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Clifford the Big Red Dragon

2025-Jan-20

  • Having obtained all 5 keys, the party checks out the south tower room, finding a sickle in particularly good shape. Kleb hurls it at the far wall of the alcove, where it embeds itself slightly, wrong side in.
    • It appears the edge is not on the side one would expect it to be, but it has a small magical aura
  • They head up to the second floor via the principal stair hall, and Kleb stops for a short rest
    • Rowan digs through crates in a storage room, finding lots of appendage bones. As he returns to the others, he passes by a tub that spontaneously begins filling with water. He thinks little of it
    • Rulkorf rubs Klebs shoulders to help get the blood flowing
    • Eugene plays a little game with Rowan, using the reverse sickle like a yo-yo and catching it increasingly rapidly, throwing it around Rowan’s planted hand like the knife game
      • They trade places, with Rowan targeting an apple on Eugene’s head. With guidance from Rulkorf, the paladin manages to slice the apple in twain
  • The Room of Rest
    • The party finds themselves not in a campsite with bedrolls but in the lava-ridden lair of an adult red dragon
    • Rowan approaches the magma to ask the dragon for its knowledge, and is told only that it seeks our deaths, before being blasted by a cone of flame
      • Rulkorf tries to use his scroll of Irresistible Dance to prevent the dragon from doing further damage, but it fails to take hold of the beast’s mind. He flees in search of the dragon’s hoard, and hopefully the key
      • Kleb pushes Eugene to relative safety behind a rock and takes off in another direction on his broom
    • Rowan draws on his entire healing pool to steady himself, and stands tall before the dragon, daring it to blast him again
      • The dragon tries to frighten the paladin, but is no match for his aura. It then tries to swipe at him with a monstrous tail, but strikes the rock wall and staggers itself
      • Rulkorf finds a small pile of treasure and begins rummaging for the key, finding a simple wooden box with a simple glyph of a key on it. He is unable to smash it open after declining to try and pick the lock
      • Kleb uses the broom to fly further away, but devises a useful tactic involving a steam cloud and shares it with the team
    • Rowan tries to frighten the dragon in turn, which is also close but ineffective. The two are locked in a duel, which unfortunately ends quickly after a series of slashes, swipes, and a bite
      • Rulkorf blasts the lock and off the box with a shocking grasp, finding only a note with the scrawled message, “Needed key, will return later.” Looks like Kleb is the only hope
    • The dragon does not respect Rowan’s body, tossing it far out into the lava, and then advances on the others
      • Kleb discovers a cloaked figure standing before a draconic altar, and wastes no time in stabbing and unseaming him
    • Rowan succumbs to the lava
      • The dragon advances, rounding the corner and coming face to face with Eugene, who in practiced motions slashes at weak points and joints. The beast counters with another spinning tail swipe, bludgeoning Eugene against the rock wall
      • Rulkorf sends a wave of water at the dragon, causing an eruption of steam but little damage
      • Kleb searches the draconic cultist’s pockets and finds a book written in an unknown script. From the sketches, he recognizes glyphs of fire and the image of a key. In trying to disrupt whatever ritual was occurring, the fighter knocks items off the altar and hits the golden figurine of a red dragon head.
        • When he does so, Rulkorf and Eugene see the real dragon recoil as if struck, and it suddenly looks significantly worse for the wear