Session 27 - Scene 3 (of 11)

Later that night...

As Silas makes his way towards the hall, he catches the sight of another creature heading into the clearing near the keep from another part of the forest.  Silas recognizes the clothing and armor the creature is wearing as belonging to his old ally, Scrag, though the creature itself looked pure white with white hair and a slender build.  As the creature approaches the keep, it transforms to look like Scrag and walks into the front door.

Session 27 - Scene 4 (of 11)

Inside the keep, Tiberius and Larrak stand guard.  They spot Scrag enter into the hall through the front door.  Catching Scrag's eyes from the stairs, they motion for him to come up.  

Scrag starts to head over, moving as if injured.  He heads up the main stairs, but then buckles over in apparent pain as he reaches the mezzanine.

Tiberius heads down to assist Scrag while Larrak keeps the lookout.  As Tiberius reaches Scrag, Scrag stands up and blows some kind of powder into his face while Larrak is looking the other way.  Tiberius remembers nothing else.

As Larrak look back, he sees Scrag and Tiberius both standing on the mezzanine, apparently looking at something.  Scrag motions for Larrak to come down but Larrak only goes over to the top of the stairs and tries to get a look down.  As he glances down, the dwarf sees nothing of interest.  He looks back towards Scrag just in time to see a small pouch hit him in the chest and explode into a cloud of dust.  Everything goes black.

Session 27 - Scene 5 (of 11)

Back outside, Silas slowly and carefully makes his way towards the main door, finally reaching it several minutes later.  Sneaking inside, he spots no one around other than the remains of a large battle all around the keep and the many dead corpses of kobolds.  After examining the ground floors, he began to ascend the large staircase to sneak upstairs.

But as he nears the top, a strange, plant-like creature emerges from one of the rooms below.  Not wanting to take chances, Silas sneaks over into the shadows in the nearest room and hides.

From his hiding spot, Silas hears some whispering but can't make anything out.  Then, a short time later, he hears the loud crashing sound from downstairs, and the dragon's roar.  Silas stays hidden until he hears the dragon engage in battle with others.  When he moves in to attack, he sees his old allies Krolec and Leigh fighting alongside the plant creature and a female warrior.

Session 27 - Scene 6 (of 11)

The next morning, everyone wakes up.  Now that they have the time, Krolec formally introduces Silas to Challa and Durmindin.  

Silas mentions seeing Scrag the previous night, entering the keep before he did (though he fails to remember/mention the part about it being a shape-changing creature).  The others aren't really paying attention to him, and Krolec simply suggests perhaps they will run into Scrag on their way down to fight the dragon.  The idea of where Scrag went or why he did not attempt to assist in the battle with the dragon does not seem to occur to them.

Instead, Krolec is focused on counting his arrows and preparing for the battle ahead.  Everyone else gets ready as well, including Durmindin who heads downstairs and grabs one of the butcher's aprons from the kitchen.  Finding it interesting, he inexplicably decides to wear it, giving him a comical appearance to the others who don't quite get where he's going with it but nonetheless keep their thoughts to themselves.

Everyone then heads back down into the dungeons of the keep.

Session 27 - Scene 7 (of 11)

Scrag, Larrak, and Tiberius all awaken at around the same time.  They find themselves in a very dark cavern, barely able to make out anything at all.  The three of them are naked, spread-eagle against a cavern wall, with their arms and everything below their waist encased in ice.

Tiberius is not amused at being captured for a second time.  Larrak, however, is focused on Scrag.  He starts yelling at him about throwing powder in his face.  Scrag has no idea what he's talking about, and mentions being attacked by Krolec.

Tiberius, listening carefully, suggests it may be a creature capable of changing shapes.  Larrak quizzes Scrag to try to determine if he is talking to Scrag, or the creature.

Just then, Scrag realizes there is a noise coming from some short distance away.  It sounds like the heavy breathing of a large creature.  After listening closely, he's sure it is the sound of a sleeping dragon.

All three men struggle against the freezing nature of their bonds.  Tiberius can tell his lower extremities are beginning to get frost-bitten.

Using all their might, the three of them begin to break free from their icy prisons.  Scrag and Tiberius manage to do it while staying relatively quiet, but Larrak makes a bit of noise freeing himself.

Once they are free, they begin carefully looking and feeling around in the darkness.  They find their weapons, armor, and equipment nearby in a pile.  As they begin putting them on, they hear the dragon stir and begin to wake up.  Just then, the cavern becomes filled with magical torch light.

