Backstory
Scoriaptrak used to be a typical
red dragon: he ruled over a section of the
Western Heartlands as a despot, amassing gold, knowledge, and power through fear and violence. But decades ago, a mighty wizard brought the
dragon low, imprisoning him in a small cell deep underground. An
elven druid named Myoris was tossed in for sport.
The wizard began testing the limits of the dragon’s body and mind. Torture, in other words, all the while making orderly notes. The regimen of pain was repeated daily, for years, with only the druid Myoris as a witness.
As the prisoners’ world shrank to the size of their cramped cell, Scoriaptrak and Myoris forged a bond, out of a need at first. The dragon needed distraction, with the druid being happy to provide it by telling the epic stories of elven heroes and villains. Their companionship grew and Myoris came to befriend the dragon and prayed to
Bahamut every day to grant Scoriaptrak some relief. In that small, moldy cell, Scoriaptrak weakened and lost his hunger for destruction and domination. In short, he became something other than a red dragon.
But one day, their captor did not appear. Food and basic needs continued to be met by automated magics, but their captor was never seen again. They heard muffled explosions and roaring once, but the noises faded, and they were left with only each other’s company. Thirty long years passed. Only last month, the druid’s kin finally found the prison and liberated their long-lost elder. Myoris told his people to spare the dragon, knowing that the dragon’s deep knowledge of Faerûn's villains could prove useful. Scoriaptrak was overwhelmed by the sudden change: he roared at the elves then fled.
The dragon returned to a former lair only to find it almost empty; a devoted
kobold named Kefleek had maintained a lonely vigil these many years. Scoriaptrak was weak, listless and uninterested in re-building his empire. He soon received a message from the elves that Myoris, weakened from his imprisonment, had passed away. Overwhelmed by an unfamiliar sense of loss and grief, combined with his own self-loathing, the dragon’s depression became terminal: he contemplated suicide.
Kefleek’s joy at reuniting with his master soon turned to shock, then disgust; his “dreaded tyrant wyrm” had become a withered shell of his former evil self. In desperation, Kefleek reached out to the Cult of the Dragon for help. The Cult was skeptical whether the red dragon had actually returned but agreed to meet at the former seat of the dragon’s domain: The
Sunset Mountains.
However, the depressed dragon wouldn’t budge. Furious, Kefleek drew on previously-unknown sorcerous powers and enchanted the dragon to do his bidding. His tenuous hold on Scoriaptrak was enabled by the dragon’s low state of mind. Drunk on power, the kobold commanded Scoriaptrak to travel to the Sunset Mountains, keeping the Cult’s involvement a secret. He would renew the dragon’s evil heart, or they would die trying.
But Kefleek’s plans were shattered during their flight to the Sunset Mountains as they were attacked by an ambitious
young blue dragon. Emaciated and weak, Scoriaptrak received grievous wounds but managed to escape. The attack occurred just minutes ago, and his endurance has finally run out. He is plummeting to the ground this very moment!
Running the Dragon
Scoriaptrak is an emotional and physical mess of a
dragon. Underneath his pain is the true change in heart he underwent during imprisonment, including a shift to Chaotic Neutral:
- Enchanted. Kefleek’s enchantment keeps Scoriaptrak confused and docile, similar to a sleepwalker. He’ll look to Kefleek to deliver anything more than a few words.
- Depressed. Scoriaptrak’s depression stems from regret of his past evil deeds and the recent loss of his only friend Myoris; he sees no way to make amends and sees no value in living.
- Impressionable. Anything the characters can do to show that redemption is possible helps inspire the dragon to change. Witnessing and completing redemptive acts improve his outlook.
Dragon-Powered Characters?
While Kefleek’s enchantment is active, he insists that the characters handle any dangerous business. Under dire circumstances, Kefleek may force Scoriaptrak to act. Once freed from the enchantment, the
dragon is capable of choice, but his depression and self-loathing cause him to be disengaged. Until the characters set a good example and inspire the dragon, he does not act to benefit others.
Healing the Dragon
The
dragon’s weakness and loss of typical
red dragon features are due to his long, torturous imprisonment. These conditions cannot be healed with any spell short of
regenerate, a 7th level spell. The wounds from his recent attack can be healed, granting him hit points, but not reversing the loss of any of his features.
