Shadow Hill Adventuring Company

Szith Rijun – The Second Fall of House Rijun – Part 1

2011-07-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

Characters: Dusk Revin, Gallipolas & Fig, Lazbin, Narn Daergal, Rathgillian, Trizoon & Nilmith, Vindicus
NPCs: None
Synopsis: Before moving to the temple level of the drow community Szith Rijun, the Defenders reassess their tactics. Knowing that whomever, or whatever, lies deeper in the chasm knows they are present. Having just battled two revenants of the missing Divine Hammer, the group recognizes the necrotic magics manipulating the dead. With both Narn and Dusk unconscious, their stealth and divine connections are that much weaker. Gallipolas and Vindicus move ahead to scout the lower level, each manipulating his magic to sprout wings and fly towards the rushing waters of the chasm below.

The two elves find a yawning hole in the chasm wall, anchored by a stone arch engraved in runes. Standing resolute at the back end of the chamber are two drow noble guards and four of the skinless undead guarding the room’s egresses. Without hesitation Gallipolas spies the undead nature of the sentries and spews a massive burst of pure sunlight into the chamber. In an instant the flash is all the elves need to provide cover as they return to their companions above. The report is quick but detailed as the others are ready to descend.

The group returns to entry chamber to find the exploded bodies of the undead, muscles and skeletons ripped apart from the druid’s magic. But missing are the two noble guards. Lazbin easily recognizes the mist of a fleeing vampire and moves into the chamber. As the blood mage passes beneath the stone arch, he flenches as a rune ignites, burning him as he enters the sacred temple. Bracing for the inevitable, the rest of the party enters bearing the excruciating pain of the warded gate. There is no doubt that the grounds of the drow are unhallowed.

The eerie feeling of omnipresence pervades the group of adventurers as they move to the rear of the chamber. The construction of this level is of incredible quality, indicting the excesses of the noble leaders of the drow settlement. Spintering off in opposite directions, two corridors wind their way into the darkness. Light from the adventurers’ magic illuminates another large chamber just off one of the halls. Shackled to a set of manacles hanging from the wall is a female drow, almost entirely drained of life. Before any objections are made, Lazbin lances the prisoner’s heart with a wooden stake. His quick dealing with the drow didn’t beg permission and his stern look doesn’t ask for forgiveness. A smaller chamber adjacent to the guard post, once a barracks for the noble drow guards, now houses three wooden coffins. Vindicus follows suit and looses a fireball from one of his many wands obliterating everything within.

The group returns to the corridor and continues its path, finding evenly spaced octagonal chambers, numbering eight. Trizoon spies the obvious, as the previously noble house most likely worshipped the now-missing spider god-queen Lolth. In one of the halls they find an elaborately carved set of double doors. Just prior to breach, Lazbin smells a faint whisp of smoke and then spies a fine mist beneath the door. The cowardly drow are now putting flame to the temple. As the group prepares for entry they hear movement from the corridor. Ready for anything, the group prepares for an ambush that never comes. The gnome Narn and the half-drow Dusk emerge into the light to rejoin their companions.

With the strength in numbers bolstered and enough ado, Rathgillian and Trizoon smash into the room. A fine hue of gray floats on the air of the chamber, partially obscuring enormous, despicable tapestries featuring landscapes of war and death. Walking corpses are depicted marching on burning lands. In the corner a toppled brazier oozes out a flaming liquid that has set the dense rug on fire. Against the far wall is a crude shrine. But there is no one to claim the arson. Pivoting around the room in tactical formation, the group parts the whisps of smoke to draw out the temple’s inhabitants. But the inhalation becomes crushing as they begin violently coughing over the acrid fuel. The distraction is good enough as three noble guards materialize from within the haze.

As the obscuring mist grows denser the group focuses on their enemies at hand, but fails to detect two other driders drop from concealed niches in the ceiling above. The ambush is disjointed though as the vampires a significantly weakened. Dusk loudly bellows for his god Kelemvor to vanquish the undead and his spell reduces two of the vampires to ash. Gallipolas dons a pair of magical goggles and gazes upon one of the driders, turning it to stone. Rathgillian and Trizoon focus their efforts on the final combatants and eliminate the threat immediately.

The thick smoke and burning room forces the Defenders to vacate the chamber. But on his way through a stone door in the corner of the room, Dusk passes by the makeshift shrine identifying it as one devoted to the drow goddess of death Kiaransalee. The half-drow snears at the abomination and disrupts the presentation with the back of his hand. He vows to carry this siege through to the end of his disgraced kin.

Encounters: 4 quth-maren & 2 vampire drow noble guards, 3 vampire drow noble guards & 2 drider vampires.
Achievements: breached the temple level of Szith Rijun and destroyed the undead sentries and guardians.

Szith Rijun – Lost Allies

2011-06-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Characters: Dusk Revin, Gallipolas & Fig, Lazbin, Narn Daergal, Rathgillian, Trizoon & Nilmith, Vindicus
NPCs: Revenant Torp, Revenant Kholter, Theresa
Synopsis: As discussions continue regarding which area of Szith Rijun to attack next, Narn spies to attackers scaling the webbing of the chasm towards the barracks. As he pulls out a javelin to attack, the gnome stops in confusion. Backing away from the ledge he allows the two humanoids to breach the landing, summoning Dusk to his side. Two forms stand in front of the group. Dusk and Narn both recognize them as Torp and Kholter, two of the three missing members of the Divine Hammer. The half-drow Dusk waves off the Defenders as he stares at his allies. They are not right. With their eyes glowing supernaturally red, the two appear both shallow and hardened. Their skin has an atypical color and their movements are stiff. Dusk asks about their health and the location of Theresa, the other missing member of the Divine Hammer. He only receives blank stares.

Lazbin recognizes the condition of the two; they are revenants, not unlike the white dragon that attacked them in Threshold. Before he can warn Dusk, the half-drow lowers his weapon attempting to parlay with his missing companions. But they are unresponsive and lurch forward to attack. The Defenders respond in kind but Narn and Dusk show great restraint trying to reach their friends’ psyches. The favored soul of Kelemvor cannot communicate verbally so he closes his eyes to reach them telepathically. But the attempt has severe repercussions as he experiences a massive psychic blowback that renders him unconscious. The severed link is so powerful that the backlash strikes Narn knocking him out cold. Lazbin screams at the rest to defend their bodies as the two revenants move in for their remaining victims.

Even though the two members of the Divine Hammer are obviously undead, their actions are just as swift as any living attacker. The one Narn identified as Torp slips past Fig, Rathgillian and Trizoon to strike Gallipolas. The other, Kholter stands against warriors and attacks with the frenzy of a barbarian. Both revenants are fierce but using opposing methods. The revenant Kholter uses his great axe to extreme effect while the revenant Torp uses his knowledge of martial arts to pummel Gallipolas.

Vindicus serves as an excellent tactician, abandoning any effort against the barbarian and working with Gallipolas to bring down the monk. Trizoon and Rathgillian find the battle in their favor as each attempts to one-up the other. It isn’t long before the undead are no longer moving; the revenants’ mission is unfulfilled. Nilmith quickly races to the fallen Narn and then to Dusk. Both are alive but unconscious and the gnome priestess’ efforts to revive them do not work. Lazbin intervenes and details his knowledge of spellcraft. It seems that the members of the Divine Hammer had a telepathic bond within their ranks and in an effort to reach their dead comrades, the suffered a severe shock. Only time will heal their minds.

The Defenders decide to utilize the drow cell block and barricade the comatose Narn and Dusk within one cell. When they awaken the whisper gnome can easily break out of the cell and free the half-drow. Knowing the Council of the Divine of Cedarspoke would greatly appreciate the preservation of the dead, even though they were manipulated through some manner of necromancy, the two bodies of the revenants are stored in a separate cell. With their forces diminished Lazbin’s commission of Vindicus is looking better and better with each moment. The Defenders’ next decision is unanimous: they will strike the temple level of House Rijun.

Encounters: revenant monk Torp, revenant barbarian Kholter
Achievements: repelled the attacks of animated members of the Divine Hammer, uncovered the true nature of the revenants, and sequestered their fallen friends as well as preserved the bodies of the dead.

Szith Rijun – The Siege of the Barracks

2011-06-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

Characters: Dusk Revin, Gallipolas & Fig, Lazbin, Narn Daergal, Rathgillian, Trizoon & Nilmith, Vindicus
NPCs: Tieraka Rijun

Synopsis: Just as the group is entering Lazbin’s extradimensional nook, Lazbin assures them that they are safe and that he is going to return to Threshold to secure extra assistance. Trizoon goes with him, knowing that the Defender is tried and tested in battle, and that they will need all of the help they can get. The two teleport back to Threshold and find Vindicus at the Verse. The elf is relatively indifferent to the two humans, but as the bard weaves a tale of valor, bravery and desperation, Vindicus is taken by the story. He agrees to assist them, as long as their spoils of combat are divided equally. Revelling in the opportunity to waste drow, Vindicus joins Lazbin and Trizon and teleport back to Szith Rijun.

After a brief rest Trizoon guides the drow priestess Tieraka Rijun deeper in the Dordrien Crypts. Moving clearly beyond the previously hewn stone walls they enter a natural tunnel that slopes further into the earth. The priestess alerts the bard that this is the forward position for the drow warriors. Trained for defense and raising the alert, the two drow sentries need to be dealt with quickly before any alarm can be raised. If word on intruders stretches into Szith Rijun, they will face a small army at once.

It is an intense volley of spells that destroy the sentries before they even spy the intruders. The two drow bodies lay near a sink hole in the cavern that drops another twenty feet to another fissure in the earth. Following the path, the group is stopped by the drow priestess. They’ve reached the uppermost level of Szith Rijun, and another layer of sentries. Through a second sink hole they will find the massive chasm that vertically divides Szith Rijun. A massive network of webs connects all of the layers. The revine itself stretches some 500 feet to its creator, the raging river blow. The attack will have to come quickly as the drow sentries are trained for a quick descent.

Gallipolas shifts into an earth elemental and again moves through stone and rock as if he were an eagle flying effortlessly in the Gulthmere’s skies. The elf druid spies an unearthly creature that stands beneath the sink hole staring up with its lidless eyes piercing the darkness above. Its skin completely absent as its muscles and ligaments are exposed beneath a layer of glossy slime. Three drow handlers quietly play a dice game at a table in the cave. Relaying the positioning of their enemies, Gallipolas demands knowledge of this undead creature as even he has never seen it before. Priestess Tieraka is unaware of such a find. But she restates that they must storm this position quickly. And a furious storm does indeed crack above the drow post. Raining divine fire upon the undead, ruining it. Catching the other sentries off guard, the group strikes with such orchestration that the drow cannot even draw their weapons.

As bodies are stripped, Narn investigates the chasm. True to her magicked work, the drow priestess’ depiction is accurate, save for the echoing sounds of the river below that effectively block sound throughout the void. The gnome wanders back to the others but is struck from behind by a massive misshapen spider. Gaunt in its appearance and moving without sound the spider strikes Narn, sapping his strength. The others quickly surround the silent huner and slay it within seconds. With no more obstacles, the group challenges the drow priestess about the lack of detail. The privileged noble shrugs her shoulders as her presence in the upper levels of Szith Rijun are as frequent as the centuries.

Priestess Tieraka layouts out the nest that is Szith Rijun. The drow barracks are near the top of the chasm. The trading post is at the center. Below the market is the drow commoner and slave level. Away from most of the settlement is the drow wizard tower. And near the bottom of the chasm is the entrance to House Rijun. The group targets the barracks for their first stop to eradicating the drow. Rushing the stoic drow soldiers, the group storms the barracks slaying the two sentries in the mouth of the barracks. But before they die, the ambush is revealed as the alarm sounds. An adjoining cavern holds four more drow warriors and yet another of the undead creatures. Gallipolas sends a wave of green slime atop their enemies, burning them alive in the conjured acid. Unaffected the undead races forward only to be cut down.

Sounds of armored troops flood the chamber. From within the complex more drow respond to the call to arms. Moving the rear of the chamber, the drow warriors are ready, but they are also supplemented with spell casters. Rathgillian is lit up by a series of rays and retreats to the group’s rear. In the commotion the drow priestess Tieraka attempts to flea to the webbing, only to be cut down by a javelin of lightning hurled by Narn. Her falling body passes the cave mouth, plummeting to the raging waters below. Vindicus and Dusk weave their spells, laying down a wall of flame and blades that systematically shreds the drow to pieces. Leaving their defenses in position, Trizoon instructs Nilmith to heal the badly injured Rathgillian as the others inspect the other hallway leading away from the barracks. A singular tunnel houses a series of empty cells. More than likely any prisoners were slain during the initial sacking of Szith Rijun.

Sure that the battle has alerted the other drow of the settlement, the group decides to lay waste to any remnents of the barracks. Better to have no enemies at your back. Dismissing the walls of flame and blade, the group moves through the barracks discovering two spell casters that survived the initial attack. Barricaded within their quarters, the wizards loose spells at the outsiders as the Defenders break into the drow chambers. It takes only moments as the drow survivors are mowed down with extreme prejudice.

With the barracks now empty, the group sweeps back to the front chamber only to spy another drow slipping past them. He is quick to cast the area into complete darkness and escapes to the webbed chasm. Dusk and Vindicus chide the cowering Nilmith, wondering why the gnome did not ensnare the escapee. Her reply is simple. She did not come to this drow settlement to serve their orders, only her mentor and leader Trizoon. A broad smile forms on the bard’s lips as they regroup for the next stage of the siege.

Encounters: two drow sentries, quth maren & 2 drow sentries & drow spellguard, huge wraith spider, 6 drow sentries & Quth Maren, 5 drow fighters, 4 drow fighter/wizards, drow officer.
Achievements: defeated the advanced positions of the drow sentries, uncovered a new form of undead used by the drow of Kiaransalee, and sacked the drow barracks.

The Exiled Drow of Szith Rijun

2010-11-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

Characters: Dusk Revin, Gallipolas & Fig, Lazbin, Narn Daergal, Rathgillian, Trizoon & Nilmith

NPCs: Tieraka Rijun

Synopsis: With his weapon draw, Dusk approaches the weeping female drow. Curled against the hewn stone wall, she continues crying with her shoulders heaving. The rouse is obvious to Dusk, and he is alert and ready when the weeping turns to rage. But the drow’s countenance is distorted with some sort of arachnid taint. The Defenders rush in to engage but only half enter the chamber before it is sealed off with webbing. The female drow bait works as three massive spiders join the battle. Facing a wall of spider webs Gallipolas and Rathgillian are contemplating the obstruction when a voice creeps up from behind.

Dusk is immediately bound by a spider’s web. Risking the pain he self-immolates, burning both himself and the webs in the process. Trizoon stands strong as Fig continues the attack. Nilmith supports them as Lazbin emerges from the invisible to strike the spiders. From the other side of the spiders’ webs, Gallipolas accosts a gnome who offers support. Finding the voice to be an ally of Dusk’s, Rathgillian burns through the webs and strikes the spiders. With the party reunited the spiders are crushed.

Once the webs settle, Dusk recognizes the whisper gnome as Narn, another member of the Divine Hammer but sometimes an absent ally. The group quickly assesses the new cavern and discovers yet another illusionary wall. To prove his value, Narn offers to explore the next cavern and spots a humanoid hiding within. The gnome confronts the obscured enemy, discovering it to be a drow armed with rapier and shield. But the drow isn’t alone as Narn is skewered from behind by a second drow warrior. Again the Defenders are ready and race to draw arms against the evil drow.

The battle draws an unseen ally of the drow as spells erupt from the far end of the cave, beyond the darkness. Lazbin’s spells are loosed against the drow, but the magical nature of the dark elf defeats the wizard’s attempts. Narn shows his value, lethally striking the drow. Overwhelmed with shear force the drow fall to blades of the Defenders and holy spells of Dusk. Gallipolas displays his newly developed powers by morphing into an elemental of the earth and gliding through the impenetrable stone as if it was water. At the end of the chamber he finds the two remaining drow, a spell caster and a priestess floating near the ceiling.

After destroying the two guards, the group pursues Gallipolas and surrounds the drow. Their might is obvious as the spell caster is subdued and pinned. With the battle lost, the floating priestess hails the half-drow Dusk seeking to parlay. Dusk is determined, knowing full well of the treachery of the drow. He disarms the female and quickly ties her up with help from Narn. Gallipolas twists the spell caster into complete submission. Dusk draws down against the priestess and begins the questioning. She is Tieraka Rijun of House Rijun, and she is the last survivor of Szith Rijun, the drow settlement below the Dordrien Crypts. Just over a tenday prior, the city was attacked by drow. Tieraka describes how her goddess Lolth has not answered prayers for more than two months. Yet another god has somehow been disrupted.

Without the prayers of her god, the priestess and her allies were overrun in less than three hours. Other drow even turned against the ruling house and joined the coup. The only element of the traitors she is aware of is that some are faithful to Kiaransalee, the drow goddess of death and revenge. She and her loyal servants were the only survivors she knows of. They escaped to this private sanctuary, reserved specifically for an instance of invasion. Only her inner circle is aware of this series of chambers. She begins to bargain but her mouth is stuffed; Dusk has heard enough. In seclusion the group discusses their options.

With the disruption of the plans of nature, they are almost sure that the disruption has extended into the Abyss. And now a new faction of drow has overrun the drow settlement Szith Rijun. Dusk speculates that it is these draw that are raiding Cedarspoke and dealing with the frost giants and the drow of Lolth were inactive against the surface world for over a century. The favored soul of Kelemvor is repulsed by this new faction of drow, but the first step is obvious: eliminate the spell caster. Gallipolas assures Trizoon that given the opportunity the drow spell caster would destroy everyone in this room, including his allies. The bard shakes his head and wonders of the complete absence of humanity. With the others’ attention elsewhere Narn sets about the murder of the spell caster, strangling the drow and ending his life after several agonizing minutes.

But the task is pressing; Trizoon uses his song and flute to fascinate the drow priestess. It takes only minutes to when her over and charm her. Previously a vicious enemy, Tieraka Rijun is now a staunch ally of the Defenders of the Dragon Coast. She outlines the layout of the city, identifying the central chasm that services the multiple layers of Szith Rijun. She also identifies the defense positions of the previous administration, which most likely have not changed as the traitorous drow are still present. The drow warriors are sure to be on high alert, but with her help the Defenders can raid the city and destroy the drow faction of Kiaransalee. After quickly scouting the forward drow guards the group decides to rest within the protective extradimensional space of Lazbin’s making. Once they have prepared, Szith Rijun will fall once more under the Defenders and the Divine Hammer.

Encounters: four araneas, two drow nobleguards, drow spellguard, drow priestess of Lolth

Achievements: captured the exiled drow priestess, learned of the drow civil war, charmed the drow as an ally and learned of the layout of the drow settlement Szith Rijun and its defenses.

Into the Dordrien Crypts

2010-11-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

Characters: Dusk Revin, Gallipolas & Fig, Lazbin, Rathgillian, Trizoon & Nilmith

NPCs: Council of the Divine, the Divine Hammer, Calimir Hightower, Brickle Tabbot, Delle Merritobo, Kooruk Coldrock

Synopsis: The Defenders haul their captured enemy into Cedarspoke. The blind giant is heckled as he is brought to the stockades for interrogation. Dusk administers the talks directly, bluffing the giant into believing he is a co-conspirator working with the giant kind. Spilling his guts, the frost giant identifies his cult’s leader, Spirit Speaker Loktouk. They are a splinter group of a larger clan that was assimilated by an elf wizard that promised glory for their service in Ice Razor Palace. Loktouk’s control was usurped and the giant fled with a handful of followers to an isolated shrine in the mountains. The Spirit Speaker was charged with protecting something great and would not let the elf take it.

In order for the giants to survive they have been trading with the drow of Szith Rijun, a settlement below the Dordrien Crypts near the banks of the Cedar River. The giants traded dead bodies in return for fresh meat and food from the Underdark, as well as a fortune in gems. Dusk convinces the giant to lay low and wait for his signal for freedom, a signal that will never come. The half-drow reports his findings to the council and the Defenders, where they discover that the attack of the frost giants had two fronts. The second attack was just as furious and damaging, occurring on the opposite side of the river. Those giants also fled to the hills at the sounding of the horn.

Arguments erupt from the gathered council members as the interim Secretary General Calimir Hightower, High Priest of Torm, attempts to corral consensus. Shouts come from multiple directions, including the human cleric Brickle Tabbot, the dwarf cleric Delle Merritobo, and Kooruk Coldrock dwarf ambassador to Ironfang Deep. Some voice their opinion of asking the Defenders to return to Skarwall Keep to see if any other members of the Divine Hammer have survived. Yet others demand vengeance upon the frost giants by raiding their stronghold. As the snow continues to fall, the location becomes more obscured and might become undetectable. But the prevailing worry is the involvement of the drow, believed to be the assassins of Zalaznos Crinios. With the lead provided by the blinded giant, the Defenders choose to investigate the drow beneath the Dordrien Crypts.

Calimir Hightower accepts their decision. The Divine Hammer will remain at Cedarspoke to help protect the city. The Defenders will receive every expendable resource that the Council has to offer for their investigation. But the Council stills as the interim Secretary General extends an offer to the Defenders. For their repeated actions in helping Cedarspoke, Calimir offers the coveted seat of the Council of the Divine to one of the Defenders. Without hesitation, the group nominates Gallipolas, who retaliates by saying the ways of the Council will not deter his motives once the Gulthmere Forest is settled and restored. With everyone in agreement, the group departs the council chambers to prepare for the expedition.

The following day the group departs with Dusk joining them. The half-drow may become beyond valuable should the trek continue into the Underdark. Travel is slow; the snow drifts coming off the barren mountain steppes merge with the light falling snow. The effect limits their vision, but the Defenders follow the river’s edge for the better part of the day. Without the sun, it is difficult to determine when they arrive at the crypts. Two individual mausoleums stand in the shadow of a small mountain. A carved out niche cradles a large pair of stone doors leading into the mountain itself. They have arrived at the Dordrien Crypts.

Of the two freestanding buildings the group detects wicked evil emanating from only one of them. Battering down the door they find two decrepit vampires preparing to assault, but the true evil remains invisible and begins to attack the invaders. Lighting and fire blast throughout the room and the evil is destroyed. The entrance to the crypt is locked, but easily accessed through Lazbin’s magicks. Just on the interior is a grizzly sight; five decaying bodies permeate the still air of the hallway. A drow squad lies still, stripped of their armaments and clothing; their wounds indicate they were cut down from behind.

Gallipolas summons a mouth from the stone and begins to question it. The experiences of the hallway are cryptic, but it relays that other drow cut down these drow of the Spider. These other drow have passed back and forth in the crypts carrying the bodies of dead humanoids to the lower levels of the crypts. As the Defenders move further into the depths, Gallipolas summons mouths from other stone doors, who warn of violating their interiors. Adhering to the calls of the stone mouths, the party continues into the lower levels, leaving the crafted section and entering the hewn stone that provides carved holes for the deceased.

One chamber houses a statue of Jergal, guardian of tombs. But the sentry remains still as they pass. Trizoon spots the first deception, identifying an illusionary wall. Behind it massive spiders stir, awaiting their prey. A wall of fire springs into the layer, sending the creatures scurrying. Rushing into the fray, Lazbin is the first to detect the otherworldly nature of the beasts. They are not spiders but bebilths, extraplanar demons. With the creatures split, the Defenders concentrate their attacks and destroy them one at a time. As the battle vanishes, Trizoon’s quick surveillance reveals another false wall. But behind it a single female drow lies slumped against the wall of the adjacent chamber, weeping uncontrollably.

Encounters: two vampire spawn, vampire master Chahir, two bebiliths

Achievements: learned of the dealings between the drow and the frost giants, secured a seat on the Council of Divine of Cedarspoke, and discovered the abandoned Dordrien Crypts.

The Dire Call of Cedarspoke

2010-11-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

Characters: Dusk Revin, Gallipolas & Fig, Lazbin, Rathgillian, Trizoon & Nilmith
NPCs: Julbin Cometstrike, Guild of the Naturalists, Council of the Divine, the Divine Hammer
Synopsis: Serving as an emissary from the Council of the Divine of Cedarspoke, Dusk Revin arrives in Threshold seeking out those that rescued his soul from Skarwall Keep. The half-drow seeks the Defenders to help protect the natural city from frost giant raiders, who have been testing city defenses ever since the departure of the Army of Nature’s Wrath. Dusk meets the group for the first time, and is surprised by their acceptance of his race. Trizoon’s embrace is quickly followed by introductions to the Defenders of the Dragon Coast, especially Lazbin WitchHunter, the human blood mage that secured Dusk’s soul from a hag’s jar in the evil keep of the undead.

Dusk quietly informs the adventurers of the most recent developments. The Army of Nature’s Wrath has left the city to wage war upon evil fey in the plane of the House of Nature. A cataclysmic collision has somehow resulted in the planes of the House of Nature violently merged with Fury’s Heart and Arvandor. The resulting Feywild has left the homes of the gods in chaotic array, and the Army of Nature’s Wrath was summoned to help bring order.

The vacancy of the city’s protectors left Cedarspoke almost defenseless. Hedging their bets, the council relied too heavily upon the most crippling winter on record as adequate defense to halt any assaults upon the city. Almost as if summoned the perimeter was tested by frost giant raiders. The surviving members of the Divine Hammer fended off the marauders, but fears amassed that the giants would return, and in greater numbers. Dusk brings a summons to the Defenders; Cedarspoke needs their help in the worst ways.

Desiring necessary supplies before the trek, the group heads to Julbin Cometstrike’s hut. Lazbin, Rathgillian, and Gallipolas immediately detect the presence of a mighty white dragon, the same one they faced outside of the Roadside Coaching Inn after the battle with the Wizards of Tendale. But the dragon is dramatically altered in a completely unnatural way; its eyes glowing fiercely red specifically target the group. The magical creature no longer projects majesty, only fear and hatred towards those that destroyed it. Its iron plating is still damaged and massive sections of scales are absent, revealing the rotting flesh beneath. It has been conjured from the dead.

The battle is fierce but quick. And the results are much as they were when the dragon attacked them originally. The massive husk of the abomination falls to the ground after the killing blow leaving the Defenders with too many questions. Both Lazbin and Dusk inspect the dragon and find that certain markings on its head indicate a religious ceremony was used to raise it in the form of a revenant, a form of undead that seeks vengeance upon those that killed it. The ritual identifications are obvious to Dusk; an evil cleric of Kiaransalee, the drow goddess of both vengeance and the undead. Only one wielding the Claw of the Revenancer could create and control it.

Julbin supplies the group with numerous magical amenities, but fears the worst with the news Dusk brings. He summons the members of the newly restored Guild of the Naturalists to the guild hall to bring everyone to up to date. The idea that the three planes collapsed upon each other distressed Mintassan the Planeswalker to no ends. Dusk also portrays Cedarspoke in the direst of consequences. All resources have been redirected to life saving measures to keep the citizens warm and fed. Trade has been put on ice because of the winter storms. The half-drow reminds them of the pressing need to return to Cedarspoke, and the group moves through the mirror portal to their destination, leaving the distraught Beast Tamers with only terrible thoughts of what is happening.

Emerging outside of the once glorious Cedarspoke, the group witnesses the beating the city has taken under the harsh weather. The battery of winter has left the city withered, emaciated. The saturation of snow and ice has reduced the ivy walls to brown vines left to strangle each other in a failed attempt at life. The trees of the forest lie barren, stripped of their might. Branches are moored to the snowy ground, weighed down by anchoring ice columns. Even Gallipolas is caught off guard. But the harsh realization of a dying city is shunted aside; even from this distance the group can see they are minutes too late. Frost giants loom over the city already having breeched its walls. Trees and structures are being leveled as booming laughter echoes across the snowy vale. Then true horror presents itself. Lifeless bodies of Cedarspoke residents are being thrown outside the city walls.

