Character review.

The characters have just left an underground labyrinth in the city of Northgate where they found the mirror of dragons.

Derowen has found a trinket box containing a leaf of goldenwart inside. She currently has 16 hp
Morwen has killed 2 skeletons and is down to 9hp
Pedran is at 19hp and is currently carrying the Mirror of Dragons.
Hedrag has killed a Doppelganger and 2 skeletons but lost 6hp and is now down to 10hp

Strong Start.

Undead Elves come out of the stargate which the characters forgot to close and begin to march towards the Yuln Varsune district centre.

Potential Scenes and Monsters.

Elven Skeletons. AC11, HD 1d8 (5hp), Att Spears 1d6+1

Encounter and combat with the Anointed.

Anointed Disciple. AC 12, HD 2 (9hp)
Att: Mace 1d8, 50% chance of 1d2 Slime Pots.
Nat 19, as weapon
S:9, D:13, C:13, I:12, P:10, W:10, Ch:9
Luck 5
Move 30 feet.

Anointed Warrior. AC 16 (heavy chain + Shield), HD 3+1 (14hp)
Att: Mace 1d8+1, Short Bow 1d6. 10% chance of 1d2 slime pots.
Nat 19: as weapon
S:13, D:10, C:14, I: 10, P:10, W:10, Ch:10
Luck 6
Move 30 ft.

Silver Dragon (Young) AC 17, HD 10 (50hp)
Att: Claw (2) 1d12, Bite 2d10 + Special.
Nat 19-20 Blade Trauma (1d8+4) + Crit.
S:20, D:15, C:19, I:11, P:20, W:17, Ch:13
Luck 11
Fly: Fast.
Advantage on Perception inc smell.
Foes of 4hd or less must make a will check or flee in terror for 2d6 rounds.
Special – Cold Breath. The Dragon exhales an icy blast in a 90 ft cone (recharge 30%). Each creature in that area takes 10d8 damage plus 1d8 Str loss (Luck(con) save for half damage and Str loss)

Encounter with Crusina the Elf Maiden and her Merchant companion Theobald as the party leave Northgate.

Crusina may be able to give the characters some information or rumors that could aid them on their quest.

Magic Item Rewards.

Mirror of Dragons. A small 1 foot square ornate mirror. If someone with magical knowledge moves their hands over the mirrors frame, electric blue dragons and runes dance around the edge and allow that person to look into another plain of existence and bring forth a creature or creatures from that plain. The creature must perform a task for the summoner and once the task is completed it may return to it own plain.
Although only 1ft. square, any sized creature including dragons may be summoned from it and seem to pass through the polished glass with ease.

Betrayal of the Dragon Queen.

The companions have come out of the labyrinth through the same stargate they went in by. It takes them a small amount of time to adjust their eyes to the daylight but they see that the young girl Lela is still in the same place they left her and the dog and owl are keeping watch over her.

Lela, keen to know if the companions have found the Mirror of Dragons, goes towards Peran who has the small magical mirror and shows it to her. Lela moves her hands over the mirror frame, images of dragons and runes light up around the frame and she puts her arm into the mirror exclaiming that her mother was right, the mirror allows you to summon creatures from other plains of existence. Moewen in particular is amazed that the girl knows how to use the ancient artefact when she, a mage, struggled to use it.

Lela begins to race off towards the Stargazers Citadel, the companions follow her. Peran, as he turns slightly to put the mirror safely away notices (2d4 = 6) six Elven skeletons coming out of the open stargate and starting to wander towards the center of the Yuln Varsune district.

Peran calls out to the others, “Lela, stop. Hedrag, behind us, those skeletons, should we stop them”?
It is Morwen who replies, “we need to close that entrance. who knows how many more of those things there are down there”.

Hedrag calls to his new dog companion who is running right beside Lela, “stop her boy”. The dog grabs Lelas clothes in it teeth and pulls the girl to a halt.
Peran shouts, “wait with the girl, I may be able to sneak up to the stargate and close it”.

Peran must make a Dex(Stealth) check, with a Dex of 17 +1 for his stealth skill he needs to roll 18 or less on d20. Roll =15, success. 
Attempting to close the entrance, Peran needs to make a Str check. With a Str of only 9 he rolls16 on d20, a Terrible Failure.

Peran attempts to push the stargate closed but it refuses to budge, he also fails to see a skeleton coming out of the opening, armed with a spear which it thrusts at Peran.

Perans AC is 14, the skeleton rolls a natural 20 on a d20, a critical hit causing Peran to lose 7hp, he is now down to 12hp.

Peran decides to beat a hasty retreat as another (2d4 = 2) two elven skeletons emerge through the opening. He makes it back to the others, the skeletons seem to show no interest in the party and continue their way to the centre of the old elven part of Northgate.

“What should we do now?”, asks Peran.

“Too many of them for the four of us, even with the help of the dog and Lela may well be more of a hindrance than a help, best we leave the skeletons to the city guard and go rescue Lela’s mother”, Hedrag replies, the others agree. Once again they set on their way to the Stargazers Citadel.

Question. Do they have an encounter on the way to the Citadel? 50/50. d100 roll =82, Yes.

The companions walk less than a few 100 yards before they run into trouble. Walking towards them in their tell tail red robes are 1 Anointed Disciple and 6 Anointed Warriors. At the side of the disciple, the companions recognise the son of Trisene, landlady who runs the Elfhome tavern. It is the disciple who speaks first,

“Do you have the mirror we want?”.

