Session 6
General Summary
Having been warned of potential danger ahead by the House Godeep patrol, Nex Pervenio continued cautiously on their way. Soon enough they reached their destination – a huge, three-sided cavern, perhaps half a mile across.
Immediately ahead was the spider farm, or more accurately, the remains of the spider farm. Fences marked out a series of paddocks, each containing a host of dead spiders. Beyond was a complex of ruined farm buildings and barns.
Shinobi and Dash scouted ahead. First they inspected some spiders. These had been dead for a few weeks. Their wounds seemed inflicted by swords and arrows. In fact some arrows were recovered from the scene, seemingly of human manufacture. Booted footprints were spotted, could be humans, drow or similar. There were no scorch marks as might be expected from a red dragon attack.
Approaching the buildings, a trail of devastation became obvious. Something huge had traced a route back and forth through the complex. Anywhere it entered a building, via window or door, the wooden structures were crushed and burst. Random mundane possessions were scattered about the place, but no sign of any drow, dead or alive. The trail seemed to lead towards one of the more intact buildings, a large barn. Shinobi crept to the entrance and peered in. Coiled up at the far end was a huge carrion crawler, surrounded by hundreds of eggs. No doubt it had feasted well here.
Dash and Shinobi returned to their comrades to report and discuss a plan. The carrion crawler was left alone for the time being. It was decided to try and speak with the dragon. As they crept across the cavern towards its lair, they spotted humanoid figures lurking in the entrance caves – grimlocks, armed with crude stone axes. Had these slain the dragon or were they its servants? It was decided to leave them for now and instead visit the ropers.
As they headed across towards the roper tunnels, a small glimmer of light was spotted deep in a gulley. When Dash and Shinobi sneaked to investigate they spotted two humans – paladins from the Knights of the Sun order of Albion to be more precise. They were chatting about ambushing grimlock patrols and gave the impression there were more paladins in their group. It seemed likely they had been responsible for slaughtering the spider farm inhabitants.
So Nex Pervenio continued to the roper tunnels, expecting them to have been slain by the paladins travelling in from the surface. However they found the ropers alive and well. The ropers were evasive when questioned, even moreso after a drow corpse was spotted in a nearby pool. The dead drow had belonged to House Xaniqos. After being threatened with the anger of House Godeep, the ropers confessed. A couple of months ago, the drow from House Xaniqos had bribed them not to carry out their guard duties for House Godeep, to let past any “troublesome types”. They had taken the bribe and then killed the drow. When the paladins, six in number, arrived in the area about a month ago, the ropers had done nothing. The ropers also mentioned that the grimlocks work for the dragon.
This was all a bit puzzling and perhaps not coincidental. Nex Pervenio decided to visit the dragon. They headed back across the cavern, being sure not to alert the paladin camp. They boldly approached the dragon caves. A couple of grimlocks were seen heading inside presumably to sound an alert. A grimlock elder emerged onto a rocky balcony and parlayed with them until the dragon Calastryx appeared. Hardened adventurers as they were, Nex Pervenio still quivered in their boots, this dragon looked very powerful. It was a huge red dragon, distinguished by the unusual fact it had three heads.
Calastryx asked why the gladiators had been slaying its grimlock followers. They replied it was not them and mentioned the paladins. They presented their House Godeep credentials, explaining why they were in the area. This calmed the dragon somewhat. A deal of sorts was arranged – Nex Pervenio would capture the paladins and bring them to Calastryx. After that the dragon might be persuaded to kill the carrion crawler and all its eggs before they could hatch. The truce between Calastryx and House Godeep still held.
So the gladiators crept once more across the cavern, back towards the paladin camp. As they got closer, Shinobi noisily dislodged a pile of rubble, which alerted the paladins, it seemed they expected a grimlock attack. Acting very patiently, the gladiators hid in silence and bided their time. Eventually the paladins relaxed, chatting once more about grimlock numbers, tackling the dragon and hoping it possessed the documents they sought. What documents?