The first body is followed quickly by two more. The race to the city is painstakingly slow. Particularly Dusk is horrified at the disrespect for the dead. His deity Kelemvor would be most upset. Then one of the bodies flails through the sky, this one still alive. Moving swiftly to action the Defenders quaff potions of flight and speed towards the raiders. Their presence is immediately detected by several other frost giants outside of the city. Massive boulders are hurled at them from hidden niches. Gallipolas and Fig break off their approach to deal with the exterior giants.

On the inside of Cedarspoke, other warriors join the fray just as the Defenders engage the frost giants. Dusk greets his sometimes companions, immediately recognizing his fellow members of the Divine Hammer. The frost giants stop their attack to deal with the weak humanoids, but not before the sound of a horn blast echoes through the air. Outside Gallipolas has targeted the frost giant leader, a shaman sprinting from the city’s gate to the ice covered forest.

Their methods are brutal but very effective as the Divine Hammer divides the three giants on the interior of the city and begin to decimate the intruders. Matching the vigor of their counterparts, the Defenders batter their targets with an eye to Gallipolas still outside the city. Once free and clear as the last of the giants falls they move to the exterior of the city to aid the druid. As Lazbin moves to join the battle he does not spy the bodies of the dead citizens that the giants had hurled to their deaths. Tracks lead to the frozen surface of the Cedar River. The mage moves to a better vantage point and detects the reason for the missing bodies. Under the guise of invisibility magic a cluster of humanoids shifts position onto the river’s ice. Without hesitation the blood mage looses an attack upon the group but cannot engage the thieves.

Dusk also detects the disturbance and sends a summoned elemental to lay waste to any desecrators. But the immediate need is with the remaining giants. Gallipolas and Fig are more than relieved to receive assistance, as the leader has escaped into the frozen forest. With only two remaining the hammer drops on one giant, ending his torment. The remaining frost giant is captured after being rendered blind.

On the edge of the Cedar River, the huge fire element tracks the assailants only to be checked by a creature formed of only ice. Standing motionless the construct awaits the inevitable battle. Blows are exchanged as vast amounts of steam pour into the icy air. In this battle size matters and the ice guardian is destroyed.

Encounters: revenant frost-forged white dragon Salricasa, three frost giant maulers, frost giant spirit seeker, and two frost giant tundra scouts, ice golem.
Achievements: learned of the revenant ritual performed by followers of Kiaransalee, reported the events of the Feywild to the Guild of Naturalists, traveled to Cedarspoke and defeated the frost giant raiding party, and discovered the theft of dead bodies from the assault.

The Plight of Drangstern’s Uereka

2010-06-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Domollo Blue, Qualen Shadowbourne

NPCs: Vindar Drangstern, Gianza, Redescar

Synopsis: Hearing mysterious rumors surrounding the Dragonmere, Domollo gathers his companions and searches out a visiting nobleman named Vindar Drangstern. The baron speaks of his city Eureka, one whose trade routes have been victim to attacks from mighty creatures. Drangstern solicits their aid, requesting them to join his return journey to Eureka and investigate the attacks. So far, two individual caravans have been sacked and decimated, the only remains being victims bearing claw rakes and mighty gashes from a slashing weapon. It is agreed upon that the adventurers will see out the attackers.

The trek begins the following morning, and the group trudges through the snow to a rancher outside of Teziir to procure a wagon, work pony and riding horse. Bogged down and hindered by the treacherous weather, the group only reachs the midway point before establishing a camp. Qualen reaches out to his deity Kelemvor will the rest scavage for wood. It is on Domollo’s watch, the first of the night, that he spies the caravan attackers. A pack of wolves surround their campsite, wolves twice the size of a human and gleaming white as the snow they master. Domollo raises the alarm and is joined by the rest of the party.

As the fight rages, the breath of the winter wolves is debilitating and impossibly cold. But the companions pivot about the wagon and flank the bandits. The maneuvering allies provide excellent results, as does the ranged spells from Belton. Even the elder Drangstern, with his years of battle scars and disadvantaged limp, even he is able to fend off the attack exhibiting the skills of a master monk. Several of the beasts are made to flee while the rest die where they stand. A rare winter meal will be made of the group’s kill.

The rest of the watch is uneventful and in the morning they make for Eureka. Upon mid-day, they reach Drangstern’s Eureka and to the dismay of Domollo, it is but a hamlet with less than thirty citizens. Surely a name cannot be made here, at least one that will reach the ears of the masses some miles and miles away. The man makes a plea over lunch for the citizens to abandon their oversized camp and return with them to Teziir. But the unique physiques and attire of the villagers speaks otherwise as they have found contentment at the foothills of the Giant’s Run Mountains.

It appears that Eureka is a monestary of monks. Never one to admonish free will, Domollo abandons his proposal and returns to their quest. Drangstern speaks of an eerie glow about the shores of the Dragonmere, one that has been coincidal with the attacks on the caravans. The stories have caused planned shipments from other merchants to be canceled, challenging Eureka’s status. Drangstern assures the visitors that they are prepared for the worst, but would prefer to avoid that ultimatum if at all possible.

As evening falls the group prepares for a trek into the night to find the wolves of winter. Their trail is obvious as blood upon the snow serves as a guiding beacon to their den. In the wall of a cliff-face is a natural fissure that provides egress into a cave. Upon scouting the intial corridor, Barl trips a trap and springs back to the entrance. Lots of noises are the result, and the group readies for action. Spewing from within are the remaining wolves and their masters, two ogres, one of which bears a flaming sword. Immediately the area is engulfed in darkness, which panics the group and splits it in two, Belton and Domollo on the outside of the magicked area, and Barl and Qualen remaining inside.

The ogres begin their coordinated attack, one chasing Belton and the other facing off against Domollo. Barl and Qualen battle the wounded beasts as the ogres use spells to cripple the attackers. As the last wolf is slain, the group reunites. But it is too late as the damage is done to the wizard Belton. The would-be dwarf uses a spell to sprout wings, but as he flies to safety atop the cliff, the ogre mage delivers a final parting blow sending multiple force arrows into Belton’s back. He drops out of sight, his life escaping through a ravaged body.

Belton was not unsuccessful in assailing one of the ogres and Barl and Qualen make short work of the one with the flaming sword. Domollo spins a spell from somewhere as brilliant lights stun the remaining ogre. He is joined by the rest with much desired results. The last ogre falls. Atop the cliff, Belton is revived by two mysterious travelers hailing from the land of Tear. Belton befriends them and returns to the others with his saviors. Two bizarrely dressed humanoids stand well above the rest, their skin and countenance alien to the group. Gianza and Redescar seek someone named Morgrin who has stolen the Eye of the Dragon King. Their story is strange, but Barl surmises that this ‘eye’ that they seek maybe the source of the unnatural glow on the shores of the Dragonmere. The two motives are joined as they head towards the iced over Lake of Dragons.

Encounters: five winter wolves, two ogre mages with their ped winter wolves

Achievements: dispersed the attackers of the Eureka-bound caravans, delivered the head monk to his order at the foothills of the Giant’s Run Mountains, destroyed the bandits, and met two mysterious allies to find the source of the glow of the Dragonmere.

Talona’s Ebb and the Cure of the Bloodveil

2010-06-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Domollo Blue, JadeBlade, Vi’Helm

NPCs: Magoovial Hammerstriker, Olan Hanch, Dalvin Crand, Gurdainz Whitehorse

Synopsis: It is a brief moment after the death of Queen Andiasin that the group begins healing, pondering what their next action should be. As curing spells are cast, the light of the private chamber flickers slightly. The adventurers rally to the chambers exit, but their attention quickly shifts back to the body of Andiasin. Erupting from within, a tangled mass of flesh, muscle and bone twists the corpse seemingly inside out. Andiasin’s body has devolved into a diseased aspect of her twisted deity. Through concentrated efforts the group splinters the newly formed body, finally destroying the body with fire.

With only sections of the underground temple left to explore, the group rushes to the unopened doors throughout the complex. They discover a hall of prisons and rescue two survivors, stricken with the Bloodveil. Both Olan Hanch and Dalvin Crand are tired but healing spells allow them to rally and the group returns to the triage center where the two rescued prisoners find empty cots to lie in.

With enough evidence and conviction to expel Eliosa from her place of power, the group carries Magoovial back to the Temple of Torm where the guards quickly assume guardianship. The parley between the temple guard and Domollo is rapid and ratchets up the aggression between the two. Barl exposes the Torm’s brand upon his chest and the group is given audience to the high priests, lead by Gurdainz Whitehorse. Their explanation is presented and Priest Whitehorse thanks them for their valiant efforts. The high priests assume possession of the group’s evidence, promising swift justice after reviewing the facts.

The story of the Hospice of the Gray Maidens is punctuated with the presence of the vampire Arkmeinos. High Priest Whitehorse speaks of the vampire as from an empire that expired a long time ago called Korvosa. The master he spoke of is disconnected from the Material Plane and lost to the ages. But Arkmeinos has survived thousands of years, and the high priests are aware of his ambitions. Ultimately this includes a cure for his vampirism. Their collaboration with the vampire is a temporary, albeit uneasy, understanding.

The cleric Magoovial has survived the God-Touch of Torm and rests under the watchful eyes of temple priests. Whitehorse is at a loss for words when the group recounts Magoovial’s saving grace. It is a moment in modern times that is unprecedented; the last God-Touch was over a thousand years ago. The group is again thanked for their struggle and promised contact when the evidence results in the arrest of Eliosa. The long day has ended and the group returns to the Smelted Horse to celebrate a bittersweet victory, passing by many Teziirans still stricken with the Bloodveil.

The next few days quickly come can go. Four days following the defeat of Lady Andiasin, the adventurers receive word from the Temple of Torm. The healers were able to develop a cure for Bloodveil based on the hidden documents retrieved from the personal study of Doctor Duvalis. Clerics are working night and day to develop and administer it to the masses, which now number a third less of the total population. The plague has left a deep scare on the city of Teziir. But justice is to be delivered. The high priests of each of the represented gods in the temple district united in a single front to arrest Eliosa. She is to be tried in a tenday for her involvement in the outbreak, and the adventurers are to be key witnesses to bring her to justice. The promise of complete victory is enough to carry the group’s spirits for a little longer in this terrible time.

Encounters: aspect of Talona, temple guards of Torm

Achievements: defeated the last remnant of Talona, consecrated the evil deity’s shrine, delivered the collected evidence to the High Priests of Torm, and recovered the cure for Bloodveil.

Journey into the Glacier of the Jarl

2010-05-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

Characters: Hlinthi, Pardonei, Softfoot, Teldowen, Zamtul

NPCs: Ost Untomoinen

Synopsis: The journey to the suspected location of the glacier begins immediately. Ost proved to be an excellent guide, outfitting the adventurers with extreme cold weather gear. While trudging through the building snow, the group is ambushed by a trio of beasts that destroy three of their mounts. Teldowen recognizes the creatures as extraplanar, not of this plane, let alone this region. The battle is fierce but quick. All damage is dismissed as Pardonei summons new mounts and the trek continues.

They reach what can only be the suspected glacier. Again its properties are recognized as being of the Plane of Elemental Air. The massive cracked glacier blends perfectly with the surrounding base of the mountain. Finding the singular egress the party enters and is quickly checked by a platoon of pale blue dwarfs speaking a bizarre language that only the sorceress Pardonei can understand. Using her comeliness she convinces the leader that a greater toll will be provided by following the map she alone possesses. The con is enough as the leader escorts the group to a holding cell.

Under guard the group surprises the remaining four frost dwarf guardians and dispatches them. The choice is decided to follow the path of the leader who left to seek the words of the Jarl, the master of the glacier. The steps of the dwarf are nigh untraceable as the group wonders through the glacier, passing through the ice and stone walls that are capped by rolling banks of fog about a hundred feet up. With the disorienting pathway diverging at multiple points, the adventurers finally find themselves in a massive void populated by gargantuan crystalline trees. This realm of the Jarl grows more bizarre with each step.

Encounters: three greater barghests, ten frost dwarfs, the frost dwarf herald, four frost dwarf guardians.

Achievements: reached the ice glacier, convinced the herald of the Jarl to allow them access, and set about the glacier web to search for the missing adventurers of Redcliff.

The Missing Vernal Key of Redcliff

2010-05-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

Characters: Hlinthi, Pardonei, Softfoot, Teldowen, Zamtul

NPCs: Mayor Andalor, The Shaman Margool, Ost Untomoinen, Ilda Seppatar

Synopsis: Following the cryptic ramblings of the shaman Margool, the adventurers use magic to traverse the dire wintry lands to the small town of Redcliff. Their arrival coincides with the mayor Andalor presiding over the very troubled townfolk at the Inclusive Hall, the local gathering site typically reserved for worship. Andalor is entirely relieved when Zamtul arrives with several new faces. The mayor of Redcliff pulls them aside to detail the theft of the town’s only protection against the harsh winter, the Vernal Key. This mystical artifact is the only thing keeping the town alive, and now that it is missing, the magical properties that repeled the encroaching winter are gone as well. Redcliff is going to be swallowed by morning.

Andalor presents the facts as he knows them. Several days prior, a stranger came to Redcliff proclaiming treasure awaited those brave enough to enter the mysterious ice glacier that appeared recently on the farside of the mountain abutting Redcliff. This hint of wealth enticed a charismatic adventurer named Geppa to gather her band of merry men to journey to the glacier and explore it. Along with Geppa went Arel, Eron, Tech, and Ulric. When they did not return there was a small hush across the townfolk. The next morning, the Vernal Key was gone. The mayor is patient with the details, describing the artifact and the few town elders that new of the full-day ritual needed to excise the protection magicks. Only he, Ilda Seppatar, Ost Untamoinen, and Ilmanu Luuko knew of the Vernal Key.

The group decides to visit Ost at his Deerstalkers’ Lodge, where nearly ever woodland creature was stuffed and mounted on the wall. Ost welcomed the party as the establishment was devoid of outsiders, typically the wealthy nobles of Westgate that were interested in a good hunt. The oppressive winter season, not to mention the corruption of Westgate, had completely obliterated his business. Over a hot meal Ost describes the location of the glacier and offers to take them to the site. But after the rumors of Geppa’s demise, he refuses to go beyond the entry. The innkeeper is extremely hospitable and drafts a quick sketch of landmarks to target their path.

The group is adamant about visiting Ilda, the current caretaker of the Vernal Key. Ever since its disappearance she has shuttered herself inside the Stone Shrine, an intimate setting for isolated worship of numerous deities. At the shrine, Ilda is convinced to host the group along with Ost. Her mood is broken when the hastily drafted map is shown to the dwarf. She chuckles at the sketch, implying that her cartographer skills were applied to Geppa’s map. Ilda then mentions that Geppa’s secret beau is Aric they shy man who hides behind his puppets at the marketplace. The mere mention of Aric shocks Ost, as the innkeeper recalls sharing some ales with the man the night prior. Ilda leeps at the half-elf, declaring him a fool for spilling the secrets of the town elders. Perhaps Ost’s weakness for the spirits has grown during this season’s downturn in business.

Ost’s guilt rises when the party goes to leave and the door is jammed from the snow drift that wasn’t there several minutes ago. The weather is going to bury Redcliff by morning. With no time to waste the party treks to the Deerstalkers’ Lodge and prepares for the long night ahead of them. If they are to find the Vernal Key, the must find Aric the puppeteer. To find him, they will have to enter the glacier and seek the truth of Geppa and her missing band.

Encounters: Redcliff townhall meeting, speaking with the mayor Andalor, the innkeeper Ost, and the high priestess Ilda

Achievements: traveled to Redcliff through the harsh winter storm, investigated the mystery of the stolen Vernal Key, and determined the possible culprit.

The Evils of Doctor Duvalis and Queen Andiasin

2010-05-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Domollo Blue, JadeBlade, Vi’Helm

NPCs: Magoovial Hammerstriker, Doctor Duvalis, Queen Andiasin

Synopsis: Recovering from the smackdown delivered by the vampire Arkmeinos, the group dusts itself off and investigates the room and bodies. The man armed with cutlery and dressed in a heavy leather apron is identified as Jocylina’s lover Rolth. Numerous manic letters from the elf sorceress are found on his person. The prisoner of the vampire was definitely Jocylina’s stolen prize Ruan, the minstrel of the party at the Carowyn Manor.

Their defeat at the hands of Arkmeinos still lingers as the group explores the room. The tactics of the Physician’s Assistants reveal the mysterious green solution brewing in the massive culdrons. The room is facilitating the development of the Bloodveil disease. The manufactured virus was planted in the Teziiran population by those under Rolth’s direction. Domollo explores the upper catwalks once again and hears movement beyond one of the doors. With their presence already detected the group enters the room with expert tactics, but finds the one man behind it all. Surrounded by four of his minions, Doctor Duvalis stands secure behind his men, slowly clapping at the group’s detective skills.

Domollo questions the man on his morality, and is confounded by Duvalis’ bravado and lack of conscience. The man who engineered the deaths of hundreds, maybe thousands, claims promised gold was motive enough. The revelation sparks the group to action as JadeBlade focuses in on the doctor and charges past the minions. Again, combat spills throughout the room as the melee pivots in between massive glass chambers housing mysterious creatures. The four Physician’s Assistants are tested, but each remains beholden to the doctor. It is a truly vicious blast from JadeBlade’s dwarven war axe that stuns Duvalis. With his dying breath the evil man whispers, “What good is a reward if you’re not around to use it.” The words a buried beneath the doctor’s lifeless form.

The Physician’s Assistants are left alone, but a mysterious female voice beckons them to try for victory. One of the men unsuccessfully attempts to bash one of the glass chambers but cannot break it. The hideous aberration contained within twitches with life, all but screaming for its freedom. The creature’s prison holds and the last of the doctor’s followers is killed. The two double doors leading beyond are ajar, unable to contain the taunting voice coming from within. Domollo surmises that the owner is the mysterious Queen Andiasin, only spoken of by the likes of the Gray Maidens and followers of Duvalis. Perhaps it is Eliosa Arabasi’s alter ego, for her justice has yet to be served.

Before proceeding to the hidden voice’s location, Magoovial stops the group. As his eyes turn white, the healing energies wash over the investigators. It is Torm’s will that baptizes them with new energy and reinvigored life. No longer are they suffering from wounds; spells have returned to their minds, and mystic energies have filled their souls. After but a moment, Magoovial collapses. He lives but is incapacitated. The miracle stands as a testament to Torm’s reach. They have received the god-touch.

The lone figure in the room dominates half of the group, forcing them to pay homage for being in her presence. But the defiant Vi’Helm restores the will of the oppressed and the battle rages. Surrounded in obfuscating mist, Queen Andiasin finds the enlarged target that is Barl Bloodbones and buries her scythe deep in the Underdark dwarf. The two precise strikes prove deadly and Barl dies. From Vi’Helm’s divine vision, she senses her companion’s life force vanish. Domollo’s efforts to save the dwarf are fruitless. JadeBlade’s rage devours the dwarf as he races around the room attempting to find the flying queen.

Vi’Helm focuses her mind and disperses the mist. Finding her target she casts a spell allowing the raging JadeBlade the gift of flight. Now the queen cannot hide in the air. From beyond the Material Plane the god-touched Barl Bloodbones is met by the blessed Torm. The deity challenges the deep dwarf. As is the choice of all who parish, Barl is given the ability to return. But if he is to again walk the Material Plan, it must be as an avenger for the god. Barl promises to execute all who stand against Torm, and awakens in the midst of battle against Queen Andiasin.

The return of their fallen comrade is enough to flood the room with the morale of the adventurers. Barl stands to flank the flying witch with JadeBlade and through their combined blades, and the spells of Vi’Helm and Belton, Andiasin becomes the queen of nothing. Her body crashes to the ground, spilling the central fountain’s water, thus ending her reign of terror. Now the group has everything they need to indict the villains behind the Bloodveil. If only they could find the cure.

Encounters: four Physician’s Assistants, Doctor Duvalis, Queen Andiasin

Achievements: discovered the manufacturing facility of the Bloodveil, defeated Doctor Duvalis and his Physician’s Assistants, touched by the god Torm, and killed the witch Queen Andiasin.

The Fall of Rolth and the Truth of the Minstrel Ruan

2010-05-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Domollo Blue, JadeBlade, Vi’Helm

NPCs: Magoovial Hammerstriker, Ruan, Rolth, Arkmeinos

Synopsis: War erupts in the underground laboratory between the adventurers and the practitioners of evil. JadeBlade looses his rage on the awaiting priests of Tylona and Physcian’s Assistants. The group pours into the room and divides the targets. One after another falls to the blades as their leader sparks lightening from within to scorch the attackers. The advancement is slow at first, but JadeBlade and Magoovial move up to the catwalks and engage the assistants in elevated positions. Barl sends his attacker to the floor, cut down from his great sword, and pulls himself up to the suspensed walkways. As Belton’s spells cripple the priests, Vi’Helm rushes to his allies healing gaping wounds instantly.

The assault is overwhelming. Barl is the first to reach the leader and ends the man. JadeBlade and Magoovial wipe up the rest of the goons and Domollo quickly scouts the doors adjacent to the sickening room. The first door he reaches results in unintended success. Inside the room a pale man stands over another that is strapped to a table, clearly against his will. A harp lies in the corner. Domollo pieces the clues together. The man on the table is Ruan, the minstrel from the noble party at the Carowyn Manor. The crazed Jocylina wrote of her lover Rolth and her delivery of the harper to his hands.

Domollo draws his weapon, but the pale man catches his eyes. He is undistressed at Domollo’s intrusion as if a fly had entered his kitchen. Looking over the man closely, Domollo is suspect especially coming from the blood bath. As the factotum moves toward the imprisoned Ruan, the man warns him that he is outclassed and should vacate the room immediately. Domollo remembers his pact to find Ruan, but as the man speaks, Domollo spots the telltale signs. The man is a vampire. Before he can stop himself Domollo screams for the others. Shaking his head he motions for the dismissal. He introduces himself as Arkmeinos and denies the request to free Ruan. The minstrel has a unique quality and Arkmeinos’ master wants Ruan for himself.

Domollo cannot stop JadeBlade who rushes into the room and charges the vampire. The attack is wild and rage-fueled, and massively off-target. Arkmeinos concentrates on the dwarf and blasts him. The battle is joined by Barl, who immediately falls under the dominating gaze of the vampire, forced to defend the one thing he wants to kill. Domollo works against the deep dwarf as the others arrive. JadeBlade is still undeterred, swinging his axe for the vampire’s throat. The first swing is a violent miss, but the return blow lands true and slashes him. The moment he strikes the target, JadeBlade’s rage is exercised and transferred to the vampire. Now Arkmeinos’ anger is beyond suppression.

Domollo can only look on with stunned eyes as his sword stroke that would surely injure a normal man misses. The vampire looks at the dwarf as his next target, who has moved well beyond shear annoyance. His blow drops JadeBlade to the ground. Watching his group disintegrate, Domollo brokers a cease-fire. The group retreats as Vi’Helm heals JadeBlade from the brink of death. Ruan’s freedom is sacrificed for the party’s survival, but Arkmeinos sends both Vi’Helm and Domollo sailing through the air before mentally slamming the door shut. Ruan is lost to his fate.

Encounters: four Physician’s Assistants, six of priests of Tylona, Rolth the Mortician, the vampire Arkmeinos

Achievements: defeated Rolth the Mortician and his personal guards, discovered the fate of Ruan and his special ability to repel the Bloodveil disease, survived the vampire Arkmeinos, and learned of his servitude to his master.

Journey to Suzail

2010-05-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

Characters: Brother Grimes, Hadith, Teldowen, Vall, Wicasa

NPCs: Vaushus Green

Synopsis: Vall gathers trust-worthy allies to journey to the grand city of Suzail in the lands of Cormyr to escape the winter-covered lands of the Dragon Coast. Through Julbin’s methods they travel through a magical portal to arrive at the bustling city. Although Cormyr is experiencing a cold winter, the embrace isn’t near the grasp it has on the Dragon Coast. Moving through the marketplace, the party experiences all that is Suzail. Meat is purchased, inns and taverns are patronized, and ales are sampled. They meet the man called Brother Grimes, follower of the Laughing Rogue, who is petitioned by Wicasa’s alter ego Witterrup to join them.

At the Hidden Lady, the female dwarf barkeep Vaushus Green relates a tale of a grief-stricken abode outside of the city. With the only other prospect being to return to Threshold, the group decides to investigate the house. A cozy abode is quiet, but not unoccupied. In the kitchen a red-haired female warrior stands with two hill giants and attacks the group. Responding to the commands of the fighter, the giants obey and identify their leader as Jenna. The tight confines of the room hinder the movement of the giants, and the experienced adventurers defeat the obvious intruders.

Searching the lower level, the group finds an underground access point to a strange water source. Several dead corpses are identified as those of skum, water-dwelling creatures typically subservient to a greater master. Witterrup relates some of the Cormyrean laws that rule the land, and that this minor expedition may result in the attraction of the law. The unknown element of the adventure is enough for the party to extract themselves from the house and return to the Hidden Lady. Their experiences are relayed to Vaushus who thanks them for their knowledge and offers a meal on the house. Suzail’s hospitality truly overshadows the status of Threshold, but the group returns via Julbin’s magic portal all the wiser.

Encounters: two hill giants, female warrior

Achievements: used the Guild of the Naturalists’ mirror gate to journey to Suzail, witnessed the disparity in weather between Cormyr and the Dragon Coast, investigated a mysterious abode and dispatched the trespassers.

The Black Bard Mystenaculis

2010-05-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

Characters: Cromwell, Dorian the Shadowhunter, Gallipolas, Karne, Krullix, Jebeddo, Lazbin, Maulgrim, Pardonei, Rathgillian, Vindicus, X-Requinn

NPCs: Queen Eliasa, Vall, Zedrick Neely, Mystenaculis

Synopsis: The moment Mystenaculis’ prismatic wall is destroyed, the group attacks with the fury and gusto of an army. They must avenge the months of torment, torture, turmoil, and tribulations they have experienced since before the walls of Kelvin fell. Almost immediately, the power of Mystenaculis is felt when the lich king extracts the souls of Rathgillian and Cromwell into a gem of death. The blow is felt across the room as the group watches their mightiest fighters fall lifeless to the cold, stone floor.

Pardonei is pulled into the darkness beyond the temple’s floor and Gallipolas gives chase. Beyond their sight, the group can hear the druid’s force attack screeching horrors that can only be imagined. The remaining iron golems are slowed by lightening magic from Jebeddo and Dorian. The effect is enough to aid the front line who destroys the constructs. Lazbin and Vindicus focus on the evil entitiy, casting spell after spell with little to no effect.

The battle turns when Zedrick Neely releases the portal to his hidden dimension once again. From inside the queen elf Eliasa of the Lorel Leaf Woods emerges along with the white armored paladin Maulgrim. Immediately her mysterious song of ancient dialect fills the massive chamber assaulting Mystenaculis. The effect is overpowering and the group is able to effectively attack the Black Bard. In a glorious united strike, the adventurers destroy Mystenaculis but as his venerated body implodes a disturbing cloud floats into the blackness surrounding the shrine.

