We D&D.
Session #54 The Rise of Tiamat #13a Chuth.
Brothers of the First Light.
Lummins (played by Rob) Male Half-Elf Cleric of Lathander Lvl 10
Lux (played by Sandy) Female Human Warlock Lvl 10
Watt (played by Jackie) Male Human Bard Lvl 10
Sgt Bobby Markguth (played by Pete) Male Human Fighter Lvl 10
&
Hotlips Houlihan (played by Sandy) Female Halfling Rogue Lvl 10
Secondary PCs.
Left at 8th Level- we’ll get them back if (and when) they’re needed later on.
Derek Pilch (played by Jackie) Male Human Druid Lvl 8
Hard Bonk (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Monk Lvl 8
Sgt Harald Hardaxe (played by Pete) Male Shield Dwarf Fighter Lvl 8
This is session #54 of our game, but only session #13a of The Rise of Tiamat scenario.
And may I present to you… very much more action.
Too much action- for some, perhaps.
So, we’re in the Dragon’s Den, as it were, the lair of Chuth the great Green Dragon and his Dragon Cult Wyrmspeaker rider- name unknown (although see below). The lair is also home to a bunch more Cultists and a trio of Ettins (at least). The Brothers are dressed as Frulam Mondath (played by Lux), a Dragon Cult boss, and her retinue; they have sneakily penetrated the lair (at first) and then met and convinced a bunch of captured/prisoner Elves that they are here to rescue them, and (of course) to destroy the Dragon.
Lots of good roleplay, and some high rolls- it’ll do that.
At the end of the last session, and via e-mail between sessions, the chatter has continued- the Brothers have lots of questions to ask of the prisoner Elves. I’ll be honest- I wasn’t sure how much of the story to give away, so- here’s what the Brothers learn-
1) The Elves were captured from a variety of Elven settlements in the Misty Forest, all of the settlements were attacked and (presumed) destroyed by the Dragon Cultists.
2) One of the prisoners was captured three months past, so the attacks have been going on for a while.
3) The Dragon rider always wears his Green Dragon Mask, but consensus is he is a High/Noble Elf (and very likely from this region), although he is of course dedicated to the Dragon Cult.
4) One of the prisoners heard the great Green Dragon call the rider ‘Neron’, or something similar. Note I allowed each of the PCs to make a very hard History check to recognise the (partial) name ‘Neron’(vain), DC 28 I think- no one came close.
5) The Dragon lairs beyond the pool (see lair picture below) although none of the Elf prisoners have seen what lies beyond the pool, only that the Dragon emerges from here.
6) The three Ettins are the hired help- door guards.
7) To the north east are the rooms of the Dragon Cult warriors, of which there are dozen- there used to be more Cultists- see below. The Dragon rider ‘Neron’ also has chambers in this direction.
8) Half-a-dozen high ranking (the Elves think) Dragon Cultists (and their escort) visited the lair two tendays past, and then left again a few days later- taking half of the guard compliment that was laired here at the time with them. There were over two dozen Cultist guards laired here prior to the visit.
9) Accompanying the Dragon Cultists (above) was a Red Wizard of Thay, after further questioning the PCs work out that the visitor was probably Rath Modar. The bastard keeps popping up.
And that’s pretty much all the Elves know, which is plenty. Note when the PCs start up with their questions (particularly between sessions) it’s much easier to get some hefty slices of plot in, and to make it sound all the more convincing. So, I’m setting something up here… and also making sure the Players have not forgotten about the Red Wizards, and Rath Modar in particular.
That said, between sessions, I thought long and hard about whether I should just have Chuth the Dragon make his entrance right now, and then get the entire lair on alert. Maybe even have the Elf prisoners risk their lives to save the PCs, if it gets really nasty, which I thought it might. But I didn’t, I bottled it- or else I just couldn’t bring myself to go for the big fight so soon, particularly as the Players have been doing lots of great RPing, and coming up with plenty of clever ideas, and rolling good to high- damn them.
It wouldn’t be fair.
I’m going soft.
So, back in game. The Brothers have got a plan- and of course, they’ve been plotting again between sessions.
The Elf prisoners are told to stay out of the way (i.e. where they are), or else (if they’re feeling very brave) to sneak out of the lair, if they can- note the Elves immediately decline the second option. The DM figures they may come in useful- depending on how the fighting goes.
Back-up if the PCs get out of their depth, maybe.
