H, Smallfang and Arno make their way across the mold and slime covered rope bridge that leads further into the caves carved into the mountain behind Diderius's complex. They have recently lost one of their companions, Lithariel, who had met her death inside the bone boulder inside the complex.
Moving through the narrow tunnels, they find themselves in a larger cave which is well kept and smoothly hewn out of the rock. It seems to be a shrine to some sort of snake deity. A large statue of a snake occupies one wall while an old suit of armor is crumpled upon the ground near another wall. As H tries, without success, to open the locked door at the other end, the group notices that the opposite end of the room is writhing with small snakes coming out of the many small cracks in the wall.
The Meditation Chamber 4,600 XP Smallfang and Arno try a few magical spells to dispel the multitude of snakes but the continue to enter the room. A vast number of the snakes seek refuge from the damage inflicted by the adventurers within the decrepit suit of armor. The armor begins to move with the snakes inside and soon rises to its feet. The suit of armor begins to attack them. Bullets, swords and many types of magic seem to not hamper the moving suit of armor, as the many snakes killed are simply replaced by more snakes entering the room and slithering up inside the suit of armor.
The noise of battle is heard by two prisoners of the Yuan-ti. Bishop, a gnome whom the adventurers have come across before and an elf, Yethaniel are imprisoned in a small cave with only a small barred window on the door to look out of. To short to look out the window, Bishop simply waits as Yethaniel is unable to spot anything outside the door. Turning to mist, Yethaniel begins to move through the cave complex seeking out the source of the battle noise.
Along the way she spots several yuan-ti and lizardfolk. They off course do not notice him as she moves across the floor as a thin veil of mist. Finally, she spots the groups battle with the snake animated armor and returns to the prison area where she discovers both her's and Bishops belongings. Returning to Bishop, she presents him with his equipment and creates a portal to step through. The exit the prison cell and enter the battle.
The extra help is needed as the sound of battle has also attracted several lizard folk and a yuan-ti. The battle is hard fought but finally won. Trying to find a way out of the room, H begins again in earnest to try and unlock the door barring their way. Smallfang, who is still imbued with the magical knowledge of the universe rattling around inside his head, tries to recall how to pick the lock. He begins to recite a litany of facts regarding the make of the door and lock, and when he finally comes to the mechanics of the locking tumbler system, H is able to utilize this to unlock the door.
Yethaniel, uses her necromancy to raise the numerous dead lizardfolk into a small entourage that leds the way. Yethaniel takes a moment to probe the minds of one of the dead lizardfolk. He sees flashes of images:
watching the cultists move into the complex looking for the divination pool
watching as Varram tries to use the pool but the pool reveals nothing, until Varram begins sacrificing some of his own cultist members. As the blood spills into the pool the dwarf peers into the pool and is enraged at whatever he sees
images of battle as the yuan-ti surprise the cultists and kill the remaining members and capture Varram
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: I really enjoyed being able to fill in some of the backstory as to what happened using the dead lizardfolk. It's not often I get to relate what has happened "behind the scenes" in some of the story lines.)
The Yuan-Ti Sleeping Quarters 3,300 XP
Moving through the corridors they find themselves in a darkened room where the floor is covered in dozens of circular holes. Smallfang decides to peer down one of the holes and discovers that there is a sleeping yuan-ti, a snake like creature, sleeping within. This is how they sleep. The group debates as to the best course, while H simply sits down to have a pull at his flask.
Bishop, bravely steps out and begins to walk across the room to the door on the far side. Unfortunately, the gnomes heavy armor begins to make its usual metallic racket and the group steps back into the shadows of the corridor. A snakelike head appears out of one of the sleeping holes and blearily looks around. After not seeing anything, the head descends once again.
It is decided that Yethaniel will cast flying on Smallfang, while the gnomes ride along on his shoulders. The others will make their way across the room using light steps, luck and courage.
Travelling down the next set of corridors the adventurers move to towards the sounds of draconic speech coming from a far room. As they turn the corner they encounter two lizardfolk who, upon seeing the group, set off at a run into the next room.
A few of the group try to stop the two lizardfolk before they can escape to warn others. H fires but one of his guns misfires. Smallfang throws one of his javelins but the lizardfolk continues to run, albeit a little worse. The group pursues. Yuan-Ti Temple 9,300 XP
Rounding the corner they enter a large ornate temple. There they see several yuan-ti and lizardfolk. Near a large shrine in the form of a head of a python looming large over a dais, the leader yuan-ti holds a knife to the neck of a dwarf.
The dwarf is clothed in tattered purple robes. He is clearly the dragon cultist, Varram The White.
The lead yuan-ti asks the group if they are a part of the "desecrators" that were led by this dwarf. They tell the yuan-ti that they are not but they wish to have the dwarf.
The negotiations are short lived. The group begins the killing. The battle is long and hard. H spends his time moving to vantage points in order to keep out of harms way but still be able to fire upon the enemies. Bishop conjures a wall of wind to protect himself and H, while still allowing H to fire through the wall.
Arno uses his trusted cloud of daggers to great effectiveness. Yethaniel commands his army of undead lizardfolk and the group watches as the lizardfolk have to kill their own. Smallfang, with Arno still astride his shoulders approaches the main yuan-ti and the two battle. It is fortunate that Arno is atop Smallfang as he succumbs to the fear spell that the yuan-ti try to ensnare the group with. Smallfang tries his best to keep Arno from seeing the yuan-ti in order for the gnome to be any use.
At one point Arno is hit into unconsciousness and has to be revived by his friend Smallfang. Finally the room is littered with the dead and they now have Varram at their swords end. He begs for his life. He is willing to give all the information he has about the cult in exchange for his release. He cannot return to the cult as Severin will certainly kill him for his losing the White Dragon Mask. He tells them:
The cult is now ready and is probably already started the ritual to bring Tiamat into this world
The amount of treasure is not as much as they had hoped for (thanks to this group)
They will have to offer more sacrifices as well as sacrifice some of their dragons, which were raised for just this eventuality
The lack of the White Dragon Mask will also make the ritual more difficult.
All the group has to do is interrupt the ritual long enough that the portal will fail.
If Tiamat comes through all is not necessarily lost. She will be weakened by any failing in the ritual and hopefully can be overcome.
The group listens and notes everything Varram tells them. Then they kill him.
They travel back to Boareskyr Bridge and find themselves back at Bolo's Tentside Inn. There they encounter the Ward, a member of the Order Of The Obsidian Dagger. He seems confused and troubled. Upon questioning, it would seem that he in in possession of the White Dragon Mask but cannot remember why he has it or how he came to have it.
The group doesn't care. They take it from him and he leaves, probably to wander aimlessly for what ever remains of his days.
Arno and Smallfang puzzle over their new find and, after testing out the fit on H, that is has some amazing properties:
it can absorb cold damage
it adds to your armor
probably gives you some sort of dragon breath attack
allows you to understand, but not speak, draconic
probably gives you some sort of Legendary Resistance
and.....probably more but they're not sure.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: I only thought about this after the evening was over. No one searched ANY room for loot. That's unusual for this group.)
Dusk falls upon the group as they approach the ruins of a settlement at the base of an ancient temple. H begins preparing the defenses for his horse drawn cart while Smallfang accompanies Arno as the gnome begins the ritual to prepare Leomund's Tiny Hut for the groups rest. Before Arno is able to complete the ritual two trolls come out of the trees, grab Arno and jump down into an ancient sewer pulling the rusted grate closed behind them.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Arno's player had to go to a party. Briefly thought about killing Arno out of spite, but then came to my senses. This was just a way of dealing with Arno's absence. At no time was there any harm done to any gnomes during this game.)
The Abduction Of Arno
Smallfang rushes to the spot where the trolls took Arno into the sewer. Lifting the old grate, he peers down into the deep and dark shaft. Even with his newly crafted ability for darkvision he cannot see the trolls, his friend Arno or the bottom. He calls to the others for aid. H rushes to the side of Smallfang but his normal human vision is no further help. H grabs a nearby rock and drops it down the shaft. He counts for what seems a very long time until he hears the faint splash from far below.
Meanwhile, Lithareal has taken to exploring the ruins. First she transforms into an eagle to view the area from above. The area is old and ruined. Ancient buildings are no more than rubble outlines of walls, sometimes even just the remnants of stone foundations. She lands and walks towards a cave like entrance which lies in the mountain above a rocky landing some thirty feet above the ground. As she walks towards the landing, she passes before two large stone statues old and crumbling. They come alive as the elf approaches and even with portions of their carved human bodies missing they address the elf, asking the intentions of the new visitor. "Diderious extends wisdom and Diderious offers knowledge. Which do you seek?"