As sounds of bones and hyperextended ligaments spew from the darkness, the group only has seconds to recover. Healing is administered and spells temporarily boost the group’s strength. The sounds of impending doom grow louder as the party stands in complete defiance. But as a monstrosity emerges from the unnatural void, a wave a fear drowns the group, sending several members running for their lives in shear panic. Hovering in front of them is a massive dragon skeleton, its rotting scales somehow dangling from its decaying carcass. Mystenaculis lives!

The group’s effort just to remain in the dracolich’s presence takes all of their collective focus. The dragon’s crooked teeth form a wicked smile and from within its rotting belly, the telltale sounds of acid boil to its maw. Spewing across the room, acid burns the remaining adventurers. But the lack of additional targets for the group hinders the dragon. It is the sole focus of all of their attacks, and after an exchange of blows, the dracolich is destroyed. This time Mystenaculis is completely and utterly annihilated. Without a phylactery or another body, his essence is forever gone.

With victory in hand, Zedrick Neely releases his men from the extradimensional space. The masked creepers of the shadows are too fluid and too many to count. Although the group has reservations about the follower of Mask assuming control Dorian assures them that the damage to Westgate has been done. For years to come the city will be tarnished by Mystenaculis’ actions. Many of its citizen parished under the harsh rule or were victims of the establishment in other ways. Zedrick Neely can have his dead city. The assaulting force of the Circle of Holundi is successful in defeating the Red Guards and Green Guards as they surrender to insurmountable odds. And as the Black Guards disappeared with the destruction of Mystenaculis. The battle against evil is over for this day. The blackest night is over, and the brightest day has begun. The lands of the Dragon Coast enter a heroic age.

Encounters: Mystenaculis, dracolich

Achievements: defeated Mystenaculis and the dracolich, freed Westgate from the rule of the Dragon Coast Alliance, and allowed the power vacuum to be filled by Zedrick Neely and the Night Masks.

Oppol’s Seizure of the Temple of Ancients

2010-04-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

Characters: Cheynar, Illdric, JadeBlade, Janora, Vi’Helm
NPCs: Jynn Thatcher
Synopsis: Qualen Shadowbourne is summoned to the hidden shrine of Kelemvor by his new mentor Jynn Thatcher, a disciple of Kelemvor who seeks to strengthen his god and re-establish his presence on the Dragon Coast. Trekking through the diseased city of Teziir, Qualen and his comrades use the poorly scrawled map to a section of the city that has been quarunteened. Massive hand-painted signs ward the area, but not a soul is around to enforce it.

The map leads them to a multi-story brownstone, but the directions for entrance indicate the shrine is in the cellar of the house. Moving through the adjacent alleyway, they are attacked by the ghost of Poor Friar Tomas. The filth of the alley works against the group as Qualen succumbs to the fumes of some airborne mold. Vi’Helm forces the ghost to flee as the cleric presents the holy symbol, but the noise of battle attracks the scarred, old man Jynn Thatcher.

Jynn invites the group into the cellar. Illuminated by numerous candles mounted on shoulder-height iron stands, the room holds several items sacred to Kelemvor, the Lord of the Dead and Judge of the Damned. A gentle-reposed corpse lies covered on a low-standing altar. Jynn describes Qualen’s particular remorse of his fallen companion Farthick and has promised to return the dwarf to the plain of the living, if he can find his soul and if he wishes to return.

But Jynn’s concerns lie outside of the city limits. It has come to his attention that a mysterious mound of stone has appeared not three miles towards the coast. Jynn announces that he is resurrecting the Eternal Order, a knightly order of Kelemvor whose purpose is to hunt and destroy powerful undead. The rumor of this stone mound houses a temple of an ancient sect. But the mystery is why it has appeared. Hand in hand with the rumor the temple is the fact that an undead kobold has taken residence inside and is manipulating the dead. Qualen’s first step towards the Eternal Order was to eliminate this threat, but the warrior lies stricken from the disease of Teziir. The others must carry out the mission.

Reluctantly the group journeys to the temple, following another one of Jynn’s crude maps. Cheynar scouts ahead of the group sneaking inside the temple threshold, but the trespassing provokes a cluster of water elementals from a broken fountain of worship. The others arrive to aid the scout, but the battle has twisted against Cheynar’s favor, forcing her deeper into the temple’s interior. Another guardian is triggered as a floating mystic cloud targets the catfolk attempting to suffocate the intruder. The group comes to Cheynar’s side and defeats the elemental sentries.

Beyond the first two chambers, the group spies a cluster of movement beyond. Moving to the central tomb, they meet the undead kobold sorcerer Oppol who has animated the bodies of his destroyed tribe. But before they can mount a unified front, damned spirits spew out from tomb chambers from behind, creating two fronts of this battle. The superior skill and weaponry of the group proves that they have come far in a short period of time. Oppol is eliminated by Illdric as JadeBlade annihilates the kobold zombie tribe.

The others fair far worse against the evil dead and Cheynar retreats to the entrance. As the kobolds are destroyed Ildric and JadeBlade return to the others and help to destroy the undead. Cheynar draws one to the temple’s door, but it returns to the tomb to expel the others. Finally, the assault ends after the last walking dead is dropped. The ancient temple stands silent but offers much in sight. Murals depict grand cities, some atop clouds and some below the sea. A warrior is depicted in a mural wearing coral armor standing proudly among his people.

The group takes etchings and recovers some of the arms of the kobold attackers. As the sun sets, the group returns through the frozen coast back to the dying city of Teziir. Jynn is astounded at their success and relishes the etchings they procured. Their treasure will go a long ways towards understanding the mystery of the temple’s appearance. Thankful for their efforts, the cleric of Torm heals their more grevious wounds and promises to focus his efforts on the dwarf warrior Farthick by asking Kelemvor to spare his soul. But something is amiss in the City of the Dead. And something is amiss amongst the lost souls of Teziir.

Encounters: ghost, two shadows, two water elementals, belker, ten kobold zombies, 5 wights, and an undead kobold sorcerer.
Achievements: defeated the evil undead of the temple and restored it to peace.

The Secrets of the Hospice of Blessed Maidens or The Dungeons of Arcona Imports

2010-04-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Domollo Blue, JadeBlade

NPCs: Magoovial Hammerstriker

Synopsis: JadeBlade and his companions return to Teziir with the much coveted, but also skeptical, spoils of the Astorian hideout: the case of the cure for the Bloodveil plague. The priests of the Temple of Torm are in disarray as too many of the city folk have fallen to the disease. The cleric of Torm Magoovial Hammerstrike takes the cure in possession, but expresses dismay at the current state of Teziir, especially his fallen brother Eshtani Doctri. Magoovial explains that he recently came in possession of documents detailing strife among two factions of wererats that infest the city below. One faction is lead by the wererat Geargz, the other Ariz Yelloweyes. The letter insists that Geargz and his followers intend to lay waste to Teziir and begin their campaign of rule from the sewers. Aria Yelloweyes contends that this will upset the status quo and bring ruin to her kind. At its weakest moment, Teziir is under attack.

Magoovial summons two other aides and asks for JadeBlades assistance. JadeBlade follows the cleric as the priest of Torm describes suspicions regarding the actions of Doctor Duvalis and Eliosa Arabasi. Rumors are abound of their deviance and Magoovial is to inspect the converted Arcona Imports warehouse that now serves as a triage center for those infected by the Bloodveil. The city streets are desserted until they reach the warehouse where a line of ailing people are governed by several Gray Maidens, followers of Eliosa. Magoovial dispenses with the present authority, gaining access to the facility. The sea of the dying is overwhelming as cots are populated with those struggling to live, but losing badly to the Bloodveil. But the priest stops as he sees the telltale signs of battle. Blood stains the walls as numerous bodies include both Gray Maidens and Duvalis’ masked physician’s assistants.

On the upper level of the warehouse, Barl, Crulamin, Domollo, Belton, and Vi’Helm stand outside an engraved door, desperately seeking the truth they know they must find. So far their investigation has discovered only death. Breaching the door, they find another set of patients. But these are in the most advanced stages of the Bloodveil, each strapped to their bed amidst a wicked laboratory. Three attending physicians stand at the ready and loose their crossbow bolts on the intruders. The battle is quick as the group overruns the demented assistants. As the combat ends Magoovial and JadeBlade arrive and greet Domollo’s mates. Familiar with the group, Magoovial updates Domollo with the recent knowledge of the advancing army of wererats.

Beyond the lab is an abandoned private study littered with alchemical beakers and scattered papers. Nothing of value is apparent, but the condition of the office indicates that it was recently occupied. The adjacent lab reveals cruel treatment and potential experimentation on the sick. As the group is looking for clues, the warehouse’s lift begins to move. The group moves to the sub-floor to find a vast network of rooms. Among the first chambers are a watch guard of Gray Maidens and another alchemical equipment room.

Under the guise of Physicians’ Assistants, the group stumbles upon a ritual party headed by dark priests of Tylona, goddess of disease and death. Domollo immediately falls into character, order the troop to return to the “queen” as they have been summoned. He summons one of the priests into the equipment room and, while shutting the door, instructs Barl to cut him down. The physician is slain, leaving nothing but stained robes on the chamber floor. Their infiltration is coming to an end.

The network of rooms becomes more evil with each subsequent chamber, culminating in a despicable hall of horrors. Encased in transparent walls of force, undead bodies writhe in a crawl space around the circumference of the room. Body parts pivot and blood coats the poor souls trapped within. The display is sickening, even to the heartiest of warriors. Quickly moving to through the opposing doors, the group finds a disturbing room with corpses fastened to beds in the most extreme case of depravity. It is a room of total experimentation with complete disregard of the dignity of life. The entire building is saturated in evil.

Moving through the hall of undead, the group soldiers on, passing through mighty double doors. On the other side is a montage of priests and phsycian’s assistants waiting in silence for the intruders. The room supports elevated crosswalks that pass over massive culdrons of bubbling ooze. Standing atop the central catwalk is a man dressed in heavy aprons, equipped with a multitude of cutting instruments and miscellaneous surgical devices. The room is silent in the exposure of pure evil.

Encounters: three Physician’s Assistants, four Gray Maidens, a gas-trapped foyer, a multitude of priests of Tylona, and the mad experimentor.

Achievements: uncovered the secret compound of the Physician’s Assistants, revealed the evil experiments being performed on diseased folk, and discovered the participation of priests of Tylona.

The Vanished Mayor of Redcliff

2010-03-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

Characters: Marlet, Nobanion, Vexander, Zamtul
NPCs: Burthune the Trapper, Mayor Andalor, Vera, Marnor
Synopsis: Two seasoned trappers cross over the mountain trails from the small neighboring hamlet of Redcliff on the other side of the mountain from Threshold. During winter, heavy snows typical blocked travel between these communities, but the trappers had their own ins and outs and arrive at Threshold. Familiar with Nobanion and the accolades of his friends, they seek help for their beleaguered town.

Without hesitation Nobanion calls together his companions for help. Zamtul, Marlet and Vexander, eager for adventure, all agree to visit Redcliff. Within a day’s ride through secret mountain trails they find the hamlet. Silhouetted against the backdrop of an immense red rock mountain is the tiny hamlet known as Redcliff. From a distance, it looks positively sleepy in the morning light. As they draw closer, though, it is evident that all was not well. People stand in clumps in the street, talking and glancing about. The word “mayor” is audible now and then in the conversations.

Eventually the party goes to see what was afoot at the town’s only watering hole, the Redcliff Tavern. Once inside they have a chance meeting with one of the town’s regulars, Burthune the Trapper. The dwarf has been trapping the lands for many winters and knows much. Although ornery and brash, the black bearded dwarf is able to obtain the best rabbit pelts in the area. He is covered from head to toe in rabbit pelts, and known for his oversized hats and gloves.

He is curious enough to accept Marlet’s playful challenge to a few games. They play dice and Burthune losses. To escape his debt Marlet asks the dwarf to fill the halls with a boisterous song. Burthune obliges, singing an old dwarven drinking song. Having the language barrier as a buffer the trapper is free to embellish, leaving only his bawdy gestures for the predominantly human crowd to interpret. Marlet can understand dwarven so she giggles and claps along.

The Mayor Andalor’s disappearance was the topic of discussion everywhere in town. A short time with Burthune and other townsfolk reveals that Andalor had been acting strangely of late, and that during the previous night two young men saw him sneaking out of town in the dead of night, heading for the red rock mountaintop where an old temple stood. Andalor’s son and daughter, both merchants in town, were anxious about their father. Andalor is an ex-adventurer, somewhat advanced in years, very much beloved, and has always been known for his good humor and camaraderie. For the past few days he’d been acting strangely by ordering the townsfolk around. Burthune divulged that his daughter Vera runs the bakery on the corner and his son Marnor owns the inn.

The two had sent for Nobanion to help discover what strange force overcame their father. After meeting with Vera, she asks the group to enter the temple and make their way past the shadows that dwell there to confront the evil. She asks them to rescue Andalor and determine what really happened, and clear the mayor’s name in town.

When the party meets with Marnor, he claims that his father was either ill or being controlled somehow. Marnor believes that Andalor went up the mountainside to the abandoned temple of Heironeous. Both Vera and Marnor believe it to be haunted and cursed as strange lights have been seen around the abandoned temple recently, and herdsmen and hunters have been scared away by mysterious figures. Believing in Nobanion and his friends, Vera and Marnor ask the party to go up to the temple and look for their father. They can afford no more than 500 gold between them, but they are certain that some treasures worth finding still remain in the temple. The party agrees to help the good town and Vera pays for their lodging at the Redcliff Tavern.

In the morning the group gathers for the expedition. After an hour’s hike up the steep outer slope of the red rock, they come to the abandoned temple. It is clear that the place has not been used for its original purpose in a very long time—weeds and shrubs grow up the sides of the building and lichen mottle the stone walls. The windows have been secured with solid metal barriers that show signs of siege. The temple’s main doors are cracked and warped from the elements, but they stand slightly ajar, allowing easy access into the gloom beyond.

Several broken barricades and wooden posts are on the floor in the entryway as the group navigates across a small lobby. The double oaken doors open into a room with stone floor. Aging and cracked ceramic symbols of Heironeous hang on the walls. Weapons, shields, and assorted debris, as well as several bleeding corpses in battered armor lie about. It looks as if they had died very recently defending this chamber, but upon further inspection the party uncovers that the bodies are mere illusions. Apparently the lingering evil of the place has a sick sense of humor.

With Marlet and Nobanion leading the way, and Vexander and Zamtul right behind, they creep to the next set of double doors on the far end of the room. Within moments after discovering and disarming a deadly glyph of warding that emitted a sonic attack, Marlet raises her lock picks in victory as the doors open behind her. Once Vexander’s light spell spills into the huge room beyond, they realize this must have been the main area of worship for visitors of the temple. A few pews still stand upright, but most have been overturned or destroyed. Several armor-clad corpses, peppered with arrows, are sprawled out around the room.

Behind an altar at the back of the room stands a towering statue dedicated to Heironeous. The statue’s surface is cracked and pitted as though it has been the target of weapon attacks. As they move into the room five haunting shadows jump from the statue and attempt to surround the party. Nobanion and Zamtul stave them off from the cleric, but Vexander fails in his attempts to turn the stubborn and resistant undead. Marlet releases Amado, a bronze griffon from the magical figurine she carries, and the beast helps dispatch the rest of the shadows with a flurry of claws.

With hands raised overhead, Vexander triumphantly dispels the statue’s twisted magic moments before more of shadows crawl from the statue. Victory is short lived however as an arrow streaks inches by Vexander’s head. Unbeknownst to the party, when they had entered the temple, a janni, a type of genie-kind, noticed them immediately. With invisibility and fly spells in place the janni stalked the party, remaining dozens of feet behind them at all times. Even with his prey moving at full speed, he was able to keep hidden from the keen-eared members of the party.

Following his surprise shot the janni’s invisibility spell fails, but he follows with another arrow from his longbow again. After an exchange of bow fire, the janni tries to draw his scimitar with a spell on his lips. Having chugged a fly potion seconds before, Zamtul charges the janni and establishes a midair grapple. The two struggle but the janni’s fate worsens as Marlet orders Amado to join the grapple who turns the tide. Although scrappy and elusive the janni is quickly overwhelmed, but it forces Zamtul and the griffon both to maintain the pin. The janni proclaims that he is forced to fight to the death by his master despite the overwhelming odds.

The janni’s unrelenting attack prevents Zamtul and the griffon from rallying to their friends who are now under attack by some other evil. From the adjoining room Voorix, a yak folk cleric sorcerer and master of the janni, finally enters the fray. Since the janni had informed him the instant that the party arrived, the yak folk has had plenty of time to prepare. Grabbing his magical long sword, Voorix has ingested his potions of flying and invisibility. The spell caster has already weaved magic of protection from good, divine favor, and bull strength on himself and hides high above the floor of his new sanctum. He refuses to let the party members foil his scouting mission as a precursor to an invasion of Redcliff by his tribe.

As Nobanion enters the room Voorix attacks with a hold person spell, which renders the barbarian useless for several moments. Before Nobanion can will himself free of the spell’s grip the yak folk flies above him menacingly. Although Voorix’s invisibility is negated he happily rains magical acid arrows into the barbarian’s chest. But Nobanion’s fine chain suit absorbs most of the assault. The wounds only fuel the barbarian’s anger which sets him free. Nobanion tries to take a shot with his readied longbow at Voorix but his bow fire is spoiled by a dark magic field. The barbarian throws his bow to the ground and flies into a frenzied rage that suddenly steels the breath from the yak folk.

With his glowing staff aloft, Vexander bravely charges to the rescue. Once at Nobanion’s side Vexander casts a spell which makes the barbarian the size of an ogre, easily putting the yak folk within his reach. It takes only moments for the barbarian’s frenzy to play itself out, leaving a dismembered and decapitated evil yak folk in its wake. Back in the other room Marlet, Amado and Zamtul strip the janni of his weapons and briefly interrogate him. The janni divulges much of Voorix’s invasion plans but refuses to give his name as he claims it could be used to enslave him once again. After dubbing him ‘Bob’ they order the janni back to his home plane never to return under pain of death.

United once more, the party explores Voorix’s sanctum. The room is furnished with several tables and chairs, all of which are intact, and a large bed, chest, and table covered with maps and books are in the far corner. On the bed lays a disorientated and confused man who they discover to be Andalor. Once they revive him with some healing, he is very grateful to the party for rescuing him and listens to the plot they have uncovered. He asks them to help him clean out the temple and dispel the illusions so that the structure may be rededicated to Heironeous and used as a fortress to shelter the townsfolk from any further attacks. Andalor feels that he personally failed to defend it years ago and wants very much to redeem himself in the eyes of his deity. He also agrees to establish a working alliance between his town and that of the party’s beloved home, Threshold. Perhaps time will prove it to be a fruitful alliance.

Encounters: illusions of grisly murders, glyph of warding, five shadows, a janni, the yak-folk cleric sorcerer Voorix
Achievements: traveled to Redcliff, learns of the mystery surrounding the disappear of the mayor, investigates an abandoned temple of Heironious, defeats the temple intruders, annihilates the new temple master squatter, learns of plans for invasion of Redcliff, rescues the mayor and establishes an alliance with Threshold.

The Westgate Extraction – The Dungeons

2010-03-23T15:16:00.000-07:00

Characters: Alyssic, Aramir, Forkbeard, Kylan, Sentalial, Vexander

NPCs: Olive Ruskettle, Pretorius the Orator, Jamar the Actress, Kysaer Whitemantle, and Highlord Abbot Grigor Khazaar

Synopsis: Trizoon leaves the Tower to check on the progress of the evacuation of refugees. He encounters Vexander and directs him to rendezvous with the group at the Tower. As the group discusses their options they meet the cleric Kylan who has been lying low during the occupation and witnessed the assault on the Tower. Kylan offers his services and immediately begins healing the injured party. As Vexander reaches the group, they are attacked from the stairwell by dark elf. Aramir succumbs to the poison but with the new healers present is quickly revived.

The group gives chase down into the depths of the hewn stone dungeon beneath the tower. The drow beckons the group into her domain and sicks mutilated undead beasts upon them. Outmatched and out-maneuvered, the drow succumbs to Forkbeard’s axe, but not before calling up her goddess Kiaransalee to resurrect her. Her words cease flowing as her head rolls on the floor.

Entering another chamber, Sentalial is quick to react to opening a wrong door. Slamming the door shut, the paladin prevents a massive acidic ooze from pouring into the room. They decide to explore an alternative route that leads them to a devil sentry. Stony spikes protrude in every direction from the creatures body as he immediately impails Sentalial, dragging him away from the group. Finding new targets the devil releases his catch and engages both Forkbeard and Alyssic. The grapple totters back and forth, but Alyssic and Sentalial bring their holy blades to bare and destroy the devil.

Continuing on the chosen path, the group comes across a vandalized statue of Kelemvor in a large octagonal room and hears the cries of the prisoners from beyond the chamber’s doors. A dingy corridor is lined with prison cells, but before any inquiries can be made, the group is attacked from both sides by flying devils. Forkbeard frees a prisoner and drafts him into war, only to find that the man abandon the battle and run for the exit. Unwilling to watch his enchanted axe vanish with the man, Forkbeard tackles him and returns him to the cell. As the group splinters to deal with the devils, Kylan unleaches a barrier of magical blades that destroy two of the flying devils, while Alyssic and Sentalial vanquish the remaining enemies.

From behind his cell door once again, Kysaer Whitemantle pleads for his freedom, begging for the group to let him go. Forkbeard is willing to let the fool rot, but Alyssic and Sentalial urge him to exercise restraint. The freed prisoners make for the Tower exit where Whitemantle is released. Moving quickly to the Water Gate, the group finds Trizoon and Merisio holding off several red guards while protecting the egress. The soldiers flee once the other arrive. Pretorius quickly addresses the refugees that have gathered at the Shore and instructs them to follow their liberators. It is a mad dash to the invisible portal entrance, but the refugees move through, believing that they are to discover a new home.

Encounters: drow arcane blackguard, two necrosis carnex, corrupture, stony devil, and four spine devils.

Achievements: defeated the guardians of the prisons, freed the voices of the oppressed refugees and slaves, and evacuated the refugees of New Kelvin and Shore survivors to Delzimmer.

The Hidden Cure of Teziir

2010-03-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

Characters: Cheynar, Illdric, JadeBlade, Janora, Torvic

NPCs: Theo Miltan

Synopsis: At the Smelted Horse, Janora gathers together several transplants of the Adventurers Guild of Threshold. The ranger has used her connections to uncover a cruel plot of the thieves guild of Teziir, the Astorians. Her contact, Theo Miltan, has cast his personal vote of no confidence in his superiors, as the mid-tiered Astorian needs their help to secure the most valuable treasure in all the city. Squirrelled away in an Astorian hideout several miles outside of the city is a plethora of antidotes for the Blood Veil disease that has clutched the citizens of Teziir in its death grip. More than 50 vials of the cure are within a hideout nestled high above in a grand evergreen approximately ten miles outside of the city. Theo Miltan has abandoned the chain of command and directs the group to the whereabouts of the Astorian lair. What good is a thieves guild in a dead city anyways?

The map is true as the group finds the massive tree standing in the snow-fallen forest. Nested in its branches some 150 feet up is a multi-layered wooden structure. But it is only minutes before the magic sounds of an unseen performer woo Cheynar and Illdric, beckoning them to the tree. With a fair amount of snow from the ground and cotton from the cold weather gear, the group subverts the songmaker and retrieve their enchanted allies. From up above a winged, scale-covered female descends to attack the trespassers. The party destroys the creature with speed and authority. Using the perchased potions of levitating, the group gains access to the compound through a trap door in the lowest level.

The decision is made to lay waste to any obstacles and get the antidote vials before the magic dissipates. Investigating their options, the party moves into a room swarming with dire rats. With targets aplenty the group moves in, obliterating the sea of filth. As the warriors do their bit, the newest member Torvic, cleric of Kelemvor, advances up a ladder to the next level. Scattered among the crates and barrels are several human bodies in various forms of decay, pieces of their body partially missing. Something has decided to dine on these poor victims. Torvic recognizes that their souls have vacated the material plane and animates the bodies to help him search for the vials.

Below the dire rat swarm has been annihilated and the group catches up to the cleric, only to find him under the sway of the most beautiful tune they have ever heard. So fine in the quality of performance that only Janora fails to appreciate the talent. In a trance everyone save for the ranger moves to the next room to provide an audience for the musicians. It is a blow to the head that jolts the group from the mesmerizing performance. Distrubed at the ruse, they attack two more of the winged bitches. It is a warrior’s performance matching the greatest symphony ever constructed that JadeBlade’s dwarven war axe handed down to him from his grandfather finds its target. The chop sends the beast hurling into the wall, end its life several times over. The display is beauty to the warrior as he steps up and crushes the second.

The investigation concludes when they find a thrashed bedroom converted to a nest for the last creature. Strike after strike, the beast is massively overwhelmed and falls to the blade. In the room beyond the group discovers an abandoned crate, 50 vials inside and intact. As the levitating magic fades the group secures their find and vacates the Astorian lair. Their recovery of the vials of Bloodveil antidote may be the first step to saving Teziir.

Encounters: sentry harpy, swarm of dire rats, harpy siblings, harpy matron

Achievements: infiltrated the ruined hideaway of the Astorians, destroyed the squatting family of harpies, and retrieved the vials containing the supposed cure for the Blood Veil disease rampaging through Teziir.

The Westgate Extraction – The Tower

2010-03-10T14:27:00.000-08:00

Characters: Alyssic, Aramir, Forkbeard, Sentalial, Trizoon,
NPCs: None
Synopsis: With the office level silent, the Defenders of the Dragon Coast stand in the Tower of Westgate facing two flights of stairs. There is some movement coming from the stairs leading to the upper floors of the Tower. Aramir turns to the ethereal and steps as a ghost to the upper echelons of the structure, encountering the armory level, the barracks level, the war planning level, and finally the treasury. Surrounded by wealth of great magnitude, four guardians adorned in black armor move to attack Aramir before he can extract himself from the room. The halfling escapes, returning to his allies to alert them of his findings.

Moving to the top of the stairs to assend the tower, the group is greeted by an awaiting platoon of red guards. Arrows bounce off their armor as the Defenders lay waste to the soldiers. Another set of stone stairs leads them to an almost vacant armory. With nothing ripe for the taking, the group continues and enters the barracks completely devoid of life. Moving quickly through the barracks the group encounters two more red guards foolish enough to stand their post. Evidently the wrath of their commander is worse than death as they fail to surrender and are quickly dropped. The next set of stairs is protected, but this time two green guards stand opposed to the party. Charging up the stair to meet their temporary roadblock, the group again lays waste to the Tower’s sentries to reach the conference level. Abandoned war rooms and vacant personal chambers offer nothing of value. But Aramir’s description of the treasury guides the party to the highest level of the Tower despite Alyssic’s misgivings of their direction. There is no sign of the prisoner they seek, Pretorius the Orator.

The wide circular hall provides access to the treasury door, but Aramir’s skills are foiled by the lock. As the halfling continues to work the door, the group is surprised as the black guards from the interior pass through the wall and engage in combat in the hallway. It becomes apparent that they are not dealing with the living as their weapons pass through the specter knights. Surrounded, the Defenders use what they know best: brute force. The tactic works well as two of the specters are defeated, their armor and bodies vanishing in a cloud of black dust and soot. But the black guards’ bastard swords strike true with a better frequency than the Defeners’, and Sentalial succumbs to the blows.

