DUNGEONS & DRAGONS MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM
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THE SHOWWe take our characters through epic and fun adventures in the D&D world of Eberron! Half-Elf Rogue Kalyna, Wood Elf Druid Finn, Warforged Barbarian Tulthus, and Halfling Ranger Carv uncover conspiracies, fight gross monsters, and pretty much save the world! Tune in every Monday night to adventure with us!
WATCH OUR LATEST EPISODE BELOW!
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LATEST EPISODE
EPIC FINALE!It's the epic conclusion to our long-running D&D campaign! Kalyna just found out their main antagonist The Widow is actually her birth mother, who she's been searching for her whole life! Will Kalyna, Finn, Tulthus, and Carv be able to defeat The Widow's forces and save the world? Tune in to find out!
WATCH THE REST OF OUR D&D EPISODES HERE! |
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CHARACTERS
Click each character below for cool info, including backstories, stats, and full character sheets!
Art by the amazing Brent Hibbard!
Art by the amazing Brent Hibbard!
KALYNA
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FINWE
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TULTHUS
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CARV |
NPCS |
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THE STORY
EPISODE 46 - THE TRAP
The party managed to defeat the vampires and then returned to the Twilight Palace and found Halden d'Deneith sitting at a table. They discussed the recent event and Halden turned a little pale. He pointed out that it is very likely that they are in a trap and it is closing.
Halden talks through his train of thought with the party. From the vampire's words they may have been expecting the heroes and if that is true ir'Tonn's behavior makes sense. He has been waiting around here knowing that the heroes would come for him eventually and might have figured out Halden was following him.
They all decide to leave fast, heading out the door, crossbow bolts slam into the wall near them, and Ogres can be seen moving on the street. The heroes run past, Tulthus taking a brutal hit from one of the ogres as he tries to get by. Finwe summons horses as more vampires appear, Sheera d'Thuranni keeps taking shots at them from the roof tops and they could see Uthar ir'Tonn riding up the street toward them.
They flee Graywall avoiding the pursuit and decide that likely Uthar will use these vampire allies against New Cyre. A foe that the walls they newly built would do nothing to stop. They returned to New Cyre.
Once back in New Cyre they started making preparations to battle vampires they are certain will be coming. They met Alveryan d'Sivis who was talking about some sort of disaster, when asked he showed them a copy of the Korranberg Chronicle, the front page talks of the ir'Tonn estate in Sharn having been completely destroyed. At this time it is presumed most of the family perished in the event. Brelish officials are investigating the attack.
Finwe checked the bag of holding to find that the control amulet for the Black Sun is gone, as is the sketches of the runes taken from Fosnus' keep.
Halden talks through his train of thought with the party. From the vampire's words they may have been expecting the heroes and if that is true ir'Tonn's behavior makes sense. He has been waiting around here knowing that the heroes would come for him eventually and might have figured out Halden was following him.
They all decide to leave fast, heading out the door, crossbow bolts slam into the wall near them, and Ogres can be seen moving on the street. The heroes run past, Tulthus taking a brutal hit from one of the ogres as he tries to get by. Finwe summons horses as more vampires appear, Sheera d'Thuranni keeps taking shots at them from the roof tops and they could see Uthar ir'Tonn riding up the street toward them.
They flee Graywall avoiding the pursuit and decide that likely Uthar will use these vampire allies against New Cyre. A foe that the walls they newly built would do nothing to stop. They returned to New Cyre.
Once back in New Cyre they started making preparations to battle vampires they are certain will be coming. They met Alveryan d'Sivis who was talking about some sort of disaster, when asked he showed them a copy of the Korranberg Chronicle, the front page talks of the ir'Tonn estate in Sharn having been completely destroyed. At this time it is presumed most of the family perished in the event. Brelish officials are investigating the attack.
Finwe checked the bag of holding to find that the control amulet for the Black Sun is gone, as is the sketches of the runes taken from Fosnus' keep.
EPISODE 45 - VAMPIRES!
With a truce now in place with Kaimathest the group turned their focus back to the problem of Uthar ir'Tonn. Enmor's reports from Halden d'Deneith have the nobleman lurking in Graywall in eastern Droaam.
The party traveled to New Cyre to check on things and Finwe used his new magical might to move earth and stone to create fortifications for the city. While their they find that the people there have not seen the Widow in some time.
From there they head to Graywall to find out what ir'Tonn is up to. They decided to stop in The Twilight Palace in the Calabas district. An upscale tavern and inn. While waiting to see if they notice a patron get up and leave, the act somewhat suspicious. They went outside to see what they were doing but the girl was gone.
Taking to the sky Finwe saw her moving like a spider across the rooftops, the movement odd and unnatural. The group followed and saw her creep into an upper floor window. The group went inside the home. They heard voices and one said “They are here and the Master wants them dead.” They could see red glowing eyes in the darkness.
The party decided to face these creatures and destroy them only to find there were more of them than expected...
The party traveled to New Cyre to check on things and Finwe used his new magical might to move earth and stone to create fortifications for the city. While their they find that the people there have not seen the Widow in some time.
From there they head to Graywall to find out what ir'Tonn is up to. They decided to stop in The Twilight Palace in the Calabas district. An upscale tavern and inn. While waiting to see if they notice a patron get up and leave, the act somewhat suspicious. They went outside to see what they were doing but the girl was gone.
Taking to the sky Finwe saw her moving like a spider across the rooftops, the movement odd and unnatural. The group followed and saw her creep into an upper floor window. The group went inside the home. They heard voices and one said “They are here and the Master wants them dead.” They could see red glowing eyes in the darkness.
The party decided to face these creatures and destroy them only to find there were more of them than expected...
EPISODE 44 - EKEMON'S RETURN!
The heroes decide to follow the instructions of the strange note while having Enmor and Enattash join the group as additional backup.
They traveled into Malleon's Gate through the dark and dirty streets. The inhuman inhabitants paying little attention to the cloaked figures. Following instruction they entered a secret passage that led to a hidden view point of a great arena. In the magic light of the field they could see Serrianna and Kaimathest facing one another.
Watching they heard the two talk, each claiming the other had asked for the meeting. They then turned to the arena and called out that who ever had arranged this show themselves. Revealed in the grand box seats was a rakshasa and four guards. The fiend comments that he had waited centuries to kill the two of them. Serrianna looked to Kaimathest, “Do you want to start brother or should I?”
Both of them transformed into huge silver dragons to face the rakshasa as more fiends poured onto the field to attack them.
As the battle rages, the heroes join the fray to aid the dragons and suddenly Ekemon appears behind Ksarraja and starts to battle the demon. Kalyna moved to help Ekemon and the fighting was fierce.
