M.A.G.U.S. - Dwarves and dragons, part 2

Preamble

After a mere 9 months of hiatus (thanks Corona!) the MAGUS crew reassembled! Our initial plan was to meet face to face, but that changed real fast as the number of COVID-infections grew. Not to mention our kids bringing home all sorts of things from kindergarten. We decided to have the game night online, on good old roll20.

After a mere 40 minutes, we had the technical issues solved and our roll20 controls sorted out. We could get down to business.[1]

In medias res

Shamil and Athosian started tied down in their clearing. We reached the shallow river and saw them lying down on the other side. Charge to the rescue! Well, more or less.

Cahir was the first one to charge across, and he was promptly ensnared in a thrown net. The lizardman holding the other end then dragged him up a tree and spent a few turns tying it down.

Athosian came to and deftly untied her knots. She tried to free Shamil, but the lizardmen encircling them threw more nets. She wasn't caught, but she was hampered in her efforts.

I looked around with my psychic eye for hidden threats, and was immediately jumped by one hidden on the bottom of the creek. No surprise bonus, fortunately. But the lizard did manage to trip me and drag me under the water. I was hard pressed to concentrate on a spell. Eternal gratitude to Biznard for turning back, and ripping off the thing's leg! Yes, that is blood in the water.

Our dwarven companions are not in the picture, as they were being lured away by a single lizardman throwing insults and backing up continuously. Well, I wouldn't be happy to have my own mum called an elf and my anvil made of bronze, but it was clear they weren't going to be much help.

Shamil's genius idea was to light his sword on fire - no immediate bonus, but Athosian managed to see it and scramble after their weapons stashed away in a bush. She was promptly attacked and knocked out by another lizardman. However, by this point our entire party made it across and the prisoners were free. We deployed spells and prayers to stop the lizards from escaping, and the combat guys made short work of them. I went to free Cahir (I cut his rope, he fell) and the other bound prisoner whom we just noticed.[2] Then I went to patch up Athosian. All in a days' work!

As we made friends with the new guy, Shamil couldn't resist and started torturing our sole captive for information. We found out some really minor stuff, but at what cost? As Cahir stepped in to aid in the torture, his god decided he had had enough of this and completely abandoned him - stripping all paladin powers and severely nerfing his physical abilities. I tried to shake him out of his shock, to no effect. He just walked by us for the rest of the evening.

We continued on our way towards the dragon's lair, with the dwarves telling us an embellished story of how their god is going to pull down the mountain on the beast. Sure.

Finally, we ran into a lone sentinel: a physically enhanced, but mentally reduced, giant lizardman. As the party scrambled to impress the child-like brute, I pushed my way ahead and blew a sleeping spell into his face. He fell - I managed to jump aside just in time. A kiss on his oversized jaw, and lo and behold, we have a replacement tank instead of Cahir. No need to thank me.

[1] Which was the first surprise of the evening. Prepared for a face-to-face meeting, I expected us to just talk for half the evening. However, everyone was starved for some actual gaming, and so after so much time lost, we just dove in.

[2] A new addition to the party! Artemor, the town guardsman. At least, so far.