The fallen paladin draws the ire and rage of the specter knight as it foregoes its defense and moves over Sentalial to deliver a coup de grace. Forkbeard and Alyssic both succeed in striking the undead guardian and destroy it, saving their friend from the afterlife. Focusing on the remaining foe, the Defenders defeat it and revive Sentalial. They gain access to the treasury and find a vast accumulation of Westgate’s wealth, platinum and gold coins stacked neatly and art and gems categorized in some fashion. It is likely that this represents the plundered monies of a large part of the city, seeped in the figurative blood of their previous owners. With the economic life of Westgate in their hands, the group stands at the highest point of its grave.

Encounters: five red guards, two red guard sentries, two green guards, four specter black knights
Achievements: defeated the reserve sentries of the Tower of Westgate and secured the stolen wealth of Westgate.

The Westgate Extraction – The Plan

2010-02-26T20:07:00.000-08:00

Characters: Alyssic, Aramir, Forkbeard, Sentalial, Trizoon,
NPCs: Julbin Cometstrike, Mintassan the Planeswalker, Kyra, Merisio, Lt. Rizzi, Sgt. Rodney
Synopsis: Returning from the doomed Skarwall Keep, Alyssic recruits her allies for an impossible mission. They must journey to Westgate with Mintassan, plant the portal seed outside of the city walls, get into the city, discover the location of the New Kelvin refugees, and then evacuate them before the ravages of war take their lives. A desparate Alyssic relays unconfirmed rumors that devils and vampires vie for control of the city, with the result of the citizens of Westage fodder for the city’s occupants. She was unable to save New Kelvin, but she will do everything to save the people.

Familiar with facing the incredible the group is escorted by Mintassan to Westgate via the Plane of Shadow. While in transit shadows twist and crawl in every corner. Something is amiss, but nothing can be investigated now. As quickly as they arrived, the party vacates the Plane of Shadow and find themselves on the outskirts of Westgate. Mintassan quickly plants the seed, saying that they must wait an hour before the portal grows. He must move alone back to his home to retrieve precious maps of the planes, but they can use the portal to journey to Delzimmer. Whatever the group does for now until then, they cannot use the portal to vacate the Dragon Coast before one hour.

Remaining near the Shore, they spy a decrepit shanty town, home to the surviving drifters and homeless. With magic to disguise themselves as Blackguards, the group moves below the cliff face of Westgate through its poor outskirts. Bodies lay impossibly still, victims of starvation and lack of sufficient shelter. Sentalial speaks with the emaciated Kyra, herself a refugee of New Kelvin. Classified as “unfit” many of the refugees were sentenced to exile by the new regime. With no manner to leave the city and faced with the certainty of death by exposure, the exiles have congregated at the Shore. Kyra says that dissenters and representatives of the New Kelvin refugees have been rounded up and put in the prisons of the Ministry of Truth. Among them is Pretorius the Orator, a charismatic outspoke opponent of the Dragon Coast Alliance. The people will follow Pretorius, if he is still alive. The paladin of Torm instructs her to gather all survivors, for within the hour they will find a new home away from this disaster.

Maintaining the disguise the group winds its way up the cliff face to the north gate of the city, the Water Gate. Numerous guards run across the parapets; war is set to begin as an army has gathered outside the West Gate and Mulsantir’s Gate to lay siege to the city. It is the forces of the Circle of Holundi. Sentalial bypasses the two rear guards with intimidation and bravado, and the group enters the city. Inside they observe the massive deterioration of the Dragon Coast’s most famous city. The docks are annihilated, the warehouse district is all but vacant, and all of the city’s activities are focused on the assault. Using Kyra’s information the group moves to the warehouse owned by House Urdo. Moving to the interior they find able bodied men rounded up in pens as slaves under sword of a platoon of Reg Guard troops. Sentalial has had enough and engages the guards. The rest follow suit and the slavers are killed.

With the guidance of Trizoon’s word, the freed men mobilize under one Merisio, who then speaks of the Ministry of Truth. It has been relocated to the Tower, the five-story structure at the center of the city adjacent to the marketplace. The slaves number about 150 and identify the warehouse of House Cormaeril as another location where the sickly slaves have been rounded up. The liberation is quick and instructions are handed out; they must ready themselves to vacate the city via the Water Gate, where a portal awaits to take them far away from this hell hole. Remaining in disguise the group leaves the motivated slaves for the Tower. The city is under attack, the cause that the interior guard is disoriented and frantic. The five Black Guards realize their superior ranks and move rapidly towards the Tower.

On the approach they observe several platoons vacate the Tower. More disturbing is the drawn and quartered human, the remains atop pikes surrounding the Tower. Trizoon identifies the remains as interim Croamarkh Durgar, paladin of Tyr, most likely displaced by the Dragon Coast Alliance and forces of Mystenaculis. Passing through the portcullis they find the open level in complete disarray; a receiving guard moves papers frantically across his desk and a platoon of Red Guard stand at the rear, defending a stair case leading up. Lieutenant Rizzi questions why they are at the Tower. His face goes crooked when Sentalial issues a prayer to Torm asking for his god’s blessings.

Sgt. Rizzi lowers the portcullis and shouts the alarm. Sergeant Rodney leaps from his post and charges. The Red Guard platoon splits to flank the imposters. The battle is violent as the party splits to deal with the multiple fronts. Sentalial and Trizoon duel on one side while Alyssic and Aramir fight the law on the other. Forkbeard throws caution to the wind, happy to battle the living. The dwarf stone lord challenges the head guard Rizzi, but is on the receiving end of crippling blows. Blows exchange as blades find both shields and flesh. Alyssic ruins Sgt. Rodney and the majority of the Reg Guard falls to the blade. Rizzi retreats, pulling the battle towards the stairs heading down. The desperately bleeding Forkbeard gives chase unwilling to let his target escape. But the man lands a lucky strike, dropping the dward to the flagstone floor. The rest of the group surrounds the enemy and ends him. Alyssic is quick to administer healing, sending the dwarf into a resurgence. With the office level silent, the Defenders of the Dragon Coast face two flights of stairs, one heading up and one heading down.

Encounters: two Red Guards of the Water Gate, five Red Guards of the warehouse of House Urdo, eight Red Guards of the Tower, Sgt. Rodney, Lt. Rizzi
Achievements: planted the portal seed, discovered the truth of the refugees of New Kelvin, bypassed the guards of the Water Gate, liberated the refugee slaves, penetrated the Tower, and destroyed the structure’s guard platoon.

Skarwall Keep – The Dead and Death of

2010-02-26T19:04:00.000-08:00

Characters: Alyssic, Aramir, Forkbeard, Lazbin, Roywyn, Sentalial, Trebbor
NPCs: None
Synopsis: With the remains of the umbral dragon scattered across the lake of ice, the group hurries across the causeway and reenter the keep of the dead. Aramir ghost steps to the portcullis mechanism and raises the barrier. Parting the double doors just beyond, the group is witness to the results of a recent battle as bodies lay strewn across the broad chamber. With many in their dying positions, the corpses indicate this vicious battle was fought less than a day ago. As the party investigates the remains, a massive cluster of bodies emerges from a corner. All of the heads of the collective shriek in eternal pain as the sonic screams bathe the adenturers in pain. As the collective uses its arms and legs to reposition itself, the group is quick to respond, flanking the aberration and destroying it.

Ahead in the next room, both Lazbin and Aramir detect the faint sounds of battle. The group breaches the door of the adjacent chamber to find the resting place of an ancient dwarf warrior surrounded by rusted weapons, decaying armor and skeletal remains. Mere seconds pass as the shadows begin to coalesce to an overwhelming crescendo of the sounds of battle. So intense is the sound, their will is stripped bare. A shadowy humanoid lurches from the body of the fallen dwarf warrior, bearing down on Forkbeard all the while screaming for someone or something named Serithial. Overwhelmed and stretched thin, the group withdrawals to the previous room. Lazbin develops an attack strategy of striking the undead from a safe vantage point, surmising that the entity is bound to the singular room. The risk pays off as the combined range attacks whittle the wraith down to size, and ultimately destroy the haunting shadow.

Realing from the draining attacks, the group argues pursuing the Firehill Runestones versus withdrawing to live one more day. Alyssic offers her support, but only after her goals in Westgate have been achieved. Returning to the causeway gatehouse, Lazbin is true to his word and returns the cleric to Threshold. As snow begins to fall and the deadly winter strikes the Orsraund Mountains, Forkbeard and Trebbor remain stoic, fortifying themselves in the structure to await extradition. Morning comes along with Lazbin, who returns to Threshold with another spell. Buried under snow, Skarwall Keep will have to keep.

Encounters: corpse orgy, allip vortex haunt, dread wraith
Achievements: found and destroyed two more guardians, retreated to Threshold alive to tell the tale.

Moonbow’s Closed Door

2010-02-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

Characters: Dak, Hlinthi, Marlet, Trizoon, V.L.
NPCs: Galt Pendle, Julbin Cometstrike, Aramus Moonbow, Quint the Navigator, Sol of Dweomerheart
Synopsis: Presenting Rordic’s lost seed to Julbin Cometstrike the group prepares for the next leg of the adventure. The guild master of the Naturalists says that Alyssic heard Trizoon’s songs detailing the ancient battlefield of Geron, a hamlet she once passed in her travels. In Geron resides an angel named Aramus Moonbow who is bound to the barren field. On a previous adventure guild members defeated the evil surface guardians and spoke with the “Angel of Geron”. Moonbow had necessitated that they return with a follower of Heironeous. Because of Alyssic’s focus on Westgate, she has passed along the task of representing her god to Galt Pendle, the ex-squire of the Gold Knight and paladin of Heironeous. Wielding the long sword Holy Avenger, Galt promises to lead the group to victory and discover the mystery of Moonbow. But time is of the essence as a major war threatens to shatter the Dragon Coast. Julbin must work quickly with the reestablished Guilid of the Naturalists which has added Maralea Darkwood to its ranks. In order to expedite their travels, Julbin summons Quint the Navigator from the nearby city of Reddansyr. The trip will take most of the following day, but Julbin says that he can use Dak’s latent sorcerer skills to retrieve them once their mission is complete. The following morning finds the group gathered amidst the frozen marketplace. The winter season is worsening. Raxel the Rancher is seen distributing fresh food with the help of Kirken Trumpetnose to the beleagured citizens of Threshold. The Beast Tamers have put the portal to Delzimmer into immediate use for long needed supplies and resources. Quint arrives and has his gnome first mates escort the group, now outfitted with heavy furs for the expedition. The flight is long, taking most of the day, but the trip is revealing. Along the way, masses of troops prepare for battle, massive sections of the forest are destroyed rumored to be done at the hands of a powerful blighter, and a massive storm hovers in place over the Orsraun Mountains. Heavy snowfall is unavoidable. Another troubling sight is the construction of an ice wall on the edge of the ravine by a construction crew consisting of a frost giant protecting huge slugs excreting the icy slush shaped to form the wall. An additional crew works further away and the ice wall is estimated to be some 200 feet in height already. Quint has flown these parts many times and this is the first time he has seen this activity. Landing in the ancient battlefield, the group reconnects with the angel Aramus Moonbow. The angel has been bound to the Material Plane by devils, tortured to remain in place for almost a ten-year. He stands before the entrance to a crypt of Heironeous, long since overrun with devils and others. After his initial confinement, the crypt itself has remained silent for years. But contained within is the locked portal to the celestial plane Dweomerheart, the only of its kind. His kind has been barred from entering the Material Plane since his imprisonment. Moonbow suggests that this plan of the devils was not limited to Dweomerheart, but all of the good planes. Moonbow cannot be freed until his warden is destroyed. If the group can destroy the warden, it would shatter his binds and open the portal to Dweomerheart, allowing angels to return to the Material Plane and bring war against the devils. Galt Pendle is brazen and leads the party into the crypt below. Descending an abandoned stairwell some 80’ beneath the surface the party finds the vandalized Heironeous’ Hall of Heroes. Just beyond is the Great Hall of Heironeous, a massive chamber desecrated almost beyond recognition. Two golem sentinels stand ready for the entruders, attacking immediately by spewing foul blood-colored spray upon anyone within reach. They are quickly and resoundly defeated. Adorned on their faceless heads are runes representing the drow goddess Kiaransalee, the Lady of the Dead. A massive shaft allows the group access to the tomb below the great hall. Bypassing three sealed tomb doors, the group moves through the Arch of Heironeous, entering the Chamber of Heroes Rest, where an altar to Heironeous has been defecated upon enough to almost bury it completely. Individual burial chambers have been violated, the sarcaphogii defiled and the skeletal remains despoiled. Below the Platform of the Heroes Rest is a pool of slick liquid with a phosphorescence glow. Marlet and V.L. are first to see Moonbow’s warden, a towering devil black as night emerging from beneath the pool’s surface. The warriors charge to battle but find the creature’s power overwhelming, its fear a palpable weapon in and of itself. Hlinithi revives injured companions as Marlet blasts the devil from afar. Dak tumbles away from the warden only to wade back into the madness after receiving blessings from Garl Glittergold’s servant. V.L. tries desparately to battle the winged beast but its might is overbearing and the elven warrior dies heroically. Dak is next to fall, mortally wounded, and in a critical moment, Galt slips upon the pool’s edge, spinning to the stone tiled floor, knocking himself dazed and losing his helmet in the process. Trizoon stands alone and is battered for it. But as the party is on its last legs, so is the devil. Hlinthi calls upon his god once again reviving the almost lost Dak. And it is the avenging Dak that destroys the devil with a crushing blow, sending it crashing into the depths of the glowing pool. Massive light erupts as the beast breaks apart, revealing a hidden portal within its own body. The devil is turned inside out as it sinks to the bottom of the pool. Only seconds later does the liquid begin to spiral out of existence, leaving an open portal to a land of beauty and wonder. Vigilant angels stand guard outside, just as stunned as the party that the path to the Material Plane has been restored. The angel sentries are lead by Sol, a towering angel that praises the bravery of the group and blesses them for opening the path of angels back to the Material Plane. Moonbow appears before the group as well, as his infernal chains dissipate to floating debris and ash. The shock of events subsides and Hlinthi and Dak ask Sol if there is anything to be done for their fallen comrade. V.L. stands at the gates of a city absent of color, seeped in shades of gray. Mysteriously devoid of souls, the barren city shows almost no signs of afterlife. It is almost as if V.L.’s spirit is the first to reach the gates for some time. But a guiding hand retrieves the warrior’s soul, bringing the elf warrior back to the Heironeous’ Crypt on the Material Plane. The massive angel grants their wish, retrieving V.L. from the City of the Dead. The revived elf celebrates with his friends in their hard fought victory. Now they must return word of their accomplishments back to the Guild of Naturalists.
Encounters: two rogue eidolons, a Malebranche devil
Achievements: witnessed the destruction of parts of Gulthmere Forest by a blighter, discovered the secret construction of an ice wall on the outskirts of the Orsraun Mountains, through the representative of Heironeous learned of the plight of the angels of Dweomerheart and Moonbow’s imprisonment, infiltrated the desecrated tomb of Heironeous’ warriors, destroyed the guardians of the devils, and opened the pathway to the celestial plane Dweomerheart.

The Fall of the Black Legion

2010-02-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

Characters: Cromwell, Dorian the Shadowseeker, Gallipolas, Karne, Krullix, Jebeddo, Pardonei, Vindicus, X-Requinn
NPCs: Vall, Zedrick Neely
Synopsis: The dawn of the third day breaks and war erupts south of the River Reddan. Across from Reddansyr the united armies converge on the Black Legion. Consisting of the Army of Nature’s Wrath, the Dark Lancers of Assam, the surviving elves of Laurel Leaf Woods, and the Purple Knights of Cormyr, the united front crushes the forces of the Black Legion, but not without a toll. Huge swaths of the armies are cut down. But victory is had as the battlefields are cleared of enemies and virtuous warriors are laid to rest. The final confrontation is dawning as Zedrick Neely presents his case to exterminate Mystenaculis. The evil lords of Westgate have consolidated their might to within the Ministry of Defense, an occupied castle within the walls of Westgate. Great magics protect them, but Zedrick’s strategy for victory involves using a small invading force to infiltrate the Ministry and destroy Mystenaculis. His group will attack while the Black Guard is attacked from a massive invading force. Control of the city will rely upon breaching the walls, killing the occupying forces, and finally destroying those within the Ministry of Defense. Despite his reservations Gallipolas forms the plan to use obscuring mist and gaseous forms to sneak into the fortified keep. Knowing the layout of the castle, Zedrick can guide the group to the interior and attack their enemies from within. Zedrick Neely accepts the plan and puts it into action. The infiltration is successful as the group disguises itself as a gaseous cloud and seeps through the Ministry of Defense. At one point the monk known as Vall is detected walking unimpeded within the confines of the keep. He has betrayed them. Or the reach of the dopplegangers is far. They are lead past a dwarf blacksmith who is furiously forging arms and armor and down a darkened stair. In a vast chamber they find worshiping acolytes receiving blessing from a cloaked figure reeking of evil. This is Mystenaculis. He has taken form on the Material Plane. Four iron golems stand as sentries atop a massive platform enveloped by the darkness from below. The dimensions of the room are unknown as the ceremony is almost concluded. Seven mirror gates stand at the back of the platform as the first acolyte leaves the ceremony and enters the first gate. The group seeps into position to surprise the enemy as the second acolyte leaves through the second gate. Dorian summons massive black tentacles through the ground that grab the remaining followers of Mystenaculis. Floating onto the platform the Defenders appear from within the mist and attack. The platform is immediately separated by a wall of thorns set aflame by a massive fireball. Jebeddo smiles as the plan unfolds. Pardonei summons bolts of lightening to blast both the acolytes and the golems. Unaffected by any of the spells, Mystenaculis casts a spell that forms a prismatic wall in front of him. Each of the minions is targeted as Cromwell, Karne and Krullix receive blessings from Mystra’s follower X-Requinn. The battle plan unfolds as the acolytes are killed and the first iron golem falls. Mystenaculis’ protection is obliterated from the series of spells cast by the Defenders, exposing the fallen Black Bard of Myth Drannor. This battle will be one for the history tomes.
Encounters: four iron golems, seven acolytes of Mystenaculis, five Black Guards, Mystenaculis
Achievements: infiltrated the Ministry of Defense within Westgate, and located and engaged Mystenaculis and his followers.

Skarwall Keep – Extraction and the Return

2010-02-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

Characters: Alyssic, Aramir, Forkbeard, Henzio, Lazbin, Roywyn, Sentalial, They Call Him Carn, Trebbor
NPCs: Alimae
Synopsis: Lazbin’s newly rescued ally is persistent in leading them to thwart the dragon of Skarwall. Promising to guide them to treasure and glory, the halfling Alimae continues to press them towards defeating the beast and rescuing the keep from the tangled web of undeath. Sentalial is overwhelmed when attempting to detect evil as the persistent nature of the castle almost blinds him. But his senses are not dulled as he intuits that the halfling is lying. Alimae defends herself as being a prisoner of a witch but the party’s aggression reveals the true nature of their “ally”. The halfling polymorphs into her true nature, that of a sickening hag. Having not let their guard down, the party is ready for the betrayal. The axes and swords fly as the hag attempts to run, fleeing to a nearby room. Lazbin is quick to action and paralyzes her. Lurching to the opened door is a skeletal guardian bent on killing the intruders. But the massive size of the skeleton proves its undoing as the battle axe falters and it is destroyed. The hag is first knocked unconscious under Aramir’s sapping blow, but Lazbin is having none of it and sunders the hag to bits with an easily placed scorching ray to the mouth. The group quickly works its way back to the causeway of the keep and flees towards the dilapidated guard towers. Midway across the bridge their movement is detected and numerous gargoyles emerge from their sentry positions. Four large creatures land on the bridge at the awaiting party and are dismantled quickly. But before their demise the harsh calls of the beasts have awoken a much greater challenge. From within the bowels of Skarwall a massive black dragon erupts to the sky to detect the trespassers. The Defenders run. Gathering at the barbican the group teleports to Threshold. Limping through the foyer of the guild hall of the Adventurers’ Guild of Threshold, the party is desparate for healing. A reluctant Hlinthi and a nervous X-Requinn are able to restore Sentalials visage and Henzio’s and Aramir’s health. Recognizing the value of a cleric, the Defenders recruit Alyssic, the Ordained Shining Blade Champion of Heironeous to cause. But her assistance comes with limitations; she must return by the end of the following day. Her causes lie elsewhere. The following morning the group stumbles upon Roywyn Dawdle, the beautiful bard of Westgate who joins the expedition. Lazbin returns the party to just outside the causeway, ready to return to Skarwall Keep. But the watchers are waiting and ready, as numerous gargoyles alert the black dragon once again. The group decides to take a defensive stand in the barbican. Hovering outside the huge dragon looses its strength-draining breath on the party. Again Lazbin empowers his allies with the ability of flight and the Defenders face their enemy head-on. Surrounded on all sides the dragon’s claws and maw shred the party members, but it is Forkbeard’s axes and Alyssic’s swords that find their true destinations beneath the beast’s hide. As the dragon releases its last gasp, a ghostly chain appears stretching from the within the keep all the way to the dragon’s heart. It snaps and vanishes into the incorporal. The critical strikes end the dragon’s reign and send crashing to the frozen lake below.
Encounters: night hag, skeletal minotaur guardian, four gargoyle brutes, umbral dragon
Achievements: uncovered the deceit of the night hag, escaped from Skarwall Keep, gathered valuable allies for the return trip, and destroyed one of the spirit anchors of the chained spirit.

Hospice of the Blessed Maidens

2010-01-17T14:39:00.000-08:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Crulamin, Domollo Blue, Vi’Helm
NPCs: Eshtani Doctry, Aria Yelloweyes
Synopsis: Crulamin falls to Bloodveil, but his symptoms are the onset the disease. As other Teziirans have succumbed entirely, Crulamin still has strength left. The group convenes at the Smelted Horse where the puss-engulfed barbarian reports that he spoke with Aria Yelloweyes, a representative of a faction of wererats seeking solace in the sewers beneath the city. She is warring with Geargz, a militant wererat bent on following Vernon Archer’s goal of souring Teziir to the point of conquest for the population of wererats. She delivered to Crulamin a box saying that the Physicians of Doctor Duvalus had planted it in the nest of the wererats in the sewers as evidence that they initiated the Bloodveil plague. As Crulamin tells his story, the others provide him distance as they are joined by an elf cleric of Aerdrie Faenya named Vi’Helm. He harkens from the Reaching Woods, charged with investigating the outbreak as it has impacted Trader’s Road, an important trade route through the region. The priest Eshtani of the Temple of Torm redirected Vi’Helm to the Smelted Horse to rendezvous with the adventurers. More than glad to have the abilities of a true cleric, the group begins discussion of where to start their on-going detective work. Vi’Helm is relaying critical data to the party when Eshtani bursts through into the inn. Wracked with the Bloodveil, the priest struggles to speak “Hospice of the Blessed Maidens” before collapsing. Shocked but not stunned, the group brings the body to the Temple of Torm to bring Eshtani back from the spirit world. The shocking visages of the guards reveal the stunning disheartenment of Eshtani’s demise and chaos overtakes the temple. Domollo Blue steps to the front demanding that their ally be aided in every manner possible and that Crulamin be healed from the disease. Quaffing the potion to remove the Bloodveil Crulamin points out the rising column of black smoke over the Gray District, home to the undertakers, morticians, and burial priests of Teziir. Already pulled by previous distractions, the group bypasses the emergency continuing to the location of the Hospice of the Blessed Maidens. They find themselves in the warehouse district where the Arcona Imports receiving yard has been converted to a triage center. Entering through the loading docks, the group’s presence is discovered and battle ensues. An equal mix of Gray Maidens and Physicians attacks the group amidst the dying victims of the Bloodveil. The combat stretches over the length of the warehouse as well as to the rafters above. The group systematically reduces the greater numbers of the Maidens and Physicians as Barl bears his war axe down on the attendants. Dressed in one of the fallen Physicians, Domollo sequesters the administration nurse and her words are laced with fear over the attack. But ultimately she represents aid to the people of Teziir. With the attendants killed, the party drastically looks for any evidence of malevolence. Panic washes over Domollo’s countenance as nothing is found. They might have just slaughtered innocents. But charged with the cruel death of their friend and ally Eshtani, the group continues moving to the upper level of the warehouse. There they are accosted by two more Gray Maidens and, after a lengthy struggle, they reach a set of mighty doors decorated with unusual markings. Their last hope must lie just beyond.
Encounters: four gray maidens, four physicians of Dr. Duvalus, two gray maidens
Achievements: received damning evidence of espionage against Dr. Duvalus, Eshtani dies from exposure to the Blood Veil, and infiltrated the converted warehouse of the Hospice of the Blessed Maidens.

Skarwall Keep – Haunted Traps & the Chained Spirit

2010-01-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

Characters: Aramir, Forkbeard, Henzio, Lazbin, Sentalial, They Call Him Carn, Trebbor
NPCs: Alimae
Synopsis: With the challenge of the main gate met and won, the group into the entry corridor. Aramir ghost steps to the far end and explores what is above the group. Before he can return to the others, he finds another ambush waiting for his companions as massive skeletal guardians are manipulating the portcullis from above. Adorned with arrow slits and murder holes, the path erupts with violence as the detectable members of the group proceed to the second portcullis. Lazbin magicks a portal to the protected archers revealing skeletal minotaur guardians. The others cannot join the mage fast enough as cold oil pours from the ceiling tearing their flesh. As the group focuses on the archers, reinforcements arrive from above via a stairwell. Fighting well as a group, the warriors destroy the guards and move upstairs to explore. A different flight of stairs leads down once again and the adventurers begin the haunted crawl. Continual light spells are aglow in all of the corridors and haunting noises permeate the stone walls. The group enters an ash-coated kitchen complete with oversized furnaces. During the investigation, a trap is sprung and the room is bathed in flame. Fire ghouls peel from the crematory ovens and attack the party. Blows are exchanged but Sentalials holy slashes destroy the first, then the second. Forkbeard moves beyond the kitchen finding more skeletal minotaurs defending a courtyard. The door is quickly closed and that ends the encounter. Another flight of stairs returns the group to the second floor where they creep through a war room, a guardian sentry post and a mess hall for warriors. Lazbin ventures beyond the group, finding the floor’s corridors twisting and turning before a soft candle glow approaches. Wizely returning to the others, Lazbin rejoins the group as they continue to a grand hall complete with blood-soaked flooring. Emerging from the shadows is a menacing spirit draped in chains that drag to the floor and seemingly pass through to the level below. The taunting begins as the group is flanked on either side by spectres. The battle erupts but the distance spirit is vile as the four chains emerge and stretch to Defenders still standing in the corridor outside. The focus is on the specters as Lazbin’s spell disables two and the warriors work to destroy them first. The chains of the spirit are exacting as each hit pulls a little piece of the soul away. After the last of the spectres are obliterated the group breaks into the grand hall and surrounds the chained spirit. After each trade of blows, the chains surge with supernatural energy revitalizing the spirit. Lazbin releases a particularly lethal blast of fire, but the mildly damaged undead continues the assault. The demoralized wizard abandons the party is search of the spirits source of power, stumbling down a flight of stairs before entering into a witch’s hovel. Hanging from a mesh sack is a halfling who praises Lazbin and begs for freedom. The halfling Alimae begs for the wizard to hurry as her captor has recently left to explore the noises of battle above. There is no chain for the mage to destroy as he extracts critical information from the prisoner. She states that he and his companions attack the chained spirit of Skarwall, but unless the sources of his power are destroyed first, he is nigh unstoppable. His friends are going to die. The attacks are unrelenting as the chained spirit targets Sentalial and reaches through the helmeted paladin, ripping out his soul from within the plate mail armor. The others attack, finding their blows striking true but each round the chains are aglow with supernatural power and whisps of ectoplasm repair the body of the spirit. As Sentalial grows weaker, they hear the shouting of Lazbin. The wizard has returned with vital information and calls for immediate withdrawal. The party complies and escapes from the grand hall, the laughing of the spirit echoing throughout the second story. Regrouping at a temporary sanctuary, the rattled Sentalial is thrashed and cannot go on without major restoration. Introducing herself as Alimae, the halfling repeats her warning to the others and can serve as a guide to help them. Any action now is going to involve an extraction from Skarwall Keep. But which way is the safest?
Encounters: five skeletal minotaurs, two cinder ghouls, a chained spirit, five spectres, a halfling prisoner.
Achievements: infiltrated Skarwall Keep, discovered sections of the first and second floors, encountered the chained spirit and learned of a potential weakness, and survived the encounter to live a few more moments.

