We were gathering in a clearing about 20 miles from the small town of Oban, Taius. It is common habit for us to conduct our powerful magic far from the innocent eyes of the commoners so as not to disturb them. Heroes of our level haven’t been seen before, and we must step carefully and keep a low profile. Our goals are to serve the kingdom, after all, and not to threaten it. I was preparing to cast the teleport spells so I could take the party to visit with Devraine of Gwynyth Raius in person. The information we carried was too important to convey by uncertain magical communication spells.
Suddenly, there was a flash of light followed by a dull thud of concussive force that knocked everyone to the ground, incidentally disrupting my teleport. A blast of arctic air followed the thud, flowing through a rift in reality that had, to my amazement, opened up directly where we were. The rift was colossal, roughly 60 feet in diameter, and through it can I saw a frigid mountain covered in snow and ice, though I think I saw some ruins. There was, however, no time to gape and marvel at it.
A raging battle was pouring through the rift.
On the other side I could see a small army of snow-white skinned giants with blue hair battling another small army of silver, gold, and copper dragons. It appeared to be at a near stalemate given the quick glance I could get before I was drawn in to defend myself. The giants were apparently defending the mountain top and the rift while three strange looking serpentine dragons came through the rift to our clearing. Shouting orders, our warrior organized us to defend ourselves. The three serpentine dragons had no wings but they flew through the rift before anyone could react. One was green like an emerald forest, the second was gray like a mountainside and the last was pale like a corpse and had two heads. Around one of the necks of the last hung a large amulet of black metal that glowed with blue light.
I recognized these as linnorm dragons from my studies and I shouted that fact to the rest of the party, but that was all I could say before the battle was around me. The linnorms clearly weren’t expecting us in the path of their escape, but they recovered well. Before I could react, they all three breathed their breath weapons on us, scattering and disorganizing everyone. In moments, the most powerful adventuring party the kingdom had ever known was separated and battling for our lives against three dragons, and in the next round, frost giant allies who crossed over to assist their masters.
The battle was all confusion amidst the wildly blowing snow and ice from the strange world that had erupted into our own. It was mere moments when things were clearly going awfully wrong. I was trying to jockey for position to summon elemental aid when I noticed two of the white-skinned giants casting powerful spells. I shouted a warning, “By Lugh’s abacus! I’ve never heard of that spell before. I think it might be flesh to ice!”
But my warning was too late and I watched in amazement as the blue beams shot out to Felgarn and Skilgannon and they were turned to ice sculptures. The party was clearly in great trouble without the aid of our cleric. The arctic wind blew a blizzard of snow that obscured my vision and kept me from seeing what direction the rest of the party ran to. Knowing that I had to retreat in order to regroup, I ordered the few elementals that I had managed to summon to cover me as tried to leave the area.
Unfortunately, before I could take a few steps, the green linnorm, the forest species I recognized now, landed in my path and breathed his acidic slime. I was unable to fully get out of the way and the acid burned me painfully to within an inch of my life. Dismayed, I saw that my elementals had fared worse. Knowing that my defenses were about gone and my life was surely measured in seconds, I took a desperate gamble. Instead of running away I headed towards the rift and jumped through amidst the chaos. My arcane knowledge had indicated that the metallic dragons fighting on the other side were most likely allies. By this time, I had lost complete track of the rest of our party and I was on my own.
The cold on the other side of the portal was biting at first. I ignored it as I tried to find a safe place on the snow and ice covered mountaintop. I dodged through the battle and hid as best as I could, hoping to catch the attention of the metallic dragons. I found a rock to hide behind. However, as soon as I stopped moving, I realized just how cold it was. So cold that I realized that I was in serious danger of freezing to death. I admit, this may not have been the best idea I’ve ever had. I was measuring the odds of getting back through the rift when I caught a glimpse through the snow of the white-skinned giants returning back through the rift from our plane. I wasn't not sure, but they might have been carrying Felgarn and Skilgannon. Just at that moment, the rift suddenly closed and I was alone on the mountain in the middle of a battle, freezing to death.
I lost track of the giants through the snow and I also realized that being spotted by friendly dragons in the middle of this weather during a hectic battle might not happen soon enough. I had to get out of there. I made a quick inventory of my remaining spells and found that my only hope was in a risky proposition. I knew I was clearly on another plane of existence – one I had no familiarity with. I knew that I must get away quickly if I was going to survive. Therefore my only chance was to do something the masters at the school of elementalism warned me very stridently not to do: open a gate to the plane of metal and venture into it rather than summon elementals. From there, I figured I might be able to open a gate back to our own plane. At the very least, with the help of your elemental form spell, I wouldn’t freeze to death, and I also wouldn’t be slashed or crushed to death by the metal.