Lithareal responds defiantly, "Who are you and who is Diderious?"
The statues turn their heads down in disappointment and do not converse with Lithareal further. The elf climbs a ladder, conveniently left in place at the foot of the landing and climbs up. Before being able to explore further she hears the loud whistle of H's and returns to the group. There she finds that Arno has been taken and quickly decides to pursue. Pulling 50 feet of rope from her pack, throwing one end to Smallfang and tossing the rest down the shaft, Lithareal rappels down. Smallfang braces for the wait, and H jumps to grab on as well, but there is no resistance. Lithareal is unable to get a grasp on the rope and plunges down the shaft. Thirty feet of shaft fly by, and in a panic Lithareal transforms into a spider to protect herself from the fall.
Unfortunately, it is a giant spider, which is too large for the shaft and the creature becomes wedged facing upwards, feet reaching skyward and unable to move. She tries wiggling, trashing and finally spinning web, which simply results in a splat of webbing against the side of the shaft, all without any resulting freedom. Finally she transforms back into an elf, grabbing the rope and is hauled back to the surface by Smallfang and H. Seemingly unable to pursue, the group decides to seek out other possibilities of rescue from within the temple.
The Watchful Statues
They approach the landing, briefly explored by Lithareal, passing in front of the two statues, as Lithareal did before. The statues move to life again and speak the same question. Lithareal pipes up again with the same question to their question and Smallfang simply shrugs. H begins to drawl irreverently and the statues again move their heads down in disappointment. Moving on the group climbs the ladder and comes to the entrance of the temple carved into the mountain.
The entrance is beautifully and intricately carved with depictions of past heroes and ominous future visions. Smallfang glances along some of these and exclaims, "Hey, I think this is my dad!"
They pass into a passageway, moving away from the dying light outside. The corridor is lined with three large statues on each side. Each a hooded figure holding a staff, looking downwards, their faces hidden by their cowls. As Smallfang and H, now holding a torch, approach a statue to inspect further they note the dozens, if not hundreds, of bones scattered along the floor.
The statues move and Smallfang and H both look up into the rising face still hidden in shadow. They both feel the rush of magic as their minds try to grasp the multitude of knowledge that pours into them. Smallfang feels elated and for a moment seems to know everything. All secrets. All knowledge. After the initial rush, he is able to retain, at least temporarily, much of this knowledge and he is quick to answer most of the groups questions with ease for the next long while.
H has not fared so well with the onslaught of knowledge. He is drooling, babbling and wandering aimlessly. Lithareal who up to this point had been examining the carvings on the wall has missed what had occurred with the statues and now sees H as a babbling idiot. He tries to use remove curse to help H but to no avail. Smallfang simply lifts up H and carries him cradled in his arms while Litharael removes H's weapons from his hands. They move through the remaining corridor and into the next room.
The Mosaic Chamber
They enter a beautifully tiled room. The walls, floor and ceiling all depicting various scenes in a mosaic of brightly colored tiles. They see a warrior wielding a sword against a chimera and a large and yellow colored sun which appears in the middle of one of the walls. H finally coming to his senses takes his weapon back, at gunpoint, from the elf and retrieves his torch. Litharael, without pause or inspection opens one the doors in the room.
The doors lead to a darkened room in the middle of which is a large pit. Dropping down a magically lit torch, Lithareal watches as the torch dwindles in sight and finally coming to rest, some 60 feet below in water. The pit is ringed with a large patch of mushrooms which are the color of fresh blood. Lithareal collects up several of these in a a bucket which was nearby on a long thin chain. H takes the chain from the bucket. (never know when a chain might come in handy). Along the wall there is a small ramp, at the top of which is a small basin with a plug at the bottom. Lithareal experiments with the lever near the basin and it would seem the lever controls the plug.
H moves up the basin and begins to relieve his bladder into the basin. Once finished, throws the lever ad watches his used water drain down below the basin and the group hears his urine flow through some sort of piping from within the walls. H asks is anyone else has to use the facilities and when no one takes him up on the offer, shrugs and they return to the mosaic room.
As they return to the chamber, H catches movement out of the corner of his eyes. It looked like the tile image of the chimera had moved. Just as H is puzzling over this, the chimera pulls itself off of the wall and attacks. The group quickly finds the battle easier when attacking the side of the chimera, since it is made of tiles, it is hard to hit when directly facing it. Soon the room is filled with the sounds of clacking, moving tiles as well as the sounds of smashing and breaking of tiles as the group soon finishes off the mosaic chimera.
As they catch their breath, some of them notice that some of the tiles have moved of their own accord, one the broken tiles mending itself. The group moves quickly to scatter and stow several of the tiles and decide to quickly move on.
Boulders of Stone and Bone
Lithareal rushes to the large double doors at one end of the room. The doors are covered in copper engravings of several priests surrounding a pool, kneeling and raising their hands upwards with a larger priest at the top. The doors are quite obviously buckled in towards the room the group is currently in. The hinges broken and barely holding on. Lithareal pulls them open.
Opening the doors unleashes an avalanche of boulders, rocks and other rubble which sends the two doors flying across the room. Lithareal is badly hurt and half buried under the rubble. Smallfang and H are injured but not grievously. Smallfang begins to pull rocks off of Lithareal until the elf can stand again. It would seem that the passage way beyond the double doors is impassable. Looking for other passages the group begins inspecting the walls and H finds a passageway concealed behind the large mosaic sun.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Note to self: Try not to remove so much Fog Of War that it shows secrets doors! So stupid!)
As they enter the descending passageway behind the rotated sun, the move single file down towards the bottom. As they do, they hear the clatter of what they will soon realize is hundreds of bones and bone shards collecting into a large bone boulder. The bone boulder is hoisted by itself, using the multitude of hands, feet and arms that are incorporated into the boulder, into the passageway and begins to propel itself towards the trio. Smallfang and H are able to run and make it to just outside the mouth of the passage and take only minimal damage as the boulder passes them.
Lithareal though who is behind the others, is grabbed by the multitude of skeletal hands and is pulled inside of the bone boulder, her body slashed and pierced by the sharp bones.The boulder picks up speed as it descends, with the elf now trapped inside, until is smashes upon the opposite wall of the room at the bottom of the passage. Lithareal is smashed against the wall and lies unmoving and unbreathing. Smallfang who had watched in amazement rushes to the dead body and lays his healing paladin hands upon the elf, reviving her.
Throne Room Antechamber
Once everyone is back on their feet again, they inspect the room. The room is richly adorned with tapestries hanging on the walls and the room is filled with the scent of incense. The group inspects the tapestries and each depict various stories or situations but common between them is the presence of priests using a divination pool to direct people who have come seeking assistance. Each of the seekers of knowledge are kneeling in supplication with their hands raised above their heads.
As the group moves to richly adorned doors, H kneels in the pose that is depicted again and again in the tapestries. The door opens and no harm comes to the group.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Nice catch H. Wasn't sure if anyone was going to get that.)
The Throne Room
Just have to picture him sitting on a massive throne
The enter a room which holds a dais upon which sits a massive throne. The dais is carved out of stone to look like a cloud and sitting on the throne is a massive human male. Easily seven feet tall, the figure does not move when the group enters. He simply looks at them and tells them that if they are seeking the wisdom or knowledge of Diderius, they must leave a tribute.
At the massive figure's feet are the offerings of centuries of individuals or groups who have come seeking the help of Diderius. A huge treasure hoard is before the group. Gold. Silver. Platinum. Weapons. Potions. Scrolls. Trinkets and Personal Items.
Smallfang is intrigued by more than a few items. He inspects a particularly fascinating potion, which with his newly found encyclopedic knowledge, he knows to be a potion of fire breathing. In the meantime, H pulls out one of his handmade bullets and reverently places it at the foot of the dais. The figure nods solemnly at H. Smallfang sighs and places a page torn from his precious prayer book. Lithareal takes a moment to decide, finally placing one of her swords down among the treasure.
The group begins to ask all of their questions which they are seeking answers to but the figure stops them, telling them that Diderius will answer their questions at the Pool of Divination. He turns and gestures with his look towards a door off the the side.
The group moves through the door and up a small set of stairs. They can hear talking, arguing and laughing. Entering the room, they see five hooded figures in filthy clothes playing at dice on a massive and ornate marble table. When the group approaches them, they realize the hooded figures are actually bearded devils. The devils like to gamble. Unfortunately, so does H.
