Session 327 - The Dragon's Rage
General Summary
Spring 727TR
The Story So Far
The King is dead.
King Minigath, after ruling the Kingdom of Kaldor well for thirty-three years, has been assassinated, and the power struggle as to who will succeed him has started. Meanwhile, in the background, the mysterious Esoterical Order of Lothrim is up to no good.
The heroes are on the trail of the evil alchemist Hamauto. They have discovered he has a sample of venom from a gigantic giant arachnid and plans to visit some of the ancient Jarinese villages in the southwestern foothills of the Sorkin Mountains. What business he would have with these people is unknown.
This is the continuation of Session 325 - Alchemical Plots.
Location - Sorkin Mountains on the borders of the Kingdom of Kaldor.
20th Nuzyael 727TR
Part 1 – A View of Days Long Gone
On the way, the party is ambushed by half a dozen aggressive giant insects. Fortunately, the Ankhegs and a Hive Mother are no real threat, easily slain by Valeria's Shadow Blasts or her companion's martial skills.
That afternoon, they spot a small mountain Hamlet of Kenath, a collection of half a dozen well-presented stone houses with small herds of goats and sheep nearby. The Jarinese locals look like people from a history book; the men have long drooping mustaches, and all wear brightly colored, elaborately decorated clothing and kilts. Dryueh, using his traveling physician persona, is quick to establish a rapport. Once the villagers are sure the characters are of no threat, they become friendly and welcoming.
Arcol, the Gelfein (village headman), tells the heroes that Hamauto did visit yesterday. He was friendly enough and likable, although the villagers thought his guards were coarse and dangerous-looking. All the alchemist wanted to discuss was the Zuthwyrm, the Frost Dragon that patrols the Sorkin Mountains, specifically Mt. Zuth.
Zuthwrym is said to make its lair in an abandoned stone tower above the glaciers on Mt. Zuth. It is known to keep the mountains and hills around the nearby settlements free of Orcs infestations, something the nearby Jarinese and Dwarven people greatly appreciate. As a thank you, the Jarin hamlets sacrifice livestock to the great Dragon once or twice a year, usually in early winter and late spring. They use red smoke to signal a meal is ready. The Zuthwyrn is not known to hunt humans or dwarves and is considered more of a beneficial protector than a threat.
Part 2 – Scouting and Planning
That night, Valeria sends her Shadow Bird companion scouting, and he locates the alchemist camp near the hill the locals usually used to sacrifice livestock to the Dragon. The following day, the characters stealthily approach, but their movement is spotted while the villains prepare a goat on the hill for sacrifice.
The heroes decide what to do. They are sure Hamauto plans to poison and kill the Dragon, speculating that he intends to extract blood for Longevity Potions or the like. Should they warn Zuthwyrn or save him? Dryueh decides to warn the Dragon.
Part 3 – The Zuthwrym
At midday, Hamauto and his guards light a fire and turn its smoke red by adding chemicals. Not long after, the heroes spot a huge white dragon flying in from the mountains. As it prepares to swoop in and grab the goat, Dryueh casts the Message spell, warning the Dragon that the goat is poisoned and who did it. The Dragon hesitates momentarily and dives, landing next to the goat and sniffing, detecting the toxicant. Angered, he glares at the villains and launches himself into the sky. The miscreants run, but they can't escape. The two guards are nearly frozen solid by the Dragon's frost breath; one is cut in two by a bite, and the other, while attempting to hide, is finished off by Valeria's Force Barrage.
Hamauto throws an alchemical bomb at the Dragon's head, and it connects. The Zuthwyrn is, and it is momently blinded as a sticky goo splatters over his eyes and face. However, undaunted, it lands with a crash next to the evil alchemist and tears him into a dozen pieces before stomping his remains flat.
Now, the Dragon focuses his intense attention on the heroes as they try to explain what happened, how they are not a threat, and where he might find some tasty orcs to eat. Dryueh's passionate discourse convinces the Zuthwyrn of the party's sincerity. It flies back to the mountain lair but returns shortly later and drops an ornate box near the heroes. This contains hundreds of silver coins and a small sapphire.
Part 4 – Three Armed Giants
Now that justice has been dealt to the second of the three elf murderers, Dryueh seeks to find the last most dangerous conspirator, the evil wizard Incabulos.
While returning to civilization, the characters face another danger: they run into two strange giants. Athachs are ugly, three-armed, three-legged giants created by the god Ilvir. They bash the heroes and hit quite hard; however, Valeria successfully distracts them with an illusionary duplicate. Her Mislead spell allows the battered Dryueh and Rycon to finish them off efficiently.
To be continued.NPC Interactions
Arcol - Village of Kenath's Gelfein (Headman) and some of his kin.
Challenges
6 x Ankhegs and 1 x Hive Mother.
Organized the death of Hamauto.
2 x Athachs.
Rewards
Some coins, gems, and potions.
Created Content
Nothing this week.
Related Reports
Player Characters
Valeria - Human - L11 Shadow Sorcerer
Background - Magical Experiment.
Archetype - Beastmaster.
Rycon - Human - L11 Fighter
Background - Rebel Knight.
Archetypes - Liberator Champion/Dual Weapon Warrior.
Dryueh - 1/2 Elf - L11 Thief Rogue
Background - Scout.
Archetypes - Vigilante/Medic/Shadowdancer/Wizard.
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