"So as far as I’m concerned... this right here, all of you, you’re my family.”
“And we always will be.”

—Orkira and Penelope

Watch Dragon Wars Part 2 | D&D Beyond Heroes Episode 7

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The cast of Beyond Heroes, currently level 9:

• Todd Kenreck as the Dungeon Master
• Keen Dayeprath - Eladrin Eldritch Knight Fighter played by TJ Storm
• Briv Steelmarrow - Half-Orc Oath of Heroism Paladin played by Adam Bradford
• Penelope Half-Pint - Halfling Circle of Land Druid played by Hope LaVelle
• Alyndra Alexandria Garanahil Sarrbarand, Lorekeeper of Rime Spiro, Kinscribe of Clan Monkeymouse, Daughter of Oblivion - High Elf Cleric 1/Wizard 8 played by Jen Kretchmer
• Orkira Illdrex - Dragonborn Light Domain Cleric played by Lauren Urban
• Freely - Halfling Lore Bard 3/Paladin 2/Sorcerer 2/Warlock 2 played by B. Dave Walters

Full Summary

The destruction of the giant ice citadel brought the battle between chromatic and metallic dragons to an end by burying creatures on both sides in ice and snow. Taking out the main floating castle caused the evil dragons to retreat, and the Heroes along with their metallic dragon companions, the gnomes, and their friends, managed to escape. But there were heavy losses, and many were close to death.

The settlement has evacuated to the Plane of Fire to recover and continue to hide from the armies of Tiamat. A few months pass as the Heroes rest and train, even as they continue to guard the gnomes working to retrofit and activate the portal. Penelope is mindful of the heat on everyone, using create or destroy water to make sure their dragon companions do not suffer near the lava and ash, while nearby their construct friend Rend uses that same lava flow to craft a forge for his own creations. Keen takes the time to search through the collection of items he stole from Xanathar’s lair, both looking for diamonds as well as cataloging some of the more powerful items, and does find a cloak of protection that Freely is happy to use.

Orkira uses all her abilities to heal the wounded, then pleads with the dragons to search their hordes for diamonds she can use to revive anyone who has died. The dragons bristle at the thought of giving away anything from their collections, and make excuses about not having easy access to return to their lairs. The cleric is frantic to find something, having recently learned how to cast raise dead and knowing she can return life to those who have died many days ago. Alyndra thinks if they can find one diamond, she has a way to duplicate it into many more and solve their problem, but they still need to find at least one. Hoping to help in the search, Freely and Penelope talk with the gnomes about any materials they might be able to part with, but even for the Heroes they are reluctant to give anything up.

One especially haughty high elf catches Alyndra’s gaze, as among her fancy attire she wears a diamond large enough for their needs. Despite her formality, and Penelope’s attempts at friendship, the elf Letharian remains aloof and uninterested in any conversation or offering any assistance. She claims to be concentrating on the problem of activating the portal. Irked that anyone would be rude to their halfling druid, Alyndra uses detect thoughts to read her mind. Letharian is pondering how someone named Raistlin got the portal to work, as well puzzling over a series of arcane formula. It only takes Alyndra a moment to solve the equations and discover that to open the portal requires a balance of good and evil, of kindness and cruelty; a good cleric and an evil wizard working together. This will activate the portal, but the gnomes still need to retrofit it to not go to the Abyss. Alyndra offers that information, but the egotistical elf simply claims she would have figured it out for herself and smugly refuses all other attempts to persuade her to give up the gem. Finally Alyndra casts suggestion, using her portent to force Letharian to fail her save and be convinced to help. She hands over the diamond, and when asked about Raistlin she explains that he was a very adept wizard who lived long ago. According to stories he now resides in the Abyss.

As the group mull over their continued mission to keep the gnomes safe, Freely asks Orkira if they can call on the Phoenix for help as they’re currently on the same plane of existence. While the volcano cathedral that the elemental lives in is thousands of miles away, the cleric knows she can talk to her God from anywhere. However she is reticent about summoning the Phoenix, as that usually causes a tremendous amount of fire and destruction. But Orkira has another option to learn if the army of chromatic dragons intends to attack again, suggesting she uses scrying to see what their leader Valasar is planning. With Freely’s help she is able to convince one of the gnomes to give her a spectrometer she can use as a scrying focus, and heads to their airship to make preparations.

