Saffrons’ speedy grow
Session 29 December 2024
The battlefield is a maelstrom of chaos, fire, and arcane energy. Out of the turbulent skies, meteorites streak down like celestial wrath, slamming into Hallaster with explosive force. The air reverberates with the impact, a testament to Jaf’ar’s control as his manifested mind hovers closer to direct the assault. Hallaster staggers but remains standing, his defiance etched in every move.
Suddenly, Scarecrow makes his move. At first, his form shrinks and begins to shimmer with a radiant light. The sparkling aura spreads as he channels his power, healing a nearby dragon. Revitalized, the mother dragon roars and lashes out at Hallaster, her tail striking with unrelenting ferocity.
Calyx directs our dragon closer to Hallaster. Without hesitation, I leap from the dragon’s back toward Saffron. My heart races as I land near her, and I can’t help but reach out to stroke her shimmering, magma-coated scales. Saffron’s molten form pulses with life, her beauty captivating despite the chaos around us.
Calyx presses forward, casting Chill Touch to halt Hallaster’s regenerative abilities. Meanwhile, POES inexplicably duplicates himself. I watch, baffled, as the duplicate races toward Hallaster, touching him before detonating in a brilliant explosion. The real POES beside me looks on, just as stunned.
Below me, I notice a slick, oily substance spreading across the ground. The moment I mount Saffron, the oil ignites into roaring flames, and I instinctively notch four arrows. Drawing my breath steady, I let them fly. Three strike true, but the distance to Hallaster and the tumultuous winds make the shots challenging. Saffron and I surge closer through the melee, her fiery presence unwavering.
Suddenly, an impenetrable darkness looms ahead—the Hunger of Hadar. The void twists and writhes, consuming everything it touches. From within the blackness, I see Farryn emerge, his face illuminated briefly as he vomits lightning. My jaw drops in disbelief as he channels the storm toward Hallaster before hurling his hammer into the abyss.
“Calyx!” Farryn shouts, gesturing toward the Rope Trick. “You’re welcome in here!” His words echo in my mind. Should I take Saffron inside for safety?
Hallaster emerges from the darkness, his form blistered and contorted by the wild magic swirling around us. A sickening pop accompanies a blister bursting on his face, the fluid glistening unnaturally. His gaze locks onto Jaf’ar. “YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF MINE!” he roars, his voice cutting through the storm. The planet looms ever larger in the sky, its gravitational pull palpable.
The wild magic sea churns violently, its effects increasingly erratic. A loud, inexplicable fart echoes across the battlefield, a ridiculous side effect of the chaos. Calyx casts a Guiding Bolt at Hallaster before retreating into the Rope Trick. I follow suit, releasing another volley of arrows. This time, three find their mark, piercing Hallaster’s weakened form.
Inside the safety of the Rope Trick, Saffron burns some of the furniture, her heat unavoidable in the confined space. I can’t be mad. “LOOK AT HER!” I exclaim, my voice filled with awe. She’s stunning, her molten stone exterior radiating raw power.
Outside, Cross casts Dispel Magic on Hallaster. The effect is dramatic—magic ripples outward, and Hallaster’s form shudders but doesn’t diminish. Meanwhile, POES begins transforming, reshaping himself into a massive cannon-like weapon. “Activate your Titan Slayer protocol!” Calyx commands, and POES fires a plasma blast that strikes true.
The battlefield shifts again. Shadows creep closer, revealing familiar yet grotesque figures. Old allies—Ladrengielle, Daylee, Borac, Pethar and others—appear as restless undead, bound by some dark tether to Hallaster. Thin, ethereal lines connect their forms to him like marionette strings. Calyx responds with a Wall of Fire, cutting through the spectral figures. The flames consume them, and their anguished cries echo as the lines connecting them to Hallaster burn like fuses. The fire reaches him, scarring his body with blackened streaks.
Hallaster reels, his composure slipping. His hands reach for Jaf’ar, desperation in his every movement. He utters a word I can’t comprehend, and the wild magic churns violently, drawing a halo of glowing runes around me, breaking down the Rope Trick. I feel their truth-binding power as they settle. In a final, awe-inspiring twist, Saffron begins to grow. Her wyrmling form transforms before my eyes, swelling into the proud, commanding presence of a young dragon. The surge of magic that I feel as well, and is responsible for dispelling the Rope Trick, courses through her, aging her rapidly yet beautifully. I watch in stunned silence, overwhelmed by pride, but sadness too – I will never be able to see her grow up from a wyrmling to a young dragon, but she is ready for battle now.
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