The Fall of the Black Legion

• 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.
  

Mask’s Assam and the Lord of the Black Guardsmen

• 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.

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.
  

Protecting the Teziiran Trade Route

• Characters: Dorian, Gallipolas, Softfoot
• NPCs: Janora Spelloyal, Nerius Bootlum
• Synopsis: Jenora Spelloyal races into town, furiously driving a wagon. The caravan she lead was sacked by frost giants on their way to Teziir. Jenora was hired by Nerius Bootlum to deliver goods to the nearby city. The only surviors are in the bed of the wagon; all of the additional security guards were slain. Gallipolas and Dorian gather Softfoot to go and seek vengeance on the giants and to check their trespassing. After teleporting to the area and searching for the remains of the caravan, the trio find the entrance to a relatively new lair. The infiltration begins immediately as one sentry after another is destroyed. They find the frost giant leader Gungir who is disintegrated and the frost giant queen who is burned to death in a shower of flame. The group releases a prisoner of the giants, an abomination part giant, part dragon, taking the name Wrathgar. The huge beast is assured of his freedom and allowed to leave to search and seek and destroy other frost giants in the region.
  Encounters: den of four frost giants (including the clan leader Gungir), 2 ogres, 2 winter wolves, seven-headed cryohydra, skullcrusher ogre, dire bear, prisoner Wrathgar (dragon-kind centaur)
  
  Achievements: Obliterated a frost giant outpost at the foot of the Giant’s Run Mountains, and resecured the trade route west to Teziir. Gained an ally in the battle versus the Black Legion.

One Soul… Comin’ Right Up!

As former Defenders of Kelvin/New Kelvin, Circle of Holundai rebel group, and the Adventurers’ Guild of Threshold continues to make acquaintances and share resources, the town council of Threshold continues to have less and less control of the small settlement. Fortunately, Trizoon and Nobanion are vigilant to maintain order, even though the town council appears to be losing its power to the ever-growing Adventurers’ Guild. Threshold has become a veritable treasure trove of culture, adventuring classes, and might with the arrival of such dubious personalities: The Arch Mage Mikhailus, former leader of the Night Masks Assassin's Guild. Cromwell Blackwood, the Voice of Helm. Rathgillion, the seasoned Blood Mage. The renowned Gnomish Bard Roywyn. Also with Lazbin and Zedrick Neeley.

A meeting of the former Defenders of Kelvin/New Kelvin, Circle of Holundai rebel group, and the Adventurers’ Guild of Threshold is called to order. Two tasks lay in front of them before a direct assault on Mystenaculis’ stronghold in Westgate can be put into action. The soul of Forkbeard must be freed from its captivity in the gem that holds it. A mission to Westgate to find the sage, Mintassin Planeswalker, will further that end. Secondly, Reddansyr must hold against the Black Legion Forces that are set to launch a crushing, imminent, attack that threatens to crush the small city and have it serve as a staging ground against the last bastion of freedom this side if the Dragonreach: Threshold. The Black Legion’s reserve forces have suffered tremendous losses lately with the destruction of their ground forces commander Vendul, the giant Mountain Troll Champion. Also recently slain was the ice devil, Achriard, Mystenaculis’ liaison to Vendul. With the death of Vendul and Achriard, Mystenaculis has sent his new General of the Black Legion, Llewmorc the Damned to supervise the razing of Reddansyr, the destruction of the Leviathan that hinders his troops, the crushing of the defending forces that wait there, and prepare for the drive north to Threshold. Gull the Grimm’s spies have noted that Llewmorc the Damned is a hugely muscled, and agile half-elf wizard reported tutored in the black arts by Mystenaculis himself and bred for war by the now deceased Balethemos the Black. Llewmorc recently arrived at the Black Legion camp across the river from Reddansyr riding the mature adult black Dragon Blastimithican. Bastimithican, once belonging to Balethemos the Black’s son Grelzibus, has sworn vengeance against those that killed his master and drove him from the tower fortress in the Giants’ Run Mountains.

From the information gathered by Gull’s spies, the attack will come at any moment. Reddansyr is sorely outmatched without further aid.

The meeting adjourns with a small elite group planning to infiltrate Westgate to locate Mintassin, and the other, larger force heading south to defend Reddansyr. Mikhailis remains behind to help the Westgate infiltration group prepare for their journey along with Gull the Grimm and Zedrick Neeley.

