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Recap 52 Supplemental: Red Dragon Hunt

January 19, 2013


They're Just Giving Away Land

Baron Karzda asks the Motley Crew to take on the task of clearing out the Disputed Territory, making it safe to live in and travel through in exchange for giving them stewardship over this area. If they choose to accept this offer, they must first kill a red dragon that has been terrorizing the area. It is meant to be a test of sorts for the Crew to assure the rulers of the Five Kingdoms that they are indeed capable of keeping order in the Disputed Territory.

Telling Karzda they'd like to think over his proposal, the group convenes in their quarters. There, Brecaryn lets Thydor out of the Mirror of Thought. Snow and Brecaryn confer with him before he leaves to see what information he can gather. The rest of the group discusses Karzda's offer among themselves before retiring for the night.

The next day, they inform Baron Karzda that they've decided to accept and begin preparations to leave for the red dragon's lair.

On the morning of their departure, Malouf hears someone calling his name. He turns to see his brother Malain running out of the castle.

Malouf: Malain! What are you doing here? What are you wearing? (gestures towards Malain's armor)

Malain: Malouf, we have not seen each other in so long and your first words to me are admonishments?

Malouf apologizes and the two agree to talk after the dragon hunt.


Off to the Dragon Hunt

On the way to the dragon's cave, Baron Karzda shares his knowledge of dragon slaying gleaned from past experiences.


  • Don't bother with magickal attacks. Dragons are highly resistant to them.

  • The cleric and magic user should use spells to shore up the group instead of attacking the dragon.

  • Avoid their breath weapon. They have a limited number of times they can breathe fire.

  • Go for the wings first to keep it from flying.

  • Fire dragons are only weak to air and earth attacks.

  • Don't stand too close together (see previous bulletpoint on "breath weapon").

The group nods at all of this sage advice, thinking of ways they can use this information, knowing full well they'll forget at least half of it by the time it matters and fall back on their usual procedure of a full-on frontal assault.

At the foot of the steep mountain leading to the dragon's lair, the party leaves behind anything that isn't essential to this mission. As they start towards the mountain, Thydor, disguised in the livery of Karzda's porters, is noticed by the Baron, forcing Snow to acknowledge him as a member of their group.

Baron Karzda: I see. Very clever.


That Dragon's a Dirty Cheat! It Attacked Us Before We Were Ready

Halfway up the mountainside, a loud roar pierces the quiet. The red dragon swoops in, grabbing Flerm and Josy. Lieralyn and Snow are knocked off the mountain by its tail. Dropping the drow and halfling, it turns back to bathe the remaining party members in fire.

red dragon

Karzda shields Brecaryn from the dragon's fiery breath with his cloak as Alana drops down out of range. Flerm catches Josy and featherfalls gently to the ground. Pulling out his Horn of Helping, Flerm sounds a call. He doesn't know what will answer, but he hopes whatever it is, it's good at fighting red dragons.

Thydor separates from the main group, using the shadows of the mountain to hide his presence. He slowly makes his way to the top and into the cave, remaining unseen.

Recovering from her fall, Snow hastes herself and jumps onto the dragon's back, climbing towards the wing. The dragon dives straight for the ground in an attempt to crush Snow with its body. Using her weight, she pulls her dagger through the wing, jumping off gracefully at the last minute.

Unfortunately, Snow's dagger does not do enough damage to prevent the dragon from taking flight again, heading back to the mountain.

Lieralyn, Josy, and Alana are making their way back up the cliff when Flerm shouts at them.

Flerm: Scatter, you fools!

Suddenly, Lieralyn feels hot, sweaty dragon breath on her back. Turning, she looks directly into the red dragon's maw just as it clamps down. She manages to roll out of the way at the last minute.

Baron Karzda: If we threaten the lair, it may come to us.

Malouf: Dragon! You may terrorize the land. Now Malouf terrorizes you!

Sure enough, when faced with two humans standing confidently in front of its home shouting taunts, the dragon decides to abandon Lieralyn in order to deal with these two fools. Brecaryn's not so sure this was a good strategy.

Before the red dragon can answer Malouf's taunt, Flerm teleports in front of it, stabbing its wings with both swords, tearing a large hole in the membrane before getting thrown back.

The Crew continues hammering at the dragon with every attack, destroying its wing. Josy attempts to cut the dragon's tail off with Blade Barrier to no avail.

Baron Karzda: I told you attack spells won't have an effect.

The turning point comes when Alana expertly fires two Arrows of Itching into the dragon's rear exit. It heaves its body in an attempt to throw everyone off before scurrying into its lair, scooching its itchy bottom along the ground.

The party takes a few minutes to regroup and heal. The bulk of the group enters the cave, leaving Josy and Brecaryn behind to finish healing and Snow to rest from being hasted.


In Which the Dragon Cheats Some More

Just as they enter the main cavern, seven fishpeople and a large, shrimp-like creature catch up and present themselves to Flerm.

Fishmen: You summoned us?