Keen requests to learn from one of the brass dragons he has befriended, taking the opportunity to study with the wise creature. At first they work on some spells together, but soon the dragon shapechanges into a humanoid and the two enjoy an intense sparring match. The eladrin is a skilled warrior, but learns much even as he takes a beating. Meanwhile Penelope is feeling restless and anxious for some adventure, and asks Freely and Briv to go on a scouting mission deeper in the caves. The group is unconcerned about being stealthy, enjoying making jokes about being burglars, until they literally run into the leg of a fire giant! The massive creature demands to know why his lair has been invaded, and glancing around they can see the cavern is filled with treasures of all kinds. Initial attempts to converse with the giant fail, resulting in Freely almost being squashed flat by the giant’s foot if not for Briv shielding some of the blow. 

While the boys distract the giant, Penelope sneaks into the lair to start searching for valuables. She manages to find three more 500 gp diamonds, the armblade of a warforged, a cloak of elvenkind, and a shiny set of chainmail. She is quick to cover herself with the cloak and start to sneak away, even as Briv and the giant have a surprisingly cordial discussion about who might be more dangerous. Noticing his halfling friend trying to leave with loot, Freely commands the fire giant to flee. The spell is too effective, causing the massive creature to charge directly away and through a nearby wall! Magma pours from the opening as the cavern begins to collapse, and the three Heroes deftly dodge their way to safety.

The scrying spell complete, Orkira can now see her old friend and clanmate turned nemesis. Valasar is reading from his own Book of the Phoenix, deep in the incantations necessary to control the primordial. The home of the Phoenix is surrounded by a shimmering dome of magic and guarded by a phalanx of red dragons, all to protect the Dragon Highlord and his work. Orkira knows that his last attempt to control the Phoenix went badly, burning him horribly and destroying their entire clan of dragonborn. But listening closely she recognizes he is performing the ritual correctly, and is trying to send the firebird somewhere on the Prime Material Plane. Even just the act of arriving in that location will cause catastrophic damage, and Valasar is minutes away from finishing the ritual! In a panic Orkira stops scrying to inform Alyndra of the situation, and desperately they try to figure out how to get across thousands of miles in time. After quickly casting sending to inform their friends of the situation and going through several ideas, they believe the only option is finding someone who can teleport. Grabbing Keen from his training montage they rush to Letharian.

The high elf is still annoyed but his attitude is interrupted as the explanation is given for what is about to happen. Letharian can cast teleport, but needs to know the location to send the Heroes, so Orkira points out the Volcano on a map while Alyndra uses minor illusion to show the inside of the Cathedral of the Phoenix. Just then Briv, Freely, and Penelope arrive and start to gleefully talk about their adventures, but are cut off as they learn about the current crisis. The group quickly prepare for battle, with Briv using his lay on hands ability to heal Freely while Rend gives Keen a chiropractic adjustment. Penelope offers Orkira the three diamonds she stole from the fire giant, and with grateful thanks the cleric reminds everyone that this doesn't give them permission to run off and die. She points to the exact spot Valasar was standing in the minor illusion and asks to be placed as close as possible. Letharian takes some hair from the druid, some spit from the half-orc, and casts the incantation.

The Heroes arrive inside the volcano, and despite tumbling ungracefully off the cliff side Orkira rights herself with her wings and spots Valasar. She is intimately aware that clerics require the ability to pray out loud for their spells, so she casts silence centered on the traitorous dragonborn. Immediately the chanting is cut off, stopping the ritual before it can be finished, and before Valasar can move out of the effect Briv charges to engage at close range. The paladin is brutally efficient, smiting with vicious attacks that leave Valasar deeply wounded. Recognizing the book in Valasar’s hands, Keen aims for his arm. With two strikes he cuts clean through the dragonborn’s limb and causing the hand holding the book to fall to the ground. Worried about the lava below them, Penelope does an impressive parkour roll to get out of the sphere of silence so she can cast water walk on her friends to prevent them from sinking in case they are knocked into the caldera. Also unable to cast many spells, Freely turns to his rifle and uses his last round to blast a hole in the dragonborn’s side.

