The story of a campaign that went on 6 years and 3 editions!

[Advilaar]

The Freed Elf Archer and the Wizard were pretty hurt and beat up. They would need healing. But, with no cleric and only one healing potion apiece, it would leave them in a dangerous situation. Plus, there was no telling if the city forces had additional ways to track them. They would have to leave town.

But first, the Rogue needed to come back. As the Archer packed gear, the Wizard sent out a message to the Rogue. He needed to return to the inn at once.

A second or two later, the Rogue showed up with the Cohort drinks in hand.

"You guys look like you have had a worse day than I have had." the Rogue remarked
.
After a minute to catch up on events and a few charges drained from the Staff of Healing the Cohort owned, the talk shifted to ways out of the city pronto.

Fortunately, because of the Flame Gaurd amulets, this was an easy situation. They would merely be able to teleport into the office then walk through the portal back to the Tower and safety. The amulets let them bypass any Flame Tower property anchors except in certain areas. A scroll was unfurled...

...and they appeared back in front of the talkative clerk who oversaw the Monastary City office that secretly housed a portal.

The clerk mention cops came by looking for them but had left. The clerk said he gave them no information because, well, the clerk actually did not know anything.
After a goodbye, all were back at the Tower in Metropolis to wait to have another audience with the Patron, who the gaurds said had stepped out earlier in the day.
As they headed back to the barracks suite they lived in, they compared what knowledge they had gleaned so far and the questions.

- Monastary City must be under the control of a different group of dragons. They saw no chromatics there. makes sense. Monastary City is in a nieghboring small nation. there was also history of skirmishes between the two up to a hundred years ago.

- Metropolis, and maybe the rest of the vast Empire must be mostly controled by
green dragons. Since the majority of most the empire was massive forests with the exception of miles wide radius beyong the limits of Metroplis and extreme parts of a settlement called Harvest far to the extreme westernmost fringes of the empire, this made sense according to the Wizard's readings of lore.

-Shaw, the wild card in all this, was not the one that controlled the dragons and most likely he used the confusion to rob the Merchant Prince blind. But, why was he in the library and what was he researching? They figured that even though Shaw could have killed them, he intentionally caused a ruckus so they would hopefully be apprehended by the city. Why?

- These weapons with elven marks. All new, everywhere. the rogue's family used to be blacksmiths and looked at the markings as well. Seemed like the pieces were numbered like they were mass produced. Elven letters: BW. Who?

- A Dragon King. A Dragon council. Is there some dragon shadow government?

-What of the pins surgically embedded in the slaves that teleported the bodies? where do the bodies go?

-And still loming. The Taskmaster. Stadium owner and imperial Liason. The closest thing this city has to a govenor type given station by the Emporer in the Empire's Capital thousands of miles away. He had not had the 'goggle" test yet. But, most suspected they could smell a powerful dragon from a mile off. But, just how powerful?

-Dragons, the majority all around the same age that vastly outnumber the few known or suspected "big players". what is up with that?


The quest to find a powerful cleric to help question the dragon bodies of those juvenile dragons killed that had infiltrated and the still decaying corpse of the Merchant Prince was a miserable failure.

But, even in failure questions were answered leading to more questions...

Maybe the Patron, who seemed to be the only halfway sane person in a world turned upside down could add more. But for now, sleep. All the PCs collapsed so exhausted that some did not even make it to the beds. even the Cohort who had a cheap flat at the harbor decided to take up a spot on the floor.

Tomorrow, now that is another day.

 

[Advilaar]

The next day, they woke up and later that day had a meeting with the Patron.

The Patron scolded them."You know, with all that damage to the Temple of Knowledge library, there are some in Monastary City who want you in irons." But after they told him it was Shaw who did it the disappeared, the Patron lightened up. "Hmm, I see."

The Rogue also informed the Patron that his "in" with the Temple of Light was out, too. Your ex being a huge Gold dragon tends to do that.

