Last time, on the Adventures of Team BAJA. Our heroes convene outside of the town of Greenest, each with their own reasons only known to themselves. Trouble in the town, as kobolds and bandits raid. Look out for that blue dragon, how will our heroes fair? Find out! Click here for part 1.
The great blue dragon expelled a great bolt of lightning onto the keep, disintegrating a handful of soldiers. The entire enclave was rallied in an uproar as the dwarf commander exclaimed commands to bolster what defenses they had remaining. Arrows, spears, and javelins were let loose upon the dark night sky, the occasional shimmer of lightning portraying the beast’s silhouette. Our heroes take cover after the first blast as they contemplated stratagem. Bolts of lightning rained on the keep, killing several soldiers. The dragon continued to circle the keep in the night clouds, lightning and thunder rumbled and danced.
The constant barrage forced Breadon to parley with the dragon. The warlock learned quickly that such an egocentric creature could not be reasoned or parlayed by a lower being, which forced Breadon to goad the dragon instead on the behest of Commander Brimstone. From javelins, spells, and insults, the dragon dodged them all before unleashing a grand bolt of lightning on Breadon. The dwarf stuck the lightning with his warhammer and scattered it back into the now illuminated night sky. The dwarf along with Illya made way for the broken tower of the keep, while the party continue to goad and attack the dragon, hoping to draw it closer. On its final sweep, the dragon lunged at the party, but not before being struck by a leaping dwarf. Injured, the blue dragon departed from the air space and back towards the mountain. The crisis at the keep resolved, the party survey the town’s status along with the dwarf and tiefling, many of the houses were lit ablaze and small shadows could be seen scurrying between buildings.
The dwarf instructs the party to scout the church and save any survivors from the raiders. The party take a secret passage below the keep’s cellars which led to the river basin nearby. Though the party had some difficulty with fending off the rodents that inhabited the tunnels (poor Arcaelus), they eventually made their way out and hurried towards the church. Much of the raiders ignored the group, though they tried to remain inconspicuous. Eventually they stumbled upon a shop being looted by a few kobolds and a pair of raiders. Jimmy roped one of the raiders in a whip of thorns after the party dispatched the remaining raiders. The team learn that the raiders assaulted the town of Greenest for its loot and were told to return to a central staging point, in addition, many of the raiders were mostly sellswords or bandits for hire. The captured raider revealed that a separate company had assaulted a monastery just northeast of Greenest, within striking distance of the supposed whereabouts of the famed jeweler and craftsman Elias. Aydan showed great concern from these revelations, though Arcaelus showed equal concern over the safety of the artifacts from the excavation site near the monastery.
Breadon corral some kobolds for more information under the guise of a commander or leader, where the party learn of a gathering near the church. The party becomes pressed for time, using the kobolds to distract the entourage in front of the church. As they make their way closer to the church, they find a half-dragon who seemed to be in charge of this operation, the party manage to sneak past the entourage into a back side of the church. Through a large crack in the back, the party find refugees and a cleric of Delenne trapped as the raiders attempt to break down the door. Aydan, Breadon, and Jimmy G decided to be distractions, pushing the opposition to clear a path. Arcaelus kept the barricades together until the last possible moment before rejoining with the others. The party escorted the refugees back to the keep and through the sewer passage.
Once everyone was safe, an entourage arrived before the keep. The same half-dragon identified himself as the leader of the band, and demanded to meet the heroes who had thwarted his cohorts. Beside the concession, several villagers were taken hostage and were promised to be spared their lives so long as the heroes emerged to face the half-dragon in open combat. Jimmy G took the initiative and stood before the brooding creature, taking on the form of a large brown bear. The half-dragon wielded a claymore and the two clashed before the crowd. Jimmy G had left several wounds on the half-dragon who only relished the duel.
He had the upper hand after landing two consecutive blows on our humble druid. The valiant Jimmy G fell to the dirt, the half-dragon though bloodied by bear marks raised his arms in triumph. He ordered the hostages released and a few medics rushed to Jimmy’s side to heal him after the entourage departed.
The team endures a long night of fights but questions still remain. What were the bandits after? What lies in the monastery outside of the town? Dragons and half-dragons? Oh my! Find out more in Episode 2!
Death By Mage 