With the ritual interrupted and confident her friends can handle Valasar, Orkira turns to her God to ask what happened. They informs her that Valasar apparently made the choice to leave Tiamat and become a cleric of Phoenix as well. He was attempting to send the primordial to Waterdeep to destroy the city, and leaves the decision about what to do next with Orkira. 

The combined onslaught of Freely, Briv, and Keen quickly cuts Valasar down, removing his lower jaw in a vicious attempt to prevent any further attempts to complete the ritual. Orkira grabs the second Book before coming to Valasar’s side as she lets the silence drop. With him unable to speak in his final moments, Orkira uses sending to simply ask, “Why?” Valasar tells his former friend how everyone will always hate dragons and dragonborn, and despairs that everything has been taken from him. Angry that he once again was going to cause so much destruction, Orkira replies that his actions don’t help before walking away as Valasar finally dies.

As Alyndra begins the rites to prevent the body from becoming undead, Penelope wonders if Valasar deserved this fate even if he was planning such an evil act. Fascinated by the shiny armor that the dragonborn was wearing, Keen begins to remove it as he searches the body. It’s an epic set of dragon high lord armor with a powerful magic helmet that allows the wearer to speak draconic, gives resistance to fire damage, and advantage on influencing dragons. There is also the magic mace he was wielding, but when Keen tries to give it to Orkira she declines the offer. After the weapons and armor are removed, all that remains is the ritual scarring from his worship of Tiamat.

Presenting the second Book to the Phoenix, Orkira asks how many more are out in the world. The Phoenix replies that there are only ever two, and they all watch as the Book taken off Valasar slowly turns to cinders and ash as it teleports away. Noticing how excited Keen is by the shiny new dragon armor, Orkira asks if Keen could become the other High Cleric of the Phoenix. Not only does she trust him completely, but he’s already performed many services for the firebird in the past, and has his own fiery form when in his Summer. The choice is up to Keen, and while the eladrin is honored by the offer he must consult with the Eternal Court before accepting that responsibility. The Phoenix explains that they themselves have no choice where the book goes, just that there must always be two. “There has to be one of resurrection, and there has to be one of death. A balance.” 

Returning to the body of Valasar, Orkira asks for a moment to finish funeral rites. She says he was the last of her clan, but after all the pain Valasar caused she is ready to be done with him. With a severe but sad look she casts burning hands and cremates the body, moving methodically until it is nothing but ash. Once complete the cleric expresses her desire for things to have been different, but that everyone makes their own choices. Keen asks if Orkira is truly the last of her people, and offers to help find any that might remain. Orkira replies that as far as she knew her whole clan had been destroyed by Valasar, and then solemnly looks each of her friends in the eyes as she admits for years now she’s considered them all her new clan...her family. Penelope is quick to add that they will always be a family, and to everyone’s surprise Briv announces that it must be time for a hug! Orkira is ready, both arms and wings wide, and all six Heroes gather for a slightly awkward but satisfying group hug.

Just as Freely starts to wonder if it’s time to deal with the army of dragons, the group can hear the sound of the magic force field outside dissipating followed by the red dragons on abandoning their patrol to flee the Phoenix’s domain. The chromatic dragons are defeated!

EPILOGUE: Deep in the blasted wasteland of Avernus, the five heads of Tiamat scream in anger as Valasar has failed. She claws at the dirt until calm, then calls out to an old friend to return. A blackened metal gauntlet claws bursts through the ground to pull a figure out of the sand, with two glowing flames in its helmet and the symbol of a dead rose on its chest. The mother of all chromatic dragons turns to her friend and says, “You will not fail me, Lord Soth.”

 The war between dragons is apparently over for now, but a new adventure awaits! What will the Heroes be up to next? Find out January 15th at 2pm PT on twitch.tv/dndbeyond!

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Lauren "Oboe" Urban is the Community Manager for D&D Beyond, as well as a professional classical musician on oboe and English Horn. When she's not playing a Bard in real life she's a prolific Dungeon Master and player on a variety of livestreams and podcasts. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband Luke where they spend their free time playing video games and drinking tea. The best way to keep up with Lauren's busy schedule is to follow her on Twitter @OboeLauren!