It is the morning of February 1st before you are set to venture forth again. It snowed gently all night...6" in total...so now there is just over 4' on the ground. The temperature remains relatively mild, though, but a strong wind makes it feel much colder.
You set out after breakfast for the Halls of Galahad.
This time you do much better, but due to the lack of skills of most of the party with snowshoes it is still nearly evening when you approach the old orc-lair.
From the base of the cliff, across the river from the entrance, the place looks deserted.
Op Code asks "shall we go back and continue where we left off? That would be three rooms north of the elevator room."
Nobody answers, so the ranger leads the way cautiously up the path to the ledge.
You enter through the main entrance. The room beyond is deserted...but for numerous orc-bones scattered across the floor, now picked clean.
You go through the north door...up the passage...right at the fork...into the first cave - deserted - up the north-northwest passage to the second cave - deserted - out the other side to the triple fork...northeast to the third cave - deserted - and north through the secret door.
This takes you deep into the hillside.
Entering the closet at the far end - monster -
Ack!
Upon opening the secret door into the closet, you find yourself confronting a large green dragon...or at least the head of one, since most of the rest of it will not fit into a 10' square closet and instead extends back into the rooms beyond.
You have initiative...
Darian leaps back down the corridor figuring there is no way he could survive the breath of such a creature.
Pharian casts a magic missle, then jumps back to try to get out of range of the breath. The six missiles sear its nostrils.
Occa magic missles the dragon...
Three spells are all it takes to finish the monster off...as the mage reduces its head to a smoking cinder.
Picking yourselves up, you climb over the dead dragon and continue nonchalantly on your way. (the dragon had no treasure)
"Um... Wow..." says Darian.
Occa says, "That was lucky...that dragon could have killed a few of the newbies." He blows the smoke from the tip of his finger away and walks on.
Entering the main 20' wide passageway, you head east.
After walking for several miles, you arrive at the entrance doors into the western area...where Lore and Darian originally joined you.
Soon you find yourself back in the room from whence came the giant toads. To the south is the room with the idol of Tiamat...to the west is the door where the white dragons lived...and to the north is an unexplored area.
It is mid-evening.
Once back in the main complex he says, "Let's crash in the secret door room since it is getting late."
Occa goes and finds the secret door and, after recasting unseen servant, has the unseen servant open the door.
The room is as you left it.
You settle in and pass a quiet night.