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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 5009470" data-attributes="member: 99">The PC's began to trek across the swamp that stood between them and civilization.  Zanne noticed that they were surrounded by some kind of greenish magical aura, similar to the type of magic used by the Lizardfolk.  It turned out to be a curse upon them such that they'd be easily located should they ever venture into the swamp again.Two days later it also led a gigantic crocodile to find them.  It was nearly the size of the Blue Dragon they had fought and it managed to swallow Astavian during the fight.  Zanne pulled a creative stunt by using her Fey Switch power to exchange places with Astavian after she had called for the Armor of Agathys and after that it was only a matter of time.The beast was clearly not natural and Zanne and Mialain collectively decided that its teeth might make good ritual components.  It took some effort but they managed to pry out a few of them.  The largest was over a foot long.They continued through the swamp toward Enmur.  The next day they came to a sizeable clearing of weedy marsh and saw what looked to be an entire army of Lizardmen facing them.  If it came to a fight, it wouldn't be pretty.A small group of Lizardmen came forward, apparently to parlay.  One of them introduced himself as Black Egg and was apparently a shaman of some sort.  The other was clearly a decorated warrior by the name of Sawscale.  Black Egg told them that he had gathered the tribes here because of a message from their god, the Great Crocodile or "Kal-Saurok".  Kal-Saurok had foreseen his own death at the hands of "those who slew the stealers of blood".  He had indicated that a new god would arise to replace him.The PC's showed Black Egg the huge teeth they had taken as proof of the death of Kal-Saurok but said that they knew nothing of the prophecy about a new god for the Lizardfolk.  Black Egg indicated that they were free to pass through the tribal lands and asked that they deliver word to the Elves that the Lizardfolk wanted only peace now after the time of conflict that had resulted from them having to pay the blood-tithe to Baelthrax.Sawscale was not so forgiving.  He could not believe that such unassuming mortals could have slain the mighty Kal-Saurok.  He demanded that "their best warrior" fight him.  Astavian could not refuse such a challenge and they did battle there in the marshy clearing as the gathered Lizardfolk watched.  Astavian was victorious but when he struck down Sawscale, the Lizardman transformed into a cluster of writhing snakes.  These were a greater threat than Astavian could face alone and the other PC's jumped to his aid.Black Egg too helped to defeat this abomination and explained afterwards that it showed that Sawscale was a secret devotee of the Snake Cult heretics.  He apologized to the PC's and told them that, had he known, Sawscale's challenge would never have been allowed.  Black Egg blessed them as a show of good faith and wherever they walked in the swamp the ground dried up to offer them easy passage.  This sped their journey to Enmur and they made the rest of the trip in only a couple of days.********I used the stats for a Feymire Crocodile for Kal-Saurok.  He was a pretty nasty customer and I thought things were going to be tough for them when Astavian got swallowed.  Zanne's stunting to Fey Switch was a stroke of genius, particularly since the Armor of Agathys was killing it from the inside out.The diplomacy + single combat + party combat with the Lizardfolk was a really great scene all the way around as far as I was concerned.  It started off with the "Oh crap!  An army!" scene.  Then there was the diplomacy where the PC's made good progress with Black Egg but invoked the ire of  Sawscale.The single combat was a fun departure from normal.  I wanted to make sure that the rest of the players didn't get bored so I'd be careful not to use this trick too often.  But they seemed to have a lot of fun cheering Astavian on from the sidelines.  I really like how my players all take pleasure in the fun of each member of the group.  The stats for Sawscale were actually those of a Minotaur Warrior.  The cluster of snakes that he became upon death were a re-skinned Shambling Mound.</blockquote>

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