Lair Of The Dead Dragon

After the devastation that occurred in Lorick, the gnomes hut, the group returns to Triel to have the priests revivify the gravely injured. They return to the Singing Wind Inn to rest and regroup.

The next morning, the group gathers in the common area of the inn and decide what to do. Princess Elora places the mouse on the table and it continues to move and gesture, over and over, in a specific direction.  They decide to follow it's directions.

Princess Elora summons her parliment of giant owls. The group mounts the owls and take flight. Soon they are back at Lorick's home and the mouse continues to gesture in a direction that takes them towards the Forest of Wyrms. Finally, approaching the Forest, the clockwork mouses movements become slower and slower until fails to move at all. Briefly looking at the mechanism, the group cannot seem to figure out its workings, so decide to just to their best to continue on in the same direction.

The Forest Of Wyrms

Moving deeper and deeper into the forest, they begin to encounter odd mineral spikes of metal jutting from the ground, rocks and even trees. The odd spike seems have a small animal impaled upon it. Blood dripping down the spike. Strange markings are on various surfaces. Drawn in blood on rocks. Carved into tree trunks.

The group moves cautiously through the ever thickening woods. The group hears the snuffling sounds of a large animal. Before they can really make out what the creature is a bear comes charging out of the trees ahead and charges at them. It's eyes are red and it froths at the mouth and attacks with a wildness and ferociousness that is disturbing. The adventurers are able to make short work of animal but now dead, nothing seems odd about the creature.

Madness Seeps In

Princess Elora casts speak with plants and the forest around her gives her images and impressions. She sees a short time ago, the bear that attacked them, in a small clearing with her cub. She is dozing in the warmth of a sunray while her cub playfully climbs on her and jumps off over and over. The mother bears eyes then go red and she rises up, grabbing the cub and biting it's head off. It then hears the group moving through the woods close by and it charges. Princess Elora cuts the vision, as she knows what happened next.

Messick and Eda both seem still in battle mode as they look fiercely around for more creatures to fight. Eda bites into a hacked piece of raw bear meat while Messick says they should push on. They need to fight whatever is ahead. Their behavior is odd but the others try to give them the benefit of the doubt. It soon is obvious that they suffer from a similar madness that had inflicted the bear and Gunter has to intervene with magic.

Still determined the group continues through the woods. They soon come to the foot of a series of small mountains. A trail is easily picked out among the rocks and the group climbs up into the mountains, still following the direction the clockwork mouse had given them.

A Dangerous Gorge

Further up into the mountains they come across a deep gorge. A fast flowing river rushes a hundred feet below them. A small rope bridge connects the two sides further up ahead. As they approach the bridge, several gnolls come out of hiding on the far side and begin hailing down arrows upon them. Princess Elora sends her giant owls to descend upon the creatures. Soon the gnolls are no more than ripped shreds of gnoll meat from the talons of the giant owls.

Across the rope bridge and around the bend they come to a cave opening. Carefully peering into the cave they see several more gnolls in waiting. They decide that they need to rest, at least for a bit. Princess Elora's giant owls can handle this. The group retreats inside the sanctuary of Eda's rope trick. Unfortunately, inside the cave, the giant owls no longer have the advantage of swooping in and the gnolls act together in a pack and quickly the giant owls are destroyed.

Feeling rested the group descends out of the rope trick and are able to kill the remaining gnolls, even the one lying in wait to ambush them, as they find a small crevice to pass through, surprising the gnoll from behind.

Cavern Of The Dead Dragon

Further on, they find a massive cavern with a river running through it. The vaulted ceiling ascends into darkness. The sound of the fast rushing river entering and then exiting the cavern echoes off its far walls. A silver dragon corpse lies have immersed in water. Bodies of gnolls and other humanoids are scattered throughout the cavern. Most are burned to piles of ash or cinders. Messick climbs atop the dragon's corpse with Princess Elora fluttering above him. Messick casts speak with the dead and the dragon tells him of a great battle with many gnolls and demons. He killed many but finally succumbed to their numbers.

Eda wanders off exploring the cavern. Sylvannas rushes to follow and protect the wizard.
Eda finds a gnoll standing on a ledge above her. He knocks a level near a large winch. The winch spins releasing several feet of thick chain. The sound of rumbling sliding rock can be heard echoing throughout the cavern. Huge stone blocks fall and block the exits including the river's egress.

The Flooded Cavern

The river's flow begins to fill the cavern. Water rises up to the group's calves within seconds. Soon Messick is surrounded by water standing at the highest point on the silver dragon's corpse. Eda and Sylvannas are soon in deep water and can feel something swim near them. They are immediately caught in something's grip and pulled beneath the surface of the water.

Princess Elora summons her owls to grab Messick and fly him over to the ledge where the gnoll was spotted. The half-orc tries to turn the winch to raise the stone blocks and drain the cavern but soon calls for help to Princess Elora who flies down to help. Several crushing tentacle attacks later and both Eda and Sylvannas die underneath the churning water. Messick and Princess Elora are able to slowly turn the winch and eventually the water and the mystery creatures leave the cavern. They find Eda unconscious and are able to save her. The body of Sylvannas is found upon a pile of flotsam left by the receding waters.

Among the flotsam they find several piles of gold coins. Realizing that this was once a dragon's lair, the group quickly moves about looking for more treasure hoard. They are pleased when thy find a massive pile of coins, gems and magical items. In among the magical items they find several stones that while looking very mundane are in fact sending stones.

Deciding that they are injured and can do Lorick little good if they are dead, the group leaves the cavern. Heading back through the forest to the relative safety of Lorick's home (or remnants of his home), carrying the body of Sylvannas with them.

As they move back down through the mountain trail, they meet a drow, Azula Tlabbar. She tells them that she has been tracking the movements of numerous demons from the Underdark up to the surface. The group allows her sanctuary within their party and they continue back to Lorick's home.

Arriving back at the gnome's home they present the body to Sylvannas' squire. The squire thanks them and leaves taking the body back to their home.

The group returns to Triel to rest in relative saftey. But they plan on returning to the cavern of the dead dragon.