Centrum Glacies Session 124: The Demon Dragon
Week 124 of the Dungeons and Dragons Campaign in Centrum Glacies continues as the party deals with a dangerous Demon Dragon.
Like my other campaign, I’m turning this one into a book series. You can check out the first one here.
Anyway, just like my other campaign, there is a whole lot going on and I don’t want to elaborate on every moving piece in the story. You can see the whole thing in the book series.
!!!Trigger Warning!!!
This story deals with a cruel world with some horrific twists. So far, this campaign has featured: Animals getting killed, Genocide, lots of body horror, evil cults, brainwashing, torture, psychological warfare, child abuse, and slavery.
Most recently, the party helped cause a complete planetary genocide. Save a few survivors, no one remains from that world. They are still grappling with this unfathomable loss of life and their role in making it happen. It is clear that their suffering is far from over. They can only hope they don’t cause untold pain to an even more untold more.
!!!Final Trigger Warning!!!
The party was in a desperate fight with an extremely dangerous enemy. Locked in a pocket dimension, with no option to escape, the group battled against a Demon Dragon. A monster that Obrom and Kisara couldn’t even harm. All despite their best efforts.
But the Bard refused to be useless in this battle. Kisara might have been magically frightened by the Dragon, but Obrom had faced unfathomable horrors before. Even if he couldn’t directly damage the monster, he had other ways of helping his friends. He cast a powerful spell and pulled a huge rock from the ground. Enchanting it to fly, it moved on little wings.
Trent used his Demon form’s water spout to pull that enchanted rock up about thirty feet above the Dragon. Obrom could not hurt the Demon Dragon, but Trent could and that included using the summons of her allies.
Vast Luck
Jyona tried to plane shift the Dragon away from here. Even if they couldn’t defeat it now, if she removed it from this place, they could gather allies and prepare for its eventually return. Unfortunately, the spell did not work on the Dragon. At least not enough to actually send it far away. However, the Demon Dragon seemed aware of what she had tried which enraged the creature.
The Demon Dragon used its disintegrating breath once more. It focused on Jyona specifically as well as everything behind her. Yet her own Demon form was incredibly resistant to magic. In fact the attack passed her by without any harm. And the party behind her was saved by a miracle. The rock, conjured by Obrom was made of some strong stuff. In fact against all logic, the rock managed to absorb the full blast of the Dragon and remained in one piece.
Trent commented that Obrom’s style of music should be….Rock…and Roll… A cringe statement. But it helped to bring some lightheartedness into this terrifying situation. They had cheated death twice now from the Demon Dragon. But they worried that they would not be so lucky a third time.
Worried about what would happen if the Dragon got a chance to use its breath weapon again, the group used every spell and resource they could muster to take the creature down. And through sheer attrition, a lot of luck on their parts, and a lot of unlucky attacks from the Demon Dragon that all missed, the party managed to beat the odds and defeat a seemingly impossible to destroy foe.
A Greater Threat
As the Demon Dragon disintegrated not leaving even ash behind, a strange magic gripped the group. All save Teztcal who through sheer force of will resisted its effects. For everyone else, time stopped completely though perhaps the caster had a twisted sense of humor since they were allowed to be aware that they were frozen in time.
Farceur, the clown creature that had cursed the Dragon in the first place revealed itself to be even more dangerous than the party had suspected. It clapped as if making fun of the party for their accomplishment. “Well done.” He claimed in jest.
Teztcal tried to act tough in front of the clown. He called the defeated Demon Dragon a fake. Farceur scoffed and delighted in the irony that Teztcal considered himself a real and powerful Dragon. The clown laughed and sneered when Teztcal did not agree.
It looked possible that the Clown was going to attack Teztcal while the rest of the party was unable to help, but instead had some compliments. It found the whole ordeal with the rock hilarious. While he had considered reviving the Demon Dragon and giving it another chance to kill the party, they had sufficiently entertained Farceur. They decided to leave the Dragon dead and let the party go. With no other words, the clown left and released the Time Stop spell.
Returning to the Sphinx
Teztcal stomped the ground where the Demon Dragon had disintegrated declaring: “Take that demon dragon” And then “THIS LAIR WILL HAVE A NEW RULER!” followed by maniacal laughter.
The party phased back to the normal plane where the Sphinx, awaited them. It was impressed that the party had actually defeated it’s fallen friend. Now that the Dragon was dead the Sphinx was ready to grieve.
Teztcal boasted that it will be a true dragon’s lair! He showed his immaturity and the Sphinx didn’t let him forget it. The creature responded calmly “Once you’ve matured, sure.” This flew over the dragon’s head of course.