A Twisted Contest
After each side tries their best to deceive one another with loaded dice and marked cards, the devils propose a contest of skill. The one to come closest to the elf, without hitting her, wins. Surprisingly, Lithareal bravely steps to the wall and waits, as one of the devils pulls two massive daggers out and H pulls out his guns.
H, without hestating, fires two shots. The explosion of his guns echoing throughout the chamber. When the gunsmoke clears there are two holes in the wall near Lithareal's head. The elf simply looks bored. The devil then throws his two daggers, the daggers go straight at Lithareal's head and only with a bit of magic, Lithareal is able to deflect the daggers to the side.
Shrugging sheepishly and smiling a wicked smile, the devil's conceit defeat. The offered assistance to the group and they now debate how to best fulfill their vague promise. They offer knowledge of a great collection of treasure which lies in the room off one end of this chamber but warn that others had gone there and none had returned. They suggest if the group wishes to live then they should just admit their shortcomings and avoid the room. Reinforcing their advice, is the fact that scrawled in chalk on the wall beside the exit to this room is the word '?DAnGeR'. The devils also tell the group that they have been sworn to stay here and kill anyone exiting the other door. Their dwarven, cultist leader, Varram, had days ago went through that door, but has not yet returned. They are devils and have all the time in the world. Besides, when their job is done, they have to return to Avernus. They are in no rush to do that.
The group, decides for now, that their priority is finding their gnome friend, Arno. They move through the other door.
The Divination Pool
The room they enter is a large room with a huge basin at one end. Surrounding the basin are dozens of bodies. They range from old rotted corpses to freshly killed humans....in Cult Of The Dragon garb. There is no sign of the dwarf Varram but the walls here show signs of battle. Several arrows are stuck in the walls and some bodies.
The bodies though seem not to have died by arrows but each has had their throat cut and some are still lying half in the basin. The basin is no longer filled with water but there is a sheen of fluid which smells strongly of urine.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: I briefly thought about having the divination pool work with urine instead of water....but no. That's just to weird.)
Lithareal, who by now cannot resist a door to open, moves to the massive double doors at one side of the chamber. The double doors are adorned with carvings, this time no longer depicting numerous priests but only one main priest who's hands are raised to the sky.
Inside the chamber they are welcomed by a warmly lit room with oil lamps already lit. The room holds a large sarcophagus sitting on a large and ornate pedestal. As Lithareal approaches, she hears a loud and strong voice issuing from the coffin. It says it knows why they have come and that their friend Arno can be found in the company of two trolls at the bottom of the well in the other room. H asks about the whereabouts of the dwarf Varram and the dragon mask. The voice says Varram is with the Yuan-Ti and he will show them the way.
With a loud rumbling sound of rock grating, a section of the wall on the other side of the room begins to lower showing a passageway beyond. The air emanating is hot and humid. The group is torn. They need to retrieve Arno first but they do not wish to battle the devils. By doubling back they will exit the door the devils warned them that they were told to kill anyone who exits. After much debate Smallfang and Litharael each ingest a potion of gaseous form. passing through the rubble strewn passage way that is the most direct route back to the well. H is left behind but he spends it trying to put the finishing touches on the firearm he has been trying to get to work.
The Rescue Of Arno
As they return to the well room in gaseous form they travel down the well until the enter the sewer system which soon leads them to a bound gnome, Arno. A little further down the sewer are the two trolls which are arguing on how to best divide up such a small meal.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Yay! Arno's player is back from the party!)
Returning to their normal form, they cut loose Arno and together they battle the trolls. They first try to send the trolls running with a command spell but only one troll temporarily flees. They are able to inflict much damage on the remaining troll before his companion, comes to his senses, returns. As they try to dodge claws and teeth they, together, hatch a plan.
Arno casts water breathing and Lithareal takes control of the vile sewer water and fills the passageway with water. As the trolls struggle within the water, the group grabs onto Litharael who transforms into a shark and pulls them quickly up and out of the sewer and back into the well room.
Unfortunately, the trolls have decided to pursue the group and they must fend off the trolls who are relying on their regeneration to aid them in their battle. Smallfang's sword helped in negating their much needed regeneration and the group is able to kill of the trolls.
Rushing to return to H and continue the pursuit of Varram the group moves swiftly along the familiar corridors. But perhaps to swiftly.
The Bone Boulder (Again)
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: All I have to say is....Really?!?)
Lithareal jumps back into the passageway in which he was earlier almost killed by the bone boulder trap. He runs into the passageway while Smallfang yells out a warning. Sensing it is already too late, Smallfang retreats into the well room, not wanting to be in the same room as the quickly collecting skeletal remains.
The boulder forms and begins rolling down and quickly grabs the elf again. This time as the bone boulder crashes into the far wall, the body of the elf is beyond healing. Smallfang and Arno soon follow along and sadly pick through the elf's belongings.
Finding H again, they have to explain the absence of the elf and H shrugs and they move on.
This time when Diderius moves the stone wall again for them, there are lizard folk and yuan-ti awaiting the group. They have to fight taking massive amounts of damage from the lizard folk's spears and the yuan-ti's arrows.
Finally, Smallfang has to abandon his favorite great sword, Hazirawn, pulling out his shield for extra protection. Finally swords and bullets prevail but the group is severely battered.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Isn't it nice to know then that everyone levels up. Hooray!)
As evening approaches, Arno is performing the ritual to conjure Leomund's Tiny Hut so the group may sleep in safety. As Arno is drawing out the runic symbols upon the dirt, the group hears loud crashing noises coming from the forest. As the noises grow louder and nearer each of the group draws their weapons and readies their spells.
Wizards Come To Call 5, 050 XP
Two large hill giants emerge from the forest and begin to wield clubs against the valiant adventurers. Each of the group attacks with their spells, arrows and swords. T'an and Smallfang notice something odd about the giants. Arrows that hit them seem to pass right through them, only to reappear in their expected place. Sword swings that should yield resistance surprisingly do not. Smallfang at one point falls after swinging his sword, as he was expecting to hit the giants thick flesh only to find his sword passing effortlessly through and sending him sprawling.
Arno and Lithariels spells hit again and again but the giants do not slow and seem not to be weakened. Before they can puzzle over this too long, two robed figures emerge from the forest and speak to the group of friendship as they use some sort of spell or curse that sends the giants retreating through the forest. The group is wary of the strangers help and keep their weapons drawn, even though one of the robed figures tells them they have nothing to worry about.
The one who speaks is an old man, skin taught over a thin and aged face, tattoos covering most of his face. He says his name is Sobaras and his companion, a young female is Khaynya with similar . They only want the group to return something that was taken from one of their brethren, a book. Arno skulks quietly back away from the two robed figures. The book that Arno has was taken from one of the two Red Wizards of Thay back in the icy SkyCastle. The book, written in infernal, is unreadable to Arno but he knows that it contains horrible powers and is not going to give up the book easily.
The group answers Sobaras's demand with violence. The battle ensues but Arno and Lithariel find their magic unable to do much, as the two opposing wizards have surrounded themselves with a globe of invulnerability. As the group relies on physical attacks against the wizards, Arno finds himself caught and restrained by a figure which emerged from the woods behind him. Arno with a knife to his throat is unable to fend off the fowl smelling and greasy cultist.
The group moves to aid the gnome and the cleric, Bishop, a sometime companion of the group arrives to assist in the battle, lending his healing powers just in time. The group, in time is able to defeat the wizards with Arno still in possession of the infernal book. But as the group prepares to rest for the evening the forest silence is broken by loud screeching coming from a short distance away. After Arno finishes preparing Leomund's Tiny Hut the T'an and Lithariel head off to investigate.
A short ways off into the forest they find three wyverns, tied to trees. With little effort the two of them are able to handle the animals to the point where they can lead them back to their camp. Lithariel, in hopes of encouraging the wyverns to follow them, promises to let them go once they have carried the group to their destination. The next morning the group mounts the wyverns, while Lithariel transforms into a giant eagle. The take to the skies in the direction of Waterdeep.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: What?!? Really?!? I tried to hard to give you wyvens to ride. And you're just going to let them go free?!? Ok. You roled played it correctly I guess. Sorry for my outburst)
The Return To Waterdeep
Back in Waterdeep the group returns to the castle where the council had met. It is not long before the members of the council are alerted and a meeting is called, but not before the group disperses into the city, each to their own purpose.
Lithariel frees the wyverns, as was his promise, and heads off to try and confer with her king but is unable to find the king.
Smallfang and Bishop retire to lush rooms to rest and to eat.