Gull the Grimm’s Westgate spies (those that returned alive) report that Mintassin the Planeswalker has been rounded up as an enemy of the state by Mystenaculis’ Black Guard and is being held in the dungeons of the Ministry of Truth. The sage Mintassin has the unique ability communicate with all other planes of existence simultaneously and pull beings from one to another. Apparently a magical experiment in planar travel splintered his being into pieces of himself across the planes, each communicating with the other. What the Black Guard and Mystenaculis wants him for, one can only guess. As of two days prior, he was reportedly still alive…

The half-elven Sorceress Pardonei Cometstrike states that she knows a secret back way into the Ministry of Truth, as she had infiltrated it several months earlier with a small group of adventurers seeking to free the Naturalist Wa’Oolum. Bravely, Pardonei volunteers to lead the rescue party. The Elven Druid Gallipolas offers his hand in this party as does the Blood Mage, Lazbin. Deciding muscle is needed for this party in addition to spells, Rog, the Half-Orc barbarian offers to fill that role. Lastly, the party decides then need stealth as well as someone who can pick locks as well as disarm traps. They reluctantly agree on the assistance of Lord Topaz who offers his aid, amazingly at no cost. Gallipolas summons his dog, Fig, to join them and the party is complete.

Using a pair of Helm of Teleportation, the party transports to the old cemetery outside the Ministry of Truth in Westgate. They arrive early in the morning and instantly cast invisibility spells on the party. Pardonei’s voice leads them to the mausoleum of Lord Griterium Ah-N. The party enters the mausoleum and Pardonei shows them the sliding secret door at the back of the mausoleum. Lord Topaz enters the secret door and scouts ahead. He reports a massive stone stairway leading into the bowels of the earth.

Lord Topaz leads the party down several hundred feet of stone stairways that end in a stone wall. His scouting prowess indicated to the party that this stairway is seldom, if ever, used. They slide back the wall at the end of the stone stairway, which shifts easily, opening into a weapons and armor cache. A large anvil and forge dominate the center of the room, which is lined with various banded mail armor along the walls. The two doors to the room are blocked by six featureless clay Golems. Lord Topaz indicates that they are not active as he moves through the room. The party quickly files into the room and instruct Lord Topaz to pick the locks to the doors that bar their way. Revealing a set of adamantine lock picks, the stealthy mercenary quickly picks locks to both doors. Lazbin, again, laments at not studying harder in Rogue school.

After scouting the hallway beyond the door along the same wall as the secret door, Lord Topaz reports that the hallway goes on for over seventy feet. He reports the sounds, of what seems to be singing or chanting, as he progressed down the hallway. Gallipolas instructs him to scout the hallway beyond the other door as well. After ten minutes the mercenary returns to report a Dragonreach Alliance Trooper sentry guarding a door at the end of the second hallway. He also reports an alarm glyph on the floor just a few feet away from the sentry. Pardonei indicates that this hallway led to the torture room and prison cells that she freed Wa’Ooolum from after a doing battle with a Night Mask mage and the then Night Masks Leader, Plague Cougarsclaw.

Resonating throughout all the hallways is what Lord Topaz described as singing or chanting that seemed to get louder as the party descended the hallway.

As the party descends the hallway, Gallipolas changes his form to resemble another Dragonreach Alliance Trooper. His plan is to either charm his quarry for information or incapacitate him. The disguised Gallipolas approaches the Dragonreach Alliance Trooper and his ruse works, the trooper tells him to get back to his post as the Black Guard are in their morning prayers to Mystenaculis and will know if something is amiss. Casting a hold person spell, Pardonei incapacitates the trooper. She and Gallipolas toss the hapless trooper into one of their Bags of Holding. The party as a whole approaches the door and they hear screams of agony and torture coming from behind the door. Gallipolas and Lazbin decide that the hallway to the left of the door must be explored and any other sentries must be incapacitated.

All around them, the party can hear the chanting of what the sentry described as the Black Guard at prayer. Lazbin’s studies of the Infernal language allows him to translate the chants as prayers to Mystenaculis as some form of deity.

As the party rounds a corner in the hallway, they spy another lone Dragonreach Alliance Trooper guarding an ornate, black, wooden door. Like the previous Trooper, this one is clad in standard green scale armor and armed with a short bow as well as dual short swords at his sides. Another Hold Person spell from Pardonei and this trooper is also held in place. Rog chortles as he approaches this trooper with a rope and gag.