Ekemon finally struck what should have been a killing blow and Ksarraja, bleeding and grinning, told him “It seems when it comes down to it, your heart isn't in the right place...” The creature began to heal the wounds. Remembering the words of the Keeper of the Flame that he would need his friends he made it possible for Kalyna to get in a killing blow.
With their master dead the other rakshasa fled having no desire to risk their lives. Both Serrianna and Kaimathest were badly wounded. Kaimathest eyed the heroes stating they would never have a better chance to take him. They declined to attack him and in return he agreed to leave the Cyran people in peace. With the added stipulation that the party keep the secret of the true nature of the dragons. He stated that he cannot convince ir'Tonn to stop. The nobleman is willing to do anything to defend his country from this perceived threat.
Serrianna told the heroes she would make her tower in Platinum Heights available for their use as a home base in the city.
They traveled into Malleon's Gate through the dark and dirty streets. The inhuman inhabitants paying little attention to the cloaked figures. Following instruction they entered a secret passage that led to a hidden view point of a great arena. In the magic light of the field they could see Serrianna and Kaimathest facing one another.
Watching they heard the two talk, each claiming the other had asked for the meeting. They then turned to the arena and called out that who ever had arranged this show themselves. Revealed in the grand box seats was a rakshasa and four guards. The fiend comments that he had waited centuries to kill the two of them. Serrianna looked to Kaimathest, “Do you want to start brother or should I?”
Both of them transformed into huge silver dragons to face the rakshasa as more fiends poured onto the field to attack them.
As the battle rages, the heroes join the fray to aid the dragons and suddenly Ekemon appears behind Ksarraja and starts to battle the demon. Kalyna moved to help Ekemon and the fighting was fierce.
Ekemon finally struck what should have been a killing blow and Ksarraja, bleeding and grinning, told him “It seems when it comes down to it, your heart isn't in the right place...” The creature began to heal the wounds. Remembering the words of the Keeper of the Flame that he would need his friends he made it possible for Kalyna to get in a killing blow.
With their master dead the other rakshasa fled having no desire to risk their lives. Both Serrianna and Kaimathest were badly wounded. Kaimathest eyed the heroes stating they would never have a better chance to take him. They declined to attack him and in return he agreed to leave the Cyran people in peace. With the added stipulation that the party keep the secret of the true nature of the dragons. He stated that he cannot convince ir'Tonn to stop. The nobleman is willing to do anything to defend his country from this perceived threat.
Serrianna told the heroes she would make her tower in Platinum Heights available for their use as a home base in the city.
EPISODE 43 - CARV'S REVENGE
The group made a quick plan and Kaylna went invisibly to try to collapse some of the tents and trap any of the mad Valenar that way before the others arrived. Things did not go quite to plan. While investigated one of the tents, the elf noticed something amiss. He could not see Kalyna but made out a disturbance in the sand. This ended up raising the alarm and the warriors quickly mounted their steeds.
Seeing this the others came into the fray, Finwe having summoned an air elemental and then transformed into one flew in to attack. Tulthas and Niath floating down on one of the life rings from the Azure Wind. Carv circling and raining down arrows from Redwing's back.
The Valenar fought fiercely but were defeated. Niath gave her brother the final peace of death and then asked Carv if they had any unfinished business. Carv told her the matter was done. Niath loaded the bodies of the fallen on their steeds and started off for Taer Shantara.
The party returned to the Azure Wind and took the bodies of the dead halflings to Gatherhold. On the way there they received a sending stone message from Jamison telling them they need to return to Sharn and speak with Enmor. They sent a response asking him to send more info by speakerpost to Gatherhold. While there they had the Valenar blades examined and found all of them to be magical. The post message Jamison sent stated that Enmor has received some strange letters and that Serrianna is missing. He does not know where she went and the letters concern him. They returned to Sharn.
Meeting at Enmor's office he shows the group the letters. One asking that Kalyna, Tulthas and Finwe go to a specific place in Malleon's Gate the following day at noon, the second letter is a map showing where and how to get there. Enmor told the group that normally when Serrianna leaves she gives him a set of instructions but she did not do it. She vanishes and the letters showed up.
The heroes went to Serrianna's tower and found the door unlocked. They explored the tower and made a shocking discovery. The sitting room and entry was as they have always seen, a side room had paintings that seemed to reflect the heroes vision of the Draconic Prophesy. The rest of the tower was empty... no furniture, no beds, no clothes...
Seeing this the others came into the fray, Finwe having summoned an air elemental and then transformed into one flew in to attack. Tulthas and Niath floating down on one of the life rings from the Azure Wind. Carv circling and raining down arrows from Redwing's back.
The Valenar fought fiercely but were defeated. Niath gave her brother the final peace of death and then asked Carv if they had any unfinished business. Carv told her the matter was done. Niath loaded the bodies of the fallen on their steeds and started off for Taer Shantara.
The party returned to the Azure Wind and took the bodies of the dead halflings to Gatherhold. On the way there they received a sending stone message from Jamison telling them they need to return to Sharn and speak with Enmor. They sent a response asking him to send more info by speakerpost to Gatherhold. While there they had the Valenar blades examined and found all of them to be magical. The post message Jamison sent stated that Enmor has received some strange letters and that Serrianna is missing. He does not know where she went and the letters concern him. They returned to Sharn.
Meeting at Enmor's office he shows the group the letters. One asking that Kalyna, Tulthas and Finwe go to a specific place in Malleon's Gate the following day at noon, the second letter is a map showing where and how to get there. Enmor told the group that normally when Serrianna leaves she gives him a set of instructions but she did not do it. She vanishes and the letters showed up.
The heroes went to Serrianna's tower and found the door unlocked. They explored the tower and made a shocking discovery. The sitting room and entry was as they have always seen, a side room had paintings that seemed to reflect the heroes vision of the Draconic Prophesy. The rest of the tower was empty... no furniture, no beds, no clothes...
EPISODE 42 - BLACKCLAW AND GOLDEN HAWK
The party flies to New Cyre to speak with the Widow. They tell her of the decision not to remove the Black Sun from its vault and that it was just too dangerous to use. At her request they showed her the control amulet.
They decided the people of New Cyre could use the giant sized instant fortress they found in Xen'drik more than they could. They setup the tower at the edge of the town and provided the password for the door to the Widow. Now in the event of an attack the people could move those unable to fight into a very durable metal tower. From the roof of the tower, with a little magical aid, Kalyna spoke to the people helping to raise their spirits.
