Episode One

[Wis 23=20r+3]

Alibastar, completely unphased (I would assume), musters up the courage to step right out and take a look at his surroundings, attempting to find the most advantageous place to go to combat the dragon. [Perception 21=14r+7; Initiative 9=6r+3]

(Wis saving throw: 13+1=14) (initiative:5+2=7)
Torfinn steps on top of the keep shield posed and eyes on the sky. Lightning cracks and torfinn smells fire and burning flesh, the scent brings back memories that cause him to grip his shield, weapon, and teeth tighter.

[Frightened characters have disadvantage on ability checks and attack rolls (but not saving throws) while the source of fear is in line of sight. They also may not willingly move closer towards the fear source. Victims of a dragon's Frightening Presence are frightened for a full minute (10 rounds) unless they pass a WIS saving throw, which they may make for free at the end of their turn.]

______________________________________________________________________________

-Nocturne-

As you ascend the stairs, you attempt to remember the known weaknesses of a blue dragon. All of the hurrying and panic in the castle has you flustered, though, and you find it difficult to think straight. You remember that water was important somehow, but was it good or bad? Your train of thought is interrupted as the dragon swoops down and blasts the guards. Seeing them reduced to ashes before your eyes calls up fears of your own mortality; this beast could simply end everything you've ever known merely on a whim. [You are frightened]

______________________________________________________________________________

-Gwen-

Your soldier training kicks in the very second your eyes meet the rooftop. You scan quickly for the siege defenses and find ballistae being manned in the northeast, northwest, and southwest corners. Atop the tower in the southeast corner is another ballista, this one unmanned, though you can't see from here whether or not it was previously. The dragon comes screaming from the sky and you suddenly forget anything other than the urge to sprint back to the kitchens and wrap yourself in a blanket of safe, warm pastry dough. No way are you going to climb that tower and get closer to a dragon. No, you need to go back downstairs. [You are frightened]

______________________________________________________________________________

-Torfinn-

Blood, smoke, fire, burning flesh, the screams of the dying. It's all too familiar. You think back to months spent wandering through dark, cramped underground tunnels, months of constant looks over your shoulder, months of trying to save every last innocent person, and months of failing. The world around you begins to spin and grow closer. Faster and faster it spins until you can no longer see anything. There is nothing left in the world, nothing except for you and the beast, and it is terrible. [You are frightened]

______________________________________________________________________________

-Alibastar-

You steel yourself as you emerge onto the rooftop. You are not frightened, not even as the great beast bursts from the clouds. You remember the tale of Stargazer, and how he stared down the great beast, Fafnir, without fear. You recall how he quelled the beast's rage through story and song. Perhaps you could subdue the beast as he did, or at the very least inspire the guards as well as your companions to bring him down. You scan your surroundings for a place where you could gain an advantage. The southeastern tower seems the best choice, and you notice that there are handholds and footholds that will allow you to climb it.

______________________________________________________________________________

Initiative order:

Gwen

Nocturne

Alibastar

Torfinn

"Right. Someone should man that tower over there. The ballista could help against the beast. But, uh, I need to go make sure that tunnel is blocked so that no one can get in. Yeah."
Gwen hurries back downstairs into the cellar, sprinting where she can, in an urge to get to the cellar as quickly as possible. After all, a crate of potatoes is almost as good as a dough blanket.

"That's right! Her weakness is water. Quickly guys, we need to retreat until midnight, then give her a bath. The lighting in her body will make her melt, but we have to wait until she has all the charges she will have for the day!  I'll go get the bath ready!"

Alibastar, as if on instinct, bolts toward the tower, sheathing his sword to free his hands. "Everyone, we can't back down. It's in moments like these when we will be remembered for the ages!" He turns around for a moment and stops to look towards more troops.
"This dragon is just a beast, and beasts can be stopped or slain! We won't be remembered as the ones who hid underground as it lays waste to this city, we'll stop him!" [I don't know what skill this would be really, Persuasion? 18=12r+6]

After his rally, he presses back toward the tower.

Torfinn's eyes don't break the sky, his shield felt lighter than his weapon. "My shield is me. I am a shield" He mumbled to himself as he held his shield in preparation for the demon above him. He moved himself slowly but steady toward the high ground as to better see his target. He thought of the blood of his brothers and then he herd a sound a voice that said "beast, lay waste, STOP HIM." and the image of him crushing the goblins head came to mind. He shouted at the sky in anger at the beast (intimidate[disadvantage]: roll 8, 12. 8+1=9). He saw him self crush the goblins skull over and over again as the sound of the storm came back to his ears and the tower became real to him. He was angry, he wanted blood, and people needed his help; "I am the sheild!" His weapon felt good in his hand. (Will Saving throw: roll 20 +1= 21)

-Gwen-

You make it down the stairs and partway down the hall before skidding to a stop as you almost barrel into Escobert. He glares at you, his face quickly becoming the color of his beard.

"SOLDIER! EITHER YOU'RE THE SOLE SURVIVOR OR IT WOULD SEEM YOU'RE ABANDONING YOUR FRIENDS AND FELLOW SOLDIERS. UNLESS EVERYONE IS DEAD, YOU NEED TO PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTS AND GET BACK OUT THERE SO THEY DON'T END UP THAT WAY."

