The Dragon Hatchery

Clarice runs back towards the ladder from which she descended earlier and climbs part way up before firing off three more darts towards her opponent.

Elceran will try to do as much as he can to let Clarice get away.

After.

First, I need to fix this mess I've made.

Clarice and Grim do their best to hold the beast at bay. But their strength is failing. Riardin hasn't moved at all, and even though they don't know him, they do their best to shield him from further harm.

The half dragon is strong, arrogant, and cruel. Your pain only makes him stronger. His razor like teeth gleam in the dim light as he smiles at your weak attempts to kill him. A few light darts burst against his skin as he easily deflects Grim's blows. And he raises he's great sword high above his head and licks his his lips as he moves toward Clarice preparing to cleave her head off.

"less of a challenge than last time...." he growls.

But as he nears the hanging ladder, a flash of light falls from above. It's Linston. All the blessings of the cleric's gods are coursing through his veins.

"LATHANDER!!" he screams as he falls on the half dragon monster "GIVE ME - FIRE!!!!"

He crashes onto Langdedrosa's head. Cutting himself deeply on the beast's horns and sword. But no blood seeps from his gaping wounds. Instead light pours out of them. Filling the cavern. The light gets brighter, hotter, too much to bear. As you all shield your eyes, Linston bursts ito a sphere of pure, cleansing fire.

It happens in an instant. Pure white light like a flash. Then silence. A warm friendly glow filling the chamber. A warm feeling fills each of you and your wounds close before your eyes.

A small pile of fine white ash lies where the beast stood a moment ago. Linston's holy symbol of Lathander lies at it's centre.

Grim and Clarice help the thief to his feet, amazed that he seems completely uninjured.

Finally getting a chance to survey their surroundings, it is clear that this chamber has been enlarged and reshaped from it's original form. The floor and three of the walls are smooth, and stalactites and stalagmites have been polished into gleaming columns. Every surface glistens with moisture, and the air is warm and humid. The flat walls of the chamber are decorated with shallow abstract carvings of dragons. Dragon tails coil into intricate patterns and knots that flow across the walls.

The creature portrayed in the north west corner stands out:

A five headed dragon, rising from an erupting volcano. Other dragons, which seem dwarfed by the five headed monstrosity, flock to its side. A small wooden chest with silver and mother of pearl inlays sits on at the floor in the corner, in front of the monstrous dragon carving.

Clarice walks over to the pile of ashes, picks up the holy symbol, and carefully brushes it clean with the loose sleeves of her robe.

"We should find a proper place for this." she says quietly, placing Linston's holy symbol into her pack.

After a few moments of pondering what has just actually happened she turns her attention to newly freed captive.

"How did you end up here?"

"Sent on a fool's errand it seems, and almost met my end for my trouble...

I am grateful for your help. I am called Riardin."

The elf places his right hand on his sternum and bows his head slightly...

"I am Clarice, and this is Elceran." Clarice responds, motioning towards the monk as she introduces him.

"The man who saved us is called Linston. I'm not quite sure what happened, but one way or another he has given us an opportunity to accomplish what we've set out to do. You're more than welcome to join us, Riardin."

"It seems you weren't the only one that had bitten off more than they could chew. I was overconfident, and I apologize for endangering everyone." Elceran nods to Riardin as Clarice makes introductions.

"I will remember this Linston."

After a brief pause, Riardin continues...

"I was sent here to recover some valuable items, but I didn't make it very far before I was cornered. My information was not very good, as it turns out.

Are you two also after treasure?"

"No. We're here to destroy dragon eggs that are being kept here. This group attacked a town not far from here and we tracked them back to this camp."

"Speaking of which, we should really keep moving."

Clarice will search the area for an exit.

"Real dragon eggs? So the dragon theme isn't just a fascination.

Well, I don't know where the eggs or the treasure are yet, but I know where they aren't. The cells are down the corridor that way, so we should keep exploring down another way..."

Riardin points to the narrow passage in the north wall, to the east is a much larger and descends down a rough hewn staircase.

"No, it definitely not just a fascination from the looks of it." Clarice responds.

"One of the hostages that these creeps took from Greenest told us about the eggs and suggested we find them and destroy them." she adds, before heading towards the staircase. She pauses for a moment at the top of the steps before slowly heading down.

"I will accompany you for the time being, if the offer still stands. Does anyone have a knife or dagger I could use until I can find the rest of my equipment?"

the half dragon had a great sword (two handed), and a spear. The spear handle burnt up in the flash, but the head could make a rudimentary short sword.