Here Be Dragons!
About a week after the latest expedition into the dungeon beneath Helmsport, Alarion Northsea received a summons from Lorcan, a paladin of his order who served in the local Church of Altius. Lorcan asked Alarion to find Boethius, another paladin of the Silver Circle, who had not returned from a recent dragon-hunting trip into the wilds on the north bank of the Helm River.
Alarion wasted no time in contacting the half-elven ranger Beran Findalson and setting out on the missing paladin’s trail. Astride his mighty warhorse, and with his new cohort, Verdigris the wyrmling bronze dragon, flying alongside, Alarion felt certain that he could handle any troubles that the wilds might hold.
Together, the two adventurers had little trouble following reports of the paladin’s passage through nearby villages, all the way to Morgan’s Crossing, a small town known for its ferry service across the broad river. There, the situation grew more serious as Alarion learned that they might not be the only ones on Boethius’ trail. Apparently, a man dressed in lacquered green scale armor and bearing an ornate scimitar had also been following the paladin, and had come through town only days earlier. Could this man be connected to the individual spotted in the slaver waystation south of Fort Kavanaugh, dressed in red scale armor and bearing a similar weapon?
The two quickened their pace, heading ever-farther away from civilization. They made short work of a pair of ettercaps and their monstrous spider pets, but soon came upon a grisly scene. A gutted warhorse lay near the scene of a battle, with the ruined saddle of Boethius still upon its back. Of the paladin, Beran found no sign, though he did locate signs that something—or someone—had been dragged off through the underbrush.
Hot on the trail, Alarion and Beran soon encountered the author of this destruction: a young green dragon. The battle began, with each side dealing strong blows to the other. With combatants on both sides rapidly weakening, the fight broke off as both the adventurers and the dragon retreated to recuperate.
The next day, Beran followed the trail to a nearby cave, and the characters planned an ambush on the dragon. But when they resumed the battle, they were surprised to find that the dragon wasn’t alone: Fighting alongside him was an elven sorcerer named Bristanir. But even more surprising was when that sorcerer opened his mouth to reveal rows of needle-sharp teeth and let loose a blast of acidic fog, confirming his draconic heritage.
The combat raged back and forth, with each side alternately taking and losing the upper hand. The heroes finally prevailed, but not without loss: Alarion’s special mount, a peerless destrier from the famed Rivinglock Stables of Stormpoint, lay dead upon the battlefield.
Within the cavern lair the heroes learned the ultimate fate of Boethius—dinner for Bristanir and his half-brother, the green dragon. They also found the green-armored body of Boethius’ other follower, suggesting that whatever authority he served wasn’t respected by the dragons. Together, paladin and ranger solemnly bore the knight’s body home, where it received proper consecration and burial.
But other news was waiting for Alarion upon his return—news of the location of the duke’s missing heir, Decius Avan!
Previous: Death Beneath Helmsport
Next: A Rescue Mission