The Chronicles of The Lightbringer

Chapter 3: Moonfang the Magnificent

The Drunken Dinos gathered around a large stone table. Before them a very detailed map of the location Aurinax would use the Bowl of the Horde to try and eliminate some powerful dragons. The group had placed traps, glyphs of warding that would go off when the dragons landed, all about the area, as shown on Flint's map. There were also a set of exit points in case too many high level enemies were sent.
"Alright!" Jenks said getting the group's attention. "Let's go over the plan one more time. McCrikey, you use your Call Lightning spell to blast any non blue dragons that show up. Dauphree you work on trying to banish some of them, they'll come back eventually, but there will be less enemies for awhile, after that focus on healing. Flint, you stay back and hit them from afar, aim for the eyes if you can. Vanoth and Nat, you two are our front line, hit them hard and take them out as fast as you can. Squiddly and I will focus on protecting Dauphree and McCrikey while doing as much damage as we can. Does everyone understand their role?" The group around the table nodded in unison. "Right now we are on standby, Aurinax and his apprentice Zelifarn are going to try and coax Tiamat to send reinforcements to retrieve the Bowl of the Horde." Jenks explained as McCrikey dawned a helm of teleportation, ready to transport the group in at Aurinax's call.
Aurinax, while shapechanged, was an elderly dwarf with copper skin and thin stringy yellow hair and beard. He wore an ornate orange and gold robe depicting two gold dragon heads on the front and he carried a walking stick that was tipped with a yellow and red dragon intertwined with each other which melded into one about halfway down. Aurinax's apprentice Zelifarn was a young bronze dragon who, in his human form, a tall man with a bronze tan and shimmering emerald eyes. He wore sailor's attire, which included a black tricorne with brass trim, a forest green vest, white pants, tall leather boots, and at each side he held an ornate bronze handled scimitar.
    "Ok the Drunken Dinos are ready to teleport in, now all we need to do is anger Tiamat enough so that she sends a squad to attack us. Any ideas?" Aurinax informed his apprentice.
    "So we just need to piss Tiamat off right? And this bowl teleports things to her horde?" Zelifarn asked. After Aurinax had confirmed that that was indeed the plan and the bowl was used to teleport things to Tiamat's horde in Avernus, Zelifarn promptly pulled down his pants and defecated into the bowl. There was a bright golden light that emitted from the bowl as, in a flash, the feces was transported to Tiamat's personal horde. "That should get her angry." Zelifarn said, happy with himself on what he had just done.
"That it should, my apprentice, that it should, she'll have a personal vendetta against you in particular from now on." Aurinax explained. The color drained from Zelifarn's face as he realized he had just personally invoked the ire of the demon queen Tiamat.
"We'll be safe though right? The Drunken Dinos wouldn't let anything happen to me right?" Zelifarn asked, starting to panic.
"Depends what kind of forces she sends." Aurinax answered plainly. "After that display I wouldn't be surprised if she sent a few ancient dragons after us." Zelifarn gripped the sending stone he was using to communicate withy the Drunken Dinos tighter and was more vigilant than ever, looking out for incoming threats.
    There was a purple flash of light as a gargantuan eighty-five foot long white dragon and five huge fifty-five foot blue dragons teleported in.
    Zelifarn put in the call for backup and The Drunken Dinos teleported in and immediately lept into action. McCrikey instantly cast his spell as storm clouds gathered around as he saw the ancient white dragon with his blue underbelly heading straight for Zelifarn, who had transformed into his bronze dragon form. Aurinax shapechanged and flew up to meet the ancient white dragon, yelling for the beast to face him, but was stopped by two blue dragons who unleashed their lightning breath on Aurinax.
    "All shall bow before Moonfang the Magnificent! Especially you blasphemous bronze fool!" The white dragon boomed. Jenks waved his hand and, from the ground beneath where Moonfang was flying, yellow tendrils of energy wrapped around Moonfang and pulled him towards the ground. As Moonfang was pulled to the earth the glyphs of warding the group had set up went off. Moonfang recoiled in pain as three explosions went off in his face, causing him to roar in pain and anger. "Your petty tricks will not save you from my wrath mortals!" Moonfang said in a deep voice. Squiddly promptly responded to the threat by unleashing a twenty foot fireball on the dragon. Dauphree spoke a divine word and, with a pop, one of the blue dragons was banished to a small demiplane.    
