Arek led his party through the small town, observing the state of the
dwellings in which to townsfolk lived. What a hellish place, Arek though,
compared to what it once was. Led by Captain Horn, Arek and his party made
their way to the town's inn. The inn had little to offer in the way of
services, but the rooms were decent compared to how Arek had envisioned
them. Arek made a mental note to leave a large amount of gold behind when
they left. Arek, Tavion, and Octavion left the women at the inn and headed
for the tavern. They ordered their drinks and sat down at a table away from
the villagers.
"So what now, Arek?" Octavion asked.
"We talk with Captain Horn again. He may be able to offer us some information about where to start looking. I was also hoping that you would accompany Viconia a little later. She's heard rumors of a Drow war party in the area and has seen enough signs to hint that the rumors are true. They should accept her in their company, but you may be difficult, so if all else fails, do not be hesitant to act as a slave. I'd go, but Tavion and I want to look for the dragon's nest that is supposed to be in the area. We want to know what we might be dealing with, should we find that the cultists have allies. Abigail and Keara are going to be in town, keeping an ear out for any information that might be helpful. Unless things go drastically wrong, we will meet back here tonight." Arek rose from the table and headed outside to find Captain Horn.
Meanwhile, Tavion and Octavion headed back to the inn to tell the women what was going to happen. Abigail and Keara headed out right way and explored the town, listening intently for any rumors or stories about what lay within the ruins of Saradush.
Octavion and Viconia left the city immediately in search for the Drow. Octavion dressed in ragged robes to fit the description of a slave, while Viconia had dressed herself in newly polished mail that she had taken off the body of a dead Elf. Viconia's eyes constantly watched the tree line, and every few yards she would see a mark that indicated the territory of the Drow. Octavion began to ask, "How do we..." when an arrow whizzed past his head. Soon after, a dozen Drow warriors stepped out from the trees, all with weapons drawn. Viconia turned to the Drow and began speaking in her native language. Octavion of course understood none of the conversation, but shortly there after, the warriors sheathed their weapons and motioned for Viconia and Octavion to follow them. Octavion followed reluctantly, as he thought a slave would, and Viconia wasn't reluctant at all to yank on his chain leash. The warriors led them deep into the woods where they reached a small encampment. Dozens of Drow walked around the encampment. The warriors led Viconia to a large structure that Octavion assumed to be where the leader of these Drow lived. Octavion sat down as Viconia commanded and she too took a seat. A female Drow stepped forward, glad in dark mail and wearing a helmet shaped like a spider.
"Welcome, Viconia deVir, I hear from my warriors that you seek information about a cult within the ruins of Saradush. And welcome to you, Octavion, Paladin of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart, I am Inovica, leader of these Drow." She smiled at his surprised expression. "We Drow know much, and we know who you travel with. Arek, son of Bhaal, is no friend among the Drow, but he is a friend of Viconia, so that is why we will tell him what we know. But, we will only tell him, and he must earn the information. Bring him here tomorrow, and if he can show himself worthy, we will tell all."
Arek headed to the militia barracks in Saradush. He entered and was directed to where Captain Horn held his office. He stepped into the office and shook hands with the captain. "Greetings, Captain Horn."
"Greetings, Paladin Arek. What is it that I can do for you?"
"I need information on the ruins of Saradush."
"Of course, I'll tell you what I can. What is it that you would like to know?"
"Tell me of the Undead that inhabit the area."
"The Undead, we believe, are the villagers that did not make it out of Saradush when Yaga Shura attacked. We had heard rumors of vampires within the city before the fall, and we feel that they somehow turned these survivors into Undead, though we have yet to fight a vampire. We fight mostly zombies, gasts and ghouls. On the rare occasion, we do fight skeletons, but that is very rare. That is all we know at the moment, not many people go into the ruins to look around."
"Do you know anything about a nest of dragons?"
"No, nothing about a nest, but there is, however, a grand Shadow dragon that inhabits the Ducal Manor. The dragon is known as Salethysilexion. He keeps to the manor, but sometimes takes away one of our cattle, but that is a fair price to pay for the safety of our city."
"Well, that's a relief, I would hate to worry about a nest of dragons while I am in the ruins."
"What? You are going into the ruins? Why?"
"I'm looking for a cult devoted to a dead god. It's my vendetta to make sure they don't get any ideas about reviving this god."