You stammer for a moment before Escobert slaps you across the face. Not a hard slap, but enough to snap you out of whatever craze had taken over you. You take stock of yourself and your surroundings and realize that there will still be food in the kitchen when this is all done. Hell, the food may taste better after fighting a dragon; there's only one way to find out.

______________________________________________________________________________

-Nocturne-

You watch as a stray spark gets caught in a puddle of water near your feet. The spark arcs out across the length of the puddle. Suddenly it's obvious to you that water is not at all an appropriate solution for this problem. The arcs of energy stop dead when they reach the edge of the puddle and hit the stone of the castle's roof.

Ah, yes. That's the solution. You must ground the electricity. Now, only if the electricity weren't contained in a flying beast...

No matter. Your thoughts are clear once again. Armed with your shield of knowledge, you are able to shake off the fear that briefly paralyzed you.

______________________________________________________________________________

-Alibastar-

Your speech bolsters the courage of the men and women on the rooftop. You watch as the soldiers brace themselves and continue their attack with renewed vigor. You nod to yourself and press on to the tower, stopping right at the foot of it. You look up the side of it and see that you can surely climb it with just a little finesse.

______________________________________________________________________________

-Torfinn-

If the beast heard your shout, it made no indication to show it. Rather than dissuade you, being utterly ignored by the dragon boils your blood. This creature is not to be feared; you have faced dangers that you couldn't even see. You have slogged through cramped tunnels deep underground with no escape for miles in either direction and no way of knowing if the next attack would be in front of or behind you.

A dragon? No, a dragon is not to be feared. A dragon is prey. You will feast and celebrate tonight as you dance among its bones. You are the shield.

______________________________________________________________________________

The dragon swoops low again and lets out another blast. Another soldier goes down, screaming in pain as three more are replaced by smoking piles of ash. The dragon returns to the sky, but not before being riddled with a barrage of arrows. Though the arrows are nothing more than a bee sting to the great monster, it roars in tremendous rage. Something is angering the dragon. Something that is not yet apparent.

"Sir!" Gwen snaps into a salute. "I apologize, sir, if my haste to make sure the keep is secure appeared as flight to you, sir! I wanted to make sure we have men guarding the tunnel we opened up, sir! Because you see, sir, we made a whole lot of noise down there and someone on the other side of the tunnels may have heard us, sir. But if you would like to make sure that the tunnel is guarded and have me return to the fray with the dragon, I would understand, sir. After making sure we had a guard on the tunnel I was going to report to the southeast tower and man the ballista there, sir. And I also figured that it would be prudent of me, sir, to take the route through the keep, sir, instead of crawling over the wall, sir, out in the open where the dragon could take pot shots at me before I even made it to the ballista, sir." She pauses and take a deep breath and salutes again. "By your leave, sir?"

"Huhm, wind velocity is... ..and temperature being.. ...oh, then it is raining so......". Casting Faerie fire. Make a Dex save. If failed it doesn't benefit from obscurement, and all attackers gain advantage. " Everyone find a way to ground yourselves, if we grab something metal the lightening will go through the water and into the metal and into the ground. It will still hurt, but hurt less."

Dragon fails Dex save.

Alibastar takes a breath, then attempts the tower. As he works on his ascent, he tries to ignore the roars of the dragon and focuses on just the wall. [Dex 12=9r+3]

Torfinn studies his surroundings, he hears the dragon roar overhead as it strikes the tower with lightning. He tries to keep eyes on it but it soars away, "Not close enough" He mutters to himself. Suddenly he sees Alibastar Start to climb the tower and rushes to him "that's the spirit lad! But make room for me!" As he goes to ascend the tower (Athletics check: 18+7 =25)

-Gwen-

Escobert looks you solidly in the eye for a moment. "Hrmph. That's actually not a bad idea. Alright, you're going to take a left down that hallway, and then another left when you get to the end there. There will be a door at the end of that hallway, inside is the ladder that leads to the top of the tower. You will need this key to open the trap door."

He hands you a heavy brass key. You have no idea how he had managed to get it off of his key ring, as you hadn't even seen him reach for it.

"Be careful, soldier," Escobert says as he gives you a curt salute.
______________________________________________________________________________

-Nocturne-

The dragon is suddenly outlined in a dim light. Against the deep blackness of the sky, however, he now stands out in great contrast. Now only with the occasional lightning flash is he lost to sight.

[Everyone has attack advantage against the dragon so long as he is in line of sight. He cannot become invisible.]
______________________________________________________________________________

-Alibastar-

The rain has caused the stone of the tower to become slick and slippery, and it makes for treacherous climbing. You manage to get about 3/4 of the way up the tower (a little over 20 feet) before you lose your grip with all but one hand. The rain continues to beat down and you are left dangling, your muscles straining against the effort of keeping you from falling.

