Session 33 – The Dragon
The party windwalked up into the mountains toward the town of Trumbull and the dragon's lair. The party landed and found the road leading to Trumbull. It wound its way up into the mountains.
The party came across a low, flat stone building partially buried in the side of a hill to the side of the road. A heavy iron door was on the front with a huge metal bolt. The land around the stone building was scorched and blackened.
The party pulled the door open and explored the interior. Inside they found blankets, medical supplies, water, a map of the region. Posted on the wall was a document which stated the following:
Greetings Weary Traveller,
The road you are on leads to the town of Trumbull. We hope your journey has been safe and that you soon will find your way to our fair village where warm beds and hot food soothes weary souls.
Be warned. This region is home to the dread wyrm Verraximaul. This shelter and others like it are provided by the Church of Chaddamar for any weary road traveler. Should you be so unlucky as to find the dragon, seek cover in these shelters. Naught but stone and iron will avail you against fiery breath.
Should ye be a dragon slayer seeking fame and fortune, then welcome! Our services are at your beckoning. Should you need stout shield, iron shodding or any other craft, you will find it here.
Know that the Church of Chaddamar has declared that should any slay the Dragon, our fair village has claim to one third of all recovered treasures in recompense for years of strife and suffering. The Church will claim one third in tithes and claims Holy Rite to take possession of any relics deemed heretical or saintly.
Sir Eradon Farnoth, Mayor of Trumbull
Obviously these stone houses were "dragon shelters" for travelers to take refuge in if the dragon appeared. Scorch marks around the bunkers indicated that each had been hit with fiery blasts of the dragon's breath. The party continued on their journey. Along the road the party passed several more of these dragon shelters along the road side. It seemed the dragon had been very active over the years.
The road continued winding up the mountain side for another 10 miles until the party came, finally, to the village of Trumbull. It was a small, unwalled community. About 150 stone buildings were clustered together. Huge basins filled with rain water were scattered about the village – a means to rapidly put out fires.
The party also noticed a fenced pen about a mile up the mountain side from the village. Undoubtedly, a place to sacrifice animals in hopes that the dragon would leave the village alone.
The party went into the village and found a large central tavern/inn/gambling hall called the Dragon's Ire. Here they talked with the locals and, when they told them they were here to raid the Dragon's hoard, they quickly become the heroes of the hour.
From the local villagers, the party learned much. The village had been attacked 11 times in the last 60 years. (although the dragon routinely attacked herds, travelers, caravans and such). Large underground bunkers protected most of the village.
The party also learned that the Church of the Chaddamar had declared that should anyone slay the dragon, the treasure horde would be thirded. One third was to be given to the town of Trumbull as recompense for years of suffering under the dragon's ire. One third of the treasure would go to the Church as tithes. The final third of the treasure would be awarded to the slayers of the beast. Because of this Church degree about the treasure split-up, the people of the village of Trumbull wanted the Dragon slain and were willing do everything they could to aid adventurers in all possible ways.
The party was given free rooms and meals at the Dragon's Ire. The local smith offered to repair their armor for them. Several of the local woman offered themselves to the men in the party. Gen received a few marriage proposals.
The players asked if others had passed through the village on their way to the dragon's lair. The villagers said, yes, most definitely, there had been others. It seemed that every couple of years, some group of young fools would ride forth to battle the dragon. None had ever returned. But the villagers assured the party that THEY would be successful.
The local town drunk, a man named Gyjus, offered to give them a tour of the area for a bottle of whiskey. He showed them the valley of Kaimar's Folly - the infamous battle site of Kaimar's last stand where the Duke and his forty knights were slaughtered. He showed them the whole town. And above the town, the Slaughtering Hill - where the pens are that hold the sacrificial animals. Last, he showed them the trail that led to the dragon's lair and they got within a half mile of it.
The night before they were to leave, the party made final preparations. Their armor was patched, the blades were sharpened and their packs were filled. Tthe Dragon's Ire inn held a huge party which most of the town typically attended (this was tradition here). The villagers insisted.