Session 27 - Scene 8 (of 11)

Krolec leads the others down the various levels below Kobold Hall.  Eventually they reach the chamber of their last battle.  Dead kobolds are strewn everywhere, and the large boulder has come to a rest.

The elf carefully makes his way over to the large double-doors and ensures there are no traps.  Leigh examines the door for any enchantments, and discovered it is wizard-marked with the name of the dragon, "Szartharrax".

Since the door is locked from the inside, Krolec carefully uses his skills to unlock the door while positioning everyone back to prepare for the dragon's attack.  After it is unlocked, he quickly opens the door while moving to the side of it.  As he feared, the door opens to a large set of stairs leading down.

Krolec decides to head down first to scout in out.  The stairs appear to lead down to a very dark hallway.  But once he reaches the bottom of the stairs, everything lights up with magical torchlight.

The hallway leads down a ways then turns.  Krolec advances over to the corner, positioning himself tactically.  Silas and Challa lead the others behind him while keeping a safe distance.

Around the corner, the hallway leads into a large stone cavern.  The cavern is cold and heavy with shadows; Krolec spots a large portion of the middle of its floor is covered in ice.  The ranger slowly advances into the cavern, everyone following behind.  Over towards the south end of the cavern, Krolec hears some metal clanging.

As he moves closer to the source of the noise, Krolec spots Tiberius around a large column in the cavern.  And behind that cavern column, he can hear the dragon.

Session 27 - Scene 9 (of 11)

Just as Tiberius, Scrag, and Larrak get their armor and equipment on, Szartharrax emerges from the shadows.  Larrak immediately yells for everyone to run.  

As Scrag runs around the corner, he spots Krolec.  Krolec makes some kind of hand signal to Scrag, but the half-orc has no idea what he's trying to say.  Thinking that it could be the shape-changer again, Scrag raises his axe and starts towards Krolec.

Leigh immediately moves herself into position to see the dragon and launches a large fireball.  The resulting explosion of flames not only injures the dragon, but melts a great deal of the ice in the cave as well.

With a clear path now to the dragon, Challa blesses her weapon and charges in, but fails to get through its thick hide.

Durmindin tries to assist by moving up and using his spirit of the hawk's wind spell, but fails to reach its full effect.

Krolec rushes across the remaining ice and gets into position with his longbow.  He attacks with an adaptive assault, using his elven accuracy to score two hits on the dragon.

The dragon then lets out a fearsome roar, causing Krolec, Challa, Larrak, and Tiberius to become frozen with terror.  Szartharrax then turns to Challa and begins clawing into her.

Silas notices Scrag is heading towards Krolec with his axe rather than the dragon.  He positions himself between Scrag and Krolec, his sword ready to defend the archer.

With Silas emerging between them, and Krolec firing at the dragon, Scrag decides to focus on the dragon for the moment.  He switches into his panther form and moves into a flanking position.  He claws into the dragon with a furious assault then smashes into it with a thunder step.

Leigh fires off an acid arrow at the dragon, burning the creature.  She then brings up a fire shield to protect herself, should the dragon decide to counterattack.

Durmindin follows up by summoning his spirit companion and attacking at the dragon with a spirit renewal strike.  However, his powers are too weak to affect the creature.

The dragon turns its attention to Scrag, nearly tearing him to ribbons with its claws and teeth.  Seeing the warden in dire straits, Larrak charges in and strikes the creature with a brute strike.  He tries to follow up with a dizzying blow, but Szartharrax fends him off.

Tiberius uses his tactical abilities to get Silas into position to attack then calls out an inspiring word to help rouse the nearly-dead Scrag.  He then moves in and strikes at the creature, causing heavy damage with his stand the fallen and bastion of defense maneuvers.

Silas gets into flanking position and strikes at the dragon with an oath of enmity.  He follows it up with an intervening blades maneuver.  Scrag then pulls the dragon to the ground with his earthgrasp strike.

Leigh blasts the prone creature with a magic missile while Krolec switches to swords and charges in, striking at the dragon with a boar assault.  Challa follows it up by issuing a divine challenge, then striking it with her virtuous strike.

The dragon stands then attempts to blast Scrag, Tiberius, and Larrak with an icy blast from its mouth.  But all three are able to avoid it, and the damaging effects of the earthgrasp strike and divine challenge weaken the creature further.

Larrak retaliates with a dizzying blow to the dragon's head while Tiberius strikes the body with a guarding attack.  