From the there they flew to a cave in the Endworld Mountains which according to Niath was where her brother and the warband changed. They explored the cave finding worked stone halls and a basin that clearly had been used to hold blood. The walls at times seemed to ripple strangely.
They soon found a strange old man sitting in a stone chair. It is soon discovered that whatever this man is he was far from human. He stated that he had blended fragments of ancient souls into the bodies of the Valenar that had made a bargain with it. The Blackclaw tribe was in a sense a sacrifice in payment to this creature.
The group used earth elementals to smash the opening of the cave and seal it. Then took the Azure Wind and headed north along the Blade Desert and managed to find the Golden Hawk band. Time to plan the attack.
They decided the people of New Cyre could use the giant sized instant fortress they found in Xen'drik more than they could. They setup the tower at the edge of the town and provided the password for the door to the Widow. Now in the event of an attack the people could move those unable to fight into a very durable metal tower. From the roof of the tower, with a little magical aid, Kalyna spoke to the people helping to raise their spirits.
From the there they flew to a cave in the Endworld Mountains which according to Niath was where her brother and the warband changed. They explored the cave finding worked stone halls and a basin that clearly had been used to hold blood. The walls at times seemed to ripple strangely.
They soon found a strange old man sitting in a stone chair. It is soon discovered that whatever this man is he was far from human. He stated that he had blended fragments of ancient souls into the bodies of the Valenar that had made a bargain with it. The Blackclaw tribe was in a sense a sacrifice in payment to this creature.
The group used earth elementals to smash the opening of the cave and seal it. Then took the Azure Wind and headed north along the Blade Desert and managed to find the Golden Hawk band. Time to plan the attack.
EPISODE 41 - RETURNING TO SHARN
The heroes aided the Kalashtar Enattash against the Inspired and emerged victorious. He explained they are dangerous foes who have a long standing grudge of against his people but said that while he appreciates the help, the war is not their fight. He was on his way to Sharn and the group offered to take him as they were headed that way.
When they returned to the Azure Wind everyone was happy to see them. The stay had been quiet over all but Cyrus commented that Bellem had seen something odd a while back late one night. The group went to speak with the halfling to try to figure out who or what he had seen on deck.
From Bellem's description he saw a woman in a black formal dress standing on deck late one night and after he finished rubbing his eyes she was gone. He honestly was not sure if the figure was there or if the new brew he was testing was just stronger than expected. The party felt that this could have been the Widow but was not sure how she would have gotten there.
On the trip back to Sharn Enattash demonstrated his fighting prowess in sparring matches with the heroes. His psychic blades proving a surprise for Tulthus in that they bypassed his normal toughness. Enattash told them to find him at the Gathering Light in Overlook in Upper Dura if they needed his help.
The party then went to Middle Dura and the Underlook district. Enmor was at his office and the group chatted about events and Serrianna. Enmor told them that as far as he can tell several years before the end of the Last War Serrianna just appeared in Sharn. As far as he has been able to find she doesn't exist before then. He was not able to find any trace of her before she managed to convince the elite of Platinum Heights to allow her to purchase the tower she resides in. While this is certainly strange, her actions over the years have convinced him of her general good intentions.
Enmor advised that right now Halden d'Deneith is tailing Uthar ir'Tonn. The last message had ir'Tonn in Graywall in Droaam. Looks like he is talking to mercenaries in the city but nothing seems to have been set in motion that Halden has been able to tell.
The party goes to talk with Serrianna and along the way notice a Valenar elf following the party. They managed to surround her and the elf introduces herself as Niath of the Golden Hawk warband. She was looking for Carv. She told how her warband is responsible for the death of his tribe but that she believes they were not the same people anymore. Their actions were out of character for leader of the band, her brother. They had explored a cave in the Endworld Mountains leaving her outside to guard the exit. Someone knocked her out and left her there. They also killed her horse and that is an action very unlike Valenar. She feels that it was perhaps her brother's attempt to save her in making it impossible to follow them. She wants to join with Carv to stop the rest of the Golden Hawk. She provides a location for them to contact her if they agree to help.
They continued on to meet with Serrianna and discussed the events in Xen'drik. When Tulthus mentions Fosnus she did not fully answer what she knows of him and Kalyna caught the hesitation. Serrianna feels the Black Sun is better left where it was, and that such a thing should not be used against anyone.
When they returned to the Azure Wind everyone was happy to see them. The stay had been quiet over all but Cyrus commented that Bellem had seen something odd a while back late one night. The group went to speak with the halfling to try to figure out who or what he had seen on deck.
From Bellem's description he saw a woman in a black formal dress standing on deck late one night and after he finished rubbing his eyes she was gone. He honestly was not sure if the figure was there or if the new brew he was testing was just stronger than expected. The party felt that this could have been the Widow but was not sure how she would have gotten there.
On the trip back to Sharn Enattash demonstrated his fighting prowess in sparring matches with the heroes. His psychic blades proving a surprise for Tulthus in that they bypassed his normal toughness. Enattash told them to find him at the Gathering Light in Overlook in Upper Dura if they needed his help.
The party then went to Middle Dura and the Underlook district. Enmor was at his office and the group chatted about events and Serrianna. Enmor told them that as far as he can tell several years before the end of the Last War Serrianna just appeared in Sharn. As far as he has been able to find she doesn't exist before then. He was not able to find any trace of her before she managed to convince the elite of Platinum Heights to allow her to purchase the tower she resides in. While this is certainly strange, her actions over the years have convinced him of her general good intentions.
Enmor advised that right now Halden d'Deneith is tailing Uthar ir'Tonn. The last message had ir'Tonn in Graywall in Droaam. Looks like he is talking to mercenaries in the city but nothing seems to have been set in motion that Halden has been able to tell.
The party goes to talk with Serrianna and along the way notice a Valenar elf following the party. They managed to surround her and the elf introduces herself as Niath of the Golden Hawk warband. She was looking for Carv. She told how her warband is responsible for the death of his tribe but that she believes they were not the same people anymore. Their actions were out of character for leader of the band, her brother. They had explored a cave in the Endworld Mountains leaving her outside to guard the exit. Someone knocked her out and left her there. They also killed her horse and that is an action very unlike Valenar. She feels that it was perhaps her brother's attempt to save her in making it impossible to follow them. She wants to join with Carv to stop the rest of the Golden Hawk. She provides a location for them to contact her if they agree to help.
They continued on to meet with Serrianna and discussed the events in Xen'drik. When Tulthus mentions Fosnus she did not fully answer what she knows of him and Kalyna caught the hesitation. Serrianna feels the Black Sun is better left where it was, and that such a thing should not be used against anyone.