It Begins with a Crash
The characters come across a
kobold and an injured
red dragon. The pair need to reach the
Sunset Mountains and want to hire the characters as a protective escort. The
dragon is subdued and reveals that he intends to die once he reaches his destination. But the characters uncover clues, messages, and incentives that should encourage them to help the dragon and keep him alive. Once their escort mission has begun, items for hiding the dragon during their journey are found at an illusionist’s tower.
Crash Site
The adventure begins as the characters are traveling along a trade road near the
Reaching Woods. An old merchant named Bodrin (NG male
Chondathan human commoner) stops his wagon to ask a question about the road ahead; he’s worried about undead.
When the characters have met Bodrin, read or paraphrase the following:
| Bodrin stops mid-sentence and his eyes widen in terror as the sun is blotted out by something large overhead. Gouts of scalding blood sizzle in the dirt road, and you turn in time to glimpse a scaled hide rushing by mere feet above you. With a deafening crash, a red dragon plows into the nearby forest, knocking over trees as tall as towers. The dragon grinds to a halt, with the only sound now being the creaking of broken trees and a faint buzzing. |
The buzzing is a disturbed nest of fifteen
stirges. If the characters investigate the buzzing, the stirges attack. Otherwise, they attack later.
The
red dragon is Scoriaptrak, who just escaped an attack from a rival
blue dragon. In his weakened state, Scoriaptrak is a Huge
red dragon wyrmling and cannot fly. He is unconscious, so the characters can investigate without fear of attack. The following information can be obtained:
- Any inspection reveals fresh, giant claw marks gouged into Scoriaptrak and a mostly-missing left-wing (rendering him flightless). A successful DC 9 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals the claw marks were made by a dragon.
- Scoriaptrak is clearly sick or starving, with shrunken muscles and loose scales.
- A successful DC 8 Intelligence (Medicine) check reveals that the dragon has horrific injuries that are older, including a broken leg which appears healed but twisted, missing teeth, and broken and missing claws.
- A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the presence of an exotic saddle strapped in behind the dragon’s right ear.
If the characters decide to kill the
dragon, inspect the dragon further, or leave, read the following:
| “No-kill my dread lord!” screeches a small voice from somewhere around the dragon. A rickety old kobold emerges from under the dragon’s ear. It draws a dagger from a stuffed satchel and shakily waves it in your direction. A scroll case falls out of the satchel and lands at its feet.
“This Scoriaptrak, ruler of the Sunset Mountains, and leveler of castles. Leave alone!” The old kobold stands firmly by the unconscious dragon. |
The
kobold is Kefleek, a
kobold scale sorcerer and the dragon’s sole remaining subject. Kefleek is ancient by kobold standards and looks it: he is slow, and his eyes are clouded by cataracts. He perches on the
exotic saddle during travel.
Kefleek’s physical infirmity belies his cunning and iron will: He is controlling the dragon with an enchantment and some old-fashioned emotional manipulation. Kefleek’s motivation right now is to get the dragon to the Sunset Mountains, so that they can meet with members from the Cult of the Dragon. Kefleek is wary at first, but then interested of the characters' help:
- "My lord tired; he go to rest in old lair."
- "He no talk much now." (whispers) "He not think right…" (taps his head knowingly)
A Lucrative Offer
Kefleek offers to pay adventurers 100 gp for an escort to the mountains. If pushed, he miserably offers the
dragon’s hoard, but doesn’t specify its size. It is common knowledge that
red dragons lair in the
Sunset Mountains. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Kefleek isn’t being fully honest about the dragon, but he can’t be intimidated into saying more.
The Dragon Wants to Die
Scoriaptrak wakes before the characters attack (or leave). He is dazed, partially free from Kefleek’s enchantment. Read the following:
| A massive ear twitches and the dragon slowly raises his head. Through clouded eyes, he looks over your party, then rumbles, “I must end my life in those mountains. Help me reach it, and I will pay you.” He motions to the prominent peaks on the horizon. |
Scoriaptrak’s motivation is indeed to reach the
Sunset Mountains, where he plans on tossing himself from a cliff. He can answer only a few basic questions before passing out. The
kobold’s hidden spite and loathing for him have seeped into the
dragon’s mind, and flavor his slow, monotonic responses:
- Regarding his wounds: “A blue did this... I was too weak.”
- Regarding his plans: “My life ends in the Sunset Mountains.”
- Regarding his motivation: “I am not a red dragon anymore. I am... nothing”. He does not elaborate further.
- If asked, “Why don’t I just kill you now?” (or similar), he responds: “The Sunset Mountains was where my empire was born. It must be where I die.”