At that, the Patron said,"This is worse than I thought. A dragon in charge of a major temple. At least it is not in this country! And multiple dragons everywhere at that. Now you say she mentioned a Dragon Council? Hopefully there were not human restaurants there?"

The party said they did not see any.

"Well the affairs of other cities in other nations, I like to keep an ear to, but we need to deal with matter in our home turf, Metropolis. Which by the way, I would let some time pass before going there. True, I do keep an agent or two and a gate there. However, the Flame Tower has no pull there with the locals.", the Patron commented.
The Patron said while he would have prefered keep the questioning of the bodies out of town to keep the Flame Tower bussiness a secret, they would have no other choice but to look locally. The Patron lamented that the organization was more focused towards candidates of the sword and spell and did not seem to attract men of the cloth.

The party remembered that when the Red and Blue dragons were attacking the city, that the Patron had been ressurected twice. Why not get that guy?

The Patron put his head down. "I wish it were that simple. The Priest of Magic has always been a rival of sorts. He only gives services to members. When I say members, I mean hig society country club members. Not public servants such as the Flame Tower. He is also a wealthy man who loves money as much as magic. He only ressurected me because it was in defense of the city. Possibly losing the Temple with all your followers dragon food was not good for bussiness, I suppose. Believe me, accounts recievable did get a huge bill that would make one want to mortgage the Tower!"

The PCs pointed out that if the High Priest of Magic in defense of the city was willing to forgo his nature, maybe being shown the "truth" that the world was secretly controlled by dragons would change his mind.

"Maybe others would have better luck. The man tolerates me. Much of which had to do with my former master, Pyre. My former master was, shall we say, an extremely unorthodox man. Unfortunately, as a former apprentice, I am sometimes judged unfairly despite any attempts on my bahalf for diplomacy.", the Patron lamented.
With that, the PCs agreed to speak to the High Priest of Magic in Metropolis, who happened to run the largest temple in the city. Of course, they would need the real gogles back. The cloned goggles that the Flame Tower made that gave people headaches after only a moments use may not convince the guy. In fact if he put them on, he might think he was being attacked! The Patron agreed but insisted the original goggles stay in Flame gaurd hands.

Now, unless you are somebody, one does not just walk up to a High Priest of a major temple. Plus, if the Patron was going to do anything, he wanted to make sure that his organization benefitted as well. The patron sent a letter via teleportation saying that he would send agents to negotiate and perhaps offer something in return of value. This task would fall, of course, to the PCs.

"Oh yes, about these weapons with the marks. They are everywhere being sold through multiple cities. Know much about them?", The Freed Slave Archer and Wizard asked.

"As one who creates magic weapons and armor, yes. Looks assembly line produced. Now, the Flame Tower does keep a standard +1 Flame sword and +1 armor of varieties in stock. It is part of the apprenticeship process they make one after they have training enough. However, we do not have hundreds. After all, as you say, creating things is a draining process. The 'BW' I believe stands for another guild in town, the Blue Wizards. Odd lot they are. Many of them not from this plane of reality. Very secretive, too.", the Patron remarked.

Before the meeting was over, the Patron also identified who in power was a dragon. The Taskmaster, nominal ruler of the city was an old Green dragon. The High Priests of the 3 major temples were not. The Blue Wizard represtative on the council was not. A bunch of bussiness owners and priests of smaller temples were.

"Don't think the old Patron sits around in an office and watches Dungeon Ball all day.", the Patron chuckled.

The next day, the PCs would have a rough task. Bringing the High Priest of Magic in Metroplis into the truth. Also, hopefully overcoming any predjudice against the Patron.

 

[Advilaar]

At this point, we got a new PC, The Druid. Good, too. I was not too sure how long a Cohort with a Staff of Healing was going to work out. They had not gotten into anything major yet and to be honest, after all this work, I did not want a Total Party Kill. I guess I could have the Patron pay to ressurect them, but that stuff is no fun. I do not like having NPCs save necks. It is bad DM style. And, over the year or two, I was starting to get pretty decent from when I first started.

