The Westgate Extraction – The Dungeons

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 Westgate Extraction – The Tower

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Mask’s Assault on Assam – The Last Nail

• 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

• 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

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

• 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 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.

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.

The Slave Trade of the Upper Darklands

• Characters: Cheynar, Jebeddo, Sentalial, Teldowen, V.L.
• NPCs: JadeBlade Doppelganger, Mack Doppelganger, Piper Tall-Lad
• Synopsis: Sentalial and Jebeddo return from their evening patrol to the guildhall, and find JadeBlade and Cheynar preparing for the night patrol along with Teldowen and V.L. discussing current events in the grand hall. JadeBlade requests a debriefing meeting with Jebeddo in his own private chambers where he presents Mack. The two break character and speak freely to Jebeddo, revealing their false personalities. The Mack look-alike says that he has retrieved the ever-soaking sponge and says that the bounty placed on the artifact is equal to a year’s worth of effort on their slave trade operation. Presenting Jebeddo with an option to leave with them, the two are planning on vacating Threshold tonight and journey to the Black Legion encampment for the slated bounty. Jebeddo’s bluff cannot fool the infiltrators as one lashes out and makes for an escape. The gnome wizard summons his allies as the battle breaks out into the courtyard of the guild hall. Sensing defeat, the Mack look-alike triggers the failure of the giant plug, sending the massive boulder plunging into the tunnel below. Both of Jebeddo’s opponents attempt to escape beneath the surface, but Teldowen’s spells kill one of the spies. The body that once resembled Mack shifts into the form of a doppelganger. The remaining spy is captured and questioned, revealing the deception. The prisoner is pressed into unveiling the truth of their presence. A cluster of doppelgangers has been infiltrating the people of Threshold for some time, using the duergar tunnels beneath the city to extract their victims to sell into slavery in the Underdark city of Drik Hargunen. It bargains with the adventurers to unveil other infiltrators as well as a map to the doppelganger outpost. Leading the prisoner from the guild hall the group moves towards the Bur’Dvay household only to find a drunken Grem complaining of his absent wife, gone more than a tenday. The doppelganger continues to challenge his captors by shifting from person to person, earning the ire of Sentalial. Stumbling through the heavy snow, the party returns to the guild hall and retrieves a map that the doppelganger says will guide them to his outpost in the Underdark, a midpoint between Threshold and Drik Hargunen. Next it leads them to the house of Piper Tall-Lad. The inquisitors realize that Piper is attempting to evade them through the tunnels beneath the town. He is tracked down by Cheynar and Teldowen and subdued. The man’s form does not revert to a doppelganger. During the chase the doppelganger makes an escape but is quickly dropped. The prisoner says that it was attempting to get to the Great Rise, a massive mile-and a half pit leading into the Upper Darklands. Perhaps he could lead them through the network of chasms and caves to the doppelganger outpost. Having had enough of the shenanigans and deception, Sentalial paladin of Torm leaves the prisoner to the blade of V.L. who ends the creature’s life. Cheynar revives Piper Tall-Lad who spills the truth regarding the town’s thieves gang he belongs to, lead by none other than Tess Bur’Dvay. They have been leaderless for some time and with the death of Rellun Sherry, Piper believes that he is next. Under submission Piper fingers the town’s blacksmith, Jesh Sparklight. The investigation must continue, but daylight will prevail first. The group decides to regroup at daybreak to develop a plan.
• Encounters: Doppelgangers, Piper Tall-Lad
• Achievements: unveiled spies to the Adventurers Guild, recovered a map leading from Threshold to a doppelganger outpost in the Underdark, uncovered the slave trade to the duergar city Drik Hargunen

Melgornarni’s Dance of the Purple Worm

• Characters: Dalthon, JadeBlade, Jebeddo, Sentalial, Teldowen, V.L., Wicasa
• NPCs: Melgornarni, Nilmith, Quint
• Synopsis: Quint the Navigator escorts V.L. and others from the Circle of Holundi rebel camp to Threshold and discovers an operation destroying a tract of forest. Nilmith, a deep gnome priestess hears of the mass grave that was uncovered and retrieves the body of JadeBlade still clutching his father’s waraxe. Using one of the scrolls of Beldishor, Nilmith brings the dwarf back from the Hall of Moradin and Clanggedin Silverbeard and returns him to life. A consensus is drawn that a doppelganger has infiltrated Threshold. The group leaves town to investigate the unnatural clearing to find a continuing operation to clear the forest niche. Orchestrating the operation is Melgonarni, an evil wizard from Teziir who seeks magical artifacts. He has uncovered a long lost shrine to Holundi, along with two of Holundi’s belongings. Melgornarni is subdued and captured, and the group splits up. Dalthon, Jebeddo, Teldowen and Wicasa escort the evil wizard back to Teziir while Sentalial and JadeBlade return to Threshold with the fallen V.L. and the artifacts of Holundi. Nilmith once again uses one of the Scrolls of Beldishor and revives V.L.
• Encounters: Gray Render, Purple Worm, Melgornarni
• Achievements: The group uncovered Holundi’s artifacts and returned them to Julbin. The sage identifies them as the Robe of the Archmage and the Staff of Enchantment. The evil wizard is being brought back to Teziir for justice, but Melgornarni has promised a fortune of gems for his release.

The Truth of JadeBlade

• Characters: Aramir, Hadith, Janora, Karne, Pardonei, Rog, Sentalial, Teldowen
• NPCs: Grem the Cooper, Rellun Sherry
• Synopsis: At The Verse, Adventurers find food scarce but enjoy a hot bowl of mushroom soup. Grem the husband of Tess Bur’Dvay drowns his sorrows at his failing marriage and his changed wife. His tale is interrupted by Rellun Sherry who drops the head of a grimlock on the table of the Adventurers. He knows that some of them snuck into his house and found the carved tunnels below Threshold, but he also knows that there are more of these creatures that he killed. He cops to underhanded dealings with Tess, but that she has become eratic and disappeared. For the sake of the town the guild must eliminate this underground threat and bring Tess to justice. The party enters the tunnels to find bizarre creatures and a madman protecting a stolen treasure horde. After further exploration they are attacked by a hidden assailant who flees through the tunnels. Following the coward the discover more trap doors to other buildings, including one leading to beneath the dais of the town hall. Tracking the attacker the Adventurers follow footsteps in the falling snow to the small cottage of the town’s healer and potion-maker Kline. The steps continue to the rear of the cottage and up to the cemetery and stop at an unmarked grave. A false entrance hides a mass grave that includes a recently seen JadeBlade, but this one still clutches the dwarf’s prized heirloom waraxe.
• Encounters: arachnoid mouther, Joko Mole-Check, two displacer beasts, unseen assailant
• Achievements: uncovered the secret tunnels of Threshold, recovered stolen goods and items (including a royal crown of an unknown kingdom and the Ring Gate of Emae Oxa), as well as the bodies of JadeBlade and other townsfolk.