An Oath Breaker
The group tries to recall the lore that surrounds the Order Of The Obsidian Dagger but much of what happens is secret, known only to those within the Order themselves. Smallfang does recall hearing his father speak of an oath taken upon becoming a member of the Order but doesn't recall ever hearing the consequences of breaking the oath.
No matter. The group now has the White Dragon Mask and spend the evening experimenting with it. As it slowly gives up some of its arcane secrets, H begins to pick bar fights and ends up on the losing side of a fight. Fortunately, H had the good sense to bet on the bruiser of an opponent. After being picked up off the ground he looks to collect on his earnings. Trying to save the honor of their group Yethaniel and Smallfang challenge the same bar bruiser and end up finishing their battle.
What's Worse Than A Dragon? An Insane Dragon.
In the morning, the group is off, headed towards Waterdeep and the council. Along the way the group encounters two dragons. The dragons do not immediately attack, so the adventurers hold their weapons cautiously and wait. It would be folly to take on more than they can handle. The dragons converse, and Smallfang is able to catch portions of their discussion. It would seem that the female dragon, is in search of a replacement for her pet "wizard". Upon her back the group is able to make out a corpse that is lashed and secured to a saddle. It is dressed in wizards robes but it has been long dead. The other dragon tries to placate the other but is forced to attack when the insane dragon begins to advance upon Yethaniel, as she has decided to take the elf for a replacement. Dead or alive.
The battle is one sided. H, still riding his horse drawn wagon, along with his passenger, Arno, are both struck with fear and unable to do anything but flee. H drives his cart hard and fast away from the battle. Ward, the amnesic member of the Order, has also run. This leaves only Smallfang and Yethaniel to fight the dragons. It does not go well for Smallfang and he is frozen with the dragon's Ice Breath.
Yethaniel decides to reanimate the corpse upon the back of the insane dragon. As it comes to life and begins to try and free itself from the saddle, the dragon upon which it is lashed is surprised at first. Surprise turns to joy as she begins to fly and yell to her companion about the return of her "wizard". The other dragon takes the moment to convince the other that all is well again and that they should continue their journey towards The Well. With the dragons departure, the group returns back together and they revive Smallfang.
An Army On The March
Not long after, they meet up with the cobbled together army making its way towards The Well Of The Dragons. They intend to stop the cult from summoning the dragon god, Tiamat. The group is assigned the task of infiltrating, along with 3 other teams, inside the mountain and gain access to the ritual and stop it if they can. The remainder of the army will occupy the formidable forces gathered around the mountain in defense. The group takes the remainder of the day collecting what they can in preparation for the battle.
H recruits several mages and clerics to craft several dozen bullets that have been blessed or enchanted with radiant damage or fire damage. Smallfang, after his brush with death from the dragons, has decided to scavenge the army for healing potions and a cleric to accompany them into the mountain.
The next morning before sunrise, the army marches towards their goal. The Well Of The Demons. The land surround the ancient volcano is scorched and desolate. There is nothing to provide cover for defense or stealth, so the army marches boldly up to the marauding hoards of cultists, several dozen bearded devils summoned from the second layer of Hell, more than a few giants and dozens of dragons filling the sky.The group makes their way to the south side of the mountain unnoticed by the enemy. They look for and find the little used entrance way into the mountain, that the dwarf cultist, Varram, had spoken of. As they make their way inside the mountain, using a narrow tunnel, the spirit of a long dead cultist, now a wraith, emerges from the sides of the tunnel cutting the party in half as it decimates the acolytes accompanying the group. The fight is awkward in such close quarters and much of the damage the party inflicts is ineffectual against such a creature. But eventually, they overcome the wraith and continue to move further into the mountain.
The Well Of The Dragons
They emerge into the ancient caldera, the empty mouth of the now dormant volcano, and look down into a deep and disturbing pit, filled with the dead bodies that the cult has used and then disposed of. Beyond the pit, the caldera is littered with hundreds of thousand bones. Smallfang inspects some and tells the others that they are walking upon thousands of years worth of bones from various dragons. In the center of the caldera is a towering citadel, made from the bones such as the ones under the groups feet. Within that citadel should be the cultists and the ritual being performed. That is their destination.