Now, running an open session in the past with new players, I would just have them sit and watch one session then show up early to draw up. But, this campaign so far was mostly urban with the exception of the early levels I did not go much into detail here where they decided to leave the country they were in to head to Metropolis. Still, that was road travel, not true wilderness and low levels go quicker than mid levels.

His background was of being raised by intellegent wolves from an icy continent. So, I did a solo session with him and an intelligent wolf companion. His goal was to become eventually an Archdruid of the world. But, I said in order to do that, he had to travel the world! Which convieniently brought him to Metropolis from the Icy Reaches. And, to the PCs who let him in on the dragon conspiracy.

On DnD forums, they talked about CoDzilla, or how overpowered druids were in 3e. I would soon learn the power of a good druid because this player had tons of experience

 

[Advilaar]

The turning of the High Priest of Magic was a straightforward matter, once they got him to actually look through the goggles and take a walk with him. But it was no easy matter to get to this point.

At first when they came in, he was asking if the Patron had sent them with bags of holding filled with gold. He then went on about some of his past history with the Patron that the Patron had not revealed.

The Patron's former master Pyre, it turned out, was a loose cannon. His affairs were legendary, even sleeping with the Raven Queen far to the East. His lovers spats were even more legendary, getting into lover's quarrels in public places like the Temple of Magic in another city when he was just an acolyte. But not just spats of words, spats with fireballs and power words flying. He had heard they had killed each other, in fact hoped they did. Of course, the Patron was in that same category of trash by default.

Not only did he have issues with the Patrons former master, but with a previously not known about brother of the Patron. The brother, a warrior of great prowess, had allied himself with Slaadi so much he became as one. He ransacked temples and small cities far to the East where the High Priest of Magic spent his early career.

At first he laughed about it when they told him about it. "So, the former master of the Flame Tower is temple defiler, the Patron's brother is a murderous bastard, and the Patron is a fool!" But, by appealing to his need to "always be right and better", they got him to finally put it on.

The difference was night and day. With the PC's diplomacy and convincing arguements, the High Priest of Magic was willing to help in exchange for if the Patron could provide him with the copied goggles so he could look inward into his own Temple for interloper dragons.

The High priest of Magic recieved the bodies, of course under hidden cover so no nosey dragons would notice dragon corses being brought to the temple. He still refused to talk to the Patron directly, only wishing to talk to the PCs.

From the beyond the grave interrogations after removing a high level enchant blocking communication from beyond the grave:

First, the 3 dead juvenile dragons:

Where were the dragons born and how come they are the same age?
They were born in Metropolis. All part of a clutch from a hatchery.

About the elven bodies disapearing?
Slaves were toughened up through forced arena teams. The taste of a strong, roughed up elf meat portion is perfect for hatchlings and filled with magic. The taste is addictive and like ambrosia, other demihuman flesh is not appetizing. So much so that restaurants are needed when they get older.

Why were you in the Flame Gaurd?
To hopefully watch. The Patro is old and will die in 20 years. A blink of an eye to a dragon. By that time, control.

How many others of your kind are there?
In this city, a hundred. The world, maybe a million?

Who raised you?
The Taskmaster.

Is the taskmaster hatching more?
Yes, this time a clutch of 300!

Where is the hatchery?
A large structure in the center of the city.

The questioning of the Merchant Prince's body did not yield as much useful information. I t appears much of the good information like the origin of The Wheel or Dragon Orbs was only known by Shaw. However, one gem did come from it: the knowlege came from tomes dating back before the time of the great Demon Lords who ruled the planet. Also that the Wheel, a large fragile device that multplied powers, difficulties, and ranges 500 fold was one of thier weapons. Scarily, the Merchant Prince also mentioned another weapon of a different type thought to exist, but did not know specifics. Only that if they had it, it could have prevented his death.

Because of this information, the High Priest of Magic offered any services the PCs would need for free as long as the temple could help. He would even reconsider resurrecting the Patron again. the Patron could not be all bad if he kapt people like the PCs in his employ.