"A valiant goal, but most likely a suicidal one. Most people that enter the ruins don't come out; at least, they don't come out sane."
"I've been in far worse places, trust me. Thank you for the information. I'll stop by before I return up north."
"Forgive me, friend, if I don't expect you to succeed."
Arek let out a low laugh. "No one ever does." With that, Arek left the barracks. Tavion was waiting for him outside. "Hello, Tavion."
"Did your meeting go well?"
"Very, we need to get everyone back here. Go find Abigail and Keara, and tell them that they don't need to eavesdrop on people anymore, I found out everything we are going to need. Have Viconia and Octavion gotten back yet?"
"Not yet, but they should be here soon, its almost dusk."
"Alright then, go get Abigail and Keara and meet me back at the tavern." Arek headed for the tavern and Tavion went to get Keara and Abigail. Once he found them, they headed back to the tavern and met up with Viconia and Octavion on the way. Tavion was about to ask how their hunt had been when Octavion flashed him a look that kept him from speaking. Once inside, they were all seated at the back of the tavern where Arek had a table and drinks waiting. Arek nodded to Tavion, Keara and Abigail, and then looked to Viconia and Octavion to start talking.
Viconia spoke first. "They know you are here. They know why you are here, and they will give you information. You just have to prove your worth."
"And how do I do that?"
"There are different ways, but they wouldn't tell me. They knew who I was and the dishonor my name held. They just said that you were to be at their encampment tomorrow and be ready to prove your worth."
"Well, I've faced the everything the Drow could throw at me in the Underdark and walked out of their alive. I'm sure I'll be able to walk into and out of a Drow encampment. But that is tomorrow. Everything will happen tomorrow. I'll go to the Drow with Viconia while everyone else will wait outside the gates of the ruins of Saradush."
Tavion looked up at his brother. "What awaits us in Saradush?"
"Zombies, Gasts, Ghouls, Skeletons, maybe Vampires, whatever the cultists have, and a Shadow Dragon. All in all, it should be an easy day." As he stood up, everyone looked at him as if he was as crazy as Minsc.
The following morning, Viconia led Arek to the Drow encampment. The leader of the Drow greeted them upon their arrival. "Greeting, Arek. Welcome to our camp. We know why you are here, and we would love to help you in your quest. But you must first prove yourself."
"And how am I to do that?"
"You must run a gauntlet of Drow warriors and then defeat our champion upon completing the gauntlet." A look of horror passed across Viconia's face. A Drow gauntlet was not an easy thing to pass. She had seen more Drow fail then succeed in running the gauntlet. She looked to see if Arek showed any fear or hesitation, but his chiseled face showed nothing.
"I will run your gauntlet."
"Excellent. Warriors, strip him of his armor. Place his sword in the middle of the camp, where he will face our champion if he succeeds in running the gauntlet." Several Drow warriors stepped forward and took Arek's armor off, leaving him standing in the knee length pantaloons he wore underneath his armor. The Drow warrior set up two lines on either side of Arek and turned inward. Arek looked down the column he would run through and saw his sword laying behind the Drow leader. She raised her hand and let it drop, signaling Arek to begin, and then she stepped away to watch with Viconia.
As Inovica joined Viconia from her viewing point, Viconia addressed the Drow leader; "Arek will pass this test. Did you really expect a gauntlet to slow down a god?"
"I have no doubt that he will pass the gauntlet. But our champion, that is another story."
"Who is your champion?"
"In time, Viconia, in time."
Arek bolted when Inovica stepped out of the way. The first few hits hurt, and he could feel the skin on his back and chest being cut, but he did not falter. As he continued through the gauntlet, he became numb to the pain. Towards the end of the gauntlet, the warriors used clubs, trying to knock him senseless. Arek, however, only sped up. He knew that a club needed momentum to strike, and if Arek could move faster then the wielder of the club could swing that club, he wouldn't be touched. As Arek reached the end, he rolled, grabbing his sword with one hand and defending any oncoming blow with the other. Arek looked around the middle of the camp and waited for the champion to show. The champion walked out from behind a building. Arek was stunned at first, but a scream drew his attention back to reality.
Viconia saw the champion walk out from behind the building. It was a horrible creature, one she thought was a myth. A great black body with eight legs came walking into the middle of the camp. Where there should have been a head, there was a torso, the color of a Drow. The head itself, was that of a Drow. In the middle of a camp, there stood a Drider. She couldn't help but scream. While Viconia screamed, Inovica let out a viscous laugh.