T'an heads to the market square to try and trade some of his acquired gems for gold
Arno heads in the same direction but to try and find a bag of holding he's been desiring for some time.
The Bag of Holding Quest 2,000 XP
Arno finds an old woman who claims to have such a wonderous item. Arno just has to follow her to her residence. The woman leads Arno down small alleyways, which are dark and winding. Arno feeling more apprehensive with each step, follows the old woman into her dwelling, a dark and uninviting place. The room inside is dark and filled with so much piled junk or treasure, their are narrow pathways leading deeper into the room. Arno plucks up the courage to say he wants a bag of holding.
The woman returns with two bags, a small one and a larger one. She demands 2,500 gold pieces for the small one and 5,000 gold pieces for the larger one. Realizing that he doesn't have anywhere near this amount of gold, Arno apologizes and begins to back his way out of the hovel. The woman in incensed. She demands that the gnome buy something, now that he knows where she lives and that she has two bags of holding. She looks menacingly at the gnome and begins to walk to wards him. Arno stumbles out another apology, he simply didn't realize that the bags would be so much. Arno offers to buy something else, as he digs through his pockets checking to see how much gold he had.
The woman pauses. Buy something else? Of course. She digs through a nearby stack and produces two small glass potion bottles. Arno makes a brief attempt at haggling and purchases the two potions. Asking what they are they woman smiles and says one is a 'toxic bomb' (pronouncing the silent b at the end of 'bomb' as she clearly doesn't completely know how to read). The other? Well, the other is an elixir of MADNESS!!! The woman cackles as she says it lifting the potion aloft in front of her towards Arno.
Arno quickly pays the woman, takes his two potions and gets out. As soon as Arno is back among the market he climbs a nearby barrel and is able to spot T'an. Calling out to T'an he tells the monk about her encounter with the mad woman.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: It just started out as just an old weird woman, but when Arno started to act worried and apprehensive, I decided to quickly roll her up as an insane sorceress. It was way more fun that way. Thanks Arno.)
A page approaches Arno and T'an and informs them that the two of them are requested back at the castle at the request of the council of Waterdeep. Pages have also been busy gathering the others to the council meeting.
Second Meeting Of The Council Of Waterdeep 1,000 XP
At the council meeting, the Smallfang tells them what has transpired since they last spoke here at Waterdeep. King Melandrach is furious that the group has killed and name his son, Neronvain, as a leading member of the Cult Of the Dragon. He vows that he will not contribute his army of elves to the coming war and departs for the Misty Forest.
Lithariel, tries to convince the king that he is wrong, but the king hears nothing other than the shame his son has brought upon the elves of the Misty Forest. Lithariel persists only until the king banishes Lithariel and strips him of any name among his people, as he departs.
The group is also entreated again by Lady Dala Silmerhelve to seek the Draakhorn among the Sea of Moving Ice as well as the McCath The Crimson who is of the Arcane Brotherhood. She alone knows much of the workings of the Draakhorn.
Onthar Frume, of the Order Of The Obsidian Dagger, tells the adventurers that he has received word form one of his members that a cult leader has been spotted near Boareskyr Bridge. There is word that the cult leader may be in possession of a magical dragon mask which can help in the battle against the cultists.
As the group is pondering their next direction, the woman they briefly met before, here in Waterdeep, approaches them quietly. She again is dressed in a silvery dress with jewelry of delicate silver adorning her silver veiled face. She reintroduces herself to the group as, Elia. She begs them to follow her. They obligingly do.
The Council Of The Dragons 3,000 XP
She continues to walk and walk until they are well outside of Waterdeep. When Smallfang is frustrated enough to finally ask how long they're going to walk she stops. She turns and smiles and transforms into a silver dragon. She offers her back to convey the group to another meeting which will be some many miles away. The group excitedly climbs onto her massive form.
As they fly over the land, they notice that more and more villages and towns have fallen to the Cult of the Dragon. Homes burned and razed to the ground. Trails of refugees line the dirt roads leading back to the coast. They continue to fly until they enter and area untouched by the cult activity. Hidden in a caldera of an ancient volcano, the dragon lands.
There they are met by four other metallic dragons. Each has wanted to meet with the group empowered to investigate the cult's activities. They offer their assistance, but in return for either an apology from the elves for the horror that was the Dracorage Mythal, the magic which caused the dragons of the ancient land to go insane and caused massive amounts of dragon deaths, or their king's death. They also ask a similar apology or death of the dwarven ambassador Brawnavnvil for the killing of one of the dragons mates.
As they talk to the group, one of the dragons smells Smallfang and recognizes something of the dragonborn's scent. She asks if he happens to be related to a kobold in his ancestry. Smallfang tells of his parent, Fluffy, and the dragon is elated to hear this and looks to Elia. Elia exclaims that one of her parents was Fluffy, along with Osirian, Zaya and 'Boy'. She tells the group of being sung to by Osirian as a hatchling.
The dragon that recognizes Smallfang's scent, looks disappointingly at him. She notices Smallfang's necrotic sword. She says that the sword is not worthy of a paladin. She says that he must give it up. Smallfang is torn. He knows that it is the right thing to do. His paladin oaths are strong. But he has pursued this sword for so long and it was a hard won victory. Sighing he places the sword at the feet of the dragon.
The dragon smiles and looks at the dragonborn approvingly. She picks up the sword and performs an act of slight magic. She returns it to Smallfang and says that she has fixed it and improved it somewhat. Smallfang excitedly picks up the sword again, happy to have it back in his possession.
The group is returned back to Waterdeep upon the back of Elia once more and the group still faces the decision of where to go next. T'an is adamant. Severin must pay for the death of his mentor. Too much time has been wasted going after underlings. It is time Severin either payed for his crime or T'an will die in battle against him.
T'an says his farewells and the group is torn but they are sure they do not wish to follow T'an to his death.
Facing Severin 3.600 XP
T'an travels long and hard to finally come to a barren land. All the trees have been burned to the ground. The ground blackened by fire everywhere. Smoke still fills the air as T'an approaches a mountain, truly an ancient volcano. The Well Of Souls.
As he nears the Well Of Souls, he finds hundreds of people from all over the Faerun being marched into the ancient volcano via tunnels, each shackled and chained. As he nears, Several cultists, guard drakes and beared devils stop him. He simply states that he wishes to be brought to Severin.
He'll be brought to Severin all right. They bind him and force him to march among the other prisoners until he is inside the mountain and finally inside the caldera. The caldera is filled with thousands upon thousands of what seems to be dragon bones. A millennium's worth of dead dragons. He watches as each prisoner is lead past several more cultists, drakes, and bearded devils until they enter a horrible chapel made of dragon bones with five towers reaching hundreds of feet into the air.
As T'an enters the cathedral like structure he sees several red wizards performing the summoning ritual, each in a alcove of one of the spires. One for each head of Tiamat. Hundreds of feet above him he sees his quarry. Severin floats two hundred feet above him in the center of the cathedral and directly above a massive portal which circles and pulses above the prisoners heads. Within the summoning portal T'an sees a vision of one of the planes of Hell. Souls screaming in agony are deafening. As each prisoner is marched towards a pit, a wizard slices the neck of the sacrifice killing them while their energy, soul, is carried up into the portal, powering the infernal summoning.
As T'an is soon to be sacrificed he picks the locks on his shackles and runs to the nearest wall. He begins climbing as three beared devils give chase. Injured but not slowed he begins to climb. As he passes the height of the portal, he shouts a challenge to Severin. Severin, smiles and obliges.
Severin pulls from his belt a fiery chain which grows in length as he whips it around his head until it is unleashed at T'an. Hit after hit does not dissuade T'an from his mission to avenge his mentor's death. Continually on fire, T'an makes a jump towards Severin, only to be bound again by the evil wizards fiery chain until T'an falls over two hundred feet.
Dead before he even hits the ground. His death now only one among hundreds.
The sacrifices continue unabated.
Boareskyr Bridge
The rest of the group, unaware of the death of the companion, decides to carry on to Boardeskyr Bridge. They travel until they come across a small settlement made by the ancient black stone bridge. The settlement is little more than a collection of various sized tents. There is much traffic of people and wagons here.
The group is drawn to the most active and largest tent, a tentside inn. There they meet a female halfling, Bolo. She tells them of a dwarf passing through not more than a 10 day ago. He's become something of a hero in the stories these people tell. It would seem he was asking about information and an escort into the hills when a robed figure began to question and harass him. The dwarf calmly stabbed him in the head. It was then revealed that the hooded figure was one them "snake people".
The people of Boareskyr Bridge obviously didn't shed a tear over the death of one of these creatures that pretend to be people.
