Adventurers
- Alfredward (Dwarf 4)
- Koko (Cleric 5)
- Konrad Claver (Cleric 1)
- Mandras (Dwarf 3) in absentia
- Rod (Fighter 1)
When Mandras came running back through the secret passage and described the draconic presence he’d fled from, the party retraced their steps to find their wild-haired allies still cheerily downing copious quantities of fermented fish beer. After explaining to the eager King Derywinki III that they’d found the dragon, they then led the frothing remnants of this underground ‘kingdom’ to the narrow passage towards the charred room, sending Konrad and Mandras round to the secret passage to spring a rear attack. An attack came to the rear of their own lines as they squeezed through the narrow passage, but the adventurers pressed on, trusting to the wild hairs at the back to deal with it.
After convincing Derywinki not to charge ahead and throw away the initiative, the party edged forward, forming up in the wider tunnel, when they were greeted by the sounds of roaring coming from behind them. Disconcerted when nothing immediately popped into view, they continued forward. When a deep voice greeted them from beyond the reach of their torchlight, they charged forward with weapons raised as Konrad and Mandras burst from the secret passage.
A wave of fire washed over the main crowd, turning the unfortunate Rod into charcoal and frying the last of Koko’s retainers, one dog and Derywinki’s subjects. The remaining adventurers surged around the dragon, struggling to get through its scaled hide as it flailed around with its clawed limbs. Alfredward, veteran of so many expeditions, died when its jaw closed around him, and the rescued dwarf Greth soon followed. Derywinki was also dispatched, and Konrad grievously wounded.
Finally, however, their attritional attacks overwhelmed the creature, and Mandras brought it down with a final hefty blow, beheading it. All that remained of the small army that had assailed the ruined monastery above were Mandras, Koko, an injured Konrad, the ever-sturdy retainer Hats and the rescued thief Cullen, also wounded. And the two retainers bearing Rarder’s body, who had somehow managed to avoid all the excitement.
Their attention turned to the pile of coins and gems the dragon left behind. With so few able to carry much, and several magical items from their fallen comrades now bereft of owners, they juggled their equipment as best they could to take back as much of value as they could. Fortunately, a ring was discovered which, when covered in fresh blood, would levitate the wearer for half an hour, so they slid it over Alf’s finger and trudged wearily along a long tunnel which finally led them into daylight.
Propping Alf up against the tunnel wall, they braved the journey down south, fortunately finding their way back to Redwood Keep without coming across any hostiles. While most of them flopped down onto whatever beds they could find, Konrad gritted his teeth through the pain and led a small band of mercenaries back to Alf’s body and took it back home. With two of their most experienced members now lying dead on two bunks and much of their followers feeding whatever remained back in the dungeon, but also considerably richer, thoughts turned to looking for a powerful enough cleric who might be able to perform a resurrection or two.