Aug 21st Adventure: The Dragon of Krom Frykt – The Dragon’s Lair

Here is the third and final part of the Pathfinder-compatible adventure The Dragon of Krom Frykt. See the introduction here and the wilderness encounters here.

The Dragon’s Cave

Once the players reach the entrance read or paraphrase the following:

The rocky hillside, cracked and smoking from various vents, descends to the valley floor here where a wide, low cavern lies. A natural stone awning canopies an open space of small scattered rocks. WIthin, a dark passage emits heat and haze.

One goblin hides among the rocks in at the entrance (DC 20 perception to spot) and watches the approach (perception +0). If he sees the party approaching the cave he will alert the goblins in area 1 (see below).

An alternate entrance can be discovered through investigating the vents on the hillside above and succeeding on a DC 20 nature, survival or dungeoneering skill check. Success means they discover a fissure on the hillside above the cave, which leads to a corridor behind the entrance guards (area 2 on map).

Dragon’s Lair Areas

When the players enter the lair, run the following encounters as the players progress through the areas.

1) Guards and Wards – CR 4 – XP 1300

Within, more goblins with cover and bows and magical traps pass the time by playing at dice inside the entrance.

Trap – At the apex of the entrance, a mark has been made on the stone with grayish paint. Any who cross the threshold or touch the rune trigger this glyph of warding, which summons a poison frog swarm that will attack whoever triggered it.

Creatures – 5 goblins – one on watch among the rocks at the entrance, the rest wary. The goblins will attempt to use cover from the large rock in the center of the chamber and fire their shortbows at attackers.

2) Savage Riders – CR 5 – XP 2000

A natural stone passage splits in an area with several interconnecting chambers. Here, a couple of goblin worg-riders and their mounts stand guard.

Creatures – 2 x Goblin commandos (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/unique-monsters/cr-1/goblin-commando) and 2 worg. They will attack the players with shortbows, charges, and halberds on their mounts. The goblins will try to keep moving and flank single opponents.

3) A Fallen Champion – CR 3 – XP 800

Among the corpses of many goblins, the party finds the temple champion’s corpse, which has been partially eaten, and his ceremonial trappings -a helm, shield, and necklace.

Creatures – 2 zombies and 3 skeletons, animated corpses of the goblins that the champion killed, rise up and attack the party as they prepare to leave the area.

Treasure – The necklace is an amulet of health +2. If returned to the Temple further rewards will be bestowed upon them in the form of honors – they will be named Champions of Krom and a feast will be held.

4) The Chamber of Earthfire – CR 6 – 2400 XP

In the chamber of earthfire, a large cavern with lava pools and a natural stone bridge, the party must rescue the dragon’s eggs from the goblin wizard who ejected her. His intention is to hatch them himself and train them.

Hazard – the chamber is extremely hot and each round inhabitants who are not immune to extremes of heat must make a DC 10 Fortitude check or become Fatigued.

Hazard – the area around the nest is even hotter due to closer proximity to the lava, and creatures take 1d3 points of fire damage while past the stone bridge.

Hazard – anyone falling into the pool of molten rock in this chamber will take 5d6 points of damage per round.

Creatures – Goblin Wizard (see below) and 2 Bugbear Bodyguards, one of whom wields the Beastblade (see below) will confront the party. Both are wearing hide armor and are AC 19 (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/humanoids/bugbear). The goblin’s wizardry protests all three from the sweltering heat hazards of the chamber except the lava, and he will fight the battle flying around the chamber casting spells.

Treasure – The goblin wizard and the bugbears carry 10 platinum and 30 gold coins each. The dragon’s hoard consists of ore and globs of lead, copper, silver, iron, and gold that are melted together into a nest which weighs 500 pounds and is worth 1000 gold.

Within the lumpy metallic nest rest three egg-shaped stones, very hard, scaly, and hot to the touch. A DC 20 Knowledge Arcana skill check will reveal that these are the dragon’s eggs and require a constant temperature in order to hatch. A DC 25 Knowledge Arcana skill check combined with a DC 25 Knowledge Nature skill check will reveal that these three will hatch in 5d12 days if undisturbed. A DC 25 appraise check will reveal they could fetch up to 500 gold apiece.

Developments – If the eggs are harmed or removed the dragon will wreak her wrath upon the valley. The eggs will only hatch if their temperature is properly maintained.

Concluding the Adventure

Return to the temple and complete a skill challenge where the PCs must give an accounting of their deeds before the dragon is convinced that her treasure is safe and will leave. As she does she will sniff all of the PCs to check if they smell like her eggs, or, more direly, dragon blood. If she notices the Beastblade which the bugbear took from her hoard she will mention that a fool carried it last and that they may keep it as “the memory is sour”. If flattered she will tell the story of a group of thieves who came into her lair. She killed two  and two more escaped, but the one carrying the Beastblade fought to the death with the smell of fear strong upon him.

Any harm to the eggs leads to dire repercussions the next day after the dragon finds out. She will hunt the players down if possible, likely destroying the village Sera and the temple regardless.

When the players rid the Temple of Krom Frykt of the dragon they are offered 100 gold coins each as a gesture of gratitude. Additionally, as the temple’s kennels have just had a litter, and they are offered up to two mountain hound pups.

Faoer Dornoe, The temple elder, expresses concern at the machinations of the goblin waste wizard, as the goblins have not troubled the valley since he was a boy. Their wolf and goat borne raiders had earned them a reprisal from the warriors of the temple and the men of the village. He mentions that a scouting expedition may need to be mounted and asks the players if they would consider undertaking such a task, which could lead to further adventures in the wastes to the north. Perhaps the players will meet the wizard’s two brothers.

Creatures

Deom-Adr, earth dragon, CR 10

Neutral large dragon (earth, fire)
Draconic, Common
Senses: darkvision, tremorsense

12 HD, 131 hp

AC 22, touch 10, flat-footed 21 (+1 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size)

F +12 R +10 W +9
Move: 40 feet

Bite +19, 2d6+10 +1d6 fire damage, 2 x claws +17, 1d8+7 damage

Breath Weapon – 60 foot line of fire – 6d8 fire damage, DC 20 reflex save for 1/2 damage

Choking Smoke – at will the dragon can exhale a cloud of choking poisonous gas and smoke. Each round of exhalation grows the cloud by 10′ diameter. The cloud gives concealment for all within it, which the dragon ignores due to tremorsense. Living creatures in the cloud must make a DC 20 Fortitude saving throw each round or begin to suffocate and take 1d6 points of subdual damage per round in the smoke.

Stats – S 24 D 14 C 18 I 12 W 13 Ch 12

Canny and suspicious, Deom-Adr seethes with anger at the goblins who are holding her eggs hostage. She has had dealings with the men of Sera in the past and is reluctant to inform them of the true nature of her treasures and will resort to threats if the players ply her for details. She will instead insist that the players secure all of her treasure and kill or drive off the goblins.

Ixame, Wizard of the Wastes – XP 1200

NE small humanoid (goblin) Witch 5

hp 20 AC 11 F +1 R +2 W +4

Spear +2, 1d6 damage

Spells – lightning bolt, hold person, summon swarm, sleep, ray of enfeeblement, cause fear

Hexes – Evil Eye, Flight, Healing

Gear – spear, scroll of cure light wounds, resist elements, ray of enfeeblement

Stats – S 10 D 12 C 10 I 16 W 14 Ch 10