EPISODE 40 - RUBBLE RACE
The group traveled through the jungle headed back to Stormreach. They came upon a recessed pool with what appeared to be Sulatar Drow examining the stonework. Kaylna decided to investigate the pool invisibly.
She found herself pulled under the water and had the sensation of flipping over before she emerged in a moonlit pool. The jungle around was somehow more overgrown and wild than the one she had been traveling through. She stepped back into the pool and found herself in the daylight pool from before.
She returned to the party and they decided to avoid the Drow. They went far around the pool and continued on.
Once back in Stormreach they found fliers for a Rubble Race happening that day. Kalyna having run many races like that growing up of course wanted to give it a try. Finwe was not up for this and wished the others best of luck.
Kaylna, Tulthus and Carv all entered the race against three other opponents. To the surprise of all Carv was off like a shot at the start of the race taking a good lead. Through out the race the main competition was between the heroes. When the dust settled it was Kalyna who won the race with Carv and Tulthus right behind her.
While enjoying the victory a trio of men appeared out of nowhere with blades seemingly made of pure energy, one with a blue blade and two with purple who seemed to be after him. The man with the blue blade spoke to Tulthus in his mind asking for help. The party decided to at least stop the fight and joined the fray.
She found herself pulled under the water and had the sensation of flipping over before she emerged in a moonlit pool. The jungle around was somehow more overgrown and wild than the one she had been traveling through. She stepped back into the pool and found herself in the daylight pool from before.
She returned to the party and they decided to avoid the Drow. They went far around the pool and continued on.
Once back in Stormreach they found fliers for a Rubble Race happening that day. Kalyna having run many races like that growing up of course wanted to give it a try. Finwe was not up for this and wished the others best of luck.
Kaylna, Tulthus and Carv all entered the race against three other opponents. To the surprise of all Carv was off like a shot at the start of the race taking a good lead. Through out the race the main competition was between the heroes. When the dust settled it was Kalyna who won the race with Carv and Tulthus right behind her.
While enjoying the victory a trio of men appeared out of nowhere with blades seemingly made of pure energy, one with a blue blade and two with purple who seemed to be after him. The man with the blue blade spoke to Tulthus in his mind asking for help. The party decided to at least stop the fight and joined the fray.
EPISODE 39 - HARD DECISIONS
The heroes mustered their courage and, after a fierce fight, were able to defeat the four air elementals. They then explored the rest of the keep finding missing floors and some secret passages. Nothing else seemed to be around to harm them. Unfortunately they also found that something had gotten to their guide while they explored. Strayle was nowhere to be found and blood splatters were found in numerous spots with no sign of any tracks through the blood. The idea came to them that maybe one of the air elementals had found him alone.
The final decision had to be made. They debated back and forth on if they should take the Black Sun out of the keep and back to Khorvaire. Kaylna was against it while the others were for taking the weapon. In the end it was decided that they would take the control amulet with them and talk over the matter with trusted allies like the Widow and Serrianna.
Carv in the lead, the group departed Fosnus Keep and headed for Stormreach.
The final decision had to be made. They debated back and forth on if they should take the Black Sun out of the keep and back to Khorvaire. Kaylna was against it while the others were for taking the weapon. In the end it was decided that they would take the control amulet with them and talk over the matter with trusted allies like the Widow and Serrianna.
Carv in the lead, the group departed Fosnus Keep and headed for Stormreach.
episode 38 - dangerous exploration
The group decides to leave the artifact where it is for now while they explore more of the keep. Many dusty halls and ruined chambers were examined. More stone guardians were faced in battle and shattered.
Things seemed well in hand until Finwe and Kalyna led the way into the lords chambers. Air elementals descended from the stormy sky of the ceiling and struck. The first throwing the two heroes deeper into the room and at more of the things. At the same time it cut off the approach of Carv and Tulthus.
Kalyna took a horrible beating from the elementals as did Finwe. Kalyna had to retreat invisibly to survive while Finwe drew on the power of nature to become an ankylosaurus after toughening his skin with magic. One of the other air elementals closed in on Carv and hit him hard before throwing him into Tulthus. Things were not looking good for the heroes.
Things seemed well in hand until Finwe and Kalyna led the way into the lords chambers. Air elementals descended from the stormy sky of the ceiling and struck. The first throwing the two heroes deeper into the room and at more of the things. At the same time it cut off the approach of Carv and Tulthus.
Kalyna took a horrible beating from the elementals as did Finwe. Kalyna had to retreat invisibly to survive while Finwe drew on the power of nature to become an ankylosaurus after toughening his skin with magic. One of the other air elementals closed in on Carv and hit him hard before throwing him into Tulthus. Things were not looking good for the heroes.
episode 37 - the black sun
The group confronted a dark spirit that seemed to have control over the giant sitting in the throne. The giant made no move as the party battled the ancient evil.
When it was at last destroyed the giant spoke to them. They asked about the Black Sun and he told them he would not help them to take it. Though he thought perhaps they would be wiser in its use than the giants had been. As he talked his form began to dissolve into dust. He asked that, no matter what they do, they never look for the other parts of the great machine the giants had built. The use of which had cost the giants too much and he had refused to allow its use even to save the giants from the dragons.
The party found beside the throne the skeleton of maybe an elf, with a sinister dagger driven into its chest. Shadowy tendrils extending from the blade and curling around some of the bones. They used magic to pull the blade free and toss it into the bag of holding so that no one would touch the possibly cursed blade.
They continued to explore having to fight a stone golem in the process and found at last the chamber of the Black Sun. It floated in a room sealed by magical barriers that they could not bypass. Checking more rooms they found a chest with a puzzle on the lid. The words on the chest said “There may be a connection.... To our great loss.” On one side of the box were buttons representing the planes of reality and on the other were disks that seemed to represent the moons of Eberron. They guessed that the plane in question was Dal Quor, the plane of dreams, which was the enemy of the giants. With the moons there were 13 disks but there are only 12 moons in the sky at night. They chose the moon that did not match any that they knew of. The chest opened to reveal a large gold amulet.
The amulet allowed the party to bypass the magical protections on the chamber of the Black Sun. Through it Kalyna tried to control the dark orb and it dug a furrow through the stone floor and stairs going to her. This left her uneasy about trying to take the thing anywhere.
When it was at last destroyed the giant spoke to them. They asked about the Black Sun and he told them he would not help them to take it. Though he thought perhaps they would be wiser in its use than the giants had been. As he talked his form began to dissolve into dust. He asked that, no matter what they do, they never look for the other parts of the great machine the giants had built. The use of which had cost the giants too much and he had refused to allow its use even to save the giants from the dragons.
