Scene 5: Arcane Workshop

Merry Rumwell turns from the window to the open doors and greets the group's arrival with a large frown.

"Not you again! And you brought friends. Go bother someone else!"

As he ruffles his hair with frustation, the form of the innkeeper melts away and is replaced by that of a crimson-clad sorcerer. It’s now hard to tell if the frustrated movements are due to the party or the lack of hair now apparent even with the raised hood.

Finally entering a worthy place for wizard, Brickoswky sighs in relief. Books! Scrolls! A cosy cauldron. If they would have fixed the roof this could be a very tempting place to stay while. Well it is a very tempting place for the spellslinger.

Ruptured from his thoughts by Rumwell's shout, Brickowsky looks up at the Sorcerer and by raising his hand, the dwarf pulls the bald man towards the group.------------------------------------


Firina draws her scimitar and shouts, "Stand and deliver your defeat. The days of infamy deeds are over...Rumwell, or whatever your insignificant name is!" With her second hand she raises the symbol of Selune - the Godess of the Moon - and blesses her friends for the upcoming confrantation.

Leana understand her companion's attempt and herself produces a spiky lance that first slashes at the bane of everything furry and fluffy, then coils the energy around the wizard to pull him closer.

"Soulfallen! Pfff! What a twat... " Brickowsky mumbles while rolling his eyes. Sorcerers! Do they have to be so melodramatic all the time? Flicking his wrist, the wizard unleashes a spell that should serve their group to stay in control against the inn-stealing-chicken-recipe-immitating-wannabe-innkeeper.

After he slashes the man with his psychic whip, the dwarf asks: "What did happen here? You had taken over the Inn when the Hard Way came along? You killed them and stole their dragon egg? What was your plan? To become a hatchling mommy?"

"It is time for you to accept your defeat. You have disrupted the natural order and the natural order does not like to be disrupted." Leana says while sending another thorny vine towards the delusional wizard. Ajax nods and mirrors his colleague.

Letting Spax do his dive-bombing Brickowsky sends out a stream of daggers toward the sorcerer. [b]"You've to break his concentration on the undead!" he proclaims. Standing just a few feet next to Fianna, the wizard is concentrated on the evil spell slinger and his undead goons.----------------------------------------

If this "fire bolt" should be enough and the skeletons are still standing, Fianna will attack them. If they are already destroyed, she will do nothing atm.
If Evan still lives, she will attack him as a first target and then slice up the undead if he falls under her first two attacks this round.

As Ervan fights against Brickowsky's spell, Merton pops out from behind Firina and sends a surprise dagger at his face. He cannot dodge in time and it fully embeds in his neck. He cries out in pain, but the party will not let him call more and more undead to fight so the dwarf sends piercing fire bolts at the sorcerer and Firina continues to slash at him. By concentrating all their efforts on the sorcerer, whatever hold he had over the workshop and the undead within is released and the skeletons fully assemble, but then collapse back into dust. All that is left is glorious loot.

"NOOO! I..*gasp*..I was going to revive the Cult of the Dragon. I...I would have usurped the dragon's power by winning its heart with the hot wings and revived..."

Ervan chokes out his plans with his last breath, hoping to leave some type of legacy behind, but he finally succumbs to his wounds and only leaves a legacy of blood and death behind.

As the party takes a quick breather from defeating their wicked foe, the arcane workshop and tower suddenly begin to shake violently as a terrible roar fills the sky and red leather wings flap outside the window. The dragon egg wobbles dangerously in its holder, but stays put.

"Where is my hatchling?! Where are those foul adventurers that took my egg? I can smell my egg is here."

Brickoswky's eyes get round as he hears the voice of the red dragon outside. He ushers Merton and Hindle away, but stays at Fianna's side. If the dragon should spew his fire, they shouldn't stand to close together.

The paladin steps forward without fear and nods at Leana, who gives her blessing to the noble woman.

"Magnificent Cinderhowl, an incredible injustice has been done to you. Those who did this lie slain here, at your feet and have thus begun their punishment. They will burn in the seven hellsfor their deed.

Take your untouched egg, keep it safe - leave the lands of men."

Many stories are told of what a mother bear will do when her cub is in danger, but not enough tales on what a mother dragon does when her egg is kidnapped. Another deafening roar rattles the window before a fully grown red dragon smashes through and crushes the landing Ervan had stood on moments before. The dragon immediately clocks her egg, but swings her head around towards the party still standing.

Merton and Hindle fall back closer to Leana and Alax, joining Pouncy behind the two.

Brickowsky steps forward with Firina. The paladin gives a subtle nod to Leana who keeps her head and blesses the noble woman to speak for them and hopefully pacify the wrathful lizard.

"You are lucky I was able to smell who took my egg and that you never touched it. However, do not think you can command me. I will not risk my egg and shall leave, but I have your scent now. If you or any in this valley attempt to come near my lair again, you will feel the wrath I had saved for this sorcerer and his crew tenfold."

With that, the dragon puffs a small flame to the ceiling, setting timbers on fire, and grabs her egg in one mighty claw. She turns to leave, but pauses a moment, looking over her shoulder at the dragonborn, the druid, and then the wizard.

"You think you have felled this sorcerer, but this is not the first time I have encountered him. This body will crumble and fade, but he will certainly be looking for revenge on you now. To help you on your journey."

Some scrolls drop to the ground from the dragon's other claw. They shimmer and sparks fly as they fall on the stone floor of the workshop. Stones start to fall out of the ceiling and land next to them, narrowly missing burning them. Leathery wings beat, extinguishing the felled stones, and the dragon and egg are gone. Brickowsky gathers the scrolls into the bag of holding and the party follow Alax and Pouncy out of the fiery crumbling tower back to Inn Plain Sight.