Excerpted from the journal of Etaf Gerin

 

May 16, 1376 (The Year of the Bent Blade)

 

Today, as I went about my business in Daggerdale, I found time to search for magical spells and materials. I had learned from my friends among Randal Morn's guard that there is a sorcerer in the tiny town who sells his wares in the Market Square. Seeking him out, I came across his small and tidy shop, unnamed but for a sign above the door with the symbol of a viper's head.

 

Upon entering, I immediately made the acquaintance of the owner, a half-elf named Garsyth.  The soft-spoken, red-haired sorcerer seemed very interested in listening to any stories about rare spells such as Gaes or Baleful Polymorph. Unfortunately I have no knowledge of complex spells such as these, but I promised to let him know if I found any clues in my travels. He also introduced me to his friend and business partner Phantu, a bard if I ever saw one.

 

Garsyth said that scrolls in this area are increasingly hard to come by since the battles to the north ensued.  He did have a few extras, though: Create Magic Tattoo, Analyze Portal, Summon Monster III, and Obscuring Mist. I was ecstatic! Happily paying his asking price, I immediately returned to our inn and began study of the scrolls.

 

All but the first are too complex for my current skills, but I’m confident that this will change soon. I’m learning much of the arts in every encounter in our adventures. And simply studying these spells is a wealth of knowledge that is fascinating. I can’t wait until I have the opportunity to take Elminster up on his offer to study with him – surely that great mage will have even more complex arcane knowledge to explore!

 

I feel confident in my ability to use the magical Tattoo spell, and so I will scribe it into my spellbook at the first opportunity. Besides the obvious magical protection afforded by the spell, it will be most amusing to stick a needle into my companions’ arms and have them thank me for it.

 

May 19, 1376

 

I can’t believe that we faced a dragon and lived to tell the tale. Not just a dragon, but a red dragon, arguably the most dangerous of the beasts! But I’m getting ahead of myself, the story should be told from the beginning.

 

After several days in Daggerdale we returned to Quasqueton Keep, only to find the door barred. Not only that, but someone shot arrows at us from the tower! After breaking in and conducting a search of the ground floor, we spotted a halfling. After a brief scuffle, we captured the little rogue. Alton claimed that he was serving the previous owners as a watchman, and had been at his post for 50 years. After some discussion, we convinced him that we were the new owners – at least, as long as his previous masters did not return. After apologizing for the arrows, he agreed to continue to serve as watchman while the keep was under our rule.

 

Alton showed us several interesting things around the keep, the most interesting of which was the stairway leading into the lower levels. He refused to even consider going into those levels, claiming that those who ventured there never returned. That, of course, only increased our curiosity. Soon we left the halfling behind and headed into the lower levels.

 

The first thing we saw was a bloody scrawl on the wall, which read “Beware of Ra’aze!” Clearly creatures other than our halfling watchman were frightened of whatever lived down here.

 

We found several rooms, a few monsters, a wishing stone, and even a door leading to the Underdark, but all of it is only a blur in my mind. Overshadowing it all is the encounter with Ra’aze. Omiata had been exploring ahead, and reported seeing a red glow in the distance. As we approached, the temperature increased until all of us were sweating freely (except BadAxe, whose Dwarven heritage made him well used to heat). Finally, we saw a cave mouth ahead in the dim glow, and Omiata again crept forward.

 

When he returned, the elf’s eyes were wide and his face pale. “There’s a bloody dragon in there!” His voice was no more than a whisper but urgency sounded in every word. “That glow comes from the red scales of the beast. It’s huge, at least 30 feet long, and it’s laying on a pile of gold coins the size of a small house. We’re lucky that it’s asleep, or it probably would be eating us right now!”

 

Quickly we retreated down the corridor and considered our options. Clearly we needed to confront this dragon before we could consider the keep fully our own. But were we strong enough to defeat this beast in battle? My knowledge of dragons is sketchy, but still my studies have taught me more than my companions knew, so I shared what knowledge I had. “This is a young beast, for a full-grown dragon would be much larger. The red color means that talk is a waste of time – red dragons are unpredictable and miserly, and will not willing allow us to either pass or settle in the keep above. It is unlikely that the beast knows many magical spells, at this age; but claws, bite, tail, and fire breath are more than sufficient to do us serious harm.”