The party found beside the throne the skeleton of maybe an elf, with a sinister dagger driven into its chest. Shadowy tendrils extending from the blade and curling around some of the bones. They used magic to pull the blade free and toss it into the bag of holding so that no one would touch the possibly cursed blade.
They continued to explore having to fight a stone golem in the process and found at last the chamber of the Black Sun. It floated in a room sealed by magical barriers that they could not bypass. Checking more rooms they found a chest with a puzzle on the lid. The words on the chest said “There may be a connection.... To our great loss.” On one side of the box were buttons representing the planes of reality and on the other were disks that seemed to represent the moons of Eberron. They guessed that the plane in question was Dal Quor, the plane of dreams, which was the enemy of the giants. With the moons there were 13 disks but there are only 12 moons in the sky at night. They chose the moon that did not match any that they knew of. The chest opened to reveal a large gold amulet.
The amulet allowed the party to bypass the magical protections on the chamber of the Black Sun. Through it Kalyna tried to control the dark orb and it dug a furrow through the stone floor and stairs going to her. This left her uneasy about trying to take the thing anywhere.
EPISODE 36 - DANCING WITH GIANTS
With the Yuan-ti dead and the stream looking better the heroes decided to move on rather than head back to where the vegepygmy camp was. Strayle lead the way adjusting for the new course and after a time they stopped for the night.
They started to hear a scuttling noise as they watched they started to see swarms of scorpions of assorted sizes coming their way. They decided to get out of the path of the horde by climbing into the trees and they watched it pass.
In the morning they continued the journey toward the keep and found a massive jade claw sticking out of the ground. Scorpions swarming around it and they hurried onward. Strayle telling the group that it is the claw of Vulkoor, a holy site of the drow tribes that wander the jungles.
After a while they found the floating fortress believed to be the resting place of the Black Sun. The group tried to reach it by rope and flying but no matter what they tried the fortress remained out of reach. Strayle indicated a stone platform that he thought was the way to enter the keep. The party walked onto the disk and found themselves standing in the massive entry hall. Strayle stated he would wait here for the group to return.
They moved cautiously through the halls and empty rooms the roof above hidden in an odd stormy cloud cover. They were attacked by large forms composed of darkness with glowing red eyes. The creatures strikes sapping the life force of the victim. The heroes destroyed them but not without a few members being weakened.
They continued to explore eventually finding a path with lit braziers and as they progressed more lights flickered to life. This led to a large ballroom where spectral forms danced across the floor, The figures were not giants and from what they could see of the masked creatures they were likely elves.
Kalyna and Tulthus attempted to dance across the ballroom. Which caused a strange thing to happen. As they danced the specters began to seem more solid, the forms more distinct and color creeping back into them. Faint music could be heard. The ancient elves danced together with blood spattered across them and covering their hands. The pair decided to retreat and inform the others what was happening.
The group decides to move across the floor. Tulthus and Kalyna dance across while Finwe in the form of a giant elk and Carv moves across carefully. The spirits never seemed to take notice.
The group continued on with Kalyna and Tulthus could see phantom tapestries along one path and so they followed them. They entered a throne room, a seemingly very alive giant sitting on the throne but beside him an elf sized shadow seemed to be whispering to it....
They started to hear a scuttling noise as they watched they started to see swarms of scorpions of assorted sizes coming their way. They decided to get out of the path of the horde by climbing into the trees and they watched it pass.
In the morning they continued the journey toward the keep and found a massive jade claw sticking out of the ground. Scorpions swarming around it and they hurried onward. Strayle telling the group that it is the claw of Vulkoor, a holy site of the drow tribes that wander the jungles.
After a while they found the floating fortress believed to be the resting place of the Black Sun. The group tried to reach it by rope and flying but no matter what they tried the fortress remained out of reach. Strayle indicated a stone platform that he thought was the way to enter the keep. The party walked onto the disk and found themselves standing in the massive entry hall. Strayle stated he would wait here for the group to return.
They moved cautiously through the halls and empty rooms the roof above hidden in an odd stormy cloud cover. They were attacked by large forms composed of darkness with glowing red eyes. The creatures strikes sapping the life force of the victim. The heroes destroyed them but not without a few members being weakened.
They continued to explore eventually finding a path with lit braziers and as they progressed more lights flickered to life. This led to a large ballroom where spectral forms danced across the floor, The figures were not giants and from what they could see of the masked creatures they were likely elves.
Kalyna and Tulthus attempted to dance across the ballroom. Which caused a strange thing to happen. As they danced the specters began to seem more solid, the forms more distinct and color creeping back into them. Faint music could be heard. The ancient elves danced together with blood spattered across them and covering their hands. The pair decided to retreat and inform the others what was happening.
The group decides to move across the floor. Tulthus and Kalyna dance across while Finwe in the form of a giant elk and Carv moves across carefully. The spirits never seemed to take notice.
The group continued on with Kalyna and Tulthus could see phantom tapestries along one path and so they followed them. They entered a throne room, a seemingly very alive giant sitting on the throne but beside him an elf sized shadow seemed to be whispering to it....
EPISODE 35 - JUNGLE SERPENTS
The party swiftly attacked the group of Yuan-ti that were guarding the caged people and kept one of them alive to question. The people in the cage were from failed expeditions and some had been kidnapped on the streets of Stormreach. They told how people from the cage were taken into the ruin and then never seen again.
They woke their prisoner and managed eventually to get it to tell some details of what was going on. Sadly they discovered that the malformed creatures they had killed were once people from the cage. They killed the Yuan-ti and hurried into the ruin.
Within they saw several of the serpent men complete a ritual that transformed another victim into the slave creatures they had fought.
They charged into battle and as they felled more and more of the foes one hissed a command word. A large stone seal slid aside at the back of the ruin and a huge five headed serpent creature emerged. It caused strange fear of snakes among some of the group
Mighty as this creature was it still could not match the combined strength of the heroes and fell to their assault but one of the Yuan-ti slipped into the passage while the fight was on and sealed the opening again. The group searched about but could not find the way to open it but did find a large pile of gold and gems kept by the creatures.
They woke their prisoner and managed eventually to get it to tell some details of what was going on. Sadly they discovered that the malformed creatures they had killed were once people from the cage. They killed the Yuan-ti and hurried into the ruin.
Within they saw several of the serpent men complete a ritual that transformed another victim into the slave creatures they had fought.
They charged into battle and as they felled more and more of the foes one hissed a command word. A large stone seal slid aside at the back of the ruin and a huge five headed serpent creature emerged. It caused strange fear of snakes among some of the group
Mighty as this creature was it still could not match the combined strength of the heroes and fell to their assault but one of the Yuan-ti slipped into the passage while the fight was on and sealed the opening again. The group searched about but could not find the way to open it but did find a large pile of gold and gems kept by the creatures.