Arek looked at the great beast that stood in front of him. He was immediately reminded of the centaur; torso of a man, body of a horse. The only difference here was it was the torso of a Drow, the body of a spider. Each of the eight legs was sharp and sung into the ground as the beast walked. In its two Drow hands it carried a massive great axe. The Drider circled Arek and then charged, swinging the axe in a downward cut. Arek sidestepped and the axe missed, but shook the ground with the impact of the blow. Arek and the beast circled around the middle of the camp while the Drow warriors cheered from a circle they had formed after Arek had finished the gauntlet. The Drider swung over and over, each time just missing Arek. Arek closed in with the beast, knowing the axe could only do damage with the head. After one of Drider's attempted attacks, Arek rushed in and swung the Avenger and cut the axe in half, then he brought his sword in front of him as the Drider used two of its legs as swords to try and fight Arek. Arek cut at the joints of the legs; just enough to make the Drider collapse on it's massive belly. The Drider tried everything to stand up to its full height. Arek merely walked in on the beast with his sword in front. As he got in close, he lifted the blade to the Drider's neck. The Drider gave up and looked at Arek with surrender in its eyes. Arek then looked to Inovica. She was clapping. "Well done, Arek, well done indeed. You have lived up to the stories I have heard about you. What is it you would like from us?"
"Information about a cult, and if possible, help fighting it."
"The cult you seek does exist here, within the dungeons of Saradush. Though I do not think you will need it, we will help you. What is your plan of action?"
"In the southern part of the city lies the remnants of the old city barracks. By the entrance of the barracks, there should be a grate that leads to the sewers. The sewers lead into the dungeons. I would like you and your Drow to attack from there."
"And where will you be attacking from?"
"Within the Ducal manor lives a Shadow Dragon. My party will take care of the beast and enter the dungeons from the cellar of the manor. You know this already, but I'll tell you again. Within the city are hordes of Undead. Only fight where you have to. I do not want to give these cultists time to get word out that I know about them, so I need you to hit those dungeons hard and fast."
"Understood. When do we attack?"
"In four hours time, I will attack the dragon. In three hours time, I want you to enter the ruins and head for the barracks. With luck, we'll meet in the dungeons." Inovica nodded at Arek as a warrior returned his armor. Arek put the armor back on and left the camp.
Four hours gave Arek and his party enough time to get ready and enter the city. The four hours also brought time for Arek to heal his wounds from that morning. They entered the city from the north, where gates of Saradush once stood. They found no Undead at the entrance so they quickly made their way to the manor. As they approached, they could hear the heavy breathing that signaled that Salethysilexion was indeed in the manor. Arek walked into the manor followed by Tavion and Octavion, and then by the women. Viconia armed herself with a sling, Abigail took Tavion's bow, and Keara cast a spell that would let her launch fireballs from her hands. Octavion held Azuredge in his hand, but also had Foebane and the Purifier, compliments of Arek from his time spent at Watcher's Keep. Tavion held Dragonsruin, his own two-handed sword, while Arek, as always wielded the Avenger.
The dragon noticed the party instantly. "Foolish you were to enter my home. Turn back now, if you value your life." Arek and his adventurers only walked closer. "Very well then, if you wish to die, I will help you on your way. Besides, I have nothing else to do, and most of your belongings will go nicely within my horde." With that, the dragon spread his wings and roared. Arek, Tavion, and Octavion rushed the dragon, while Viconia, Abigail, and Keara peppered the dragon with arrows, bullets, and fire. While running, Octavion threw his axe repeatedly. Every time the axe left his hand, a long cut would appear in the dragon's hide. As the distance between them closed, Octavion placed the axe in its holster on his back, and with lightning speed drew Foebane and the Purifier. Tavion's sword was a blaze of motion. His sword looked like it was on fire as he slashed at the dragon. Arek, still week from earlier, was batted aside like a fly with the dragons front leg as he drew in close. He was knocked clear through the wall of the manor and knocked unconscious. Back at the fight, no one noticed he was gone.
