Meh.

Three letters that perfectly encompass how I am feeling right now. After the long buildup through December the Festive Season is finally over and we’re all left with a vague feeling of ennui, as if the entire world has given a sort of universal shrug of the shoulders and said, “Is that it?” The now brown Christmas tree has been taken out and sacrificed at the altar of the great god of Yule, (i.e. the rubbish dump). Presents the kids begged for, absolutely had to have, they needed them, their life depended on having them, lie unused, already gathering dust. But amongst the Festive Season hangover we can always turn to RIFT for solace. And today we will be talking about another Chronicle, this time one called Greenscale's Blight: The Fallen Prince.

Prince Hylas (again! doesn't this guy every give up?) has actually managed to breach the prison that holds the dragon god Greenscale. Hmm. That's a bit… serious, isn't it? Sounds a bit end-of-the-world-ish. On the Guardian side, Shyla Starhearth has rushed in to try and stop her ex-boyfriend from doing something stupid (a bit too late there, Shyla), and on the Defiants side Dacia Ultan has also run in to try and stop him. But they are both acting form personal motives, and it's your job to make sure Hylas doesn't seduce them or use his Ryan Gosling-like charm to pull a fast one and let Greenscale out.

Of all the dragon gods of the Blood Storm, Dragonscale is the most familiar with the mortal races of Telara. He knows what makes them tick, he knows how to get inside them. He got to know them so he could destroy them.  Greenscale is a source of terror and sorrow for anything civilized. If he had his way, he would sweep across the world, using his eldritch (isn’t that a good word, eldritch?) influence to turn gentle, rolling forests into aggressive, invading jungles filled with terrifying plants and trees that will scour the skin and leach the life from anything vaguely human-shaped. (Much like the feeling you get when you see yet another Kardashian pop up on television.)

It was Thorvin Sternhammer and his allies who finally defeated and imprisoned Greenscale. The prison they chose for his incarceration is beneath Stillmoor, and his rather rabid hunger to destroy all squishy things has been suppressed using delicately balanced Death magic. But even so, his will leaks out of the prison, influencing his followers, cajoling them to get their act together and release him.

The temple where Greenscale is imprisoned no resembles an overgrown nature reserve, as Greenscale’s baleful power causes man-eating plant life to crawl up the walls and coat the floors. No one can remember the temple’s original name, and it is now known simply as Greenscale’s Blight. Which is actually a fitting name. The front door to the temple is gone, either destroyed by Hylas or rotted away by caustic plant-life. The halls are patrolled by the traitors to all Elf-kind, House Aelfwar and if you take up this challenge you will have to fight your way through these warriors to a vast antechamber, where Prince Hylas and some of his senior lackeys try to break down the magic prison that holds Greenscale captive.

But don’t think you’ll get to take Hylas on. At least, not right away. Like all villains, he thinks it’s better to send his henchmen against the hero one at a time, instead of all of them just rushing in and chopping the uppity hero’s head off. I don't know. They never learn, do they?

Duke Letareus is up first. Apparently, ‘a warrior of unshakeable focus, able to slip into an unbreakable dance of twirling death’. He’ll dance around you, rushing in with little jabs and insults. “Ooh, you don’t like that, do you?” “Stop hitting yourself, stop hitting yourself,” that kind of thing. You’re just as likely to die from sheer annoyance than from his actual blades. Watch out for him.

Next up is Oracle Aleria. Aleria has serious issues with expressing her anger in a healthy and communicative manner. She’s like, really angry at the Mathosians for harvesting the sacred granitewood trees. I mean, really angry. She somehow channels that fury into being able to command the beast within every sentient being. So if you suddenly feel a bit funny and want to kill your fellow raid members, she’s probably to blame. Also, if you spontaneously explode, that's her as well.

And finally we have Infiltrator Johlen. Johlen is Hylas’s loyal spymaster, a Saboteur who will lay sneaky bombs and traps everywhere. Watch your step.

And finally, once you take all these hench men and women down, Hylas will deign to come for you. He’s like, the greatest Elven swordsman ever. The Highlander? (Original movie, not sequels or tv shows, as in my reality they do not exist.) He’s got nothing on Hylas. Aragorn? Pfft. Plus, his powers are boosted by Greenscale himself, so you’d better get your act together.

What’s that? Oh, you beat Hylas as well? Jolly good for you. If you’d care to just step through this door here – that’s right, watch your step – you’ll find Greenscale shaking off his shackles to find out what’s going on.

Good luck to you. I kinda have a feeling you’re going to need it.