Third session report by Gnarhan

The terror of the dragon temple gripped me. I pulled at Albertus for him to leave with me but he waved me off engrossed in the book. I glanced again at the black dragon fresco and saw that it was getting bigger as it seemed to fly towards us from the distant perspective of the wall painting. “Run!” I shout and drag Albertus with me as the floor begins to shake. As I push him through the door the font overflows with hissing blood. Everyone is already jumping into the pool and swimming back the way we came. I unceremoniously kick the protesting Albertus into the pool and turning around one last time I see the snout of a huge black dragon; its nostrils barely able to poke through the double doors. As it inhales I dive into the pool and the flood of acid breath it sprays engulfs the spot where we were just standing.
Gulping for air at the other end of the submerged tunnel my lungs fill with acrid smoke. Choking I blindly struggle past the burning barrier and into the tunnel; I keep low to avoid the smoke drifting along the ceiling. At the shaft a rope dangles waiting for us to climb. Aeilbeth climbs first and finds that the rope has been tied to the coach. I tie us all to the rope at the bottom and shout for us all to be pulled together. After a rough ascent we all tumble out from the shaft except Ululume who untied herself and using Tanyth’s climbing gear she makes it to the top herself.
After the short journey back to town we meet with the town elder and receive our reward. The children are all running around playing cheerfully and all seems well. We are told that there will be a ball in our honor and we should see the tailor for some free party clothes. I tell of the venerable black dragon but this doesn’t seem to cause any great concern.
I go straight to the tailor and she measures me up for a fine cape. I see the female comrades outside Marvin’s shop while he sneaks out the back unnoticed. I go and tell them of Marvin’s attempt at stealth; both Tanyth and Aeilbeth rush after Marvin. I catch up to find Tanyth openly threatening the man. Not wanting to stick my oar in I stay back in the shadow and see that she eventually lets him go.
We go to get kitted out at the general store and blacksmiths. The girls disappear for hours and when we meet to go to the ball they are wearing their hair differently and have pigments painted on their face making them more attractive somehow. At the party I feel uncomfortable but a lady called Pomperfey kept me company and we talked much of my recent quest.
Over breakfast the next day my companions and I discuss our next step. It is decided that we either help the local “travel agent” who is having problems with a rival company or bringing the bandit leaders head. I opt to kill two birds with one stone and do both at the same time. I suggest that we put on a show of leaving town with great riches so that word will get to the rivals that we travel north towards the mountains where the bandit leader makes camp.
The next morning everyone gets aboard the coach with much ostentation and we set off. I doesn’t take too long before we see a cloud of dust being kicked up by a band of horsemen riding our way. When they get close they draw weapons and prepare to attack. Albertus flings spells, Aeilbeth looses arrows, the rest of us prepare. As a horseman rides along side the coach I kick open the door and leap onto his mount. He slashes at me ineffectually. I awkwardly plunge the blade of my glaive into his chest and lever him from his saddle. I spin around on the saddle and veer the horse towards the boss who throws a fire bomb am me; it explodes and my horse squeals in pain. I manage to steer it true and run my glaive through his side. As I turn the horse for another run the boss throws another fireball; in response I breathe a cone of electricity over him and his mount and both judder and fall. Ahead of me the coach rumbles to a halt and with the rest of the bandits dead at the hands of my companions they are all looted for treasure.