The Arvan Game Part 4: The Greyling Lair

[Note that I left out an instance where both characters were paralyzed and very nearly eaten alive by insects, the result of two random placements of vermin was so effective that I had to have Tyvan rescue them with a blow from a magic horn. I left it out because I am using that combo in the Obsidian Doom module.]

During the night as they camped hidden in the bush, those sleeping were awakened by a loud roar echoing from the forest behind the lair cliff and Dead-Eye caught sight of a large draconic shape flying overhead, larger than any Greyling adult or even ancient which stirred the trees of the forest. Both characters figured that’s why the Greylings hadn’t retaliated. He was unable to make out what type of dragon it had been.

Morning found our heroes (and Tyvan) at the bottom of the hill which was the rear of the Farmer Creek cliff and easily found the ground entrance to the Greyling lair. Just as they approached the mouth of the dug-out cave something big began to crash through the bushes behind them so they ran into the cave and hid against the inside walls. Dead-Eye peeked around the corner and could only tell that the enourmous thing that was moving around outside was a dragon. They were relieved when it moved off and Dead-Eye took point moving further into teh cave feeling along the wall toward the smell of carion. They barely rounded the corner when Dead-Eye heard some sniffing up ahead and quickly jumped into a corner of the chamber he just unknowingly entered, Bers and Tyvan behind him flattened themselves against the passage walls. They all stood quiet with their weapons ready and virtually blind. Unexpectedly a viper struck at Dead-Eye’s legs, he “simuled” (Simultaneously Attacked) it with his longsowrd hoping to avoid its venomous bite instantly severing its head. He decided to light a torch regardless of whatever may be in there and whispered to Bers to do the same. The torchlight revealed that they were in the bone littered Feeding Chamber fo the lair. On top of the pile of rotting bones were four wolves. Two attacked Dead-Eye, one attacked Bers and the fourth ran for it to the exit shooting past Tyvan. The wolves were quickly put down. They moved deeper into the lair and it became very hot and humid as well as increasingly foul.

In a dank chamber they encountered a young Greyling and its hatchling kin. The fight lasted for two rounds both Bers and Dead-Eye taking some wounds before finally slaying the hatchling in the second round, its older siblign being dispatched very early in the first. Adjacent to this chamber they ran into their greatest obstacle, the Water Chamber. They could not tell how deep the waters were or if anything was in there. Bers couldn’t swim and even if she could her heavy armor (a breastplate) would make it difficult anyway. So Dead-Eye decided to swim across holding a rope and when on the other side he would pull her to him. Half way across he got tugged under water by another hatchling whcih was hiding under the water. He stabbed it with his Bowie Knife and swam quickly back to Bers. It followed him out of the water and it struck again wounding his armor more than his flesh. It dodged his counter blow and Bers hit it hard. It retreated back int the water bleeding going deep disappearing into the depths.

After making it across the adult Greyling moved, all too slowly (it rolled a Natural 1 for its Initiative, and they clobbered it all too quickly even though it seriously wounded Dead-Eye with a bite. They quickly sifted through the treasure. Tyvan left with two large sacks and left he rest to them. They netted the following:

1 Composite Longbow, 1 High Quality Longspear embossed with Dragonmetal, 1 Bishop’s Mantle with 1 large carnelian in its clasp, a Mail Coif (Bers took this since she needed head armor/helmet anyway), High Quality Manticore hide armor, Griffon Hide Armor, a Superior Quality Bear Hide Armor (Dead-Eye took this), a Broach with alchmical gold rivets, a superior quality platinum locket with a single large ruby in it, 3 topaz gems, 1 amethyst, and 6 aquamarines.

After spending a day in the lair skinning and boning the adult dragon they left hauling their significant take to the deserted farm as quickly as possible following the creek at double pace with no rest until they made it inside of the old farmhouse. There they rested for the night but did not sleep well suffering dreams of a skeletal and shadowy figure stalking about the perimeter of the old house. They left quickly in the morning crossing the creek and travelinginto the forest. They followed the creek North, the way Tyvan said he was going to hit the road and back to Dreyton, Dead-Eye said he’d only go back to the Fletcher there. He and Bers were going to Fertum Dreyhawk to trade some gear and get some items identified. Tyvan had told them that there was a Mage there. They treveled two and a half days along Miller’s Fork Road to the Old Road arriving at the Fertum late in the afternoon.

They could see castl Dreyhawk (a wood & earth Motte & Bailey structure) overlooking the fertum from a North-Western hill. They paid the entrance fee and entered as traders.

To Be Continued …

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