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• Adrian Silverstrength (Human Paladin)
• Morsus Firebeard (Hill Dwarf Cleric)
• Sephrenia (High Elf Cleric)
• Ragnaroc (Aasimar Warlock)
• Don Kannin (Half-Elf Ranger)
• Korra (Air Genasi Rogue)

Current NPCs traveling with the party:

• Pren Flintrock
• Gor Hammerstine
• Bran Homeforge
• Dran Homeforge

Connected Adventures: Adventure 14, Adventure 15, Adventure 16, Adventure 17, Adventure 18, Adventure 19, Adventure 20, Adventure 21, Adventure 22, Adventure 23, Adventure 24 and Adventure 25.

• During the preparation for battle, Sillarfar the Mad One (the Shaman of the Lizardfolk) tells everyone that they must not go into battle until the beads of their dragon totem are recovered
• The party is shown a large totem that bears a serpentine line head (which could be a dragon or dinosaur or some kind of beast of that nature)

• Sillarfar the Mad One explains that it would be ill advised to battle the trolls in this final battle without first restoring order and honor to their goddess
• The party asks what happened to the beaded necklace and Sillarfar the Mad One explains that many years ago, a young dragon appeared and proclaimed to be their goddess. They had removed the honorable beaded necklace and gave it to her – but she’s betrayed her people and they believe she is not their goddess
• He explains that this young, green dragon called herself Kala’Shin
• When Adrian hears about a green dragon, he is so shaken he can’t even barely piece together what he’d endured and seen by one of the eldest dragons known to exist – Emereth, the Cruel.

• Sephrenia however, recognizes the name Kala’Shin – or at least it’s meaning. Kala’Shin meaning “born of great evil” in an Ancient Elven tongue that few people even know of anymore.
• This shakes Adrian further, as he recalls that Emereth proclaimed to be “The Essence of All Evil” – and that perhaps, Kala’Shin’s translation means that she is a daughter or somehow distantly related to Emereth herself.
• Morsus in the meantime puts on the Drow Necklace they’d recovered from the Drow Priestess they’d slain
• His mind slips into a telepathic bond with a Drow woman, who extends her arms – and Morsus sees she has six arms and her two legs – making it appear as if she was a spider. She smiles when she sees him and though he fights it (failed Wisdom Save) he bends to the knee to her and she places her hand on his head and simply says, “I see you.”

• When Morsus snaps out of the telepathic bond – he finds that the necklace has constricted around his neck, like a choker and that he can’t remove it
• The necklace pulses with his breath – being in sync with his own breathing and heartbeat
• He tells Adrian to hit it with his longsword, which doesn’t seem to do much
• Then he tell Adrian to use the Drow Blade to see if that will do anything
• Adrian is able to successfully withstand holding the blade, that whispers in his mind
• And as he swings – he has the impulse to sever Morsus’ head (Critical fail to hit), but veers off and only hits his shoulder (using Inspiration to avoid falling to the evil sword’s wishes)
• The party tries a few additional things – including a few spells – to remove the cursed necklace, but nothing seems to pry it loose.
• The party, led by the Lizardfolk, Zeraph, takes them to near the mouth of Kala’Shin’s cave before departing
• There, they see six figures huddled outside the cave; though they don’t seem very intelligent. They appear humanoid – but something seems distinctly odd about them and their savage, primitive nature.

• The party launches off an attack – and although two of them try to get inside the cave – they’re cut down by Don and Adrian, before they can alert the dragon in the cave
• Moving closer, Morsus releases his bat familiar to explore inside the cave; it returns a message that the cave appears empty, but something big – like itself – has been here – and that with guidance from Morsus – spots the necklace hanging on top of an eighteen foot stalagmite
• Don Kannin uses his Primeval Awareness – and senses there is a dragon within a mile of them… somewhere.
• The party decides to split – those not in heavy armor – stealth inside (which means Korra, Ragnaroc and Don Kannin) – the rest (Morsus, Sephrenia and Adrian) wait outside.
• Inside, the party slowly made their way down the eerily silent cavern…

• Outside, Morsus feels a chilling grip… his hands become clammy… he feels uncontrollably nervous… something seems off – and he realizes, his time as a hill dwarf, he’s felt the presence of Dragon Fear before as Dragons swooped to take over near by ruins and mountains and quickly told the others what he was feeling – and that the dragon must be returning. Quickly all three head inside the cave (and remarkably, all three make their Stealth checks – all rolling very high, despite disadvantage!)
• They quickly reach the others, who’d been moving slowly and explain that the dragon is coming – and everyone attempts to stealth – however, Adrian makes so much noise that Don and Morsus decide not to even try to hide
• Kala’Shin emerges from a large hole in the cavern top and sniffs the air and says, “Who dares enter the cavern of Kala’Shin?”