Flerm instructs them to attack the dragon, an order they look quite apprehensive about.

On the back wall of the cavern, they see the dragon sitting on its treasure hoard, scratching its bottom and licking its wounds. Flerm teleports directly to the dragon and begins a series of devastating attacks.

Malouf is distracted by a pillar to the side of the cavern, running to it and immediately attacking. The ceiling collapses, killing two of the fishpeople.

Lieralyn, seeing an iron door on the side, calculates her distance to it versus the dragon and decides to investigate the door. Flerm is incredulous and outraged, screaming invectives at her.

Lieralyn ignores his slurs and continues her investigation. The door is emanating an aura of fear. Undaunted, she moves closer and realizes it's not a doorway, at all. It is literally a door propped against the cave wall. Lieralyn doesn't know what to make of it, but she would like to take it with her.

By this time, Snow has caught up to the party. Taking one look at the situation, she realizes the dragon Flerm has all but killed is just an illusion.

Stepping into view behind Alana is the real red dragon, looking nearly healed. It attacks with fire, killing more of Flerm's summoned creatures.

Malouf jumps on the dragon, hacking at its newly healed wing. A fishman valiantly attempts to stab at the dragon, only to have the prongs of his trident snap off on the dragon's scales.

Backing away, the dragon conjures of wall of fire between it and the group. Undaunted, Brecaryn casts Cone of Cold, temporarily taking the wall down, sending summoned stirges to harry the monster.

Feeling guilty, Flerm has the remaining fishpeople leave to guard the cave entrance. Sidling up to Lieralyn, he sneers.

Flerm: How'd that door work out for you?

Lieralyn: (unrepentant) Your dragon was an illusion anyway.

Casting grease by its foot, Brecaryn causes the dragon to slip. It lands flailing on its back, its flame sputtering out. Seeing his opportunity, Flerm swings his sword in a mighty arc, decapitating the beast.

Finished, they depart from the cave, Karzda promising to have the treasure collected and transported for them.


A Proper Castle Needs Two Walls

Back in Dorn, the group rests for a couple of days, seeing to various administrative tasks. The party is introduced to Salzbar, the master architect who will design their castle.

Alana: Ooh! We need secret escape routes!

Lieralyn: Yeah!

Alana: But the builders will know about them and then it won't be secret.

Lieralyn: We'll just kill them when they're done.

Alana: Wait! Can he hear us? (turns to look at Salzbar standing not two feet from them looking startled)

Snow assures Salzbar that no one was going to be murdered for secret passages, giving Lieralyn a stern look.

During this downtime, Thydor takes the opportunity to impart to the group what he saw the first night he went out to spy in Karzda's castle. He noticed someone listening in on the group's discussion that evening. Now knowing Karzda is spying on them, the precaution they took of discussing things in the ancient Kopru language is proven a wise decision. Thydor also found a locked door to the north tower, strange sounds emanating from within.

Brecaryn tells the group that just before the dragon was killed, it called Karzda a traitor in the dragon tongue. Unfortunately, she couldn't see Karzda's reaction because of his helmet. She can't even confirm that he understood it. Why would Karzda have had an alliance with a beast that was terrorizing his own lands?

They decide to leave these mysteries alone for now. Confronting Karzda in his own stronghold before they have garnered any allies in this new land would be foolish.


Just Because They Called Us "Meat" Doesn't Mean We Should Kill Them

Ready to travel a few days later, the Crew is taken by ship to the town of Gelfini in the Disputed Territory. There, they are greeted warmly and provided with a house and a servant for their own use. Listening to the list of troubles the people of the town have been having, the group decides to first tackle a nest of giant spiders in a nearby grove.

Once at the grove, Josy approaches three giant spiders and attempts to reason with them. Flerm, forbidden by his Drow religion from harming spiders, stays in the back of the group, shouting encouragement and advice.

Josy: Hello. We're here to talk to you about the problems with the farmers.

Spider: The food...it talksss...

On Flerm's advice, Josy challenges one of the giant spiders to single combat. She casts a spell shrinking the spider down to a more manageable size.

Josy: What do you have to say now?

Spider: I say "die".

Josy: Oh...ok.

ettercap She responds by swinging her mace, sending the squashed spider corpse deep into the grove. Seeing this, the two remaining spiders surrender.

Suddenly, three large, insect-headed creatures rush out of the woods yelling at the spiders to attack. Three phase spiders accompany these new monsters, these ettercaps. All six are decimated by the Crew.

Stopping at the edge of the grove, Lieralyn can see the spiders and ettercaps have used webbing to create traps among the trees. Refusing to be lured into their nest, the group makes the ettercaps come out to negotiate. Flerm gets them to agree to leave the townspeople and the livestock alone in exchange for their lives.

The farmers of the town aren't exactly thrilled with this plan and upon further reflection, members of the Motley Crew aren't all that sure this is a good idea. Time will tell.


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Tags: Alana, Baron Karzda, Brecaryn, Flerm, Josy, Lieralyn, Malain, Malouf, Snow, Thydor


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