- If asked about the scroll from “M”, Scoriaptrak shuts his eyes in pain and Kefleek screeches, “that not yours!” Neither says anything more on the subject, but the characters now have Disadvantage on all Charisma checks with the pair for the rest of the day. Scoriaptrak will forget this interaction once Kefleek enchants him again.
The characters have now been given two different stories by Kefleek and Scoriaptrak. The context for the stories and guidance about what to do are found in the form of a scroll and a supernatural sign.
But a Scroll Offers Redemption
The scroll at Kefleek’s feet offers details about the
dragon’s history and why he should be helped. It was written by the
elf Myoris before his recent death and says both that the dragon longs for redemption and that the elves are seeking him.
If the characters don’t pick up the scroll, they see Kefleek snatch it up nervously. A successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check is needed to steal the
scroll case from Kefleek.
The scroll is made of magical, fire-proof
paper and the
ink is only visible when fire is applied. A tag is attached to the case that reads, “To read, use your gift”, which is a clue to Scoriaptrak. The nature of the scroll and ink can also be discerned with a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check. The letter reads as follows (in Elven): “My dear friend, after decades together, we parted suddenly and without a word. I will recover soon and seek you out. I know that you wish to make up for all your past wrongs. With all that you know of Faerûn's evils, there is much you can do for our land, much you can put right. Let that be your goal for your long years to come. Even as I write, dark shadows fly over the great forest. We could use your help to combat this evil. I wish your heart peace.”
Scoriaptrak is valuable to Faerûn's good-aligned factions (such as the
Emerald Enclave) because of his knowledge of its villains and their long-term plans. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) or Intelligence (History) check reveals these possibilities.
A Plea for Help
To prompt the characters, Myoris sends a sign from beyond the grave. After some interaction, or if the characters decide to attack, read the following:
| A raven hops out of the forest and alights on the dragon’s neck. Unconcerned about this giant, apex predator, the raven hops up the dragon’s body. It taps the dragon’s snout and makes a series of loud squawks. “Cwaap, cwaap! Dragon must stay alive! Dragon good! Cwaap!” |
This
raven has been momentarily guided by the spirit of Myoris. If spoken with, the raven proudly admits it was possessed by an old
elf spirit, but doesn’t have any more useful information. It hitches a ride on someone’s shoulder, if the characters are interested. And it’s hungry.
Stirge Attack
If the characters didn’t investigate the buzzing sounds before, the
stirges attack now. Read the following:
| The sound of the dragon’s deep raspy breathing has been replaced by something else; the droning of many sets of wings. Kefleek grabs your hand and screeches “You promise to protect! Do now! Do now!” |
A nest of fifteen
stirges was disturbed by the
dragon’s crash, and the smell of blood has whipped them into a frenzy. Three
giant centipedes are also attracted to the site. The characters have 3 rounds to prepare any defenses.
The centipedes scuttle out of the forest from the north, which begins the encounter. Two stirges attack each character, and the rest fly to the dragon’s wounds.
Scoriaptrak does not participate unless he reaches 20 hit points, at which time he sleepily swats at and kills two attacking creatures per round. In this case, any characters within 5 feet of one of Scorpiaptrak's targets must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid taking 10 bludgeoning damage.
Once the stirge attack is over, Kefleek thanks the characters and asks, “You take us to mountains?” If the characters accept the kobold's offer, Kefleek suggests they head north through the
Reaching Woods on the trail towards the
Sunset Mountains. He also suggests stopping at the
Illusionist’s Tower since the party will likely need magic to hide the dragon during their travels.
What if the Party Doesn't Take the Job?
If the characters don’t accept the job, Kefleek and the
dragon limp to the
Illusionist’s Tower. They discover the
hobgoblin commander and hire his squad for escort duty.
Illusionist's Tower
The 15-foot square magical tapestry in the second floor of the
Illusionist's Tower can partially cover the
dragon; to be completely covered, he must curl up like a sleeping
dog. In this state, he is detectable only with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. If he sees the tapestry, Kefleek suggests this trick if the adventurers don’t think of it.
Wrap-Up
By now, the characters should have a clear sense that Scoriaptrak should be kept alive and that he secretly yearns for redemption. Having these goals in mind will help the characters make decisions later.
A Clue About Kefleek
As the characters return from the tower, Kefleek is secretly refreshing his enchantment over the
dragon. The characters notice a hushed conversation taking place between Kefleek and Scoriaptrak. If they don’t immediately succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) or Wisdom (Perception) check, they are noticed, and the opportunity to observe the interaction is lost.