I retreated further away so I could hopefully open the gate in secrecy. It was a harried casting and by the time I completed it, my fingers and toes had gone dangerously numb. I cast elemental form, and plunged through the gate into warm liquid metal.
The landscape was one of dream and nightmare. The air I breathed was liquid mercury and the land I stood upon was iron. Mountain spires of titanium, bronze and gold dotted the horizon and jagged clefts opened up in the ground to expose other metals. The vegetation was jagged slashing blades that could surely cut flesh to pieces should one brush up against it. Fortunately, I was well protected in my spell for several days. Now, I knew I must close the gate behind me before I was followed. Another scary minute passed and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Unfortunately, during the time I was working to close the gate I failed to notice the approach of 5 colossal creatures. I turned around to see that I was being regarded by elemental dragons of great age. My heart leapt up to my throat and I froze.
The middle dragon spoke first, “Lo, the compact must at last be enforced. One seeks to pass the ancient barrier about Draconia. We are called to impose the will of the ancients. You may not pass.”
The dragon on the left tilted its head, “This is regrettable. Must we destroy this creature?”
I was unable to move or speak, spellbound as I was by this apparent “out of the frying pan and into the fire” scenario.
The dragon on the right leaned its head down and bared its teeth, “The compact is clear. My blades ache to slice.”
The two dragons between the ends and the middle leapt up and over me and blocked my retreat from behind. I could hear their blades grind against each other in anticipation.
It’s now or never, “Wait! I was just trying to get home! I don’t know anything about compacts or Draconia. I’m an elementalist master of metal, I’ve always been friendly with the denizens of this place.”
The dragon on the left leaned down and sniffed, “He has the smell of it. He does not lie. We should consider this.”
The middle dragon regarded me carefully, “Perhaps. Very well. We will hold and contemplate matters. But this one may not participate until we have decided.”
The middle dragon began casting a spell I immediately recognized. I begin to protest, “Wai…”
And I was caught in temporal stasis.
How long does it take for dragons to decide a matter? What is time to a dragon. Days? Weeks? Surely not more than say, a year? But what of elemental dragons? What is time to them?
For me, it was a mere moment until I was released, finishing my sentence, “…t a minute!”
The landscape had changed. Some time had passed and I had definitely been moved to a new location. The five elemental dragons were here, regarding me but without the hostility. In fact, from the left I caught a distinct impression of hope.
The middle one spoke, “The compact is clear: those who attempt to pass to and from Draconia are to be destroyed. But if one merely goes to the barrier, and turns around to return whence one came…”
The left one leaned down, eager, “Such a one would not evoke the compact.”
Catching on I replied, “Why, surely I was just taking a stroll to see metal domain for just a moment. It’s time I got back, yes?”
The left dragon leaned back, “It is decided then. You have a day to prepare for your return journey.”
The right dragon suddenly leapt forward, its metal bladed fangs inches from my face, “But there is a price! End the compact and release us from this binding!” The right dragon slowly withdrew its head hissing very quietly, “We will be angry if you fail.”
The five dragons retreated a distance, making it clear that the interview was over. But they were not gone. Just out of comfortable conversing distance. I sagged to the ground in exhaustion and was quickly asleep.
The next day I felt somewhat refreshed. I awoke in the strange landscape of the Plane of Metal and saw the five guardian dragons had not moved. I straightened yourself out as best as I could and prepared my spells. This time I was sure to prepare an endure elements to protect against the frigid cold.
When I was ready, I took one last look at the dragons and then turned to cast my elemental gate. I wasn’t sure how it would work on the opposite side. Would I come out in this Draconia place? How would I make it go to our home plane? All the spellcasting theory I had on this is focused on creating gates to and from our home and the Elemental Planes. How does one specify different planes?
I shrugged and just begin casting the spell. The guardians did not move, so perhaps it would work the way they intended. At any rate, any place was better than there, but I wondered about this compact they want me to break.
The gate opened and I saw blessed skies and surprisingly swampy lands. The gate didn’t open up on that arctic mountain top. It is still winter, however, and I cast my endure elements before stepping out onto the snowy swamp. I took a minute to cast my close elemental gate – I had no desire to keep that contact open right now. When I finished and turned around to really look at my surroundings, I wasn’t too happy. I saw no end to the swamp but plumes of smoke off in one direction spoke positively about habitation. I start walking, and not too long after, you flew by to pick me up. A very strange coincidence, that...So what did I miss?