Silas uses the power of his holy symbol and attempts to strike down the dragon with angelic alacrity, but misses.  Silas then strikes into the dragon using his bonds of pursuit, causing it to crash to the ground.  Scrag then uses his axe to chop Szartharrax's head off.

Session 27 - Scene 10 (of 11)

As Szartharrax's blood begins pooling on the cavern floor, Larrak immediately begins interrogating Krolec about attacking Scrag with some kind of powder.  Silas, meanwhile, is suspicious of Scrag for heading towards Krolec at the start of the battle instead of the dragon.  Krolec has no idea what Larrak is talking about, but is indignant at the idea Scrag nearly attacked him.

Larrak briefly explains what Scrag told him and what he and Tiberius saw.  Silas tries to interject with what he saw, but no one really picks up on it.  Scrag, meanwhile, is focused on skinning the dragon so he can have some dragon scales.

Eventually the group is able to ensure everyone's identity and they check around the cave to look for anyone else.  They don't find anyone.  Since white dragons don't change shapes, Krolec and the others aren't sure who the shape-changer is or where he went.  Tiberius wonders aloud if it was the same doppelganger that he knew as an ally of the Necromancer he was once enslaved to.

Attention then turns to the large pile of treasure Szartharrax has amassed.  A few hundred gold coins, a couple of platinum pieces, and thousands of copper and silver pieces are piled into a heap.  The pile also contains nearly a dozen gems as well as many pieces of weapons, armor, and jewelry along with several crates of trade goods.  One piece is identified as the dragonhide Teldorath asked them to recover.

Leigh pores over the items carefully, checking to see if any are magical.  She identifies seven of them as magical: a headband of perception, a freezing arrow, a frost fury waraxe, enchanted leather armor, a bag of holding, and bracers of archery.  There are also two healing potions and a potion of clarity.

As the only archer, Krolec takes the arrow and bracers.  Leigh quickly moves to take the bag of holding.  There is some contention over the waraxe, but ultimately Challa takes it as the others typically use great axes or battle axes.  Tiberius tries to get the headband as well, but Krolec decides it makes more sense for Leigh to have it.

Finally, several members could use the leather armor.  Silas decides not to speak up as he is still unsure if he will be adventuring long-term.  The group almost decides to give the armor to Durmindin until Scrag points out he wears leather armor as well.  Durmindin is, however, given one of the healing potions and the potion of clarity.  Scrag takes the leather armor and the other healing potions.

With the items divided up, the group makes sure to get whatever they need from the dragon.  Scrag helps Leigh get any parts she needs to trade for spell components.

The group then leaves the cavern chamber and heads upstairs.  Realizing they never checked the bodies in the boulder area; they quickly search the bodies and come upon another handful of gold, another healing potion, and a symbol of battle worn by the wyrmpriest.  Durmindin is given the other potion and Challa takes the symbol.

Session 27 - Scene 11 (of 11)

A day later, the group gets back into the city and takes care of business.  They head to Moonstone Keep where Lt. Gerdrand meets them and congratulates them on their success.  He obtains the three hundred gold reward from Lord Markelhay for them, which Scrag finds to be rather small compared to the treasure they found there.

Next, they drop off the dragonhide at Teldorath Arms, where Challa picks up a crossbow.  Scrag and Challa also have Teldorath use the dragon scales to adorn their shields, and Scrag has the dwarf make him a helm from the dragon's head.

Krolec then arranges to sell the various goods they recovered through his family's business.  He also exchanges the coins they have accumulated into letters of merchant credit so they will not have to carry around as much cash.  Leigh has the gold split into nine parts – giving one share to each of the members and keeping a ninth for expenses.

While talking with his father, Krolec learns that his artisan sister has been curiously absent for a few days.  He makes plans to go check in on her.

Session 27 - Session Notes

This session worked out about how I expected.  There was enough time to do the dragon fight and the aftermath, and that was about it.

Note that scenes 1-5 were never played out.  They were notes written up by me that I gave to the Silas, Tiberius, Scrag, and Larrak players to explain their absences from the sessions they missed.

When the game started, I was hoping the Silas player would have gotten more involved.  Instead, all he really said was, "I saw Scrag come in".  Either he didn't get what I told him happened, or somehow missed the part where it was obviously a shape-changer.  

And, naturally, none of the other PCs even remotely picked up on this.  If my adventures ever feel like linear combat-fests, its not because I'm railroading.  It's because my players have the absolute worst case of tunnel vision ever combined with the inability to spot clues even when I provide big flashing lights.  They seriously are incapable of keeping more than a simple fact or two about the plot in mind and can never focus on more than one thing at a time.