EPISODE 34 - BROTHELS AND SNAKEMEN!
The group decided to have a night out on the town before heading out into the jungles. To this end Kalyna tried to hunt down the most exclusive brothel in Stormreach, a place called Shadows. Finwe and Carv decided the fee was too high for the information and so they split off to go to the Pink Conch for their entertainment.
Kalyna took Tulthus to Shadows which was an educational experience for the warforged.
Finwe and Carv decided rather than staying at the Conch they went for a few rounds of Three Dragon Ante and Carv came away a winner in the match.
The next morning they had a big breakfast and bought some excellent sweets from Beehive Pastries. After that they met up with Brick at the Black Wrack. They were introduced to Stryle Hinnit a local guide and one of the few people to have heard of the Black Sun.
Strayle had seen the keep of the giant astronomer Fosnus in a prior expedition into the jungles and agreed to lead the party to it.
They departed and crossed a damaged bridge hanging over a rushing river. Kalyna decided to try tightrope walking using one of the hand rails to cross the damaged section and found it was not too tough.
Carv and Strayle made moving through the jungles easier than it would have otherwise been. The thick undergrowth making travel challenging and the canopy of the jungle restricting sight and aerial movement. They eventually came to a stream that smelled wrong and looked foul. In the jungle around them they started to see odd little creatures.
There were vegepygmies lurking in the shadows among the plants, but the group could tell something was wrong. They look withered and wilted, from looking at the stream they figured the tainted water must be harming the creatures. Making no sudden or aggressive gestures they moved up stream to find the source of the problem.
They found a dead ettin bleeding into the stream further up but that would not have caused the contamination. Not far from the body they started to see movement, scaly humanoids and men with the heads of snakes that were holding people in a sturdy wooden cage..
Kalyna took Tulthus to Shadows which was an educational experience for the warforged.
Finwe and Carv decided rather than staying at the Conch they went for a few rounds of Three Dragon Ante and Carv came away a winner in the match.
The next morning they had a big breakfast and bought some excellent sweets from Beehive Pastries. After that they met up with Brick at the Black Wrack. They were introduced to Stryle Hinnit a local guide and one of the few people to have heard of the Black Sun.
Strayle had seen the keep of the giant astronomer Fosnus in a prior expedition into the jungles and agreed to lead the party to it.
They departed and crossed a damaged bridge hanging over a rushing river. Kalyna decided to try tightrope walking using one of the hand rails to cross the damaged section and found it was not too tough.
Carv and Strayle made moving through the jungles easier than it would have otherwise been. The thick undergrowth making travel challenging and the canopy of the jungle restricting sight and aerial movement. They eventually came to a stream that smelled wrong and looked foul. In the jungle around them they started to see odd little creatures.
There were vegepygmies lurking in the shadows among the plants, but the group could tell something was wrong. They look withered and wilted, from looking at the stream they figured the tainted water must be harming the creatures. Making no sudden or aggressive gestures they moved up stream to find the source of the problem.
They found a dead ettin bleeding into the stream further up but that would not have caused the contamination. Not far from the body they started to see movement, scaly humanoids and men with the heads of snakes that were holding people in a sturdy wooden cage..
EPISODE 33 - STORMREACH
The party met up at the Green Maiden to discuss events and go over the next steps. They talked with the Widow about what to do.
They made her aware that Uthar ir'Tonn was responsible for her kidnapping and she said she did not know if Isvor was alive. Their food was poisoned while traveling to New Cyre and she woke up bound. She asked that they go to the King of Fire when they return to Sharn. That was the meeting spot she had setup with Isvor if they were ever to become separated. She told them that she can deal with ir'Tonn now that she is aware of him.
She also revealed a legend from Xen'drik, something she had heard long ago, about a weapon of great power called a Black Sun.
She believes that this or something like it might be the key to killing Kaimathest or forcing him to back down. The group told her about Serrianna and that she has helped them. Also that she is unwilling to take drastic steps against Kaimathest.
In the end the group agreed to go in search of the Black Sun. The danger Kaimathest poses being too great to just leave alone.
A bartender in New Cyre put Kalyna in touch with a woman named Talara, who had been a servant to many noble Cryan houses, including House ir’Onem. She said in her time there the daughter of the house matriarch was sent to live at the country estates for a while. Rumor of a relationship with an elf was floating around before she departed. It was about twenty-four or twenty-five years ago, which would fit with Kalyna's age.
Talara told Kalyna the woman could be her mother was named Sadira. She only spoke briefly to her in passing but she remembers her mother as being well-liked and very talented in music. She said she would ask around to see if anyone has seen a surviving member of the family. Kalyna told her how to contact the group.
Talara said she could ask the other former servants if they knew the whereabouts of Sadira. Kalyna was very grateful and gave her money to make the trip to the nearest Speakerpost in Starilaskur to send any information she find to Kalyna as well as some extra money. Kalyna was excited to have the first real lead on her birth mother.
Kalyna got to meet with Talara who was able to add more information on who might have been her mother. She had worked for the Onem house in Metrol. She said in her time there the daughter of the house matriarch was sent to live at the country estates for a while. Rumor of a relationship with an elf was floating around before she departed. She said she would ask around to see if anyone has seen a surviving member of the family. Kalyna told her how to contact the group.
The party stopped in Sharn and found Isvor, letting him know that the Widow was in New Cyre, he thanked them and departed to join her.
The they then flew for Stormreach. They went to the Black Wrack since Kalyna had known the the owner in her time growing up there. They asked about the Black Sun and Brick thought he might know a guide that could help
They made her aware that Uthar ir'Tonn was responsible for her kidnapping and she said she did not know if Isvor was alive. Their food was poisoned while traveling to New Cyre and she woke up bound. She asked that they go to the King of Fire when they return to Sharn. That was the meeting spot she had setup with Isvor if they were ever to become separated. She told them that she can deal with ir'Tonn now that she is aware of him.
She also revealed a legend from Xen'drik, something she had heard long ago, about a weapon of great power called a Black Sun.
She believes that this or something like it might be the key to killing Kaimathest or forcing him to back down. The group told her about Serrianna and that she has helped them. Also that she is unwilling to take drastic steps against Kaimathest.
In the end the group agreed to go in search of the Black Sun. The danger Kaimathest poses being too great to just leave alone.
