[7thseafreiburg] 13th Session: Of deadly drachen and devious devices

[Lev Lafayette]

With an unearthly roar, the drachen leapt towards Lady Drachenheim who
made her very best effort to run back to the party. Offizier Alex
Maxmillian, Lord George Bryon, and Aldrich von Bertholt confronted the
great beast.

Many blows were felled upon it, but its capacity to absorb damage seemed
overwhelming. Lady Drachenheim fired two pistols, Offizer Maxmillian, and
Bryon fought with great valour, all taking wounds. Aldrich von Bertholt
also fought, but was struck down by the beast and Dr. Serijo intervened,
dragging the unconscious body away but the beast persisted* and bit
Aldrich in twain. So expended the life-force of the popular and charming
Aldrich von Bertholt, whose local reputation will bring sadness, and
perhaps even a significant loss of income to some local women of
negotiatable affection.

The situation appeared most dire, but in a flash of inspiration, Lady
Drachenheim did taunt the drachen to chase her. Intervening at the
entrance of the chamber, Offizer Maxmillian displayed great loyalty
preventing the beast from giving chase. No less than five times it did
strike him, and though he reeled greatly from the wounds, he did not fall.
Eventually however it pushed past him and gave chase against Lady
Drachenheim, even passing Dr. Serijo on the way.

This would prove to be its downfall, as the beast did not know of the many
traps that the party had carefully bypassed. It was struck by the mighty
pendulum blade, it suffered poisoned darts on the ancestor's tiles, it
became confused at the heart chamber (although it almost caught the lady,
if it were not for Lord Bryon's timely intervention), and at the sleeping
guard, it fell into the pit and impaled itself on the spikes below. There
it was slain. One can only wonder what chaos it could have caused if it
had escaped into the streets of Freiburg.

It is indeed a bittersweet victory. Whilst the party has accumulated
sufficient wealth from the Drachenheim treasures to pay for a new home
(six times over if need be), they have the sadness of having to explain to
Aldrich von Bertholt's family was has happened. They have discovered the
most extraordinary collection of dracheneisen ever known, something that
could make them all princes by right, if only there was a united Eisen and
an Imperator to legitimise their claim. They have seen and defeated a
drachen, albeit a small one, the first seen in over two hundred years, but
who can they possibly tell? Indeed, after such an experience many members
of the party are thinking it is time to make a will in case another
misfortune like this befalls them.

* A very unluck die roll; a 1/10 chance it was going to take that course
of action.

-- 
Lev Lafayette, BA (Hons), GradCertTerAdEd (Murdoch), GradCertPM, MBA (Tech
Mngmnt) (Chifley)
mobile:  0432 255 208
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