Which is not to say the session wasn't any fun.  The Larrak/Scrag/Tiberius scene was quite fun.  There was a lot of good character interaction there, plus the humor of poor Tiberius being captured yet again.

That was actually set up as a skill challenge.  If they succeeded (they did), they would have their armor and weapons ready for the first round of combat.  If they would have failed, they would have had to start the battle without their armor fully on yet and spend 1 round getting ready.  

I also had an endurance check during the challenge that cost Tiberius a healing surge.  It had no effect whatsoever on the fight, but much humor was had discussing which part of him got frostbitten.

The battle itself wasn't all that interesting.  A solo fight just doesn't work with 8 PCs.  Actually, I have yet to see any solo fight work regardless of the number of PCs - the PCs just get too many actions compared to the solo creature.  

I think that part of 4e still needs some serious work.  In order to make it even remotely a close fight solos would need more attacks, the attacks should cause more damage per hit, the attacks should have secondary effects (like dazing/prone), and they definitely need the ability to save at the start of their turn or else they are way too easy to beat.

The aftermath of the battle was fun because the group finally got to get some treasure.  Naturally, they are already suspicious of how I will "take it away", though I contend that in the Rifts campaign they only ever lost money/equipment due to their own actions/stupidity.  I never actually try to take stuff away from them.  

And finally, there was the hint of what is next for Krolec.  That player is actually on vacation for the next couple of sessions so this will work out as a great excuse.  However, his sister being missing was actually planned all along, and goes back to something that was mentioned during the cemetery party session.

Session 28 - Cast of Characters

Challa Kri - Kalashtar Paladin
Larrak - Dwarf Fighter
Leigh - Eladrin Wizard
Scrag Graveborn - Half-Orc Warden
Tiberius Enchilada - Human Warlord
Durmindin - Wilden Shaman

and special guest-star

Vanka Karamazov - Halfling Rogue

Session 28 - Scene 1 (of 10)

A new morning brings the group together once again for breakfast at Lucky Larry's Hash House.  While everyone is eating, Leigh and Scrag notice a halfling enter the restaurant.  They recognize him as Vanka Karamazov, Mitka's brother.

Since they did not get a chance to talk to him at the funeral, Scrag waves Vanka over to the table.  They exchange pleasantries and briefly discuss Mitka.  Scrag describes their former companion as a brave man, even if his handspring assault attack often missed its mark.  Everyone agrees Mitka died an honorable death helping the group.

Vanka wishes to repay some of the group's kindness towards his brother.  He offers to assist the group on whatever task they may have at hand.  Larrak responds he isn't really sure they have any particular task to do at the moment, but Leigh reminds him about following up on Rufus' trail.

Tiberius suggests following up with the connection to the petty criminal, Vargas.  Vanka is somewhat familiar with Vargas, being something of a rogue himself.  Larrak suggests having Vanka infiltrate Vargas' criminal organization since no one has seen him yet, plus Vanka already has a reputation in the underworld.

Vanka happily agrees to do whatever they need.  The group gives him a brief rundown on their previous encounter with Vargas, and how they are trying to get closer to his boss, a man named Schlomo.  Vargas recognizes Schlomo as a local crime lord, though he is publicly known as Maury Schulman, the respectable businessman owner of the Schulman Transportation Company.

Session 28 - Scene 2 (of 10)

Everyone else waits a fair distance away as Vanka heads into the transportation company offices.  Using his reputation, Vanka is able to get in to see Schlomo.

Seated behind the desk is a short, pudgy man with bulging, almost frog-like eyes.  The two men talk briefly.  Vanka impresses Schlomo with his wit and enthusiasm for the job.  Satisfied with Vanka's qualifications, Schlomo sends the Halfling over to talk with the "shop steward", a man named Feldman.

Feldman is a very tall, muscular man.  Vanka can immediately tell he is Schlomo's head enforcer.  After the tall man exchanges looks with his boss, he agrees to hire Vanka.

The man goes on to explain that as a transportation company, they often use their carriages to transport the wealthy.  And since their clients are often not at home, they like to perform "security checks" on their clients' more valuable belongings while they are away.  Taking the man's meaning, Vanka makes a comment about interference from the authorities, but Feldman makes it clear that should not be a problem, though he makes it just as clear he will not elaborate.

Feldman explains to Vanka that he should come back that evening and that he'll be working with a man named Vargas.  He cautions Vanka to be sure to arrive on time.