Next up the Brothers struggle back into their Dragon Cult personas and then led by Frulam Mondath (Lux) head back down the way and into the Ettin’s lair. Then, mid-Frulam (Lux) rant- this to get the Ettin’s attention, and to manoeuvre them into line- Frulam wanted to inspect the brutes, the Brothers launch their attacks. Surprise!
Lummins wanders into the midst of the giants and fires up his Spiritual Guardians, which now encompass all three cowering Ettins (Frulam/Lux was being particularly mean to them- and rolling very high). Note the PCs are trying to kill the Ettins quickly and quietly.
Hotlips attempts to assassinate the nearest Ettin (and Crits), the creature is bloodied and beyond- seconds later Watt, guarding the exits, fires two arrows into the giant beast (the first also a Crit), while Frulam/Lux finishes it off with a pair of Eldritch Blasts.
One down.
Then, of course, Sgt Bobby starts up- moments later and a second Ettin is bloodied and beyond, Hazirawn never misses. The nasty giant doesn’t last long either- Hotlips scurries over and sticks her rapier in its back, the second Ettin collapses- dead.
Two down.
That just leaves one uninjured Ettin still in the mix, the giant roars in confusion- turns about and attempts to rush into a previously hidden(-ish) exit over the far side of the guard chamber, not spotted by the Brothers. Alas the creature is moving slow, and subject to attack by Lummins’ Spirit Guardians. The great beast also swiftly sprouts two arrows from its back, courtesy of Watt, and then is slashed horribly by Sgt Bobby.
The Ettin however is a roaring fury, and terrified, it eventually smashes its way into the previously hidden (and narrow) passage, all the way through the secret tunnel and into the entrance passage to the Dragon’s lair.
The Ettin is making one helluva noise.
Obviously, the now semi-panicked Brothers are swiftly in pursuit, Frulam/Lux fires an Eldritch Blast into the escaping foe, but it looks like the creature is going to get away- that is until Sgt Bobby (with an Action Surge) catches up with the beast. The burly Fighter skewers the giant, the tip of Hazirawn bursts through the massive brute’s chest. Dead.
Three down.
Encounter done.
Tbh I was going to have any surviving Ettins flee the lair anyway, as far as they can tell it’s the Dragon Cultists that are attacking them (remember the PCs are dressed, and acting like, Dragon Cultists). The Ettins were not going to be hanging around for their severance pay.
The fight is over, the fleeing Ettin is dragged out of sight (although it takes three of the Brothers to do this) while Lummins sprints back to the Elf prisoners in their room, which is handily situated on a ledge looking down into the central chamber of the lair. The Half-Elf Priest watches the passage to the north east, the home- the Brother’s have been told- of the Dragon Cultists.
Damn! As Lummins observes (about a minute later) a group of Dragon Cultists, maybe half-a-dozen of them, emerge from the passageway there and head towards the entrance to the lair, where the Ettin noises were coming from.
The Dragon Cultists don’t seem particularly spooked.
The Priest of Lathander hisses for the Elf prisoners to stall the Cultists, while he rushes back to his comrades in the Ettin’s former lair, there to catch the rest of the Brothers up with ongoing events.
The Elven stalling technique doesn’t go well, particularly when the Dragonfang leading the squad of five Dragonclaws, notices that the Elf prisoners/guards are missing, and so starts screaming up at the Elves for abandoning their posts.
It gets shouty.
While this is playing out the Brothers attempt to get closer to the bad guys, with varying degrees of success.
One of the Dragonclaws spots Sgt Bobby attempting to creep up on the squad and points this out to his comrades, remember Sgt B is dressed as a Cultist (although why he’s creeping about?). The Dragonfang starts shouting the odds, but Sgt Bobby isn’t keen on keeping up the charade, and his comrades are pretty much in position.
The Brothers attack the Dragon Cultist patrol, hoping to decimate it quickly.
Remarkably one of the Dragonclaws draws first blood- slicing Sgt Bobby good, the hit alas counts for nothing as Hotlips scurries out of the shadows and sticks her rapier in the Cultist’s heart. For chuckles the Halfling Rogue, as she scurries off again back toward the shadows, flings a dagger into the gut of another flustered Dragonclaw.
The Brothers don’t have it all their own way however, another Dragonclaw gets to Lummins and slices the Priest- nasty.
Then alas the secret finally gets out- Watt flings a Fireball into the midst of the Cultists- three Dragonclaws fall and flail- in flames (there’s just one left alive- he was out of range). The slightly scorched Dragonfang leader however is still very much in action, the fellow starts screaming blue murder and then leads the rapid retreat- thanks to his Limited Flight ability the singed Cultist makes it all the way back to the passage to the north east (from which they originally exited).
