The Chronicles of Eberron: Chapter 3

''As the party’s final foe falls, Lia walks over and picks up her yellow cloak. ''

Lia: These must be those blackscales.

''She searches the bodies and finds several bottle of poison. ''

''The party makes camp in a site not too far from the battle. During their four day rest, Lia meditates and Stander repairs his body. ''

***

''Lia, Sul and Stander set back out onto the trail, which starts to go up the side of a volcano. As they crest the volcano, they find a massive deserted city before them, magnificent despite the decline of ages. Below, channels of dretch, thousands of them, mill about in the deep ditches. Gazing up, the party sees a sacrificial bier before the top of some pyramid. At a quick glance, the bier seems to be worth thousands of gold. ''

Lia: Maybe that is an artifact worth recovering, but we will need to sneak about the city and that would be hardly possible with a warforged at our side.

Stander: The bier is about 400 pounds of stone. You will need me if you expect to retrieve it. However, the contents inside may be what you are looking for. Also, the buildings to the side of the pyramid look like armories.

Lia: Then we might find some valuable equipment to aid us. Let’s go. The treasure is not going to find itself.

''The party attempts to sneak through the city, but the effort is hardly worth it as Stander makes a lot of noise. However, despite the lack of stealth, no creature in the city gives them heed. ''

''The party disappears into one of the side building, an armory, on the pyramid. They search though the contents and find several magical weapons of great value. Amongst them include, a bastard sword, a spiked chain, a halberd and scimitars that spark at the touch. All of the artifacts have strange symbols on them which Sul recognizes as an enchantment to ward dragonkind. Sul loads the items into Stander’s pack. They leave the building and enter the next on the other side of the pyramid. It also contains the same contents. ''

''Suddenly, the grounds shakes and a vase standing on one of the shelves nearby falls with a crack. Lia cautiously moves to the doorway and peers outside. And, to her horror, stands a massive lizard with jaws that could crunch stone. This intimidating feature makes up for its small arms that stay close to its body. The creature lets out a roar that shakes the building and quiets the dretches outside. ''

Sul: Get in here, woman!

Lia: How are we supposed to get around that thing? We cannot fight it!

''Not listening to Sul’s advice, Lia continues to peer outside. ''

''The beast starts to sniff the air then it slowly turns to the building that holds our heroes. Lia backs away from the door and grabs a scimitar from Stander’s pack, recalling stories of adventurers having to cut their way out of monsters like this. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Then in an instant, the lizard starts full throttle at the building. As its head smashes into the wall, the walls give away and crumble into nothing; leaving nothing between the party and the beast. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''The party takes action. Stander and Sul quickly charge to the front while Lia goes to the side about ten feet from the Lizard. Stander slams hard into the beast, but is only knocked onto his feet as the lizard opens its mouth and snaps Stander into its gullet. The lizard gives a slight cough before completely swallowing the adamantine man. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''Lia, completely horrified, brings her foot to the ground, and as it connects, the ground rattles violently with psionic energy, although the lizard is still able to keep sure footed. It then turns to the other foe in front of it, Sul. Sul anticipates the attack and dives away from a teeth filled death. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: This is bad.

<p class="MsoNormal">''Lia knows she is running out of options, but she has a couple basic monk maneuvers still ready to use. She quickly examines the creature and looks for a weak spot in the creature’s thick skull; A spot that would damage its brain, and temporarily stun the creature. Then, in a flash, Lia bolts at the lizard with all her speed, aiming for the perfect point, he point that would save her and her party. The lizard turns its attention from Sul right as Lia’s fist connects with its skull. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''The Lizard can feel its skull shake violently. The quivering travels through the creatures head and smashes into its brain with the force of a wrecking ball. The creature takes a step back, shakes its head, and falls head first into the ground. This critical strike is just what Lia and her allies needed. Sul quickly takes advantage and starts cutting away at the vitals of the creature. ''

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p class="MsoNormal">''Stander feels the violent collapse of the lizard. Thanks to his adamantine armor, the rocks within the gizzard of the creature bounce harmlessly off of his body. He opens his mouth and uses his sharp teeth to start tearing away at the Lizard’s insides. ''

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">***

<p class="MsoNormal">''Sul and Lia continue to dance around the creature, brutally giving it wounds that would never heal. Moments later the Lizard’s eyes reopens. It tries to give another roar but is cut short by the opening of its body as Stander emerges from the beast. The lizard stumbles back, not able to carry the burden of its bleeding wounds, it falls once more, and the ground shakes with the force of an earthquake. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: Ahh, it is good to see Jarhead is still alive.

<p class="MsoNormal">''Lia stairs down at her fist, opening and closing it. Then she brushes off her cloak. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: I got blood on it.

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: You just knocked out a giant lizard…with one punch.

<p class="MsoNormal">''The party turns to see elven half black dragon humanoids watching them from not too far away. The fear in them is apparent. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: Should we go to the beir and see what is inside?

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: Yes, I do not think these beings will trouble us.

<p class="MsoNormal">Stander: I hate lizards.

<p class="MsoNormal">''The party advances to the bier. The lizardfolk part as they pass. As they near, a voice booms from inside the pyramid. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Voice: Come forth defilers of my city. Enter my domain.

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: Who are you?

<p class="MsoNormal">Voice: I am Rashaak, Lord of this land, come inside.

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: Why would we enter the domain of the lord of the land? Would you not be more powerful in your own domain?

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: I do not draw power from here! This place is as much of a kingdom as a prison. Come inside and all will be clear.

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: Let’s go in. If something happens it is just another experience.

<p class="MsoNormal">''The party goes inside and a strange bipedal lizard, like the last but smaller, shows them through the pyramid until they reach a hall of glass. The walls in this room glitter as they flash various images around the world of Eberron. There are demons running through fields, kings in their castles, and many others. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">''They leave the room and cross another hall into a massive cathedral; stacked from floor to ceiling with gold. A massive black shape moves in the center of the pile. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: Are you Rashaak?

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: Yes I am.

<p class="MsoNormal">''Rashaak reveals himself as a black dragon. His breath disturbs the party’s hair and cloths and almost knocks them over. Fear builds up in the party, but they are able to sustain it at the moment. ''

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: Why did you want us to enter?

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: To see my prison, and to think of me when you complete the prophecy of this world.

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: Prophecy? What are you talking about?

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: All dragons know of the prophecy, but few can tell it. For me…I know it little. But we are aware that it is drawing near, and I feel you are the ones to end it. Thus I choose you as my own.

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: And how exactly are we to complete this prophecy

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: We do not know until it is done.

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: You say you choose us as your own. What do you mean?

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: We do not know that ether, but a prophecy works that way. In the end, it will complete itself.

<p class="MsoNormal">Sul: So keep doing what we are doing and it will complete itself?

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: Yes simple one.

<p class="MsoNormal">Lia: Now before we waste too much of your time, we are going to leave now.

<p class="MsoNormal">Rashaak: Yes. Now be gone. Remember if you see anything though, that may help increase my power, inform me. Take this ring, and only use it when you find something of that sort. Now leave me.