Peran steps forward, “indeed we do, you though do not seem to have the lady we want”.

“Once we are in possession of the mirror and are sure it is the mirror of dragons we will release the young girls mother to you”.

Hedrag puts his hand on the pommel of his sword, “I don’t trust them”.

Derowen too moves a hand over her sword, “neither do I but do we have a choice?”.

Lela turns to Peran, “please, show them the mirror, it’s the only way I will get my mother back”.

Reluctantly Peran pulls out the mirror of dragons an holds it up for the Anointed to see.

“How do we know that is what you claim it is?”, asks the disciple.

“Let me show you”, answers Lela.

She asks Peran to set the mirror on the ground and then she moves her fingers over the mirror frame which is illuminated by dragons and runes. Lela puts her arm through the mirror, “l will bring forth a creature from another plain for you”. Out of the small 1ft square mirror appears a young silver dragon.

Peran looks in amazement at the giant dragon as it somehow comes out of the small mirror.

I get everyone except Lela, the dog and owl to make a Wil check or flee in terror for 2d6 rounds.
The Anointed disciple and warriors need to roll 10 or above to avoid fleeing.The Anointed disciple and one warrior roll 11 & 16 respectively and flee for 8 & 6 combat round respectively. The other 5 warriors stand fast ready to fight.
Derowen, Morwen and Peran all roll under their Will and are not terrified by the dragon but Hedrag rolls 18 and begins to run. As his companions stood fast I allow him a reroll (I am not sure this actually allowed in the rules but its my game). This time her rolls a 3 and regains his composure returning to his companions.

Lela whispers to the dragon, “find and save my mother and I will return you to your own world”.

The dragon instantly takes flight and then blinks out of sight.

The remaining 5 anointed warriors run towards the companions, maces drawn. Morwen is quickest off the mark and casts a ‘Hex of Volcanic Steel spell’.
Int(Arcane Lore) check = 7, a great success. 2 warriors will be affected by her spell.
Dark & DangerousMagic roll = 5, she does not have to roll on the DDM table but her DDM goes up to 2.

2 anointed warriors feel their maces get red hot, each take 1d8 dmg (6 & 2 respectively),  and are down to 8 & 12 hp. Each must make a Luck(con) 6(+1) roll to avoid burning. They roll 10 &11 so take a further 1d6 damage rolling 4 & 1 respectively, now they are down to 4 & 11. They both pass their will check so avoid having to spend a turn putting out flames. Both drop their maces.

The three remaining anointed warriors charge towards the companions. It takes them 2 action points to reach them.
Peran uses one action point to safely put away the mirror and a second action point to draw his short sword.
Hedrag and Darowen are both ready with their weapons, Battle Axe and Short sword respectively.
The dog and the owl move to protect Lela should the anointed warriors attack her.

Combat round – Morwen rolls for initiative, needing 14 or less on d20, she rolls 14, so the companions have the initiative. Morwen is able to use her Lightning bolt spell one more time, she aims it at the two warriors she disarmed the previous round. She rolls a 2 on her Int(Arcane Lore) roll, a great success, both warriors take damage, 4 and 3 respectively. One warrior is dead and the other down to 8hp.

One of the anointed warriors charges Peran, Scraps the dog is beside him and Lela, thinking the warrior is going to attack Lela the dog jumps on to the attacker, rolling a natural 19, the dog inflicts 4 damage and knocks the warrior prone. Peran strikes the warrior when he is down, rolling 15 to hit and with a +2 bonus for attacking a prone enemy, he also has the Finisher ability and he inflicts !d6 + 1d8 damage, rolling an impressive 6 +7 the kills the warrior.

Derown is not so lucky, she rolls only a 7 to hit her attacker whose shield stops her sword, in return he rolls a 1 exposing himself to a counter attack. Derowen gets a free hit on him, inflicting 4hp, the warrior is down to 10hp.

Hedrag rolls only a 9 on his attack, his battle axe stopped by the warriors shield, in return the warrior rolls a 3, Hedrag blocks the warriors attack.

Suddenly, out of the sky, the silver dragon reappears, on its back is a woman in silver armour. Seeing her daughter in danger, the woman calls out “Lela!”.

The silver dragon swoops down at picks up one of the anointed warriors with its mighty claws, crushing him. The remaining two warriors fail a moral test and flee for their lives.

The dragon and its rider walk over to the companions and Lela.

“Mother!” Lela exclaims.

Her mother holds out her hand to her, “I am safe, for now. It is time we left this world. You still have the Dragon Mirror?”

“Yes”, replies Peran.

“Then please get it, the dragon has done as it was bid, and must return to her home, Lela and I with it. You must keep the mirror and keep it safe from those who seek to use if ill”.

Peran gets the mirror and holds it up to Lela who again runs her hands over the frame, Dragons and Runes dance around the edge of the mirror and the dragon, mother and daughter disappear through the small glass face. The last thing they hear from Lela are the words “thank you and we will meet again soon”.

Hedrag turns to the others, “me thinks its time for us to depart Northgate to, and quickly, lets get our mounts and go north”.

“A sensible idea”, agrees Darowen.

Peran scratches his head, “what just happened here?”.

to be continued.