Alas the last Dragonclaw is not so fortunate, she’s hit by one of Frulam/Lux’s Eldritch Blasts and then stabbed by Lummins (the Priest is saving his spells- waiting on the Dragon, he says) - the mortally wounded Cultists (on 1 HP) flees screaming. Alas now she’s is in a footrace with Sgt Bobby (and a hidden-ish) Hotlips, who are both in pursuit of the fleeing Dragonfang.
The rest of the Brothers scurry forward, rushing to catch up with Sgt Bobby (and Hotlips). The last Dragonclaw, caught between the two groups, doesn’t quite know what to do and so settles for being blown apart by another of Lux’s Eldritch Blast.
The Brothers make it to the passage to the north east, beyond which the Dragon Cultist guards lair, they’re just in time for another pair of Dragonclaws to emerge from the narrow cavern opening- the pair don’t stand a chance, Sgt Bobby cuts both Cultists down and then continues his charge.
He’s in hog-heaven.
Yet another pair of Dragonclaws arrest Sgt Bobby’s progress, blocking the passage and slicing repeatedly at the Fighter (Sgt B’s taking hits). Hotlips scurries out of hiding and with her rapier skewers one of the Dragonclaws dead. Another Dragonclaw however rushes in to fill the gap.
Lummins, Lux and Watt- at last catch up with the charging duo, the Priest of Lathander gets the Bless spell going and then aids the wounded Fighter with a Healing Word.
Sgt Bobby cuts down the two newly arrived Dragonclaws blocking the passage, but is blocked again when a Dragonfang scurries around the corner and slices the Fighter repeatedly- nasty, Sgt B is very quickly back to being nearly bloodied.
Just to keep you appraised of the situation, a second Dragonfang (the wounded guy who lead the patrol) has already got to Neron(vain), and told the Green Dragon Mask wearing Wyrmspeaker that the PCs are coming. The Wyrmspeaker has since exited his chamber and made his way to his ride- Chuth’s coming soon.
Meantime back in the clogged passageway Hotlips gets in to action, fighting side by side with Sgt Bobby- the Dragonfang blocking the passage, and keeping the two furious Brothers at bay is not quite bloodied (both Dragonfangs, Neronvain, and Chuth start this encounter with MAX HP, oh yeah).
The Dragonfang blocking the passageway soaks up a lot of hits (well, he would do- he started with 120 HP) the Dragon Cultist is still not bloodied when the second (slightly wounded) Dragonfang comes charging around the corner to join him. The PCs have still yet to figure out that these guys are HP soaks, and that the Dragon and its rider are on their way.
Lummins keeps hitting the same Dragonfang with Scorching Rays, until he runs out of Scorching Rays- at which point the PCs finally figure out that they’re in a fight.
Just to run that by you again, not because it’s massively clever, but because I was trying something- I gave the Dragonclaws average hit points- so the PCs went through them like butter (and got a bit cocky). But I gave the Dragonfangs (and the big bad bosses- Chuth and Neronvain) max HP, it took a while for the PCs to figure that the Dragonfangs were very tough. I wanted to keep the PCs in the main chamber, where there’s plenty of room for Chuth to get into action.
Moments later the badly wounded Dragonfang Crits Sgt Bobby (for 48 damage all told) and there is screaming around the table.
Pete’s not happy, Sgt Bobby suddenly has 20-or-so HP left, I think his max (at this point) is around about 100 HP.
That said the Fighter doesn’t falter, Sgt B cuts down the badly wounded Dragonfang, and then gets to work on the other, he also gets his Second Wind. While screaming for “more healing… feed me now!”
The Players are enjoying this, or else Pete is.
Hotlips enters stab fury mode (not a special power, rather Sandy’s dice are on-fire), and soon after the last Dragonfang standing is bloodied.
The Brothers however are still unaware that Chuth and Neron(vain) are at present watching events from the pool behind them.
Watt meantime gets to Sgt Bobby with a max-enhanced Cure Wounds. Lux continues to fire Eldritch Blasts in to the last Dragonfang standing, who’s looking much the worse for wear- and now the Players think they’ve got this…
The Dragonfang however is still swinging heartily, Sgt Bobby is saved from two more punishing hits by Lummins’ Warding Flare, and a little bit of Watt’s Bardic Inspiration.
The Players are woo-hooing again.
Time to put an end to that.