The dragon was growing weaker as Tavion, Octavion and the others continued to attack. Tavion, now fully into the fight, leapt into the air in a whirlwind attack, slicing higher into the dragon. The dragon lowered his head as Tavion sliced into his neck. Octavion, seeing an opportunity, threw his swords to the ground and once again pulled out Azuredge and threw it with all his strength. The axe soared threw the air and connected with the dragon's neck at the base of it's skull. Instead of decapitating the dragon, the axe lodged itself in the dragon's spine. The blow did not kill the dragon, but distracted it enough for it to raise its head and expose its belly. Tavion noticed this and charged. As he reached the dragon's gut, he lunged with all his worth, and stabbed the sword into the dragon's fiery heart. He managed to pull the sword free and bolted from underneath the dragon. With one final, pain filled roar, the dragon collapsed on the ground. Octavion stooped to retrieve Azuredge, and looked around the manor's hollow interior. "Hey Tavion, where's your brother?"
As the dragon let out its last roar, Arek recovered consciousness. He found himself outside the manor, in the old militia head quarters. He looked around and saw no one in the old building. He stood and went to leave when a voice from behind sent a chill down his spine. "Ah, we meet again, Paladin Arek." Arek turned around to look into the face of a vampire. It was Nehekaptra.
"Nehekaptra?"
"Ah, you remember, I am touched." From behind the vampire lord stepped his two bodyguards, Nagash and Villarias. Arek looked around the room again and saw that he was surrounded by vampires. "You seem confused."
"I told you to go north, I never expected to run into your kind here."
"Ah, but you did, five years ago. I must say, when I returned here to find them gone, I thought of you first. Tell me, did they fight well?"
"They fought well enough to deserve a stake through their hearts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more pressing matters to attend to."
"Ah, yes, the Bhaalist cult. Well you see I have allied myself with them, and they would not be pleased if you left here alive. Goodbye, Paladin Arek." With that, Nehekaptra, Nagash, Villarias, and another three vampires transformed and left through the whole Arek had made. The other vampires attacked, snarling and shrieking at Arek as they approached. Arek only grinned.
Octavion noticed the six bats fly through a hold in the wall and ran over to look. All he saw were shadows moving around a room. Before he could call out, a bright burst of light filled the room, accompanied by shrieks of death and pain. In the middle of that light, he saw a shadow of a man. A shock wave followed the burst of light, and Octavion was blown back. When he looked back at the whole, Arek walked into the manor once again, looking quite disgusted. "If you value your sense of smell, no one go in there." Tavion walked over to the hole with a torch lit. Inside were dozen or more charred bodies, all with the remnants of fangs. Tavion looked back to see Arek talking with Octavion. Arek then said aloud, "Come on, we need to get down to the dungeons to meet with the Drow."
"So what now, Arek?" Octavion asked.
"We talk with Captain Horn again. He may be able to offer us some information about where to start looking. I was also hoping that you would accompany Viconia a little later. She's heard rumors of a Drow war party in the area and has seen enough signs to hint that the rumors are true. They should accept her in their company, but you may be difficult, so if all else fails, do not be hesitant to act as a slave. I'd go, but Tavion and I want to look for the dragon's nest that is supposed to be in the area. We want to know what we might be dealing with, should we find that the cultists have allies. Abigail and Keara are going to be in town, keeping an ear out for any information that might be helpful. Unless things go drastically wrong, we will meet back here tonight." Arek rose from the table and headed outside to find Captain Horn.
Meanwhile, Tavion and Octavion headed back to the inn to tell the women what was going to happen. Abigail and Keara headed out right way and explored the town, listening intently for any rumors or stories about what lay within the ruins of Saradush.
Octavion and Viconia left the city immediately in search for the Drow. Octavion dressed in ragged robes to fit the description of a slave, while Viconia had dressed herself in newly polished mail that she had taken off the body of a dead Elf. Viconia's eyes constantly watched the tree line, and every few yards she would see a mark that indicated the territory of the Drow. Octavion began to ask, "How do we..." when an arrow whizzed past his head. Soon after, a dozen Drow warriors stepped out from the trees, all with weapons drawn. Viconia turned to the Drow and began speaking in her native language. Octavion of course understood none of the conversation, but shortly there after, the warriors sheathed their weapons and motioned for Viconia and Octavion to follow them. Octavion followed reluctantly, as he thought a slave would, and Viconia wasn't reluctant at all to yank on his chain leash. The warriors led them deep into the woods where they reached a small encampment. Dozens of Drow walked around the encampment. The warriors led Viconia to a large structure that Octavion assumed to be where the leader of these Drow lived. Octavion sat down as Viconia commanded and she too took a seat. A female Drow stepped forward, glad in dark mail and wearing a helmet shaped like a spider.
