Skarwall Keep – Extraction and the Return

• 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.
  

Skarwall Keep – Haunted Traps & the Chained Spirit

• 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.

Skarwall Keep – The Deadwatchers & the Skeletal Lancer

• 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.

The Lighthouse Sting

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

The Ruin of Chimera Cove

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

The Race Against the Terraken

• 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.

Pelastour’s Hidden Cove

• 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

• 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

• 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

The Shadow Lord Escapes!

• 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.

Llewmorc the Damned

• Characters: Alyssic, Aramir, Carn, Cromwell, Gallipolas/Fig, Lazbin, Rathgillian, Roywyn, V.L., Vindicus


• NPCs: League of Wizards, Llewmorc the Damned


• Synopsis: With the Black Legion amassing at Reddansyr, reports come in that the giant-kind forces have sent regiments to either side of the town to flank the Circle of Holundi. The new General of the Black Legion Llewmorc the Damned rides atop the massive black dragon Blastimithican and now leads the giant-kind forces north to the Dragonmere. The recently revived Dunrick the Daring has joined his old master in the ranks of the League of Wizards and reveals the sick truth behid Llewmorc. The new general is a conglomeration of the Defenders held captive in his tower so many moons ago. His strengths are an amalgam of the greatest traits of Cromwell, Gallipolas, Lazbin, Rathgillian, and Vall, deriving most of his characteristics from Cromwell. Dunrick was only at the beginning of creation. Evidently his work was scavenged from the remains of his tower and completed by Mystenaculis. This can only mean that their greatest enemy is truly present on the Material Plane. But the present task at hand is to thwart the three-pronged attack from the rear forces of the Black Legion. The Defenders are dispatched to eliminate one of the branches of the attack, the one that has already crossed the River Reddan and is the most immediate threat. Gallipolas, Roywyn and Carn take to the skies as the druid shape shifts into a giant eagle. The Black Legion regiment is located and the rest of the Defenders join the scouts. The attack is swift and violent as magic erupts across the shores of the River Reddan. The rivers water rise to drown orcs, walls of fire scorch giants, and ice and comets drop from the skies. The majority of the Black Legion troops are destroyed as the Defenders move in to mop up the rest. Gallipolas raises a wall of thorns and entraps some of the enemy while Lazbin tricks two other giants into thinking they themselves are enemies. Vindicus looses a volley of magic and the Defenders systematically dismantle the remnants of the front line. The group storms the rear of the regiment to finish off the Black Legion forces. But as combat rages the mighty black dragon Blastimithican soars to the battle field and lands with Llewmorc the Damned mounted on its back. The half-elf’s forked tongue spews evil, demanding that Mintassan the Planeswalker be returned to his care in Westgate. The parlay continues as Llewmorc promises not to raze the rest of the Dragon Coast. Lazbin and Gallipolas signal the others to prepare for battle as the remaining giants surround the defenders. Lazbin drops a glass bead summoning Cromwell, who appears and engages Llewmorc. The battle is vicious as no combatant holds back. The Defenders are throttled as each is only mildly successful. On the brink of death, Carn vanishes to the Plane of Shadow. V.L. succumbs to the blasts from the stone giant’s club. Rathgillian withdraws from combat and is rescued by Gallipolas. Alyssic retreats from the black dragon trying to draw the healing powers from Heironeous to close her wounds. The Defenders regroup and rally behind the might of Cromwell and the bravery of Vindicus. Attacking the remaining giants, the others quickly kill the minions. Cromwell summons a field of whirling blades that shreds Llewmorc and Vindicus stands toe-to-toe against the black dragon. Through the elf’s magic, the dragon’s attacks fail as the great beast finally falls crashing down to the shores of the River Reddan. With their enemy vanquished the Defenders limp back to Reddansyr, but not before dropping the head of Blastimithican into the camp of the Black Legion. They bring the body of Llewmorc back to the League of Wizards and contemplate the arrival of Mystenaculis to the war.
• Encounters: an army of 300 orcs, 12 hill giants, 12 stone giants, 3 storm giants, Llewmorc the Damned, black dragon Blastimithican


• Achievements: Destroyed the new General of the Black Legion, Llewmorc who was reported to have been bred for warfare by Balethemos the Black and trained in the arcane arts by Mystenaculis. Slew the huge black dragon Blastimithican. Wrecked the morale of the rear armies of the Black Legion.
  

Return of Dunrick the Daring

• Characters: Aramir, Carn, Gallipolas & Fig, Hadith, Lazbin, V.L.
  