"I guess information like that would pay off a thousand debts. If it did not warp someone's mind", the Wizard remarked as they headed back to the Flame Tower.

 

[Advilaar]

The Taskmaster's first love was the Arena. There were the gladitorial contests with the slaves during the day and Dungeon Ball teams at night. To him, all the drama of life and death and emotion were as filling to the gut as a few diced up elves. And, much better if he knew his food much like a human could go into the harbor district and pick out a lobster out of the tank. Except, the lobster warranted more respect for the lobster was a natural thing that was free like a dragon. An elf existed to die and be food.

The Taskmaster, while sort of a governor, actually hated governing. He thought it best to treat it like a shepherd treats cattle. basically have sheepdogs. The Flame gaurd and other organizations like the temples and guilds were his sheepdogs. Yes, if something needed to be done or anything disturbed him from his fun running the arena, the "problem" would disappear. No one messed with him.

Unlike others of his kind, his was a city life unlike his home in the overgrowth of a long dead massive elven ruin. Better to be king in hell than one of many. Even if he had to keep this form.

While he is not the most powerful dragon in the world, he had one ace. He kept himself far away from the rest of the Greens. No one would share in his glorious time, his power, - or his hoard!

But, many times a horde is not based on art objects or gold.

 

[Advilaar]

"It's time.", the Patron said after getting report back from the questioning of the bodies.

Together with the PCs, a plan was hatched. The stadium was a huge place and housed around two to three thousand elven slaves. The Patron over the last few weeks had been requisitioning thousands of weapons and had aquired a large bag of holding whose interior was like a warehouse. He had also gotten some lower member of the Flame Guard hired on as security gaurds to blow gates and sneak in these weapons. Instant armed 3 thousand army.

Meanwhile, the Patron would be researching this "structure" in the center of the city that supposedly is a giant Green dragon hatchery, To his knowlege, it was a solid object despite being an acre in diameter that the wall of force dome would come from when the city is aerially attacked. He would need to research and scout.
The PCs, though, would be charged with taking out the Taskmaster and his Major Domo, Bruno the Stone Giant.

To get in would be easy. With a Flame Gaurd sponsership to reactivate the Dungeon Ball team, they would have to directly see the Task Master. All those things were handle personally by him. His hands on approach will be his undoing.
Then, with agents in control and since the Flame Tower controls the town gaurd, take over the city.

What would follow next would be some of the most brutal times of the campaign.

 

[Advilaar]

try to remember back to that whole battle.

The PCs approached the Taskmaster, of course with the Rogue and the Cohort invisible and stealthed. In the party was the Wiard, the Freed Elf Archer, the Druid, and 5 lower level Flame gaurd warriors as 'bodygaurds" because of the PC's status as celebrities in sports circles.

On the way up to see the Taskmaster, one of the Clerics in charge of healing Dungeonn Ball teams shakes one of thier hands with a written message. Bruno, the Stone Giant will be taken care of courtesy of the High Priest of Magic. Good luck with the dragon and his gaurds. I am sure the PCs breathed a sigh of relief. I shutter to think what would have happened if they had not done so well with the RP convincing the High Priest of Magic to be in on the plot.

i can not give you blow by blow. But in the end, all 5 lower level Flame Gaurd "bodygaurds" were dead after the first breath weapon. The Cohort died valiantly (first of many times) getting into flanking position for the Rogue who had since taken up levels of fighter as well. The Wizard nuked and nuked. The Druid healed and summoned creature after creature hampering the gaurds.

The highlight and turning point of the battle was when Freed Slave Elf made a called shot to the Taskmaster's eye and actually hit with a nat 20! Slaves did not have last names, but from here on out Freed Elf Slave will come to be known as Dragonblinder and a hero to elven kind!

The fight was a bloody mess and taxed the party's resources to the max. the Rogue came close to dieing several times. the Wizard spent over half his spells as did the Druid. The wolf companion of the druid had to flee.