"Welcome, Viconia deVir, I hear from my warriors that you seek information about a cult within the ruins of Saradush. And welcome to you, Octavion, Paladin of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart, I am Inovica, leader of these Drow." She smiled at his surprised expression. "We Drow know much, and we know who you travel with. Arek, son of Bhaal, is no friend among the Drow, but he is a friend of Viconia, so that is why we will tell him what we know. But, we will only tell him, and he must earn the information. Bring him here tomorrow, and if he can show himself worthy, we will tell all."
Arek headed to the militia barracks in Saradush. He entered and was directed to where Captain Horn held his office. He stepped into the office and shook hands with the captain. "Greetings, Captain Horn."
"Greetings, Paladin Arek. What is it that I can do for you?"
"I need information on the ruins of Saradush."
"Of course, I'll tell you what I can. What is it that you would like to know?"
"Tell me of the Undead that inhabit the area."
"The Undead, we believe, are the villagers that did not make it out of Saradush when Yaga Shura attacked. We had heard rumors of vampires within the city before the fall, and we feel that they somehow turned these survivors into Undead, though we have yet to fight a vampire. We fight mostly zombies, gasts and ghouls. On the rare occasion, we do fight skeletons, but that is very rare. That is all we know at the moment, not many people go into the ruins to look around."
"Do you know anything about a nest of dragons?"
"No, nothing about a nest, but there is, however, a grand Shadow dragon that inhabits the Ducal Manor. The dragon is known as Salethysilexion. He keeps to the manor, but sometimes takes away one of our cattle, but that is a fair price to pay for the safety of our city."
"Well, that's a relief, I would hate to worry about a nest of dragons while I am in the ruins."
"What? You are going into the ruins? Why?"
"I'm looking for a cult devoted to a dead god. It's my vendetta to make sure they don't get any ideas about reviving this god."
"A valiant goal, but most likely a suicidal one. Most people that enter the ruins don't come out; at least, they don't come out sane."
"I've been in far worse places, trust me. Thank you for the information. I'll stop by before I return up north."
"Forgive me, friend, if I don't expect you to succeed."
Arek let out a low laugh. "No one ever does." With that, Arek left the barracks. Tavion was waiting for him outside. "Hello, Tavion."
"Did your meeting go well?"
"Very, we need to get everyone back here. Go find Abigail and Keara, and tell them that they don't need to eavesdrop on people anymore, I found out everything we are going to need. Have Viconia and Octavion gotten back yet?"
"Not yet, but they should be here soon, its almost dusk."
"Alright then, go get Abigail and Keara and meet me back at the tavern." Arek headed for the tavern and Tavion went to get Keara and Abigail. Once he found them, they headed back to the tavern and met up with Viconia and Octavion on the way. Tavion was about to ask how their hunt had been when Octavion flashed him a look that kept him from speaking. Once inside, they were all seated at the back of the tavern where Arek had a table and drinks waiting. Arek nodded to Tavion, Keara and Abigail, and then looked to Viconia and Octavion to start talking.
Viconia spoke first. "They know you are here. They know why you are here, and they will give you information. You just have to prove your worth."
"And how do I do that?"
"There are different ways, but they wouldn't tell me. They knew who I was and the dishonor my name held. They just said that you were to be at their encampment tomorrow and be ready to prove your worth."
"Well, I've faced the everything the Drow could throw at me in the Underdark and walked out of their alive. I'm sure I'll be able to walk into and out of a Drow encampment. But that is tomorrow. Everything will happen tomorrow. I'll go to the Drow with Viconia while everyone else will wait outside the gates of the ruins of Saradush."
Tavion looked up at his brother. "What awaits us in Saradush?"
"Zombies, Gasts, Ghouls, Skeletons, maybe Vampires, whatever the cultists have, and a Shadow Dragon. All in all, it should be an easy day." As he stood up, everyone looked at him as if he was as crazy as Minsc.
The following morning, Viconia led Arek to the Drow encampment. The leader of the Drow greeted them upon their arrival. "Greeting, Arek. Welcome to our camp. We know why you are here, and we would love to help you in your quest. But you must first prove yourself."
"And how am I to do that?"
"You must run a gauntlet of Drow warriors and then defeat our champion upon completing the gauntlet." A look of horror passed across Viconia's face. A Drow gauntlet was not an easy thing to pass. She had seen more Drow fail then succeed in running the gauntlet. She looked to see if Arek showed any fear or hesitation, but his chiseled face showed nothing.
