20030607 DayDragon2

<H1> Day of the Dragon, Part 2 </H1>
<H2> Roll Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Fingle </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/17th Gnome Cleric/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Richard Jacobsen </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Grackle </TD>
 <TD> 6th/10th/4th Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue/Templar </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kill'Dar </TD>
 <TD> 17th/3rd Elf Wizard/Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Borgar </TD>
 <TD> 10th/6rd Dwarf Cleric/Warpriest </TD>
 <TD> Matt Miller </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Prince Donner </TD>
 <TD> 6th/13th/2nd Human Fighter/Wizard/Fatespinner </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 19th Human Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Estus </TD>
 <TD> 17th Human Cleric </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Colin </TD>
 <TD> 16th/4th Human Fighter/Hospitaler </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Auric </TD>
 <TD> 13th (20th CL) Wemic Druid </TD>
 <TD> Keith Farrar </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<H3> Auric's Challenge </H3>
One of the blue dragons is about to step forward, but a brass dragon steps forward and shouts out "Who will come forward and challenge me!" Donner has Auric step forward. This particular dragon looks like he's been in a lot of fights (lots of missing scales, wounds).
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Sirocco:</B> Okay then. If you blow it twice, we go to battle. That'll be grand. Okay, first let's see if you've got any balls. Should be easy for you. I happen to know where there's a pack of trolls. But even better from that, they're led by an abomination from the center of the world. You can take 'em. I couldn't--well, maybe I could, but if you could I'd be mighty impressed. You can run there, or you could trust me to carry you. Or I could tell you where it is and you can get yourself there.
<B>Auric:</B> Why don't you tell me where it is and I'll decide?
<B>Sirocco:</B> Well, that's kind of a wimpy way to go, but okay. Keep up or grab onto my tail, we'll be going through the front gate.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
The brass starts digging and going into the ground. The party hands Auric the helmet and the Golden Cloak. The dragon digs down about 900 feet in about 3 minutes, tunneling through earth and bedrock. The brass dragon leaps into open space. Looking through the opening, he's at the top portion of a large (200' high) underground cave. Auric changes into a bat and descends, and the dragon does likewise. The cave is quite warm, possibly due to the proximity of a volcano. The cavern appears to be naturally formed, but not due to water formations.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Sirocco:</B> Well, easy enough to get there from here. All you gotta do is kill the abomination.
<B>Auric:</B> So, I kill the abomination and this challenge is over.
<B>Sirocco:</B> Don't worry, if you lose and it kills you, I'll fetch you back. We still gotta have the real challenge.
<B>Auric:</B> No problem.
<B>Sirocco:</B> What you're looking for is the critter that I guarantee you that you've never seen before that has a pack of trolls working for it not too far from here--about a mile. I think you'll know it when you see it.
<B>Auric:</B> Just one?
<B>Sirocco:</B> Last time I checked.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
As Auric prepares to cast Commune with Nature, the brass dragon amuses himself by digging a small hole and sticking his tail in it--apparently, he is dipping his tail in the magma and enjoying the heat. Auric begins wandering and he walks about 200 feet before the ceiling is within view. Auric continues walking and the area he is walking becomes narrower.
Sirocco: C'mon, c'mon! We haven't got all day!
Auric notices that one of the tunnels has been modified by tools. Auric flies down the cavern, there are points where there have been steps added. At various points, the tunnel turns and more steps continue. As Auric flies around, he notices that the ground is not stable--it appears that the floor is slowly undulating. Occasionally, a crack appears and a glow of red.
There are other bats in the room. They're larger than Auric and they're starting to congregate at the other end of the room. He flies back, changes shapes, and steps into the Ethereal plane. Auric sees six shapes burst out of the lava and immediately hurl huge chunks of lava over the stairs back where he was. Auric moves through the lave and ends up at the other end of the tube, which entered the lava. At this point, the cavern appears to be constructed stonework. As Auric steps down the passageway, he passes some sort of Symbol, which he doesn't trigger.
Auric sees four figures but attempts circumvents them by walking through the walls around them. He sticks his head out but hasn't quite passed them. They appear gaunt, but they are definitely trolls. They are dressed strangely, with all kinds of jewelry--lots of stonework, and gemstones. They all seem to be fairly inert. Fingle sends: " If someone told me that they were from the Deep Underdark, I wouldn't be surprised."
