DnD Journal: (11/9/21): An Unexpected Surprise
Tonight was an exciting game as my players faced something new and previously unseen. And I may have been a bit of a cruel Dungeon Master.
In my last game, they slaughtered my level 5 drow swordswoman within two rounds when I expected at least one of them to die. But I did not count on the magic items I had been giving out to them like candy. The powers of staffs and spells that I had so willingly bestowed upon my players saw my enemy character being blown down like a house of sticks. My players were joyful in the defeat of their enemy, boastful of how easily she had fallen while I had been preparing to shell her out for weeks.
I was angry.
That's okay, I said, conniving in the shadows of my mind as my players celebrated their victory. I'll just have to give you a harder challenge.
Fast forward to tonight. My players, all level 4, are traveling through the forest of Cormanthor, making for the elven city of Myth Drannor to learn more about the mysterious ring that Remina, our Fire Genasi sorceress, has acquired. They are being led by Dartana Elmwood, a NPC satyr ranger with a flirtatious yet unrequited affection towards Ori, our half-orc barbarian. It is as they journey that the group catches sight of a drow leading a little girl into a cave with a knife at her throat. They pursue the dark elf into the cave, only to be trapped inside. They are stuck between a magical barrier on one side.
On the other is a dragon.
Voyage, our tiefling druid, immediately panics and starts to barter with the dragon in the draconic tongue, offering him promises of leading other adventurers into the dragon's lair to appease his appetite. The dragon hears him out, only to ask, "Why should I bother letting you bring food to me when the forest is mine, and I take what I please?" Great roleplaying on Voyage's part, but not enough for me to show mercy to the group.
They must remember the power I command as DM.
So my players roll initiative.
Right off the bat, it is not looking good for my players. Ori is down to 8 HP by the second round, and Voyage and Remina are scraping the bottom of the barrel for their options. Suddenly, Voyage has an idea.
In our second or third game, Voyage had acquired a magical playing card that reflected his face. He never investigated further, but now, with no other options against a 100-plus HP dragon with 18 AC, he decides to use it.
He holds it up to the dragon, and it reflects its face.
And another dragon appears.
This dragon is an exact replica of the one that the group is fighting, and now they have a chance. As their dragon fights the enemy dragon, they hurl spells, strike at it with their blades and axes, till at last, the dragon drops down to 16 HP.
The young green dragon, sorely wounded, limps to the back of the cave, showing supplication to my group of adventurers. They decide to spare the dragon, and he tears down the barrier so they can get out of the cave. The conjured dragon disintegrates into an orb of light and returns to the playing card, which Voyage stows back in his pocket.
The adventurers continue forward, their heads held high, having just defeated a dragon.
And me? I am satisfied. They were panic-stricken when they realized they were fighting a dragon, wanting to flee from the cave. But being the devious madman that I am, I trapped them and decided to make them sweat.
But I wasn't going to have the dragon outright slaughter them, that would be no fun.
I didn't want to destroy them. I just wanted to scare them a little.
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