"I will run your gauntlet."
"Excellent. Warriors, strip him of his armor. Place his sword in the middle of the camp, where he will face our champion if he succeeds in running the gauntlet." Several Drow warriors stepped forward and took Arek's armor off, leaving him standing in the knee length pantaloons he wore underneath his armor. The Drow warrior set up two lines on either side of Arek and turned inward. Arek looked down the column he would run through and saw his sword laying behind the Drow leader. She raised her hand and let it drop, signaling Arek to begin, and then she stepped away to watch with Viconia.
As Inovica joined Viconia from her viewing point, Viconia addressed the Drow leader; "Arek will pass this test. Did you really expect a gauntlet to slow down a god?"
"I have no doubt that he will pass the gauntlet. But our champion, that is another story."
"Who is your champion?"
"In time, Viconia, in time."
Arek bolted when Inovica stepped out of the way. The first few hits hurt, and he could feel the skin on his back and chest being cut, but he did not falter. As he continued through the gauntlet, he became numb to the pain. Towards the end of the gauntlet, the warriors used clubs, trying to knock him senseless. Arek, however, only sped up. He knew that a club needed momentum to strike, and if Arek could move faster then the wielder of the club could swing that club, he wouldn't be touched. As Arek reached the end, he rolled, grabbing his sword with one hand and defending any oncoming blow with the other. Arek looked around the middle of the camp and waited for the champion to show. The champion walked out from behind a building. Arek was stunned at first, but a scream drew his attention back to reality.
Viconia saw the champion walk out from behind the building. It was a horrible creature, one she thought was a myth. A great black body with eight legs came walking into the middle of the camp. Where there should have been a head, there was a torso, the color of a Drow. The head itself, was that of a Drow. In the middle of a camp, there stood a Drider. She couldn't help but scream. While Viconia screamed, Inovica let out a viscous laugh.
Arek looked at the great beast that stood in front of him. He was immediately reminded of the centaur; torso of a man, body of a horse. The only difference here was it was the torso of a Drow, the body of a spider. Each of the eight legs was sharp and sung into the ground as the beast walked. In its two Drow hands it carried a massive great axe. The Drider circled Arek and then charged, swinging the axe in a downward cut. Arek sidestepped and the axe missed, but shook the ground with the impact of the blow. Arek and the beast circled around the middle of the camp while the Drow warriors cheered from a circle they had formed after Arek had finished the gauntlet. The Drider swung over and over, each time just missing Arek. Arek closed in with the beast, knowing the axe could only do damage with the head. After one of Drider's attempted attacks, Arek rushed in and swung the Avenger and cut the axe in half, then he brought his sword in front of him as the Drider used two of its legs as swords to try and fight Arek. Arek cut at the joints of the legs; just enough to make the Drider collapse on it's massive belly. The Drider tried everything to stand up to its full height. Arek merely walked in on the beast with his sword in front. As he got in close, he lifted the blade to the Drider's neck. The Drider gave up and looked at Arek with surrender in its eyes. Arek then looked to Inovica. She was clapping. "Well done, Arek, well done indeed. You have lived up to the stories I have heard about you. What is it you would like from us?"
"Information about a cult, and if possible, help fighting it."
"The cult you seek does exist here, within the dungeons of Saradush. Though I do not think you will need it, we will help you. What is your plan of action?"
"In the southern part of the city lies the remnants of the old city barracks. By the entrance of the barracks, there should be a grate that leads to the sewers. The sewers lead into the dungeons. I would like you and your Drow to attack from there."
"And where will you be attacking from?"
"Within the Ducal manor lives a Shadow Dragon. My party will take care of the beast and enter the dungeons from the cellar of the manor. You know this already, but I'll tell you again. Within the city are hordes of Undead. Only fight where you have to. I do not want to give these cultists time to get word out that I know about them, so I need you to hit those dungeons hard and fast."
"Understood. When do we attack?"
"In four hours time, I will attack the dragon. In three hours time, I want you to enter the ruins and head for the barracks. With luck, we'll meet in the dungeons." Inovica nodded at Arek as a warrior returned his armor. Arek put the armor back on and left the camp.