The sphinx asked for a week of mourning. It needed some time to work through its grief. Jyona gave it a hug or at least its leg. There was a pretty severe size difference. Meanwhile, Trent requested some riddles from the Sphinx once it recovered.
Returning to Wurthu
The party was kicked out of lair that was still not Teztcal’s so that the Sphinx could start to process it’s grief. This abrupt action annoyed Teztcal who considered the lair his already, even though it wasn’t. To fix that, he and the rest oft he party travels back to Zrinn. They rested on the way and their Fae allies remained quiet.
Teztcal immediately ran towards the middle of Zrin where Wurthu was located. The Dragon let his presence be known via more maniacal laughter. Wurthu wanted confirmation of the Demon Dragon’s demise, but the party couldn’t give him that. Not when the creature had disintegrated without a trace.
Teztcal, wanting to get the lair anyway, mentioned the clown and its role in corrupting the Demon Dragon. Wurthu grew concerned and mentioned how he needed to dispatch a team to investigate the cave immediately. Complicating this further, Teztcal mentioned that it was not the only clown they had encountered. This worried the Orc, who dismissed the party quickly, saying he needed to investigate now.
In the Guild Hall
Trent and Jyona waited till the group was at the Guild Hall before they pressed the unspoken question with the two Fey. They were eager to know where Midnight and Violet went during the encounter with the Demon Dragon. Violet stated that they had sensed the terrible magic. Midnight added that they had decided to flee into the ethereal plane for as long as their magic would allow.
They did not judge the group for using the very magic that had exterminated their homeland. Not only had the Demon Dragon been made of the same stuff, but it had posed a serious threat to the world. If that same magic had been required to destroy it, then the two Fae saw no issue with using it.
Jyona had extremely cringy, but heartwarming moment with Midnight. The two had met because Jyona had fed one of her pet Displacer Beasts cheese. And so, despite the potential risk of giving an even more powerful Fae food, the Half Elf extended to her friend that same food. Teztcal thought the entire thing was pathetic.
Zinbella’s Demand
Another voice agreed with Teztcal. And even though the group was safe in this Guildhall, they all reflexively reached for weapons or readied to cast a spell. Zinbella might not have been their enemy at this moment, but the group had not forgotten for a moment how dangerous she was.
She approached Trent and told him that she was planning to go to the east of the river. The same river they had corrupted recently. Beyond there was a Druid Circle of Spores that had been silent. She was concerned and wanted to investigate. She encouraged Trent to do the same. And while she stated that it was his choice to make, her words carried a veiled threat that she would do something later if he didn’t do as she asked.
As the Psychic Vampire left, one of the bartenders, called the party over. Apparently they had all been sent invitations to a grand event. Specifically Quinn Cambion had invited them to his wedding. It probably had something to do with saving his life at that dinner party.
The Wedding Invitation
Jyona made a passing comment that the party would need to shop for the sake of dressing the part before the wedding. Something they only had a month to accomplish. Out of them all, only Obrom and Jyona knew how to dress up around nobility.
Before the group could discuss any of the several things presented to them, another important member of the Guild entered the hall. Specifically Tim of all people walked through the door. And he looked at the group, clearly knowing they would be there. He had a lot to tell them apparently, but first he introduced himself to Teztcal and the Fey. Obrom knew who he was already.
Tim’s Request
Introductions completed, Tim explained that he was searching for a dangerous person. He had been hunting them for a long time. That hunt was taking him to Quinn Cambion’s wedding. Tim had reason to suspect that his quarry would make an appearance there. None were skeptical of his assessment. He was a former Mythril Adventurer after all.
Everyone else was ready to leave things at that, but Teztcal, ever the opportunist wanted to make a deal. Obrom stopped himself from showing shock at the newest level of audacity. The Dragon ignored the rest of the party and made his demand. He would help Tim if the former Mythril Adventurer would get him a Hydra.
The Dragon explained that “The green one” said it would take years to get him a proper Hydra. A statement that earned a chuckle from Tim. But after listening to what seemed like an impossible request, Tim simply nodded and stated that it didn’t seem too difficult a request.
Teztcal was satisfied, but Tim had something else to add. He mentioned that on the way here, he had run into Zinbella. Likely as she had left the tavern given their timings. The man warned them that the area out east was dangerous and to be on their guard. Ending the conversation there, he proceeded to the Guild Commissions, spoke to the Guild Bartender, and accepted one. He left without another word.
Seeing this, Jyona checked the board to see if anyone had accepted her commission yet. None had agreed to search for Apephe. She sighed and returned to her seat. Trent also took a look at the board and was saddened by the lack of interest.
Wrap Up
The party defeated the Demon Dragon against many odds. But it seems they might have attracted dangerous attention in doing so. It’s looking like they will be heading east at Zinbella’s urging. What will they find there.