>>33339811
go north

>>33343886
And here I was ready to call it a day

>>33343908
I told you i'd be late

>>33343914
Yeah, but nobody else seems to be around, so I was started to think this would be my last hurrah

>>33343947
seems odd. But, then again, RL does have a knack of interfering with what we do on the Internet.

>>33343886
You decide to head out alone. You know enough about this land now that you shouldn't have too much trouble, and Leon is likely too busy at the moment considering all that happened.

You begin walking through the outpost, watching everyone work and prepare. Most of them don't even look at you. As you reach the outer edge of the outpost, you pass by two Rangers sitting on rocks, tossing stones into a pale a few yards away. When they see you, they stop you.

"The Lionheart told us not to let anyone go out alone." One turns to the other."

"Yeah, but I think he only meant Rangers."

>

>>33344021
hm... maybe we should just bring Anna along as well

>>33344021
>>33344071
nevermind, let's just go ourselves.

"yeah, he probably just meant it for Rangers."

>>33344110
Sure, seconded.

>>33344110
You tell them you're sure he only meant Rangers, as a precaution. They think for a moment, and agree. You pass them with no trouble, and make your way into the dense woods.

You continue walking alone for quite some time. The morning is quiet, but you're sure the Rangers on patrol are nearby. They can probably see you now. Whether that's comforting or unsettling is up to interpretation.

At a good pace, you make it to the edge of the forest, facing the northern territory by nightfall. Before you is a large and deep snowfield. Crossing it could take hours, but on the other side is another stretch of forest that will offer better protection than the field itself. There is no sign of smoke of campfire yet, unfortunately.

>

>>33344208
Eh? Where ya been?

>>33344253
forest.

>>33344253
The forest
And sorry, I mostly lurk now. It's too much of a hassle to post from my phone all the time.

>>33344290
>>33344331
You decide to gather your strength and cross the snowfield. Only a few yards in, you can tell you're going to be exhausted from having to pump your legs so hard, but you'd rather be on the other side when you rest.

You finally make it to the other treeline. You are almost out of breath, and your thighs are on fire, but the snow here is much more shallow, and you can stride normally. The cold night is beginning to sting a bit, and you are quite tired. Somehow you aren't so hungry yet.

You look around briefly. You are in the north now, even if you're still close to the border. The Rangers don't come this far out, so you're on your own.

>

>>33344484
what settlements do we know of in the North?

>>33344484
Keep going in the direction we think civilization is in.

>>33344509
>>33344532
You take a moment to rest and think on your options. Leon has mentioned several small villages north of here, and you'd likely be able to find them if you tried, but they may not be overly friendly, especially if they ally with the dragon. Although, if they are friendly, you're likely to be able to get a hot meal and help. The closest city you know of is to the northwest. It is a city built around a great mine, and encompassing an island as well as the mainland. The people there are famous for their metalworks, but you have no doubt the dragon would know this.

>

>>33344626
northwest, then

>>33344626
Awesome, let's go to the northwest. Maybe they can tell us something about our dagger.

>>33344652
>>33344663
You decide to endure the cold and exhaustion and begin making your way northwest, to the Iron City, Ferris. The trek will be long, but who knows what you may learn when you get there.

The next morning, you spy a road in the forest. Following it will take you to your destination faster, but it will also make you highly visible. You suppose merchants may pass by as well, but you can't be sure.

>

>>33344749
Let's use the road, but hide when we see/hear people.

>>33344749
take the road

>>33344804
>>33344805
You make your way to the road and begin following it. It feels quite nice on your feet and legs, compared to the rough terrain of the forest. And indeed, it does cut down your travel time significantly. At this pace, you think you'll arrive well before tomorrow morning.

As you walk, listening to birds and animals merrily go along, you hear something in the distance. You slow down and perk your ears, up, and sure enough you can make out hooves on the road approaching from the direction you came from. A few moments later, you hear whistling, and laughter. Likely, whoever is the source doesn't want trouble, but you are technically in enemy territory.

