Game summary for February 12, 2008; present characters included Chuck Ahammer (shield dwarf master thrower/rogue/thunderthrower), Grim Firestorm (shield dwarf barbarian/battlerager/frenzied berserker/warmain), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).
The Mercenaries, inside the front gates of the Citadel of Weeping Dragons, discover secret doors in the entrance hall thanks to Iapetus’ helm. Sneaky Chuck and Iapetus slip through and begin exploring quietly. Two routes outside are discovered along with two ways up higher into the Citadel. Chuck ascends a ladder into a ruined barracks and finds himself outside on one of the walls on the third floor. While investigating the garbage shoot, a blue dragon lands on the barracks and begins rummaging through for missed treasure. As quietly as possible, Chuck makes a break for the ladder and uses feather fall to plummet down to safety. The dragon, noticing him at the last moment, crashes into the building and blasts lightning down the ladder shaft, just missing Chuck as he nimbly rolls to safety at the bottom. He casually remarks to his allies that a dragon is up top.
The team tries the other route up and finds a hallway with several doors. Listening against one, they hear a rustling chain. Chuck and Grim fling open the doors to find a fire giant and a twelve-headed pyrohydra waiting within. Grim wastes no time laying into the hydra, but its remarkable regenerative powers heal the worst of the injuries in moments. All twelve heads unleash a blast of scorching flame that badly wounds several in the party. Iapetus slips in trying to flank the hydra, while the remaining Mercenaries slide into the room and jockey for position. The fire giant clips Iapetus with a spear and draws forth flaming axes, ready to do battle. The spellcasters unleash cold upon the monsters, and Grim manages to slay the hydra. The fire giant tears into Iapetus but is nearly cut in twain when Taravin charges and smites with the authority of Kelemvor. Following the battle, Grim’s bloodlust overwhelmed him, and he killed Lyrin before calming down.
With no means to recover Lyrin, the party begins discussing plans. The dead giant’s corpse was quickly looted and the room secured. After a time, a knock comes at the locked door and a giant shouts for “Bram”. Iapetus (a giant himself) yells back that everything is fine, while Taravin rattles the hydra’s chain. The giant bought the lie and left. The Mercenaries set up watch and allow Morak to recover his spells and pray for raise dead and discern location. With Lyrin restored, the party presses on.
Morak leads the team up another level in search of the chamber of the Heartkeeper, where the other vault key lies. In a trophy room, a ceiling door is found way above the group’s heads. Before going through, the team moves about to secure all the other exits. The northern door opens, and a group of mail-clad giants comes pouring through. Will the Citadel’s defenders get to even the score with the murderous home-invaders? What have the dragons done in all the time the Mercenaries have spent inside?