As Rog begins to bind the held trooper, he spies another, thirty feet down the hall, guarding a door. Spying the less than inconspicuous Half-Orc barbarian, this trooper draws his swords and sounds the alarm. Gallipolas sends Fig to contend with this new threat and the dog races across the hallway towards the armed Trooper. Rog tosses the helpless Trooper into his Bag of Holding and proceeds to bash down the ornate, black, wooden door in front of him.

As the door crashes in, clerical chants reach a crescendo in Infernal as the party takes in what is beyond this door. The room is a clerical temple and barracks to the Black Guardsman. There are six guardsman recently interrupted from prayer. Each is cloaked in black robes and hoods, their faces hidden. Gallipolas and Lazbin clearly recognize the symbol of Mystenaculis adorned on a black chain around each guardsman’s neck. The stench of awful, hellish, evil is thick and emanates like fog from this room.

Unfortunately, the guardsmen are not alone as three eight foot tall Bearded Devils wielding their wicked glaives stand between the party and the Black Guardsmen. Will Rog EVER be free of these taunting Devils?

The battle is joined by Rog, who roars and charges his evil arch enemies and is hit repeatedly by the magical wounding of the Bearded Devils’ glaives. A Silence spell from one of the Black Guardsman robs Lazbin of his spell casting so the Blood Mage draws his trusty mace. A volley of Magic Missile from Pardonei slams into one of the Bearded Devils causing it to yelp in pain. Gallipolas turns his Druidic magic on the casting Black Guardsman. His spell manages to blind and injure three of the guardsman while the other three blast the seasoned Druid with rays of black magic from their unholy symbols.

Behind the party a rear attack by another Trooper is foiled by Lord Topaz. He whisks four thrown daggers into the throat of the approaching Trooper. Gurgling, the trooper drops to the floor. He does not get up.

In the meantime, Fig continues to assault the trooper as his master ordered him to. The faithful dog rips through the armor of his opponent as the trooper continues to try to keep Fig at bay with his short swords. Rog slams his fists again and again into one of the Bearded Devils matching him blow for blow. Lazbin is skewered by one of the Devils and his wound begins to fester. Gallipolas begins casting a Wall of Fire spell as Lord Topaz takes to the front lines next to Rog, his infamous skull-capped dagger and curved dagger in his hands. Gallipolas’ Wall of Fire ignites the Black Guardsman but seemingly has no effect on the Bearded Devils.

The door behind the trooper that Fig is fighting opens to reveal another Dragonreach Alliance Trooper armed with a short bow who promptly puts three arrows into Lazbin. Pardonei turns and lets loose a Lightning Bolt spell into both the trooper on Fig and the new Trooper bearing the short bow. The smell of seared flesh and leather wafts throughout the hallway, however, both troopers still have some fight left in them.

Lord Topaz’s slashing daggers and zeal for slaughter begin to make short work of the Bearded Devil line as he immediately drops two of them. Gallipolas’ Wall of Fire spell further wounds the six Black Guardsman, driving three of them to the front line to face Rog and Lord Topaz. The three blinded Black Guardsman move away from the Wall of Fire and take refuge behind the remaining Bearded Devil. The Black Guardsman now draw black light maces from their belts and wade into combat with Lord Topaz and Rog.

Out in the hallway, Lazbin is set upon from the shadows a hideous undead creature in a black cloak and fine black leather armor. The creature, wearing the symbol of the Night Masks around his neck, slashes at the Blood Mage with a dagger and reaches a cold, undead claw for him. The unearthly cold from beyond the grave is draining, but the Blood Mage’s reflexes serve him well as he evades the creature’s life draining clutches. Gallipolas, seeing his friend in peril, lights up this new menace with a Flame Strike spell. The creature is engulfed in flame, but survives the Druid’s spell attack.

In the temple, Lord Topaz’s daggers rip through the Masterwork chain mail of the Black Guardsman as he cuts the throat of one and plunges his second dagger into the eye of another. Rog grabs the third guardsman on the front line and grapples him against the wall in an Earth’s Embrace. The sickly sound the guardsman’s ribs and bones breaking and his screams fill the room brings a sly smile to Lord Topaz as he continues his assault on the last Bearded Devil.

