Mirror of life trapping broken, released ancient dragons. what now ?

[McDeadeye Jones]

Hi all,

In our campaign tonight, the adventurers entered a cave, found a hidden mirror of life trapping, and trapped our oracle healer. Our wizard was able to identify the command word (saved himself from the mirror's life trapping effect), and thereby released our trapped oracle.

Here is the kicker/problem: Our dwarven Barbarian distrusts evil magic items so much, instead of us burying the evil mirror, and leaving it behind, decides to kick the mirror off the mountain, thereby destroying the mirror, and releasing a CR 19 Ancient Red dragon, and a CR 17 Ancient green dragon.

I, as the GM, was totally flabbergasted, and unsure of what to do next. I decided that I would roll randomly on a d4 to decide the course of action.

1.) The dragons both fly up and discover the pc's thereby destroying our level 8 party

2.) The dragons both fight it out, since the green is LE, and the red is CE

3.) The dragons fly northward, and find the pc's town, and lay waste upon the town

4.) The dragons Fly to the northern edge of the map, where the higher level encounters reside anyway (CR15-20)

So I rolled a 2, the dragons fought it out, and the red dragon won by completely kicking the green dragon's ass.

My problem is, what should the Ancient Red Dragon do now ? I mean, he's probably hungry as hell, mad as hell (was trapped for 3 centuries in that damned mirror) and wanting blood.

I don't want to wast the pc's, but at the same time, I don't feel like the dragon is just going to go away either.

What do you all think ? suggestions would be appreciated, as I am at a loss as what to do next with him.

[Count Coltello]

I think the barbarian gets at least 7 years bad luck

[McDeadeye Jones]

LMAO !

ya, the other players were NOT pleased about that!

[kestral287]

The dragon pulls a Smaug. It starts establishing its own little kingdom and treasure horde to lord over. The PCs now have a goal: free their little town from its new Draconic Overlord.

Really, you could turn this into a whole quest arc. They're going to need anti-draconic weaponry and equipment and a lot of experience or just a /ton/ of experience. Have them go out and find support (or try to), hunt up that gear (... or try to) and beat up on lots of monsters along the way (or... okay hopefully they don't fail at that).

[Emmanuel Nouvellon-Pugh]

Gather kobold minions, as it is nigh impossible to find treasure in the burning remains of buildings without their tiny little hands to help save time.

[Count Coltello]

I think barb goes solo ...

Dragon could and should be grateful for freeing him could become helpful ally...

Pcs get quest from dragon to obtain dinner for it (couple hundred sheep and cows should do) the you laugh as pcs either buy them or steal them or laugh harder when the pcs explain to the farmer that they need to "borrow" their sheep

[McDeadeye Jones]

Hmmm,

We are also using the Ultimate Campaign ruleset, and the players have built their own town, and have currently claimed quite a few hexes as their own, including other small towns, forts, and various mines and resources.
Since I don't want to outright wipe the party, your suggestion seems valid. Perhaps have the escaped dragon go around and start destroying/claiming the party's resources and hexes back a little at a time, being a HUGE pain in the ass, harassing and annoying them, while whittling away at their gathered resources...

[McDeadeye Jones]

The Red Dragon is Chaotic Evil. It is most likely he would "pretend" to be grateful, take the dinner, then just turn on them anyway, just because he could.

[Count Coltello]

Then dragon wants pcs to cook the sheep med rare when pcs bring dragon perfectly cooked med rare steak and sheep the dragon complains about undercooked saying they are trying to poison him with raw food he uses breath on it which turns it to a crisp and them explains that's how you cook med rare steak

[McDeadeye Jones]

Another good suggestion Count Coltello, but all i can think of that is.... what then ? doubtful he would leave it at that. He is MUCH too powerful, to toy with the pc's so easily. He's over 1000 years old. CR 19..

[boring7]

It helps to remember that dragons are people too.

So you're evil, more than that you are a *little* insane from 300 years of altered consciousness semi-existence inside of a magical prison, you just murdered the hell out of your cellmate just because, and you're hungry. But there's more: you are also a dragon, a royal creature of wealth and taste and an aerial predator that enjoys the quick dive-bombing kill and the messy feast afterward.

You want, nay NEED 3 things before any other concerns matter: A good meal, the status of your fiefdom, and bloody-minded murder to re-establish your sense of dominance. You already took care of the murder and one good "BOO!" at the adventurers will establish your dominance.

Adventurers aren't actually that tasty, because there isn't enough meat on 'em and because they tend to go down pointy. Eating them is like eating cactus fruit, too much effort for too little payoff at the moment. What you want, if you even LIKE long pork, is an adorable defenseless village. Demand information from the adventurers, in fact use the magic crown you turned into a horn-decoration 423 year ago to rip the information from an adventurer's head. You're evil, you're big, and your treasure-type is appropriate for that kind of stuff.