Make a strength check. DC10 to not fall, DC15 to regain full grip.
______________________________________________________________________________

-Torfinn-

You rush to the base of the tower and begin your ascent. Your powerful hands dig hard into the stone and you make sure, steady progress up the side. About halfway up you see Alibastar slip, barely managing to hold on. He dangles precariously directly above you.
______________________________________________________________________________

-Dragon-

The dragon twists and writhes in midair, as if fighting some invisible foe. As Nocturne's Faerie Fire surrounds him, he unleashes an angry roar and climbs higher into the sky. A bolt of lightning streaks down from the clouds and blasts a crater into the stone a mere yard from Nocturne's feet. It is difficult to tell whether the bolt was from the dragon or from the sky, however the answer seems to reveal itself as the dragon begins a speedy dive straight towards her.

Taking the key from Bear, Gwen shoots off a quick salute and sprints down the hallway toward the tower with the unmanned ballista. When she arrives (whenever that is) she turns the key in the lock and promptly bruises her shoulder trying to open it (Str check 3 = 3r + 0). What a wuss.

"Shit! Not again!" Resisting every instinct to flee, she takes a deep breath and loads her sling, aiming down the dragons throat. (13= r10 vs. r8 +3dex) Without looking to see if she hit, runs to the door. (If I did hit, 4 damage)

[Str Check 13=4/13+0] (Used inspiration point)

Alibastar feels himself slip, and for a brief moment considered letting go. That moment quickly passes when his friends, family, and all those who are fighting now are relying on this dragon being stopped.
His first attempt to get a hold failed, unable to find a place for his hands, but scrambles and manages to grab ahold in a small opening, getting just enough grip to find sure footing and continue his ascent.

"DAMN IT LAD! Keep your head in it!" Torfinn let's out a breath, and presses on. (Athletics check: roll 7+7 = 14)

-Gwen-

The trap door above you seems to glare mockingly after your failed attempt to push it open. You are filled with a rage fueled by insult, and with a renewed vigor. Screw this door, nothing can stop you!

[Advantage on your next attempt to open the door.]
______________________________________________________________________________

-Nocturne-

Your shot flies harmlessly past the dragon as the beast bears down. You scramble towards the nearest cover, which happens to be the lip covering the stairwell. You just barely make it under the shelter as the dragon's blast strikes it. Large chunks of rock and debris fall around you and roll down the stairs. You are struck squarely in the back of the head by one such piece. Pain flashes white before your eyes and you can feel a small trickle of blood running down your neck.

[4 damage]
______________________________________________________________________________

-Alibastar-

After a close encounter with either death or serious injury, you find yourself more determined than ever to reach the top of the tower. Step by step you climb until finally your fingers reach the ledge and you pull yourself up over the lip.

-Torfinn-

You are one with the stone, just as the stone is one with you. No amount of water could separate you from the stone. Your climb is sure and steady, and you reach the top mere seconds after Alibastar.

-Alibastar and Torfinn-

The top of the tower is dominated by a large platform about 8 feet high with stairs running down it for access. On top of the platform is the ballista, with a round loaded by not fired. A barrel sits near it with five extra rounds. Three soldiers lay dead: two on the stone floor of the tower, each with a longbow still in his hand and a quiver of arrows on his back; another hangs halfway off the platform, a crossbow lays on the ground beneath her outstretched arms. Next to the platform is a trap door. You hear a small thud and see it rise about half an inch and come back down with another thud. You are convinced you hear excessive swearing coming from under it.
______________________________________________________________________________

-Dragon-

The dragon sweeps across the rooftop again, grabbing a soldier in each of its hands and flinging them off the keep before returning to the sky.

Gwen stomps her foot on the stairs a couple of times and pounds on the wood. Steam comes out of her ears. She thinks of all the times when she wasn't able to open the pickle jar and had to get help from some stupid "big, strong man."

She screams at the top of her lungs "RAHHHH!" (Strength check Natural 20 = r7 / rNAT20) Any rust on the hinges is expelled by her rage as she roughly slams the door open. She climbs onto the parapet, breathing heavily and glaring around the open space.

She keeps moving from the dragon, looking for better cover. Once clear she takes a moment to breath, brush the debris and blood from her head, then cast cure wounds (7 = wis4 + roll3). **Healed back to full.**

"Torfinn, let's take it down with that," Alibastar said, signalling the ballista. "I can fire it if I can get a hand with reloading." Before waiting for a response, he heads up the staircase. "This beast is going down!" he shouts in his ascent, inspiring his companion.

(add 1d6 to your next ability check, attack roll or saving throw)

"Alright lad, your probably a better shot then me anyway." Torfinn spots the crossbow and walks over the it. He pulls the body onto the platform and collects the crossbow and ammo. Suddenly he hears a crack and he turns to see Gwen standing behind him. "Glad you could join us, eyes up soldier!" He loads the bow.

Gwen stares up into the sky and glares in disgust at the dragon. She hurries over to the ballista to help Alibastar load and aim it. "Let's shoot that overgrown parrot out of the sky."

"Lightening isn't exactly like fire...right?" Cast produce flame [r18 v r12 + 6 = 24, d8 = damage is 1] "Maybe a few thousand more burns like that and he will die..."