Overhearing the story, a tall wiry man in a long leather coat approaches the group and inquires if his services might be of need. When he is questioned about what sort of skills he may have he proceeds to pull out a weapon which, with a hellishly loud noise, smashes the shot glass out of the hands of a patron several yards away.
Convinced of his skills the group deliberates where to go next. They hear of the dwarf leaving quickly after the incident with the one of the "scaled folk", with a small entourage, into the hills. He has not gone quietly or gently. He has left a blazing trail for anyone crazy enough to follow such a dwarf.
While the group is trying to decide what to do, Smallfang and Arno are below the ledge where the others are currently trying to convince the elves of the Misty Forest to not fight. Smallfang who is unable to see anything in the inky blackness of the cavern, hears footsteps and voices coming from the north end of the cavern. He tries to whisper up to the others but they are unable to hear the warning.
Finally the elves hear Smallfang and for the first time they realize that the group is larger than they had first realized, adding a dragonborn and a gnome to the mix. T'an convinces them, very hesitantly, to lower a rope to them and haul them up. Once topside, Smallfang tells them that a group of, what he believes to be, cultists are coming towards them. Almost immediately, they hear the sound of a key being inserted into the door behind them. The door begins to open.
Trapped By Cultists
Arno rushes towards the door, preparing the arcane lock spell as he runs. Unfortunately, the little gnome's legs are not going to carry him all the way to the door in time. T'an runs past Arno towards the door, his stride not slowing even as he picks up the gnome by the collar and runs the gnome to the door. Arno's hands, already glowing with arcane power and outstretched before him, is able to lock the door before the door can be opened, as he is thrust by T'an at the door. But the peace is not to last. There is a little pause before the silence from the other side of the door is replaced with a loud hammering sound as if the door is being attacked with an axe. The door shudders and slowly begins to splinter.
The group moves back to the ledge to see if they can escape in that direction but all they see coming through the grey of the cavern is a large group of cultists coming towards them. Lithariel conjures a massive plant growth to slow their movements as vines and thick moss begin to fill their section of the cavern. Two of the cultists, who wear similar garb but with purple fringe on their black capes, jump and fly over the growth, landing in front of the group.
The elves there, tasked by the cult to guard the cavern, choose not to take sides but rather see who will win the battle. They do not want to risk the wrath of the dragon upon their families back in the villages of the Misty Forest. The group battles with the cultists and are having a rough time of it. The battle is then made worse when the sound of large movement comes from the caverns lake. A large green dragon emerges from the lake and takes to the ceiling clawing it's way towards the group of intruders.
For Dragon, Add Water
As the dragon moves towards them, Smallfang is frozen in fear and is unable to assist his friends. The dragon breaths in, readies his poison breath and releases upon the group. Most are able to duck out of the way but Lithariel is hit, and hit hard. He drops unconscious to the ground. Smallfang who is unable to move towards Lithariel out of fear of the dragon is unable to heal him. The battle continues as cultists step over the prone body of the elf. T'an find himself often surrounded by cultists having to fend for himself.
From out of the darkness of the cavern comes a figure who yells at the conscripted elves as to why they are not helping the cultists dispatch the intruders. He approaches the magic plant overgrowth and dispels the magic and the hampering vines and flies up to the ledge. There he chastises the elves again and turns to Arno and releases a bolt of crackling energy towards Arno. They hit and the little gnome crumples to the ground.
T'an sees that his companions are dropping one by one and that Smallfang is unable to offer any aid as he stands frozen in fear. T'an decides to run and when T'an decides to run there is little to stop him. He runs straight off the cliff and hits the ground running. He doesn't stop until he reaches the waterfall. There he pauses to see if anyone else was able to get free.
The End Of The Party
Smallfang witnesses the cult leader drop Arno and then sees T'an flee the battle. This breaks the grip that fear had upon him and he runs towards Arno scoops him up and is able to run out the door that he had been guarding and past the two cultists he managed to kill in spite of his fear. As he runs out the door, the cult leader yells again at the elves and the elves fire a volley of arrows at the retreating dragonborn and he is able to get out the door and down the narrow corridor with only minor wounds. His good luck is to be tested again.
Running with Arno over his shoulder he uses his healing touch to resuscitate Arno. Arno comes around only to find that he and Smallfang have run into a cave that is occupied by three ettins. The ettins are arguing loudly over who's stuff has been touched and who's food is currently being cooked. The ettins see the two enter the cavern and challenge them as to their business. Arno quickly conjures a cloud of daggers between them and the ettins. One of the ettins finds himself in the cloud and is pierced by a multitude of magical daggers and howls in pain. Smallfang pauses only long enough to tell the ettins that the groups responsible for the cloud of daggers is coming up behind them and they should stop them. Confused by his pain, the ettin directs his anger and pain at the now approaching cultists. Smallfang continues to run with Arno still over his shoulder and hears behind him the sounds of arguing and the clashing of metal.
A Holy Resurrection
While this is happening, Lithariel awakens in the dark caver with only the scrawny prisoners as witness. Lithariel hears the voice of a young women, perhaps the women that they had encountered in the misty forest not long ago. The voice tells her that she is saved only by his piety as she was the only one to give reverence and prayer to the ancient altar found in the cavern. She heals herself as best she can and flies towards the exit as a giant eagle.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Now every time the group sees an altar, they will all pause to give reverence. Lithariel is certainly glad he did.)
The dragon who has given chase after T'an is atop the trees ringing the pool of water outside the cave, while T'an has hidden himself among the trees. They both watch as Smallfang and Arno emerge from the water. The battle continues and the group finds that they are now aided by two awakened trees that Lithariel has summoned. Now that they have the better numbers and as the dragon continues to take hit after hit, the dragon looks towards T'an and promises revenge in the future.
The dragon takes flight but his injuries prevent him from flying high enough and T'an is fast enough to keep up with the dragon and continues to fire arrow after arrow at the dragon. Moving fast among the trees and firing continuously at the dragon finally rewards T'an with a howl of pain from the dragon and the vision of the dragon crashing down into the trees.
The others catch up and each take their treasure from the body of the dragon, in the form of teeth, scales and horns. Then they settle into Arno's conjured protective hut to recover from their battle. They sleep the sound sleep of victors.
Cleaning Up The Cultists
In the morning they decide that it is time to clean out the cavern, both of cultists, prisoners and treasure. Moving swiftly and sure back they way they had already been they move into the cavern and soon find the now dwindled cultist force resting in their quarters. They make quick work of their deaths, even though one of them got the drop on them by emerging from another room.
Moving on, they find that their cult leader, possibly hearing their quick skirmish, ready for them. Lithariel conjures a sleet storm. The room around the leader fills with a storm of ice dousing flames and icing the floor while making the whole area impossible to see in. Unwittingly this provides the cult leader enough cover to make his escape. When the group realizes that the cult leader is gone, Lithariel dispels the sleet storm and they begin to search.
T'an moves directly to one of the wall tapestries and pulls it aside. There behind the tapestry is a hidden door. Moving inside they find the cultist and end his leadership. Lithariel chooses to knock him out instead of outright killing him. Once unconscious he is strongly bound.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: I'm not sure that sleet storm worked the way Lithariel wanted it to)
Inside the cult leader's hidden safe room they find writings in a journal. In the outer room Smallfang has discovered a chest and deciding to forgo any need for lock picks he smashes the chest. The chest is not strong. It's lock smashes open easily perhaps because that is not its main defense. As Smallfang opens the chest a needle-like dart shoots out. Smallfang reacts just in time for it to miss his head but he does get hit in the shoulder and for the next long while his arm flops useless at his side.
Searching the rest of the cavern, they decide to return to the ettin cave, only to find nothing of value and have to escape only by pitting the argumentative ettins against themselves. T'an, hearing the ettins arguing previously, is able to convince one of them that the others are "touching his stuff" and the ensuing ettin argument, and resulting fight, allows the group to slip away unnoticed. Lithariel then transforms into an octopus in order to search the small lake and discovers a passageway under the water. It emerges into a vast cave which has been emptied of most of its treasure. Lithariel gathers what he can and rejoins the group. They retrieve the prisoners and set back towards the village.
The Fall Of Neronvain
There at the village, the return of the prisoners is greeted with much joy and fanfare. But as they move their own prisoner, the cult leader, past the elven population the group hears whispers of shock and the name Neronvain, voiced over and over.