The Beast Tamers’ Lost Last Door

2010-01-13T14:12:00.001-08:00

Characters: Hlinthi, Krullix, Pardonei, Trizoon, V.L.
NPCs: Kirken Trumpetnose, Julbin Cometstrike, Wa’Oolum, Mintassin the Planeswalker
Synopsis: Julbin’s brownie assistant Kirken Trumpetnose tracks down Pardonei, Hlinthi, and V.L., requesting their presence in Julbin Cometstrike’s hut. Before entering, a depressed Alyssic is exiting, providing the barest of greetings. Inside they are met with the clear-minded Julbin who escorts them down a flight of stairs to the tunnels below the town of Threshold. Swiftly navigating the serpentine corridors, Julbin uses the protective medallions to ward off the Underdark sentries of the tunnels. Ultimately the group finds themselves atop a free-floating bridge that rotates back and forth down the purple worm tunnel before resting at an unremarkable spot. Julbin magicks them an entrance to the newly refurbished guild hall of the Naturalists. Pardonei’s questions are partly answered, but the sage of Threshold asks for his daughter’s patience before the big reveal. In the guild hall control and conference room, they find the napping Trizoon who sparks to life seeing his friends arrive. Julbin rings a silent bell summoning Wa’Oolum the guild hall caretaker and the Westgate exile Mintassin the Planeswalker. As the group gathers around the diamond-shaped meeting table, Julbin recaps the one of the last missions of the guild before it was murdered from within. A guild member named Rordic was tasked with implanting a magic device in the region of the Eastern Shaar. This adamantine “seed” would mature and allow an invisible portal to be established by guild members to all them to travel to the location through the massive mirror portal in the hunting foyer. Rordic never returned, but before an expedition could be mounted the guild was destroyed. Now that the guild has been rebooted they are tying up a few loose ends. Julbin needs the seed recovered. Mintassin and Trizoon have been scouting the region and gathering information in the halfling city of Delzimmer and the pair believes it has found the right spot to begin looking. The disheveled Mintassin is more focused on another task as Julbin requests that the party departs immediately. The sage is working in tandem with Alyssic to achieve adjacent goals simultaneously. Agreeing to the task the party adopts the adventurer Krullix to their cause and leave for Delzimmer. Traveling through the portal, the group finds the quest more a vacation. Gone is the snow and ice. Delzimmer offers fresh fruit, vegetables and meat. The bustling city is so far removed from the war of the Dragon Coast that the adventurers are tempted to stay longer than needed. After their first taste of beef stew in months, Trizoon procures horses and they set out for their destination: a tower that has sunk into the land near the base of the Toadsquat Mountains. A swift ride finds them at the tower. Krullix trips a trap upon entering but Hlinthi is quick with the remedy to neutralize the poison. The upper floor of the leaning tower is home to a raging hag that is quickly killed. Traversing through the squatter’s home they find a poorly hidden ladder to a dungeon below. The first chamber encountered is a map room, but the smooth actions of the now beguiler Krullix draw out the guardians, two armor-laden constructs capable of engaging multiple aspects. One at a time, fire, armor and death is stacked upon the sentries as they call out in Undercommon to an unknown deity named Thoon. But the adventurers utilize the bottlenecked stairwell to their advantage and soon both guardians are destroyed. The map room contains miniature representations of the City of Delzimmer and another city Hlinthi recalls as Deepburrow, another halfling run city with direct access to the Underdark through a deep ravine that runs through the center of the city. Several buildings of the terra cotta are illuminated but no other details can be extracted. Moving on, the barred double doors are magicked open once again by Krullix, but two mind flayers stand in their path surprising the adventurers. Mind blasts rip through the room and all but Trizoon and V.L. are caught, stunned in the illithids’ psionic trap. V.L. fights off the tentacled attack, breaking away from one after the other while crashing his great sword through his enemies. Trizoon offers support with his rapier, hoping to hold out long enough for the others to regain control. The violence in V.L. is unleashed and before the others can blink the mind flayers are flayed. The two Underdark dwellers came from a shrine. Sitting atop an altar is a green-glowing cube, floating and rotating at a slow pace. Determined to destroy this “Thoon” Hlinthi smashes it to bits with his war hammer of shock and thunder. But the sundering is almost too much to bear as the gnome can feel his soul peal away from the Material Plane. But by Garl Glittergold’s good graces, Hlinthi stands tall and repels the psychic attack. Krullix discovers a hidden cache of treasure and more stairs leading further into the depths. After a quick sort, the rogue finds what they have been looking for, and what has been lost to the Beast Tamers for a tenyear: the portal seed. Enough with the dungeon, the party retreats to Delzimmer riding swiftly through the night and returning to the guild hall of the Naturalists with the much sought after prize.
Encounters: trapped sunken tower, annis hag barbarian, 2 Thoon soldiers, 2 mind flayers of Thoon
Achievements: witnessed the new guild hall of the Naturalists, traveled to the halfling city of Delzimmer, found the sunken tower, uncovered mock-ups of the cities Delzimmer and Deepburrow, recovered the Beast Tamers’ portal seed.

Skarwall Keep – The Deadwatchers & the Skeletal Lancer

2010-01-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

Characters: Aramir, Forkbeard, Henzio, Lazbin, Sentalial, They Call Him Carn
NPCs: Kooruk Coldrock
Synopsis: Over the next half-tenday the adventurers split time between Cedarspoke and Threshold, as the former offers a rich marketplace to sell and procure new magic items, and the latter offers access the Circle of Holundi and the sage advice of Julbin Cometstrike. The reconstituted party forms again and decides to explore the ruins of Skarwall Keep for the fabled Firehill Runestones. Drafting the warlock Henzio from the Army of Nature’s Wrath, the group is rejoined by the mysterious They Call Him Carn. Lazbin vouches for the monk before expediting their travels to Cedarspoke. Further research of the Skarwall Keep yields a historic truth that it was an outpost for the brash and outspoken Commander Firehill of Ironfang Deep, a dwarven city nestled in the eastern Orsraun Mountains. Henzio’s name does have some pull as they are given vital information by the dwarf ambassador to Ironfang Deep Kooruk Coldrock. Traveling to the dwarven city with a sealed letter of authorization, the group finds the city half embedded into the mountainscape, allowing for mining operations to be sheltered from the bitter winds and snow. There, the history of Skarwall Keep is more robust as some dwarven elders remember tales of Dessothal Firehill. Coldrock’s letter affords them a specialist that teleports them to the vicinity of the outpost. It isn’t long that Forkbeard finds the ancient path to a dormant volcanoe. Centered within and surrounded by a frozen lake, a very ornate and massive keep rests atop an island. Accessed only by a single causeway the keep is dead, until the visitors continue observing. Then lights periodically glow in the distance, moving from one section to another and a hint of wailing is heard riding with the loud winds. The causeway is protected by a decaying barbican, only half of which stands. Moving towards the bridge draws out an ambush as arrows rain down on the group. Scrambling to detect the attackers, the group disperses. Lazbin flies above the fray finding orc archers firing from the parapet. Arrow slits also protect others. With its face painted white the orc leader abandons the ranged attacks favoring to meet his prey face to face. Jumping from the upper floors of the barbican, the orcs engage only to find themselves quickly outmatched. The commander delivers damaging blows, but the shear volume of attacks does him in. The other orcs find a similar fate. After a quick reconnaissance the group finds two more orcs that immediately surrender. They are of the Deadwatcher tribe, responsible for prohibiting ingress and egress from Skarwall Keep. The recall ancient tribal traditions of the brief occupation of the keep, and subsequent annihilation. Allowing the weaklings to retreat the group moves to the long causeway high above the iced surface of the lake. Midway to the main gate the portcullis rises and a massive platoon of dwarven skeletons emerges lead by a skeletal lancer. Lazbin is having none of it as the skeletons are eaten by massive black tentacles. The lancer is undeterred and charges the group, breaking free from the wizard’s magicks. Henzio looses his eldritch blasts that jolt the rider. But it is not enough before the lance is lowered and Sentalial is skewered. The close range battle is lop-sided and the protector of the causeway is disassembled when his bones are scattered across the ice below.
Encounters: 7 orcs of the Deadwatcher tribe, 16 dwarven skeletons, skeletal sergeant atop a skeletal nighmare.
Achievements: reached Ironfang Deep, learned more of Skarwall Keep, reached the main gate by dispatching the initial sentries and first line of defense.

Mask’s Assam and the Lord of the Black Guardsmen

2009-12-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

Characters: Bixtbie, Dak, Cromwell, Forkbeard, Jebeddo, Rog, Sentalial, V.L., X-Requinn, Zaytheon
NPCs: Uljary Blackshore, Armunestor the Mouth of Mask, Zedrick Neely, Councilman Dimlock
Synopsis: As representatives of the City of Assam, the horsemen lead by Captain Uljary Blackshore present to the adventurers Armunestor, the Mouth of Mask. The ethereal appearance of the man is astonishing, but Assam’s welcoming committee praises the group for passing the four tests of Mask. With Assam now a theocracy under the direction and guidance of Mask, all citizens are followers of the god. Those that were expelled and failed to vacate the city were sundered during the tests. Some of the group questions the methods, but the calm demeanor of the horsemen lead straight into negotiations. Zedrick Neely, exiled former leader of the Night Masks of Westgate, appears before the group summoning an exotic mansion to serve as a comfortable site to begin negotiations. Jebeddo, wizard class of the Year of the Gauntlet, represents the Army of Nature’s Wrath, and asks the Dark Lancers to join the war against the Black Legion. Zedrick is well aware of the war, serving on the Circle of Holundi as well as knowing the intimate details of Westgate herself. The Mouth of Mask speaks of the common enemy and agrees to join the war, working in conjunction with the attack against the forces of Mystenaculis. The Dark Lancers will fight against the Black Legion and retake the fallen Westgate, restoring Zedrick Neely to his command of the Night Masks. The plan unfolds; in three days time the army of Cormyr will reach the western front. Simultaneously the Dark Lancers will attack from the south and the Army of Nature’s Wrath will attack from the east. But in order for the coordinated effort to succeed Mystenaculis’ second-in-command, the Lord of the Black Guardsmen, must be defeated. The group is to travel to the fallen war mage College of the Fire Hawks where spectral forces are being dispatched by the Lord himself. Zedrick reveals that the Black Bard Mystenaculis is preparing a host entity for the lost god Myrkul, former god of the dead who seeks to regain the power. The group agrees to destroy the Lord of the Black Guardsmen. During the down time, Dak, Zaytheon and X-Requinn receive gifts from Zedrick to aid them in their scope. On the third day Zedrick teleports the group outside of the war college. Bixtbie scouts ahead and surmises that their target is in the largest building at the rear of the compound as spectral warriors are being dispatched in constant fashion. X-Requinn stone shapes an entrance into the building triggering a ward. Moving inside, the party is surrounded by eight stone golems. A lone figure standing the far corner is encased by a wall of force and begins directing the golems against the party before disappearing. Against the far wall is a mirror portal that appears to house the attacker. Moving through the magic portal, the group attacks the necromancer as he has erected another wall of force against the back wall of the new chamber. The maneuver works brilliantly as the stone golems can only move through the portal one at a time, creating a bottle-neck effect. As the rear warriors keep the golems at bay, Forkbeard, Bixtbie, Jebeddo and Dak attack the necromancer. The gambit is a massive success as one stone golem after another is destroyed. Jebeddo opens a dimensional door to access the Lord of the Black Guardsmen while Forkbeard squeezes through the crawlspace at the top of the wall. Relishing the opportunity to use his well-earned armor, Dak vaporizes into a cloud of gas appearing above the necromancer. The fighter’s attack is unrelenting as the spiked chain breaks again and again on the wizard’s body. Surrounded but not out-matched, the Lord releases diminishing spell after debilitating spell before his grand finale. Arced lighting bounces back and forth between his attackers pulling their life force apart in dramatic fashion. With their last breath and concentrated effort, the wizard falls. Immediately the wall of force vanishes and the stone golems cease the attack. Beneath the cowl is Dimlock, former Councilman of New Kelvin and one of Forkbeard’s and Cromwell’s old enemies. Before the dust can settle, the door to the chamber bursts open as a skeletal dragon rears. Cromwell calls on his god and the group is teleported to Threshold with their task achieved.
Encounters: eight stone golems, Lord of the Black Guardsmen Dimlock
Achievements: created a temporary alliance with the Dark Lancers of Assam, defeated the Lord of the Black Guardsmen Dimlock, and secured the Crown of the Stone Golem.

The Calming of Carowyn Manor

2009-12-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

Characters: Alrak, Belton Stoutshield, Crulamin, Domollo Blue
NPCs: Lord Carowyn
Synopsis: After searching what remains of Jocylina, the group discovers a hand-scrawled letter addressed to one Rolth. Piecing the text of blood together, the letter requests Rolth’s return after having taken several of her ‘guests’ from the party, including a minstrel. The words also incriminate the gray maidens, followers of Eliosa Arabasi, in the introduction and spread of the Blood Veil. With the bloodied axe, Barl and Zaos leave Carowyn Manor with the damning letter with intents on delivering it to the priest of Torm Eshtani Doctry. With only have of the manor explored, the group continues the room-to-room search after Domollo hears flitterings of movement in an adjacent room. Two zombies are preparing a garnished human for the main course in the kitchen. The sight of the depravity is sickening as the group harshly deals with the would-be chefs. Exploring the exterior of the ground floor, the group moves through the lavish and scenic back yard to the guest house. The winter wonderland is captivating in its peacefulness. That is until Crulamin spots the broken glass and unmistakable foot dragings of the zombies that fearfully exited the manor via the second story windows. Finding the guest house free of the undead, the group ventures to the cellar below, discovering a hidden crawl space that leads back to beneath the manor. A well-stocked wine cellar is also home to a locked room. Crulamin and Alrak blast the door to smithereens, which is more effective than Domollo’s efforts to gain entry. The adventurers find a cowering man who identifies himself as Lord Carowyn. Rambling about his missing wife Domollo calms him enough to drag out additional facts of the party gone horribly wrong. Lord Carowyn depicts the party as any normal gathering of the elite, until the crazed harlequin-dressed elf crashed it. The intruder began firing her crossbow into the guests. Evidently tainted with the Blood Veil, the wounded began succumbing rapidly to the effects of the disease. In the chaos he escaped to the cellar and locked himself in. Domollo assures that help is in route as their comrades have left with the evidence to the Temple of Torm. Lord Carowyn is instructed to remain in his niche until all remnants of Jocylina’s doing are extinguished. After securing the battered door as best as possible, the group returns to the second floor of the manor following the layout as described by the distraught head of the house. In the master bedroom they interrupt one zombie dressing another in a ruined gown. The description provided by Lord Carowyn matches one of the zombies; it is, or was, his wife. Belton looses an impressive array of electrical sparks, catching the two zombies. Alrak and Crulamin converge on the monsters delivering the killing blows. With the extermination of all uninvited guests the adventurers return to Lord Carowyn to give him the horrid news of his wife’s passing. They began extricating the man to bring to Eshtani as he is now a material witness of the crime that is the Blood Veil.
Encounters: two zombie chefs, Lord Carowyn, zombie debutante, zombie noble
Achievements: cleared the Carowyn Manor of undead, discovered incriminating evidence linking Jocylina to the Gray Maidens of Eliosa Arabasi, a member of the ruling merchant council, and secured the eye witness Lord Carowyn that Jocylina was spreading the Blood Veil disease.

Mask’s Assault on Assam – The Last Nail

2009-12-01T18:49:00.000-08:00

Characters: Bixtbie, Dak, Cromwell, Forkbeard, Jebeddo, Rog, Roywyn, Sentalial, V.L., Vexander, Wicasa, X-Requinn, Zaytheon
NPCs: Julbin Cometstrike, Uljary Blackshore, Gilpin, Assam heckler
Synopsis: Beneath to wall of force atop the coffin, Dak and Rog are worthless again their entrapment. Repeated poundings have yielded nothing. The coffin lid slams shut, crashing their spirits so much as a boot heel does a bug. But as their hope dwindles, Julbin’s visage and voice appear in their minds’ eye. The sage warns that the ruins on the Giant Plane that they discovered are birthing gates to other planes, planes that are violating the order of things. The spawning of gates is allowing extraplanar creatures unnatural access to the Material Plane and threaten the Dragon Coast. The unhallowed mist encroaching on their ankles starts to disperse as Julbin’s work stretches across miles of land. The sage’s efforts free the pair as Cromwell, Zaytheon and Bixtbie arrive. Cromwell guides the group to their destination, the coffin on the south side of Assam. The rendezvous is not glorious as the successive battles are taking their toll on the party. Catching their collective breath the final coffin is the site of the extraordinary and devious. Three ghoulish souls sit atop the interloping chamber deep in conversation. Mention of someone named Gilpin causing them angst is overheard, but not much else. Attempts to engage their conversation are fruitless until Roywyn presents herself causing the ghouls to take a greater interest in their audience. Butting his way into the conversation X-Requinn offers his service as a follower of Mystra and is greeted warmly by the spirits Goren, Gavin and Paul as their goddess Mask has often worked with Mystra for the benefit of all. The lies break across X-Requinn’s countenance, shattering his demeanor. The sea elf presents his symbol of Mystra, but the ghouls are ready for the attack. Combat explodes at the feet of the final coffin, but an unseen wail grows ever nearer as once again darkness envelops the group. From outside the effects of the black sphere, the group works against the hidden assailants, but only a rare strike finds its target. The ghosts are well protected and their spirits are buffed by the growing crescendo that is the shriek of the dead. Cromwell and Wicasa are the only ones to see the true threat as a hideous ghost screams a terrible curse across the fields of Assam. The ghouls cackle with glee as their Mistress of Mask has arrived. The impenetrable globe of darkness hides the attackers well as the adventurers work to dismantle the three ghouls to focus on the spectre. Piecing together a plan from the clues, Jebeddo takes Vexander and V.L. to the previous coffin to retrieve the black knight in hopes of perplexing the ghouls. The knight in ceramic armor can be turned into an ally. Cromwell forms steps from the air and works his way to greet the abomination with his Fist of Helm. The two trade blows but her attacks peal back Cromwell’s layers of charisma and he is forced to retreat or become undead himself. After several repeated attempts Roywyn vaporizes the darkness, exposing their enemies. The ghouls are finally destroyed as the party refocuses everything in its arsenal againt the Mistress of Mask. The collective effort is only just enough to destroy the shrieking spirit, but not before it emits a call of death that catches not only the field of battle, but the wall’s of Assam. The wave of doom washes over the city walls catching onlookers and soldiers alike. The effect is devastating as those commoners who were cheering on the adventurers are taken. Numerous bodies keel overtop the parapet crashing to the uneven ground below. Ultimately the death of Mask vanishes leaving the party gasping for life. Jebeddo, Vexander and Zaytheon arrive, bringing along the black knight now known as Gilpin. Without another word or omen, Gilpin drives his fists into the last remaining coffin, shattering it to pieces. An almost peaceful mood overtakes the knight as its shoulders slump. With his head turned towards the group, the body beneath the armor seems to crumble and the armor collapses in on itself. Falling to the group, the ceramic pieces shatter to tiny bits against the hard, rocky surface much to the dismay of the poorly armored Zaytheon. Cheers erupt from the survivors of the death wail. From the same gate that arrived earlier, the four horsewomen gallop towards the adventurers, accompanied by the heckler. Wicasa snarls at the man, but before words and blades exchange, the dismounting man parts his cloack to reveal the etching on his armor. He brandishes the symbol of the Dark Lancers.
Encounters: three ghouls, deathshrieker
Achievements: destroyed the Mistress of Mask, freed Gilpin the black knight, and destroyed each of the coffin gates surrounding Assam.

Mask’s Assault on Assam – The West Coffin

2009-12-01T18:48:00.001-08:00

Characters: Forkbeard, Jebeddo, Roywyn, Sentalial, V.L, Vexander, Wicasa, X-Requinn
NPCs: Julbin Cometstrike, Assam heckler, Uljary Blackshore
Synopsis: Jebeddo appears in Threshold frantically searching for allies in their battle. The gnome’s name and honor are at stake, as he has yet to even begin negotiations with the City of Assam. The wayfinder finds his way to Julbin Cometstrike’s hut and drafts Vexander the cleric and the breathtaking Roywyn to his cause. Julbin also provides the means to aid the party by repelling the magic surrounding the coffins, as well as freeing Forkbeard from his petrified status. Stuffing the items into his pouches, Jebeddo grasps his new allies and teleports back to Assam. As the party’s resources continue to dwindle, Bixtbie, Cromwell and Zaytheon return to the coffin that has trapped Rog and Dak. Their sheer brutality will be needed to win this engagement. The rest of the party fly after the departed Sentalial, only to find him undecided in his approach to the coffin on the west side of the city. Standing atop of the landscape’s intruder is a knight in black ceramic armor. Whispered advice escapes the helmet as it repeats “Do not listen to her. If you do you will die.” The parlay is worthless as the herald continues spouting his warnings. As if plagued by singular, unrelenting, and impossible to kill gnat, Wicasa is hounded by the heckler atop the city wall. Accusations hurl from the safety of Assam. But luckily the words are drowned by the pending combat. Surrounded by his allies, Sentalial leads the group, pressing the attack. Whomever or whatever the herald is, or what woman he bellows about, he is at the wrong place at the wrong time. Blows are delivered but not returned, but the melee triggers the lid of the coffin. Immediately surrounding the frontline warriors are undead creatures summoned from some barren wasteland of dust and dried-up seas. A swirling mist of gray envelops the adventurers, and Sentalial and V.L. quickly find themselves in a bad way. Jebeddo’s reinforcements arrive to prevent the murder as the gnome wizard dispels the mist. Even more undead join the fray, a pair of embalmed corpses and a walker of graves coated in spider webs. Vexander presents his holy symbol and sends two of the attackers away in fear. Sentalial and V.L. work quickly delivering righteous blow after righteous blow, sending chunks of salt and debris showering the ground. The exchange of attacks is epic, as the slams against Sentalial seem to suck his breath from his lungs. And the paladins belief is greater than his enemies; they are smited and Sentalial’s sword sends the salted adversary screaming to the soil. Only a fraction of time expires before the salted mounds reform into their former bodies and begin attacking anew. X-Requinn grabs his decanter of endless water to test his theory. True the the hypothesis, the water douses the creatures forming puddles that seep quickly into the disturbed ground surrounding the unholy coffins. Weary of previous attempts, Jebeddo cautiously investigates the coffin finding that permanent spells are in place making the chamber unhallowed with Mask’s authority. But more disturbing is the gate effect still in place, somehow allowing for interplanar travel. Despite their accumulated knowledge the group can only derive that the source is from one of the outerplanes. The group recuperates, quickly assessing their resources. Before they march onto the last coffin, the outlandish heckler once again scolds Wicasa, blaiming the secretive adventurer for the cities woes. In a burst of rage, Wicasa Wakan shouts back, “Will you not fight for your own city, will you not?!?” As a retort builds, the man is cut off by Uljary Blackshore, one of the city’s commanders and one of the four horsewomen that initially greated the adventurers. Seemingly the heckling stops, but not before Sentalial rides off to the last of Mask’s coffins. Moving after their ally, the group simulataneously floats to the ground. The warriors immediately feel weaker and less mobile. The spells put in place before the battles have been exhausted. Now they must face their last, and greatest encounter with but their swords, wits, and what little spells remain.
Encounters: three salt mummies, two mummies, webbed zombie
Achievements: defeated the attackers from the west coffin, and admonished the cowardly troops behind the walls of Assam

Jocylina’s Party at the Carowyn Manor

2009-11-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

Characters: Alrak, Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Crulamin, Domollo Blue, Zaos
NPCs: Eshtani Doctry, Tae Soldado, Daeanaria, Ruan, Jocylina
Synopsis: The spread of the disease Bloodveil creeps across the adventurers as the deep dwarf Barl Bloodbones succumbs to its depths. Arriving at the Temple of Torm, the group is granted audience with Eshtani who struggles with the dangerous outbreak. After healing Barl, Eshtani is slightly reprieved when the group offers to extend themselves on Eshtani’s behalf. The follower of Torm redirects the adventurers back to the Soldado homestead. Their success in healing the young Brianna reverberated throughout the community and a friend of the Soldado’s comes forward with an urgent request. Daeanaria reports that her brother Ruan is missing. Being a harpist, he was hired by the monied and elite House Carowyn to perform at a galla event two nights prior, but has not returned. She went to the house to investigate herself, but it was boarded up and shuttered. Since the Bloodveil outbreak, she fears contracting the disease but cries for her brother’s whereabouts. Accepting the grieving sister’s request, the group leaves for the Carowyn manor finding it in the exact condition Daeanaria descriped. Domollo and Barl make quick work of the fancy lock and push into the foyer. There they stumble onto a grotesque sight as undead dressed in fancy outfits are paired up on a dance floor, flittering about to unheard music. As inevitable combat erupts, cackling laughter comes from beyond the dance floor. The source is a femal elf, marred with bizarre make-up and dressed in a ball gown, its garish colors clashing. Announcing their entrance, the elf welcomes the party-goers to “Jocylina’s Party” and instructs the zombies to attack. The group plugs up the foyer while battling the undead, only to be the intended recipients of Jocylina’s attacks from afar. In the adjacent lounge more zombies linger, latent in there lack of response to the melee. Arlak is able to break through, tracing the hysterical elf upstairs where he finds more zombies in the gallery. Presenting his newly acquired holy symbol, the dwarf banishes them, sending them scurrying through the balcony windows and crashing to the streets below. A series of unfortunate events plagues the party as Jocylina douses Barl with alchemists’ fire. His return shot with the crossbow errantly fires into Belton’s back, crippling the wizard. Zaos and Crulamin continue decimating the horde as bodies continue to pile up on the dance floor, as the lounging zombies join the soiree. Barl gathers his wits and turns invisible, beginning his hunt along with Domollo Blue for the laughing elf. The two find her in the sitting room only to have her escape again. The crazed hostess is dancing throughout the manor, reeking havoc on her uninvited guests. Another batch of zombies arrives from the dinning room, only adding the great wall of zombies that the party is constructing. But the groups health dwindles even as their foes numbers do in turn. Barl and Domollo track Jocylina to the servants’ entry, rushing her position in an attempt to end this evil play. As she goes to retreat, Domollo swings, violently missing. But the still invisible Barl Bloodbones strike is as true as the Underdark is lightless. Bring his dwarven battle axe down on Jocylina, Barl drives the blow deep into the elf’s torso, sending her body violently in two opposed directions. Clan Bloodbones has earned its name once again as what remains of the hostess is all but red grafitti splattered across the wall. Domollo Blue is stunned at the massive display of brawn but redirects his ally to the zombie battle behind them. Reuniting the party and flanking the undead, the two join the rest and dismember the remaining “guests”. Now all they have to figure out is which head belongs to Ruan the Harpist.
Encounters: six zombie dancers, three zombie loungers, three zombie art critics, four zombie diners, and Jocylina
Achievements: discovered the horrific aftermath of an murdered party, destroyed most of the undead of the Carowyn manor, and split the responsible elven witch in two pieces.

