The Siege Of Ironforge, Part III

During the watch of the night Sir Jean wakes up after a mere two hours of sleep, and joins Mariel at the lookout. They overlook the hall, lit in brilliant torchlight. The barrier the dwarves have built is still intact, and all seems quiet.
"Jean, awake already, again? You really should stop worrying. Shall I make some tea?"
Sir Jean nodded, and took over on the ramp while Mariel goes into the side chamber to make some tea. She returns, and they sit down to talk.

"I've been meaning to ask you something, Jean, and I've not gotten around to it." Mariel begins. She tries to sip the tea - too hot - and continues. "I've been thinking about ways to serve my Goddess more, to become closer to her and serve her as never before. I suppose in the Temple of Heironeous you were trained they told you about Divine Crusaders?"
Sir Jean nodded.
"I haven't yet spoken with Ehlonna about this, but she knows what is in my heart."
"She can hardly say 'do not';" Sir Jean relpied, "I think she would be very well off having you as a Divine Crusader for her cause."
"It's just that it is another big step into the Great Unknown. The priests of Ehlonna who raised me taught me about Divine Crusaders, but exactly what it is they do is all I know about them. At the very least, I'll have to develop those fighting skills I admire you and Grimm for."
Sir Jean thought for a moment, and then nodded.
"I have not yet told you this, but I have a small house in the city here. After this," he gestured at the hall below, with the barrier still in place behind the gaping hole in the doors; "is all over, I suggest we go there to rest a bit, get our strength back. It has a stable, so Para and Silver Spirit can stay comfortably there as well. I would be happy to help you train those weapon skills you covet so badly."
"That would be great, we can really use a breather and some time to prepare potions. I never knew you had a house here, why didn't you tell?"
"It is not that large, really. Not every house has a stable, but do not expect too much."
"Jean, farmers have 'just' a house and a stable. I'm sure we'll be very comfortable in your house."

They sip their tea in silence for a while and look at the Hall below. Behind the barrier, some dwarves patrol as well, making sure no gnolls can sneak in to sabotage the barrier. "I went to the head mage of the dwarves, and he told me what the ring does." Sir Jean suddenly bursts out excitedly.
"What, this ring?" Mariel holds up the hand with the ring she got from Lorian on it. "The one I got from Lorian?"
"Er.. no. This one, it keeps me alive."
"What?!"
"No, well, not like that. It is not that when I take it off I suddenly will die. It is mostly a ring that provides me with sustenance and rest when I can not have any. It is the reason I do not need more than two hours of sleep each night."
"Still, you're not supposed to sleep two hours a night. You're not half the elf you would like to be."
Jean smiles.
"Besides, you still eat, don't you?" Mariel continues.
"Yes, but I do not have to."
"I can't see why you wouldn't want to eat, and don't go scaring Melvin by telling him about that. He'd probably be heartbroken."

They sit in silence again, until Mariel finally works up the courage.
"Speaking of Lorian, I mean, I have tried looking for him and I've not really gotten around to finding him, what with the siege and all, but he is here, isn't he?
"Yes, I believe he is on a quest."
"For Heironeous."
"For Heironeous and Ironforge. I am sure he's doing his duties."
"I would have," Mariel forms the words carefully, "liked - to see him."
"Well, that can still be arranged. After all this is over, I can invite him to my house. We can have a small celebration we are still alive."
"That would be very nice. I'm just scared Grimm will try to overprotect me and chase Lorian out, again."
"Perhaps you should talk to him."
"I will. If you don't mind, I'm going to rest a bit first. Wake us if there is anything wrong."
"Always."

Mariel goes to bed, and after four nice hours of Reverie, says her prayers for the day. As Grimm is waking up, she is the first one with him, while Melvin is already working on a simple breakfast.
"If we survive today, Grimm I'd like to talk to you. But not now. And to Melvin, too."
"Whoa! What do you mean, 'if'. Wasn't today the day we'd have Black Dragon Burgers for dinner?"
"That's what I meant. Not all battles are won, and it is a Black Dragon out there."
"We'll kick his ass anyway. What's this talk thing all about then?"
"I can't say. If I do, you'll start a discussion, and we might as well have the talk now."
"Why don't we then!"
"Because we have a big day ahead of us, and none of us can afford to be distracted."