• NPCs: League of Wizards, Dunrick the Damned
  



• Synopsis: With the League of Wizards reformed and consisting of Mikailis, Gronchiss, Merty, Yulimmi, Loothum, Vindicus and Lazbin, the first order of task is to find and subdue Dunrick the Damned. Dunrick is the disgraced apprentice to Loothum, and the gnome still holds hope that he is redeemable. If the defenders can capture him and bring him back alive, Dunrick might hold the key to disabling the army of golems under the Dragon Coast Alliance’s control. Before Loothum was murdered, he dispatched his apprentice to the small farming community of Fallow where his apprentice was researching the great golem-maker Tyron Capell. Dunrick was communicating his learned knowledge and understanding of golem creation to Loothum via messengered letters while the gnome master wizard was advising Holundi in Tendale. Loothum read the series of letters that unofficially documented Dunrick’s mental collapse as his apprentice discovered the red glowing ore desposits in the nearby Orsraun Mountains. Dunrick was on the verge of a great discovery: the ability to make golems sentient beings. But the red glowing ore easily eclipsed Dunricks studies but before Loothum could intervene the Elven Star was stolen from Tendale setting the region’s historic events into motion. Loothum speculates that his apprentice is somewhere near the failed settlement of Fallow, and that if he can be brought in, his studies can be completed. With Dunrick’s untapped knowledge the Circle of Holundi can give life to the golems, liberating them from the Dragon Coast Alliance, and eliminating their primary defense. Then the Circle of Holundi can sack Westgate. The group of adventurers travels to the base of the Orsraun Mountains near Fallow and begin their trek towards the summit. They find Ragnov, the disgraced bodyguard to Dunrick the Damned’s brother Derrick. She is imprisoned in a crow’s cage, and barely human. Having failed Dunrick, she now serves as a warning to all trespassers. Following tracks up the mountain slope, they find a trail lined with pikes, each adorned with a decapitated head of a horned devil. The group battles a guardian roper and a legion of fiendish gnolls and hobgoblins before reaching the main mining chamber. Red glowing ore has been collected from below into a massive chamber where they find the delinquent Dunrick, or what they think is their target. Loothum’s apprentice has grafted pieces of the red glowing ore onto his body and surrounded himself in a natural cavity for the red glowing ore. Stacks of the ore climb to the ceiling and litter the cavern, creating an overpowering crimson hue that drowns out all other color. As the group tries to penetrate Dunrick’s chamber, they are each overwhelmed by the power of the red glowing ore and compelled to seek their personal desires. With Gallipolas’ mighty will they are able to overcome the crippling effects and subdue Dunrick by magicking him into a toad. The group returns with their hard fought prize and witness the revival of Loothum’s apprentice. The man simultaneously recalls every evil deed he has executed over the past tenyear and collapses under the weight of grief and remorse. Finally through tears he recalls the death of his brother Derrick and a lost love named Patricia.

• Encounters: Ragnov, roper, half-fiend gnoll horde, purple worm, Dunrick the Damned
  



• Achievements: Extracted Dunrick from his mined collection of the red glowing ore.

The Missing Messenger Boy

• Characters: Carn, Dak, Rog, Teldowen, X-Requinn
• NPCs: Kline, Rort, Gendrew
• Synopsis: After a brief dealing with the town potion-maker Kline, Adventurers at The Verse overhear of the chef Gendrew’s dilemma: a messenger boy named Raj has failed to show up. Rort solicits the Adventurers to back-track the boy’s path and find out where he is. The group heads north and finds the abandoned Ram’s Horn Abbey, a known hideout for the Clan of the Black Veils which is lead by Molly McTynker. Entering the establishment, they are attacked by four undead monks before finding the body of Raj at the bottom of a pit trap.
• Encounters: four monk mummies, false floor of the bell tower
• Achievements: uncover the fate of Raj and recover rare and exotic mushrooms for cooking.

The Stink of Teziir

• Characters: Aramir, Carn, Draelyn, Ilora, Illdric, Mack, Wicasa
• NPCs: Algie Kettlewhistle, Weston
• Synopsis: Wicasa brings fellow guild members to Teziir to help with a merchant delivery from Iriaebor, the City of 1,000 Spires from the House of Larell. Algie Kettlewhistle, the brother of Wicasa’s hireling Perry Kettlewhistle of the halfling city Cliffside, and member of the ratcatcher guild is missing. Wicasa completes a transaction with a blacksmith named Potter Holm, but the group is attacked by the thugs of the thieves’ guild Astorians. Adventurers investigate the ratcatcher’s guild and uncover that the halfling guild master Weston has also disappeared. The group enters the sewers and uncovers the hidden layer of the wererat Beila and kill her and her cats. They find Algie and Weston alive and free them, along with paperwork indicting Beila’s brother Vernon.
• Encounters: gang of eight Astorian thugs, Beila the wererat and her two cats.
• Achievements: rescue Algie (thus earning his cousin Perry’s loyalty to Wicasa), rescue Weston (thus earning favors of the ratcatchers’ guild), uncover documents of ownership of the garbage collectors’ guild and the sewer-workers’ guild, and drawn attention of the Astorians of Teziir.

Frontal Assault on Black Rock

• Characters: Aramir, Carn, Hlinthi, Pardonei, Teldowen, Trebbor, Trizoon
• NPCs: Julbin Cometstrike, Kirken, Nilmith, Wa’Oolum Blystem
• Synopsis: Hlinthi gathers Adventurers at his hidden Shrine of Garl Glittergold and Trizoon is a recipient of a vision of the gnome god of the ancient cleric-bard Beldishor. Hlinthi discovered a tortured Wa’Oolum who escaped the clutches of Faliz. The Beast Tamers caretaker uncovered a plot by giant-kind of the Giant’s Run Mountains steal artifacts and treasure from the deep gnome collective of Burrock. Julbin teleports Adventurers to the stone giant stronghold Black Rock with the mission that the scrolls of Beldishor must be retrieved and preserved.
• Encounters: trickery of the stone guard sentry, stone giant hunter and chef Drowlock, stone giant dire wolf handler Hogarth, stone giant couple Duggan and mistress, two stone giants of six from the mess hall
• Achievements: distracted the contingent of stone giants using subterfuge, stealth, and illusion