Four hours gave Arek and his party enough time to get ready and enter the city. The four hours also brought time for Arek to heal his wounds from that morning. They entered the city from the north, where gates of Saradush once stood. They found no Undead at the entrance so they quickly made their way to the manor. As they approached, they could hear the heavy breathing that signaled that Salethysilexion was indeed in the manor. Arek walked into the manor followed by Tavion and Octavion, and then by the women. Viconia armed herself with a sling, Abigail took Tavion's bow, and Keara cast a spell that would let her launch fireballs from her hands. Octavion held Azuredge in his hand, but also had Foebane and the Purifier, compliments of Arek from his time spent at Watcher's Keep. Tavion held Dragonsruin, his own two-handed sword, while Arek, as always wielded the Avenger.
The dragon noticed the party instantly. "Foolish you were to enter my home. Turn back now, if you value your life." Arek and his adventurers only walked closer. "Very well then, if you wish to die, I will help you on your way. Besides, I have nothing else to do, and most of your belongings will go nicely within my horde." With that, the dragon spread his wings and roared. Arek, Tavion, and Octavion rushed the dragon, while Viconia, Abigail, and Keara peppered the dragon with arrows, bullets, and fire. While running, Octavion threw his axe repeatedly. Every time the axe left his hand, a long cut would appear in the dragon's hide. As the distance between them closed, Octavion placed the axe in its holster on his back, and with lightning speed drew Foebane and the Purifier. Tavion's sword was a blaze of motion. His sword looked like it was on fire as he slashed at the dragon. Arek, still week from earlier, was batted aside like a fly with the dragons front leg as he drew in close. He was knocked clear through the wall of the manor and knocked unconscious. Back at the fight, no one noticed he was gone.
The dragon was growing weaker as Tavion, Octavion and the others continued to attack. Tavion, now fully into the fight, leapt into the air in a whirlwind attack, slicing higher into the dragon. The dragon lowered his head as Tavion sliced into his neck. Octavion, seeing an opportunity, threw his swords to the ground and once again pulled out Azuredge and threw it with all his strength. The axe soared threw the air and connected with the dragon's neck at the base of it's skull. Instead of decapitating the dragon, the axe lodged itself in the dragon's spine. The blow did not kill the dragon, but distracted it enough for it to raise its head and expose its belly. Tavion noticed this and charged. As he reached the dragon's gut, he lunged with all his worth, and stabbed the sword into the dragon's fiery heart. He managed to pull the sword free and bolted from underneath the dragon. With one final, pain filled roar, the dragon collapsed on the ground. Octavion stooped to retrieve Azuredge, and looked around the manor's hollow interior. "Hey Tavion, where's your brother?"
As the dragon let out its last roar, Arek recovered consciousness. He found himself outside the manor, in the old militia head quarters. He looked around and saw no one in the old building. He stood and went to leave when a voice from behind sent a chill down his spine. "Ah, we meet again, Paladin Arek." Arek turned around to look into the face of a vampire. It was Nehekaptra.
"Nehekaptra?"
"Ah, you remember, I am touched." From behind the vampire lord stepped his two bodyguards, Nagash and Villarias. Arek looked around the room again and saw that he was surrounded by vampires. "You seem confused."
"I told you to go north, I never expected to run into your kind here."
"Ah, but you did, five years ago. I must say, when I returned here to find them gone, I thought of you first. Tell me, did they fight well?"
"They fought well enough to deserve a stake through their hearts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more pressing matters to attend to."
"Ah, yes, the Bhaalist cult. Well you see I have allied myself with them, and they would not be pleased if you left here alive. Goodbye, Paladin Arek." With that, Nehekaptra, Nagash, Villarias, and another three vampires transformed and left through the whole Arek had made. The other vampires attacked, snarling and shrieking at Arek as they approached. Arek only grinned.
Octavion noticed the six bats fly through a hold in the wall and ran over to look. All he saw were shadows moving around a room. Before he could call out, a bright burst of light filled the room, accompanied by shrieks of death and pain. In the middle of that light, he saw a shadow of a man. A shock wave followed the burst of light, and Octavion was blown back. When he looked back at the whole, Arek walked into the manor once again, looking quite disgusted. "If you value your sense of smell, no one go in there." Tavion walked over to the hole with a torch lit. Inside were dozen or more charred bodies, all with the remnants of fangs. Tavion looked back to see Arek talking with Octavion. Arek then said aloud, "Come on, we need to get down to the dungeons to meet with the Drow."