Yethaniel and her acolytes are thrilled to see such a collection of useful bodies that they can resurrect. As the group moves cautiously around the pit, Yethaniel and her clan begin the ritual to reanimate the multitude of dead, but something is wrong. The magic is not working. These bodies have been sacrificed, their souls and spirit energy have been pulled away into Hell. The clan is unable to use these bodies in the battle.
Several knights who have been waiting impatiently, finally charge towards the citadel around what they think of is the back, and begin to pull apart some of the bones which make up a wall. Once they have worked away enough of an entrance they charge through. The group who isn't ready to enter, hear the battle cries of the knights which quickly turn to death throw screams as they quickly succumb to the enemy.
When the screams subside, the rest of the group debates as to what they should do. Call in for reinforcements? Enter the citadel from the front? Look for the still sounding Draakhorn?
Finally, it is the roar of a giant dragon from within the citadel that breaks the debate. It is Tiamat and she is finally trying to emerge from Avernus. The group decision is made. They must act now. They move cautiously and stealthily through the breach in the back wall. Inside they see a massive citadel with 5 towers around a central tower which reaches hundreds of feet high. At the base of each tower are at least a couple of mages performing a ritual around a cauldron. At each ritual, a cultist is wearing a dragon mask, except for the one on the far opposite side of the citadel. There, because of the lack of the White Dragon Mask they are performing sacrifices of young dragons.
Hovering high above all of the rituals is a huge portal which opens up into Avernus, first layer of Hell. There they can see Tiamat struggling to come through to this side of the portal. Above the portal is Severin, the dragon cult's leader. The fight is long and arduous. Severin continuously harasses the group with his fire chains and fire bolts while cultists and drakes pour into the citadel in waves. There is even discussion on how to retreat from this battle. To live to fight another day.
The Rise Of Tiamat
It is not long after, that all of the rituals in each of the towers is disturbed and the portal begins to pull a weakened and limp Tiamat back through the portal. As Tiamat thrashes and resists being pulled back into Hell, she grabs on the Severin. As they are both being pulled back through the portal, H takes aim at the head of Severin and fires. The cultist who has been the driving force behind all of the groups woes is finally killed.
Some of the group moves quickly to retrieve as many dragon masks as they can and leave the citadel. As the group is trying to decide their next course of action, the citadel begins to crumble and fall back beneath the sea of dragon bones from whence it emerged. Smallfang, who continues to hear the blaring sound of the Draakhorn, decides to chase after the last few fleeing cultists. With Arno upon his back, the two ride out on his summoned war steed and chase after the cultists. Smallfang must pause though trying to track them through the branching tunnels in the mountain. Down one tunnel he hears the blast of the Draakorn even louder. The Draakhorn must be down this tunnel. But he pursues the cultists long enough to know which direction they are headed. But he cannot take them on all, even with the aid of Arno. He returns to the group. Along the way he notices the dragon battle in the skies carries on.
The others in the meantime have been trying to discern what they can from their newly acquired dragon masks. Yethaniel decides to have his demon imp familiar try on the mask to see what will happen. The imp tries on the mask and is delighted to have an item of such power given to him. He immediately goes invisible and flees. Yethaniel telepathically speaks to him, implores him, threatens him, cajoles him , lies to him to try and have the imp return the mask. It is of little use. The imp has decided that the dragon mask is his way of getting a promotion in hell. No longer satisfied with being the peon of hell he is going to use it as leverage one way or another.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
The Sounding Of The Draakhorn
Onthar gives orders that no more treasure is to be removed. This has been taken from the people of the Sword Coast and it must be returned to the people. A little spoils of war is to be granted but the plundering is to stop. H moves further into the caves and finds another hoard. He quickly scans the mountainous treasure hoard and his eyes alight on a piece of cloth. He pulls out a cloak with dozens of patches covering it. He dons it and walks back to the others.
Experimentally, he pulls off one of the patches and a solid iron door appears which cuts off the others who are in another part of the cave. The ones behind the door believe they have set off a trap but H simply turns the key that is in his side of the door, unlocks it and opens the door.
Heroes Return
The group finally is able to return to Waterdeep heralded has heroes. There is a massive feast and party which lasts until the sun begins to warm the air once again. H has drunkenly regaled his audience of his many stories and skills. Arno is asleep upon the table, comfortable within his Leomiund's hut. It is left to Yethaniel and Smallfang, who have decided to drink only water in order to stay alert, to protect the others.
Unfortunately, they fail.
MetaGame Spoiler Inside
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