On a success, the characters witness the
kobold holding a small object in the dragon’s face and speaking in Draconic. At this point, Kefleek notices the characters, quits the conversation and hurriedly hides the "something" from the characters' view.
After the interaction, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that the dragon is now quite placid and the kobold a little flustered. If pressed about the interaction, Kefleek hops into the dragon’s mouth and wishes the party a muffled "good night". If pressed further, he’ll lie and say that he was just showing the dragon his favorite coin; Scoriaptrak placidly agrees.
A Single Coin
A
dragon without a hoard is prone to depression and anxiety. During Scoriaptrak’s long imprisonment, the only coin he ever saw was a single copper carried by Myoris. The dragon became obsessed with the coin, staring at it for days on end. After being released, Myoris sent the coin to the dragon along with his letter.
Kefleek now uses the coin as an arcane focus; the dragon’s obsession with the coin enables Kefleek’s control of him.
Reaching Woods
With the
dragon’s redemption on their mind, the party must cross through the
Reaching Woods.
Determining that Kefleek controls the dragon is an early challenge; his enchantment must be removed before the dragon can be inspired towards redemption. Kefleek’s enchantment over the dragon is magical and psychological, and both elements must be broken.
Once Kefleek’s enchantment is broken, Scoriaptrak is still intent on suicide at the
Sunset Mountains. However, he is now open to inspiration engineered by the characters. Many redemptive opportunities are available during the journey.
Traveling
The party must travel through the
Reaching Woods to get to the northern portion of the
Sunset Mountains in order to keep the
dragon off the main trade roads. Kefleek explains to the characters that "No one must see my lord!"
The dense forest doesn’t always provide a spot to stash a dragon. To find a hiding place before any encounter, a character must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check. Success on this roll is required before the dragon can even attempt to hide.
The relationship between the characters and the dragon/kobold is a major part of this adventure. While traveling, some topics of discussion are idle banter while others can reveal clues about the dragon’s past. Earlier subjects represent the dragon in a low state of mind while later subjects hint at a more positive outlook:
- Kefleek waxes on about the good old days: Burning villages, extorting wizards, flinging bugbears, their mountain of gold. Scoriaptrak is non-committal.
- Scoriaptrak complains about his injuries, and Kefleek makes snarky comments about the dragon’s abilities.
- Kefleek is interested about what the characters' children are like. How many do they have? Do they ever eat them? How soon do they try to overthrow you?
- Kefleek wants to know what humans think about kobolds.
- Kefleek mentions his hatred for elves, and Scoriaptrak visibly tenses. Kefleek tries to hastily change the subject. Scoriaptrak knows some elven lore.
- Scoriaptrak demands a song. If it’s an elven tune, Scoriaptrak stops and stares at the musician: “I remember that...”, and then the moment fades.
- Scoriaptrak asks for an explanation: “Tell me again how kings rule without killing their subjects? Why are they listened to, let alone obeyed?”
- Scoriaptrak asks if the characters have friends. After their responses, he replies with, “I don’t see the point. They all die...”. He will talk about Myoris.
- In the midst of a conversation, Scoriaptrak awakens, turns to Kefleek and states, “I dreamt of a far-off lake, Kefleek. A lair hidden from Man. My wings... the color of a coin...”, then drifts back to sleep.
- Scoriaptrak looks towards one of the less talkative characters and asks, “What would life be like, working for... Good?”
While Kefleek’s enchantment is active, Scoriaptrak is only capable of short responses laden with self-loathing; Kefleek does most of the talking. Once the enchantment is gone, the dragon becomes more verbal in general about his impending demise. Later on, he’ll change between more upbeat if the characters can inspire him.
Country Kids
Five local children have abandoned their shepherding duties and are wandering about, looking for mischief. The characters have a chance to hide Scoriaptrak before the encounter begins. To begin the encounter, read the following:
| As you turn the corner, a group of children sit on the road. One boy sobs and holds a bloodied bandage to his leg. An older girl looks up and calls, “Hey! Can you help us? My stupid brother hurt his leg...” |
The injury is fake, noticeable with a DC 8 Wisdom (Medicine) check. Three of the children, Maolsheachlann (LE male
Ffolk human commoner), Finley (CG male
Tethyrian human commoner), and Mariel (N female
Tethyrian human commoner) attempt to pick the adventurers’ pockets while Viktor (NG male
Damaran human commoner) pretends to have an injury and Fabiano (CE female
Turami human commoner) yells at the adventurers' to help them. If detected, the kids laugh and scatter, throwing eggs to cover their retreat. Even if the characters take immediate action to prevent them from running into Scoriaptrak, one eventually does.