Auric passes through the entrance and the room is cylindrical, 20' high and 100' in diameter. The inlaid stones give Auric the impression that this room was carefully crafted to be perfectly circular. In the center of the room is a raised pedastal and some sort of solid black cylinder that goes entirely to the ceiling. Auric steps back in the Prime Material Plane and the room looks much the same.
Donner casts a Limited Wish as a Divination: "Should you choose Pyrrhus' road, take the narrow green path through the sightless citadel. Rely on nature's hordes and Tyche's blessing. Prepare for the scales to change."
Auric makes his way back to the large cavern. He appears to have dug a larger hottub-style pool in the magma. He appears to be lounging in the magma.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Auric:</B> (Describes)
<B>Sirocco:</B> So you think I'd be easier to beat? 'Cause that's what I'm hearing.
<B>Sirocco:</B> (Thinks) Nah, we'll do that if you beat me. (Thinks some more)
<B>Auric:</B> What's that?
<B>Sirocco:</B> I've got some stupid riddle, but I'll ask that if you beat me.
<B>Auric:</B>
<B>Sirocco:</B> This is a one-upsmanship You start by telling me a spell, weapon, or ally, and I respond or spell, weapon, or ally which beats that. And you respond with something that beats that. And the first one to concede loses. I'll start: summoned badgers.
<B>Auric:</B> More badgers.
<B>Sirocco:</B> I breathe fire. I'd roast those badgers.
<B>Auric:</B> I'd summon a fire elemental.
<B>Sirocco:</B> Okay, I cook the badgers and in comes a fire elemental. (Thinks for a moment) I cast a Cone of Cold.
<B>Auric:</B> I cast Protection from Elements--Cold.
<B>Sirocco:</B> I eat it.
<B>Auric:</B> I shapechange into Golkundra and eat you.
<B>Sirocco:</B> I fly into the air until your spell runs out and call on my buddy the Genie to destroy you.
<B>Auric:</B> I change into a dragon and cast Harm on you.
<B>Sirocco:</B> As long as I don't resist, you'd be right. Let's let the gods decide. Bahamut says that isn't going to win. So, I win!
<B>Auric:</B> Well, I guess I'll see you in the fight then.
<B>Sirocco:</B> (Whispers to Auric) Good call on the first challenge.
<B>Auric:</B> Assuming that we live, is that something that we should take care of?
<B>Sirocco:</B> All that the Great Platinum one tells me is Woe, Woe, and Woe. So, I don't know.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<H3> Donner's Challenge </H3>
Donner steps forward. The same blue is about to step forward. The larger of the green older dragon looks him back and slowly steps forward.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Green:</B> I am Chlora. We will have ourselves a little game today. The first thing you will do is prove to me that you are the wizard king that you claim to me. Here, in plain sight of everyone you will prove to me your magical prowess. Are you ready? I believe you are familiar with the rules of this particular challenge.
<B>Donner:</B> This is the challenge of casting spells?
<B>Chlora:</B> Indeed or chooses to concede.
<B>Donner:</B> Very well, may I have a moment to confer?
<B>Chlora:</B> Of course, I will do the same.
<B>Donner:</B> On second thought, I will face you now will the equipment that I have.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Round 1:</B> Donner casts Wall of Force in the smallest possible area around himself. Chlora casts Haste and then polymorphs into a Pixie.
<B>Round 2:</B> Donner Hastes himself and casts Resistance on himself. Chlora casts Fire Shield and then Dimension Door into the Wall of Force.
<B>Round 3:</B> Donner uses Limited Wish to cast an Anti-Magic Shell. All spells are removed, and the sphere appears to be filled with compressed goo.
Donner's hemisphere appears to be filled with stuff (in this case, highly compressed Donner and Chlora) and he's not there. Fingle uses his Armillary to detect both Donner and the green dragon and they both fail to detect. The chromatics appear disturbed, and the metallic dragons appear to be unconcerned. Several members of the party (DC 15 Spot, DC 25 Spellcraft), see the black dragon has just cast a Message spell.