Before Vanka heads out, he makes sure to get a quick look of the location.  He can easily tell that the business is a front, and that the half-dozen or so employees that mill around the place are Schlomo's thugs.  He also makes a note of the large safe he spotted in Schlomo's office.

Session 28 - Scene 3 (of 10)

After leaving the carriage house, Vanka reunites with the others and explains what he has learned.  

Scrag is a bit overenthusiastic, calling for them to get Vargas alone that evening and kill him.  Everyone else tells Scrag to shut up and behave.  Tiberius is also interested in getting revenge on Vargas, but mostly just wants his ten gold back, though he keeps his thoughts to himself.

Instead, everyone decides to make the most of their time before the evening.  Leigh and Durmindin elect to go to the Temple of Erathis to seek assistance while Vanka and Larrak stake out Schlomo's business and Challa, Scrag, and Tiberius head back to the Lucky Gnome Taphouse to see if they can pick up any more info (though Challa and Tiberius largely want to focus on keeping Scrag out of trouble).

Leigh and Durmindin are able to get in to see Dirina Moonbrow right away.  Leigh hopes her rising status in the community, as the potential next high septarch, will help get more cooperation.  To her disappointment, however, Dirina has little help to offer when asked for information about Rufus the Red; apparently the priests of Erathis have very little to do with the criminal underworld or assassins.  

Trying to help, Dirina suggests perhaps they speak to someone associated with the Raven Queen, since they would have a better chance of knowing anything about assassins.  Leigh decides to follow her advice.

Leigh then tries to decide between Father William, the head of the Abbey of the Raven Queen, and Lord Varys, their independent contact.  She decides to go for Varys, and she and Durmindin head off to his aviary.

A short time after they arrive, Varys emerges from the shadows and greets them, with Leigh introducing the blind monk to Durmindin.  Leigh asks if he can help them with any more information about Rufus, but he regretfully tells them he already sent them all the information he had – that following Vargas would be the key to finding Rufus; and more importantly, the powers behind Rufus (who Varys suggest could be one of their enemies in the city).  Varys does, however, wish them luck and assures a questioning Durmindin that they are always welcome to seek his council.

Session 28 - Scene 4 (of 10)

Meanwhile, Scrag is drinking himself silly at the Lucky Gnome Taphouse.  Tiberius makes sure to keep close by; he doesn't trust Scrag not to do something rash.  Challa tries to keep a more casual distance between herself and the others.

When he starts to get bored, Scrag begins challenging everyone in the bar to an arm wrestling contest.  A largely-built dock worker steps over to take the contest.  But despite the dock worker's best efforts, Scrag quickly beats him.  Given his ease of winning, everyone else quickly shies away, much to Scrag's disappointment.

Tiberius, hoping to get things moving again, loudly announces his intent to take on Scrag.  He saunters over, hoping Scrag will guess his intent to let him win.  But, Scrag misses the meaning, and after a close contest manages to beat Tiberius.

The warlord then takes on a sulking manner, heading over to the nearest table with several people at it.  They seem a bit surprised, but take no offense at him sitting down with them.  Tiberius then begins grumbling about the half-orc cheating him.

Tiberius then changes tactics and begins asking around about a man named Vargas.  No one at the table admits to knowing him or even having heard the name before.  Tiberius can tell at least a couple of them are lying.

He then takes out his money purse and makes an open offer to pay for information about Vargas.  Again, no one takes him up on his offer.  But Tiberius can tell at least one person is interested.

Getting up, Tiberius makes a show of leaving the bar then hangs around nearby outside.  A short time later, one of the men at the table makes his excuses and leaves.  Outside he approaches Tiberius.

Back inside the bar, Scrag has noticed the man followed Tiberius out.  Thinking perhaps the situation could turn dangerous, the warden decides to follow the man.

Outside, Tiberius and the man talk quietly in the shadows of the street.  The man tells Tiberius that Vargas is a local criminal and works for a man named Schlomo, and can be found at the Schulman Transportation Company.  As Tiberius already has this information, he is unimpressed.

Tiberius starts to press the man for more information, such as the location of Vargas' home, just as he notices Scrag sneaking up behind him.  Worried that Scrag will do something rash, Tiberius immediately calls the man's attentions to Scrag, and acts as if Scrag must be coming after him in retaliation for his comments about cheating.

As Tiberius closes in with Scrag, he tells him to back off.  But by the time Scrag leaves, Tiberius sees the man from the bar has already fled.  Muttering to himself that the half-orc always causes trouble, he tries to shadow the man, but loses him once he gets into a residential area.