Where we left off…

The storm has passed and our heroes find themselves drifting across a landscape that is drastically different from the comparably lush green that they are used to. The Red Wind Wastes sprawl beneath, a vast expanse of rocky desert and tablelands distinguished by the rusty red color of its soil. Winds whipping down canyons and across unbroken flats stir up a haze of red dust which partially obscures the ground below. The G.A.V. Zephyr limps along through the sky as its Gnomish crew do what they can to make repairs in flight.

Recap

Inflight Repairs

With the assistance of our heroes, the crew of the Zephyr manage to repair the damaged airship as best they can within a day. That evening, the Seven gather on deck with the crew to celebrate a job well done. Xandre entertains the Gnomes with tales of daring-do and ballads of old. Santiago, however is troubled once again by the demon inside him. A nagging feeling, which began as the storm subsided has grown inside the half-orc, compelling him to go to the northeast. The demon attempts once again to take direct control of Santiago, but the monk manages to control the urges within him.

The Ragewings

Several days later, our heroes are taking refuge from the desert heat, when they spot a squadron of wyvern riders heading in their direction and closing quickly. The orc wingriders bank into an intercept course. They will hit the vessel broadside. Rayne fires off a fireball which blasts one rider from his mount and causes the rest of the flight to scatter. Kresimir then hits the lead wyvern with a glitterdust spell, blinding pilot and mount alike. A followup shot from Lanna’s bow causes the blinded wyvern to veer away.

As they approach, the remaining wyvern riders stand in their saddles and begin whirling grappling hooks over their heads. As they get in range of the rail, they fling the hooks ahead of their mounts. No sooner have the hooks grabbed hold, then the riders leap from the backs of the onrushing mounts, disappearing beneath the hull of the ship. The wyverns land on the near side of the deck, their jaws snapping at the end of their serpentine necks. Just then, a roar and a thump from behind. Our heroes whirl to see the wingriders in flanking position… brandishing their battle axes in one hand and the end of their grappling ropes in the other…

The fighting on deck is swift and fierce as the wyverns snap their jaws at anyone who approaches, the gnomish crew scramble for cover. Kresimir conjures a dense ball of whirling air, which he sends hurling about the deck, knocking several wingriders to the floor before hurling them violently overboard. Up on the forecastle, things are not going as well for our heroes. Govan Birk, the Gnomish pilot struggles to control the helm while simultaneously fending off attacks from wyvern and orc alike.

Then, a still circling wyvern swoops across the deck, snatching Govan from his perch and carrying him the length of the ship. Thinking quickly, Kresimir directs a grease spell onto the struggling pilot who manages to wriggle free of the wyvern’s clutches, crashing hard to the deck at Xandre’s feet. Santiago then bellows the command to activate his magic earring. As the 1/2 orc’s body swells to twice it’s size, he charges across the deck, vaults off of the Zephyr’s cargo hoist and pounces on the back of the fleeing wyvern, driving both his fists into the beast’s shoulder joints and sending it crashing to the deck.

The tide of battle turned against them, the remaining orcish raiders attempt to flee. Most are cut down as they struggle to reach their mounts, but one Orc manages to grab a soarwood life ring and leap from the ship to float slowly back to earth.

With the immediate threat past, our heroes look to the wounded, aiding their allies and finishing off any of the raiders who still breathe.