Chuth, with Neron(vain) riding the great Green Dragon, rises up from the stagnant pool in the centre of the chamber, behind the Brothers. The Dragon roars, then growls- “Time To Die!”, and then bathes all of the Brothers (and the last Dragonfang standing) in its foul and poisonous breath.
When the screaming stops (and the name calling around the gaming table dies down a bit) the Brothers are all still standing, just- as is the last Dragonfang (just).
Watt and Lummins have just three hit points each, the rest of the Brothers passed their saves (also Ring of Poison Resist- Lux, and Evasion- Hotlips) and are not even bloodied.
Chuth follows up with his Frightful Presence- roaring and snarling- snapping its jaws and flexing his great ragged-wings. It’s a great show but all of the Brothers are warded- they’re wearing their magical flower garlands remember.
None of which stopped the Players from screaming at me, and each other, for a while.
Sgt Bobby reacts first, he cuts down the last Dragonfang and then looks to his friends, very briefly (but the other Players have got nothing- they’re floundering a bit- do we turn and face the Dragon? Or do we run away for a bit?). Then Sgt Bobby remembers he’s a Remarkable Athlete. Grinning the brave warrior hurtles towards the edge of the pool and then leaps at Chuth (he’s in plate, so don’t miss Pete).
Pete rolls a ‘19’ plus bonuses- and Sgt Bobby lands on the Green Dragon Hazirawn first, skewering the beast and then hanging on to his sword as the Dragon thrashes madly.
The decision has been made- time to fight the Dragon.
Chuth lashes out with his tail, curling around to slam it into the Fighter- and hits, a Crit. POP! Sgt Bobby does his back again.
This is going to be bad… I can feel it.
Seconds later, while several of the Players are cheering Sgt Bobby on (or else laughing at his misfortune), a myriad strangling vines suddenly burst from floor of the cavern and wrap themselves around the four remaining Brothers of the First Light- the area is a cauldron of swaying, grabbing vegetation- Hotlips and Watt are instantly caught and restrained.
And now none of the Players are laughing, or cheering, or woo-bloody-hooing.
Remarkably, seconds later, Hotlips breaks free of the strangling vines and scurries away, grabbing out her crossbow and firing at Chuth, alas the bolt just bounces off the beast’s tough hide, and to make matters worse the vegetation snares the Halfling again.
Watt, wrapped in vines, fires off a Mass Cure Wounds- there is hope.
Lux meantime also gets clear of the entangling vegetation and attempts to Banish Chuth and Neron(vain)…
The table holds its collective breath.
BLINK!
The Dragon-rider disappears, but not the Dragon (failed save but… Legendary Resistance).
That’s one less enemy to worry about- now all the Brothers have to do is to survive ten rounds/get away and/or kill Chuth.
And Chuth started with something like 320 HP.
Lummins tries to pick his way out of the grasping vegetation- he’s less successful, however the Priest also unleashes another Mass Cure Wounds, and now none of the Brothers are even bloodied.
There is always hope.
But not for Sgt Bobby, Chuth (barely hurt) unleashes hell with claws and bite, trying to rip the Hazirawn wielding Fighter free of his flesh- at the end of which the Fighter is back to being bloodied and broken, but still hanging on to his terrible blade which is firmly embedded in the Dragon.
I get Pete to roll another Athletics check to hang on- he rolls another bloody ‘19’ plus bonuses.
The big bloody bastard.
Apologies if I sound like a petulant nine-year-old at times, but… well, if the shoe fits.
And the Players are celebrating every tiny success- there was whooping when Pete made the above roll.
The burly surly Fighter clambers all over the bucking Dragon and stabs down twice more, and hard each time (high damage rolls) with Hazirawn, and with the final thrust clings on to his blade- Chuth is down to approx. 200 HP.
Again, the Dragon’s tail swoops around and smashes into Sgt Bobby, the Fighter is back down to 20-or-so HP, but still hanging on.
He’s my hero.
Suddenly Sgt Bobby is swathed in a swirling fog which seems to gather and smother the flailing Fighter- a voice, Chuth’s voice, is in his head- “Join with me… we can rule this place together”, and the big guy is sorely tempted- but he rolls an adjusted ‘18’ on his Wisdom save, and shrugs off the wyrm’s charm (another Lair Effect).
“Screw you! You smelly bastard!” Perhaps with a few extra swears, is the Fighter’s reply.
Meantime Hotlips is caught in the grasping vegetation, the Halfling Rogue however still has her crossbow in hand, and this time she doesn’t miss- the bolt thuds into the snout of the now roaring Dragon, that hurt.
