In reply to Fithelos (msg # 294):

2, "That's better.  Getting the respect we deserve!"
1, "I'm Rkîlnazux, but you can call me 'Ark', and this is Tirgœrtâr. I call him 'Turd'"
2, "It's 'Tirg', Rkîlna-SUCKS!"

The two are obviously oblivious to what having a non-dragon in their nest, alive and well, could mean and are friendly toward you.
Generally by now, a dragon would have been out of the nest, hunting on its own.  You get the picture they have led very sheltered lives.

You can ask them anything or do anything you would like. You have plenty of time before Fraiti returns.  Or you can skip. It is your choice, but they'll likely just talk your ear off about mundane things until she returns.

In reply to Twiz (msg # 295):

"Tell me young Masters--what is the most fearsome creature you've ever hunted? I'd love to hear of your adventures!" Fithelos will listen to them talk while waiting for Fraiti's return.

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 296):

Tirg, knocking over a pile of platinum coins, "Ahh, momma doesn't let us hunt. She says we aren't ready."
Ark, re-stacking the coins, "Probably for the best. If momma says we aren't ready, then we aren't ready."
Tirg, "But we can't get ready unless we practice!"

They talk for a while, you ask each other questions, nothing intimate, no details that would help you.

While on the ledge, chatting with them, you see a shadow suddenly. You turn to defend yourself, or at least dodge, but she is already on you.  Fraiti grabs you around the torso, holds you up to her face. You see pure hatred in her expression, but one thing stands out: one eye has a scar across it and has turned a milky blue and white. She is blind in that eye.
Fraiti, "LEAVE MY CHILDREN ALONE!" With that, she roars at you, you wince, bracing for her breath weapon. In your head, you hear a few incoherent voices.
The roar stops, you open your eyes. Fraiti is now holding you away from her face, staring at you confused.

Fraiti puts a claw against the top of your chest, both of you realizing you are safe from her breath, "Who are you?!" she

Tirg, "Yeah! Tear him to shreds!"
Ark, "I don't know, I kind of liked him."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:35, Thu 01 Aug 2019.

In reply to Twiz (msg # 297):

"I am Fithelos, wanderer of the Realms," he pauses upon realizing the condition of Fraiti's eyes. "It is not my intention to cause any harm to your children and I will do as you ask in leaving them alone. Know that my intention was to find you and you alone. During my journey here, it was never mentioned you may have children," Fithelos glances at Fraiti's offspring before adding, "But then again I never asked. Truthfully Lady Fraiti, I find that while there were many problems where I was from, I sorely miss my home."

Fithelos sighs. "I was sent by something akin to a deity, to speak with you. I've realized from the moment I set out I was going to be facing a dragon and my chances in surviving were to say the least--below what you might call good.
"Yet I was curious. And now that I'm here, I feel it is a small reward to behold you with mine own eyes, for I've never heard, much less seen a Concordant Dragon. Furthermore," he pauses. The monk-warlock remains silent for several seconds. He looks once again at her children, feeling a slight pang of guilt knowing he was at one point--thinking of slaying the mother. He shakes the thought away and continues.

"Furthermore...the end lying in wait for me is far worse than anything you could do to me, I'm afraid. Once upon a time, I may have been part of an adventuring group who was set out to slay you. Those desires I once had--be they for riches, power, renown, peace or harmony--have faded into nothingness. Knowing a demon will claim my soul the moment I pass on has given me a different perspective."

Looking at the the milky eye of Fraiti, he will ask. "What happened, if I may ask?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:38, Thu 01 Aug 2019.

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 298):

Upon hearing you name her a Concordant Dragon, she roars, piles of treasure falling all over the place.  Though you can't see them, you hear her children run, most likely hiding behind a mound of treasure.

"How did you know of us? Concordant dragons were assumed destroyed centuries ago! It was that wretched family in the woods, wasn't it? Finally I can rid myself of them.  I struck a deal with them long ago, that I have come to regret. They can protect themselves. "  You can response, but you can see there is no need to. She's already made her decision.


After you finish, she brings her good eye very close to your face and studies you for a moment. "A strange one you are. There are two lives inside of you.  The one you live, and the one you long for. I don't think with either you would be content, much less happy." She speaks in a dialect you don't understand, but feel a rush of magic pass by you.  Then she sets you down.


"It was about a year before my sons were born, when Kirzurath entered my domain. I can still hear his wicked laugh. He said he needed my abilities to strengthen his own. When I told him I would not work with him *she shudders* that laugh chilled me to my bones. We fought. He kept his distance to avoid my blast. He knew his soul wouldn't be able to handle a direct attack. He backed off, laughed, and dived at my children. I dove to block him and took one of his claws across my face. My eye was not scratched, but the evil and chaos that poured out of him blinded me. I turned and got him within a blast.  In a moment of stunning clarity, his eyes widened, he grabbed at his skull and disappeared."