>

>>33344929
Respond with a whistle of your own and try not to cause a fuss

>>33344957
You begin whistling the first song that pops into your head. As the hooves draw closer, and the whistling grows louder, you feel a bit nervous. Finally, a cart rounds a corner, wheels squeaking, and approaches you. It is pulled by a large draft horse, and driven by a short man with a thick beard and a pot-belly. He smiles cheerfully as he closes in, and slows to a stop.

"Evening, traveler. Fine day for a journey, eh? I reckon you're from the south, if you're whistling a song like that. Hehe! Are ya headed to Ferris as well? I've got some room in the back if ye like."

>

>>33345175
That's very kind of you, good sir. I think I'll take you up on that.

>>33345229
You agree, and climb into the back of the wagon. You are hit by the smell of dirt, and lift up the tarp to reveal several crates full of root vegetables.

"Aye, that's my product, fresh grown and pulled just two days ago. They don't do much farming in Ferris, so produce goes for a higher price than steel! Haha! Hold on then, I'll get you there before supper time. Feel free to have yourself a lie down, as well, this old girl glides like a kite."

>

>>33345324
"How long have you been doing business?"

>>33345478
"Well, the farm's been in my family for just on four generations, now. My great gran wrestled a man for it, and won by breaking his collar bone. Beast of a woman she was. She had hair red as flames and my grandad told me she had a body for breeding. Oiled herself before the match, totally nude, and the old fool who agreed to her challenge was so distracted she got the drop on him. We've been working the soil since then, all the way down to my son."

>

>>33345682
"Where do you usually go to trade stuff?"

"Seen any other northeners by any chance?

>>33345737
"Well, I go into the market. I can usually get rid of this whole load in a single day, if it's busy. But I can tell you're into more exotic curious, eh? Perhaps a suit to replace that dented can you've wrapped yourself in, hehe! For that ye'd need to check the proper shops. Big building, usually." You ask about other northmen. "I haven't seen anybody but you on the road today. I did see a fellow yesterday, looked a bit tired but strong in the back. He said something about going to the holy city, but I don't quite remember why."

>

>>33345896
"Where'd you last see this guy?"

"Have you seen people from other lands around here?"

>>33345934
"He was walking the road, same as you. I'd have offered him a ride too, but he was going the wrong way." You ask about other people. "Ain't seen nobody but him, sorry to say. Everyone seems to be holed up in their hovels for some reason. You'd think there was something scaring them all away, hehe!"

>

>>33346022
"You mean like a giant dragon?"

"Hey, did this northerner have red hair?"

>>33346060
"Dragons? Ahaha! You're a funny one, you are. No, it's most likely just the cold. It's been a fierce winter. But soon enough they'll all come out to warm up beneath the sun." You ask about a traveler with red hair. "Red? Naye, the man I saw had hair white as a ghost. Barefoot too, though he tried to wrap them in bandages. Poor man, really."

>

>>33346152
"Hey, how much do you know about the North's history?"

>>33346212
"Me, personally? As much as anyone who grew up here, I suppose. Why do you ask?"

>

>>33346263
"I'm trying to get acclimated to the culture and whatnot."

>>33346277
"Well all you need to know is to say thanks often, and never agree to a wager. Unless there's something specific you were curious about."

>

>>33346405
thanks

how far are we from town?

>>33346433
"Oh, we'll be there in four or five hours. Relax friend, I'll let you know when we come up on the outside."

>

>>33346484
"Or when we get attacked by bandits and/or monsters?"

>>33346519
"Ah, of course, haha. Though I doubt we will. Most of the beasties prefer to stay south, where the Rangers patrol. Bloody dogs, they are. The forest they guard is magic, my own gran told me so. That's why so many nasty things live there. Try to tell em that, though!"

>

>>33346659
ask the merchant's name.

rest in the wagon until we get to town.

>>33346690
"The names Gabe, pleasure to know ya."

With that, you relax and lean back on the tarp. It doesn't take long before you fall asleep. When you wake again, you are groggy, and there is something patting your face. You open your eyes and see Gabe smiling at you.

"Wakey wakey, friend. We're in town! I'm going to feed Mira, then head to the market. What'll you do then?"

