Last we left our heroes, Ryker and Wander were facing off Skulldrinker alone in King Baldus’ chambers while the rest of the team were fighting off elementals in a crumbing tower. What happens next is:
- Ryker runs up and manages to slip a box off Skulldrinker’s belt
- Skulldrinker casts a spell to link Wander and Ryker, what damage is done to one, is done to the other.
- After linking the two and attempting to intimidate Wander as “the last firbolg left of Mountainroot,” Skulldrinker hypnotizes Ryker to sleep, takes back his box, and teleports away.
- Wander kicks Ryker awake as an earth elemental smashes through the door. It is quickly dispatched and Ryker contacts Reg to bring the ship back.
- Meanwhile, Arunak dominates a wind elemental and causes it to attack its fellows.
- After a quick back and forth including Nathan being caught in a wind/fire elemental tornado (twice), all elementals are defeated, charging elemental rings held by Arunak, Yevin, and Nathan.
- Havayla uses word of recall to take them all back to the ship, along with King Baldus’ corpse. Reg explains that they’re headed back to Riverband to rescue Ryker.
- Ryker and Wander rush up to the top of the tower, where they see a far off combat of the green dragon and Syrin’s badly damage ship.
- Ryker floats up to get an eye on the tower and sees Aurora fighting earth elementals, unaware that her companions had already fled. She turns to ram against her rocky foes and is struck down.
- As the Windwalker returns, the air skirmish grows closer. Ropes are lowered for Ryker and Wander, who are pulled up to safety, while crewmen scuttle down to pull up Aurora’s body.
- At this point, the dragon reaches the ship and attempts to knock off Nathan, but he is saved from falling by Ryker.
- The ship comes about and unloads on the dragon, striking it down.
- On deck, Wander is able to cast revivify on Aurora and then King Baldus.
- King Baldus explains what happened to his kingdom, his trust in the wrong people, his history, and the feeblemind stone. The poor guy is just a kid who doesn’t know what he’s doing. Wander gives him a pep-talk on taking responsibility, admitting your mistakes, and moving forward. He is surprised to learn of Hearthollow’s aid and is willing to work towards peace.
- Ryker goes over to Syrin’s damaged ship and receives her report on the battle. The towns-folk handily over run the orcs, but the dragon caused a lot of damage. Her ship has to land and they can’t take it out of the city. Unable to do anything else, the ship is landed as gently as possible and the crew starts triage.
- Havayla quietly gives Wander her shield and a potion, before retreating below deck with Aurora, casting the tiny hut to keep everyone out.
And that is where we left our heroes, after less than a minute of combat and a few minutes of conversation. Will Skulldrinker find his Iron Highland’s base destroyed by the dragons or will he be able to fight them off? Can the Derailers get to him in time to prevent the raising of Carvacus? Will there finally be peace between two of the three kingdoms? We’ll find out next time…