Mask’s Assault on Assam – The North Coffin

2009-11-11T17:59:00.001-08:00

Characters: Bixtbie, Cromwell, Forkbeard, V.L, Wicasa, X-Requinn, Zaytheon
NPCs: None
Synopsis: After defeating the astral demonoids, the group investigates the mysterious coffin, only to trigger a planar shift that steals Rog and Dak into the coffin itself. Unable to extricate their comrades, the group signals to them to hold tight through hand gestures and written words. Cat-calls from the city guard find the ears of the party triggering a decisive glare from Wicasa and a call to arms by X-Requinn. During the interaction, the follower of Mystra spots another ally Zaytheon approaching the city. The warrior has joined the battle just in time as X-Requinn summons a mount for Zaytheon and the two rendezvous with the group. But the delay in action is too long for Sentalial who summons his mount and gallops off towards the north. The party chases after the paladin only to quickly lag behind the charging Sentalial. After the separation, the group realizes they have lost another of their number as Jebeddo has disappeared. The wailing of Assam’s citizens rings throughout the city’s exterior; time is collapsing on the adventurers. They make the decision to gather their remaining resources and destroy the occupant or occupants of the north coffin. Bixtbie cracks the black stone lid with a borrowed wand of knocking and steps back from the unknown. As with the first coffin an obscuring darkness envelops the group’s surroundings, capturing them in a pitch black blanket. Only Cromwell and Wicasa can see their attackers as five earthen humanoids emerge from their crypt. The surrounding party is at an immediate disadvantage, unable to see their enemy. X-Requinn summons Mystra’s aid and banishes the darkness. The battle’s scales shift towards the center, but not in time to balance the combat. The undead stone humanoids emit a cloud of dust that collect on Forkbeard. Grimacing in pain, the dwarf succumbs to the magic effects, turning to stone. Wicasa rescues the statue from oblivion by shifting the plane of shadow while grappling the petrified Stone Lord. Zaytheon delivers a crushing blow, but the trade-off is devastating as his plate mail armor desintigrates, falling to pieces at his feet. But strike acts as the balance shift in balance towards the adventurers. In rapid succession, the five undead invaders are destroyed. The assault on Assam is only half-way repelled.
Encounters: five dust wights
Achievements: defeated the attackers from the north coffin.

The Great Ball of Lightning, Part III – Assault on Assam

2009-11-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Characters: Bixtbie, Cromwell, Dak, Forkbeard, Jebeddo, Rog, Sentalial, V.L, Wicasa, X-Requinn
NPCs: Julbin, Quint, Uljary Blackshore
Synopsis: Erupting from the source, the ball of lightning breaks free from the ruins and collects in the sky. But it has ceased to be anchored to the Giant’s Plain and begins moving over the Giant’s Run Mountains. Quint assesses the path and determines that the target destination is the city of Assam. The party decides to seek reinforcements from Treshold and return to the small town. After hearing of their tales and the coincidental connection to Assam, several of the Defenders of the Dragon Coast join the group to continue the investigation. Traveling to Assam is a simple spell as the enlarged group appears in the midst of chaos. Outside of the city walls, merchants and city folk are in sheer agony and panic. With an unseen possession or some type of horrific curse, the affected begin collapsing or running in random directions. The Assam Captain of the Guard Uljary Blackshore intercepts the group with three of her captains in-command, investigating their strange appearance of the party. As the interview turns confrontational the welcoming committee sets up a barrier fire wall and retreats to the city. Jebeddo and X-Requinn combine to allow the party to fly invisibly over the city where they find mysterious stone coffins, one bordering on the outside of each city wall in all four directions. Without a doubt the focus of the disturbance emminates from these coffins. Choosing the east wall coffin, Dak cracks it up and is inundated with obscuring mist. Hidden darts target the group, but the attackers are nowhere to be seen. As the adventurers spread out, Dak draws the ire of one of their invisible assailants. Now visible to everyone, the group pounces on the muscular humanoid with leathery black skin and massive claws. After surrounding the newly found foe, another appears in a flanking position and drops Wicassa Wakan. The group works together to support and flank their opponents as yet a third demonic creature appears. Battling against the injured, the initial two beasts are destroyed, and the third is killed after attempting to flee. Before any inspection can be made the corpses vaporize in a cloud a blackened dust and smoke. It bodes poorly for the adventurers that there are still three coffins left surrounding Assam.
Encounters: Assam’s captain of the guard, three astral stalkers
Achievements: followed the ball of lightning to the city of Assam, discovered a city under attack by an unseen curse, and defeated the occupants of one of the offending coffins.

The Wrath of Landryn Teriak the Shadow Lord

2009-10-28T16:50:00.001-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Henzio, Jebeddo, Lazbin, Rathgillian
NPCs: Landryn Teriak
Synopsis: The Defenders decide to travel to Assam to deal with the tyranny of the Dark Lancers. But not without dealing with their new captive, Landryn Teriak the Shadow Lord. The execution starts just outside of the city walls as the group surrounds the Shadow Lord. Gagged and bound, Landryn Teriak can only plead with his eyes, begging through Forkbeard’s well-placed sock. The muffled urges are ignored as Dorian contemplates only for a second before dropping the final judgement on his nemesis. Taking a step back the sorcerer begins to cast, but before the spell is completed the Shadow Lord lurches forward collapsing on Dorian. Shadows spin from every niche as the pair vaporizes into the surrounding darkness. The party is left standing in the wooded entrance to the city of Cedarspoke wondering what has just occurred. Moments later shadows engulf the entire area, plunging the woodlands into a nest of entangled shadow strands. From everywhere the voice of the Shadow Lord condemns the party for its lack of vision, promising to reveal his kingdom of all shadows. They will fall in line, or fall under might. Within the confines of the shadow strands vision is limited and the party is sectioned off. Each one feels the pull of the owners of the shadow nest. Flowing through the shadow stuff, the group discovers two shadow aberrations responsible for their predicament. Unimpeded Gallipolas flies to the skies and sees the two shadow domes covering his allies. The battle rages until both shadow creatures are dropped. Simultaneously the domes vanish to reveal the woods embraced by dusk. Gallipolas looses a wall of fire to surround the invisible Shadow Lord just as a trio of fighter brutes emerges from the vine-covered city gates. Their menacing stance and equipped spiked chains indicate they are foes. Before any engagement the fighters morph into shadow beasts and emit a fierce howl that slices through half of the group’s will. Others watch as their comrades run fleeing into the woods. The invisible Shadow Lord cries for support, screaming that the shadow devils have found him. Even Cedarspoke is susceptible to invasion as first the drow, and now the devils, have infiltrated the city’s walls. The beasts converge on the Shadow Lord who is now visible, tearing him apart. With their enemies clustered Dorian explodes fire upon them and Gallipolas summons a comet from the skies. The beasts are obliterated and the Shadow Lord is crushed from the impact. Even as shadows splinter back to their natural source, the Shadow Lord’s voice once again breaks the silence. His verbal attack is directed at Dorian and offers knowledge of his surviving kin’s whereabouts, should the elf be interested. The proposition is in line with rumors of survivors of the massacre of the Lothenar Elves. But before Dorian can respond the Shadow Lord’s voice is no more as their enemy shadow walks his way to freedom. Fits of rage finally subside as the Defenders choose to remain in Cedarspoke to rest and spend some of their accumulated wealth, for their future ventures will be the most treacherous of their career.
Encounters: The Shadow Lord, two darkweavers, three shadurakul
Achievements: could not prevent the escape of the Shadow Lord, drew out the presence of devils within Cedarspoke, and received additional confirmation of survivors of the Lothenar elves.

The Assassination Attempt of General Freutin

2009-10-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Henzio, Jebeddo, Lazbin, Rathgillian
NPCs: Captain Brighton, General Freuntin, Zalaznar Crinios, Landryn Teriak
Synopsis: While leaving the Earthome library Forkbeard, Jebeddo, and Lazbin are stopped in place by Captain Brighton on the Army of Nature’s Wrath. They agree to a meeting with General Freuntin, but allegations are ledged against Jebeddo of the wizard class of the Year of the Gauntlet for dereliction of duty, failure to report, and desertion. In the presence of Freutin, Jebeddo is silenced as the leader of the Army of Nature’s Wrath rages against the absent wizard. Hearing about their research of the Firehill Runestones, Freuntin cries folly against getting the ancient runestones, revealing that the Council of the Divine explored this avenue months ago to great detriment. Half of the Divine Hammer has gone missing after two failed expeditions to retrieve the Firehill Runestones. Lazbin is released to bring the rest of the Defenders so that Freuntin can address them collectively before they speak with the Council. Lazbin returns with the others as General Freutin reassigns Jebeddo for his final task as a soldier in the Army of Nature’s Wrath. He is to travel to the warrior city-state of Assam atop the Windbreaker Mesa in the Shining Plains and convince the Dark Lancers to join them in defeating the Black Legion. The Dark Lancers alliance with the Wizards of Tendale has expired and their forces have consolidated to Assam under their new leader, only know as the General. Freutin’s strategy is to have the armies of the Dark Lancers, Cormyr and Nature’s Wrath converge upon the Black Legion and annihilate them once and for all. Without the Dark Lancers the Black Legion can flee to the south to the Orsraun Mountains. Freuntin also suggests the potential of infiltrating Westgate to kill the heads of the Forces of Mystenaculis who have enslaved the citizens. The Defenders ponder their multiple choices as Freuntin escorts them to the Council of the Divine. In route, a phaerlin giants erupt from the ground each with a drow archer supported on its back. Their target is obvious as all of the Defenders are ignored in an attempt to kill General Freuntin. Lazbin teleports Freuntin to safety while the group wipes out the giants and drow. Only a single archer escapes into the ambush tunnels below Cedarspoke. In front of the council the Defenders are praised for their actions. They have been in council with the Circle of Holundi and have coordinated strategies in dealing with the Forces of Mystenaculis and the Black Legion. Dorian offers the deceased members of Divine Hammer and the council offers custody of the Shadow Lord. Despite the misgivings of General Freuntin, the council asks for the Defenders help in retrieving the Firehill Runestones as they are invaluable to their cause. The Shadow Lord’s protests are silenced with a gag as the Defenders leave the council chambers with their hard-fought prize. General Freutin sees them to the gates of the city, briefly watching over the Shadow Lord during the group’s deliberations. The Defenders decide to travel to Assam to assimilate the Dark Lancers in the war. But not before dealing with the criminal Shadow Lord.
Encounters: General Freuntin’s inquisition, six phaerlin giants, two drow dark snipers, one drow ninja, and one drow priestess of Kiaransalee, Council of the Divine quest to Scarwall
Achievements: stopped a drow assassination attempt on General Freuntin, saving his life in the process, learned of the surviving Dark Lancer army, negotiated the release of the Shadow Lord to their custody, and received a map to the fabled keep of death Scarwall.

The Lighthouse Sting – The Fall of Lycast

2009-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

Characters: Azla, Cheynar, Flannigan, Janora, X-Requinn
NPCs: None
Synopsis: The adventurers decide to pull out and regroup. Marlet has vacated the aerial assault, retrieving Vexander and Sentalial and returning to Threshold to help verify the words of Krullix. Finding the call to arms true, Marlet grabs Azla the war mage and the cat-folk scout Cheynar to continue the assault on the tower. Remaining outside the parameter the others scour the woods to find Krullix. Only moments after a rendezvous with the rogue, Marlet returns with familiar allies and the group returns to the tower. Traversing the stairs of the tower, the adventurers reach the second level and find more empty quarters and unoccupied rooms. The two largest rooms are breached and each contains a cluster of goblins sharpening weapons. Slaying the trespassers, the group continues to the next level finding a different layout. The locked room is infiltrated after female noises are heard. Convinced that the leader of the goblin tribe, the so-called Lycast, is just beyond the door, X-Requinn blasts the door to pieces as the lock-pickers cannot bypass the bound barrier. The quarters are empty save for a large chest and Flannigan gets to work quickly. Others move to the door to an adjacent room. Opening the door, a hidden opponent strikes out. The group rushes in to find no one before retreating. The invisible attacker shifts position as X-Requinn unplugs his ever-lasting decantor of water. The room begins to flood as the assailant’s footsteps give her away. Magic is loosed as Azla and X-Requinn use area-blast spells to flush out the invisible hag. The successive blasts reveal a fallen green hag, and no doubt as to the tribe’s gross ambitions. With only the remaining tribal champion, the mysterious Skrom, the group continues to the next level finding a barghest with his goblin minions. The battle is well orchestrated with the archers and spellcasters maintaining cover while the melee experts flanking opponents and quickly disabling the threat. Skrom fails under the blade. The stairs are checked at a trap door leading to the roof where other goblins are heard. Returning to the previous level and exiting the windows, the group attacks the roof by scaling the walls. Atop the tower are the remaining goblins that were not cast down by Marlet and her bronze griffon. Combat is spread throughout but the goblins are outmatched and they all are killed. With the tower vacated and the threat to passing ships removed, and the long journey home from their high seas adventures almost complete, the heroes begin their trek back to Threshold.
Encounters: eight armory goblins, green hag Lycast, three goblin minions, tribal champion barghest Skrom
Achievements: sacked the phony lighthouse, destroyed both the goblin tribe leader and the tribal champion

Lavendar’s Riot

2009-10-04T00:52:00.000-07:00

Characters: Alrak, Barl Bloodbones, Crulamin, Domollo Blue, Malhavoc, Zaos
NPCs: Aria Yelloweyes, Eshtani Doctry, Lavendar
Synopsis: The Teziiran City Watch has established an all-persons curfew at sundown following the massive spread of the Bloodveil. At the Smelted Horse Domollo speaks with Aria Yelloweyes who has heard of his name and is following the exploits of his group, specifically the lycanthrope-striken Belton. After giving Domollo a map of the sewers, she says that a follower of Vernon Archer named Geargz is amassing a following and weapons in the sewers. He was must be convinced to disarm, either diplomatically or physically. Given that the curfew has been established, the group decides to wait it out a night before checking Aria’s authenticity. In the morning Zaos receives a scroll from Eshtani Doctry of the Temple of Torm. A merchant named Lavendar is perpetuating a cure for the Bloodveil. As clerics of Torm cannot thoroughly investigate without being mobbed by plague victims, he requests that Zaos and his group verify the claims of the cure. Traveling to Lavendar’s Luxurious Linamints, they find another development in the outbreak. The city’s merchant council has issued a decree giving Doctor Duvalus and his physicians as well as Eliosa Arabasi and her Gray Maidens full authority in dealing with the outbreak. All citizens must abide by their demands or face extreme prejudice. The emergency powers given to the outsiders is truly frightening and the development reflects the dire situation brought on by the Bloodveil plague. At Lavendar’s place of business, word has spread and people are lined up through the streets. Muscling there way to the front, the two bouncers are intimidated into allowing the group entry. After purchasing a vial of the “cure” Domollo Blue confronts Lavendar, detecting a falsehood in her statements. Zaos presents the written request from the Temple of Torm, but the effect backfires as potential patrons start a riot. Domollo Blue attempts to subdue Lavendar but she escapes into the back alley to her apartment. The riot becomes full-scale as the store’s bouncers are caught in the shuffle and the store is thrashed. The throng of desperate citizens transforms into a stampede. As Domollo, Zaos and Crulamin give chase, Barl and Malhavoc strip the store safe from its foundation and strike fear into the looters. The store is vacated and Alrak is caught up in the rush, coming to blows with one of the bouncers and forcing him to retreat. Lavendar unleashes her deadly blade catching both Crulamin and Zaos with her poison-tipped dagger. She is quickly subdued and covertly escorted back to the Temple of Torm. The circumstantial evidence is presented to Esthani who questions the detective work, but finds Lavendar’s use of poison a criminal offense, enough to halt her peddling of the “cure” at least temporarily. The group rendezvous at the Smelted Horse finds everyone made it out intact. Barl and Malhavoc crack the safe, but do not find any additional incriminating evidence, only fine valuables. Perhaps the confusion of the riot will blur unwanted memories.
Encounters: Aria Yelloweyes, two rogue thugs, diseased mob, Lavendar
Achievements: received an inquiry regarding a militant wererat, intimidated store guards, initiated a riot, subdued a practioner of a false cure, and presented flimsy evidence of wrong-doing.

The Bloodveil Over Teziir

2009-10-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

Characters: Barl Bloodbones, Belton Stoutshield, Crulamin, Domollo Blue, Gonzor (Fash), Zaos
NPCs: Eshtani Doctry, Captain Redbeard, Grau, Crasidia Croft
Synopsis: The adventurers bring the body of their fallen ally Farthick to the Temple of Torm and have his body prepped for burial. The cleric Eshtani Doctry receives Farthick along with the cost for gentle repose of the corpse. Hearing of a rumor for potential adventure and rewards, group hikes to the point to investigate the use of a trebouche to destroy a pirate ice skiff. The watchguard is not aware of the activity but says that the city wall construction is continuing, having already been built to protect attacks from the dragonmere. Two trebouches account for the city’s defense along with two more already in design. Hitting a dead end with their lead the adventurers head towards the docks, finding the watering hole the Bitch’s Bed. They cross paths with Grau, a patron whose niece has fallen ill. With their connection to Torm, they decide to aid the despressed man. At Grau’s homestead they find Eshtani Doctry making a house call. The cleric of Torm believes the illness to be a derivative of Enterick Fever. The girl’s mother Tae Soldaldo is desperate to heal Brianna, so the group pulls together enough funds to finance a scroll with the spell to remove her disease. Eshtani successfully heals Brianna with the Soldaldo family’s eternal gratitude. The following morning the adventurers are summoned to the Temple of Torm. Disease has enveloped Teziir and the needy are swarming the divine pleading for help. The plague is being referred to as the Bloodveil. A dire Eshtani fears for his safety even as he travels the city to help others. Visibly shaken he hires the group to bring him to the City Watch where followers of the divine are assembling to address the Bloodveil. Arriving free of interlopers, they meet Field Marshall Crasidia Croft who has drafted Doctor Duvalus of Sembia. The doctor has arrived with his physicians upon request and joins the gathered clerics. Captain Redbeard also finds the adventurers and requests that they assist him. In the seedy section of Teziir lies Racker’s Alley. Redbeard has received reports that people are dumping diseased bodies there that may be contributing to the spread of the Bloodveil. At Racker’s Alley the group finds clear evidence implicating the owner of the tinkerer shop. During the investigation they uncover two undead vampires and destroy them. Amongst the remains of the shop keeper is a key to a lockbox that contains thieves’ tools and documents and patents for designs. The events warrant further investigation into the outbreak.
Encounters: city watchman along the city walls, near riot at the Temple of Torm, two vampire spawns
Achievements: removed the Bloodveil from Brianna Soldaldo, developed a strong ally with the Temple of Torm, networked with the City Watch, and discovered a potential connection between vampires and the plague.

A Debt (or Favor) to Teziir’s Redbeard – The Attack of the Goblin Raiders

2009-09-23T17:58:00.001-07:00

Characters: Alrak, Belton Stoutshield, Dimak Cloudchaser Ogolakanu, Domollo Blue, Farthick, Qualen
NPCs: Sgt. Bartran, Captain Redbeard, Garsys the Merchant
Synopsis: After defeating the were-rat Vernon Archer, the group collects itself on the docks of Teziir. They are approached by the City Watch headed by Sgt. Bartran. Leading the inquiry Bartran’s attitude shifts from skepticism to reluctant acceptance upon verification of the party’s deeds. He orders the sequestered to the Smelted Horse until the morning when they must explain their activities to the Watch Captain Redbeard. The following morning Bartran’s expectations are met as the adventurers are escorted to the City Watch headquarters and are greeted by Redbeard. He has heard of their exploits and offers up an entirely different escapade to the group. A caravan mercenary survived an ambush from a tribe of goblins that looted the cargo which is desperately needed food stuffs for Teziir citizens. The mercenary produced a map that identifies the revine where the goblins returned to. As the party could earn the City’s good favor, Redbeard suggests that the merchant guild would hold the group in high esteem should they retrieve the goods and slay the trade interlopers. Under escort the group follows the map to the isolated revene and enters one of the several cave entrances. The cave network is only marginally explored before the group intercepts a cluster of six goblins. The bottleneck of the corridors prevents the full group from attacking, but the alarm is raised and another group of goblins attacks from an adjacent corridor. Splitting the party in two, Qualen, Farthick and Alrak challenge the initial goblins while Cloudchaser, Belton and Domollo Blue take on the flanking goblins. The massive battle is soon joined by additional goblins lead by an ogre skull crusher as the sounds of combat and dying goblins has alerted the tribe to an invasion. As Domollo Blue and Alrak are drawn away from Qualen and Farthick, the accompanying light source vanishes as well and the two are left in darkness. Farthick cannot stand against the multitude of goblins and falls to the floor just short of consciousness. The blinded Qualen horribly misses his intended target and lands a fatal blow on his own ally Farthick. Battling back to the others Quallen joins the on-going battle as the combined party forces the goblins to retreat. After a quick assessment and dispersed healing, the party persues their enemy. The encounter turns deadly as the goblins and ogre have been joined by the tribe’s warchief and shaman. Like water the adventurers spread to meet the demand as blades and axes fly. Again the combat shifts to the adventurers’ favor as the warchief is destroyed and the ogre falls. The bereaved shaman is pulled away in yet another retreat, the fallen comrade Alrak is revived and again the party gives chase, hoping to prevent the goblins from regrouping and healing. A locked door is found as Domollo Blue pulls out a rogue trick to give way to a bound and bleeding human. The man is Garsys, the merchant caravan leader, and he pleads for his freedom saying the goblins were planning on using him for ransom. Qualen and Domollo Blue convince the others to persue the goblins so that they cannot regroup. With reluctance the party continues into the chaotic caves on the condition that any additional forces encountered will force a retreat. Rounding a turn in the corridor, they spot the regrouped goblins, but this time reinforced with hobgoblins. It is enough to trigger the condition and the party withdraws from the chase, retrieving Garsys in the process. Returning to near the entrance, they spot the hidden door for the ogre’s personal quarters and loot it. The party hastely retreats from the revene with the saved Garsys and the fallen Farthick and force march back to Teziir. Belton does his best to cover their tracks with his spells but the odds are bad that the goblins know exactly where they are headed.
Encounters: goblin tribe, ogre skull crusher, goblin war chieftan, goblin shaman, hobgoblin cloister
Achievements: discover the hidden cave network housing raiding goblins, destroyed a significant portion of the tribe including their primary warriors, retrieved the kidnapped Garsys at the expense of one of their own comrades Farthick.

Earthome College and the Firehill Runestones

2009-09-10T01:42:00.000-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Jebeddo, Lazbin, Rathgillian
NPCs: Romualda the Librarian
Synopsis: Holding the cryptic writings of the Historian, the Defenders are at the crossroads. The scrolls identify the Firehill Runestones, documentation of historic dwarven lore, contained at the Earthome College in Cedarspoke. Discussing their choices, the group argues between seeking out these runestones and seeking out the destruction of the Shadow Lord, still captive of the Council of the Divine. The group has recovered Cedarspoke’s payment to the Wizards of Tendale and still has in their possession the bodies of the Divine Hammer. With these bargaining chips they may be able to procure the Shadow Lord and deliver their long sought after justice. Jebeddo offers a different strategy, at least one prior to negotiating with the Council of the Divine. He offers to return to Cedarspoke and investigate these Firehill Runestones before any negotiations take place. At least then they will know what the Historian’s scripture is leading them to. As the decision is being refined, Gallipolas spots a shadow swiftly moving across the snowy floor of the clearing. The bellowing black smoke rises from the forest canopy, providing proof of their conquest for miles around. Gallipolas readies himself as a huge white dragon with bolted on steel plates swoops towards the group releasing a cone of cold. The flyby attack is preceded by an announcement of defilement and breach of agreement by one Salricasa. The white dragon’s fear sweeps across the group, shaking them to their core. Spells are loosed and the group prepares for defense, as magical fire engulfs the attacking wyrm. The next attack proves near fatal for Jebeddo as the gnome imprisoned in the creature’s maw and flung into the nearby trees. But the dragon makes a critical mistake in hovering nearby the defenders. Despite the kick-up of debris, smoke and snow drift, the Defenders find their target and drop it to the snowy banks as it attempts to flee from the overpowering group. Speeding up the decision-making process the group teleports to outside visual limits of Cedarspoke. Jebeddo is joined by Forkbeard and Lazbin who alter their appearance to mask their presence from the guardsmen. The three gain admittance to the city and make for Earthome College where Jebeddo befriends the librarian Romualda. She is perturbed by their inquiries for the Firehill Runestones and leads them to an ancient wing of the library where many dwarf runestones are kept. A barren section indicates that the Firehill Runestones they seek are lost to time. Romualda speaks of the history of the dwarf commander Dessothal Firehill. Commander Firehill lead the dwarven armies against the giant-kind during the First Giant’s War. Tales of his success are epics as he almost single-handedly repelled the attack of the giant-kind and then pursued them back to their point of origin. Dessothal Firehill was the dwarven war strategist behind the ultimate victory over the giant-kind and saved the Dragon Coast. His relentlessness in vanquishing the forces of the giants became legendary as he was bent on their eradication from the lands. The giants fled to their mountains leading to the name of the mountain range, the Giant’s Run Mountains. Firehill pursued them into the mountains only to discover some lost secret that caused him to retreat back to his fortress Scarwall. Firehill took the runestones documenting his successes in combat against the giants, baffling war strategists. His runestones also are rumored to have documented his findings in the Giant’s Run Mountains. But Commander Firehill was so full of despair and grief that he cut off all contact from the region, sealed the gates of Scarwall, and cursed the surrounding lands. Romualda says that periodically foolish adventurers hear of the rumors and seek out the fabled treasures of Scarwall, only to disappear never to be heard of again. When the Black Legion attacked earlier this year, historians and war generals sought out the Firehill Runestones, only to find that the location of Scarwall was lost to legend and lore. Rumors within Cedarspoke say that druid and ranger parties were dispatched but never heard of again, and that the Army of Nature’s Wrath abandoned the effort. With a grave warning the elf librarian grabs Jebeddo and prays for him not to join the leagues of lost souls on a fool’s quest.
Encounters: Salricasa the Frostforged White Wyrm, Cedarspoke city guards, Romualda the elf librarian
Achievements: defeated the mansion guardian for the Wizards of Tendale, returned to Cedarspoke and infiltrated the city walls, and learned of the ancient rumors of the First Giant’s War.