Once they see Scoriaptrak, they are in awe... but soon start climbing him. Kefleek is offended at their lack of respect, while the
dragon seems to tolerate the attention.
From the Mouths of Babes
Finley just stares dubiously at the
dragon, while asking the nearest character, “Is it a good dragon or a bad dragon?” If the characters attempt to have a meaningful conversation, and Kefleek’s enchantment has been lifted, the dragon’s mood is lifted for the moment.
A Grave Warning
To begin, read the following:
| The surrounding forest now seems to loom closer than before. Up ahead, six bodies hang from trees on each side of the trail,
long-dead and rotting. Before the bodies, a large stone sits in the middle of the trail. Painted on the stone are the words: TURN BACK! |
The encounter begins with the characters 50 feet from the stone. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the stone is, in fact, a crude sarcophagus.
This whole set-up, a creation of a necromancer, is intended to be a deterrent to travelers. Both the bodies and the stone are traps. If the characters get within 20 feet of the stone, they hear frantic scratching coming from within. If the party still doesn't recognize this as a crude sarcophagus, they now have advantage on the above Perception check.
When a creature moves past the stone, the lid slides from the sarcophagus and the occupants attack: a
ghast, two
ghouls and a
skeleton. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the top of the stone is actually a lid. Placing 200 pounds of material on the lid keeps it shut.
When a creature moves past the first body, each of the six bodies animates as a
zombie and releases itself, falling unharmed to the ground. They attack at once. A glyph on the ground near the first body controls the awakening of the zombies. A successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the glyph, allowing it to be disabled with a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check. Failure on the check triggers the trap.
PTSDragon
Upon seeing the bodies, Scoriaptrak has a traumatic flashback to his own long imprisonment; he begins shaking and only stares blankly ahead. If the characters don’t notice this, Kefleek calls their attention to it by saying, “He no like this, make go away!” Until the bodies are cut down and destroyed or hidden, Scoriaptrak remains immobile, muttering only, “No more bodies, no more bodies...” This also compromises Kefleek’s enchantment.
Undead Redemption
Before the characters trip the stone trap, the
ghost of Eld Armbuckler appears. Read the following:
| A ghostly halfling adventurer appears in front of you. With his palms up, he pleads, “Please help me. My skeleton is here, and I need it.” |
Eld will guiltily relate his backstory: He betrayed the location of his compatriots to save his own life and was killed anyway. The characters should recognize that Eld is seeking redemption and that providing it could help inspire Scoriaptrak. If the characters agree, Eld points to the stone, saying, “I’m in there, but I’m here, too. So are others. It’s confusing.”
If his
skeleton can be restrained for two rounds, Eld can possess it. In this case, he stands up and shakes a characters hand. After the battle, he begins a day-long process of burying his companions (the other undead). He insists on doing the work alone.
Backstory and Enchantment Tune-Up
If still active, Kefleek’s enchantment has been compromised by the
dragon’s trauma; he is suddenly more talkative, but not yet aware of the enchantment. Read the following:
| Scoriaptrak watches Eld work in the gloom of the forest, staring a long minute even after he vanishes. In a new, clear voice, he says to no one in particular, “Was he evil or did he simply do an evil thing? Maybe there’s no difference...” |
If the characters engage on this subject, Scoriaptrak will talk about his imprisonment, but not his rescue. He does not name Myoris. His language will sound more natural than before.
Kefleek soon interrupts, calling a private talk with the dragon to re-assert his enchantment. A successful opposed check Wisdom (Insight) check against Kefleek’s Charisma (Deception) check reveals that the dragon is subdued and more monotonic after the talk.
High Water
Read the following:
| The trail ahead meanders in and out of murky water and a light fog obscures the deep swamp to the east. |
As the party traverse this stretch of flooded trail, a series of small encounters take place. Roll a d4 and consult the table below to find out in which order they occur. Each encounter happens only once:
| Roll | Encounter |
|---|
| 1-2 | Foragers |
| 3 | Timber! |
| 4 | Protect the Swamp-Maker |
Foragers
The characters see three
lizardfolk searching for
frogs, armed with wooden
javelins. Three other
lizardfolk are planting swamp grasses in the muck. If alerted to the characters' presence, the three planter lizardfolk sink into the water and disappear. The remaining three lizardfolk let out a shrieking hiss and make a bluff charge, stopping 10 feet away; an opposed Charisma (Intimidation) vs. an Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Insight) check allows a character to discern the bluff, and that backing off will deescalate the situation.