You sit up and look around. The city is quiet, but full of people. They seem to wear clothes quite similar to the people in Luman, albeit with less symbolism. The air is chilly, but everyone seems to be comfortable as they go about their business.

"Over yonder is the Pit of Ponce, the mine that keeps this town thriving. Best ore in the land! There are the metalworks. Craftsman work hard to make the strongest armor and blades. You'll need coin for em, though."

>

>>33346857
visit the smithies.

>>33346886
You hop out of the cart and bid Gabe farewell. You turn and begin heading toward the metalworks, a large series of buildings that all belch smoke and smell of roasted nuts.

You walk by the open shops, browsing. Many of them work on everyday tools, but a few do handle weapons and armor. As you look around, you spot a few of the town lawmen. They are wrapped in plate, just as any paladin, but clearly they are only footmen. They truly must have an abundance of iron if they can suit even lowly patrols such as these.

You come to a particularly cold looking shop, and peer in. There is a large man hunched over an anvil, pounding away at something as his furnace begins to fade. He mumbles to himself, and it makes you uncomfortable. It's probably smarter to visit one of the more lively shops.

>

>>33346993
see what he has in stock

ask what kind of metals he's worked with besides iron

>>33347022
You enter the shop and look around. It seems pretty bare, save for a few fragile looking swords. You approach the working man, and get his attention. He turns to look at you with one good eye, and one milky white. His face is darkened by soot, as is his beard. He looks you up and down before you speak, asking him about his shop.

"I make swords. Only swords. Or, I used to. These days everything I forge snaps like a twig, and I can't seem to fucking mend the problem. I suppose when you make the same thing for so many decades, you get tired of it. But this is all I know. I'll be straight with you, friend: you don't want to buy from me. There are many better smiths in this town." You ask him if he's ever tried something besides iron and steel.

"You mean bronze? Copper? A bit, but they're nothing special. I've forged a blade from silver, but that weren't a challenge neither. If there were something better, I'd like to try my hand, I suppose, but I can only use what I can buy from the mines."

>

>>33347158
"have you ever heard of mithril?"

>>33347158
"What about Mithril?"

>>33347233
>>33347258
The old smith stops his hammering and turns back to you.

"You think yer funny, eh? All these young hooligans shouting about dragons, and you want to come in and tell me you've got metal mined by old heroes in fairy tales? I'm old, but I'm not senile!"

>

>>33347348
Show him we're not joking.

>>33347348
"Merely hypothetical. If you were to have a handful of mithril, would you be able to forge it into a weapon?"

>>33347377
changing to this, keep our cards to our chest

>>33347377
>>33347422
"Heh. Aye, I suppose any metal that melts can be forged. Go on then, give me the ingots! While you're at it, slay the white-shade and I'll make ye a vorpal blade to slay elves with! Damn jokers around here."

>

>>33347515
"White shade?"

>>33347548
"Are ye gonna buy something, or are ye just gonna stand around and talk to me about pixie dust!?" He seems a bit irritated now. You should tread lightly.

>

>>33347625
let's show him some mithril,

also, ask what a white shade is

>>33347625
Show him the Mithral and repeat, "What is a white-shade?"

>>33347674
>>33347723
You swing your napsack off your shoulder and reach in. Six mithril ingots sit inside, bluish-green and smooth to touch. You pull one out and show the old smith. He looks at it annoyed for a moment, but his expression slowly changes to one of wonder.

"No. No it can't be. Blue-green, wavy, and it smells just slightly of grape. It is! That's mithril, by the thunderer himself! Where in the damned world did ye come across something like this?" You answer his question with another question.

"Eh? White-shade? Nothin but a storybook monster. But this is real life legend! In my shop! Oh, if this flame were only higher, I could make such a masterwork from this!"

>

>>33347825
"Know of someone who's got a forge for the job?"

>>33347825
"What can I do to help raise that flame, then?"

>>33347854
"Eh, well you could try a larger shop. But if ye did, they'd likely stiff you. Not only that, they'd half-ass it I'm sure. And of course you should worry about local thugs getting wind of it. You look tough as any ox but I wager thirteen men is still a bit much for you to handle. I don't mean to be a braggart, but I can work wonders with that ore. Help me, and we can have something mighty done! That is, if ye know anything about forging steel."

