Icemonth the 20th, 5:30 PM. We had spent 6 hours going through the dragon’s horde and gearing ourselves up, moving things around, and maximizing our possible take away assuming we can make it back to Specularum. By this time, the 3 burning fires in the cave were still going strong but we wanted to see if there was a way out.
So we went to the south end of the cave and began walking down the tall and wide passage. Some 4 dozen paces away was a shelf with a number of scrolls and ledgers, a table, some graphite styluses, and a smattering of poor paper. The scratches on the furnishings and floor indicated that Netherathraxus had come down here many times, most likely to talk to whoever who come to the tables.
We spent a few hours going through the ledgers and the scrolls. It detailed (crudely) Netherathraxus’ horde accumulation and the Ahshit clan who was acting as the shepherd for the dragon. There were mention of parental dragons and the charge laid on the kobold and goblin tribes in the area to cater to the young dragon until their expected return. In 300 years there was no indication of that.
As for the horde, it shows a slow but steady climb as tribute was paid. At some point 2 or 3 years ago, a woman named Valeria from an organization known as the Syndicate, came to borrow money, 500 crowns, with a repayment time to follow shortly after. Further loan scrips showed she had returned, said she paid back the loan, and took another one out for her group.
But we had cataloged the dragon’s money and there was a discrepancy. Yandr totaled it all up and if you subtract the last 9 loans in total, that is the amount the horde was short. Valeria had been skimming from the dragon. She had come last time 2 months ago. Was she also skimming from the Syndicate? Who were they and where were they from? Future us would have to worry about it.
We walked down the cave for an hour, the passage heading ever northward, until finally, the air cooled and we came out in the snow on the side of a hill somewhere in the forest area. Looking at Gun’s map and relying on our sense of direction, we guessed we were east and north of the Monastery – like off the map off.
Going out in the snow and cold seemed terrible, so we turned and headed back, walking another hour until we arrived again at the Dragon’s lair. We laid out bedrolls and most of us crapped out, sleeping quickly. Cara and a few others were trying to gather up material to make a set of scale mail but the scales were difficult to harvest. Most of us fell asleep. Fjord kept trying, fucking up scales and stabbing himself in the process.
Icemonth the 21st we awoke late, our oil stores were getting low, lantern was refilled. We managed to get the last of the scales and were off by 9:45 AM. Before 11 we were at the cave and began walking south. Some endure elements were spread about, Gun was placed in the middle, and we started our walk. It was slow slow going, the snow drifted to almost 4 feet in some places, trees were thick enough, and the underbrush kept us from achieving any real speed.
Exhausted, about 2:30 we emerged crossways onto one of the goblin trails, giving us a chance to look over the assassin’s map. We climbed the local tree to get a look of the land around us. We guessed we were west of the long lake, north west of the hobgoblin encampment. From the elevated perch, we could see the waterfall area to the east, but it looked like some figures were there (Ogres?).
We talked about options and decided to walk south from here, trailblazing again, The witches’ cottage should be there. Eventually.
So we walked on in the snow until 2 or 3 party members just had enough of the cold. We could not walk on any more. We used shields and shovels to clear out an area to sleep. A few of us went out to get what dry wood we could find, getting a few lucky rolls in the process. We lit a fire, huddled together for warmth, and ate our dwindling stores of food. “Three or so days to go,” Thobar let us know.
We rested, watches kept, and slept as best we could during the night. Eventually some wolf calls rang out, getting slowly closer. Cara used her Dawn spell and woke everyone up. An arrow flew from the dark hitting the wood pile near us. Yandr called whoever it was to come closer. We read the note. It was from Fuckna Ahshit. And he wanted single honor combat with Yandr as promised. Yandr called for him to come out now and face him. Another arrow followed and he ignored it, calling out dishonor, not a good follower of Maglubiyat, and do it now.
Fuckna called back. Not now, in the dawn after breakfast. And be ready. More words were exchanged but the hobgoblin and the wolves did retreat.
We rested as best we could (not getting a full night). After the sun rose, Fuckha Ahsit, a dozen other hobgoblins, 6 goblins, 4 ogres, and 3 wargs came. The goblins were instructed to make an area to fight. Rules were the two of the warriors would fight without interference. Loser loses all they are carrying to the other. Anyone else interferes, the rules are void and the rest of the combatants join the fight.
One of the hobgoblin talked to Gun for a bit, setting up a side bet. Neither side likes their knight and there was some bonding over that. As for Fjord, the ogres here found him to be runty and made them vomitous. Hrimvir? Totally fine.
Yandr and Fuckna went to the middle and the battle rang on. Fuckna tried to go for some power attacks early but Yandr’s armor was too thick and heavy. So they danced around, hitting and trading blows. Most didn’t fall well, but bruises and exhaustion slowly climbed up. After 9 minutes, the Ogre, Clog, called for a break. The two of them healed with potions and then got ready to fight on.
Another 9 minutes of fighting went on. Yandr went through both of his shields and Fuckna did the same to his. A few solid blows did land, one of them shattering the paladin’s shield arm in a spiral fracture, making it hang useless. Both were badly hurt and after another 9 minutes of fighting the Ogre stopped it again. Yandr and Fuckna wanted it to end but neither wanted to quit. They settled on 5 more rounds of combat and if no winner, then a draw – their gods want more from them than just death.
So they struggled on until it ended. Arms were embraced and the ogres and hobgoblins ordered the goblins to break camp. We all were going to go south over the hill to the witches’ cottage to rest and discuss what comes next. Fuckna and Yandr found a strange camaraderie at this point.
Icemonth the 22nd at 9:30 we came to the magical clearing and Rosabella and Rosalinda were happy to meet with us. Illi had fleshed out, the young boy working on making cookies. A giantess was here as well, drinking tea and meeting with Rosabella. Pastries and drinks were handed out and we shared with the sisters what we could tell them without actually mentioning the dragon was now killed. They went to work on tattooing for Illi and offered to trade our blood stores with us for other items. We upgraded some staves, rings, and wands, gave them the blood, got some tattoos and a chance to read a magical tome. Hrimvir spent some time with the giant woman in the carnal sense and by evening, Illi was declared to be spell free.
We were going to leave in the morning. Fuckna and a number of the other hobgoblins were going to come with us to go to Jector and see what they had been missing following Gavin’s lead for so long.
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