With the gladiators poised for assault, battle was about to be joined!
Immediately ahead was the spider farm, or more accurately, the remains of the spider farm. Fences marked out a series of paddocks, each containing a host of dead spiders. Beyond was a complex of ruined farm buildings and barns.
Shinobi and Dash scouted ahead. First they inspected some spiders. These had been dead for a few weeks. Their wounds seemed inflicted by swords and arrows. In fact some arrows were recovered from the scene, seemingly of human manufacture. Booted footprints were spotted, could be humans, drow or similar. There were no scorch marks as might be expected from a red dragon attack.
Approaching the buildings, a trail of devastation became obvious. Something huge had traced a route back and forth through the complex. Anywhere it entered a building, via window or door, the wooden structures were crushed and burst. Random mundane possessions were scattered about the place, but no sign of any drow, dead or alive. The trail seemed to lead towards one of the more intact buildings, a large barn. Shinobi crept to the entrance and peered in. Coiled up at the far end was a huge carrion crawler, surrounded by hundreds of eggs. No doubt it had feasted well here.
Dash and Shinobi returned to their comrades to report and discuss a plan. The carrion crawler was left alone for the time being. It was decided to try and speak with the dragon. As they crept across the cavern towards its lair, they spotted humanoid figures lurking in the entrance caves – grimlocks, armed with crude stone axes. Had these slain the dragon or were they its servants? It was decided to leave them for now and instead visit the ropers.
As they headed across towards the roper tunnels, a small glimmer of light was spotted deep in a gulley. When Dash and Shinobi sneaked to investigate they spotted two humans – paladins from the Knights of the Sun order of Albion to be more precise. They were chatting about ambushing grimlock patrols and gave the impression there were more paladins in their group. It seemed likely they had been responsible for slaughtering the spider farm inhabitants.
So Nex Pervenio continued to the roper tunnels, expecting them to have been slain by the paladins travelling in from the surface. However they found the ropers alive and well. The ropers were evasive when questioned, even moreso after a drow corpse was spotted in a nearby pool. The dead drow had belonged to House Xaniqos. After being threatened with the anger of House Godeep, the ropers confessed. A couple of months ago, the drow from House Xaniqos had bribed them not to carry out their guard duties for House Godeep, to let past any “troublesome types”. They had taken the bribe and then killed the drow. When the paladins, six in number, arrived in the area about a month ago, the ropers had done nothing. The ropers also mentioned that the grimlocks work for the dragon.
This was all a bit puzzling and perhaps not coincidental. Nex Pervenio decided to visit the dragon. They headed back across the cavern, being sure not to alert the paladin camp. They boldly approached the dragon caves. A couple of grimlocks were seen heading inside presumably to sound an alert. A grimlock elder emerged onto a rocky balcony and parlayed with them until the dragon Calastryx appeared. Hardened adventurers as they were, Nex Pervenio still quivered in their boots, this dragon looked very powerful. It was a huge red dragon, distinguished by the unusual fact it had three heads.
Calastryx asked why the gladiators had been slaying its grimlock followers. They replied it was not them and mentioned the paladins. They presented their House Godeep credentials, explaining why they were in the area. This calmed the dragon somewhat. A deal of sorts was arranged – Nex Pervenio would capture the paladins and bring them to Calastryx. After that the dragon might be persuaded to kill the carrion crawler and all its eggs before they could hatch. The truce between Calastryx and House Godeep still held.
So the gladiators crept once more across the cavern, back towards the paladin camp. As they got closer, Shinobi noisily dislodged a pile of rubble, which alerted the paladins, it seemed they expected a grimlock attack. Acting very patiently, the gladiators hid in silence and bided their time. Eventually the paladins relaxed, chatting once more about grimlock numbers, tackling the dragon and hoping it possessed the documents they sought. What documents?
With the gladiators poised for assault, battle was about to be joined!
Report Date
23 May 2025
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