"How is it you have a deity commanding you, when you owe your current powers to a demon? Who could be powerful enough to make your soul's captor stand aside?  Or are they working together to make you suffer so?"

In reply to Twiz (msg # 299):

Fithelos shrugs. "I suppose neither one of them are commanding me...the demon saved my life and in turn I entered into an unbreakable vow, binding my soul to his. The other," Fithelos thinks back onto the night he met the Titan. "The other simply asked if I would undertake a task. He may have threatened me, I seem to remember something about rotting in the ground...but he's not exactly the master of inflection, I could have simply been interpreting it wrong.

"He also said my service to him would not interfere with my other Master. I figured since he knew the name of the demon I am bound too--he wasn't lying. For some reason still unknown to me, my soul is apparently the only thing of interest to him." He nods toward her injury. "Well, that and 'an eye of a dragon',' Fithelos holds his hands up in a defensive gesture, "Not that I intend to pluck the eye out of you or your children, nor do I think I could if I wanted too. I am merely stating what he requested."

One of the eyebrows of Fithelos arches up. "He didn't specify whether it had to be functioning or not..." he clears his throat. "My apologies--once again, I do not plan to forcefully remove anyone's eyes. I had a humorous thought, delivering him a bad eye. I can just imagine,"

He does his best to mimic Balance saying, "This isn't what I asked for,"
Fithelos takes a step to the side, talking in his own voice in reply, "It is a dragon's eye. Maybe you should have been more specific,"
The monk-warlock smiles for half a second before it fades away, the voices gone. "Then he'd send me to the Abyss or turn me into something unnatural."

He throws his hands up. "I clearly didn't think this through. I have not the slightest idea how I get out of this one." He folds his arms over his chest. As an afterthought he says, "Not to change the topic, but the family in the woods you mentioned earlier? I'd ask that you'd not punish them for something I did. I needed information about you. On my world, dragons appreciate being addressed with respect and by their proper name. Once again, my ignorance has done nothing in aiding me.
"My point is, they do not strike me as the type to declaring who you are to the world. They provided me this information because," Fithelos pauses. "I think the father knew I'd be coming here to die. Whatever information he shared with me knew it would most certainly lead to the grave.

"I don't mean any disrespect, but if that family you somehow protect suffers because of something I've done out of ignorance, you truly are no better than any deity I've had the misfortune of meeting." there is a bit of harshness to his voice. "Besides, they may be the only beings left grateful for your existence. This world isn't exactly fond of you right now. How long do you think it will be before adventurers come knocking on your door?"

He shakes his head as he looks around the cavern. "So long as you horde treasure, there will be those who will be out to rob you. Or slay you. Is that why this Kirzurath attacked you?"

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 300):


"The treasure gives us cover. We can disappear into the sky, or into polished metals and gemstones.  Very few could see us from 50 feet away while we stand still. Besides, I fear no man. It's the other dragons I worried about. That was until I happened across a few near Hythloth. They have grown weak over time. The people of this nation throw themselves at the dragons and drakes for glory and treasure. Without the need to hunt, they've lost most of their skills. I demolished three fire dragons without effort that day.  I fear the Titan will return."
"Did you torture them? Did you extort them? Did you pay them to give up this information knowing it would break their contract with me? I suspect not from what I can see in you. If those are not the case, then you did nothing. They suffer from their own actions. And I'd hardly call it suffering. They will just have to protect themselves, much like every other creature."





Fraiti is obviously not happy when you mention the request to retrieve her eye, but then tilts her head, "Who requests my eye?"


"What, exactly, did he ask for? There are rituals that may require a part of me, but none of them are good."
She begins speaking in the unknown dialect, waves her claw, and manifests an image of men summoning dangerous creatures, or transforming into them, you're really not sure.

In reply to Twiz (msg # 301):

Fithelos did supposedly give Lomon enough precious gems to purchase a small army...perhaps they would be okay. He had to remind himself to distance himself from everyone as much as possible--even the most harmless encounters had the worst of consequences.

"My current task requires me to retrieve the Eye of a Dragon." he swallows. "What was that about a Titan returning? I didn't think dragons were afraid of anything..."

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 302):

Dex save, wisdom save with advantage...just in case.

Outwardly aggrevated, "Who sent you on this quest?!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:10, Fri 02 Aug 2019.