 

Everyone was silent for a moment as we considered our options. Then Helieos rose to his full height and looked down on us. “Are we not on the side of right?” he demanded. “Lathlander will not let us fail this task, for we are dedicated to driving out an evil beast. I say we attack this abomination and drive it from our new home!”

 

Despite this rousing speech, we did not immediately decide to attack. I agreed with the monk, as did Ahmed – there would be no better time than now to attack, when the dragon was yet unaware of us, and asleep to boot. The others were less confident, but did not object as we began to plan an attack. As our plan took shape, our confidence grew, until all of us were in agreement – it was time to beard the beast in its lair.

 

We prepared carefully for the battle. Ahmed summoned his mighty bronze griffin. BadAxe chewed his beard and brandished his axe, working himself into a berserker rage. I summoned creatures of several kinds, ready to hurl them in the fray as distractions. Omiata also summoned a group of magical spiders using his WebWeaver blade. Helieos focused his mind in meditation. Francis prayed to Lathlander and blessed us all.

 

Finally, all was in readiness. We moved as close to the entrance as possible, and I picked up one of the shapeless constructs I had summoned from my mental energy. Then I activated the Ring of Teleportation that I had taken from the wizard Ithlon. In a split second, I appeared on the opposite side of the cave, and released the construct. It scuttled across the floor, to the side of the dragon opposite where my companions hid – and bit the beast on the flank.

 

That bite was tiny to the dragon, but plenty to wake it up. Raising its head, the red beast turned, looking for the irritation that had awoken it. As soon as it moved, so did the rest of our party. Leading the charge was Helieos, fleetly moving across the cave floor toward the dragon’s unprotected flank. Close behind was Ahmed on his griffon, and Omiata silently sliding forward with crossbow ready. BadAxe ran with a wild look in his eyes, and Francis brought up the rear.

 

Ra’aze (for this was the beast that inspired that bloody warning) snapped at the construct, clearly irritated but confused by its apparently suicidal attack. The dragon quickly forgot that distraction, though, when an arrow from Ahmed’s bow slammed into its shoulder! With a roar of anger, it turned toward the ranger, only to meet the claws and beak of the griffon. At the same time, Helieos battered the dragon’s side with a flurry of mighty blows.

 

With a low growl of pain and anger, Ra’aze let out a blast of flame at Ahmed and the griffon. Sorely wounded, the ranger’s mount clawed a last time at the dragon’s snout, then painfully retreated toward the ceiling of the cave. That motion disturbed the other denizens of this cave – a swarm of bats. Within seconds, the air was clouded by hundreds of the flying rodents, forcing me to concentrate harder on my spells and spoiling Omiata’s aim with his crossbow.

 

By now, BadAxe had reached the dragon, and with a battle cry that echoed from every corner of the chamber, he opened a great wound in the beast’s flank. More of my summoned creatures appeared on the dragon’s other side and attacked, dealing only minor damage but distracting the beast. Ra’aze let out another roar, filled with pain, as blows hammered its body from all sides.

 

Now we were fully committed, just as we had planned – the next moments would spell victory or doom for all of us. We had wounded the beast badly, but would it be enough? Ra’aze rose, opening its wings, clearly positioning itself for a killing blow on the dwarf and the monk nearby. Even in the face of imminent death, both warriors reacted like the veterans they are. Calmly the monk swung his powerful fists, and with a scream of rage the barbarian attacked with his mighty axe, both attacking the vulnerable throat and wings that were now in reach.

 

A sickening crunch sounded as their blows landed, and Ra’aze faltered – and fell! The beast crashed to the floor of the cave, scattering coins and other items from the hoard. The wings twitched feebly, then the dragon lay still.

 

For a moment, all was silent as we stared at the fallen beast. Then as one man we shouted in victory, congratulating one another on a job well done. After Francis tended to the wounds of the ranger, we divided the spoils and rested. There was more to explore in our keep, but for now we would enjoy the fruits of our victory.

 

Last updated 07-07-2005 by Skip Franklin (original text of store encounter by Dave R.)