Session 6: Cult Following

General Summary

The party got themselves comfortable in the druid's outpost, such as it was, and prepared to go to bed. Before they did so, Reidoth asked to speak privately with Adelaide. The two had a short conversation outside and then returned to the rest of the party. They all decided that they would go back and talk to the cult the next day, to see about ridding the town of the dragon.   It rained very hard in Thundertree that night. A storm rolled in, bringing with it pouring rain, lightning, and thunder. The party took watches over the night, slightly surprised that Reidoth didn't seem to see the need to do so. On about the second watch (William's), an uncomfortably close thundercrack woke Coryn. He was about to go back to sleep when both of them noticed a rhythmic thudding coming from the direction of the tower. After a few moments, they watched as a dark shape emerged from the tower, suddenly illuminated from behind by a lightning strike to reveal the silhouette and outstretched wings of a dragon perching on the tower's edge. The dragon launched itself from the tower and began to fly east.   Coryn and William woke Reidoth and told them what they had seen. He said it was likely going hunting, and it had done so every few days that he had been observing it. He ventured that it likely didn't know he was here, or they'd all be aware of it. With that he went back to sleep and the watch changed, each party member exchanging the information that they had seen the dragon to the next person.   The watch was mostly uneventful for the rest of the night. In the early morning, during Marcus's watch, he ascertained through certain Ranger magics that there was still a dragon in the area--either it hadn't gone far, or was in the process of returning. The rest of the party awoke and got ready for the day, then departed the Druid's house for the cult. Reidoth said that it was probably better if he remained behind, but he would be near if they needed anything.   The party left the house and traveled to the other side of Thundertree, where they were greeted again by Favric. He informed them that the dragon had returned--a fact which the party had somehow missed that morning--and that he and the other cultists were getting ready to treat with it. He was happy to enter into an alliance with the party, who remained (understandably) guarded. When the party asked him what they should be doing while the cultists negotiated with the dragon, he said that he wanted them present, as, in his words, "dragons appreciate power." Though not all of their suspicions were allayed, the party agreed to the alliance, donning cultist cloaks (the cultists wore masks stylized as dragon horns) and watching as Favric put three diamonds of great quality into a pouch--tribute for the dragon to make negotiations run smoothly.   The party led the way with the cultists following, moving cautiously toward the square at the northeast end of the town. As they investigated an old abandoned garrison, Marcus listened at the door and heard rustling sounds inside. He opened the door to find himself face to face with an ash zombie!   The fight was brief but pitched. A clever casting of Grease by Malcolm turned the hallway within the garrison into a slick mess, and the zombies inside had constant trouble keeping their footing. The party had no trouble dealing with them as they either charged single file through the door or slipped and fell in the grease. Though Favric pulled his weight in the fight, some of the junior cultists' inexperience began to show, and they accomplished little except being poisoned by the zombies' ash clouds and falling over each other coughing.   The party then set their sights on their next target, a ruined building at the base of the hill, where they suspected some giant spiders were lurking...