"We must have a celebration before you go! It's tradition and we only get to do this a few times a year, you know. Send off a dragon slayer with a good party, that is... You should have seen the party we had last year. Damn near burned the whole village down!"
At the climax of the celebration, there was a mock battle between the villagers dressed up as warriors and a wicker dragon. In the end, the wicker dragon was burned in effigy.
The next morning, the party and villagers shook off their hangovers. The party began their walk down the path to the lair. Most of the village followed them, cheering them on and carrying things for them. Many of the villagers sang songs and pick flowers and made them good luck charms.
When they came in sight of the dragon's valley, most of the villagers turned back, wishing the party good luck one last time.
The party was able to cover the last mile alone. As they neared the dragon's lair, Teela, the ranger, found faint tracks in the dirt. She could tell that they are bipedal reptilians about the size of a man, but heavier. Saurians no doubt. Probably worshipping the dragon. Probably camped around the dragon's lair.
The party approaches quietly and took at look at the lair in front of them. It was a large hill with the ruins of a great fortress on top. Not much of the fort still stood. Only a few crumbling walls and a field of stones. It looked like there were lots of places to hide among the ruins.
Down below at the base of the hill was a huge gaping cave. Near the mouth of the cave was a small camp with about 50 saurian warriors.
A river flowed from around the back side of the hill and down the slope.
The party approached from the side, avoiding the saurian camp at the cave entrance. The heroes climbed the hill and began exploring the ruins. They came across a small group of saurians, but managed to kill them quickly and quietly. These saurians had been guarding an entrance. A broad set of stone stairs descending down into the hill. This likely led down into the cavern. This was going to be there way in.
The party quietly descended the stairs. It opened up into a large, dank smelling cavern. The floor was strewn with rubble and boulders making for tricky footing. The party slowly made their way through several interconnected cavernous chambers. They listened but heard no sounds of the dragon.
The main passage branched off into side caverns. They explored each in turn. They found past meals, rusting suits of armor and broken blades. They even found a few dead saurians. But no sign of the dragon.
They eventually came into a huge central chamber. Judging by the scrape marks and smooth wear on the walls and floor, this was likely the place where the dragon spent most of its time.
There was an underground river, underground lake and a waterfall exiting a cave in a gorge. The river flowed out of the back of this huge chamber heading outside and roaring down the hillside in another waterfall.
The party was attacked by a band of saurians. The battle ranged all over through the underground chamber. The party defeated the saurians. As the party made their way toward the waterfall, they heard a tremendous roar and the ground shook. Verraximaul, the dragon, had arrived. The party threw up a Wall of Force spell. They realized this would only hold the dragon back for a short time so they hurried up the rockface from which the waterfall was cascading. They found a smaller chamber beyond.
The dragon hit the wall of force with its breath weapon repeatedly. The party split up. Some were fighting more saurians and dealing with the dragon. The rest quickly gathered the treasure they found in the last chamber. The party managed to escape through different exits from the lair and regrouped a few miles away, heading back toward Trumbull.
They review the treasure they have obtained.
The Treasure Horde
1. Book – Collection of romantic poems
2. Book – History of Chaddamar
3. Book – Herbs and Flowers of the Rainforests of Pujarn
4. Book – Gemology and Precious Stones
5. Book – Volume of erotic poetry – fully illustrated.
6. Scroll – A Treatise on Interplexing Multi-Phasic Ether Disruptions Within a Dynamic Construct During a Drellis Dweomic Inversion Phase. (Reading this and spending a week studying it gives a +3% spell control during a Drellis Phase).
7. Scroll – A map of the Rurgoth Deep Halls (And Shidar was built on the ruins of Rurgoth?)
8. Gold arm band with small pale blue gem and eagle design. (75 gold piece value).
9. A methkari crystal necklace.
10. A sealed cask of brandy.
11. Miscellaneous armor and weapons from past knights.
12. Armor of Holrumna.
13. Wintershard sword.
14. Ulhuru's Chest.