Wrap-up 39: To Trip a Dragon

Location: Ancient Ruins, Caves, & connected Catacombs under the Mynnyd Mountain area.
Brief Summary: The group is in some Dwarven tombs in search of a weapon used against the Elves which has a handsome reward if found. The Bloodstain Dwarves are incredible Artificers with many traps and unique guardians left behind.
Players: Argenton, Garrick, Sudash, Basalt, Rootbreaker, Finn
Tales heard round . . .
As told by Finn: First off something disturbing and not unexpected down here, It is always dark and we frequently come up with more sources of light to see farther and penetrate the darkest of places. No matter . . they set out again following a faint trail of slime left by some odd creature. Larger than some slimy creatures we have seen in the past but capable of going into tight spaces as well. The trail sometime later leads under a stone door which Garrick investigates & carefully listens at. He may be on parole or so he says and under the watch of Ardengon but he has proven not to run away so far during trouble. Fortunately, this particular door does not collapse or have a nasty surpise on the other side and they proceed. Some trident forked passages open up and a search is made. Some trident forked passages open up and the group looks about to see the best choice. Basalt the Dwarf reports a collapsed passageway but sees nothing else in his search area. The others in the bolstered group finds broken bone, dust, and what amounts to rags. Being caught unawares from behind while following a given path again is not something to repeat.

Here Finnick goes off on some side tangent about Helm giving him the ability to detect danger and the unseen. Maybe it is just his paranoia of always being in peril. -

It is here the story returns and Finn tells me he can see remnants of a trail fairly easily down one passage which others take up. It dissapears, or does it? A small cleft near the wall is where the trail leads. "I go over there and reach in and grap a handle, so it was a leap before you look moment" He goes on to describe having his hand pierced by something, spitting up some bile & yanking his hand out of the trap with Rootbreakers help.
As told by Rootbreaker:  Rootbreaker tells me he can't very well let Finn sit there watching his arm get torn off in some gruesome grinding trap. He helped yank him out with some blood and a bit of spittle, so be it. "He lowered me down in a lightning storm, I can't let him die from a little spike in his hand" A grinding sound continued, and a secret wall was found, the group quickly scurries through so it does not close and crush everyone, or so that is the general consensus.
Back to the main tale As told by Finn: All of the passages on the other side of the secret wall have indications of travel by the unknown being. That said the passage is taken with what seem to have the freshest tracks. This leads to a combination of cavern and hewn stone passage. Soon some light is seen ahead, and we send Warriors to the front to see what is there. Finn tells me he was the only one initially to see a growing globe come down the hallway, it turned out to be an explosion of magic and flame. Two large undead hatchling wurm creatures and some spellcaster have it out for us certainly. Not unexpected but painful; Garrick is one of the first to react but stays out of close-range dodging in and out. Rootbreaker charges forward to meet the hatchlings with me but we get held up. Basalt fires away and looks for an opening to join us but the undead wurms are blocking much of the passage while dark magics are thrown by the man behind them. Fortunately for us Ardengon calls forth a silvery beam of moonlight which both the creatures and the man try to avoid. Sudash casts his own magics blocking off some movement with a cloud of spinning blades and damaging whatever comes in range with other spells. As the fighting commences, we are caught in an odd crossfire of noxious choking fumes from the skeletal wurms and necromantic caster. Finally, we break through and scatter one of the smaller twisted undead dragon beings. Rootbreaker races through the opening and charges the Necromancer, killing him. Meanwhile those of us engaged in the southern passage hear some cries for help cut off with a whooshing noise, a rush of foul air, and a sickening stillness.
As told by Sudash:  Holy broken bones, there is barely time to react as we are somewhat surprised by a much larger wurm than those the other fight. Fortunately, I'm not caught totally unawares & summon magic immediately. An absolute blast of acidic stench fills the entire corridor where Basalt, Ardengon and I are. Moments later it looks like I'm the last one left standing alive as two smoking bodies hit the floor. Terrible, maybe not so much for newfound companions but how am I supposed to deal with this monstrosity of a wurm without others to help? A rage overtakes me, and I blast the twisted dragon creature in the face, hard. Our adventuring company charter spurs me on as I try to avenge the fallen. Of course, I yell at the top of my lungs and back away with haste down the southern corridor. The others yet live and I hear Finn's voice cut through the tumult, "Arise Ardengon and rejoin the Light". A few moments later here comes the battered fool with one arm held protectively straight into the fray. Soon we have a whirling mass of spinning magical blades in the air, and this large slithery serpent dragon surrounded. It looks like a pack of rabid dogs attacking an Owl Bear. At any moment any bite from the large maw will kill any one of us for good. Ardengon, Basalt, Garrick to my surprise, and to no surprise Finn hammer away with abandon. In fact, we notice the creature has some weakness if you get this close, which many probably do not. Finn orders everyone to sweep at the creatures smaller clawed legs and limit its movement. My spell causes it issues as anyone can see and there is at least one combatant in every direction causing some confusion. The beast slips onto its side not once, but twice and while it is even momentarily off balance, weapons and spells rain down killing it. A cheer erupts with some laughter, a loud neigh, and a sigh of relief.
As told later:  They seek out the lair of this beast and that of the Necromancer. Garrick ensures some degree of safety by disarming and then rearming a trap down a side passage of nicer tombs. Those tombs appear to have been some Lords and Ladies of clans allied with the Bladestains. Each of the tombs is searched extensively while some rest is also had. Some unusually fine items are found with some yet unidentified as to their purpose. For his part, Basalt the Dwarf finds well-fitting ancient armor of dwarven craftsmanship while in this area.
"It is a simple thing I examined the lock and immediately knew it was trapped, good thing for all of you I was here" "My bones are like that of the earth and my arm wields its strength" "We are all d . ." "He was a mere human, trampled into the dust under my hooves" "Damnit, my arm is stuck!" "Let me through . . . ough . . ugh"