Watt, likewise, is still being grasped- the Bard attempts to Polymorph the Dragon (into a Frog, of course) what a story that would make- Chuth however resists. Note Watt is also handing out Bardic Inspiration every turn, now known around the table as ‘motivational swearing’.
Lux finally gets clear of the grasping vegetation, and then attempts to fire a pair of Eldritch Blasts into Chuth- alas she misses with both attacks.
How can you miss a Dragon?
You should have heard Sandy (playing Lux) scream (and swear).
Lummins, at last, also gets clear of the grasping vines, the Priest fires off another Mass Cure Wounds.
Pete (Sgt Bobby) is positively beaming, seconds later the marvellous Priest heals the Fighter some more with an enhanced Healing Word.
And just to say the Dragon still has not yet recharged its Breath Weapon.
Chuth cannot shake Sgt Bobby off, although the Fighter is bitten again, and soon enough back to being bloodied.
You’ll note that there are several smart things I could do with Chuth- like submerge and take Sgt Bobby off to chew on in his lair. But I’m not… because I’m nice, and I want to give the Brothers a chance- however, I do want this to go to the death (of the Dragon).
Sgt Bobby continues to hang on, and even manages to stab Hazirawn deeper into the beast, and now Chuth is bloodied too (below 150 HP).
And again, the great Green Dragon roars, and swats at Sgt Bobby with its mighty tail, but at the last moment the Fighter- clutching on to Hazirawn which is still embedded in Chuth’s breast, performs a swinging circuit of his sword- and avoids the attack. That was a ‘20’ Athletics check- Pete’s dice are also on fire.
Hotlips (with another ‘20’, damn!) stumbles clear of the grasping vegetation- at last, and then fires a crossbow bolt in to Chuth’s throat, the Dragon gasps- that really hurt.
Watt also finally makes it out of the grasping vegetation, the Bard tries to find some cover, and gets his bow out- he has a plan.
Lux uses the last of her Warlock powers to cast Fly on herself, Hotlips and Watt. Lummins, once he escapes the vegetation, takes to the air immediately- the Priest of Lathander flies in to deliver a much-enhanced Cure Wounds to a very bloodied again Sgt Bobby.
Keep the tank fighting is the Player’s call (although Watt has a different plan).
The Priest of Lathander, Lummins, alas (like Icarus) flies too close to Chuth and is swatted out of the air by the Dragon’s tail- nearly, if not for a last second Warding Flare.
There is more whooping.
I feel like joining in sometimes.
Note the Players while being very ‘whoopy’ (celebrating every success) are also far from happy with me- they ask (repeatedly) ‘How many bloody attacks does this Dragon have?’, it’s amazing but the ability to sound like a surly 9-year-old child never really leaves us.
Oh, and just to say that Pizza time should have happened something like an hour ago.
Also, to note that throughout this fight I have also been doing pithy (not) one-liners from Chuth all the while, I decided ahead of time to make he Dragon not the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you catch my drift. So simple but cheesy-terror style chatter- “Time to Die!”, or, “Your End is Now!”, or, “I AM YOUR DOOM!” That kind of thing. I had meant to play Neron(vain) as the chatty one, but alas the Wyrmspeaker has been sent to his room (Banished).
Chuth is less than amused- bloodied and struggling to peel the armour from Sgt Bobby- or indeed just to shake the Fighter-off, the Dragon repositions itself and then unleashes its full fury on the nearby (and now no-longer grinning) flying Priest of Lathander, oh yeah- switched targets to the much easier to hit guy.
It goes- Claw = Crit, followed by- Claw = Crit, and now Lummins (Rob) is looking very forlorn.
Chuth misses with its bite attack- DAMN!
The Priest however is very very bloodied, down to 8 HP.
Sgt Bobby chooses the next moment to stab twice with Hazirawn and to somehow fail to puncture the great beast’s hide both times, the Fighter loses his grip of the Dragon and falls, scrambling at last to cling on to Chuth’s back leg, he’s left half submerged in the stagnant pool and struggling to stay above the water.
He’s in a precarious position, and only just managing to hang on to the Dragon, and his blade.
OMG!
Then the grasping vegetation comes again- bursting from the ground, walls and ceiling, reaching out to snare the other three members of the Brothers of the First Light. Lux manages to gain height and manoeuvre quickly, but Watt and Hotlips are grasped and grabbed and dragged back down to the ground.
Miraculously (after yet more really high rolls) the grabbed pair both manage to get clear of the entangling vines mere seconds later.
The bastards.