Just that moment, Aaron steps into the hall.
"Oh, no. Just what we needed." Mariel sighs, and grabs some tea and bread.
As Aaron comes over, Grimm stands up.
"And what the hell are you doing here?!"
"I'm just checking up with you guys. You left me in Underhall, you know."
"Myeah." Melvin replies with his mouth full. "MHis chief sent us here hmmbecause the hall was compromised. We're mmmdoing damage control."
"We're kicking that Black Dragon's ass, you mean." Grimm replies. "Are you going to help or not, I can't keep an eye on you when we're out there fighting a dragon."
"Yeah sure. If you are asking for help it sounds like you're outnumbered."
"Hey! We've got fourty battle-ready dwarves here who are willing to kick ass, or they'd better or else they'd have me to answer to. I'm just not very good at keeping an eye on you while I'm fighting a dragon. Who knows what you're up to, and I don't trust you one bit!"
"I'm a very trustworthy person!"
"You're a thief, and a liar!" Grimm burst out.
"I'm a dungeoneer, you bearded gnome!"
"WHAT!!!"

Aaron turned around and ran, Grimm chasing after him as fast as he could, until Sir Jean called him back.
"Let him go, Grimm, we have to prepare. I will go out on my horse to taunt the dragon. We had better discuss tactics. It is probably best if we fight the dragon in here. He won't be able to fly over us in here, giving us a slight advantage. "
"I've a spell called Stone Shape. I can mold stone and shape it with my hands" Mariel suggested.
"You could try to trap him with that. Try and shape it over his feet?" Melvin replied.
"That could be worth a try. Trap his tail, so he really can not fly, and it will make sure he will not be able to slap us around with it." Sir Jean pondered. "I hope I will be able to taunt the dragon and get him back in here, but make sure you are ready when he gets here. Prepare all spells you wish to cast. Melvin?"
"I can't cast on the dragon, so I'll focus on buffing you and dispelling anything he casts. Mass Haste, Bull's Strength, Enlarge for all?"
"Allright. Gear up."

Sir Jean rode out to meet the dragon, and when he rode around the barrier the ranks and ranks of gnolls, trolls, and other scum that was holding the dwarves in just parted for him. He rode through undisturbed, and saw the dragon a mile off, out in the fields. Sir Jean rode halfway, and started to talk, or so the rest assumed. They saw the Dragon's jaw move in reply, and Sir Jean suddenly turned his horse around and blew the retreat signal on his horn.
"He's not going to get such an easy entry, that scum isn't going to be moving out of the way for him!" Grimm shouted, and jumped into the ranks of gnolls, killing three in his first stroke. Melvin got up as well and threw fireballs and cones of cold into the ranks of the gnolls and goblins. It definitely was an easy entry for sir Jean after that, but the dragon was not far behind.
Grimm, sir Jean, Melvin and Mariel stood inside the hall, behind the barrier, and Grimm ordered the dwarves to stand with us in a line, awaiting the dragon's arrival. It burst through the barrier in a shower of debris, hitting Grimm and Mariel.
The dwarves turned tail and ran. Luckily, none of us was really affected by the aura of fear the dragon had.

Meanwhile, in a tavern at the back of the hall, Aaron was sipping a dwarven ale...

The dragon immediately slapped Sir Jean around, and Grimm tried to get at it, but missed. Mariel kept an eye out for the tail, but she could not possibly get to it without having to move around the dragon, inevitably getting attacked in the process. Melvin, meanwhile, made himself useful by dispelling some spells the dragon cast on himself.
Grimm tried to hit the dragon again, and now jammed his waraxe into the dragon's scales, doing some damage. The dragon attacked sir Jean again, slapping his tail around and missing him by an inch. Now the tail was closer, and Mariel sank down on one knee to embed it into the rock floor of the hall.
The fight continued, but the tail was now caught. Grimm moved under the soft belly of the dragon and started to hack at the scales there. All of a sudden, Sir Jean was caught by the dragon in his jaws. Lucky for Jean, he was too large to be swallowed, but now he was stuck in between the huge teeth, unable to move or even heal himself.
Melvin, Grimm and Mariel did their best to disable the dragon, doing damage, but not as much as they would have liked to.

Suddenly, from above the dragon, someone jumped on the neck of the huge beast, and stabbed a shocking dagger between the scales of its neck. It was Aaron to the rescue. The dragon spit sir Jean out onto the rock surface, and tried to shake Aaron off, but he had secured himself with a rope. Mariel cast a Holy Smite at the beast, before tending to sir Jean. Melvin cast a Wall of Force to keep them safe, and Grimm kept going at the belly of the beast.

And then it was over. With a last shriek, the dragon toppled over, grazing Grimm but not squashing him, and it fell heavily on the rocks of the hall. Aaron riding his neck like a dragon tamer. Mariel helped Sir Jean up (from -8 to 102 in one spell), and Grimm stood glaring at Aaron, before sitting down brotherly next to him and saying "You did well, ye little punk."