Dungeon and Dragon

 

Location: the Lortmill mountains - former Duchy of Ulek. Near the village of  Hallowuud

Date: 20th of Reaping, High Summer

The RedWater Fellowship:

Doc Holliday - Male 1/2 Orc | Gunslinger/Paladin

Nenwin Albion - Male Aasimar | Paladin

Graxxuzzaz - Male Lizard-folk | Sorcerer

Tibaltuous -  Male 1/2 elf | Bard/Rogue/Warrior

Hester - Male Tabaxi | Cleric

The battle continues between the RedWater Fellowship and the black dragon, Zemycran. The glittering black scaled dragon hovering about 15 feet high roars again and a rain of acid pours from the cavern ceiling scalding all the heroes.

Tibaltuous calls out in support to all his allies using Mantle of Inspiration which allows them all to move and heals some wounds and then the bard casts a faerie fire spell engulfing the bone dragon.

The bone dragon lungs at the demonic cloud giant, cutting deeply with claws into the giant's chest and arm. Chief Tomklagg roars in pain falling to one knee, his hammer slipping from his grip. He looks up grimly and taking up the hammer in blood-soaked hands, swings the hammer at the bone dragon's head crashing it into one glowing green eye. At that moment, a hoard of dragonlings pour out of the tunnel mouth behind the party swarming the cloud giant. The small creatures look like a combination of a kobold and a draconian. A single larger dragonling flies out and hovers in the far depths of the cavern.

Graxxuzazz casts a fireball centered on the bone dragon, sculpting it around Hester and partially around the giant.. 

WHUMP! 

Many of the dragonlings perish in the fire, but the rest ravage and tear into the cloud giant while breathing small gouts of acid into the giant. A white-scaled draconian leaps out hissing and attacks Hester, cutting into the cleric with a jagged bladed scimitar.

Nenwin held by Zemycran in one massive claw attacks the black dragon with his holy sword. The magical blade slices through the black scales into black flesh as the dragon roars in pain. The power of the sword drains a spell from the dragon [Mass Suggestion]  and this heals some of the paladin's wounds. Grinning, Nenwin swings again and cuts into the dragon even deeper, acidic blood spraying over the paladin. The blow cuts into the claw and the dragon releases the paladin who swoops away on his wings.

Zemycran buffets his wings, a cloud of caustic acid blows over all the party and knocks back some, the acid eating into skin and clothing. The dragon seeing the battle not going well, flies up the passage out of sight. Tibaltuous calls out an insult but all that can be heard is the dragon's laughter - possibly strained.

Doc flies down to engage the bone dragon and makes two perfect hits guided by his deity the Raven Queen [DM: 2 critical hits!] with his magical longsword, Lucky Seven. The blows infused with holy power, cut through bone and dried sinew.

Tibaltuous runs up the passage after Zemycran as the tunnel starts to shake and rumble. Large chunks
of stone start to fall, clouds of dust and debris coming down as the bard rounds a corner and sees a long tunnel, the dragon no where in view. Nenwin catches up to the bard who had gone down crushed under rock and burned by acid. The paladin pulls the bard out of the collapsing passage, and moves back down to the main cavern.

Graxxuzazz, Hester and Doc finish off the dragonlings, a Toll the Dead spell in the end from Hester takes out the white draconian, she falls while trying to escape down the passage. All visible enemies are dead, except for Zemycran fled up the collapsed passage where clouds of dust billow out into the room amongst the still dripping acid.

The Cloud giant looks down at the Fellowship. His body is covered in acid burns and razor thin cuts from the dragonling claws and jaws, roasted in places from the fireball, deep gouges from the bone dragon. He picks up his giant hammer. The head of the weapon swirls with clouds of mist as he heaves a sigh and winces. "Our contract.." he rumbles, "is complete. My oath fulfilled."

Doc, Tibaltuous and Graxxuzazz look up at the giant and feel a burning sensation in their brain for a moment with a smell of brimstone.. 

"If you visit me in my fortress in Kalscihgarrak" [DM: a realm on the 374th layer of the Abyss was confirmed later], the word seems strange and extremely hard to pronounce, the giant cracks his neck with a loud pop as he says this, "you can expect a WARM welcome." The giant grins, leering evilly down at the party. Raising his hammer he calls out and with a swirling cloud of black dust, he sinks into the ground. 

The heroes look about, the one flying dragonling has disappeared up into some  small tunnels near the ceiling of the cavern. The acid continues to drip down around them burning their skin and clothing on occasion. A distant roar echoes in the cavern, Zemycran is still out there. The party loot the draconians and make haste back the way they came.

Discussion on the size of a dragon's heart for converting the power demonic power source for the flying tower, Vencer, Lukann as well as Graxxuzazz had agreed that a young to adult dragon would be required for the size of the tower. Based on the conversations the three had had with Overlord Romack's flying fortress, which takes at  least five ancient dragon hearts for that massive structure to stay aloft. 

The party has Graxxuzazz cast identify spell on some magic items acquired from the white draconian. Heward's Handy Haversack. 2 pouches were filled to the rim - one with seawater and one with fine dirt. The large pouch holds a skeleton and a black leather cloak as well as 2 stone runes - look to be Runes of power - possibly evil language . Graxxuzazz does not recognize the language, but the runes can explode. Nenwin takes those even as the others protest as the paladin detected evil from the two stone runes.

