the creature’s poison, but his guts were nearly ripped out by the stinger and he fell unconscious to the cave floor.

Enraged, the creature spun around, flapping its wings to clear the foul vapors. It emerged from the cave. Tao leaped down from above, sword at the ready . . . and missed it entirely. The creature jumped into the air, and took flight. Within moments it wheeled and dove at me, savaging one of my images with its jaws, and nailing me with its stinger. I managed to resist the poison, but it was a very close call.

While Cadrienne ran into the cave to assist Nolin, I lit a torch and handed it to Tephis in an attempt to salvage part of the plan. I miscalculated, however, as the creature swooped down and scooped up Tephis, carrying him away! I cast Pyrotechnics, and the torch exploded into fireworks. The creature promptly dropped the blinded and screaming Tephis. The squire fell twenty feet to the ground, taking minor hurts.

Tao and I dove for the cave entrance to find Nolin partly recovered, standing with drawn sword over a nest. There were several large eggs, rocking and peeping plaintively. Nolin dispatched them with gusto, somewhat to our disgust. Tao lent a reluctant hand.

I took up a position near the back of the cave, and Tao drew on her Gauntlet of Shrinking. We could hear Tephis staggering blindly up the hill and calling for us. We yelled at him to get down before the creature returned, and he obeyed just in time. As he dropped to the ground, the beast flashed over his head, and landed with a roar and a flurry of wings.

Before it could approach, I blasted it with a Darkening Bolt. Cadrienne cast Moment, thereby permitting her to cue Tao’s strikes at the perfect instant. I sent a set of ’Missiles into the beast as Tao’s hand shot forward, slapping it and shrinking it to half-size. Nolin tried to cast and nearly pulled his entrails loose, but later managed a ’Missile of his own.

Tephis had recovered, and valiantly struck with his epee at the creature’s backside, while I added to its difficulties by further Reducing it to quarter-size. The beast was about to flee, but it spotted the smashed eggs and became enraged. However, in its weakened state it was no match for Tao, and she was able to finish it . . . .

. . . appears to have been a wyvern. Who knew they prefer silver pieces for bedding? Discovered the remains of another party, a flail of dwarven make, an enchanted lance, and some magical arrows in a quiver. In the nest we discovered four beautiful golden eggs, decorated exquisitely. Nolin recalled that, six or seven years ago, a local merchant had commissioned eggs such as these from an artist in the southlands. The shipment had never arrived . . . .

. . . Tephis began to scold me, saying that he would never again hold a torch for me! I pointed out that I had to make a choice between blinding him and forcing him to survive a short fall, or permitting him to be torn apart and eaten in mid-air. He stopped complaining . . . .

. . . cached the wyvern’s body and treasure in the cave, rested and healed, and then continued on into the lowlands . . . .