The 22nd of Angel (4/22) was a day of preparation for another journey. The crew were set on travelling to Dragonpit, about which they remembered even less than they thought they knew. People in St. Orlan advised them that Dragonpit was reached by way of the road going south from Muleshoe. Then, they learned it was perhaps two weeks of walking. Tienarth was not at all interested in walking so far, and riding on horseback hardly improved the speed. After some debate, a plan was hatched for Tienarth to transform into a dragon and fly the entire party wrapped up in a net.
The next day (4/23), the lifted off . Tienarth flew about 100′ above the road. Even at the speed of a flying dragon, the journey would take two full days. The rest of them settled in for an uncomfortable ride. In the net were Merder the halfling druid, Mirana the elven cleric of Nebro, Hocuspo the mage, Udus the mage, Carson the elf, and Thofinn the thief. These last two were recent arrivals at the homestead.
Perhaps midway through their flight, three giant bats approached. Tienarth reached out with his dragon snout and crunched one to a bloody mass. He spit the foul-tasting rodent out and the chunks tumbled to the ground. Moments later, Merder cast a spell of friendliness upon the other two bats. They flapped off out of site.
Presently, they came within view of village. On a peak nearby stood a while fortress. They landed outside of the village proper so as not to frighten the villagers at the site of a dragon. Tienarth resumed elven form and they walked down the main street. Gaining direction from a watchman, they found their way to the Flagon and Cock, the primary inn of the village operated by an elf named Cumi. The dining hall filled with many patrons, and they heard rumors about attacks by brigands. By questioning a fighting man named George, they learned that the attacks might be coming from an abandoned fortress nearby. He agreed to lead them to it the next day.
In the morning (4/24), George took them down a lane to a road that lead to the peak. It was a two day journey. On the second day (4/25), they spotted the fortress and noticed the guards on the roof. The guards had good views from three sides and partially obscured views of the last which also had a cave entrance partway up a slope. They waited for nightfall. Lanterns atop the fortress were lit, but still it seems feasible to sneak into the cave.
They left the cover of brush and sprinted towards the cave. Unfortunately, hobgoblins within the gave spotted them. Arrows came shooting out from between boulders placed in the cave mouth. Most of the party ran up to the cave mouth and split off to either side. Tienarth, Hocuspo and Carson remained standing in the field.
Tienarth and Hocuspo let loose magic missiles, and Carson produced magical darkness at the cave entrance. Four hobgoblins came out of the cave. Two ran for Carson and Hocuspo as Tienarth circled around to the cave mouth. A hobgoblin slashed Carson as he ran away and dove into the brush.
Meanwhile, Udus ventured blindly into cave. Soon he reached the edge of the magical darkness to face a harem of female hobgoblins guarded by a fearsome warrior. The cleric backed away as he hurled a dagger. The large hobgoblin stepped forward and cut Udus in two despite the darkness.
Outside, Tienarth killed three hobgoblins with magic missiles. Thorfinn stabbed one in the back as it fought with Mirana. With no more hobgoblins alive, they all ran away from the cave.
Presently, they were surprised by brigands. A thug bashed Thorfinn on the back of the head. It cracked his skull and he lay unconscious on the ground. Merder darted away. Mirana healed herself, then Tienarth transformed into a dragon. The brigand scattered. In the end, four were left dead and rest retreated to the fortress. Carson found a few silver pieces in the pockets of the dead men.
They walked for an hour or more back towards Nugnag, the camped for the night. Tienarth remained in dragon form all night. The next day (4/26), they returned to the outskirts of Nugnag where they all piled into the net. Tienarth flew them home.
End Notes
- Treasure: none
- Combat 475 xp
- 3 Giant Bats 225 xp
- 6 Hobgoblins 150 xp
- 4 Brigands 100 xp
- Characters 79 xp
- Carson 79 xp
- Hocuspo 87 xp
- Merder (wilderness) 79 xp
- Mirana (wilderness) 79 xp
- Thofinn (attack from behind) 87 xp
- Tienarth (wilderness) 79 xp
- Udus died