Teziir’s Men of the Basalisk

2009-09-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

Characters: Alrak, Belton Stoutshield, Crulamin, Dimak Cloudchaser Ogolakanu, Farthick, Qualen
NPCs: Domollo Blue, Jynn of the Kelemvor Sect
Synopsis: Domollo Blue has gathered a small band of adventurers at the Smelted Horse in Teziir. A secret contact has been initiated with the Men of the Basalisk, an underground guild rumored to be attempting to take down the Astorians, thieves guild of Teziir. Domollo Blue’s task is to gather a group capable of achieving greatness, but also of surviving. The first task of their initiation is to seek out a crazed were-rat that sought the destruction of Teziir through a series of politically motivated kidnappings and murders, as well as attempted take-overs of the ratcatchers’ guild, the garbage collectors’ guild, and the sewer workers’ guild. The were-rat, one Vernon Archer, was thwarted in his conquest but escaped capture. The target lives on a garbarge scow, frozen in place off the docks in the gulf. The band braves the winter stricken streets only to be targeted by a sniper and a watcher. Both escape and the group calls off the pursuit in lieu of grabbing the attention of the Teziiran guard. Down at the docks, the were-rat’s barge is easy to locate, stacked high with refuse and ill-smelling waste that even winter’s wind cannot disperse. They are immediately attacked by two giant cockroaches as they maneuver onto the barge. The guardians are destroyed after a lengthy melee, and the party proceeds to the lone shack nestled within the mountains of garbage. Through the trapped door, the band stumbles into the firing range of the were-rat, quickly surrounding their target and coordinating the attack to their advantage. Vernon Archer is well dug in, and succeeds in voraciously biting Belton Stoutshield on his casting arm. The were-rat is systematically destroyed before it can infect anyone else, as the group discovers the lair’s treasure, and the almost unmentionable decayed corpse of another female were-rat, propped and meticulously maintained inside a storage closet. Domollo Blue promises to report their success, and if they are still interested, periodically meet the group at the Smelted Horse for further tasks from the secret Men of the Basalisk.
Encounters: Astorian sniper, two giant cockroaches, trapped door, the were-rat Vernon Archer
Achievements: gained an ally one of the local blacksmiths, Potter Helm, stumbled upon a hidden sect of Kelemvor with the contact Jynn, drew the attention of Astorian assassins, defeated the crazed were-rat Vernon Archer, but Belton succumbed to the bite of the lycanthrope.

The Lighthouse Sting

2009-08-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-28T17:20:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-28T17:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

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.

The Icy Plunge

2009-07-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

Characters: Nobanion, Vall, Jebeddo, Krullix
NPCs: Gribbold, Los Calzo, Aldila, Hoinnia (Tiefling), Puennoki (Green Hag), Chirkka (Annis)
Synopsis: Nobanion, Vall, and Jebeddo arrive at Gribbold’s shop to purchase much needed supplies. The recent winter storms have slowed down shipments along the trade route through Threshold, but some items are available. While negotiating “friend prices”, Krullix arrives in a bit of a huff. He said he went to Los Calzo to see if Dak’s mithral shirt is complete. He informs the trio that Aldila, Los Calzo’s friend and caretaker, is worried something terrible has befallen him. The four adventurers decide to pay a visit to the town tinker. The townsfolk are aware of the tinkering that goes on in Los Calzo’s workshop beneath his home, so it is not unusual for him to busy himself for a tenday without so much as an appearance in town. Aldila looks after him during these times. Upon arrival, Aldila greets them and informs them that she has not seen him in almost two tendays. Aldila leads them to the stairway that descends to the workshop. Recent rumors around town tell of the strange locks appearing on door. Nobanion encourages Krullix to open the door before he breaks it down. Krullix is able to determine the best approach to open each of the three locks. Jebeddo seems nervous at the sight of the Blade Golem guarding the only path to the workshop, but they are able to pass without any trouble. Continuing down the hallway to the workshop, they spy an ominous red-orange glow coming from beneath the door. Vall listens at the door but upon hearing nothing, opens it to discover an activated portal. Vall searches the room for clues to Los Calzo’s whereabouts, finding a journal with scribbles regarding birds. But the name Peunnoki is scribbled in the margin. Nobanion questions Aldila who informs them that Puennoki is a bird collector who resides in a tower near the Thunder Peaks mountain range. Jebeddo examines the scene within the portal, surmising that it is indeed near the Thunder Peaks. Taking the lead, Jebeddo passes through the portal, followed by Vall and Nobanion, with Krullix taking up the flank. From their vantage point they see what appears to be a medium structure shooting up from a frozen lake, 100 yards from the shoreline. They carefully traverse the ice, but encounter a fair size moat surrounding the tower. It appears the rest of the tower lies beneath the frozen lake, with only the top portion at water level. A female humanoid in a hooded cloak greets them, announcing herself as Hoinnia, and allows them entrance via a rope ladder. Inquiries regarding Los Calzo confirm that he is visiting with Puennoki in the lower level of the tower. The party is able to see through Hoinnia’s ruse and advise her to bring Los Calzo to verify his well-being. She leaves and closes the door behind her. Vall makes his way to the door and picks up the sound of heavy footsteps and battle cries. The party prepares itself for what is behind the door. Hoinnia and two ettins appear in the doorway, brandishing their morning stars. Vall’s fists are a blur as they strike the closest enemy causing it to howl in pain. Jebeddo unleashes magic missiles into the other ettin and Krullix fires his crossbow with reckless abandon. An enraged Nobanion beheads the lead ettin, with the second ettin falling soon after. Darkness falls upon the party as they engage their final enemy. With a stroke of luck, the flat of Nobanion’s blade strikes Hoinnia and causes the dark veil to fall. Vall begins to hogtie the tiefling and secures her to a fallen ettin. Upon questioning Hoinnia, the party learns the other tower’s residents are now on the alert. The foursome drinks recently acquired water breathing and protection from cold potions before descending into the frigid waters. At the bottom of the stairs a swollen, wooden door blocks their progress. A cooperative effort proves no match for this simple door. A foyer leads to a set of double doors that easily surrender to Nobanion’s brute strength. The room is filled with blocks of ice, each with varying sizes of birds and each tethered to the floor. A green hag is admiring her collection, but her ogre companion appears perplexed at the intruders. Equipped with a long spear, the ogre begins tapping his weapon on the stone floor. Krullix fires his crossbow at the merrow, but the water inhibits the bolt from finding its target. Vall manages to wrestle the long spear from the merrow. Jepeddo unleashes a scorching ray, which instantly produces a turbulent arc of bubbling, superheated water on the way to its targets. Unable to discern words underwater, the party turns to hand signals to surround their opponents. Grabbing the long spear from Vall, Nobanion plunges it into the merrow sending it roaring in pain. Vall is able to understand the words spoken by the green hag, Puennoki and warns of a spell being cast. Just as before, the lights go down. Even with all participants blinded, an all out slugfest ensues. Vall’s fists pummel into the hag. Jepeddo’s flame blast produces an arc of superheated of water. Nobanion continues to poke at the darkness to find his target. Vall is able to pick up a final cry from the hag as she yells out “Chirkka”, a name perhaps, and the dark veil lifts yet again. The party is astonished they were able to defeat such a powerful spell caster. Not knowing what else awaits them below, they retrieve the tiefling and entice her to tell them how to get to the fifth and bottom level of the tower. Hoinnia advises them to gather stones before starting down the staircase that leads to the bottom level. On reaching the third level, stones are put at the door leading into the stairwell to prevent access to the stairs. On the fourth level, the stairway door is easily opened. A small foyer has a door directly ahead and one on either side. Hoinnia suggests to place stones on the side doors as she opens the remaining door. An odd-looking dome of oiled leather fills most of this chamber. Engulfed by a big net lashed to some rings in the floor, the mass seems to be held in place. But the whole dome strains upward against its binds. With a little more investigation the group discovers the dome holds some sort of air pocket on this floor. As a light shines from beneath the dome the air bubble’s oily surface forms a stable air-water interface, allowing one to enter or exit the bubble without disturbing the arrangement. Nobanion goes berserk, jumps through bubble, and lands with a ground-shaking thump. The others follow suit, finding themselves on dry land once again. The room is occupied by two more ettins carrying what appears to be a wooden box. Caught off guard, their package drops to the floor, splintering into many pieces. The contents are revealed; inside is a small creature completely encased in ice. The other occupant of the room introduces herself as Chirkka who states that this is her tower, and that all who enter shall be encased in ice for eternity. Recognizing their primary objective lying on the floor, the group swings into action. Vall unleashes his fury on an ettin knocking it senseless. Attempting to draw their morning stars, three ettins succumb to Jebeddo’s grease spell, falling to the hard, stone floor. Unable to obtain a sure footing, the party continuously strikes them down. Still enraged, Nobanian deals a deathblow to an ettin as Vall and Jebeddo search the remaining intact bodies to collect the spoils. Jebeddo uses a flame spell to accelerate the thawing of the small creature, who indeed turns out to be Los Calzo. He is in a daze and semiconscious, but alive. The party escorts Los Calzo and Hoinnia out of the tower and back to the portal, with a final warning to Hoinnia. She must leave this plane and never return, or face the most severe of consequences. They provide her with basic supplies, and release her. The five enter the portal back to Threshold as the patient Aldila is there to welcome them home, and Los Calzo pushes a hidden stone button that closes the portal. The unfrozen gnome heeds their advice not to travel to strange places without proper security. Los Calzo has witnessed their aid first hand yet again and promises to recruit them in the future. Ever thankful, Aldila sees the party out praising their actions. The four wary adventurers head over to The Verse to unwind and speak privately. With a new way to travel to the Thunder Peaks, what other adventures await?
Encounters: Merrow Warrior (Aquatic Ogre) (1), Ettins (4), Deep waters of a frozen lake
Achievements: rescued Los Calzo from the tower, and utilized the portal in Los Calzo’s workshop

The Great Ball of Lightning, Part I

2009-07-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Roywyn has been in seclusion at an undisclosed, secret location in order to make a greater wondrous magic item, gloves of dexterity. Some of her companions believed she was given haven in one of Gallipolas’s hidden groves where he has been known to craft items too. After nearly three weeks, thousands of gold pieces and some of her precious life-energy, the bard is able to create the special gloves. Upon ending her seclusion she receives news that the Bocklesdin Brothers have been commissioned by High Priest Hlinthi Crystalfist and Priestess Nilmith to build a temple in dedication to Garl Glittergold. She rushes to her old friend’s side in order to help his congregation in anyway she can.

Hlinthi speaks with Roywyn about crafting magical boots so that he may be quicker on the battlefield in order to better get to the wounded. “Curse me short kicking stumps!” After discussing this they decide to wait until they can get more resources together and garner more power in order to help fashion the greatest of all boots, those of speed.

The Sky Captain Quint flies into Threshold on his gnome-made flying ship. After a bit of fanfare and fireworks he lands his ship near the bazaar. With entourage in tow, he heads to the Verse looking for Trizoon in order to discuss some bizarre meteorological phenomenon he witnessed over the Giant’s Plain. “Where is my exuberant friend Trizoon this night?” Although he can’t find the bard, he sees two gnomes, Hlinthi and Roywyn, sharing a meal with pints of beer, singing and laughing all the while. Quint smiles and waves to them as he approaches, eventually sweeping into a low bow before joining them, “Well met to you friends!” After exchanging pleasantries and a few beers more, he shares his story about his latest travels with them.

“I have sailed from one end of Faerun to the other and I’ve never seen anything like the great ball of lightning that hovers over the Giant’s plain,” Quint tells them. Furthermore, he explains that this has been a reoccurring phenomenon and he needs some help investigating the remote region. “Great balls of lighting appearing in my skies pose a threat to my ship, my crew and my ladies this cannot stand,” Quint continues. He offers to fund an exploration of the skeletal ruins that he found in the area of the lightning as it is an expedition that only heroes can undertake. The gnomes explain to Quint that Trizoon is conducting a night-long ceremony with Priestess Nilmith in order to consecrate the new temple. Quint does however, manage to capture their interest and convince the heroes to explore the phenomenon. He insists upon a daybreak departure, but this strikes the gnomes as a bit strange as Quint is rarely up early considering his nightly exploits.

Quint also secures the services of the dwarf barbarian Trebbor Smallcanyon to serve as the party’s scout. In addition he enlists both Wicasa and Rog to round out the talents of the party. They plan to rendezvous with some of Trebbor’s kinfolk in the tunnels of the Giant’s Run Mountains on the western border. There they’ll set up camp in order to view the nightly phenomenon over the Giant’s Plain from the superior vantage point. Soon after midnight a giant ball of blue lightning appears, nearing 100 feet in diameter, and hovered hundreds of feet above the plain and several miles to the southwest of their camp. The ball flickers like a giant firefly and rains hundreds of small bolts of energy toward the ground. Although this goes on for only a half hour before the ball winks out of sight, the companions are able to pinpoint its rough position and take off in the Sky Ship at daybreak with Roywyn, Trebbor and Hlinthi. However they go without Rog and Wicasa as they were sent to approach the ruins from a secret tunnel system from below. They will rendezvous with their companions at the ruins.

Quint drops within fifty yards of the ruins which they pinpointed as the ball’s rough location. Once the heroes are ready Quint flies his ship back to their camp to await the heroes’ signals when evacuation is needed. Quint had given the heroes a set of Murty’s Magical Markers which were special magical lights that he used for landing his ship at night or inclement weather.

Hlinthi casts clerical protective spells protection from evil to add to their muscle, Trebbor and blesses the party with the favor of Garl Glittergold. Hlinthi then activates his ring of invisibility while Trebbor and Roywyn down invisibility potions and sneak into the Skeletal Ruins. “Its not dwarf construction so it’s no wonder why the ruins became skeletal,” Trebbor proclaims. The gnomes agree that the inferior construction was likely human-made. “The ruins aren’t even a century old and already crumbled? Hlinthi grumbled.

But one thing they all feel is that the ruins’ eyes looking for them even though they were invisible. On both the sides of the ruins along the remnants of the east and west outer walls, they see two red-skinned, hairless humanoid creatures skulking about standing approximately seven feet tall, but it would be taller if it stood erect. They move silently and swiftly, making their way towards the location where the part now held on the east wall. The combination of short legs, long arms, and stooped posture causes its hands to drag on the ground. One creature runs at them but does not leap from the wall halting just above their position.

It is then that they get a good look at the creature. It has massive shoulders and an enormous chest, which tapers down to a narrow waist and hips. Its head is triangular and its neck attaches near the top of its head, causing its leering, toothy face and pointed chin to hang below its shoulders. With eyes ablaze it lets loose a booming shout which resembles a loud, rasping cough. The shout becomes a sonic blast that makes the party’s very bones shake causing deep pain in their bodies.

But this attack did not ruin their invisibility or other spells. Roywyn is quick to act leveling her staff of frost at the creature looming above them and lets loose a cone of cold freezing the creature, blistering its face and red skin. Hlinthi casts his first healing spells to mend their wounds as Trebbor spies the second creature closing fast from the other side of the ruins. Trebbor readies her dwarven urgosh to take it out, but it too unleashes a painful sonic shout. This time the heroes resist its stunning affect. It continues to run blindly to their position where Trebbor, springing from her invisibility, makes short work of the monster.

The creature on the wall continues its attacks trading shouts for Roywyn’s staff of frost. Hlinthi administers healing throughout the melee. Roywyn breaks into a battle song that galvanizes Trebbor a she chops and dices. Soon Roywyn provides the party with a haste spell and in no time at all the second creatures is killed before it can flee.

Just then the heroes feel the ground tremor as a cloud of sand shoots into the air announcing the giant stone doors that fly open from the ground near a dried up fountain. The tremors continue as something rumbles out. The creature is humanoid in basic shape, standing nine feet tall and weighing a ton. Its hands appear oversized for its body and are tipped with claws. Its head is similar to a small-eared elephant’s head, having a mouth filled with tiny teeth, small rheumy red eyes, and a long, coiling trunk tipped with a long, thin spike. With eyes filled with malice it turns toward the companions. “It doesn’t look like a giant, but I’m gonna chop it down anyways!” Trebbor yells as she charges the new foe.

The Race Against the Terraken

2009-07-10T13:16:00.000-07:00

Characters: Azla, Carn, Flannigan, Janora, Marlet, X-Requinn
Synopsis: The party explores High Port, discovering the decrepit quarters of the hobgoblins where three more lie in wait. The ambush is quickly quelled as Sentalial returns to the cave entrance to investigate the remaining hobgoblin guard. While venturing beneath the lock, Flannigan takes a terrible tumble down the steep stairs, nearly crippling himself in the process. But down below, the swashbuckler makes a discovery. His most recent adversary Poltur lies on the dried channel bed, his body twisted in impossible positions, a look of astonishment still etched into his face. Continuing along the underground channel, the group reaches a landing with double iron doors. Beyond the channel is blocked by a cave-in. As the mechanism for the doors is investigated, a trap is sprung and spikes descend from a hidden niche in the ceiling slicing Flannigan and Marlet. X-Requinn solves the conundrum by casting knock on doors, exposing another corridor and water-logged chamber. From beyond a hideous three-headed creature leaps at the group breathing an acidic burst on the adventurers. From old tales and myths, the creature can only be a chimera, but the beast is deformed with an unnatural black, leathery hide and features smoothed over by slime and over-exposure to water. Carn engages the beast, grappling the creature and occupying its direct attention. Janora and Marlet flank the beast as Azla and X-Requinn loose scorching rays, blasting the creature to annihilation. The wounded group spins to find that the iron doors were not disabled as the spikes retract and the door shuts. On their side of the doors, there are no levers to open the iron barricades. With no other option the group presses on, finding yet another flooded chamber. Marlet peers into the darkness, and sees the resemblance of a quarters submerged by the briny waters. But something stirs below, sending soft ripples across the water’s surface. The party has at least one more obstacle to overcome as time runs short to best the Terraken.
Encounters: three hobgoblin guards, trapped iron doors, sea-sworn chimera
Achievements: Confirmed that Poltur was killed, journeyed into the complex and reached the Dragon Isle, defeated the trapped doors and gained access to the caves, and killed the chimera guardian.

Crainich Makes a Deal

2009-07-04T19:35:00.000-07:00

Characters: Dak, Hlinthi, Karne, Pardonei, Softfoot, V.L.
NPCs: Crainich
Synopsis: A celebration is underway for the groundbreaking of the Chapel of Garl Glittergold. Hlinthi’s and Trizoon’s relations with the gnome priestesses from Burrock have yielded an unexpected result. The gnomes recovered a hidden reserve and are financing the chapel’s construction, having returned to Burrock leaving only Nilmith at Threshold. Partying into the early morning, only a few guild members make it back to the guild hall. With winter’s onset, the days early hours are still dark when multiple explosions rock the upper levels of the guild hall. The investigation finds the source behind the locked door of Crainich. The isolationist doesn’t respond to the inquiries as Softfoot takes to dismantling the three locks. From within a deep voice speaking infernal booms loudly speaking of greater numbers and “it takes two to lose”. Crainich’s sanctuary is well-protected as Softfoot steps aside for Karne and Dak. Brute force wins the day yet again as the pair breaks into the wizard’s room to find the drow in chains at the feet of a burning infernal creature twice the size of a normal man. The room is utterly destroyed with broken glass and shards of wood everywhere. Heat is prominent, spreading throughout and making the room oppressive. Dak and Karne rush in to save their sometimes companion, receiving ranged support from those outside. The defense of the guild hall is going well when the party is split as a wall of fire separates the combatants from those in the hallway. Pardonei targets the extra planar attacker with a dismissal spell. It vanishes from sight only to reappear and renew its taunts against the party. The attack is unrelenting until finally the efreeti vanishes leaving only a chained Crainich, his annihilated quarters and a pool of rippling blue flame. Crainich is cryptic and short-coming in his exploits but Pardonei is able to extract details behind his scheme. After retrieving the enslaved genie from the pouch he accumulated from adventuring in Teziir, the drow wizard forced the efreeti to open up a portal to Myth Drannor, a fallen elven city now overrun with denizens of the Underdark, walkers of the graveyard, and drow returning to the surface. His plans including vacating the guild hall and joining other drow exiles in Myth Drannor. Once the efreeti opened the portal it reversed positions with Crainich, enslaving him. During the investigation Softfoot and V.L. explore the pool of blue flame, eventually jumping through the opened portal. The rest follow to find an underground pool and a shrine to the goddess Mystra. Crainich’s betrayal to the guild hall is judged as Pardonei transports him back to the guild hall to be reviewed later; they cannot risk his waffling loyalty. As the group begins to explore the shrine they are attacked by an undead wizard loosing spells from down the hall. Working quickly, Karne challenges the creature head-on as the others catch up and flank the attacker. Its demon-red eyes fade after the final blow, leaving the group looking down the dark corridor into the unknown.
Encounters: Efreeti, Undead Wizard
Achievements: protected the guild hall from destruction, saved Crainich from slavery, learned of Myth Drannor, and secured the portal between the Dragon Coast and Myth Drannor.

Oppol Strikes Back

2009-07-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

Characters: Belton Stoutshield, Cheynar, Dimak Cloudchaser Ogolakanu & Snow the wolf, Domollo Blue, Fash Daergel, JadeBlade
NPCs: Thuldrin Kreed
Synopsis: Wessalen Arturia of Teziir, Paladin of Torm, has sent an envoy to Threshold to assess the town’s need for a shrine or temple to his god. More importantly, the envoy has brought along much needed supplies. The early winters and prolonged war has sapped the town of its resources; Threshold is starving to death. Part of the envoy’s protection includes mercenaries from Teziir, Fash Daergel, Belton Stoutshield, and Cloudchaser. One last item is a sealed letter addressed to Dak and Cheynar of the Adventurers Guild of Threshold. The letter finds only Cheynar; it is from Wicasa Wakan. Under the guise of the potter Wolsyn, he has been indicted as conspiring against the Lumber Consortium of Teziir. He needs them to clear his name. Cheynar and JadeBlade return with the envoy and meet with Domollo Blue who says that Thuldrin Kreed, Gavel of the Lumber Consortium is paying adventurers a massive sum of coin to investigate one of Teziir’s main lumber camps that was attacked. If they can find evidence, any “evidence” at all, that Wolsyn was the responsible party or even tangentally connected, there is a bonus for their troubles. The group departs for the lumber camp only to walk into a complete and utter ambush. The entire camp is rigged with traps, undead kobolds, and huge stone-devouring beetle. Managing to survive half of the ambush, the party collects themselves and spots the kobold leader fleeing into the woods, praising the name “Oppol”. Deciding not to give chase, the group returns to Teziir to regroup and draft several others to track the kobolds back to their hideout.
Encounters: kobold zombies, chariot beetle, kobold warriors, undead kobold leader, centipede swarm, crossbow trap, log-pile trap
Achievements: discovered that the kobolds are from the Black Spear tribe and that the tribe’s leader Oppol has returned from the dead.

Pelastour’s Hidden Cove

2009-06-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

Characters: Azla, Carn, Flannigan, Janora, Marlet, Sentalial, X-Requinn
NPCs: Elder Marko, Elder Kenrick, Elder Bristol, Poltur
Synopsis: The village elders bring the adventurers into their private quarters and divulge the secret of Chimera Cove. Long ago, a Sembian merchant financed the creation of an undead dragon turtle called the Terraken. Using an amulet to control the undead creature, the merchant attacked rival vessels in the Sea of Fallen Stars, particularly targeting Cormyrean ships. Eventually the amulet fell into the hands of the Sembian government who issued it to various captains throughout the years. A harper agent from Cormyr named Pelastour accepted the dangerous task of destroying the Terraken. With a Red Wizard of Thay, Pelastour magically created a hidden cove in the Pirate Isles to strike out from. He spent years perfecting the caves in hopes that he would eventually be the target of the Terraken, and would lure the creature into his complex where he would kill it. In the event of failure the One Who Harps crafted an intricate magical trap to keep the Terraken from ever leaving. Pelastour took his devout followers and established the village to protect the cove’s secret and told them of the ritual to lower the waters of Chimera Cove to access the hidden port. According to plan, the undead dragon turtle did target Pelastour’s ship the Scythe, and chased it into the hidden cove, destroying it and Pelastour’s treasure in a ferocious battle. Pelastour and the wizard were killed in the ensuing chase, but not before trapping the Terraken. The cove’s magic prevented any scrying, and thus prevented the Sembians from commanding the Terraken. The keeper of the amulet came to Chimera Cove but never returned after entering the hidden complex, sealing the amulet and the undead dragon turtle within the trap. The village continued to guard the secret, or “treasure”, of Chimera Cove for more than two tenyears, until Pelastour’s grandson came of age and, betraying his legacy, decided to sell the secret to a Sembian baron. After the adventurer’s presented Poltur’s letter and the items necessary to perform the ritual, the elders surmise that Poltur has indeed betrayed the village and will release the Terraken. The group agrees to stop Poltur, and if they can destroy the dragon turtle, the Plight of the Pirate Isles, they can keep whatever treasures they find. After sailing to the center of the cove and performing the ritual, they are attacked by a giant octopus but force it to flee after dismembering four of its tentacles. Poltur’s hobgoblin troops greet the party at the mouth of the now-exposed cave, mistaking them for the humans Poltur previously summoned. Inside the group is lead to a massive underground lock that houses the pristine ship the Silver Reign. Delusions of grandeur flood Flannigan’s mind as he has already mentally claimed the vessel. Standing on the ships plank a man identified as Poltur instructs the new arrivals into the ship’s hull in order to complete the ritual. Goading Flannigan into a duel, Poltur retracts into the ships hull pulling Carn and Flannigan with him. Janora and Sentalial engage the two remaining hobgoblin guards while the others scramble onto the deck of the Silver Reign. The trap is sprung as Poltur escapes, leaving them three mimics to deal with. On the deck the real threat emerges as a hellcat appears and throttles X-Requinn. The chaos continues but the newest member of the group the war mage Azla targets Poltur, catching him with a lightening bolt. From the stern of the ship a mysterious ghost manifests and silently watches the battle unfold. Poltur does a drastic escape attempt, but seconds before his escape the relentless Azla blasts Poltur again. The dashing and overconfident man’s life spews out as he topples over the rear wall of the High Port into oblivion below. The group surrounds the hellcat but not before Flannigan is pounced upon and brought to death’s door. X-Requinn revives the fallen swashbuckler, but the Hellcat retreats to the ship’s hull to finish off the trapped party members below. The battle is fierce as the hellcat blends into the magical light of the ship and disappears. But the war-hardened group is quick to gain the upper hand. Sentalial draws his holy sword and brings the devil to its knees. Begging for them to spare its life, the hellcat promises to divulge the secrets of the caves below. The paladin of Torm brings his sword down with the might of his god, splitting the devil in two equal parts, spilling blood to the hull floor. The ghost that has been observing manifests in front of the party and tells them that the situation is worse. With the death of Poltur, the magicks holding the Terraken in its trap have been released. An ancient water elemental is now free and the waters of Chimera Cove are returning. Within the hour the undead dragon turtle will be free, and without a controller, the Terraken will destroy anything and everything in its path. Pelastour says that he can guide them through his traps but there are other horrors within the cove that they must defeat to reach the dragon turtle. The amulet to control the beast is in the same oubliette that traps the Terraken. The might of the creature is too great and it is hopeless to fight it directly. Getting the amulet may be the only way to keep it from escaping, from rampaging the Sea of Fallen Stars, and from falling back into the hands of Sembia. Outside Flannigan inspects the ship but is drawn to a door built into the south wall of the High Port. A quick listen reveals stirring from within.
Encounters: giant octopus, three hobgoblin guards, Poltur, three mimics, hellcat
Achievements: performed the Ritual of Chimera Cove, defeated the giant octopus Hand of the Deep, fooled Poltur’s guards, discovered the Silver Reign, defeated the bound-devil hellcat Zasril and his minions, killed Poltur releasing the ancient water elemental commanding the waters of Chimera Cove, and received the dire warning from the ghost of Pelastour.

