Friday, August 28, 2009

The Lighthouse Sting

  • Characters: Flannigan, Janora, Marlet, Sentalial, Vexander, X-Requinn
  • NPCs: Krullix, Carn
  • Synopsis: The crew of the Sea Serpent sails the vessel to Ice Flow, meeting Captain D’Ja Mode and his crew. They find Krullix who was dispatched to follow the group’s tracks. There has been a recall of guild members to Threshold. They Call Him Carn will rendezvous with the group back at the town, himself expediting his own travels via his centipede tattoo gifting him with the shadow walk. The rest ponder their options and decide to hire a skiff operator to take them to the shores of the Dragon Coast. Bracing against the frozen winds of the Dragonmere, the craft sails atop the ice-covered sea on massive metal arms, carrying the group quickly to their destination. After a long day’s travels they reach the shore line, only to find it obscured by magical mists. A lone lighthouse serves as a beacon for the travelers, but a ruse is quickly discovered. It isn’t the lighthouse they anticipated. The skiff runner has over-shot their goal by an unknown amount, and another lighthouse beckons. The illuminated shoreline is from a bonfire cobbled together by ten goblins, celebrating some ritual in dance and chant. Unconvinced the party ambushes the revelers and soundly defeats them before moving on to the lighthouse. One goblin survivor spills his guts and points to a green witch that commands his clan. The ruse has been in effect for quick some time, tricking vessels by having them run aground only to be smashed and looted. Surmising that more harm may come from the wicked trick, the group makes for the lighthouse to end the deception. Atop the lighthouse, more goblins ready their actions, spying the advancing group. Marlet rides atop her griffon summonded by the bronze statue, and begins plucking goblins from the parapet and hurling them towards the shoreline below. The rest enter the lighthouse and encounter three snake-like humanoids guarding the first floor, easily dispatching the threat.
  • Encounters: ten goblins, three gricks
  • Achievements: returned to the Dragon Coast and infiltrated the lighthouse

The Ruin of Chimera Cove

  • Characters: Carn, Flannigan, Janora, Marlet, Vexander, X-Requinn
  • NPCs: Azla, Sentalial
  • Synopsis: Deep within the magic-made complex that is the Chimera Cove, the group moves forward into the unknown, time now their biggest enemy. A water-logged chamber contains two undead seasworn warriors, bent on destroying the intruders. The battle is fierce as the seasworn attack from beneath the murky waters, dividing the party in two. Undaunted the party slays the creatures only to see them resurface momentarily, but eventually the blockade is put down and the group hurries towards the unknown location of the Terraken. The corridors below spiral around each other, but Marlet stays ahead of the pack, scouting potential threats. One chamber is invested with ooze mephitis, using highly polished silver to lure the unsuspecting. Drawing the adventurers into the champer, the mephits gargle with glee as Carns into a trap where a section of the ceiling collapses. The party focuses the attack on the spellcasting creature, quickly ending that threat before moving on to the remainders, who meet similar fates. Another chamber houses more water, but emerging from the depths is a seasworn captain of Sembia. She bears the emblems of a fleet captain from many decades prior, but the parlay is short as she sends a bolt of lightning bouncing through the group. Her post-life existence is quickly ended, drawing a close to too many years of undeath. Marlet discovers the crux of Chimera Cove, the champer referred to as Fluxhold. An ancient elder water elemental knows it is only moments from freedom as the ancient hold on it ended with the life of Poltur. The water elemental is only too helpful to the group directing them to trapped chambers holding the Terraken. Racing against time, the group proceeds through the underground channels to reach the pit of the Terraken, rising waters bringing it ever closer to freedom. A plan is devised to bypass the Terraken and retrieve the amulet capable of controlling the undead beast. X-Requinn volunteers for the task and, after receiving many blessings from Vexander, the sea elf disappears into the murky waters. Several minutes pass, bringing the water levels even higher, when the floating Terraken is submerged, and a flying X-Requinn rendezvous with the group. Fleeing to Fluxhold, the adventurers are given the route to bypass the underground caverns and return to high port. Sentalial has figured out the locks to retrieve the Silver Reign from highport, and Flannigan quickly claims the prize for his personal sacrifices. Escaping the hidden port in tact, the group sails to the small village of Chimera Cove and deed the controlling amulet over to the village elders. They will see to the destruction of the Terraken and return to Cormyr to reintegrate with the modern world. The adventurers begin the long return to the Dragon Coast with Flannigan doing his best to convince his crew of his rightful command.
  • Encounters: two seasworn warriors, two ooze mephitis, one ooze mephit sorcerer, seasworn captain, ancient elder water elemental, terraken.
  • Achievements: retrieved the amulet to control the terraken, returned the control to the rightful Cormyrean heirs, and freed the sailing vessel quickly redubbed the Sea Serpent.