Lithariel leads them to the prison quarters where they forcefully question the former cult leader. They learn little but what they learn is:
The cult has now moved most of the necessary treasure to the Well Of Dragons where it is needed for the ritual
Now the focus has shifted to prisoners for sacrifices
The dragon mask that he had has already been taken to the Well Of Dragons
Neronvain believes there is little they can do to stop the ritual now
Believing they have learned all they can, Lithariel approaches the cult leader and kills him with a dagger through the throat with the angry whisper of "traitor to the king".
The Long Road Back
After a much needed rest the group acquires a couple of horses and a rickety cart. A much nicer cart had been lent to Lithariel but that one had seemed to go up in flames some time ago. Smallfang decides to ride in style and conjures his war horse instead. They travel for a few days back towards Waterdeep.
After a long days ride they move off the road for the evening. Arno begins his process of conjuring Leomund's Tiny Hut but before he is able to complete the ritual the noise of something very large moving through the trees interrupts the peaceful night.
After taking a moment to breath and recover, the group takes time to investigate the ruins of the castle, SkyCastle, the one they caused to crash into the ground. It would seem very unlikely that anyone within the ruins would have survived the horrific crash. All that remains is huge slabs of broken ice walls and the remnants of ice towers scattered and lying in a jumbled heap on the ground. The newly formed ice mountain leaves a trail of broken ground behind it.
The group investigates but can find no way in, or out of the ruins. They decide to play it safe and make camp nearby, waiting to see if anyone makes it out of the wreckage. Arno sets up his Leomund's Hut and turns it the color of the rocky plains. Litharael uses his magic to grow plants around the hut. A massive tangle of vines, grasses and flowers sprout quickly from the ground surrounding the hut, disguising it fairly well as part of the plains.
In the morning, the debate begins as to their next direction. T'an is insistent that wherever they go it must be to kill Severin, the one he holds responsible for the death of his master. Smallfang decides he has had enough of walking mile upon mile and begins his magical ritual of summoning his celestial stead. As the debate rages on, Smallfang begins drawing his summoning circle and completing the runes along its borders until he utters the magical phrases and now standing in the drawn circle stands a huge white steed.
T'an and Litharael notice in the distance a single black bird flying towards them in the distance. As the bird nears, they recognize it as a raven. The raven begins to descend directly towards them and T'an warns the others. He quickly nocks an arrow and warns the others. Litharael shouts to shoot it quickly before it comes any closer. At the same time Smallfang shouts for T'an not to shoot, as he sees bands of ribbon trailing behind the bird. T'an lowers his bow just as the bird lands in front of him. Tied to the leg of the raven is a roll of parchment.
T'an pick the bird up and removes the scroll, pausing to tell the bird that the bird doesn't know how close to death it had come. He tucks the bird under his arm and passes the scroll to Litharael. As Litharael reads the scroll he informs the group that they are summoned to a council meeting in Waterdeep and that the scroll contains a teleportation circle spell. Smallfang, with Arno in his usual spot, on Smallfang's shoulder, hears this just as he is settling comfortably into his war horse's saddle. He is not getting of his magnificent steed. This is his first time on it. He moves the steed into the circle as the spell begins.
In Castle Waterdeep
The spell transports them and the group finds themselves crowded into the private chambers of Leosin Erlanthar, the half-elf that the group had saved from the Cult of the Dragon many a ten-day ago. The group grumbles and complains and Smallfang and Arno are crowded to the ceiling still astride Smallfang's war horse. Reluctantly Smallfang dispells the magic maintaining the war horse and the room is now more comfortable without the added volume of a massive beast.
Leosin tells them that the Council of Waterdeep will meet shortly and that they have asked the group here to hear from them directly what they have learned of the cult, it's activities and it's motives. They are given amenities to clean themselves up for the meeting.
The council meeting is unique in that all of the major factions of the land are represented at the same time. Each is presenting the the cults activities with respect to the impact it has on each faction. The leader of the council, Lord Neverember listens to the group but does not wish to hear from either Litharael, who has ties to the elves of the Misty Forest who are already represented at the council. Nor does he wish to hear from Smallfang who many of Neverember's advisers do not trust since he is dragonborn. This does not sit well with the rest of the group. They present their side of the story anyway.
Some of the council are not pleased with certain actions, such as:
the destruction of Skycastle, as they believe they will not be able to seek aid from the giants, seeing as one of their most prominent members was killed and his castle destroyed
the destruction of the dragon eggs from the hatchery near Greenest. The Emerald Enclave believes that the group didn't have the right to destroy such magnificent creatures. The Harpers believed they could have been used for either leverage or gold.
The Draakhorn
During the meeting, just as tensions and tempers were beginning to flair, a sudden unsettling silence pervaded the entire city. Animals and people ceased their noises and movement. Everyone experienced the silence with a feeling of unease. In a few minutes the feeling subsides but Neverember sends an envoy to find someone who can answer what has just occurred.
Not long after a noble woman, Lady Silmerhelve, is brought to the council chambers and she explains that she believes what has occurred is someone sounding the Draakhorn. An ancient device used to summon the dragons of the land. There is someone who can explain more about the Draakhorn but unfortunately she has gone missing.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note:Smallfang actually hears the sound, a low droning sound loud enough to hear but as if from a great distance. He also has the urge to travel to the South East. He just assumes that everyone else hears the same noise.)
At the end of the meeting, Lord Neverember gives the group a writ which authorizes the group to act on the behalf of the council with the privileges which that entails. Different factions give the group possible actions which they deem important.
The Harper's have information, from Leosin, which puts a high ranking member of the cult in Boareskyr Bridge. They have seen a dwarf with several robed figures associated with sightings of a white dragon. Leosin may have more information.
Lady Silmerhelve, begs the group to investigate the Draakhorn. It's last known location was somewhere in the Sea Of Moving Ice. A mage of the Arcane Brotherhood, MacCath The Crimson, knows more about the Draakhorn than anyone. She was last seen seeking the ancient magical instrument in the Sea Of Moving Ice but has since gone missing. She begs them to go north, to which Smallfang replies, "nope it's south."
A small sullen man, implores the group to clean up the extortion that the tradespeople in the caravans must submit to. It is hampering trade and his faction's prosperity.
Time To Study
As the group exits the council chambers, they are met by an old friend. Ontharr Frume of the Order Of The Obsidian Dagger. He invites them back to his chambers in the castle. His rooms in the castle are lush and ostentatious. The group is invited to use the chambers during their stay.
As the group enters they are met by a tall beautiful woman dressed in silvery robes and adorned with silver jewelry. She introduces herself as Elia and she tells the group that she will meet them again, soon.
Ontharr offers a place within The Order Of The Obsidian dagger as they have proven themselves as defenders of the Light. He presents to them a clasp with the Order's symbol, a black dagger. They are given the rank of Stalwart. Unfortunately, time does not allow them to be sworn in but they will be given all of the Order's privileges if they present themselves as members of the Order.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Litharael, who the group has just met in Parnast, has never met Ontharr Frume and as such isn't invited into the Order....just yet. No chance to build enough renown points, yet. Just a sad consequence of your other character dying.)
The group uses the next two days to plan and to gather equipment. T'an is offered training in long sword from Ontharr and spends the next two days sweating and sore but in the end gains great skill with his weapon that he has been practicing with for months.
Arno secludes himself into a corner of the quarters speaking only enough to get the attention of the castle's many pages, sending them out to acquire components for transcribing new spells into the gnome's spellbook. The next two days hears Arno mutter, scribble and put out the occasional fire while learning several new spells.
Smallfang uses T'an's seedier connections to seek out a good deal on plate mail armor. Negotiations are tense during a back alley deal but eventually a price is agreed on, which turns out to be T'an's jeweled ring, which Smallfang eagerly pays and then dons his armour, promising to pay back T'an.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Please put an *asterix* by that armor Smallfang. So as to remind me later. Just sayin')
Litharael has been using his time trying to convince his King, King Melandrach of the Misty Forest, to contribute some of his forces to try and protect the lands from the cult's activities. The King is insistent that the rest of the Sword Coast can look after itself. The elves of the Misty Forest have fended of an attack and his people are needed to defend their own homes. Litharael eloquently convinces the king but the king must have assurances that the attacks in the Misty Forest have ceased and their causes rooted out.
That decides it. They are off to the Misty Forest.
The Misty Forest
The group has traveled by caravan across a large portion of the Sword Coast, taking months to travel between large cities. They also now have traveled by teleportation. They prefer the teleportation method. They call for a mage who can send them via magic to their destination. An old mage arrives at the quarters and begins to scrawl the circle on the floor and finishes with the runes surrounding the cirlce and the group moves quickly and confidently through the portal.