    Nat and Vanoth ran forward to confront Moonfang, but were stopped by a blue dragon landing in front of them. Nat drew her weapon, a dragonhide handled blue battleaxe with a large sapphire in the pommel, and struck the dragon in the side of the head, sending its head flying to the side. Vanoth took this opportunity to charge forward with a roar and left a large gash on the front leg of the beast. The dragon stumbled downward and Nat used the opportunity to bury her battleaxe into the forehead between the dragon's eyes. The dragon recoiled in pain, axe still buried in its skull, and unleashed a lightning breath at Nat. Vanoth jumped in front of the blast and took it head on. When the dust settled the dragon saw Vanoth standing there, ginning the grin of a devious child. He flew forward with the powers of his new boots and thrust his glaive through the dragon's eye and into its brain. There was a squeak as the dragon recoiled before slumping to the ground, lifeless.
Moonfang started to panic, and seeing how the dwarf covered in holy symbols banished one of his backup, Moonfang knew his next target. Moonfang's eyes glowed with a pink energy as he stared into Dauphree. Dauphree recoiled in pain as his words turned from curses aimed towards the dragon to a chorus of nyehs and nyuhs. With the cleric unable to concentrate the previously banished blue dragon popped back into existence, confused and disoriented.
Moonfang looked at the group that had gathered before him and smirked. "For your insolence you shall all freeze to death by my mighty breath!" Moonfang cheered as he released his icy breath onto the party. McCrikey was a white Dragonborn, so the icy wind barely effected him as he kept his concentration on his storm cloud. Jenks dropped to one knee, losing his concentration as the yellow tendrils holding down Moonfang dissipated. Squiddly went to shield Jenks with his shield as Dauphree fell to the ground shivering in the cold. Nat felt the chill reach her but shrugged it off, now turning her focus to Moonfang. Vanoth was utterly unperturbed by the frosty breath, but turned to see Zelifarn struggling against the grasp of a blue dragon. Vanoth rushed over and delivered a mighty blow to the dragon's head, giving Zelifarn a chance to recover. Vanoth could see the fear in Zelifarn's eyes as teeth marks around his neck started to bleed.
    Vanoth turned towards the blue dragon, prepared to defend his dragon ally. The dragon unleashed a breath of lightning towards Zelifarn, which Vanoth promptly intercepted with his body. Vanoth felt electricity surge through his body, but he held onto consciousness with a grip that could bend steel. He shot back into action, stabbing his glaive into the dragons neck and pivoting it, causing the dragon to roar in agony and knock Vanoth back with it's claws. As Vanoth rolled backwards from the strike he found himself being held up by a scaly bronze claw. "Come on warrior, we can do this!" The dragon propping up Vanoth said huffing. With newfound inspiration, Vanoth once again barreled forward, this time flying past the dragon's head and using his glaive to choke hold the dragon's head. Pulling back the head with all his might Vanoth yelled, "go for the neck!" Zelifarn quickly lept into action, seizing the blue dragon by the throat and twisting and tearing, eventually seizing a deep chunk of the dragon's neck. There was a static gurgle as the dragon tried to roar, but only succeeded in losing more blood before vertiginously fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.
    Another boom of thunder could be heard as Moonfang was hit with another bolt of lightning. While Moonfang was disoriented Nat rushed forward and dug her battleax into the underbelly of Moonfang. Her ax sizzled with radiant energy as a burst of light erupted from Moonfang's wound. He angrily snapped at Nat, biting down on her and throwing her fifty feet to the side where she hit the ground rolling and tumbling. "Go help Dauphree!" Jenks yelled as pointed his finger at Moonfang. A thin green line shot out from his finger and hit Moonfang in the chest, causing him to stagger and lose his breath. While Moonfang was being occupied, Squiddly ran to a shivering Dauphree mumbling incoherently and touch him with a divine spell. Dauphree's eyes shot open as he regained his cognoscente abilities and stood up shakily. "Oh that bastard's gonna get it when I get done with him!" Dauphree said drawing his warhammer and throwing it at Moonfang. The hammer sailed through the air with great speed and hit Moonfang in the side of the wing, causing him to wail in pain as the wing collapsed onto the ground. The hammer then floated into the air and returned to Dauphree's hand as he charged towards Moonfang.