In reply to Twiz (msg # 303):

12:31, Today: Fithelos rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  Dex Save.
12:31, Today: Fithelos rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Wisdom Save Adv.
12:31, Today: Fithelos rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Wisdom Save Adv.

I thought rpol was glitched--rolled 3 19s in a row....then I rolled a 12 after.

Assuming Fithelos can avoid whatever is thrown at him...he will snap out a reply, "I can't very well answer if you kill me!" one he's composed he will answer, "I don't know his name. He calls himself 'Balance'."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:52, Fri 02 Aug 2019.

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 304):

Fraiti doesn't do anything until AFTER you say "'Balance'", I just wanted the rolls there so we'd be ready if you did.

Upon hearing that name, Fraiti roars and lashes at the ledge below you, causing the section you're sitting on to collapse.  As you leap to the side to avoid falling, Fraiti chants in her ancient tongue and the room begins to melt around you.  You adjust your position mid-air to account for the section melting away, but hit hard before rolling away.  You realize it's just an illusion.

"YOU FOOL! Kirzurath is Balance's brother. They can use my power to destroy each other."

In a fit of pure rage, she hits you with her breath attack, forgetting how little it affects you.

Consider initiative rolled.  You're up.

In reply to Twiz (msg # 305):

"WAIT! MORADIN'S BEARD, WAIT!"

Fithelos will do what he can to keep as much distance as possible between himself and Fraiti. (Move action)
Fithelos will use Dodge for his (Action).

"Fraiti! Stop! Tell me about the Titans! I know nothing of their purpose or what role they play in this world or mine! What do they want?"

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 306):

Lucky for you, even with this massive dragon, there is plenty of room to move about.  Also, can you send me an updated character sheet, so I don't have to ask for AC and stuff?

Frustrated that her breath has no affect on you, she uses her claws to whip up a mound of treasure, hurtling coins and jewelry at you. You dodge what you can, but just from the sheer amount of coins some were bound to hit you.
While distracted, she rushes you ^{Fraiti, rolled 26 using 2d20+17, keeping the lowest dice only. Bite: Fraiti, rolled 20 using 2d10+10. Bite Dmg.} chomping down on your right leg Is that your damaged leg?.  You fall to the floor. The cavern returns to normal.

"Do you really not know? The Titan brothers were born of the blood of the ancient gods."
She waves her hand, and an image of a massive man wearing golden armor and wielding an almost comically large golden hammer appears, "Khovher, Titan of Good and Law, born of the blood of the God of Fathers."
She wiggles her talons as the image changes to a tall, dark, figure in dark purple robes, eyes on fire, with absurdly long fingers that look like they could slice through a stone wall, "Kirzurath, Titan of Evil and Chaos, born of the blood of the God of Destruction."
The image changes to the Titan who sent you on this quest, "Balance, born of same pools of blood as they combined."

The image changes to an illusion, showing Khovher and Kirzurath interfering with the lives of mortals, "Khovher believes his powers should be used to help the living on the Material Plane, while Kirzurath believes only the strongest should survive and only wanton chaos can weed out those who are not worthy."

The illusion shifts.  Balance stands between the material plane and his brothers, "Balance however believes all planes should be allowed to exist without interference from other planes.  Balance can nullify anything his brothers do."

The illusion splits in two.  The right shows Khovher's triumph over Kirzurath, the left shows the opposite.  "If either Khovher or Kirzurath can eliminate the other, they would become too powerful for Balance to control. No matter who wins that battle, the Material Plane would suffer.  It's easy to imagine the terrible things that would come of a world overrun with evil, but a world where a small transgression leads to execution is just as damaging."

The illusion disappears. "I do not know why Balance would ask specifically for my eye.  This leads me to believe Kirzurath has tricked you.  This is why I cannot let you live."
She raises both claws to slam down against your body, just before she brings them down, Ark flies in between you and Fraiti.

"Mom. I know you warn us against listening to any of the walkers, but he's been here for over an hour and hasn't even once tried to release his breath.  I'm not even sure he has one.

Tirg flies up next to you, staying outside of the range of his mothers possible strike, "He even thought we should get a chance to hunt."

You can't see her through Ark, but there is a silence in the room.  You have time to do something if you would like.

In reply to Twiz (msg # 307):

That was indeed, Fithelos' bad leg. The only way she'd miss me on an attack is if she rolled a 1...

Between gritted teeth and grasping his leg, Fithelos says, "You are both noble and brave, young Masters--your actions remind me of the true adventurer; selfless, full of courage and quick to aid the fallen..." The monk sighs.