They find themselves inside the Misty Forest, a forest of huge trees towering above them. They do not walk far before they are stopped by several armed elves. After revealing himself as one of their own, Litharael leads the group into the settlement of Altand. Most of the settlement actually resided up in the trees with the group having to travel by rope and pulley elevators into the treetops.
There they learn:
during the most recent dragon attack many had witnessed several cultists enter the settlement behind the dragon and ruthlessly kill any survivors. Galin alone had survived on the ground completely unscathed.
Altand's priest leader was killed and the people have turned to Galin to lead them as he has proven himself during the attack.
The attack was short lived and nothing of value was taken but several elves are either dead or missing.
The group questions Galin and find he is not very forthcoming, either because of or in spite of the fact that Litharael uses Zone Of Truth on Galin. Eventually it is found that:
Galin, along with his wife and child, were confronted by a hooded figure accompanied by a large green dragon. Galin begged and pleaded for their lives. The hooded figure struck a deal for their lives in exchange for information regarding the settlements, their locations and their weakness. The hooded figure had the dragon kill his family anyway. He has hidden his guilt over the multitude of deaths he feels he is responsible for.
The attacks have ceased but he doesn't know why.
Litharael has Galin arrested for treason and the group moves off in the direction the dragon and cultitsts were seen to have moved.
Into The Forest
The adventurers move off into the Misty Forest and there they discover the reason for the forest's namesake. The mist, warm and moist, begins to pervade the air. It is not long before T'an and Litharael notice a plea for help from up ahead.
Moving cautiously, weapons drawn, the move towards the noise. There they find an old woman trapped underneath two fallen trees. She pleads for their help. She says that she has been calling for help for the past two days.
Litharael suspecting a trap moves into the trees, bow and arrow at the ready. T'an, sword drawn inspects the area. Smallfang, though, runs up to the fallen tree and begins to try and lift the massive tree off of the old woman.
Try and try as he might, Smallfangs massive strength is not enough to lift the tree. Before he gives up, though, the tree lifts of its own accord and stands up and backs away. The old woman drops her feint of elderly and frail and smiles up at Smallfang. She tells the group that many would not have been brave and good enough to come to the aid of a stranger in a strange land. She plucks a flower which becomes a whole flowered wreath which she places on the head of Smallfang, after gesturing for him to bow down. She leaves similar wreaths for the others before transforming into a figure wreathed in light and swiftly moves back into the forest.
The group puzzles over the gift trying to suss out the function of the flowery crowns until Arno, after a quick inspection, places it on his head and marches quickly off into the mist. It is not long before Arno begins to encounter webs hidden within the mist and looks up into the many eyes of a giant spider.
The giant spider seems not to concern itself with the gnome as it moves on. Arno looks up and sees several other giant spiders as well as a few ettins crouching in the branches above. T'an, Smallfang and Litharael coming up from behind watch as Arno passes unseen by all the creatures who seem very vigilant and on the look out for intruders. Emboldened, the rest catch up to Arno.
They soon approach a clearing in which they find a large pool of water fed by a waterfall. After transforming into a crocodile, Litharael inspects the pool finding it deep and unguarded. Arno casts water breathing on the others and Smallfang, with Arno barely gripping on, cannonballs into the pool then proceeds to walk along the bottom, weighed down by his massive armor. T'an dives in behind while Litharael, now an octopus swims along behind. They all go behind the waterfall emerging into a darkened wet and slippery tunnel which slopes steeply down.
T'an charges ahead, relying on his surefootedness and darkvision. He moves forward until he finds a large darkened cavern with a large pool of water which holds a small island in it's center. He also finds a tunnel which he passes by and finally comes to a high ledge. While the others are just catching up he, with the help of Smallfang, climbs to the top only to face a half dozen armed elves.
Litharael climbs up to the top of the ledge behind T'an and the elves recognize each other. It would seem these elves are in the employ of the dragon and the cult leader against their own wishes. They follow orders only in hopes of sparing the settlements of the Misty Forest. They are put in the horrible position of having to guard prisoners of their own kind. Eight poor looking elves are in the corner bound hand and foot.
Also in the corner they discover and ancient shrine of a young human woman. The stone statue is old and cracked. From the cracks issues for a stream of water which over the ages have carved paths akin to the paths of tears streaming down the face into basin in the statues hands. Litharael kneels in front of the altar and gives a prayer to an ancient god.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Litharael, remind me that you did that before the battle with the dragon. Just sayin')
The group asks where the dragon is and the elven guards tell them that it emerges from the pool of water down in the cavern.
The group has taken refuge in Leomund's Tiny Hut. There they are protected, warm and safe within the ice tunnels of the icy mountain in the central portion of Skycastle, which is currently flying southwards hundreds of feet in the sky. The group enjoys a much needed sleep until about 7 hours into their 8 hours of necessary sleep. T'an and Lithareal, who both only need 4 hours of sleep, are awake and waiting for their last 4 hours of rest when 2 large trolls wander into the ice tunnels. They move as though they are searching for something, or perhaps several someones.
They move closer to the group T'an and Lithareal watch closely as the trolls run into the walls of the magical hut. As they puzzle over what they have encountered, one of the trolls retreats away back they way they had come. With only one remaining troll T'an and Lithareal wonder if they should just kill the troll as magic spells can exit the hut while they remain protected inside. But will more return?
As Arno and Smallfang remain asleep, T'an and Litharael are treated to the sight of the troll curiously experimenting with the hut's surface. All the troll sees is a white/blusish surface, much like the rest of the ice tunnel but this surface is soft but impermeable. He pushes his face against it, as well as other body parts. He sees the smears of his body's grime covering the surface now and continues to paint it with various fluids and semi-solids from his body. It is not long before more trolls arrive and the group now must contend with 5 trolls. As T'an and Lithareal decide to wait out the last few minutes of their 8 hour long rest, all they can do is watch all the trolls engaged in their new found pastime of painting the hut with body fluids.
The trolls, who have been apparently versed in what the hut is, speak to the adventurers inside. They tell them that their leader, Blagothkus, wishes to speak with them. They are to follow the trolls, who will lead them to Blagothkus and no harm will come to them. It is obvious that they have been told a script to speak, but each of the trolls, who can only remember a small portion, each take their turn in saying their part of the speech.
As everybody awakes within the hut, the group prepares themselves as the hut's magic will soon dissipate. T'an takes up position in the center of the hut, where he looks up and finds no body slime from the trolls. With a slight ear popping 'whump', the hut vanishes and the trolls slime covering the hut falls down on the group. Lithareal is just able to jump and grab onto T'an to avoid the falling vileness but Smallfang who is just awaking looks straight up into the muck and manages to get it in his mouth. The Cloud Giant's Quarters 3,000 XP (for negotiating)
They emerge from one of the ice tunnels into the large upper courtyard where a half dozen ogres are practicing throwing javelins at wooden targets. They briefly notice the group exiting from the ice mountain but return to their practice. It would seem they have been told to ignore the small group.
The group is directed to a large ice structure at the base of the small mountain and enter. There inside are 2 stone giants around a large iron cauldron performing some sort of ritual. In the center of the room at a table is a vastly larger cloud giant. He beckons the group to join him and offers them food. They have caught and cooked a wyvern.
The group learns that:
Blagothkus, the owner and leader of the Skycastle, does not disapprove of the groups activities thus far. They have killed a kitchen full of kobolds (no great loss), killed the black half-dragon, Rezmir and perhaps have had a hand in the disappearance of the two Red Wizards of Thay.
The giant holds a tenuous agreement with the Cult Of The Dragon. He will aid them in transporting their treasure. He hopes to aid them in resurrecting Tiamat and summoning all the dragons to the resurrection ceremony, where he will bring all the united giants to do great battle with the dragons.
He believes that the giants have forgotten their greatness and glory and hopes that a battle with the dragons will return the giants to their former glory.
He barely suffers the arrogance of the cultists and will not shed any tears if the group kills a few in their course. But he cannot overtly offer any assistance as this may hamper their agreement and his plans.
He does warn the group that they can try leave using a few of the wyverns in the stables but the dragon within the ice mountain would certainly hunt them down and kill them before they could even land.
The group agrees to the situation and Smallfang asks for some assistance in the form of potions or items which may help. Blagothkus agrees and tosses the dragonborn two vials: one is a glass globe which contains a mist or fog that continually roils, the other is a gray oil which is slick and vile looking in a glass globe which beads condensation. Smallfang puzzles over the potions/oils but is at a loss as to what they are. He asks Blagothkus but the cloud giant answers enigmatically that it will help them when they are desperate. Smallfang shrugs and tosses one to Arno.