>

>>33348036
So, how do we make the fire big enough?

>>33348036
"Not a bloody thing, but I'll try to help anyway. What can I do?"

>>33348051
>>33348084
"The flame can be fed with normal wood, but you've brought me mythic metal. It only seems right to use mythic methods. If you want to do as the old tales say, we'll need blood. Blood in the fire infuses a soul into the metal. After that, it just takes time."

>

>>33348291
"I've got blood."

>>33348291
whose blood are we talking about?

>>33348311
>>33348320
"The more powerful the source, the better the weapon, or so they say. Nothing stops you using your own, of course. It's up to you, lad."

>

>>33348446
how much of my blood?

I'm so tempted to come back after killing the dragon.

>>33348471
"A pint is plenty. We pour that into the fire, say a few words and boom, magic flame. But again, any blood is fine."

>

>>33348580
"I can spare a pint of blood. Besides, then it'll be more personal."

>>33348580
I guess we could do that

>>33348580
Wait hold on, what If we kill the dragon first and use it's blood to forge the mythril?

>>33348604
>>33348613
You agree to spill your own blood for the weapon. The old man grins, revealing rows of yellow teeth.

"A good day it is! Let's get started!" He begins piling wood beneath the fire, and pumping it up with a bellows. In a few minutes the shop is scorching hot, and he approaches you with a silver bowl and a knife.

"Here we go then, moment of truth. Ye ready?"

>

>>33348683
yup

>>33348683
"I've done worse to myself."

>>33348674
I think it might be easier to kill it with the mithril rather than to kill it without using the mithril

>>33348722
we have the dagger

>>33348722
True, but if we do use dragon blood to forge the mythril there's no telling how powerful the weapon will turn out. It may be powerful enough to kill a god.

>>33348760
>>33348722
we should ask him how much of the mithral he will need to use, we could make one before and one after.

>>33348777
Yeah, seconding this

>>33348777
>1 Ingot
Spear, dagger

>2 ingots
shortsword, helmet, axe,

>3 ingots
longsword, shield, battleaxe

>4 ingots
Waraxe, Greatsword, breastplate,

>6 ingots
Full-plate

we could make a longsword before and a longsword after
or make a shortsword before and a longsword after and let him keep an ingot as a token of appreciation and/or for bragging rights on his behalf

>>33348843
And how many do we have?

>>33348886
Six.

>>33348843
I'd go with Longsword and shield.

>>33348979
Which are we making now?

>>33349001
why not make both? We enough to make both

>>33349001
I'd say shield now and sword later.

>>33349023
Yes, but if we make one later we can make it using dragon blood which is going make a really really good sword.

>>33349054
ok, i guess that works

>>33349170
So we'll make a shield now, and come back and make a longsword using the dragon blood. Also we need to make sure we bring something to gather blood into.

>>33349209
a bucket or a bowl

>>33349209
>>33349170
You hand over three ingots, and the old smith hands you the knife. You take it and bite your lip, slicing quickly across the back of your arm to avoid damaging any of the muscles you need to fight. The blood drips slowly into the silver bowl as he begins dropping the ingots into a stone pale and inserting it into the flames. You wait until he says a sufficient amount of blood has been spent, and he gives you a clean rag to wrap the wound with. He takes the bowl and brings it over to the fire.

"Old gods, gods of blood and fire, bless this forge. Infuse the power of burning life into this metal. Give unto us power! Primordial beings who covet the light of the first being, break the huddle and shine down upon us! By the flames of Prometheus! By the breath of Mother Gaia! By the wrath of Father Tartarus! Cosmic forces, bend this world and give us-!"

"What are you doing you idio-!"

