A1c. The Dragon in the Kitchen
This scene takes place in the Taproom and Kitchen
Before the players are interrupted:
Gundren Rockseeker is at the bar.
Renna Goresy and Rubychasing Flaximundar in the kitchen.
Cakeis relaxing on the bar.
When this scene begins, read or paraphrase:
A sharp yowl erupts from behind the kitchen door, followed by the sound of dishes shattering and a dog’s heavy barks. Renna’s voice cuts through the noise: ”Help!”
If awake, Gundren urges the players to investigate and assist, entering the kitchen alone if ignored.
If the players enter the kitchen, read or paraphrase:
Mayhem reigns in the kitchen beyond the door. A pile of dishes lies broken across the floor, not far from an upended stool and an overturned flowerpot. A mastiff snarls up at a soot-stained, winged reptilian creature, which dives through the air to avoid a swing of Renna’s broom. Mere feet away, Cake yowls, darting across a cluster of clay shards and a puddle of oil toward an open window. Beneath her, not far from a bucket filled with sand, the oil creeps slowly toward a spilled cascade of red-hot embers from the fireplace.
“Nee-nee-nee-nee-nee—” the winged reptile squeals, its claws wiggling desperately.
Renna’s head whirls toward you, broom raised high for another strike. “Free lodgings tonight if you help me get this thing out of my kitchen!”
Ask the players to roll imitative, and roll initiative for each other creature present.
In combat, each character acts as followed unless the players influence or stop them:
Cake attempts to flee out of the open kitchen window.
Ruby attempts to knock Flax prone with her bite, then attempts to grapple him using her unarmed strike.
Renna attempts to attack Flax with her broom (use her club attack).
Flax takes the Dodge action and attempts to evade all attacks while searching for Gundren, continuing to stutter and babble incomprehensibly. If he takes damage, Flax immediately drops to the floor and cowers, whimpering and rocking on the floor in distress and fear. (Because Flax is a child, describe any “damage” as superficial, scuffing or discoloring his scales without causing real injury.)
Gundren, if present, recognizes Flax and alerts the players that he’s “not a monster, just a scared dragon wyrmling!” He then does his best to help the players calm the other combatants.
On initiative count 20 of the second round of combat, the oil reaches the ember and ignites, exploding to fill a 5-foot square directly in front of the fireplace. (See Fire for the rules governing the fire’s behavior.)
If cornered by fire, Flax uses his next available action to unleash extinguishing as many burning squares as he can manage. He then promptly faints, reviving after 1d4 + 1 minutes, if he’s shaken awake as an action, or if he takes any damage.
Proceed to A1d. Flax's Plea.