Editing Chronicle - Zundar (section)

== Dragon's Flight ==

We were agreed that we would have to journey to Zundar in search of more information, hopefully what we found would give us guidance on how best to proceed from there. Dracor agreed to carry us to the Balem Lakes, which would save us many days in travel, and a wicker travel cage was constructed to allow us to rest on the way.

We first flew over Malek, then Kaled Zem and the Old Forest and from there East towards Balem. This journey took 3 days and was spent in bad weather for the most part. As we flew East on the fourth day, the weather had improved somewhat and an autumnal scene of forest and mountains cheered us with its beauty. This good cheer was short lived, however, as a great sense of foreboding grew amongst us. A terrible, unnatural cry could be heard on the wind coming from the North, from out of the badlands. A black flying beast came from the North, shrouded from our eyes in a dark cloud. Dracor quickened his pace, and we were thrown about in our travelling cage as his great wings beat harder.

Despite Dracor's efforts, we were quickly enveloped in the black cloud that proved to be hot and foul smelling. Dracor warned us that the beast was upon us, and dived low to gather speed. He insisted that we should get off and hide ourselves, allowing him to draw the creature South. There was much argument at this suggestion, as many did not wish to abandon our new friend so quickly and would have prefered to stand and fight. Dracor argued that he would have a better chance at outrunning the foe if he did not have to carry us, and that it would be folly to face such a foe without proper preparation. Eventually, and reluctantly, it was agreed that we would be dropped off. We alighted, jumping quickly down and cutting the cage from his back. Merc blessed Dracor in a blaze of golden light, and Lanzi uttered an incantation that hastened the dragon's movements beyond his natural abilities. With a leap and a powerful downdraft from his wings he disappeared into the mist.

We found ourselves alone, shrouded in fog or cloud in a bitter wind. Shivering, we found it impossible to find our bearings; in the chase we had travelled some distance and knew only that we were in the general area of Balem. As protection against the cold, and the threat of discovery by whatever pursued us, Lanzi called into being a magical hut that was warm and sheltered whilst invisible from the outside. This conjuration came just in time, as the creature flew low over our position. It took the form of a dragon, but only its bones were visible and it was clear that this was a Dracolith. Upon its back was an evil, horrible oriental man. He wore a crown and wielded a sword that glowed red. Was this Tuar Chan? Whoever it was, a feeling of dread swept through us as they passed over and we dare not move until they were long gone.

As we rested in our sanctuary the fog began to lift and eventually we could make out Balem Lakes in the distance, some two leagues off. The terrain in between was rocky and undulating, and the mountains rose into the clouds to one side. On our other side was a scree slope leading down to more gentle slopes. We skidded down the slope, intending to make our way towards the lakes by an easier route. Once we had gathered at the bottom we found that we could not see the lakes anymore. After some discussion it was suggested that we use the key that Elerienne had given us as a guide, if it showed her the way then it might do the same for us. Sure enough, the key seemed to act like a compass - it pointed in a specific direction when allowed to. Unfortunately, the direction it pointed in was back up the slope that we had just come down! Putting aside our disappointment, we climbed the difficult slope following the key's guidance. After some time we came across a faint path leading to the right, and the key directed us along this path.