"Power!!!" The old smith drops the bowl's contents into the fire, at which point the room is filled with brilliant, blinding light. You stumble back into something, covering your eyes, and hearing an intense ringing in your ears. When the world begins to fade back in, you look around. The shop looks more or less the same, but for some reason everything seems dustier. The forge has gone completely cold, and when you look behind you, half of the shop has caved in, trapping you in the building. You approach the crumbled bricks, and they seem to have just fallen. You look around for the old smith, but all you find is a rotted corpse with a shield layed across his lap, and a scroll in one hand.

>

>>33349568
oh, shit.

read the scroll and take the shield

>>33349568
seconding >>33349592
what the hell happened

>>33349592
>>33349602
You approach the corpse. It has already gone dry, and prying the shield and scroll away from it are not easy.

The shield is a pale green-blue, with waves lightly caressing the metal. The back is lined with soft wood, and it fits almost perfectly to your arm, even when armored. The face is marked with a symbol, a single eye with a sun for an iris. You look at the scroll.

"Dear sir,

If you are reading this, I may already be dead. When your blood made contact with the flames, something truly horrifying occurred. I saw them. I saw the primordials. They were so gargantuan, so maddening to behold, even the gods surely must fear them. They told me the secrets of magic and enchantment. But, their price was steep. Little by little, they eroded my sanity. Every moment began to become surreal and abstract. I had no food, no water, but I did have my work. I forged the shield, for it was all there was to keep me from going truly mad. Alas, time marches on, even for beings such as this. As I write this, I can feel my mind slipping away. The shield is done, and I have no purpose. I can see you slumbering, caressed by the horrid abominations that dwell here. They cannot touch you, but they seem obsessed with observing you. I am sure I will die soon, but know that there is a strange euphoria I feel now, as I see this shield shimmer in the starlight. I hope you will take it and become a legend, and bring my name with you."

All this appears to be written in blood. There is no sign of a pen anywhere. And, sad to say, as you roll the scroll back up, your realize that you never knew the old smith's name.

>

>>33349807
Holy shit, how long were we out?

Let's get out of here

>>33349807
Look around for some sign of his name.

>>33349807
Though, i guess we do owe him a funeral. Let's bury him first.

>>33349835
>>33349850
You begin searching the shop, but you find nothing useful. The collapse has made everything much harder to sort through as well. You begin to feel a bit claustrophobic.

You'd like to bury the old smith, but as you reach down to grab his old bones, they shatter into dust and shards. Not even a light touch is able to move him. You begin to feel your blood boil a bit.

>

>>33349970
alright, let's get moving. See if we can ask what the date and month and year is, just to make sure.

>>33349970
Pay our respects and leave.

>>33350009
this, too

>>33350007
>>33350009
You kneel beside the old bones and say a prayer. You feel odd doing so, since you only know one prayer, but you'd feel guilty if you didn't. When you finish, you take the shield and strap it to your back before heading for what was once the exit.

The bricks here are still loose, and you should be able to move them. Then again, doing so may cause more damage to the building's structure. It might be better to call for help and hope.

>

>>33350159
call out first

>>33350159
Call out for help, first.

>>33350176
>>33350178
You climb a little ways onto the pile and begin shouting. Naturally, there is no immediate answer, but after a few minutes you hear a noise. It seems like a voice, but it is muffled.

>

>>33350226
keep shouting

>>33350240
You continue to shout, and keep it up for a few more minutes until your throat is dry. You take a break, but soon after you begin to hear noise again. This time you're certain that it's voices, but you still can't understand them. You think they may be trying to dig you out.

>

>>33350285
Start digging too, should get us out quicker.

>>33350328
yes

>>33350328
>>33350334
You begin throwing bricks out of the way, hoping to escape more quickly. Luckily, you have gloves with prevent your fingers from getting too badly hurt by all the sharp rocks and shards of brick and glass.

Within a half hour, you break through and are hit with daylight. A few silhouettes come into focus, and reveal themselves to be two armored guards, one of whom holds his hand out to you.

"Are you alright sir?"

>

>>33350379
"Yes, but not everyone is so lucky. What's the shop owner's name? He didn't make it."

>>33350379
"for the most part. The Blacksmith... Shit, i didn't even get his name. He's dead."

>>33350399
>>33350400
>that one second
>that similarity in ideas

>>33350399
The guards look at one another for a moment. You can't see beneath their helmets, but they probably look confused. As you crawl out, they speak.