If the characters turn around, the lizardfolk take no further action (but they do covertly continue to watch the trail for the next few hours). If the characters stand their ground or wish to talk, a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check is needed to avoid an attack. During parley, the lizardfolk will let the party pass only if they are offered a useful item like a metal weapon.
Timber!
A series of loud, slow cracks rapidly becomes a racket of breaking wood as a large tree falls nearby. Two randomly chosen characters must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, take 5 bludgeoning damage from the tree’s branches on a failed save and no damage on a successful one. A successful DC 5 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that a nearby
beaver is responsible.
Protect the Swamp-Maker
A
lizardfolk is protecting two baby
beavers from a
giant leech. The leech is clearly winning, wrapped around the lizardfolk’s leg. It is currently, as the characters arrive, just managing to keep the beavers out of reach. If the characters choose to help, the lizardfolk is grateful (but expressionless). She gives the PCs her bone necklace as a token of gratitude, which gives the chosen character advantage on any Charisma checks with lizardfolk.
Developments
After the encounters are concluded, Keeflek might question the characters about their actions. The
kobold and
dragon don’t fully understand non-aggressive behavior, so their questions always probe at the characters' reasoning for their selfless actions (if they in fact committed them):
- Foragers: “Why no crush the lizards? You stronger than they. And they in our way!”
- Timber! “Why no kill tree-chewer? He attack you!”
- Protect The Swamp-Maker. “Why help lizard and tree-chewer? They no help you.”
If the party attempts to explain the benefits of seeking cooperation instead of domination, or of simply not murdering indiscriminately, then they make a positive impression on Scoriaptrak.
Hilltop
At this location, a plateau rises 100 feet above the surrounding forest. The top is dominated by grasses, scattered trees, boulders, and shallow caves.
Six soaring
vultures are visible above the plateau, but a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals there are two
harpies as well. At night, the harpies roost on a high, exposed rock outcropping.
Each plateau must be reached either by walking up through steep forest or by climbing a cliff face with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. The walking route is open enough to accommodate Scoriaptrak but is watched by a harpy, which ambushes the party from the treetops. The cliff is unwatched. At the base of the cliff, a DC 8 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals old “pellets” - the harpies’ regurgitated waste, full of bones.
Elven Ally in Peril
A
kenku ranger, hired by Myoris weeks ago, is searching for Scoriaptrak. At the top of the plateau, the characters witness an attack on the ranger, described below.
One
kenku named Tweeskree has run afoul of some harpies. They have trapped her in a cave, but the encounter is currently at a stalemate; Tweeskree partially blocked the entrance with rocks and stuffed wax in her earholes to avoid their Luring Song ability.
A
harpy lurches and hops clumsily around the mouth of the cave, trying in vain to move the large stones. Two more
harpies and a pet
peryton circle in the sky, waiting for a fight.
A Mixed-Up Message
If Tweeskree is rescued, she lets loose a series of warbles, including the words, “Many thanks!”. She eventually emits a startling,
draconic roar and points around the landscape questioningly - she’s looking for a dragon. If Tweeskree sees Scoriaptrak, she whoops in joy. Her goal now is to convince the dragon to follow her, or failing that, to run back to the
elves and inform them of Scoriaptrak’s location. She first delivers a message; read the following:
| The excited kenku clears her throat and begins speaking in a new voice - that of a male elf. The message is garbled, though, and spoken in fragments... |
Tweeskree “recorded” a message from Myoris weeks ago, just before he died. Her Common isn’t great, though, and she’s mixed up the order of the phrases. The actual message is ordered as seen below. But when relating the message to the characters, roll a d10 and consult the table below. She ‘replays’ each phrase only once, but will happily ‘replay’ the complete message if the characters unscramble it.
| Roll | Phrase |
|---|
| 1 | My dear Red. If you are hearing my voice |
| 2 | then it means that this -cough |
| 3 | cough- clever kenku has found you. |
| 4 | I hope you received my letter. |
| 5 | I fear I don’t have much -cough |
| 6 | cough- time left. |
| 7 | We’ll be camped by the eastern edge of |
| 8 | Skull Gorge until winter, waiting for you |
| 9 | Then we must leave. Remember friend, |
| 10 | there is good in you. I’ve seen it. |
After hearing Myoris’ unscrambled message, Scoriaptrak is deeply affected. Even if Kefleek’s enchantment is active, the dragon will talk about Myoris, his imprisonment, and their friendship. With heartfelt roleplaying, the dragon’s spirits will be lifted. After delivering her message, Tweeskree is content to let the characters decide her next action: accompany them or run ahead to make contact with the elves.