While this happens the heavily wounded Tibaltuous continues to regenerate [DM: very good ring to have - Ring of Regeneration].

The party exit out of the cavern following the stream filled with the acidic flow. The party then move up and over the cliff where the 2 waterfalls meet. Moving towards the ruins of the monastery, it takes about 15 minutes, the area starts to fill with a heavy mist that is once again caustic and burning. The group cannot see further than 30 feet. 

The party decide to fly up and over the mist. The party see in the far distance near the flooded village a smaller black dragon. It does not appear to be coming this way. 

Graxxuzazz in eagle form, Nenwin flying with his wings, Tibaltuous flying with Sir Lawrence his sword, Hester flying held aloft by his Celestial guardian and Doc is flying on his Nightmare stallion.

The party prepare and hover close together, over the ruins. Knowing the dragon is near.. maybe?

Nenwin flies around in a circle, holding up his sword. He roars, "Dragon! Come fight me!" The words echo across the area.. nothing. The mist swirls below them, every once in a while the ruins of the dwarven monastery glimpsed.

Nenwin calls out again, "Zemycran! don't be a coward!"

A deep chuckling can be heard in the mist below somewhere, "Come join me in the mist." The party look down but do not see the creature.

The party prepares, all looking down. Some use healing potions and start to cast healing spells. Then Nenwin and Tibaltuous see two glowing orbs below.. eyes! 

Then as they calls out a warning, a great gout of acid blasts up out of the mist catching the whole party! Tibaltuous falls to the ground dying. Doc falls as his nightmare dies, the gunslinger/paladin groaning and unconscious after he crashes into the ground. Hester falls as his avenger guardian dies in the blast of acid. The cleric falls to the ground and is dying.

Nenwin tucks his wings in and drops quickly sword blade first right into the dragon. He carves down through the neck of Zemycran, doing extensive damage with the blade. The dragon roars again.

All start to feel the caustic mist burning them. Nenwin continues to hack and thrust his Holy Avenger blade into the dragon. The blade sucks more magic from the dragon, [DM: pulling a legendary ability to resist] which then heals Nenwin. The Aasimar continues to swing and dart around the dragon.  Graxxuzzaz  casting a lightning bolt at the black dragon. The dragon is able to counter spell this, At this point, Nenwin reacts quickly using his mage hunter abilities thrusts the blade into the chest. Zemycran is extremely wounded his acidic blood pouring over the paladin.

The dragon roars in pain as well as frustration at these puny humanoids. They just won't die! He has destroyed so many over the many years, these - he realizes, are not like the townsfolk or even the soldiers  and warriors he had fought before. A new feeling enters him.. dread.. fear.. of losing his own life! 

Nenwin is able to drain another ability with the last hit [DM: Synaptic static spell] healing the paladin once again as the magic energy is drained from the dragon. 

Graxxuzazz calls upon his sorcery skills and casts a lighting bolt again, this one arcing across to hit the large creature. The lizardfolk teleports away so he can just stay in view. 

The acidic mist continues to eat away at the Fellowship, those already unconscious one step closer to death..

Zemycran now bleeding and near death sees these puny creatures keep coming back. Healing each other. Growling he rumbles, "No longer." With one claw he swipes at Doc lying in the ground, the claw rips through the 1/2 orc killing him, Then with another claw, he does the same to Tibaltuous. The bard dies with a grin and an insult on his lips..

The dragon looks around a grin starting to form his jagged teeth dripping acid as he looks down at the final two. They are going to die he thinks. Zemycran calls out, "I will supp on your melted flesh and bone!" The dragon breathes a stream of acid at Graxxuzazz, the sorcerer dodges part of the spray. Nenwin dives out of the way as well, and then dodges a bite from the massive jaws of the dragon and swings again with his two-handed sword, cutting through a large scale on the dragon's chest.

The paladin rips the blade out of the chest of the dragon, a gout of acidic blood washing over Nenwin. He then thrusts the blade deep into wound already in Zemycran's chest, his arms deep, pushing the blade further.  He feels the blade hit bone as it goes into the spine. 

The dragon gasps and cries out still unbelieving that he could be dying. "No.. how.. I.. arggh... gurgle" and the dragon crashes to the ground. Not moving.

Zemycran was.. DEAD. 

The dragon scourge of the Old Hills - defeated by the RedWater Fellowship!

The party regroup realizing they had little time to rejoice, trying to save their friends. Nenwin heals the cleric, Hester. Hester after recovering is able to use a revivify spell on Doc, but at this point could not save Tibaltuous lies dead.

The acidic mist starts to recede from the area. After leaving the

immediate area, the group rest. pondering next moves. Next steps were to get to the tower and bring it to the monastery. Find a way to raise Tibaltuous if at all possible. A diamond would be required.

They note a smaller dragon sleeping it appears on the top of a ruined building in the flooded village near the pipe shop. That.. would be their next target. After exploring the dragon's lair.

Their ally Gothi the ranger still at the tower loads everyone on board and flies the tower out of sight of the ruined village and smaller dragon resting there. The Fellowship return to the monastery and Gothi lands the tower. 

The acidic mist had receded.. now either rest or explore.. all were wounded and fatigued. As well their good friend and ally Tibaltuous the bard still dead.

What next for the Redwater Fellowship?