As we looked around us, we realised we were on our own again ... or were we? A dark figure stumbled down the corridor from where we had left the neanderthals. It turned out to be another lost adventurer, a fighter by the name of Rod.
Konrad was still recovering, Dulo and Alf were hanging back in a funk, so Koko and Mandras took the lead.
We headed SW a mildly drafty room full of old ratman droppings. Mandras, Ibar and Hats scouted ahead and found a one-person wide corridor that snaked W and SW. This gave onto a large cavern, with a glow emanating from a corridor at the far end. Strewn across the floor were half a dozen charred ratmen... This did not look good. As we took stock, yells came from the passage behind us. A loud yelp and growl was a bad omen for one of our dogs. The rear of the party had been attacked!
The party flowed out of the narrow passage and rounded on their pursuer, a horrendous giant spider. Sekundi and Ibar quickly killed it with their bows. Suspecting a dragon ahead, we fell back through the tunnel and fecal room.
Mandras lead again, NE, through an area of stalactites and stalagmites, then SE, into a room where two enormous 10 foot lizards slept. Beyond them we could make out a stone doorframe and a bit further on, a passage to the right. Suspecting it linked back to an area we knew, we doubled back and entered again from the other side. Mandras and Greth crept up to the decorated door and thanks to Mandras’ might (ST 16) it inched open. The lizards had not budged and we left them so.
We entered a form of blacksmithing temple, with reliefs of giant smiths around the walls. But our eyes were mainly attracted to a large mound of ratmen bones, kneeling atop of which was a knight in white plate, holding a two handed sword. Unmoving, unresponsive to Mandras' calls, there was no option but for Mandras to approach the man. The Knight turned out to be long dead. The plate and sword were given to Rob. Mandras sensed their magic and Koko confirmed it. Mandras checked the room and discovered a secret passage, which he followed to a dead end. Searching again, he found another secret door and quietly opened it.
In front of him there opened a huge chamber, but his view was mainly attracted to a mound of gold and gems almost in front of him. As Mandras' eyes took it all in, he was frightened out of his greed by a large red dragon ensconced on top. The latter lazily opened an eye and uttered: good evening...