Keeflek Revealed
This encounter triggers when the characters dispel Kefleek’s control over Scoriaptrak and aggressively confront him. If Kefleek is backed into a corner, seeing no other way of retaining control of the
dragon, he lashes out: he screams for Scoriaptrak to kill the characters. Even though Kefleek’s spell has been broken, its residual magic allows him one last command.
Any ensuing combat results in Kefleek lying to prevent any attacks on himself: “Dragon and I together! I die, HE die!” The dragon attacks but looks increasingly confused. To stop the attack immediately, and permanently end Kefleek’s enchantment, the characters must destroy the coin (its in Keeflek's robes). Without destroying the coin, combat continues for a maximum of 10 rounds, at which time the dragon collapses from exhaustion; Kefleek is still free to re-fresh his enchantment later.
Draconic Confrontation
If the characters are successful above, the
dragon is fully aware, and he and Kefleek clash. Read the following:
| Scoriaptrak rises up to his full, terrible height, seemingly bigger than before, bellowing, “KEFLEEK! How dare you!? You’ve betrayed me!”
Kefleek stands his ground, trembling and shaking his fist. “NO! YOU betray ME! I wait for you. All kobolds die, leave. I stay! For YOU! For Lord! And you come back! I so happy! I give you new plans! But you no care for me! You no want destroy, rule. You... now... NICE! I HATE you!!”
The kobold collapses in a sobbing heap. The dragon snarls and raises a foot... |
To Scoriaptrak, Kefleek is the embodiment of his evil past, and at this moment, he wants to be done with it all. The characters must take immediate action to prevent him from killing Kefleek. Attempting to restrain him or clear roleplaying that protects Kefleek will succeed, no checks needed. If the characters defuse the situation so that Kefleek is saved, the dragon and
kobold both pout, and avoid each other’s company.
Still Determined to Die
With Kefleek’s enchantment now permanently broken, Scoriaptrak can now be inspired towards redemption. But at this moment, Scoriaptrak is still suicidal. Kefleek’s enchantment merely kept him docile and had no impact on the
dragon’s self-loathing. After everyone has gathered themselves, this problem becomes more clearly apparent.
Read the following:
| Scoriaptrak gives a resolute snort. “I can see clearly now that I cannot make up for my evil deeds. I shouldn’t even try. So let’s get going. We hired you to throw me from a mountain, not stand around like sausages.”
Kefleek shrugs and says, “This not my fault”. |
Only with multiple redemptive acts can the characters change the dragon’s state of mind. For now, the dragon is content to work within the character's plans, as long as he believes he is headed towards the
Sunset Mountains.
Bahamut's Blessing
The lawful good
dragon deity
Bahamut has been watching Scoriaptrak, drawn by Myoris’ prayers and the struggle in the
red dragon’s soul.
Bahamut seeks Scoriaptrak’s conversion to good, but cannot act directly on the Material Plane. He therefore greatly values the character's efforts. He visits one character while they are resting. Read the following:
| As you drift through the twilight between wakefulness and sleep, a deep, golden voice surrounds you: “Show my child the good he can do”, it rumbles, “for We wait for him at the end.” |
Allow the character to ask a question, then inform them that the presence leaves without answering. As they awaken, they come to realize that Scoriaptrak knows nothing of the godly visitation, but does state that "he feels odd".
A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals one of the scales on the dragons chest has turned gold. Scoriaptrak has no comment.
On the Path to Redemption
This encounter triggers after the other encounters and if the characters have helped Scoriaptrak to shed his depressed, dark state of mind. The
dragon is no longer suicidal, and the characters see a change in him. Scoriaptrak attempts to reconcile with Kefleek, culminating in the following exchange:
| The dragon stares past the kobold and says to him quietly, “Kefleek. Thank you for your loyalty for these many years. But the dragon you remember... the one who committed so many evils... is gone. I do not know who stands in his place, but I have no anger for you.”