Cue more bloody woo-hooing.
And a high-five, it’s so undignified.
Hotlips flies like an arrow straight to the Dragon, spilling her crossbow en route- and grabbing out her magical rapier, she gets in close, buzzing around the snapping jaws of the great beast, and then stabs Chuth again in his snout.
And now Chuth is down to less than 100 HP.
But Chuth is not done for, the Dragon’s tail comes around again and baseball-style smashes the flying/tumbling Halfling into a nearby wall. Hotlips is bloodied, and hurting bad.
Watt flies in to space- gets himself a little room to manoeuvre, at last, the Bard grabs out his magical longbow and fires a Dragon Slaying Arrow (Note, Jackie was loath to do this earlier because she was restrained, and therefore at disadvantage on her attacks)- a hit, straight into Chuth’s throat.
The great Dragon wavers, and attempts to roar, but only a hissing sound emerges.
The Bard steadies himself and then does it all again- but this time he Crits!
The Players are screaming and roaring, it’s like primal-bloody-therapy.
The Bard’s arrow hits and bursts Chuth’s right eye.
The Dragon thrashes furiously, screeching and screaming (mostly wheezing)- smashing loose sections of the cavern wall, and sending scudding waves across the pool. Sgt Bobby and Lummins are battered by the flailing beast’s wings (but I roll minimum bloody damage- snake-eyes).
Oh, and for info Chuth has 14 HP left. Obviously, I don’t tell the Players this, but I certainly let them know that great Dragon is almost down.
A grinning Lux flies in closer for the kill- she fires two Eldritch Blasts from less than twenty feet away and somehow contrives to miss with both (again).
The woo-hooing quietens for a moment, batter-up.
A badly wounded flying Lummins escapes the Dragon’s reach, ducking a half-hearted claw attack as he departs, then the Priest of Lathander very carefully positions a Fireball behind Chuth, and bathes the beast in flame.
We interrupt the following woo-hooing for Rob’s (playing Lummins) appalling damage rolls, it had five ‘1’s in it- and somehow Chuth survives (on 3 HP) the very minor magical conflagration.
Lummins, for good measure, fires another Healing Word into Sgt Bobby.
At which point, of course, Chuth recharges his Breath Weapon.
Oh, Happy Day Now! HAPPY DAY! Oh, Happy Day!
The ferocious Green Dragon let’s the Brothers have it- or at least the four Brothers he can hit with his attack; Watt (smart fellow) is well out of the way.
The result of which is pure terror- for the Players, Sgt Bobby plunges into the stagnant pool and sinks out of sight- unconscious and bereft of breath.
He’s dying.
Oh, and Lummins is hanging lifeless in the air, his little winged boots (of Flying) fluttering but the Priest of Lathander is very much unconscious.
Then, at last, as Sgt Bobby sinks (and makes death saves) a screaming (in righteous fury) Hotlips flies in with her magical rapier in hand, and stabs at Chuth’s looming snout- and rolls a ‘1’, but she’s a ‘Lucky’ Halfling, so she rolls again- and it’s a second ‘1’.
And Sandy does quite a lot of swearing, and screaming, and then some more swearing, followed of course by more screaming.
Until eventually she remembers- Hotlips grabs out her dagger, in her off-hand, she just has to hit…
Which she does, of course- for six damage, easily enough to end the Dragon.
Chuth slumps, slides, and then slowly sinks beneath the surface of the scum-topped water- following Sgt Bobby down into the depths of the stagnant pool.
Watt is straight in to action, the flying Bard spills his bow and then swoops down and dives in to the pool- remarkably (high rolls again) he spots the sinking Sgt Bobby and with help from Lux (a moment later), and a Cure Wounds spell manages to get the Fighter to the surface, and then back to the shore…
In the meantime, Hotlips has got to Lummins with a Potion of Greater Healing.
Just to say that Lummins had failed one death save when the healing got to him, while Sgt Bobby had just passed his third Death Save in a row (he’s a lucky bastard, or else bloody hard to kill) when the healing arrived.
It is of course at this point that Lux (Sandy) also remembers that the Banished Neron(vain) will be on his way back, any moment- actually, according to the DMs little tick chart, the Wyrmspeaker will be back in initiative this coming round.
Obviously, I don’t tell the Players this.
The Players/PCs have (of course) lost track of time and are not sure when the bad guy will be back.
But that’s for the next section, because it’s Pizza, excessive woo-hooing (“We killed a Dragon! We killed a Dragon!”) and desperate scheming next.
See you in a bit.