(G563 22/06/2024 via Roll20 - JF, KT, AP(GM), AD) YI-B7
[Myself (your humble narrator, Rollo the Druid), Reinward the Chosen One and Fangornio the Barbarian find ourselves on a quest to save the village of Hartsvale from a very naughty dragon. We are now in some caves having just biffed up a bunch of goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears.]
DAY 622 (15th Uktar) (November) cont ...
This lad Fangornio. Either he has a death wish or he lacks the basic understanding of tactics in a dungeon environment and is incapable of learning them.
Reinward had lapsed back into being reasonable and went to the door to the west of the chamber to start checking for traps and that sort of thing. Fang just sauntered right past him, as if he was walking along the main street in Waterdeep.
One day, that boy will come a cropper. Not today though. The next chamber we came to was a jail of sorts. There were six unarmed goblins in here (I recognised two of them from the bridge). I didn't attack them and they cowered in the corner. Reinward came in and started searching the place. Meanwhile Fang wandered off down a corridor to the south - once again pushing his luck.
We left him to it and I had a look in the cells. All I saw was the corpse of a dwarf in shackles. I then questioned the goblins about the dragon, but they didn't tell me much of any use.
We then went south and met Fang in (what we guessed to be) the bugbear sleeping quarters. It was pretty smelly and nasty although Reinward did search it. He didn't find much.
From there we explored some other chambers to the east. These were laid out much the same. The quarters of monsters we had already slain. Finally we came to a room with a ramp.
As we went up it some weird rats began to circle us, almost as if ushering us on. Most strange. They appeared to be normal rats (not a summoned swarm) but under the domination of some unknown power.
Up we went, anyway and found ourselves outside. Ahead of us we saw a tower and a temple. The temple had been desecrated, the stained glass windows broken and the statues pushed over. We approached and Valturnax came out to meet us. He seemed to want to talk;
"
It has taken you long enough. I have been waiting for you. I have heard the sounds of the slaughter below. I can smell your foul odour on the wind. And I know you covet my treasure.
"
That seemed a bit presumptuous of him I thought, but he went on:
"
If it’s a battle you want, I will provide it – but I hope to parlay. If you value your lives, you should hear me out. I come carrying, as the human custom goes, the white banner of peace. Step into my lair as guests and no harm shall come to you.
"
I was doubtful, but followed him in. The other two hung back and hid at the temple entrance. The dragon continued to talk:
"
Let us put aside our weapons. To be welcomed into a lair of a dragon is a trust and honour no dragon dare go against! I am issuing the old draconic guest rite. It is an ancient custom between host and guest, one that has evidently passed to some human cultures. May Tiamat strike those that defy this rite down!
"
An old draconic guest rite? thinks I. Is that a thing?
He went on:
"
As part of my role as host, my full name is Valturnax the Wise, though my half-sister calls me Valturnax the Wise-ass. Tell me, heroes, what are your names?"
I gave my name, being the only hero present at that time. He continued:
"
The truth, adventurers, is that this fight is more evenly matched than I prefer. Now, don’t get me wrong! I would surely destroy you. But while I was wounded from this fight, licking my wounds, I would be a prime target for my half-sister’s attack. I may be inclined to be evil, by your standards, but I’m not stupid. I would much prefer fights I can overwhelmingly win.
"
'Well, be that as it may', I replied. 'But I'm here to stop you destroying Hartsvale.'
"
The town of Hartsvale? Of course, I asked them to become my vassals. I killed several of their guards. But did they tell you the rest of the story? That they sent two adventuring parties to attack me before I finally retaliated? Had they attacked an elven forest, or a dwarven stronghold, or a human kingdom, would your peoples have been as merciful as I have been, demanding fealty rather than destroying them, root and branch? Their motives are no purer than mine, their hands no cleaner than my own.
"
That sounded like nonsense to me, but before I could speak he seemed to get annoyed at the rats, which had now made an appearance at the windows. He got mad at them and flew from perch to perch on the walls looking for spies.
After that he called me to him and I went up for a whispered conversation. I have to admit this had not been what I had been expecting and I was enjoying being a confidant of this odd dragon. In hushed tones he asked me to go and slay his half-sister (who was doing his nut in by the look of it) in return for some magic items.
I admit I was taken in. The dragon perched on a high ledge and I called the others in.
'He says we can take a magic item each and two handfuls of loot from his treasure chest now, as long as we kill his sister.'