The kobold blinks his cloudy eyes and stands up, unsure of the dragon’s words. He stares for a long second then embraces the dragon’s snout. |
Kefleek is slowly coming to terms with Scoriaptrak’s new, less-evil side. Scoriaptrak also thanks the characters for being inspirational figures, and for helping him see that anyone, no matter how dark their past, can be redeemed.
Showcase the progress the characters are making in changing Scoriaptrak’s heart. With appropriate encouragement from a character and a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Scoriaptrak can now be convinced to participate in whatever combat encounter comes next.
To the Elves!
With suicide at the
Sunset Mountains now not a problem, Scoriaptrak is unsure of his next step. He would be interested to meet with the
elves at
Skull Gorge.
Kefleek is the only one who knows about the planned meetup with the Cult of the Dragon at the Sunset Mountains. He keeps this to himself, hoping it is now irrelevant. He tries to steer the party away from the Sunset Mountains, with no good explanation of why. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check will reveal that he is hiding something. He will admit to his former plan, if pushed and/or realizing that he can no longer keep it a secret.
Wrap-Up
If Kefleek’s enchantment hasn’t been lifted, Scoriaptrak’s depression is unchanged and the characters overhear Kefleek refresh his enchantment. The characters now level up as well.
Finale
The redemptive journey for the characters and
dragon can end here. The last threat is the
blue dragon that’s been hunting Scoriaptrak. After the dragon has been defeated are dealt with, the party can find Myoris’ band of
elves, concluding the adventure.
Out of the Blue
A rival
dragon ambushes the party. The
blue dragon, Nymixeartia, has been hunting Scoriaptrak since he escaped her just prior to this adventure and has finally caught up to the party.
Contact with an
elven ally kicks off the scene. Read the following:
| Scoriaptrak’s lair entrance is now barely visible on the mountainside before you. On a slope between you and the cave, a small rockslide betrays the presence of a lone figure, rapidly sliding downhill. He seems to be hailing you and waving. |
The cave entrance is 500 feet away when the encounter starts. The elven scout Andralir (NG male
wood elf scout) has been stationed by Scoriaptrak’s lair in case the dragon returned. He hails the characters excitedly, then the following occurs:
- He sees the blue dragon plummeting from the sky above. A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Andralir’s waving has gone from friendly to frantic, allowing the party one round to react.
- Should a character look up, a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the blue dragon streaking towards them, negating her element of surprise.
Nymixeartia the
young blue dragon crashes into Scoriaptrak, claws first (doing an extra 4d10 slashing damage). She seeks to kill Scoriaptrak, ignoring all attacks on her until she’s done so.
Scoriaptrak’s Lair
Read the following:
| Inside the large cavern, the stone floor is smooth, worn down by years of scaled bellies and tails. The chamber is quite empty, but, for those with a keen imagination, the smell of old coins appears to hang within the air.
Scoriaptrak studies his old lair for a long moment, then coughs and shuffles around. From the look deep within his eyes, he seems ready to leave.
Movement from unrecognizable figures can be seen in the gloom towards the rear of the cave. |
The remnants of the Cult of the Dragon cell have been waiting to formally meet with Scoriaptrak here, as arranged by Kefleek. The team consists of two
thugs, a
dragonwing and a
swashbuckler. The dragonwing carries a tribute in case they deemed Scoriaptrak a useful ally. The team is happy to fight against the characters and Scoriaptrak once they realize the
dragon is no longer evil.
The Cult's tribute consists of 200 pp, a crystal-framed mirror (500 gp), and a statue of
Tiamat (500 gp). The dragon’s hoard consists of the following:
Skull Gorge
The
elves are camped out at the edge of
Skull Gorge, close too but not within the ravine. If Tweeskree the
kenku ran ahead of the party, she is here as well.
At the sight of the party or Scoriaptrak, the elves let loose a mighty cheer (by elven standards). Once in the camp, Myoris’ apprentice, Gryvenir (N female
wood elf druid), speaks directly to Scoriaptrak, quoting an elven poem that was his favorite. Scoriaptrak is touched by the gesture and relaxes. Gryvenir offers Scoriaptrak a home, which he accepts.
The band’s leader, Nihymia (NG female
wood elf high druid), addresses the characters: “We are all in your debt. What happened to this
dragon may be unique in Faerûn's history. He will be a valuable ally to us all.” Nihymia casts mass cure wounds on the characters if they are wounded, and consults with them about where they are heading next.
Before the characters leave, Scoriaptrak turns to them to thank them. It can end with: “I’m where I’m supposed to be now. But I would have died a miserable beast were it not for you. I am in your debt.”
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