Dungeons and Dragons Essentials, Session 3

The players meet the Dragon, a white Ozark Frost Dragon named Curly. They try to parley with the dragon, who is convinced they are assassins hired by the necromancer Malareth to kill the young dragon. Curly's kobolds were helping Malareth rob merchants for certain valuable materials, and Curly got the gold and any magic items the merchants may have had. No amount of talking convinces Curly of their innocence, and a fight commences. Curly breathes ice breath twice during the battle, nearly killing Mr Grimes. However, the combined might of the PCs proves too much for the dragon. Dayareth, with some direction from the other players, cuts the heart out of the dragon for his teacher, the Arch mage, who needs it for a very powerful spell. The heart is ice cold and remains so. Much treasure is found, which the players quickly divide amongst themselves, including some minor magic items

After a short rest, the players move down the hallway. "Who goes there?" someone shouts from the end of the hall.
"Umm, a bunch of us kobolds. We're here to relieve you guys over there."
"No, you're not! You're a bunch of thieves who can't make a decent bluff roll. Prepare to die!"

A huge bugbear flanked by two large kobolds charges the PC. Harlok and Falin respond with a counter charge. It's a quick battle, with the end result being dead bugbear and kobolds, and a shiny new magic axe for Harlok.

The next room contains a fancy rug and a distinctly unfancy dire rat wearing a collar (one of the bugbear's pets). Harlok charges, only to run headlong into a pit concealed by the rug. The less impulsive members of the party go around the pit and dispatch the rat, who's a little tougher than the first thought. The rat squeals a warning to his pals in the next room.

Fat lot of good that does. Though the party members are down significantly on healing surges after four big battles, a couple dire rats aren't enough to stop them. In the room is a giant minotaur statue with a strange message in dwarven lettering. The players aren't sure what it means.

But where is Malareth? Where's all the stuff robbed from the merchants? Another door leads further into the complex . . .