The Secret of Chimera Cove

2009-06-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

Characters: Carn, Flannigan, Janora, Sentalial, X-Requinn
NPCs: Captain D’Ja Mode, Firstmate Helmswoman Stephae, Navigator No-Thumbs Qwerty, Quartermaster Pussy Terro, Cook Seagull, Bosun Deeno, Lookout Greenboy
Synopsis: Captain D’Ja Mode introduces his crew of his vessel The Iron Maiden and embarks on the tenday journey to the Pirate Isles. The sailing is swift, but the horizon is ominous as the dark clouds promise stormy seas ahead. Flannigan’s promise of weather control goes overboard as the heavy weather strikes on the sixth day. The adventurers convert to deckhands as Deeno barks orders to clear the deck of ballast and non-essentials. Then the sails are taken down in lieu of raw manpower. As the ship is cleared and the deck battened down, the entire crew shifts below to use oars to power the ship through the storm. Come morning, the work is still not done. The ship’s deck is encased in ice requiring everyone to spend the morning and afternoon breaking the rigging and mast arm free from the dangerously top-heavy condition. Arriving at the Pirate Isles after the accurately predicted tenday, Qwerty daftly navigates the Spoon Waterway to the island of Telfar. The legendary Chimera Cove is on the eastside of the isle and Captain D’Ja Mode is convinced to delay his departure, waiting off-shore only until morning. The group lands just south of the cove but before any proper investigation is made, they are attacked by another group of adventurers. The battle is swift but victory is owned by the Adventurers Guild of Threshold. Looting the bodies, they find correspondence from one Poltur “the Accursed” requesting a cleric adorned with a holy symbol of Umberlee, the Bitch Queen of the Depths and 30 feet of silver line. The werebear Targas introduces himself to the party, depositing his contribution to the battle, the body of a Sembian baron. Targas relays that his village is responsible for protecting Chimera Cove, but has been sequestered by Poltur and his hobgoblin guard. Poltur, the grandson of Pelastour the founder of the village, seeks to release the “terrible treasure” of Chimera Cove for Sembian gold. Lead by Sentalial, the party impersonates the dead mercenaries and fools the hobgoblin guards into gaining entry to the village’s boathouse where the 24 villagers are held captive. Sentalial’s ruse is fleeting as the paladin leads the attack, resulting in dead and surrendered hobgoblins as well as freed villagers. Targas is accepted back into the community after a prolonged exile and the elders pull the group aside to explain the severity of the most recent events. The villagers are tasked to protect the secret of Chimera Cove, the secret that Poltur now threatens which could let the corrupt Sembia control all of the Sea of Fallen Stars and result in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands. This is the secret that the elders are entrusting the group with in hopes that they can intervene.
Encounters: violent winter storms of the Pirate Isles, Poltur’s mercenaries, Targas the werebear, 8 hobgoblin warriors
Achievements: survived sailing the Sea of Fallen Stars, discovered the elements of the ritual to lower the waters of Chimera Cove, freed the captured villagers, and restored Targas’ honor.

The Treasure of Chimera Cove

2009-06-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Characters: Bixtbie, Carn, Flannigan, Janora, Sentalial, X-Requinn
NPCs: Wicasa Wakan, Captain Rumjack, Captain D’Ja Mode, Teldar, Paladin of Torm Wessalen Arturia
Synopsis: They Call Him Carn arrives in Threshold and recruits several guild members to help him retrieve an artifact of great importance. They must travel to the Pirate Isles to the island called Telfar, home of Chimera Cove. Because to the current political turmoil in Westgate, They Call Him Carn has redirected his route to Teziir where he has heard rumors of a vessel capable of traversing the frozen Dragonmere. Departing for Teziir the group finds their journey crossing the frozen Dragon Coast long and cold, but finally reaches their destination, the wall-less city Teziir. A brief stop at Wicasa Wakan’s pottery shop yields the needed results. The man they are looking for is Captain Rumjack who’s at the Smelted Horse. Wicasa offers to sweeten the deal for They Call Him Carn’s crew. If they can derive the method Captain Rumjack uses to power his vessel, the potter will pay them 500 gold pieces. Moving to the Smelted Horse, the group finds the unmistakeable Rumjack who cannot take them to the Pirate Isles. A trip to the center of the Sea of Fallen Stars during the winter season would be suicide. But the man does offer voyage to the seasonal port city of Ice Flow, a collection of vessels and docks moored together at the edge of the iced-over Dragonmere. Surely they can find a fool there to take them east to the Pirate Isles. While enjoying the experience that is the Smelted Horse, the festivities are interrupted by three drunkards causing problems and verbally assaulting the group. The situation resolves itself as quickly as it began, and the group delivers the unconscious men to the city watch for processing. In the morning the rendezvous with Rumjack goes off without a hitch and the group experiences the magical properties of Rumjack’s vessel, the Wavecutter. Sumberged beneath the ice of the Dragonmere it is only a half-day’s journey to the port at Ice Flow. As soon as Rumjack deposits his passengers, the port is in total chaos. One of the docked ships is under attack by a massive sea worm. The captain screams to any who might listen offering a reward for the killing blow to the creature. The adventurers race onto the deck of the ship and engage the mighty serpent. Several of the combatants are snatched into the beast’s mouth as it takes successive blows. Just before it succumbs to the multitude of attacks, the quelzarn swallows Sentalial whole. Jenora slays the creature with a stealthy strike sending the sea monster plunging into the icy waters of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The group works together to cut the paladin loose, saving their comrade. Not as promised the captain of the ship comes up short for the reward monies, but Flannigan barters a trip to the island of Telfar assuring the captain that they can control the weather and thus expediting their trip. Convinced Captain D’Ja Mode introduces himself to his new sea-worthy crew.
Encounters: 3 Astorian thugs, quelzarn
Achievements: reached Ice Flow and secured a ship to take them to the Pirate Isles

Mettik’s Journal

2009-06-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

Characters: Forkbeard, Janora, Krullix, Marlet & Unger, Trizoon, X-Requinn
NPCs: Caravan Master Adoward Moonshadow, Nerius Bootlum, Mettik
Synopsis: Krullix staggers into the guild hall from the wintered streets, worn from forced march. In a dire voice he ekes out that he a Janora were escorting a caravan west towards Ilipur when it was attacked. Krullix is the only one to make it back; Janora was taken along with everyone else. Trizoon gathers a rescue team including X-Requinn, Marlet and Forkbeard. Using Krullix as a guide the group prepares to depart put does some investigation regarding the caravan’s origin. Krullix says that Nerius Bootlum was using the caravan to deliver an item west, so the group goes to gather more information. Nerius says the item is an enchanted coffin to be delivered to Therhana Waveharp in Ilipur. The magical crafter says that the caravan was guided under Master Adoward Moonshadow, one known for his reputable services. The group wastes no more time and retraces Krullix’s steps back to the ambush. They follow humanoid tracks back into the hills leading to a cavern entrance, where they are attacked by guardian bugbears. The cavern entrance yields a large underground complex that uses varying platforms and rope ladders to delver further into the earth. After destroying two giant spiders, the party finds Janora hanging in the webbing and barely alive. She is healed and moves with the group to find someone who can only be the mastermind. A lone elf is hunched over a desk in a sparsely decorated chamber. With too many evil creatures already slain, the group doesn’t allow the elf to react as they launch to attack. In only seconds the scholar is killed, leaving only his journal indicating that his name was Mettik. The group expedites their withdrawal from the complex and makes for Threshold, content that one of their own has been saved from a disasterous end.
Encounters: three bugbears, humanoid spider creature, two giant spiders, Mettik the elven scholar
Achievements: destroyed the caravan attackers, killed Mettik, and saved Janora.

The Wizards of Tendale and the Druids of Cedarspoke Summit

2009-06-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Krullix, Lazbin, Rathgillian
NPCs: Jebeddo, Karne, Wizards of Tendale
Synopsis: The adventurers consult with a revitalized Julbin Cometstrike, sage of Threshold. His hut is organized and reflects the new direction the master arcanist has taken. Interrupting his research, Rathgillian seeks assistance in restoring Lazbin’s mind. Julbin can only offer to open a portal to the inn where the Wizards of Tendale hold their summits and trade negotiations. It would seem that the Guild of Naturalists at some time in their past had interests inline with Tendale. Julbin opens the portal only after suggesting that Lazbin and Rathgillian would be a major asset should they decide to return and help the sage in a new quest. Perhaps in the future. The two move through the portal, appearing in the frozen mountains of separating the Dragon Coast from the Vilhoun Reach. Up ahead Rathgillian guides the feeble-minded wizard to the inn where the eldritch spellsword knight determines true north and very quickly leaves to find the only one he knows to cure Lazbin’s affliction, Gallipolas. An hour’s journey finds his comrades standing amidst the ruins of a heard of might stags. The group had been attacked but easily outmatched the group of outsider beasts. Deciding to camp for the night, the Defenders break out and discuss their options. In the morning the group moves north to the Wizards’ inn and stake out the location. Gallipolas and Aramir infiltrate the two-story establishment, finding only wizards, stable boys and chefs. The ninja halfling ghost-steps through the rooms killing two unsuspecting wizards before meeting up with the elf druid. The two agree to bring the others in through a back door and assault the unsuspecting wizards. With disguises, subterfuge, and pre-equipped spells the melee begins after Gallipolas poses as Lady Nerisis and is caught when one of the wizards realizes he is an imposter; he had only just left the Lady of Tendale in the other room. Their cover is blown so the invisible attackers strike, quickly decimating the unprepared denizens of the inn. Blasting their way into the guarded portion, Gallipolas’ spells bring down the guardians and the house. The once-protected lounge is now empty accept for abandoned writings of the Historian. The draconic script implicates the Defenders, but also stops abruptly as it seems his was taken in the midst of scribing. The last line simply states that the Defenders discover they must travel to Cedarspoke to retrieve the Firehill Runestones. The burning establishment is vacant of any trace of the wizards, save for the victims of the invasion, dead beneath the collapsed flooring. The Historian is gone.
Encounters: a herd of Rejkars, an enclave of wizards, sorcerers, and mercenary rangers
Achievements: regained Lazbin’s mental prowess, infiltrated the Wizards of Tendale resort in the Orsraun Mountains, lost an opportunity to procure the Historian, acquired the Historian’s writings for the day uncovering a clue to the Shadow Lord’s puzzle.

Revenge of the Master Scryer Saluth

2009-05-27T16:17:00.000-07:00

Characters: Hlinthi, Lazbin, Nobanion, Rathgillian, Softfoot, Trizoon, V.L., Zaytheon
NPCs: Kirken, Saluth
Synopsis: Uninterested in the tracking of the Historian, Lazbin and Rathgillian return to Threshold to enjoy the relative seclusion the town offers. The better part of a tenday is spent researching new spells and finally relaxing after what seems like a lifetime of adventuring. Softfoot meets the two at the Verse updating them on the failed negotiations between Dorian and the Wizards of Tendale. The halfling had excused himself, choosing not to indulge in the quest for the Historian any longer. More interested in their research, Softfoot suggests the local sage Julbin Cometstrike for additional information on spell mastery and unusual arcane knowledge. The three make for the mage’s hut, but their inquiry is summarily checked when the mage’s brownie apprentice doesn’t recognize them. Kirken suggests friendlier faces from the guild hall and shuts the door. Undeterred Lazbin and Rathgillian recruit several other friendly faces, gathering the quasi-leaders of the Adventurers’ Guild of Threshold Trizoon, Hlinthi, and Nobanion. Zaytheon and V.L. recognize their sometimes companions and journey along for the ride, more interested in the updates with the Historian and the Army of Nature’s Wrath than any sorcery. Appearing on the snowed-over streets near Jublin’s hut, a cluster of vile and disgusting demons magically appears. Standing behind them, cackling about revenge and death, is Saluth. Instinctively both Lazbin and Rathgillian reach for their amulets of non-detection, realizing too late that they adorn different amulets. The gnome illusionist Ninove had warned them about the master scryer’s abilities, but it went unheeded. The cursing and gnashing of teeth is unrelenting and with a wave of his hand Saluth releases the devils on the group. The targets of the devil are instantly recognized as both Rathgillian and Lazbin are directly attacked. A swarm of miniaturized devils envelopes Lazbin but before he can retaliate, Saluth wickedly casts the feeble mind spell upon the blood mage, swiping his intellect. Reverting to his true instincts, Lazbin flies into the frosty sky to escape. The other devils form an effective front for Saluth, but Rathgillian accepts the inevitable hits as his charges his nemesis and assaults Saluth directly. The assassin devil vanishes, striking from its hidden niche. The legion devils act as one unit, striking with unerring accuracy at the heroes. The tide turns when Rathgillian critically wounds Saluth and Hlinthi follows with a flame strike, bathing the wizard in a shower of fire. The combination overwhelms Saluth’s defenses and his charred corpse crumbles into the bloodied snow. Concentrating on their remaining enemies, the group surrounds their invisible foe after ending the legion devil collective. With the strike force dismantles the assassin devil and the devil swarm vanishes without a trace. A quick assessment of Lazbin yields uneasy results. His feeble mind can only be healed by the magic of the druid Gallipolas who is miles from Threshold in the vast that is the Orsraun Mountains.
Encounters: Saluth, four legion devils, an assassin devil, and an ayperobos swarm
Achievements: killed the master scryer for the Forces of Mystenaculis, recognized the importance of wearing Mikailis’ amulets of non-detection.

The Intercept of the Divine Hammer

2009-05-27T16:13:00.002-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Jebeddo, Karne, Krullix
NPCs: Mikailis, the Divine Hammer
Synopsis: At the rendezvous point, the group surprises two trolls investigating the decaying husk of the nine-headed hydra and quickly deals with the minor obstruction. Teleporting back to Reddansyr after the failed negotiations with the Wizards of Tendale, Dorian brings his companions to face Mikailis. The former apprentice is curt and reluctantly informs his old master of their progress, or more accurately their regress. Words are not lost between the two as Dorian lets the leader of the League of Wizards know that the elf intends to see this through. Mikailis can only offer a suggestion. The master wizard is aware of safe house used by the Wizards of Tendale on occasion. If the exchange is to occur, it is likely at this location. He then locates a trail out of Gulthmere Forest, a path to the safe house. Dorian gathers the others and exhausts his teleportation to bring them to Kelvin. It is a two-day march to the trail and another half-day of forced march to reach the safe house. Well after sundown, the group encounters a magical sphere. Aramir scouts ahead only to be spotted by a shape changer. As a polar bear, the beast throttles the halfling before reinforcements have a chance to act. Melee erupts as the polar bear is flanked by three others emerging from the protective bubble. Forkbeard charges into combat but the other three become entangled in Dorian’s summoned tentacles. The polar bear is the first to fall and Aramir is quickly brought back from the brink of death. Cries from the group leader reveal two names: Mahguvial and Otiluke. But no remorse is offered for the other three as their role in the ambush yields retribution. Inspecting the cart escorted by the Divine Hammer, they find only a large chest with too many gold coins to count. The small fortune in gold pieces reveals that it was only payment involved for the trade as this was no doubt the envoy of the Army of Nature’s Wrath. Standing in blood-stained snow, the group wonders what they have resorted to and is there a line between justice and revenge being crossed. Is the long arm of the Shadow Lord manipulating them too?
Encounters: two hill trolls, the Divine Hammer
Achievements: Intercepted the Army of Nature’s Wrath’s payment for the exchange of the Historian, annihilated the Divine Hammer

Backfired Negotiations with the Wizards of Tendale

2009-05-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Forkbeard, Gallipolas, Krullix, Softfoot
NPCs: tavern owner of the Old Dung Cow Rick Meros, leader of the Wizards of Tendale Lady Nerisis, pick-pocket Frootilin, Leord Falconflight, wizard apprentice Ylathera Hollisharp
Synopsis: Dorian teleports back to Threshold to ensure that the spell is now accurate. After losing precious time to the teleportation snare, the group arrives in Geron behind schedule including those more inclined for stealth and/or negotiation. Three days of travel result in the comrades arriving outside of the city, but also a potential meal for a multi-headed hydra. The creature is immediately destroyed but offers a savory meal for Forkbeard who enjoys the flash-fried hydra meet. The neutral city of Tendale is in fact intact and prospering from wartime trade. A street urchin unfortunately selects the group as a thieving target and is quickly brought down after a brief chase. Dorian magicks him to be their guide and the party ends up at the sage Leord Falconflight’s small store Books & More. The elder sage puffs his pipe and offers his contacts with the wizards’ council of Tendale. Well met and invited, the wizard of the highest order Lady Nerisis speaks softly and kindly to the party. Talks include mention of the Historian and the female wizard offers greater insight to the trade deal. The druids of Cedarspoke have countered with exclusive trade rights as well as a dowry for the exchange of the Historian. A deal was already struck with the Council of the Divine and the exchange is to occur in three days. The Divine Hammer, a militant group representing the Council, is already enroute for the drop. Acting as the spokesman for the group Dorian attempts to intercept the deal with trade rights with Teziir as well as matching the offer. Lady Nerisis is reluctant and excuses herself to discuss the offer with the other members of the council. Dorian’s interpretation is that the offer is being rejected outright and the elf decides that magic may help sway Lady Nerisis’ opinion. The spell fails and the female vacates the room sounding the alarm. With only seconds to react the group makes an escape route disintegrating the room’s wall to the outside. Repositioning themselves for the inevitable attack, they turn their attention to the gathering of forces outside of the chamber. Dorian’s delayed blast fireball spell goes horribly wrong when a massive fire elemental returns it to the elf, igniting the whole room in a bath of fire. Their boy guide Frootilin is incinerated in the blast. A small force of elementals follows suit and a massive battle breaks out. Fighting through to their last options, the group finally destroys the elementals but another platoon of soldiers under the protection of spells advances. Out of time and out of luck, the group retreats to the identified rendezvous point, the carcass of the hydra.
Encounters: 9-headed hydra, large air, fire, and earth elementals, medium earth and fire elementals.
Achievements: ruined negotiations with the Wizards of Tendale for the exchange of the Historian, accidental death of an innocent child, eliminated any good will that may have come with the potential allies, learned of the deal for the exchange of the Historian with the Council of the Divine of the Army of Nature’s Wrath.

Teleport Gone Awry

2009-05-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Characters: Aramir, Dorian, Gallipolas, Pardonei, Zaytheon
NPCs: Pandira, Wystamitch
Synopsis: Dorian and Gallipolas assemble the group to teleport into Geron to begin the hunt for the Historian. As the spell is cast the group finds themselves in a round room lined with a silvery lattice. It is not Geron. Enclosed within a tower somewhere on the shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars, Dorian’s spell has failed. From below, two human females Pandira and Wystamitch climb the stairs and make introductions. They too were errantly teleported into this tower, and are separated from their companions. Having been at this location for some time, their exploration has found the escape but it is guarded by some fearsome creature. Gallipolas suspects their timely arrival, but focuses on gathering information about their current whereabouts. Leaving the tower as a small bird, it takes a fraction of an hour for Gallipolas to decipher their whereabouts. But the elf also finds the potential source of their problems. On the floor above them, a massive crystal resonates magic. The group ascends the stairs to investigate further, at which point two eel-like creatures with hideous faces strike from a hidden niche. Working well as a unit, the companions deal quickly with the threat. Dorian destroys the crystal device with a sonic blast that reverberates throughout the level, painfully striking the group itself. But the device is no more, only a pile a crystal shards. The two females they encountered earlier reappear only to attack the off-put group. As the battle quickly turns against the female humans, they attempt to flee, only to be cut down before their portal collapses. Observing that the wizard’s teleportation spell was successful, Dorian collects the others and vanishes from the tower, free from its magical clutches.
Encounters: a wizard, a fighter, two nagas
Achievements: destroyed the teleportation trap.

The Shadow Lord Escapes!

2009-04-17T13:45:00.000-07:00

Characters: Carn, Dorian, Gallipolas, Karne, Pardonei, Rathgillian, Sentalial
NPCs: Purple Knights of Cormyr, Freutin General of the Amry of Nature’s Wrath, Roan the page boy, Calimir High Priest of Torm, Zalaznar Crinios Benevolent Tyrant of Cedarspoke and Secretary General of the Council of the Divine
Synopsis: After several sunrises, the Defenders have rested and restored themselves. With the rear forces of the Black Legion sent astray by the deaths of their commanders, the Circle of Holundi has taken advantage and refortified their position. Just before the sun rises after a tenday, the alarm is sounded calling Defenders from their sleep to the converted prison at the Temple of Oghma. The Purple Knight responsible for guarding the Shadow Lord was subdued and the cage lock sundered. Landryn Teriak has escaped! Dorian is beyond reasoning and rejects the leadership of the League of Wizards as ineffective and short-sighted. After a quick head count, there are several Defenders of the Dragon Coast who are absent: V.L., They Call Him Carn, and Lord Topaz. Forkbeard cannot find any trail when Rathgillian discovers that his helm of teleportation is missing. With no tracks to follow, Alyssic turns to her deity Heironeous, asking particular questions to bring the mass murderer back into custody. The inquiry reveals that the Shadow Lord was freed by They Call Him Carn and has traveled to Cedarspoke using the helm of teleportation. The evil human is under the protection of the Army of Nature’s Wrath and his fears are dominated by himself becoming undead. Under the final question, the Shadow Lord cannot predict the actions of the Defenders without the Historian, the keeper of all things present. The group departs for Cedarspoke via Pardonei’s and Dorian’s magic, arriving after dusk. To gather more information Gallipolas communes with the local natural forces and finds that the Shadow Lord is within the seedy tavern The Hoe, They Call Him Carn is in the high quality inn The Silver Scythe, and the Shadow Lord’s strongest ally is the Council of the Divine. As Gallipolas is interpreting the responses, the group is attacked by a massive rampaging forest sloth that tears into Sentalial and Rathgillian before being destroyed by the party. The following morning the Defenders are given audience with the general of the Army of Nature’s Wrath Freutin. With the utmost respect Freutin relays the Army’s success of holding the eastern front of the war, preserving the characteristic of Cedarspoke having never been invaded. After an exchange of information detailing recent successes on and off the battlefield, the Defenders are escorted to the Temple of Silvanus, the converted headquarters of the Army of Nature’s Wrath under the command of the Council of the Divine. Again the Defenders are given an immediate audience with the 12 members of the Council. The breakout of the Shadow Lord resulted in the deliverance of Landryn Teriak to the Army of Nature’s Wrath. The situation escalates when the Shadow Lord himself is brought to the Council’s chambers. A sly and sometimes disingenuous Landryn Teriak iterates what he has to offer. The Shadow Lord is the only one capable of interpreting the writings of someone he calls the Historian, a keeper of records in the present tense. It is suspected that the Historian has documented the current events and his scrolls will reveal the actions of the Black Legion as they occur. The Council has imprisoned the Shadow Lord and continues questioning him. The Defenders are incensed that the Council is considering the words of the mass murderer and challenges their authority to house their ex-prisoner. The Council of the Divine offers a unification of sorts. They will release Landryn Teriak to the Defenders under an escort that will serve as an envoy of the Army of Nature’s Wrath to the Circle of Holundi on the western front of the war. This escort is a collective referred to as the Divine Hammer, and they will represent the Council in the west. Their offer is summarily rejected by the Defenders who withdrawl from the chambers just short of hostility. Zalaznar Crinios the Secretary General of the Council of the Divine is both embarrassed and stunned at the complete lack of respect. Calimir High Priest of Torm lectures Sentalial of respect for his superiors and respect for the chain of command. Zalaznar warns Gallipolas that the elf is throwing away massive potential out of spite. Spitting on the temple floor, Gallipolas leads his companions out of Cedarspoke and back to the forest. There they decide to return to Reddansyr, report of their findings, and rendezvous in Threshold to discuss their options.
Encounters: prisoner escape in Reddansyr, forest sloth, Army of Nature’s Wrath in Cedarspoke, Council of the Devine
Achievements: uncovered the potential traitor They Call Him Carn, traveled to Cedarspoke to investigate, discovered the whereabouts of Landryn Teriak the Shadow Lord, witnessed the complacency of the Council of the Divine with respect to the Shadow Lord, learned that the Historian is in Tendale and is going to be retrieved by agents of the Council of the Divine known collectively as the Divine Hammer.

Song of the Sword of Geron and Other Hidden Treasures by Jarvis Blackgreaves and the Black Widows

2009-04-07T22:28:00.000-07:00

Characters: Hlinthi, Jebeddo, Marlet & Unger, Sentalial, Trizoon, X-Requinn, Zatheon
NPCs: Jarvis Blackgreaves, Quint, Fah-Ceia Camm, locals of The Verse, Marvin Sage of Geron
Synopsis: Successfully returning from the Underdark with the rescued denizens of Threshold and Westgate, Trizoon leads the group to The Verse for drinks and discussion of what is next. A boisterous troupe has arrived in Threshold having heard to great tales of adventure by the small town’s occupants. Leading the trio is Jarvis Blackgreaves fronting two raven-haired twin sisters ominously referred to as the Black Widows. His performance is fantastic despite the misgivings of Trizoon. The visiting songsmith has attracted a small crowd following the performance which quickly dissipates under the magicks of the looming bard. One of the songs has sparked an interest in several of the guild members, notably the Sword of Geron. Prompting the entertainer to divulge his source, Jarvis yields that his hard-earned prize was retrieved from a tomb of riches outside of Geron. But the adventurers are cryptically warned that the tomb rests below ancient battlegrounds haunted by undead. X-Requinn attempts to coax the bard into leading a small group to the tomb as the artifacts must be retrieved and studied. Jarvis is having none of the pandering as he reminds the group that his interaction with his audience is limited to performances only. He points to another member of the audience at The Verse, fingering Quint the Navigator, captain of the Sea Jay Mark III. A friend of the Dragon Coast resistance, Quint offers voyage to Geron as he has made many acquaintances there. The party leaves the following morning arriving in the small town close to nightfall. The stories of undead come true the following day. Speaking with the crotchety old man Marvin, they are warned to avoid the randomly laid orchid and the seas of weeds and overgrowth adjacent to his property. During the initial reconnaissance the party is ambushed by ghouls lying in wait for potential victims. In the midst of battle, a ghostly black spirit arrives on horseback floating above the uneven ancient battlefield. Moving with swift speed and striking many times, the black guard is elusive against the group’s attacks. Even the mighty Sentalial’s holy sword isn’t enough to break the armor of their attacker. Its mount is not so luck as it becomes the primary target. The encounter is joined by who can only be Marvin the caretaker. His spells summoned from the god of filth Bane are devastating. Trizoon and Sentalial are caught in a storm of flame, and the combined injuries are more than Sentalial can withstand. The paladin of Torm falls dead joining uncounted others in the ancient battlegrounds. Rallying around the cries for revenge from Jebeddo, the group disables the flying black guard by slaying its mount and dropping it to earth. Trizoon completes the task by destroying the undead lancer. Zatheon’s arrows strike true as does Jebeddo’s magic bringing down the flying Marvin. Hlinthi races to retrieve Sentalial’s spirit, bring his soul back to the Material Plane. Through interrogation it is uncovered that the follower of Bane is in fact Joaquin Blackdawn. Promising justice for his black deeds, the group visits the revived shrine of Heironeous near the battleground. They are met with the angel Aramus Moonbow who thanks them for their efforts to release Bane’s hold on the grounds. The angel promises to reveal truths, but only to followers of Heironeous. But for their aid he deals immediate and final justice to the cleric of Bane, obliterating his material presence. The group returns to the cottage to find the animated dead bodies of the previous owners. Mercy is giving and the cottage is destroyed, burnt to the ground along with Blackdawn’s sundered offerings to his evil deity. Geron offers more secrets, but for another time and with other guild members.
Encounters: seven ghouls, undead black guard lancer and nightmare mount, Joaquin Blackdawn Cleric of Bane
Achievements: destroyed the haunt of the ancient battlegrounds, freed the angel of Heironeous Aramus Moonbow, dealt justice to Joaquin Blackdawn, and hallowed the grounds of the long-dead farmers of Geron.