• Don boldly mentions that they’ve come for the beaded necklace, which she has no interest in, since it seems to be discarded
• She asks what they can offer in exchange for the beaded necklace
• Don explains that they need the beaded necklace for the Lizardfolk who plan on attacking the trolls – and that when they’re done – she can have all the troll meat she wants
• She seems amused that they think they can kill the trolls off – and smiles, smugly that they’re free to climb up and take the beaded necklace
• Don climbs up – and just as he reaches the top and throws down the beaded necklace, two piercers drop down from above – one landing a critical strike that makes him lose his grip, sending him falling (however Korra uses her innate racial ability to levitate the fallen Don), who upon closer examination is nearly dead (0 hit points, would have been -3 had it not been for Korra saving him from falling all the way!)

• Adrian expends his entire Lay on Hands to bring Don back to health (20 HP restored)
• Kala’Shin laughs at them, positive that they are not worthy, experienced, or strong enough to get rid of the troll infestation
• The party returns to the Lizardfolk with the beaded necklace – and the celebration of combat resumes
• Zeraph leads the Lizardfolk and the party to the troll village
  
  

• As they get close the stench of methane and odor doubles
• Zeraph explains that it’s the troll excrement that creates the high dosages of methane that has polluted the entire swamp – thus creating its vicious odors and lethal pockets of methane deposits all throughout the swamp making the use of fire potentially dangerous and if not for Sillarfar, the Mad One‘s endless attempts to purge the waters around the lizardfolk village of the toxins – the Lizardfolk would have been forced to abandon their homes

• Morsus, Ragnaroc and Korra all find themselves getting sick and vomiting
  • Note – The intention was that attacks made while infected with this are done at disadvantage – however, by this time the game was running late so I let this slide, though all three had rolled to be sick for 40 minutes!
• Zeraph led the Lizardfolk so that one side would flank the left, one side would flank the right – while trolls would stand in front of the troll village and pound on their shields to lure them out so that the left and right could attack from behind

• Morsus, Korra and Sephrenia went with the team flanking the right
• Adrian remained to be in the front center banging on his shield
• Don Kannin and Ragnaroc hung back to fire from a distance (behind Adrian)
• Morsus came up with the plan to use fire, since he had knowledge about the troll’s weakness to flames
• Despite the dangers of elevated methane – Morsus casts Flaming Sphere – which causes a series of explosions (he manages to evade it, but catches Korra and Sephrenia in the fire)
• The explosions and flaming sphere do manage to kill some of the trolls, and send them into a state of confusion until Zeraph commands his people to bang on their shields, giving the trolls a focal point to attack – which allows the left and right sides to attack the trolls from behind
• However, the trolls seem to have a strong advantage, as they cut through many of the Lizardfolk and deliver a striking blow against Adrian himself – forcing him to use Shield of Faith and Channel Divinity – Sacred Weapon
• Sephrenia while attacking trolls using her Bonus action to cast some healing spells towards her friend, Adrian to restore much of his health
• Eventually a troll leader is spotted by Morsus (Natural 20 on Perception!)
• He begins to focus attacks on the leader, with Korra and Sephrenia doing the same
• Don is able to see them attacking a troll who is off to the side alone, barking commands, and also begins attacking that troll
• Morsus tells Sephrenia (since she is the only one who speaks Draconic) to tell the Lizardfolk to use fire against the trolls (since they’re just hacking and slashing)
• Don finally kills the leader of the trolls; and without their leader, these trolls who are primarly savage and brainless, lack the tactics to keep it together, giving the Lizardfolk the advantage, and with the help of the adventurers, slaughter the village of trolls, with the Lizardfolk taking three of them captive.
• The party needs the heart of a troll to give to Nor’Orn
  • Adrian tries on a troll, fails, damaging the heart
  • Korra tries, fails, damaging the heart on another troll
  • Don Kannin tries, fails, damaging the heart of yet another troll
  • Morsus is finally able to successfully remove the heart of a dead troll without damaging it further, and surprised to find it still gently beating
• The party arrives back at the Lizardfolk village where they celebrate their victory, though Sillarfar, the Mad One is concerned that Kala’Shin was not killed and still alive
• That night, the party is awaken by Adrian having a bad nightmare
• When he’s awakened – he explains, seeing the green dragon again reminded him of his encounter with Emereth and how his mentor, a Paladin named Orius (O-rie-us) had once showed him how he can summon a steed – but Adrian had never been able to do it. He’s always felt like a failure.
• The party encourages him to try again – and as he kneels down – calling upon his goddess – suddenly the eyes of the dinosaur statue burn brightly with light – it’s maw opens and lets out a vicious howl – and the spirit of a raptor emerges from the totem and comes and kneels before Adrian before becoming solid – his Raptor mount now called to his side!

• The party has reached Level 5.