"Sir, this shop has been empty for the last decade. In fact, I don't remember there ever having been an owner, at least not in my lifetime."

>

>>33350556
Damn you Rags,

"Well who owned it last?"

>>33350556
seconding >>33350569

>>33350569
>>33350614
"The last owner? I don't know, it was well before my time. The other shop owners might know, if they've been around long enough. Say, do you need to see a doctor? How did you even get trapped in there anyway?"

>

>>33350698
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
ask about for whoever knew the owner

Not sure about this whole time travel thing, Rags. I feel it kind of detracts from our 'slay the dragon' quest we had going on.

>>33350698
"I walked in. Anyway, I'm fine. I've gotta get going."

>>33350719
You tell them it's complicated, but they still seem unsure. You change the subject to someone who may have known the owner.

"I keep telling you sir, that shop has been empty for as long as I can remember, and I've lived here my whole life. Actually, I don't even really remember it collapsing."

"Yeah, I guess it just never caught my eye."

>

>>33350805
what year is it?

>>33350834
You ask the guard for the full date. He seems even more confused, but eventually does answer. He confirms that not a single day has passed since you entered the shop, and judging by the sun, not even an hour has gone by.

>

>>33350873
my apologies for jumping to conclusions

See if we can find our merchant friend again.

>>33350873
seconding >>33350900
to be fair it was a reasonable conclusion ton jump to

>>33350873
by the way, does our shield look round and silvery and is capable of being thrown and returning to the owner?

>>33350900
>>33350914
You tell the guards you'll be fine, and begin making your way back toward the market. They both look at one another concerned, but to not attempt to stop you.

You reach the market and begin looking around for Gabe's familiar face. It takes some time, but you do spot him, enthusiastically marketing his potatoes and carrots to the passersby.

>

>>33350915
Sure, why not

>>33350950
chat him up and see if we can secure transport to some other town later.

Then we go to a tavern and ask whether a group of foreigners has ever come by before.

So, now all we have to do is paint the thing with red and blue to be Cpt. America?

>>33350950
something along the lines of >>33350996
ask him where he's going

>>33350996
>>33351014
You approach the stand and greet your friend.

"Ah, you're back already? Land sakes, you've only been gone about an hour, I haven't even sold much of my stock! Something the matter?" You ask if he might be headed out of town soon. "Ah, well once I've sold all I have I'll likely leave, depending on what time it is when I do. I don't expect it to be for another day or two, though. You're free to ride along as far as you like, though. Northern hospitality, and all that! Aha!" You smile and thank Gabe, then wish him luck before looking for a tavern.

It isn't difficult to find one, and the atmosphere is quite friendly. You take a seat and begin pressing the bartender for anything useful. He tells you that nobody from the south has been along, at least not to his knowledge. You are about to give up, when one of the patrons speaks aloud.

"I did see two dark women wandering about. Looking for a toolsmith, I reckon, kept talking about a hammer. Saw em heading east though, so I'm not sure where they've got to now."

>

>>33351153
thank him for the information.

go with Gabe to find them out east.

In the meantime, what kind of symbol shall we draw on our shield?

>>33351185
Whatever the symbol of Monk Ross is, I guess.

>>33351312
can't we come up with one of our own?

>>33351185
You thank the patrons, and head back out. Gabe claims he won't be heading back for at least two days, so you'll need to kill time.

>

>>33351364
practice with our new shield.

also, see what we can research on dragons

>>33351376
You try to find a nice open space to get accustomed to your new tool. Suddenly, as you're walking, something strange happens. Your new shield begins to shine with faint light. Other people see it too, and turn their heads to observe as they pass. You stop and pull it from your back to examine it, but it doesn't seem to stop. In fact, it's getting brighter.

>

>>33351399
maybe lay it on the ground and wait for something to happen.

>>33351399
second >>33351418

>>33351418
>>33351422
You set your shield on the ground. It continues to shine as it lay there, motionless.