A bartender in New Cyre put Kalyna in touch with a woman named Talara, who had been a servant to many noble Cryan houses, including House ir’Onem. She said in her time there the daughter of the house matriarch was sent to live at the country estates for a while. Rumor of a relationship with an elf was floating around before she departed. It was about twenty-four or twenty-five years ago, which would fit with Kalyna's age.
Talara told Kalyna the woman could be her mother was named Sadira. She only spoke briefly to her in passing but she remembers her mother as being well-liked and very talented in music. She said she would ask around to see if anyone has seen a surviving member of the family. Kalyna told her how to contact the group.
Talara said she could ask the other former servants if they knew the whereabouts of Sadira. Kalyna was very grateful and gave her money to make the trip to the nearest Speakerpost in Starilaskur to send any information she find to Kalyna as well as some extra money. Kalyna was excited to have the first real lead on her birth mother.
Kalyna got to meet with Talara who was able to add more information on who might have been her mother. She had worked for the Onem house in Metrol. She said in her time there the daughter of the house matriarch was sent to live at the country estates for a while. Rumor of a relationship with an elf was floating around before she departed. She said she would ask around to see if anyone has seen a surviving member of the family. Kalyna told her how to contact the group.
The party stopped in Sharn and found Isvor, letting him know that the Widow was in New Cyre, he thanked them and departed to join her.
The they then flew for Stormreach. They went to the Black Wrack since Kalyna had known the the owner in her time growing up there. They asked about the Black Sun and Brick thought he might know a guide that could help
EPISODE 32 - MARRA AND EMELDA
The group offered aid where they could to the Cyran people and then made their way to the Green Maiden. They talked for a bit and met Marra who was serving baked goods from a special display. Halden d'Deneith entered the tavern and greeted the heroes. He was looking into the Cyran deaths and the group told him about ir'Tonn.
Halden said he would look into ir'Tonn but he was currently concerned with killings happening on the fringes of New Cyre. Strange and large tracks were being found around the area but nothing he could figured out. He had heard rumors of a strange woman being seen wearing heavy armor. A comment that caught the attention of Marra.
The group went out with Halden to look at the tracks and Marra followed in secret.
When they arrived an intersection along the edge of town they found a woman dead in the street. They examined the body and Marra crept up to get a look. The body reminded her of mangled corpses in the abbey that had been her home for a time. She hurried over claiming that a wineskin had been left and put a protection spell on Tulthus.
Finwe took to the air and spotted one of the creatures, which brought the Mindshredders into fighting. Finwe summons pixies which then turn the Carv into a tyrannosaurus rex. A strange woman comes into view wearing full plate. Chaos ensues and horrible spells are cast. The heroes emerge victorious with the girl captured and unconscious.
Marra explained that the girl is called Emelda and that she was once part of the temple of Boldrei that she also was part of. Marra had returned to the temple to find a massacre. From what she had heard a druid by the name of Lassan passed through a nearby town. He was looking ill and was told about the temple. One of the mangled bodies in the temple had looked to have been him. Emelda had been the only person missing from the temple and she had traced her path to New Cyre.
They took Emelda's armor and locked her in a cell with Tulthus. Tulthus gave her a goodberry to bring her around. She eyed the heroes with blank expression and spoke to them in their minds when asked who she serves, “I serve the master.” Then the body spasms, blood and tentacles erupt from her chest as the creature within her claws its way free. Tuthus makes a grab for the thing but it slithers through his arms and it escaped through the barred window on the cell. In their minds they heard “Ruukan will see you soon.”
Halden said he would look into ir'Tonn but he was currently concerned with killings happening on the fringes of New Cyre. Strange and large tracks were being found around the area but nothing he could figured out. He had heard rumors of a strange woman being seen wearing heavy armor. A comment that caught the attention of Marra.
The group went out with Halden to look at the tracks and Marra followed in secret.
When they arrived an intersection along the edge of town they found a woman dead in the street. They examined the body and Marra crept up to get a look. The body reminded her of mangled corpses in the abbey that had been her home for a time. She hurried over claiming that a wineskin had been left and put a protection spell on Tulthus.
Finwe took to the air and spotted one of the creatures, which brought the Mindshredders into fighting. Finwe summons pixies which then turn the Carv into a tyrannosaurus rex. A strange woman comes into view wearing full plate. Chaos ensues and horrible spells are cast. The heroes emerge victorious with the girl captured and unconscious.
Marra explained that the girl is called Emelda and that she was once part of the temple of Boldrei that she also was part of. Marra had returned to the temple to find a massacre. From what she had heard a druid by the name of Lassan passed through a nearby town. He was looking ill and was told about the temple. One of the mangled bodies in the temple had looked to have been him. Emelda had been the only person missing from the temple and she had traced her path to New Cyre.
They took Emelda's armor and locked her in a cell with Tulthus. Tulthus gave her a goodberry to bring her around. She eyed the heroes with blank expression and spoke to them in their minds when asked who she serves, “I serve the master.” Then the body spasms, blood and tentacles erupt from her chest as the creature within her claws its way free. Tuthus makes a grab for the thing but it slithers through his arms and it escaped through the barred window on the cell. In their minds they heard “Ruukan will see you soon.”
EPISODE 31 - SAVING THE WIDOW
With the help of ir'Tonn's map and Tulthus' eagle eyes the group was able to spot the cave from high above on board the Azure Wind.
They used ropes to drop down to the ground and started to head for the cave, spotting a manticore along the way and keeping their distance. At the cave entrance, Finwe became a mouse and rode along with Kalyna as she cast invisibility.
They moved through the cave finding four heavily armored guards and an elvish woman with the Mark of Shadow guarding the Widow. Kalyna figured that the elf was a member of House Thuranni which it is whispered acts as assassins if the pay is right.
They returned to Carv and Tulthus and it was decided that they would try to bluff their way in. If that failed then they would draw as much attention as possible in order to allow Kalyna and Finwe to free the Widow.
Once everything was set Tulthus tried to talk his way past the two initial gaurds but found that there was a pass phrase he did not know. So he let the battlefist start to do the talking. This drew the assassin and one of the guards away from where the Widow was.
Finwe and Kalyna freed her and the fight was on. The Widow took out one of the guards with an unknown spell and the assassin called a globe of darkness into being. When it vanished, the assassin was gone.
The group was a bit battered but they defeated the mercenaries without much trouble. The Widow stated she needed to get to New Cyre. They returned to the Azure Wind.
The Azure Wind sailed through the failing light, the Widow stood at the bow, the rain flowing around her. The trip did not take long to reach New Cyre.
They descended to the sodden ground with the rain pattering around them, and made their way into the town.
