Here There be Dragons (A transcript of a game of D&D )

Prologue

King Dyaz was sitting on his throne, protected on either side by his personal guards Zix'aldo, the ranger, and Rossa, the Dragonborn rogue when Nidas the seer came stumbling into the courtroom.

"Your majesty! I've had a vision!" He was sweating, his eyes still glowing with the fading vision, causing him to stumble in a zig-zag line across the floor.

"What is it, Nidas?"

"Large reptilian humanoids! Attacking Ameridian!"

"Dragonborn?" Dyaz asked, rising to his feet.

"No. Something different. More like lizards than dragons." He conjured an image of what he had seen form magic. Large reptilian creatures marched on the city, capturing the strong and burning houses. There were large, hulking creatures with horns above their eyes and nose and large bony crowns protruding from their skulls. They swung massive battle axes that split anything in their way. Another was tall, with skinny arms and quick legs that ran through the streets, snatching up the younger men.

At the sight of this creature, Rossa's headfeathers stood on end. The room crackled with static electricity as she clenched her fists. She hissed, her hand subconsciously going to her sword. "Saurians..." The king looked to her and she clarified, "I have seen these before... Long ago.. When I was enslaved in Drago...." The room fell silent, knowing Rossa was very closed off about her past.

King Dyaz summoned his captain of the guard. "Coffa! These strange creatures are attacking Ameridian! Ready some troops; we ride at sundown."

Coffa nodded and then did a double take. "You said Ameridian... Your majesty, my parents live there."

"Then you must make all the more haste!"

...

They arrived in Ameridian to find half the city in flame. Saurians patrolled the streets, carrying spears and battleaxes. "Your majesty," said Zix'aldo, "i suggest we try to skirt the city. I don't like the look of those scouts patrolling the sky." They all looked up and saw what seemed to be rather large birds, circling the city. A tiny rabbit's head poked out of Zix'aldo's saddlebag. He pushed it down gently, "no Charles!"

He looked up at the king shaking his head at him hopelessly. He cleared his throat. "Nonsense! We must ride forward for the glory of battle!" King Dyaz hefted his mighty axe. Once they reached the city, they came upon one of the three-horned Saurians. He thundered towards them on all fours, lowering his head to aim his horns at them. Coffa spurred his horse into a charge, spear pointer towards the creature like a lance. He managed to stab the creature in the eye, blinding it. Rossa heaved in a massive breath, letting out a flurry of lightning. It caught the metal spear, channeling the energy into the massive monster's head.

Another Saurian stepped out of the shadow of an alley, swinging his battle axe at the king's horse. The massive ruler went flying, crashing into the wall of a house. He pulled out a potion from the folds of his robes and downed it. King Dyaz grew in size till he matched the bulk of the Tri-horned Saurian. Their axes clashed, ringing out with a sound loud enough to deafen those standing too close. The electrocuted Saurian bent it's head to charge again, much slower than the last time. Rossa breathed lightning at it again, causing it to roar in pain. Coffa rode up beside it and brought his mighty sword down on the creatures neck, relieving him of his head. The king, meanwhile, hacked at the other beast, leaving massive gashes in the creatures arms and torso. Still the beast pushed on, fighting the king strength against strength.

The rabbit, Charles, poked his head out of the saddlebag again. "Zix'aldo, your charge!" Nidas warned.

But he was too late.

One of what the group had thought to be birds swooped out of the sky. The Saurian was massive, with a long head and mouth and thin leathery wings. "Snack time!" It cawed, snatching the rabbit from the bag.

"Charles, no!" Zix shouted, grasping for the rabbit.

Rossa turned around in time to witness the tragedy. "Zix'aldo, fire!" She said. He obeyed and she breathed lightning after the arrow. It met it's mark, piercing the creatures wing. The Saurian began to fall, releasing it's hold on the rabbit. Another winged beast snatched it from the sky as a third grasped Rossa by her shoulders. "Let go you beast!"

"King Rex will be happy to see you! As will captain Rapta." The creature chuckled.

Nidas, meanwhile, came to the aid of the king. The best had knocked him on his back, ready to knocked the king's crown clean off.

"Chain lightning!" Nidas cried. It knocked the tri-horned Saurian through the wall behind him. Another winged monster grasped for Zix'aldo, but he dove off his mount and rolled across the ground.

Rossa, meanwhile, was carried to the Saurian's camp, located in the unburied half of the city. She was dropped into a cage with several men and boys. One of them looked like Coffa, the captain of the guard. "Where are we?" She asked.

"The beast's camp... We're to build their new kingdom... Say you look familiar..." The man replied, his voice cracking with exhaustion.

"Papa Coffa?" She asked gently.

"It is you... I thought it was my old age playing tricks. If you're close, that means my boy can't be far behind." A pleasant smiled spread across his face and he closed his eyes, "he'll save us."

A thin, gangly Saurian came up to the cage, rapping on the bars. "No talking!" His eyes narrowed in recognition, "Rossa... Good to see you again."

"Rapta," she spit the the name out, thick with hatred and disgust.

"Is that any way to address your master?" He reached through the bars and Rossa leapt back.

"FORMER master." She corrected.

There was a battle cry and master and slave looked up to see king Dyaz and his party cresting the hill.

"That's my boy," papa Coffa gave a weary smile. Another battle cry came from the other direction. A massive Saurian with huge clawed toes and significantly smaller forearms appeared, flanked by two slim reptilian guards.

A battle ensued, pitting reptilians against humans and elves. Nidas cast a charm over one of the Saurian's, controlling it to open the cage, freeing the prisoners. Zix'aldo fired arrow after arrow, his face red with vengeance for the death of his beloved pet. King Dyaz, still gigantic from his potion, smashed through any enemy that dared face him.

The fight was short lived, ending in the retreat of the Saurians. It wasn't till a few weeks later, sitting in the throne room of the castle, that the royal party heard from them again. Without warning, the doors came bursting into the throne room, smashed to pieces by a tri-horned beast.

The king rose, reaching for his battle axe. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Came a thundering voice. Suddenly, there was no roof on the throne room. Despite the time being noon, the sky was dark, blackened by the silhouette of a thousand dragons.

One dragon descended from the hoard, topped by a rider as dark as it's scales. "Behold your new master, Dracolord." Said the thundering voice, "here to usher in the reign of Tiamat, goddess of the dragons. My dark mother shall finally rule the world as is her right." From his mount, the void dragon, there emanated a wave of magic, causing the room's occupants to fall asleep.

All save Rossa, who was cuffed and hauled off by a Saurian. "Rapta will be very happy to see you again." He chuckled darkly.

A low chant began with Dracolord, rising in volume as it spread to the other dragons and to the Saurians that carried off the sleeping king and his party. They changed one name. HER name. Tiamat.