Pop goes the Dragon

The newly assembled group departs Thudheim with Thud, Greenleaf, Max and some new adventurers. Ashen, an imposing fighter, Dalliance, a female Magic User, Lucitor the Monk and Clifford the Elvish Thief/Magic User. These 7 set out at the request of Stumpy, the Lord of the Shining Falls, to obtain 3 legendary swords reported lost in the renowned Dwarven Run.
After some uneventful travel, the group spies some orcs making their way into a large mountain, possibly a part of the Dwarven Run. After some Druid/Bird scouting, the group sneaks up to and enters into possible backdoor, a crude tunnel. The tunnel empties into a large cavern where they encounter some Troglodytes and a bear. The Trogs are quickly slain and the bear is set free up the passageway. The cavern is huge with 5 exits, one is randomly selected and the party proceeds into another large cavern with a blue glowing ceiling and various crystals and fungi on the floor, the sensation of fresh air is felt by the group. There are a few ledges in this room, Clifford levitates up to one and finds some crabs with a passageway leading up strewn with severed limbs. Clifford casts burning hands on the crabs who are upset but unable to attack, then levitates back down to the group who is confronted by an iron door. The door bears the sign of the dwarven weaponsmith. A knock spell opens the door, down the corridor to a room with some trapped secret doors, one which hits Thud for some damage. Also in the distance the group hears some blacksmith like hammering. The elves notice another secret door which leads down. In the corridor, a magic mouth sounds an alarm, it is dispelled, but the hammering stops.

Beyond the magic mouth is a large iron door. Using all his strength Thud kicks in the door and a voice challenges the group. “Leave now or be destroyed!” and to back up this threat a crossbow bolt strikes Thud in the shoulder! Thud closes the door. Using invisibility, Ashen and Clifford storm the room and cannot see anything. A detect enemy spell reveals some hidden attackers, who begin to flee. The group splits into two battle formations and attacks, Dalliance summons a Yeth Hound who also attacks.

A lightning bolt from Dalliance slays one Duergar, in what appears to be a throne room. There is a door behind the throne room, the group opens it to another passageway to find a Dwarf in glowing armor.

“Go back!” The dwarf warns and is joined by two more Duergars, all three are incinerated by a Dalliance fireball. The group is now in a bedroom with 2 doors plus a secret door in a closet discovered by Greenleaf. The secret door leads to a narrow corridor, Clifford, Greenleaf and Lucitor enter the passage to a ‘T’ intersection. The right passageway leads to a large cavern with the sound of running water. The left leads to a secret door which opens to a room with several doors and a hallway. A feeling of uneasiness affects the trio as one of them thinks they notice a wispy something in the air.

The group reassembles at the ‘T’ and decides to head right to the waterfall door. Through the door is a ledge with a chain ladder heading down into darkness. The group descends the ladder and discovers a ledge overlooking an underground river with two stone bridges. The closer bridge seems to lead to nowhere, a ledge on the other bank. The second bridge is marked and deteriorated but passable. After crossing the second bridge and traveling a few yards down a passageway, the group is surprised by a Black Dragon surfacing out of the water! The Dragon breaths acid on the group! Lucitor the Monk is virtually disintegrated, leaving nothing but a few teeth on the ground. Thud, Max, Dalliance, and Ashen are also hit by the acid breath and are seriously wounded.

The cry of “retreat!!” is heard and the group makes its way back to the chain ladder. Clifford casts lightning bolt and ice storm to cover the party’s retreat as the dragon resurfaces near the first bridge. They scramble/fly up the ladder with the dragon flying in pursuit. “You had better run!” roars the dragon, who nearly finishes off the party with another blast of acid.

The door closed behind them and some quick heals are cast on Ashen (who was near death) Thud and Max. Suddenly the group is again under fire, more crossbow bolts from some duergar down the hallway strike Thud, Greenleaf and Dalliance. The group manages to escape when an ice shield and fire shield are cast cutting off the duregars in the hallway. Invisibility 10’ radius covers the retreat through the secret doors. The group looks warily at a pool as they exit the mountain the same way they came in. Could the pool be connected to the river somehow and does the black dragon have access to that pool? Outside the mountain the party heals up and debates what to do next.