Suddenly, there is a loud noise. It sounds like a horn. The people of the town freeze up, and look at each other in confusion. The horn sounds again, and they all begin hurrying away, mostly heading indoors. In a few moments the horn sounds again, and doors begin locking. People move faster, and armed guards begin jogging down the street, some of them slowing down to see you stare at a shining shield.

"Sir, you need to get to safety! Get inside and keep your head down until the all clear sounds!"

>

>>33351478
pick up the shield.
go with the guy and ask what's going on?

>>33351478
seconding >>33351488

>>33351488
>>33351501
You pick the shield up off of the ground and jog after the man, asking him what all the commotion is.

"The horn means something dangerous is headed toward the city. We have to set up a defense, now please go somewhere safe!" You open your mouth to speak again, but you are cut off by a loud and piercing screech. The guards stop in their tracks, and you all watch as something dark soars overhead. It is as large as a building, and flies on great wings. It is too fast to focus on as it passes the buildings, but it screeches again soon after.

>

>>33351524
"Is it a dragon?"

>>33351533
The guard looks at you puzzled, speechless. You stand there a while longer, until one of the others shouts for them to continue. They turn away and begging jogging to who knows where. You look up at the sky. The screech sounds again, as does the horn. The streets around you are now cleared, and eerily silent.

Something emerges over the tops of the buildings with a great thud and crunch, and over the edge comes a long neck with a head on the end which resembles both a cat and a serpent. It is covered in blue, stone-like scales and has crooked teeth like swords. It swings around, and eventually it's eyes settle on you, staring at you at a low gurgling noise emits from it.

>

>>33351647
"Well, shit."

Prep the shield to take the brunt of the breath attack.

>>33351647
seconding >>33351661

>>33351661
You raise your shield, and it seems to provoke the creature. It inhales a great deal of air, and unleashes a blast of blood red flames. They pour forth like floodwaters, and surround you. The mithril shield lets out a faint ringing noise and glows fiercely as you hold it up against the attack.

The fire finally stops, and your lower the shield. The earth around you in every direction is scorched black, and everything that isn't burnt to ash is nearly molten. The creature looks down at you as if you were a strange insect, then lets out a terrible screech that shakes your bowels.

>

>>33351743
try and lead it away from the town.

>>33351743
seconding >>33351768

>>33351768
>>33351779
You draw your sword and smash the pommel on your shield, trying to intimidate the creature. It looks down at you like a bird eying a bit of seed. You begin running toward the exit of town, but it hops across the road and lands in front of you, shoving it's great maw into your face and inhaling again

>

>>33351799
Stab it in the mouth with the dagger while it tries to intimidate us.

>>33351799
if that maw is open, why not just jump in, shove the shield in it's throat to block the flames, and jab the sword up through the roof of its mouth?

Suck his Cock.

>>33351818
You reach around your back and grab hold of the dagger. You draw it, and it is nearly ripped from your hand as a wind of amazing ferocity erupts from it. You point the dagger at the beast, unsure of what else to do, and watch as it is sent flying and slammed into a far building, screeching as it does so. The wind ceases, but the dagger does try it's best to wrest itself from your hand.

>

>>33351859
blast it again and then try to stab an eye out

>>33351859
Seconding >>33351870

>>33351870
>>33351877
You charge at the creature with the knife in one hand, and your shield in the other. The beast rights itself and plants it's forefeet, armed with massive talons on the ground. It rears its head back and inhales, preparing to attack. Your shield seems to be able to block the fire, but you don't know if it'd be better to plant your feet or continue charging

>

>>33351913
use the dagger to blow the fire back. root yourself

>>33351913
Continue charging, throwing wind at it.

>>33351928
>>33351929
You point the dagger at the creature as flames erupt from it's maw. The wind isn't as powerful this time, but they do divert the flames, forcing them back at it. Unfortunately, they don't seem to harm it in any way. Eventually it runs out of breath, and begins to slump, breathing heavily.

>

>>33351969
stab an eye

>>33351969
go for the throat

>>33351969
use the dagger to perform a wind assisted jump if you have to

>>33351989
yeah, this'll do

>>33351989
>>33352034
You run at the creature again, shouting mightily. It screeches at you, but it cannot build it's breath before you get to it. Luckily for you, the attempt forces it to raise it's head, revealing it's throat. You drive the dagger up and in, piercing it's scales.