But in the end, almost mortally wounded, The Taskmaster who was fully revealed to be an old Green dragon had to teleport way from the scene as thousands of armed former slave elves took to the street hauling a decapited and very singed Bruno through the districts.

Even the PCs were exhausted and a cohort needed to be raised. But, they would get one nights rest, but nothing would match the bloodshed of the day after.

 

[Advilaar]

Of course, the Cohort is rushed to the Temple of Magic to be raised. Even though the Dragon escaped, he left a tuning device that after the Patron looked at just happened to be a sort of key to get into an underground entrance in the sewers to the hatchery. Along with a couple of magic items, too. Thenext day, a masive assault..

THE HATCHERY ASSAULT


Now, the next scenario I had to pull is challenging and, personally I do not recommend you do it. All the players always do nothing but talk about THIS battle as the high point of the campign, but as a DM it was accounting hell. A massive military assault. Because of the amount of dragons, all the PCs would go there, 10 Flame Gaurd wizards and 20 Flame Gaurd warriors, and the Patron himself. THIS WAS ON TOP OF 5 PREGENS FOR NEWBIES!!!!! Versus this was to be 18 juveniles, 4 mature adult, and 10 hatchlings with a healed Taskmaster reappearing.

What was worse is this was at a party where folks who had never played were going to try because the other PCs just knew it would be "epic"!

I brought the hugest battlemat I could find and a crudload of tokens and put number on them to keep track at least on the mat. i had to have a grid to keep track. ie: okay Flamegard warrior 1 take half damage so he is at xx, but warrior 9 takes full... and flame caster 8 and 5 and 2 takes...I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES!

Anyways, here is how it went down.

All those newbie players with pregens? I just flat out killed most of them the first wave. With all those things to control, my CPU was at 100 percent so I had to rely, hopefully on the players. i wish it could have been more personalized, but this whole session was a tactical wargame. Plus, there were 10 players total. I killed most of the warriors and wizard NPCs, but those were cannon fodder. As the Adults started going down, things got better. A feww had to peel for the Patron, who at this point was not much higher level than them because of all the item creation at one time keeping him from being grabbed in a mouth then breathed on (no save)

I also killed the Cohort again, big surprise.

The last was the Taskmaster reappearing, which the guy that played the Druid brought a huge Dinosaur toy for.

This is also when I learned first the Power of CoDzilla! the druid ended up, after a regenerating spell was on him, jumping into the air and turning into a fish. Now I thought I had them. The Taskmaster had dispelled any elemental resistance. But - a loop hole from a creature I had used earlier in my campaign came to haunt me. The fish was a subterranean dire pirahna that lived in acidic pools in sewers and underdark regions. Therefore, immune to acid and the acid breath of a Green dragon! The fish jumped straight dowm the dragons throat! Then damage, damage, damage the taskmaster could do nothing about. Finally, with his guts hanging out, almost dead, I had to have him teleport out.

 

[Advilaar]

Never reveal your campaign secrets.

After the Hatchery assault, they would have to take off to confront the Taskmaster one final time in his lair located in a huge cavern system under a lake far (about 700 miles) to the west.

What was not known to the players even to this day was the nature of the structure the hatchery was in. Yes, even years later, none of the players know this. I mentioned before that the wall of force dome came from the center of this structure. The structure also had controls to this wall of force, so if you controled the structure, you controlled the defense of the city at least by air.

Of course, the Patron was more than willing to tell them to take a rest because they would have to fight him a third time at his lair to end the threat. But, the Patron knew more about the city than he let on. In ancient times, the city could fly and planeshift. It had something to do with this structure. The Patron did not know how to do all this just yet and it would take him study. But, because the PCs left to rest and did not search, the patron had free reign for his agenda.

Do not worry. I am not using actual city names or PC names for a reason. I will take the secret to my grave barring a reunion game where the topic comes up.

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

@Advilaar I've thoroughly enjoyed reading everything thus far. Keep it up. This was an absolutely epic campaign, I only hope that I can pull off something similar with my group at some point!