The title for this session came from a comment made by Merxif’s player after the “combat” with the violet fungi. It was very amusing as the player hates fungi/mushrooms. The session almost had Seldrel die for the second time. I don’t want PC’s to die just as the result of bad dice rolls. If they make bad decisions, that’s on them. PC’s who are dying can be healed/stabilised in a round will not die, regardless of rules on Con and negative hps. The dragon was meant to surprise and shake up the group, which it certainly did. They have been dealing well with things for a while, and it was a good reminder that some things under the mountain can’t be dealt with immediately.
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(15th Ready’reat): Heading east through caves and tunnels in the hill the group find a wide hall with many pools of odd smelling bubbling liquid. A large mushroom with fronds is at the end of the hall. Seldrel fears it is a violet fungi (encountered before) and the group begin making ranged attacks. Winter gets a very solid arrow shot that knocks it over. They approach carefully and realise that it is dead, and appears to have been dead and dried up for a long time. A faint breeze blowing along the exit tunnel made the fronds move. Further east they start to hear voices in the distance.
A cave leads out of the hill, and through an open gate, they hear many trogs chanting what sounds like “Atess”. Perhaps a score of stand around a stone platform with columns trogs at the edge of the lake. Lanliss and Bacon move to the gate and look around. A large black dragon dives out of the sky, biting Lanliss severely. Hardaz charges the dragon, but his axe rebounds from its scales. Seldrel casts Lightning at the dragon but the bolt fizzles. The dragon’s second attack on Lanliss drops the elf unconscious and near death. Merxif heals Lanliss, saving him from death. The dragon notices the gnome’s dragon orb and tells Merxif that she will tear him to pieces. Merxif uses the orb to suggest that the dragon teach the trogs to respect her by attacking them. The dragon is unhappy, but leaps over the palisade heading for the gathered trogs.
All retreat into the hill as the trogs begin to yell in surprise. Merxif heals those who are wounded. There is much noise outside, which soon becomes mostly the dragon bellowing curses at Merxif. The group quickly makes its way to the north gate and Seldrel makes everyone invisible and they run for the stairs in the cliff. They make their way to the black gate near the crafting halls and use it to reach the Hall of the Gods. Lanliss and Seldrel trade knowledge of dragons. The one encountered was female and likely a adult by its size. They deem it much too powerful for their group, especially when unprepared.
Merxif, Lanliss and Bacon head into Falsford to sell off some of the equipment they don’t require. Lanliss purchases a new sap, Merxif a wand of Cure Light Wounds and a magic haversack. (Hiding the dragon orb in an extra-dimensional space should mean it can’t be detected by magical or extraordinary means.) Lanliss asks Kevelli to arrange for a Ring of Invisibility to be created for him. He leaves payment, and Kevelli states will send messages to Falsridge, and Mitrik if necessary.
16th: The three return to the Fals’Krag and the crafting halls where Seldrel is enchanting Lanliss’ other sap. Late in the afternoon they all head down again to the great cavern. They begin to head south across the marsh keeping watch for the dragon. Lanliss and Seldrel hallucinate – Lanliss thinking he is being attacked by a giant leech and Seldrel believes he is melting. Both are grappled and pulled down into the marsh as two large reptilian shapes fly northward across the lake, briefly diverting in their direction. Once the dragons move away, the group head quickly into the northern edge of the ruins, and the two elves calm down. Most of the buildings here are very old, and badly damaged. What remains, shows occasional marks of small vermin and humanoids. There are obvious signs of searching, but none recent. The group explore and are attacked by a group of morlocks. The party have learned to deal with the crowding tactics used by the pale humanoids..
Dragons of Lancasm 