Episode L001: Tiny Dragons and Spider Shepherds

General Summary

Hasdraek and Grigg stand at the entrance to the Lorella Canyon. While Grigg hesitates about whether to go into the Lorella or around it, Hasdraek searches a discarded horse cart for anything of value or interest. Etched into the side of the cart, as a kind of stamp of ownership, are the words "BenTrillian" and "Chinguiz".
As he broadens his search he comes across a Dagger in its sheath, lying in the grass. Its handle is ornate and inlaid in silver. It is small, as though belonging to a child, or adolescent. It is not tarnished, suggesting the holder of the dagger must have parted with it only recently.
Hasdraek also finds a strip of cloth. It is fine cloth, black, embroidered with black thread along two edges, the other two sides are torn from a larger garment or tapestry.
The pair finally enter the Lorella. Grigg is visibly uneasy about entering the place. They enter none the less and start waking. Time seems to be moving too slowly. It takes them too long to get to the first crossroad. They finally strike out on the northern road, but night falls and Grigg decides to set up camp.
While Hasdraek collects firewood, he encounters a green-clad woman who entreats him to save her dragon friends from imminent death at the hands of vile spider shepherds.
Hasdraek introduces himself. Lady Camilla is the name she gives. He agrees to help her, but Grigg needs to be cajoled before he agrees. She tells them to seek out a large rock behind which lies a gully where the dragons are held. Then she vanished into a tree.
They reach the rock Camilla had told them about. The adventurers venture down the ravine into what looks like a dark cave, but is in fact an elaborate spider’s web. They skillfully avoid getting caught in web traps or accidentally hitting the web.
The trees are bent by the force of the webbing, causing the place to look like a cavern. They light torches and move further into the den. When they reach the central room - a large space, 30 feet wide in both directions - they spot the dragons.
There are five of them, the size of cats, with wings that look like butterflies' wings. They are all ensnared by spider silk, but call out cheerfully when they see the two men approach.
As the heroes begin to chop at the spider silk holding the five dragons bound, a spider shepherd descends from above and attacks Grigg. Then three very large spiders join the fray.
The spider shepherd is killed along with one of the giant spiders, one spider is set on fire by Hasdraek, who sprayed it with oil from his flask, and set the oil ablaze with his torch, and eventually dies too, and the third spider escapes the flames. The flames consume the spider silk, the trees rebound to their normal position and stars are seen overhead as the group make their way out of the burning cave. Estival had turned himself into a brown bear and his children hopped on his back to escape the flames.
Grigg is poisoned by one of the spiders and barely makes it out alive. As they reach the top of the ravine, the five dragons call on a woodland friend to administer aid to the unconscious Grigg. A large humanoid creature emerges from the forest, following a booming thunderclap heard from a distance. He gazes suspiciously at the two humans but does what he is bidden by the dragons, then returns to the forest without a word.
The dragons, Estival, Carmel, Glint, Sparkle and Tasha, thank the humans and prepare to depart, after pointing out that treasure may lie in the lair of the now dead spider shepherd.
Morning breaks and the heroes descend the ravine again, finding exsanguinated corpses of humans and goblins, as well as treasure.
There is a shortsword among the bodies. It is finely crafted, and seems to have been untouched by time, moisture, grime. The leather on the hilt and scabbard are supple, clean and sturdy, as if just recently made, though the bearing of the weapon feels ancient. It is lighter than it should be, and gives off an eminence of power.
A jingling bag of coins, its heft suggesting a tidy profit sits in the lap of the corpse of a once affluent human woman. The leather is old and a symbol lies upon it, three circles linked together.

Campaign Date
12th and 13th days, Left Leg of Autumn, 4078

Report Date

28 May 2019

Timeline
The Lorella Campaign
Characters
Hasdraek Deepbrand
Grigg
Estival
Carmel
Glint
Tasha
Sparkle
A strange, ogreish, but benevolent creature
A spider shepherd
@Giant Spiders Objects
Silver Dagger
Strip of black cloth
Loose coins
An enchanting and possibly enchanted shortsword
A jingling bag of coins