"Nevertheless, it is clear to me your mother only wishes for your safety. I foolishly agreed to undertake a quest without understanding to the full extent the consequence of my actions. I do not know why this...Kirzurath would want the Eye of a Dragon, or Balance for that matter," this is it for me, Fithelos thinks. "So many questions...why did the Titan choose me? Fraiti, why does your breath weapon have no effect on me? Why do you not teach your children magic and battle so they may better defend themselves? Good and Evil may be your enemies, but why would Balance? Furthermore, why wouldn't Balance just come here himself..."

Could it have been a deception? Did he just bring an evil Titan into Fraiti's lair via the necklace???

Fithelos will go around Ark to step out into the open. "It isn't my intention to bring any of what you showed me into your world, Fraiti. Destroy me if you must, I'll not stop you," he kneels before the great dragon. "If I am truly being deceived, it might be best to banish me and all my belongings to another plane," he'll reach inside the folds of his robes and hold up the hourglass pendant. "He gave this to me, it is most likely extremely dangerous."

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 308):

Ark and Tirg both perk up when you call them Adventurer's.

"My sons must be protected. They are the last in their line.  They cannot roam freely until they can protect themselves."

"Why do you keep saying 'the eye of a dragon'? Was my eye not requested?"

Fraiti holds out her hand for the hourglass.


"The power in this item is powerful. What do you use it for?"

In reply to Twiz (msg # 309):

"You're eye wasn't specifically requested, but I was told to go to Destard...and as far as I know you're the only Dragon here." he adds, "Maybe you absorbed some of Kirzurath's power when your eye was injured and he or Balance wants it." He takes the pendant off and holds it out. "I've used this so I could understand your language. Before I used it to try and help a ship and their crew and only made things worse. From what I understand, I can't use it to do harm..." before giving it to her he'll ask,

"You won't be harmed touching this will you? I don't know what this is capable of and I don't want to hinder your ability to protect Ark and Tirg. If you're sure though, by all means..."

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 310):

"I would be able to feel his power in me, if that were the case."

On mention of the hourglass (minute glass?) hurting her, she withdraws her hand, unsure if you are bluffing your way through this."

"You were obviously chosen because of your soul. My power is much like a weapon of balance. Good, evil, chaos, law... These things define all beings. The farther into any path you stray, the more powerful my breath becomes. You may hear a few voices, but it is more of a distraction than anything else. Balance would not be affected at all, but his brothers would feel as though their minds are being ripped apart."
You can tell the wheels are spinning in her mind.  She looks at both of her children, then to you. "Knowing there are three of us here, why would my eye not be specified? Balance does not generally use ambiguity when he speaks. What would he gain to have an eye of any dragon?"

There is another pause, "There is more to this than you are aware. If you were to retrieve the eye of a dragon, why did you not take an eye from one of my sons when you first arrived? This would have fulfilled the request, would it not?"

In reply to Twiz (msg # 311):

"I'm not going to be the one who introduces the disputes between Titans, men and dragons to your sons. I don't see the logic in starting them off hating the world because I need something from them that would certainly cause life-long pain. Seems like a rather selfish sentiment...

"Though he said nothing of it, I was thinking I'd be going into the lair of a Red or Black dragon. On my world, they're greedy and murderous creatures and enjoy the pain, suffering and destruction the inflict on the realms. I assumed they'd try to kill me upon entering into their domain, I'd fight back in defense and if by some miracle I survived...I'd retrieve one of their eyes."

Fithelos sighs.

"Tiamat's children--the colored dragons--are also in no danger of extinction. If one vanishes from the world, not only would people be thanking the dragonslayer; but it wouldn't be long before another rose up in place of the fallen.
Fithelos chuckles.
"Did you know, when Balance told me I needed to retrieve the Eye of a Dragon, I didn't think he meant it literally? I thought it was some type of rare stone or gem. Like a Cat's Eye, or some Jade or Emerald to look like an eye. Though to be honest, I'm not entirely sure if it would have changed anything.

"I may be bound to retrieve the Eye of a Dragon but it will not be from you or your young. I suppose I will need to find another."

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 312):

"You are willing to take the risk to upset a Titan? You will refuse to take the eye of one of us, and try to pass off the eye of another?"

"Why?"

In reply to Twiz (msg # 313):

"As I mentioned before...I doubt anything can be any worse than the future that awaits me when I die," he motions to Ark and Tirg. "You and your children are the last of your kind. Taking an eye from any of you would endanger your chance of survival; if you were to be wiped out due to my actions, that's hardly maintaining any sort of balance.