Give them some brand of Sophie's choice where they get to pick WHICH defenseless village you wreak havoc and destruction upon, but make it snappy 'cuz you're freakin' hungry. Revel in their pain and suffering and if they don't pick one, pick both for them while making sure they know it's "all their fault for taking too long." You're evil, psychological torture is fun. And after all, the PCs deserve some special attention as thanks (evil, messed up thanks) for freeing you. Lay it on thick, too.

Now, where did you used to live? If it's nearby there is at least a 25% chance you ignore their choice and go to the one closest to your old lair because it is on the way. Bonus points if you call it your royal right because they are legally your subjects (nevermind any upstarts who think they own the lands, you're an ancient Red Dragon. Whether you eat people, their livestock, or both (just kidding, it'll be both) you give them a chance to surrender themselves before laying waste and enjoying a slaughter-fest. Not much else to say about it, it will be happening off camera unless you decide to bring one of the adventurers along (the bard if there is one) to serve as your "herald" and deliver the bad news.

With dinner, dominance, and entertainment out of the way, it is time for the bad news. 300 years is a long time, so you head to your old homestead expecting it to be plundered. DM fiat decides if your lair is untouched, looted, double-looted, and/or infested. Maybe your consort ("of old" or "to be") is there, maybe a mindless beast or an easily-enslaved tribe or even the descendants of your old minions. Whatever the case you reclaim your home, retrieve whatever hidden treasures remain in the walls (like your crystal scrying ball and the contract you have with a certain efreeti) and begin to rebuild, because you aren't just a monster anymore, you are a villain. And you want your big fat hoard to wallow in.

Meanwhile, party-side, the half-elf bard (or whoever) stumbles back to the PCs, a haunted look in his eyes as he tells them of the death and destruction, how poketown (or whatever the village was) is nothing but ash and the cries of lamenting widows. The screams of children as the monster devoured them ring in his/her ears.

Nice job breaking it, hero.

But we still aren't done. CR 17 is kind of a big deal. Dead Mr. Green was ancient, too powerful to just kill (why he was in the mirror), and lawful. That kind of fellow makes plans. The first thing he does when his clone-self is decanted by the Formians he contracted "death insurance" with is prioritize his hierarchy of vengeance. The enemy that stuck him in that mirror is a target, but so is Mr. Red for murdering him. Mr. Green is going to want revenge, and the PCs are a charmingly stupid band of potential cat's paws in such matters.

And now you have a campaign, or if you already HAD a campaign, you have 2 new great big NPC players and their little shadow-war stomping around the game board like a drunk ogre in a high-society waltz. The fun is just getting started.

[DominusMegadeus]

Suddenly you remember there was also a Level 20 Paladin Elf in the mirror too, who was totally there the whole time. He slays the Red Dragon and with his dying breath, thanks the PCs for freeing him, and is taken by an angel to the heavens (along with his Holy Avenger of course.)

[VRMH]

Or the Dragons fall in love and start an elaborate aerial mating dance.

[LuxuriantOak]

Do the players know that he is cr19? Have you told them?
If they don't - then he is whatever cr you need him to be for your plot.
If you gave away his stats to the players ... you got to stop doing that.

If the dragon is too powerful for the party to deal with - just have it ignore the players and fly away. For the rest of the campaign have rumors and stories of it's actions reach the players. If you guys play long enough concider making it a high level quest to end it's evil.

Btw: dragon in a mirror? I like it, going to use this idea in my game. Thanks!

[Wheldrake]

1) The red dragon was probably wounded from his fight, maybe he should just fly over the nearest few farms, torch a swath of countryside (doubtless putting a dent in a few seasons of profits for the PCs) eat a few cows and townsfolk, and fly off to some nearby mountain to sulk and heal.

2) Weeks later, the PCs hear reports of several tough adventuring bands who were totally wiped out trying to dislodge the dragon.

3) At some point the dragon sends an emissary to threaten the PCs and their home fief with utter destruction unless they can locate the nasty wizard who made the mirror and trapped him in the first place.

I would think the dragon's prime motivation would be revenge on the wizard who trapped him. But there are doubtless many ways this could twist, without having to adjudicate a TPK situation.

[McDeadeye Jones]

MAN ! Boring7 i LIKE YOUR STYLE !!!!!!!! HELL YA!

[McDeadeye Jones]

Ooooooh Wheldrake, gonna add that ALSO ! appreciate the feedback guys, your all evil as hell, and i love it !