You are greeted by a large paw to the side which sends you tumbling for several dozen yards, until you comes to a screeching stop. You get back up quickly, and realize that the dagger was not long enough to deal lasting damage. The creature begins following you down the street which you flew, digging it's massive talons into the sides of buildings. You can hear the people hiding within screaming in terror

>

>>33352068

try to run out of town and have the dragon follow us.

>>33352081
You keep the creature's attention and try to coerce it into following you. It does, but it is much faster than you, if only because of the length of its stride. Soon it is upon you, and it attempts to wrap its great mouth around you.

Just as you're sure you're dead and gone, the jaws of the monster pull away, and you trip. You look up and see the creature being dragged up and away by it's tail, which is wreathed in blue fire.

"I'm sorry to emerge so dramatically, sir, but I was occupied sampling local cuisine. The nightcrawlers here are quite delectable." You turn around to see a scruffy man in tattered robes running toward you. He has a deck of cards in his hand, and when he reaches you he offers a hand to help you up

>

>>33352192
"Wasn't expecting to see you this soon, but it's nice to see you all the same. Where are the girls?"

>>33352197
"Miss Pietra had been observing you daily since we parted ways, through the Lovers. When she realized you must be coming here, she sent me back to meet with you. I'd just arrived in town this morning, but they are likely halfway to the holy city of ice, to the east. Miss Pietra has it in her mind to gather you an army."

>

>>33352252
"It's been nice catching up, but I think we ought to get back to this dragon."

>>33352252
"Wow, that girl does not half ass things. So, what shall we do with our scaly friend here?"

getting a bit late. shall we wrap up soon?

>>33352272
>>33352273
"Dragon? Sir, this is no dragon. Miss Pietra and I have been sifting through resource materials, and what you've got here is a drake, something of a pet to dragons. They are little more than mindless hounds. Still, Miss Pietra did wish to give you something." Maurice reaches over his shoulder and hands you something wrapped in cloth.

>

>>33352305
open up.

>>33352305
open sesame

>>33352311
>>33352317
You tear away the cloth to reveal a long warhammer, with a head as heavy as a baby calf. There are geometric runes carved into the head, and all down the shaft are spiraling letters in some language that is totally alien.

>

>>33352335
"So I beat the thing down with this then? What does it say?"

>>33352345
"I have no earthly idea, sir. I'm not even sure it's magic at all. Miss Pietra couldn't swing it, and Miss Kor refused to try. Though, as my card will be losing effectiveness quite soon, we should think of a new way to incapacitate that beast." You look up and see that the card's flame is indeed fading.

>

>>33352415
get in the beast's mouth and shove a sword through the roof

>>33352415
Batter batter batter batter swing!
hit it with the hammer

>>33352437
ok, that's probably better

>>33352437
>>33352448
You swing the hammer over your shoulder, full of machismo and crippling doubt. The flames of Maurice's magic finally die out, releasing the drake and allowing it to touch the ground. As soon as it has all four feet firmly on earth, it rushes after you at top speed. You plant your feet, and drop your shield for weight. You place both hands on the handle of the hammer, and get ready for either the greatest or most laughable moment of your life.

The drake bears down on you, screeching with it's maw wide open. Just as it is about to reach you, you step forward, pivot your hips and swing as hard as you are able. The hammerhead makes contact with the drake's jaw, causing a sickening pop, and crack, and the head of the beast is sent whipping away. It cries in pain, but before you can even right yourself, there is a massive flash of light, a bowel loosening kaboom, and lighting strikes the beast dead on. You are sent flying, and fall unconscious.

>>33352511
Wrapping up, thanks for hanging out guys. Same time next week!

>>33352511
so we got Cap's shield and Mjolnir.

>>33352529
see ya

>>33352529
Thanks for running, love ya man. Is it archived?
>>33352532
Can't wait until we get a weapon from Iron Man.

>>33352555
All archived, no worries