EMERGENCY EXIT
(though why it's called that, I don't know!)
The gang are running. Again! They have had very little rest over the past few days and keep getting into fights and skrimishes with Orcs and other nasties! Eric is inclined to blame DM for their woes, but instead of building usupport for that POV, he just ends up alienating the others even more.
Finally, they stumble to a halt, in desperate need of a rest.
DM appears and tells them that they will be able to find a safe place to rest close by. But they have to eb extremely careful and not touch or take ANYTHING from the Sancuary.
After pointing them in the right direction, DM vanishes.
Hank leads the group to the Sanctuary, followed by yet more Orcs, but once they are inside, the Orcs just walk straight past the entrance and can't seem to see them. Grateful for the rest, they all slump down, and the Hat even gets them some random food (that is at least edible). They don't bother setting a watch, as they believe what DM told them, and that they are safe.
But not all of them can sleep. Eric is restless and goes to explore (but not too far!). Further into the Sancturay, he finds a beautifully decorated room, and lots of beautiful things, including some golden coins and gemsstones and other expensive trinkets. Eric spends most of the night looking at them, and the more he looks the more he likes them.
At last he reasons that whoever owns the Sanctuary isn't going to miss one little thing and takes something small, like a coin, with a tiny dragon head embossedon it.
Only a few minutes later, the gang is spotted by the Orcs, and there is another fight. The kids are woken abruptly from sleep but still manage to outwit the Orcs and run.
Hank and the others can't figure out what happened, and Eric suddenly realises it was all his fault.
But, just as everyone is talking about it, and before he gives himself away, a cross-looking Green Dragon appears, knocking down a nearby wall. Again they have to run, and Prest creates enough of a distraction for them to escape.
This scenario repeats itself again and again, as they bump into more and more different varieties of Dragon. there are opportunities for Eric to come clean and admit what he's done, but he doesn't and they all just keep on running and narrowly escaping.
Again and again they have to keep on going. And slowly they seem to be gathering more of a horde pursuing them!
Finally, Tiamat the Dragon Queen appears.
At last, they realise that they have to turn and fight it out properly. There is very little chance to them winning.
Eric, knowing that this is his final chance to make amens, tells them what he has done and shows them the coin he took.
They are all furious, and he tells them he's sorry and they should go. Since it was his fault, he should stay and slow thet Dragons down, giving them more of a chance to escape.
It doesn't quite work the way Eric thought it would as the others are so annoyed that they agree and leave him to it!
But he holds true to his word and during the wait, he accidentally drops the coin.
The Dragons seem to instantaneously loose interest in him and start on at each other (all except Tiamat, who *does* seem to understand what has happened).
Eric does the smart thing and scarpers. He meets up with the others, and is tempted to tell them he defeated the Dragons single handed. But he doesn't and admits taking the coin and generally being stupid.
They welcome him back and they head off again in search of another way home.
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