The Main Ice Vault
11,000 XP
The group returns to the icy tunnels within the ice mountain and quietly move through until they approach the large treasure hoard which is being transported. The hoard is a small golden mountain in it's own right. They can hear movement and rumbling breath but can see no dragon. Each of the group prepares themselves and Smallfang moves out towards the golden treasure hoard.
Movement near the ceiling catches Smallfangs eyes and he sees a large white dragon moving along the ceiling gripping on to the large stalactites hanging down from the caverns roof. The dragon speaks to him condescendingly asking him where is the offering he should be bringing. Smallfang produces a small sack of coins he is carrying and tosses on to the treasure pile. T'an moving behind Smallfang notches his arrows and refuses to offer anything other than two notched arrows.
That's all it takes, the dragon insulted attacks. The first to die is T'an. The dragon inhales a deep breath and releases a icy plume which freezes T'an, his bow still raised after he loosed his arrows. The group stares in horror as they realize the difficulty they face. The remaining adventurers keep to the tunnels lobbing javelins and spells from the mouth of the tunnel and then retreating back inside.
Litharael seeing T'an's death uses his healing spell to revive the young monk. T'an then continues to loose arrow after arrow at the dragon whittling down the dragon's health.
Arno after using his new found staff, figures out it's usage and is pleased to find that it contains spells for fireball, burning hands and wall of fire. Arno uses this to great effect. But not for long. The dragon descends down and moves to the tunnel in which Litharael and Arno are hiding and lowers his head to peer inside. The sight of the large dragonhead at the mouth of the tunnel frightens Litharael so much that he turns and runs, leaving Arno behind. The dragon breaths out his icy cold breath and freezes Arno where he stands a look of fear frozen on his face at the moment of his death.
Litharael is able to regain his senses enough to return back towards the battle and finds Arno dead and frozen to the ground, his death still imprinted on his face. Litharael heals the gnome returns to life. Not wanting to die like that again, Arno pulls out the oily globe and is about to drink the vile looking liquid but pauses just long enough to take another look at the globe. This doesn't look good to drink. Instead Arno pours the smooth flowing oil over himself. As the oil spreads over his body, Arno disappears from this plane. He is between planes. No one can see him and he moves freely through the ice tunnel walls with just mere thought. But he quickly realizes that he offer no assistance to the group in their battle. He cannot find a way to dispel the magic. No spells which require bodily gestures work as Arno has no body on this plane.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: I was going to be at a total loss if Arno actually drank the stuff. Your not supposed to drink it but it never says what to do if someone actually does!
Smallfang, incensed at the death of his gnome friend Arno and unaware of his revival, rushes to the dragon pulling out his great sword as he runs. The dragon is strong but Smallfangs new great sword, Hazirawn, inflicts much damage. The dragon now very much injured turns to face Smallfang and utters the threat, "We shall meet again!" and flies up and towards the exit at the far end of the cavern.
The retreating dragon is fast but so is T'an. T'an runs to the edge of the ice shelf on which the treasure hoard resides, and looses two arrows. That is just enough. The dragon dies midflight and crashes into the cavern floor below. Dead.
The group is joyous but they cannot find Arno. Litharael uses a Sending spell to communicate with Arno and Arno replies that he is right inf ront of the elf. Litharael uses Dispel Magic and the gnome reappears in front of them.
T'an rushes to the fallen dragon pulling teeth, claws and horns. Finally he cuts out the dragon's heart and hopes to present it to the cloud giant Blagothkus. The others revel in the joy of sifting through the massive treasure hoard. Ignoring such simple coins such as copper and silver they focus on gold and platinum as well as other perhaps more magical treasures. The hoard is vast and it takes them over and hour to satisfy themselves.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
(DM Note: Has the group become so powerful that they are ignoring some of the magical weapons? Perhaps I'm so used to 4th edition's plentiful magic items that I sometimes ignore the DM Manual when rolling for treasure. "Hey they'll really get a kick out of this magical item". Ah well, I think it's way more fun to discover a 'Deck Of Illusions' than a plain longbow +1. Sometimes.
Finally, they seek to present the dragon's heart to Blagothkus. T'an pushing and pulling the massive heart through the tunnels until they arrive back at the opening to the upper courtyard. Litharael stops the group as they can see at least a dozen elite cultits in full garb moving around the courtyard waiting for the group. The ogres on the far side of the courtyard have stopped their javelin practice and are now waiting for the show to start. This will be a fun battle to watch. All these cultists against the small group. They have been told not to harm the adventurers but have been also told not to interfere with the cultists.
The group retreats and moves to another exit and there they find fewer cultists but they have to still be dealt with, one way or another. T'an pulls out his newly found deck of cards. He closes his eyes and wills the card to be "anything except a puny kobold". He pulls a card and deftly throws the card out towards the cultists. When the card falls and hits the icy ground it turns into an ogre! He uses the ogre to direct the cultists away from the group and they move out and around the ice mountain to safety.
They head directly to the ogre tower they had encountered before and tell the ogres that one of them has to escort them to Blagothkus while another must retrieve the dragon's heart left in the ice tunnels. The ogre sent to retrieve the dragon's heart does not return. After deciding something went wrong the group moves out escorted by one of the ogres and they return to Blagothkus' chambers. As they round the corner near the chambers they see twenty or so cultists surrounding the poor ogre who has the dragon's heart held by his chest. It is not going well for him.
A Battle For A Dragon Heart 6,700 XP
Once inside the chambers, they inform Blagothkus of the death of the dragon and tell him that the cultists are now trying to kill the ogre who is trying to retrieve for the cloud giant. Enraged the cloud giant summons his two stone giants and they storm out of the room towards the fray.
A great battle ensues, with the cultists along with a few of their drakes fighting the giants and the group of adventurers. It is not long before the poor ogre holding the dragon's heart is dead and the giants and the adventurers are killing cultists in huge swathes. But the cultists have numbers on their side and they seem to focus much of their effort on Blagothkus himself.
Eventually, the great cloud giant is killed. But as he falls, the entire Skycastle shudders. There is a loud sound of wailing as if the wind were crying out. The towers begin to crumble and large cracks run through the courtyard as the castle as the entire castle begins to tilt down towards the ground. There is massive confusion as some of the ogres, who seem to have some inkling as to what is going on, run away towards the wyvern stables. Litharael uses some of his healing powers to stop Blagothkus from dying but that does nothing to stop the destruction of the castle so far.
Litharael summons two giant eagles and they descend upon Smallfang each grabbing a shoulder. Smallfang though is struggling to hold on to his hoard of gold wrapped up in a blanket. The giant eagles flap as strong as they can but Smallfang is only able to run his legs inches above the ground. As they approach the ice castle's wall Smallfang tries desperately to fling his bundle of gold up and over the wall. But the bundle rises only a few inches before is smashes into the wall and comes undone as gold scatters down.
Litharael at the same time has transformed into a giant eagle and T'an and Arno jump atop him with no hesitation. Rising into the air they circle round and T'an decides that perhaps Blagothkus would be better off dead and looses two arrows killing the cloud giant again. Seeing this the two stone giants beside their master pick up boulders of ice created by a spell thrown by Litharael and hurl it towards the escaping adventurers. The boulder finds its mark and Litharael, T'an and Arno plummet back towards the courtyard. T'an is able to bound free to his feet but Arno is hurt badly.
Smallfang who is well clear of the castle and is being held aloft hundreds of feet above the ground by two giant eagles summoned and held by the concentration of Litharael. When Litharael was hit and crashed back down he quickly remembered to concentrate on the two giant eagles holding Smallfang. Smallfangs fate rests on whether or not Litharael can continue to concentrate on the Conjure Animals spell. He does and Smallfang breaths a sigh of relief as the others take to the sky again as they watch from a distance as the castle picks up speed and descends towards the earth.
With a great and terrible crash the castle is destroyed upon the ground as the group lands nearby.
Are there any survivors? Are they able to get through dozens of feet of ice in order to retrieve some of the treasure? Where exactly are they? Where to now?
Smallfang and Arno try a few magical spells to dispel the multitude of snakes but the continue to enter the room. A vast number of the snakes seek refuge from the damage inflicted by the adventurers within the decrepit suit of armor. The armor begins to move with the snakes inside and soon rises to its feet. The suit of armor begins to attack them. Bullets, swords and many types of magic seem to not hamper the moving suit of armor, as the many snakes killed are simply replaced by more snakes entering the room and slithering up inside the suit of armor.
