GoCorral

Barakah Out of the Bottle

The party floated above the city of Nox, all but victorious. The dragovinians had fled. The vampiric dragons were being forced to retreat. Blendegad would soon have to flee as well or he risked being overwhelmed by the Olympians once they worked out their family differences. The Olympian gods were mostly fighting amongst each other, working out old grievances which were never truly forgiven or forgotten. Only Hercules and Hermes fought against the dragons and they were losing without assistance.

Happy with the distraction, Eathirilu and Hektor raced towards the Museum. The entrance wall had caved in, revealing Argus, the many-eyed giant. In his hands he held cesti with a shimmering, violet aura. He clashed them together and the thunderous sound of metal on metal rang throughout Nox. The Hecatonchires were approaching Argus and the air around the Museum hummed with missiles thrown by the many-armed ones.

Zelus moved towards his beleaguered relatives, Hercules and Hermes. He used his magic to heal their wounds and they continued the fight with renewed strength. Barakah stared hungrily at Zelus. The Beast within him, normally just a whisper increased to the volume of a titanic hurricane, “CONSUME HIM! HE LOCKED US AWAY! HE’S ONE OF THEM! HE IS THE ENEMY! TAKE HIM! CONSUME HIM! HE IS THE ENEMY! ZELUS IS THE ENEMY!” Barakah’s soulless eyes blinked and Ammutseba’s opened.

Ammutseba rushed upon Zelus. She grabbed him with her tentacles and unhinged her giant’s mouth. Zelus barely had time to shout for help before he was devoured whole. Ammutseba’s belly stretched and then contracted. Zelus was now contained within her giant’s body. Danar and Tagenadi watched with stunned horror. They hefted their weapons and prepared to engage the new threat that had entered the battlefield. Ammutseba’s eye-voids bore into the warrior duet. She snarled and then teleported away with her swallowed prize.

Danar and Tagenadi looked at what else they could do. The Olympians continued to argue amongst themselves. Hercules and Hermes now had an advantage over the dragons. Blendegad looked ready to signal a retreat. The city of Nox itself was wrecked. Tagenadi felt a pang of guilt for the innocents caught in the crossfire. Unfortunately, there was little they could do to fix the damage the gods had wrought. Danar and Tagenadi headed towards the museum where the Hecatonchires and Argus engaged each other in melee.

Lost the First Lap

Eathirilu and Hektor had reached the Museum of Power earlier, Eathirilu a bit before Hektor. The druid was still in his giant roc form. The giant monsters battled at the entrance and Eathirilu found himself bobbing and weaving to evade errant blows and thrown rocks. The Museum itself was made of solid adamantine. The floor had opulent carpets with arboreal designs woven into them. Benches rested against the walls for visitors to sit and admire the collection. Ruby velvet and gold pedestals and counters held the most powerful treasures in all the realm.

Not giving in to greed, Eathirilu ignored the other artifacts and scanned the room for the White Orb of Dragonkind. Where was it? It wasn’t here! But over in the corner? What’s that? Who is that?
“ALDARIAN!”

The elven thief had snuck into the Museum of Power while the others were distracted by the fight between gods and dragons. Amalius must’ve known they would attack the Museum at this time and sent Aldarian here ahead of time to take the best loot.

“Uh… Hi!” said Aldarian. “What a coincidence seeing you here.”
Eathirilu sniffed the air, “Where is the White Orb, Aldarian?”
“Well you see… I came here and I couldn’t find it. Haven’t a clue! They must…” Aldarian trailed off as Eathirilu moved closer to stand directly over him.
Eathirilu glanced up with his bird eyes through the cracks in the ceiling and then back down to Aldarian, “The ash cloud that was the white dragon is above us. It seeks out the White Orb as its home.” Aldarian leaned in, getting his enormous beak in Aldarian’s face. “And I smell the Orb on you.”
“Hm,” said Aldarian and then he bolted for the entrance.
Eathirilu grabbed Aladrian with one his gigantic claws. He began to crush the small elf. “Tell me where the Orb is! I know you have it hidden on you somewhere!”
“I don’t… have it… I swear!” Aldarian grunted. The crushing damage did not intimidate him. His mysterious powers meant he was safe, even from death. As his body suffered internal wounds, Aldarian’s magical powers caused his body to burst into flames. Eathirilu had warded himself fully against fire before coming to Nox, but he found his protections useless. His claw burned, but he did not release his grip.
“I will find it on you,” said Eathirilu. “Your pitiful flames will not even slow me down.” Eathirilu began pecking through Aldarian’s pockets with his beak, looking for the Orb or for a bag of holding that might conceal it.
Hektor arrived in the Museum. The avalanche of rubble being thrown by the Hecatonchires had increased and the wizard took a hit as he flew in. He glanced at Eathirilu and Aldarian and quickly surmised the situation. Hektor shouted, “There’s no time! Knock him out and we’ll put him in my portable hole.”
Eathirilu paused his search, “You’re right.” He squeezed tight around Aldarian and the elf passed out. Hektor opened his portable hole and they placed Aldarian inside next to Jittehalong.

Hektor wouldn’t leave without a personal prize just in case Aldarian did not have the White Orb. He surveyed the room and spotted a suitable trophy, the Shadowstaff. Hektor had broken his Staff of Power to escape from Hades and the Shadowstaff would be a suitable replacement. A few magical protections stood in his way, but they were nothing to a master magician such as himself. Hektor cast the appropriate counter magicks, reached out, and the staff was his!

Danar and Tagenadi arrived at the Museum soon afterward. The noise of the clash between the Hecatonchires and Argus had increased. Danar shouted, “Barakah ate Zelus and teleported away!”
Tagenadi yelled, “It’s time to get out of here!”

Eathirilu shapeshifted into a sparrow and the party huddled up around Hektor. With a pop, they left the city of Nox as fires and earthquakes consumed the city. People cried out for help below and the gods did not hear them.