Zek'Attar

[sharringtonm]

The tangi-ssussun burns his skin, his eyes, his very breathing, but at least it was managable in this gods forsaken land. It rained constantly and the cloud cover provided welcome relief, even if the drizzle irritated him beyond all belief.

A nice cave in the hills provides him shelter in the tangi and from the constant tribes of gols in the area. Most of the tangi-ssussun hours he spends studying the words in the stolen tome. Most of the nighttime hours are spent hunting gols.

His treasure lays hidden at the back of the cave, a golden sphere the size of a cretok's head. The leathery feel leaves little doubt as to what it is.

Allready he has translated and spoken the first passage in the tome over the maelthra egg. Already he could see a dullness creep into the golden color.
Allready he could feel small changes. His teeth felt sharper, his senses deeper, and certain mannerisms begin to manifest, that he finds himself unable and unwilling to resist.

Tearing into the cooked flesh of the gol he marveled how horrible this would have tasted but one month ago. Gazing down the hill at the rivvil encampment, he licks his lips, his imagination wandering wildly as he watched them scurry around like the cattle they really are.

[sharringtonm]

The wind rushed by his head as he lazyily drifted thru the clouds. Diving suddenly he spun thru a flock of birds, engulfing a few with firery breath, breaking many more with a sweep of his wings thru them.

Looking down below he saw the little cities of the lesser races, food to fill his appettite. Looking down over one... he saw a few choice morsels congregating together, no doubt thinking themselves safe inside the walls.
Folding his wings back he plummeted straight at them, anticipating the taste.....

Sitting up right he saw only blackness, but then let his eyes adjust. His cave, his shelter, his sanctuary.

What a wonderful dream that was. He trully hoped he would return to it.
A soft sound like a leaf falling, and he started looking behind him. Just the tome lying there. Must have been his mind.

Closing his eyes he curled up with the golden sphere, its cold, dry, skin leaning up against him.

[sharringtonm]

The Dragon, calling out the god's name, plunged the dagger into his own chest.
It had to be this way, none would believe his in faith otherwise.

His eyes opened and he lay on a slab in a massive temple. Nearby hulking figures in heavy blackend plate stood vigilant eternal sentry of this place. Touching his chest, he was pleased to see only a scar remained of the mortal wound.
They had accepted his loyalty and brought him here.. to the temple.

Silence ruled in these halls. The floor was covered in dust, no footprints disturbed it's settling. Settling in at a table, he waited, and waited, and waited longer. Nothing moved, no one came or left. If not for the silent sentinels, he would have thought this place had been deserted and forgotten by the god's themselves.

And then he found the book. Reading over the final entries he stumbles across a name, a human woman.

"Time for me to find the first of those to refill these halls, and find my favor with the god and his rewards for doing so."

[sharringtonm]

Stalking goblins thru the hills, The Dragon stumbles upon a fallen human. Reaching down to feel the skin he smiles.
"Still warm" he whispers.
Dragging the body away, he makes for his cave, gathering some wood up along the way to start a cookfire with.

[sharringtonm]

"Today was a good day", he thinks to himself.
"Tonight will be even better".

Dragging the pair of bodies into his cave, he licks his lips at the sight.

[sharringtonm]

Behind a door in the temple, a voice is heard prostrating itself, then a deeper and richer voice, though similar is heard admonishing it.

One man was seen entering the room.

Another was seen exiting.

[sharringtonm]

Flipping another page of the tome, he blinks away the exhaustion and stops to stretch a moment. Looking down at the tome, he realizes, that hes nearly halfway thru it, nearly halfway done with all the spells, nearly halfway done with stealing all the essence for himself.

Looking up at the egg, it has formed a greenish-brown hue over its golden leather. Surely this is a sign that the ritual is working?

[sharringtonm]

High up in the hills to the East of Sundren, The Dragon and his priest surveyed the land around them.
"Yes, this will do. Begin the ritual."

The priest called out to Bane and began creating a circle in the dirt with glowing stones.
Eventually after many spells had been cast to empower it, a rip appeared and a Balor stepped thru. d

At first the Balor thought to cow the mortal before him.. until The Dragon removed his helm and cowled the demon sufficently. The demon was forced to know who was in control of the situation.

Tossing the Drow's head and heart to the demon, The Dragon immediately wrote off his kin's fate as trivial. Not his problem. He didn't care where her soul ended up.


Banishing the demon back to the planes with its prize, he picked up a shiny new ring and walked away, his priest in tow.

[sharringtonm]

The Dragon prepares the body and waits for his cleric to return to the temple, so that this soul too, can be bound to Xaterruh.
"Fools to tread in such dangerous grounds without protection"

"Or perhaps I will be his savior and return his corpse to those that love him.. proving my 'good will and intentions'?

What to do , what to do....."




===========Later============
The ritual was a success, both priests of Bane were in attendance, as well as the assassin. The demon knew it was beaten from the moment it appeared. The body was exchanged and The Dragon could feel the power flowing thru him from the abyss. Even that was not enough to sway him to free the demon as the demon begged for. Not now at least. But perhaps when he had no more use for it, he would release it to cause chaos among his enemies for him.