Turning to the stronghold, dejected from realizing the raiders have closed most of the escape routes, Nayeli can’t find Nil. Dev takes a moment to promise her they will find her sister. While the rest of the party begins patrolling around the stronghold as the sound of pillaging rages on. Along the stronghold walls, the party finds a man stuck in a tree. As they pull him out, they find a young monk named Nassim. The monk informs the group he is an intern harper, working in secret with his mentor Leosin. Uná’s interest is piqued as that is who Floom informed her used to know her father. Unfortunately for the part, Nassim mentions that his mentor was taken captive by the cult and, along with others, moved out of the village with some of their spoils. As dawn approaches, the group hears the deafening sounds of massive wings flapping, air strong enough to tear down trees and rooftops like a hurricane, as the adult blue dragon lands outside the stronghold. Beside him, a blue dragonborn in armor. Cyanwrath.
Dev, in that moment, seeing Cyanwrath closer, recognizes him as a general that once fought alongside his father back at the Red Mountain along the Spine of the World, a mountain range far North towards Icewind Dale. Cyanwrath not only challenges Dev to a duel, in return for the freedom of some captives that do not fit on their caravan of stolen goods, but he also offers Dev a weapon from their home. A massive axe engraved with the title of Dev’s father, Dreadmonger. The party helplessly watches, knowing that between the dragon and the remainder of the army, they can only ready actions as they watch their dragonborn fighter take on the duel. Party space out to cover the duel in case something happens. Nayeli attempts to join, and after facing off against the Bard, Mint loses her patience and casts Suggestion on the child, forcing her to hide away from the action. Meanwhile, Dev takes the cursed axe and falls into the familiar rage inherited from his father. Cyanwrath and Dev exchange blows and words in draconic. With one last hit, Dev falls, but not before Cyanwrath succumbs to his wounds as well. The last captive is free, and the dragon, in a fit of rage, as he takes off, unleashes a breath of pure lightning down on the area.
Mint dives on top of Dotty to shield her from the top. Alvarin stands guard while Uná struggles to move an unconscious Dev out of the way. Seeming like she won’t have the time, Symon charges forward and takes the brunt of the attack and survives. After the dragon attack, no more kobolds or cultists remain; Cyanwrath’s body is vaporized. For the moment, the group is safe. Nighthill thanks the group for their bravery, and for the next few days, the group stays in Greenest, helping the people rebuild while they recollect themselves and form a new plan of action. Uná quickly finds some heated animosity with the Corymrian knight Symon, as some on unprovoked rudeness sours their interaction after the battle.
Dev and Alvarin have a heart-to-heart when Alvarin fights back a deep hunger that twists in the pit of her. While Dev swallows the truth that the axe’s curse brings him closer to his father than he would like. They try their hand at rebuilding, helping, even interrogating, trying to get the most information out of the situation. After Alvarin gains a blessing from some farm animals, talking to locals, and Mint starts to uplift spirits with a song, the group gets wind that the cult has some sort of encampment nearby. A threat of a new attack looms, and some villagers are not accounted for, including the Harper Leosin. Mayor Nighthil asks the group to investigate the camp.
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