Momentarily stunned at what was happening at Phandalin the group looked on
as orcs streamed through streets and the massive lizard like form of the
dragon disappeared within the ruins of the manor.
A few words passed by them and then they sprung into action.
Zenari asked the party to not follow her as she had a plan and headed straight
towards Tresendar Manor, where the Cryovain lay. Koraliki Verque sprang to the other side and stealthily started walking the perimeter of
the village hoping to get a more tactical view of the situation. It took her
awhile but she was able to make progress without being seen even though Orcs
would now and again jump out of the town and flee into the darkness with
various grabbed loot. She was able to make out that the Townmaster's Hall was being slowly covered by odd black vines seemingly controlled by the
mysterious Half-Orc that stood on the roof. Farther south she spotted the Eyes of Neverwinter battling against Orcs
and Ogres
and holding their own. Continuing on her scouting she spotted that the Stonehill Inn seemed to be left alone by the orc patrols which seemed suspicious. The Tresendar Manor looked quiet and there was no sign of the Dragon
anymore. Finally, she approached the Phandalin Church.
Meanwhile Idris had rushed straight forward towards the Phandalin Church with Siax and Factoré behind him. Taking a slightly more roundabout route Pine approached the church from the north. As Idris charged forward the Church grew closer revealing Brother Gartok and Sister Sandren keeping out an ogre by erecting a magical wall of stone. Inside the church were townsfolk and the familiar face of Ghelryn wielding his tower shield. Pine entered through a broken window and fought with an orc that was trying to get at the people while Idris summoned Barolt and commanded him to knock the Ogre back which amazingly the spectral horse did with no hesitation. However he found himself struggling against the higher ranking orc he faced. Thankfully as the orc was about to wound him a few hours flew past and struck him, Siax and Factoré taking shots from around a building. While it was close call the party eventually overcame resistance.
After a brief discussion with the temples acolytes they decided to head to the townshall as apparently citizens had taken refuge there. However before they left the two priests offered to cast a ritual that would allow them to gain the benefits of a rest in but a few minutes. Gratefully agreeing, the party headed in the temple. By the time the ritual was done Koraliki Verque was able to catch up with them.
Now somewhat rested they made their way towards the Townmaster's Hall, the strange man now absent, having jumped down and entered the building. Before they could make their way there a massive fiery blast from the east shattered windows and threw Pine in a nearby bush. The blast was so large that it knocked the Dragon from the sky, crashing somewhere in the south of the city. Before the others could recover a Troll bellowed out in fury and charged them. Beaten up as they were the group methodically destroyed the creature but not before it struck Idris several times. It was then that Zenari joined them, looking exhausted and with clothes tattered. She said she was fine but the last few minutes had been anything but.
As the others fought she had made her way up to Tresendar Manor. Ignoring a dwarven guard who was hyperventilating and in shock she climbed into the ruin, using one of the scrolls they found to make it so her footing was sure. Exploring the ruined mansion she finally found what she was after. The Dragon Cryovain. The creature sat coiled within what was once the barracks, occasionally slamming a tail into a nearby wall and running it's claws down a pillar. She tried approaching stealthily and speaking into it's mind but the senses of the Dragon were exceptionally keen and it turned, a sinewy neck looking down at the corridor where she stood. Zenari pled to the Dragon that he had to leave things standing for it to have something to rule over but the creature seemed unmoved. It seemed to see Tresendar Manor, a location of power, almost like an insult against it. Zenari tried a different approach and remembering Siax seeing the chain marks on the Dragon's neck, tried to stir the Dragons empathy. It reacted very badly to this, breathing in air, ready to destroy her. Sensing the impending death she teleported out of the house and started running but the Dragon took flight and almost casually saw her and followed. A breath of ice, intentionally targeted behind so she could feel death catching up and then it was over...
Until it was not. On her last moment in life Zenari saw a familiar green glow around the ring the wizard Zatharius had given her to protect her mind. It seemed to implore her to remove it. With almost frozen hands she did so and a harsh voice filled her mind immediately. ""FOUND YOU!" it hissed. And then the world exploded.
Now reunited the group entered the Townmaster's Hall finding the stranger, now confirmed as the Half-Orc Siax had seen in the Woodland Manse speaking to Mayor Harbin Wester. Wester told him that Phandalin has withstood invaders before and that they would not bow down to marauding orcs. The stranger only smiled. “Orcs are the least of your worries” the stranger said keepign his eyes focused on a large pendant he held, normally seen around Wester's throat. The Mayors Jewel.
Pine walked in and in an uncharacteristically brash move cursed the stranger. His smile only grew as he casually equipped a massive greatbow apparently made from a tree trunk and shot Harbin Wester through the heart. The man was instantly dead. The stranger then moved unnaturally quick and deposited the pendant within some vines. They covered it and then he turned to face them. Mocking them and opening himself to attack Pine realised this man was testing them for some reason. Sensing that this gave him an opening Idris ran forward and oddly for the young Paladin did not attack. Instead, summoning every ounce of divine power within him he simply commanded the stranger to "DROP". The facade of delight the stranger affected slipped but for a moment as he threw the greatbow down. With a neat move Idris grabbed it and threw it to Siax.
The fight that followed was intense, the stranger using arcing
lightning to strike at the group at times, knocking a few of them out.
However eventually his body seemed to be giving out. Standing in
front of Pine he grinned, introduced himself as Grannoc and told them all that they would meet again. He then drew a dagger and
slit his own throat.