    Aurinax's breaths were labored as he flew, covered in scars and singe marks. The two blue dragons looked bruised, but it was clear who had the upper hand. Another arrow of fire struck the blue dragons from behind, but was barely an annoyance to them as they taunted the gold dragon. "Is this all you got old man. I thought you were the almighty Aurinax! What a joke you turned out to be!" The dragons laughed as behind them Aurinax could see a spot of bronze through his blurred vision. The spot grew larger until it crashed into one of the blue dragons, sending it and the bronze dragon spiraling downwards towards the earth. Aurinax turned his attention towards the still flying blue dragon, only to see a grey humanoid on its back preparing to cleave into the wing of the beast, and cleave he did as the dragon lost its balance and was also sent hurtling towards the ground.
    Vanoth felt gravity seize him as he and the blue dragon separated and he was left free falling towards the earth until giant golden claws scooped him up and slowed his descent until he reached the ground with a slight thud. Vanoth turned to see Aurinax bruised and beaten, but smiling at what he and his apprentice had accomplished. Vanoth turned to see Zelifarn in a heap on the ground next to a red and blue pile of scales and bone. Vanoth rushed over, pulling all his healing potions out of his bag of holding and trying to feed them to the bronze dragon. Flint ran up beside Vanoth and said "I'll heal him, you go help kill Moonfang." With that, Aurinax and Vanoth turned towards Moonfang and before Vanoth could even rush over to engage, Aurinax let out a mighty roar as flame erupted from his mouth and hit Moonfang directly in the face.
    There was a flash of light as the fire dissipated and, in Moonfang's place, stood a goblin wearing very ornate robes and covered in valuable looking gems. "How dare you return Moonfang the Magnificent to this puny form! You mortals shall pay for your transgressions! I shall return for my revenge!" The goblin shouted as he started weaving a powerful looking spell. Jenks tried to counterspell, but wasn't strong enough to stop the high level spell from going off. Squiddly tried to counterspell, but was too far away as he watched the goblin shift into an ancient white dragon once more. "No! Someone stop him!" Jenks shouted as McCrikey hit the dragon with another bolt of lightning, Dauphree threw his hammer, and Jenks unleashed a fireball, all of which did little to stop Moonfang's retreat. Moonfang ran backwards and lept into the air, getting enough distance to teleport out with a flash of purple light.
    "Damn it all he was a fockin goblin polymorphed the whole time!" Dauphree cursed, throwing his helmet. Nat limped up to the group apologizing for not being able to stop him. Vanoth was beyond infuriated at this and stared into the dirt with pure seething hatred. This hatred however was short lived as he looked over to see Zelifarn weakly lifting up his head towards Aurinax. Vanoth rushed over to meet his dragon acquaintance. "You did good warrior, I never expected the Drunken Dinosaurs to be so powerful." Zelifarn stated, looking towards Vanoth.
     "You weren't bad yourself." Vanoth responded, a glimmer of respect in his eyes for the young and haughty dragon. Zelifarn shakily stood you his feet and went over to Aurinax to speak with him. While the two dragons spoke, Flint walked over to the rest of the Drunken Dinos and apologized for not being of good use during the fight. He tried his best, but in the end he hardly put a scratch in the two dragons that were fighting Aurinax. The group consoled Flint, but Vanoth could see in his eyes he was plagued by the feeling of failure and guilt. The group called in backup from Waterdeep to come and take the blue dragon corpses, so that they could not be used for nefarious purposes and the group returned to Phandelin, a feeling of failure hanging over their heads.