Myth Drannor - The Demon Sword Seaker

  • Characters: Dak, Hlinthi, Karne, Pardonei, Softfoot, V.L., Zaytheon
  • NPCs: Jane
  • Synopsis: The party emerges from the tunnels below to mighty ruins overgrown with thick vegetation. What was once Myth Drannor is now a vast region of forgotten or ignored history with a cover of dense foliage. A large, relatively flat commons is flanked on either side by two buildings and headed by a mighty pyramid. Flashes of light reveal that the party is not alone. Breaking into small teams the group moves swiftly across the commons to investigate. Before they can reach the pyramid a mighty demon springs from another plane and challenges the party. But the demon is not the one who drew the party’s attention. A mysterious wizardess conjures an attack against the demon, assisting the group as the warriors wade in to attack. Towering over the commons the demon retreats after grappling Dak and V.L. The wizardess addresses the group introducing herself as Jane and directs them to the temple to retrieve their comrades. Again with their boots to the ground the party reaches the temple and envades, bringing the battle to the interior. The demon is defeated after the adventurers take advantage of their elevated position. Opening a dialog with Jane, the group discovers that the demon has a partner and that the two have been attempting to reassemble the “sword”. Each component of the sword is within the three buildings but the wizardess warns against completing the task sought by the demons. If they are to survive another venture into the abandoned city of Myth Drannor, they must regroup and rest.
  • Encounters: huge demon
  • Achievements: gained an ally with Jane the Wizard, defeated the demon and prevented the reassembly of the sword.

The Great Ball of Lightning, Part II

  • Characters: Hlinthi, Rog, Roywyn, Trebbor, Wicasa
  • NPCs: Sky Captain Quint
  • Synopsis: Following the split of the adventurers, Rog, Wicasa, and Quint move the volcano shaft being protected by dwarf warriors of the Small Canyon clan. The egress leads to an underground river which eventually and unnaturally climbs uphill before leading to a set of massive stone doors. Adorning the portals are images of the god Cyric, who replaced Bane during the Time of Troubles. Staring down the Prince of Lies, the Black Son, the three adventurers open the doors revealing a circular chamber. The river spirals into a whirlpool at the center of the room, but the group’s presence is detected as a massive humanoid with elephant features emerges. The battle is treacherous, but is eventually joined by Hlinthi, Roywyn and Trebbor from a shaft leading to the surface above. Again the chamber is alight with battle, and ultimately the guardian is defeated. The Skeletal Ruins above seem to be the source of the ball of lightning phenomenon. The group begins moving from the central fountain to explore the ruins, discovering a hall of statues surrounding a vase. Embedded within the vase is a gem of blue lightning. Below is the river of water, but above is a floating river of fire! Further exploration leads to a brief encounter with two humanoid guardians, each containing a massive toothy maw. They are dispatched, leaving the mystery of the great ball of lightning unsolved.
  • Encounters: Two sonic watchers, an elephant-humanoid guardian
  • Achievements: investigated the Skeletal Ruins, discovered a potential source of the ball of lightning, linked to strange elemental phenomenon.