Out in the hall, Pardonei unleashes yet another Lightning Bolt spell at the two troopers, blowing a hole in one and tossing the other across the room. Both are slain.

Gallipolas summons another Flame Strike spell against the undead Night Mask assailant. This spell completely immolates the creature, leaving nothing but it’s daggers, black leather armor, and an enchanted rust colored bag.

Rog continues to crush the very life out of the Black Guardsman he is grappling, and finally manages to crush his opponent’s spine with a sickening crack. The Half-Orc howls in victory, however his wounds are continuing to fester.

As Lord Topaz managed to dispatch the last of the Bearded Devil shock troops, the three blind Black Guardsmen manage to magically Gate in three more Bearded Devils to protect them. Rog and Lord Topaz set upon these three with renewed relish. Rog and Lord Topaz take both blows from the wicked wounding Glaives of the devils but rays of black magic from the unholy symbols of the Black Guardsman.

The mercenary and barbarian make short work of the devils and the wounded Black Guardsman. The dreaded skull-capped dagger of Lord Topaz left one of the Devils and one of the Guardsman seemingly paralyzed. The mercenary indicated that they are not dead, but are suffering terribly. They cannot talk or divulge any information. Lazbin witnessed this strange magic on one of the Pit Fiends that was stabbed at the Gates of Hell by Lord Topaz.

The party regroups and all wounded are bound and healed by Gallipolas. Rog and Lazbin fester no more.

Pardonei leads the party to the door down the hall guarded by the Dragonreach Alliance Trooper she so capably blew a hole through with her Lightning Bolt spell. The door leads to the torture chamber and prison cells of the Ministry of Truth. The stench of death, urine, and rotting corpses hangs heavily in the air here.

Three cells appear to be occupied by those other than the dead. A voice cries out for Lazbin and Gallipolas from one of the cells. It is Councilwoman Morgan Camm. She is barely recognizable by the druid and Blood Mage as she has been beaten, starved, and tortured. She pleads for freedom and she is released.

The occupant of the second cell answers to the name of Mintassin, A very wizened old man. He has been tortured and starved as well. The Planeswalker is released contingent on his promise to retrieve the soul of Forkbeard from the soul gem that it is imprisoned in. The Planeswalker happily agrees for his freedom.

The occupant of the last cell holds up a sickly, cold, gray hand and pleads for the party to stay away from him. He averts his face from the party but calls Gallipolas and Lazbin by name. The two ask the prisoner his name. He prisoner lifts his head up to face the party. It is Sir Vesten Roh-Jar… Although his countenance suggests one who recently has been turned into the Undead, he very much resembles the undead creature Gallipolas destroyed in the outer hallway. Sir Vesten pleads for the party not to leave him in his current state. He states that he was the one responsible for Cormyr not joining the Dragonreach Alliance as he has been smuggling information out of Westgate to his cousin Zelothian Roh-Jar in Cormyr. He states his cousin is a Purple Dragon Knight of Cormyr and will be leading an advance force across the Dragonreach as the vanguard of the Cormyrian Army. He was recently discovered by the deductive magic of the Black Guard, tortured, and thrown in prison. His transformation into undead happened only recently, but he retained some of his human personality and was kept imprisoned until his undead hatred of the living began to take effect.

Gallipolas and Lazbin assure the ill-fated Sir Vesten Roh-Jar that his cousin has indeed reached them and has led the advance forces of the Cormyrian Army to destroy the Black Legion and free Westgate from Mystenaculis. At this point, Sir Vesten pleads to be sent to the halls of his father’s in death. Lazbin sadly ends the life of the noble Sir Vesten Roh-Jar.

As the party dispatches the brave freedom fighter, a cloud of fire and brimstone fills the far end of the room. From the cloud emerge six more fully armed Black Guardsman and Councilman Dimloch armed with a brightly glowing staff.

Mintassin screams for the party to flee as the enchanted nature of this building will not accommodate teleportation out. Lord Topaz leaps into action, hurling four daggers at the ensorcelled councilman. All four daggers bounce harmlessly off of an invisible barrier in front of the councilman.