Estus goes into Fingle's mansion so that he may memorize Resurrection. About four rounds later, the crushed remains inside the sphere settle a bit. Fingle casts a Limited Wish for Donner's body in the Portable Hole. After about five minutes, the Black Dragon appears to be paying close attention to the party's movements and tactics. The chromatic dragons appear to be less agitated, and the metallics continue to relax. Grackle spots that the stuff in the done appears to have shifted several times inside.
Colin walks up and uses X-Ray Vision to peek inside the sphere. Inside, there appears to be a 3-foot diameter hole in the ground and Fingle is using the Armillary to detect Donner's equipment. It is moving away from the Wall of Force, outside the circle of dragons.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Kalfnir:</B> There are no dragons involved here. There was no summoning cast.
<B>Fingle:</B> There was a message.
<B>Grackle:</B> Someone has taken Donner's items from the sphere.
<B>Kalfnir:</B> I have dominion over dragons only. What is going on here doesn't involve any dragons.
<B>Kill'Dar:</B> I wish that all of Donner's items were right in front of me.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Grackle and Kill'Dar go ethereal and attempt to go after whoever or whatever have taken Donner's items. They end up in a cubical room, 100' on a side. Looking around, they see four creatures at the bottom of the room. Meanwhile, Auric tells the dragons of the Children of Lorga and their link to the dragons.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Kalfnir:</B> Well, I have the ability to tell if someone is lying to me. (To the black dragon) Are your agents interfering in the challenge?
<B>Black:</B> No agents of mine are involved here.
<B>Kalfnir:</B> Nondragons operating under their own recognizance are operating outside the bounds of this council.
<B>Auric:</B> But did you inform them that the Prince's body was here?
<B>Kalfnir:</B> I have constantly been informing my friends and allies. As has everyone else in this council.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Fingle, Kill'Dar, and Grackle turn ethereal or incorporeal and chase after the thieves. As they cross a large room, the Armillary indicates that the perpetrators are in the room. As they turn around, Fingle and Kill'Dar see four invisible medusae.
<B>Round 1:</B> Kill'Dar casts Horrid Wilting on the four medusae.<BR />The lead casts Haste on himself. He then casts a Greater Dispelling on Kill'Dar. The second casts Greater Dispelling on Kill'Dar and casts Greater Dispelling Screen around the three party members. The third casts two Blade Barriers.<BR />Grackle turns Ethereal and moves into the ground next to the medusae. Fingle teleports out of the 
<B>Round 2:</B> Kill'Dar wishes the party near him. The leader enemy moves forward and casts Chain Phantasmal Killer and Prismatic Spray (Marta disappears) on the party. The second one casts Domination on Colin, and then casts Mass Suggestion. The third casts Flame Strike and then Blasphemy. The fourth casts Fire Storm on the party (dropping Borgar), then follows up with another Flame Strike.<BR />Fingle wishes for Estus to be able to cast a spell right now. Estus casts Mass Heal on the party. Grackle comes up from the floor but misses his opponent. Fingle determines that two of the creatures are the likely candidates (Green or Black colored figure) for having Donner's ring.
<B>Round 3:</B> Kill'Dar casts Iron Body on himself and then moves towards the figures. The form a circle around Grackle, link hands and they attempt to Plane Shift away. Kill'Dar attempts to grapple the main caster, but it breaks away.<BR />Fingle locates the medusae and they're in the Outlands. Fingle then detects for Marta and she's in the Positive Energy Plane. Unfortunately, they will have no way of getting her back before she dies. The group flies back to the Council of Wyrms. 25 minutes later, Donner is brought back to life.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Donner:</B> Kalfnir, is Chlora able to do the rest of the challenges?
<B>Kalfnir:</B> If Chlora does not appear, she forfeits. (Looks at the hourglass, waits a short while). She forfeits.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Chlora flies in from south, looking quite tired. Kalfnir informs Chlora that he lost. Chlora looks unhappy but accepts.
Arik offers his help. The group tells him what happened during the combat. The dragons begin arguing among themselves. The result is that the metallic dragons make it clear that if there is proof of interference from their agents, then their agents will do the same. If the chromatics want a war now, they will get one.
<H3> Foes Fought </H3>