After walking for hours in the Marsh of Chelimber, the group got lost (even with advantage due to a map). They were trying to track down an old half-submerged wizard tower that may have had information about ancient rune magic and possible relics. It was evening and visibility was limited, so they decided to camp for the night. The dwarf fighter who had taken 2nd watch, heard the distant flapping of wings and then a thump as if something large had landed. Her darkvision afforded her 60 feet of clear vision in the darkness beyond the campfire but she saw nothing. Contested check, a stealth roll beat out the dwarf’s perception. By the time she realised what was happening the dwarf had been hoisted into the air, leaving her with the sole option of screaming “Dragon, dragon!”
The others awoke, looked around and saw nothing, they could hear their friend was crying out somewhere beyond the blackness. The 1/2-elf cleric grabbed her stuff and ran after the screaming as did the dwarf rogue. The human necromancer cast an illusion around himself fearing the worst since he could not see in the dark, deciding not to chance it, so did not leave camp. The fighter suddenly felt herself falling as she realised she had been released, hurtling towards the ground. She landed taking 8d6 points of damage; Barely survived. Getting back to her feet, she looked around wildly for the dragon but there was nothing. Miraculously still clutching her weapon, she continued to scream.
The rogue finally reached the fighter, but decided if there was a dragon he’d best hide and assess the situation. He moved to a position with cover, dropped prone and waited. The cleric soon caught up but she ran straight towards the fighter. No one could see this dragon despite their 60 feet darkvision. Eventually, the rogue heard a rustling near him, only to turn and see emerging out of the inky blackness, a black dragon’s head, its maw open. The rogue scrambled for safety but not before finding himself engulfed in a spray of acid burning away clothing, equipment and his dagger. After a successful DEX saving throw taking 1/2 of 11d8 acid damage, the rogue drop to under 10 hit points.
Initiative was rolled, the cleric went first. Whispering a quick prayer to her deity she cast Suggestion “Leave Us Alone”
The dragon motioned its head as if it nodded, before slowly retreating backwards into the night.
With a spell duration of only 8 hours, the party quickly returned to camp, packed up and tried to put as much distance between themselves and the campsite, risking the effects of a forced march. The cleric and the rogue repeatedly failed their CON checks incurring several levels of exhaustion.
Lost, exhausted and depleted and several days away from the nearest haven, the party made camp some 3 hours away from the location of the dragon attack, hoping that the distance covered had been enough.