The party runs swiftly for the door and Lord Topaz states that he will cover their retreat with his short bow. The party’s escape through the door leading to the outer hall is a close call, as they narrowly avoid a Delayed Blast Fireball hurled at them by Councilman Dimloch. Lord Topaz fires off four arrows from his short bow as the party retreats down the hallway towards the armory. They narrowly dodge an earth-shattering Lightning Bolt spell.

In the armory, the inner door is spiked, trapped, and locked by Lord Topaz to block those that pursue them. The rescue party makes an expeditious retreat back up the staircase to the cemetery where they then teleport back to Threshold.

Back in Threshold, the party rejoins Mikhailus who aids them in healing and identifying newly found magic items. The party heals everyone and aids Mintassin in preparations to reunite Forkbeard’s soul with his body. After several hours Mintassin is successful in doing just that. The Dwarven ranger is disoriented but Mintassin explains he will regain his memory and be his former self in time.

The Hunt for the Black Legion War Champion Venduul

• Characters: Cromwell, Dorian, Gallipolas, Hadith, Ilora, Karne, Krullix, Roywyn, Vindicus
• NPCs: Circle of Holundi leaders, Floosk/Loothum, Vendul, Zedrick Neely
• Synopsis: As the Circle of Holundi settles in the small village of Threshold, the Adventurers Guild of Threshold is assimilated into the resistence. Numerous adventurers that have already crossed paths with each other facilitate the integration. Moving into the abandoned farmstead of the slain family, the Disdens, the rebellion leaders are joined by the gnome illusionist Loothum, long thought deceased. Loothum is also the half-elf Floosk and the ogre warrior Bronx. His immortal curse transfers his soul to another humanoid creature if he is killed, but the transfers have caused him to lose portions of his memory. He has reconstructed the timeline of events and now can control his form at-will. Zedrick Neely confirms rumors that Roywyn has heard that vocal dissenters in Westgate have been rounded up and thrown into the prisons. The sage Mintassan is among the detained and even Zedrick cannot free the planeswalker. The Circle of Holundi has also further refined their battle plans to defeat the Black Legion and Mystenaculis. This includes attacking the rear forces of the Black Legion, reforming the League of Wizards (including the initiation of Dunrick the Daring), and commandeering the forces of Tendale, the Dark Lancers. Floosk has returned from infiltrating the Black Legion forces south of Reddansyr. These forces are being led by their warrior champion, the mountain troll Venduul, but he was unable to discern who the strategy mastermind is, as Venduul is only the leader of the Black Legion’s reserves. The leaders of the reserves have assumed control of the abandoned war mage college of the Order of the Fire Hawk. Loothum surmises that killing the mountain troll may shatter morale beyond reconstruction. Not being a member of the upper echelon of the Black Legion, Loothum was not given access to the compound, but he has the location of the plateau and the layout of the compound.
• Encounters: pack of worgs, orc berserkers and war howlers regiment, orc battle priests, ice devil, Venduul the mountain troll, and ogre skullcrusher warriors
• Achievements: The group infiltrates the compound, discovers the location of their enemies and develops a plan of attack. During the battle the ice devil flees, Venduul is slain, and the elite orc warriors are annihilated along with their ogre counterparts. The treasure horde of the ice devil is looted and the group returns to Threshold.

Cormyr Comes Calling

• Characters: Gallipolas, JadeBlade, Ilora, Qualen, V.L., Vindicus, X-Requinn
• NPCs: Ralston Earl, Homar Earl, Horgon Earl, Zeluthian, Circle of Holundi leaders
• Synopsis: A messenger runner of the Cormyrean army named Zeluthian finds Threshold, leading a pack of worg riders of the Black Legion into the town. He is delivering a message that Cormyr marches from the west to the Circle of Holundi, rebels fighting in Gulthmere Forest against the invading giant-kind. He seeks Maulgrim paladin of Tyr to alert him of the support. Adventurers escort Zeluthian to the rebel encampment and learn of the forces of the Black Legion as well as the Army of Nature’s Wrath. Vindicus and X-Requinn travel to Candlekeep to research destruction of artifacts. Adventurers return to Threshold to counterattack Black Legion troops near Reddansyr.
• Encounters: Black Legion worg riders, quartet of undead stone giants, six manticores, back reserves of the Black Legion (including giants, ogres and orcs)
• Achievements: aligned the Adventurers Guild of Threshold with the Circle of Holundi, defeated a portion of the Black Legion and destroyed the Troll Bridge.