Night Chat Summary for 7 April, 2000

As we started things were looking pretty grim for the party. The dragon had blocked off most of the party members while others were seeking to flee.

We’ll take actions by character (as best I can remember them!)

In general about half of the party members started to flee. The others engaged the dragon. Over the course of several rounds some of the repeated attacks started getting through the dragon’s armor, until by the end of the round the five individuals fighting the dragon had managed to badly wound it. Their stoneskins had saved them from similar wounds. The dragon ends up disappearing, reappearing a moment later blocking the exit from the cave complex.

Matar: Matar finally got his Breath Mint of Death prepared, shoving all his possibly dangerous herbs into one small sack. Since Thengal had moved past him to engage the dragon Matar was ready to take the pill down the dragon’s throat himself when the dragon got to him. Somewhat to the badly wounded warrior’s surprise, he never was attacked.

Katrina: Katrina was one of the party members fleeing. While those on wings easily outdistanced her, she made it past the dragon. Katrina, sensing that the party was holding its own against the dragon, had stopped just before the dragon disappeared. She applied her Dust of Disappearance in preparation to attack the dragon when it disappeared.

Sane: The kenku was another party member fleeing. It was difficult to fly in the foggy chamber, but by sticking close to the walls he made it to the exit about the time that the tide began to turn in the battle. He stopped right at the exit and saw the dragon suddenly appear under him.

Shadow: After carefully backing away from the dragon Shadow fled. She was about half way out of the cavern when the dragon switched positions.

Ariessus: Ari spent several rounds attacking the dragon, managing to hit it once. She then took several serious blows and dropped negative. She managed to stay conscious long enough for Matar and Amber to stabilize her. She then cast several cure spells on herself, eager to get back into the fight. K’harn, however, would have nothing to do with that. Knowing that one blow from the dragon could easily kill her mistress, the cat actually sat on Ari until the drow agreed not to attack the dragon in melee combat. Up until that time K’harn had been fighting alongside Ariessus.

Diana: After given the order to retreat Diana made the difficult decision to leave. She reasoned that her Portal spells were the best hope the party had of bringing back help in time to save those who would inevitebly fall in combat. She used her Oil of Etherealness. Once it took effect she shifted into the ethereal plane (which cut off her contact with the party via the Combat Empathy spell) and fled the area.

Castinar: With the dragon threatening Shadow and then attacking Ariessus Castinar waded in, attacking the dragon’s flank with both Finslayer and his scimitar. Like the others, he got in a couple lucky strikes, while his stoneskins saved his life more than once. He was pressing the attack when the dragon suddenly disappeared. Meanwhile, Hunter has found one possible hiding place for the party and is continuing to look for a better one.

Amber: Amber spent most the round running around and, unfortunately, falling down. A combination of the glass and the rough surface of the ground tripped the halfling up twice as she tried to get around the dragon. She finished up the session by casting a cure spell on herself as she considered the wisdom of trying to run in the foggy, dangerous caverns.

Xaveus: After moving through the tunnel wall down to the dragon’s flank Xaveus emerged and began to attack. Like the others, he was able to hurt the dragon slightly but wasn’t attacked before the wyrm disappeared.

Nikki: Safely away from the combat Nikki cast several spells on herself. She first cast Wraithform, and then followed that up by shifting her form to that of a giant dragonfly. In that form she rapidly flew out of the caverns, outdistancing even Sane as he flew out. When the dragon switched locations she was already half way down the tunnel leading to the behir cave.

Thengal: After having slipping problems of his own, Thengal finally made it up to the battle, where, like the others, he got a few hits in. The dwarf takes a couple hits from the dragon, but it was his blow that finally drove the dragon off.

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At the end of the chat session I took intentions for the following round. Sane asked if he could delay his actions, since he wanted to come up with something real good since he was the only party member really in a position to do anything. The following are the party’s intentions:

Matar: stand up

Katrina: move towards dragon at x2 speed

Sane: cast Audible Glamer of Diana and Nikki casting a spell

Shadow: x2 to M14, stop

Ariessus: CLW on Ariessus

K’harn: talk to Ari

Diana: fleeing

Castinar: CLW on Thengal

Hunter: keep searching

Amber: stand up

Xaveus: check on Ari

Nikki: stops when Sane calls to her

Thengal: accepts CLW from Castinar

Initiative: dragon wins, 2 to 3

Events:

Most everything is pretty brainless. Kat manages to run forward without a problem, but Shadow totally biffs it (rolled a 20) and gets a scrape. Amber stands up. Ari and Thengal are both cured slightly (Ari getting a good roll). K’harn is still unwilling to let Ari enter direct combat with the dragon, but is obviously relieved at Ari’s recovery.

The only thing of combat interest that happens is Sane trying to trick the dragon. The illusionist casts an audible glamer spell of two people sneaking up towards the dragon, then of Nikki and Diana whispering about casting a spell from a scroll.

The spell apparently distracts the dragon. Sane hears the sound of the dragon moving below him, and then a little further back in the tunnel a sound he will not soon forget - the sound of the dragon breathing on something.

End of Round

Sane - something for you to consider is that since the dragon did win initiative it gassed the illusionary sounds before the spell would have gone off. Keep that in mind for you intentions for next round.

That’s where we stand now. The combat map once again shows the large picture, 50’ squares. Other things to keep in mind:

- Diana is effectively out of the battle for several more turns, until her etherealness wears off.

- Shadow is prone and will need to stand up this round. She also doesn’t have her bow with her.

See you all tonight.

Saif