So we all went up to the chest to start scooping and at that moment the dragon said something along the lines of 'aha! I do love it when my dinner all stands bunched together for easier roasting!' and attacked us. What a cheeky dragon!
It started with a poison breath, which I am thankfully immune to. Fang wasn't and the first thing I had to do was heal him. He then snarled and had a good chop at Valturnax. The dragon preoccupied itself with fighting back against the barbarian, but it should have been watching for Reinward. The wily rogue had worked his way around it and attacked with some of his lethal throwing daggers.
Valturnax went mental and battered down the central columns of the temple and slithered out the main doors. He was trying to flee, but I managed to pin him down with an opportune Sudden Stalagmite spell. Fang roared in rage and threw an axe at it. This was the final blow that killed the dragon.
As the temple collapsed we went outside and checked out our handy work.
He was a lying git, but he was a handsome fellow for a green dragon. So I chopped off his head, took the skin off him and collected as many dragon bits as I could fit into my Bag of Holding.
After that I used a few Earth Elementals to pull aside the debris so we could get at the dragon's treasure.
The rats had gone, as had the goblins when we checked. It seemed to be time to go.
'What about his sister?' I asked. 'He said she was 30 miles deep into the jungle. Behind a waterfall.'
'How would you find her?' the others said. 'There must be a lot of waterfalls about here.'
'Yeah, it was probably bullshit anyway,' I mused.
It was all lies, I should think, although I liked the idea of an "old draconic guest rite".
Well, once all was done with, we went back to Hartsvale and were pronounced heroes by all. We were even given 300 gold by the mayor. We spent a portion of it on a big feast.
DAY 623 (16th Uktar) (November)
Oh dear! My head does rather hurt this morning. I've been given a room in the inn and I think I'll order down for some fresh fruit and plain bread.
While I remember, I think I saw Reinward with quite a nice looking young lady later on in the night. Fang went off with some horse-faced horror, but that was his business. I got drunk with some of the locals, but after they broke out the mango scrumpy everything becomes a blur.
DAY 624 (17th Uktar) (November)
It's been a long day so I will write down only a few lines before retiring. Hartsvale is in a terrible mess, so I helped all day with the rebuilding effort and healing more of the injured people.
Reinward and Fang seem quite happy to stick around as they currently have their pick of the wenches.
DAY 625 (18th Uktar) (November)
More people came in from the jungle today. They had gone to hide after the dragon attack. Most of them had picked up some nasty jungle diseases so I spent most of the day being a healer.
After that I went a nice walk.
I've just got word back from Sylvia via a Sending spell that Lavinia is doing fine and I can take as long as I like.
Well - I hope I'm not that long as I want to be there for the birth of my first child!
DAY 626 (19th Uktar) (November)
Today a herd of cattle was brought in from the jungle and I helped heal the lame and injured ones. After that I went a nice long walk in the jungle.
Reinward and Fang appear to have a new set of girlfriends today.
DAY 627 (20th Uktar) (November)
Another group of people came back to Hartsvale today. This included a young adept called Raym Phera. She's really nice, and keen to help, but if she's going to become a proper healer then I need to train her up a bit.
She's good company. We had a very nice conversation over a meal this evening.
DAY 628 (21st Uktar) (November)
I took Raym into the jungle today, to show her some of the herbs that may be useful to her and to show the use of some of the magic that adepts share with druids.
We've set up camp near a pleasant waterfall. Tomorrow there are some caves we plan to explore.
DAY 629 (22nd Uktar) (November)
We've set up camp in a pleasant glade in the jungle, having spent all day exploring the local area. I've been training Raym in divine magic and a little of the driudic arts.
This has been a very pleasant little holiday, but I should get back, so tomorrow we will head back to Hartsvale.
DAY 630 (23rd Uktar) (November)
We arrived at Hartsvale in the morning. Yet more people had arrived that needed healing. Raym and I spent most of the day tending to the sick and injured.
Through Sylvia I let Lavinia know I'd be back in a couple of days.
DAY 631 (24th Uktar) (November)
Today has been my last day in Hartsvale. Today was relaxing, there wasn't much more for me to do. I've been mainly helping Raym in her garden.
I really enjoyed cultivating her flower beds. However, her lower areas were quite bushy, but once I'd trimmed it all back, I could see she had a really nice fertile patch.
All good things come to an end, so I'm packing up tonight for a teleport back in the morning. Reinward and Fang have outstayed their welcome I think. Most likely they drank all the really good beer and humped as many wenches as they could get their hands on. Fair play though, they earned it!