"Not to mention what I know has changed. Your children didn't try to kill me on sight. You haven't killed me yet knowing what you know. Now..." Fithelos pauses. "I don't want to harm you. It might be different if you had stolen something from the Titan, or had wronged him in some way...but this isn't the case. I am not one of those mercenaries who do what they're told without question," he thinks back to his time on the ship and his encounter with the Goliath captain. "Yet, for all I know, I'm making the wrong choice. My conscience is hardly something I can trust anymore. One thing I do know,"

Again, he looks to the young dragons. "Those two don't have anything to do with this and they need their mother to protect them. I believe that to be truth and so I will take my chances."

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 314):

Ark looks up to you and smiles. You see something in his expression you have not seen in a very long time.  It's almost foreign to you at first, but you come to realize, it's trust. Ark trusts you, completely.

The hour glass begins to glow bright white.  Before it completely encompasses your vision, you Fraiti grabbing her sons and shielding them from whatever is coming.

Then black.  Before you eyes can adjust, you smell a campfire, you feel a brisk breeze, you hear the water.  As the world comes back into focus, you see Balance, standing across from you.  It's the camp you left behind weeks ago, but nothing has changed.  As you wonder if any you went through were real, you realize you still have fresh blood trickling down your leg from Fraiti's bite.

"Thank you Fithelos. Your task is complete. By minimizing your footprint on the island nation, for allowing the nation to continue it's current path, by refusing to affect the future of the Concordant Dragon line by retrieving an eye, you have shown balance is the only path one should strive to lead."

You think of all the things you witnessed while in Britannia: the drow and his wife on the outskirt of town wanting to be accepted, the city of the dwarves that had lost its mines, the smuggler who insisted he was doing good by ridding the city of vagrants, the pirates who enslaved them, the orcs that had been pushed away from their homes so Trinsic could expand, the father and son who were just trying to live with nature, and, of course, Fraiti, Ark, and Tirg, who you tried to let be, but deep down you know you changed the way they all see mankind.You think of these things, but I'm not injecting any emotion into them. That's your job.

Balance, seeing you lost in thought, "Your time there is done. It is time to move forward, Fithelos."  It's obvious Balance is so disconnected from the lives of others, he does not understand why you would dwell on the past (you know, 2 minutes ago).
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:00, Mon 12 Aug 2019.

"If you dont mind my asking, why did you want the eye of a dragon anyway?"

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 316):

"They eye was not important. It was the journey. My brothers believe the mortals of this plane were put there for our pleasures. I have prevented many of their interferences. They, growing tired, came to me with a deal. If I could choose a mortal to walk a foreign land, tempted with opportunities to stray from my path, and remain neutral, they would cease their efforts to affect this world for a time. If the mortal lost his balance, however, whichever path he was swayed by would be allowed to roam the material plane as he pleases. I waited centuries for the right soul, your soul, to present itself. Had you denied my request, it would have been centuries more before I could find another."
Balance begins spinning his staff. It stops with his finger in the middle, splitting the gold and purple.
"You began this trip the most balanced soul I had seen in some time. By the end, you were skewed only in the slightest toward good and law."
You look closer to notice, though his finger is centered, the gold has overtaken the purple by half the width of his finger.
"I chose the eye of a dragon for two reasons. First, had you been overly tempted, the Concordant Dragons would have been a challenge the likes of which you have never seen. Hopefully you would use the knowledge gained to center yourself, and try again."
"Second, you could complete the task several ways. You could have easily overpowered the young. Had you walked among their treasure, you may have found a dragon statuette and asked for, or stolen it's emerald eyes. Once you found out Fraiti was much stronger than the dragons of Hythloth, you could have struck a deal to have her bring one of their eyes to you. Fraiti would have willingly given you one of her eyes had you taken one of her sons."
"When you decided against effecting their world in anyway, I knew I had chosen correctly."

Fithelos listens intently as Balance tells him of Titan's influence on the world.

"I still walk the Crimson Road. I am still bound to Fraz-Urb'luu and the Abyss when I die."
He shrugs. "But, I've always known this would happen. You make a pact with a demon, they are seldom broken. Part of me was hoping there'd be a way to wiggle out of it...but I didn't exactly veer far from my objective to explore any options," Fithelos makes a vacuum sound with his mouth while pointing both index fingers straight ahead. "Tunnel vision."

He shakes his head. "Not that you care. I'm not entirely sure while you're still here. Just like the deities--I've served your purpose, so I imagine you'll be taking your leave now?"

In reply to Fithelos (msg # 318):

"Though you won't remember any of this, I find it can be frustrating to have questions unanswered. I wanted to give you a moment get it all out. I'm not cruel, as some would have you believe."

With that you begin to hear static and your vision becomes fuzzy. The static grows to a deafening amount, almost painful. The edges of your vision go black until everything fades away.