The brightly colored structures of New Cyre played a stark contrast to the storm clouds and somber faces. A sad mockery of the cheer and artistry that had been the hallmark of the once proud nation. The streets were muddy and in places the people had put down boards to walk on rather than sink into the muck. In places they could see bodies being carried on stretchers under white sheets. It appeared that victims were still being found or are dying of the lingering poison even now. There was a dreadful silence in the streets.
Outside the town proper there was a field of graves... hundreds of them and the mounds of freshly turned earth silently soaking up the tears of the sky. Scattered among them were men with shovels digging yet more to be filled. Some wandering among the graves seeming lost and others kneeling with head bowed beside a lost loved one.
Thunder boomed in the sky as the Widow walked among the grieving and the lost. A hand offered in comfort upon a shoulder here and there as she passed. She looked back to the heroes, her voice soft. "Give me some time here."
They used ropes to drop down to the ground and started to head for the cave, spotting a manticore along the way and keeping their distance. At the cave entrance, Finwe became a mouse and rode along with Kalyna as she cast invisibility.
They moved through the cave finding four heavily armored guards and an elvish woman with the Mark of Shadow guarding the Widow. Kalyna figured that the elf was a member of House Thuranni which it is whispered acts as assassins if the pay is right.
They returned to Carv and Tulthus and it was decided that they would try to bluff their way in. If that failed then they would draw as much attention as possible in order to allow Kalyna and Finwe to free the Widow.
Once everything was set Tulthus tried to talk his way past the two initial gaurds but found that there was a pass phrase he did not know. So he let the battlefist start to do the talking. This drew the assassin and one of the guards away from where the Widow was.
Finwe and Kalyna freed her and the fight was on. The Widow took out one of the guards with an unknown spell and the assassin called a globe of darkness into being. When it vanished, the assassin was gone.
The group was a bit battered but they defeated the mercenaries without much trouble. The Widow stated she needed to get to New Cyre. They returned to the Azure Wind.
The Azure Wind sailed through the failing light, the Widow stood at the bow, the rain flowing around her. The trip did not take long to reach New Cyre.
They descended to the sodden ground with the rain pattering around them, and made their way into the town.
The brightly colored structures of New Cyre played a stark contrast to the storm clouds and somber faces. A sad mockery of the cheer and artistry that had been the hallmark of the once proud nation. The streets were muddy and in places the people had put down boards to walk on rather than sink into the muck. In places they could see bodies being carried on stretchers under white sheets. It appeared that victims were still being found or are dying of the lingering poison even now. There was a dreadful silence in the streets.
Outside the town proper there was a field of graves... hundreds of them and the mounds of freshly turned earth silently soaking up the tears of the sky. Scattered among them were men with shovels digging yet more to be filled. Some wandering among the graves seeming lost and others kneeling with head bowed beside a lost loved one.
Thunder boomed in the sky as the Widow walked among the grieving and the lost. A hand offered in comfort upon a shoulder here and there as she passed. She looked back to the heroes, her voice soft. "Give me some time here."
EPISODE 30 - ALL PART OF THE PLAN - PART 2
The battle was vicious and spells from the hidden mage caused havoc among the heroes. They transformed into apes only to have a blast of cold drop Finwe unconscious. This caused his concentration to fail and the pixies which controlled the transformations vanished. Ice and cold struck Carv in mid flight and killed his loyal mount Darkwing, leaving him to tumble onto the roof of a side tower.
Tulthus finally brought down Uthar down, and Kalyna revived Finn with a healing potion. In the aftermath it seems the mage fled. The party considering hunting the caster down if they find out who it was. With some quickly done magic, they retreated into Dragoneyes in Lower Tavick's Landing to avoid any problems with the watch while taking Uthar along.
With the help of a well paid skycoach driver they returned to the Azure Wind and tossed ir'Tonn in the brig. Then everyone went to rest and recover.
The next day they went to question him and he was less than cooperative. Tulthus threatened Uthar's nephew but the nobleman saw through the bluff while none of the other heroes did. Tulthus left in frustration. Uthar offered a deal, stating he had the Widow captive and was going to kill her personally, a sure blow to the morale of the already reeling Cyran people. If they gave him his freedom, he would give them the location of the Widow with enough time for them to go and save her. He even offered to toss in the name of the blademark mage he had hired that was responsible for the death of Darkwing. Finwe summoned pixies again to use Detect Thoughts on him but the little folk could read nothing from the man. Time being of the essence, the heroes agreed to the bargain though they kept his armor and sword.
They returned Uthar to the ir'Tonn estate in Dalan's Refuge and he was good to his word, providing a map to the location outside New Cyre where the Widow was being held and the name of the blademark mage. Uthar said they have three days to reach the Widow.
The heroes immediately went to Captain Cyrus and he informed them they can reach New Cyre in about two and a half days but they would need to leave now.
The Azure Wind flew from Sharn, a blazing ring of blue fire racing cross the sky and against time to New Cyre.
Tulthus finally brought down Uthar down, and Kalyna revived Finn with a healing potion. In the aftermath it seems the mage fled. The party considering hunting the caster down if they find out who it was. With some quickly done magic, they retreated into Dragoneyes in Lower Tavick's Landing to avoid any problems with the watch while taking Uthar along.
With the help of a well paid skycoach driver they returned to the Azure Wind and tossed ir'Tonn in the brig. Then everyone went to rest and recover.
The next day they went to question him and he was less than cooperative. Tulthus threatened Uthar's nephew but the nobleman saw through the bluff while none of the other heroes did. Tulthus left in frustration. Uthar offered a deal, stating he had the Widow captive and was going to kill her personally, a sure blow to the morale of the already reeling Cyran people. If they gave him his freedom, he would give them the location of the Widow with enough time for them to go and save her. He even offered to toss in the name of the blademark mage he had hired that was responsible for the death of Darkwing. Finwe summoned pixies again to use Detect Thoughts on him but the little folk could read nothing from the man. Time being of the essence, the heroes agreed to the bargain though they kept his armor and sword.
They returned Uthar to the ir'Tonn estate in Dalan's Refuge and he was good to his word, providing a map to the location outside New Cyre where the Widow was being held and the name of the blademark mage. Uthar said they have three days to reach the Widow.
The heroes immediately went to Captain Cyrus and he informed them they can reach New Cyre in about two and a half days but they would need to leave now.
The Azure Wind flew from Sharn, a blazing ring of blue fire racing cross the sky and against time to New Cyre.
EPISODE 29 - ALL PART OF THE PLAN
The group discussed how to hit ir'Tonn when the time comes. They came up with an idea of having an invisible Kalyna and Finn use summoned pixies to polymorph ir'Tonn into a turtle. That way he would be unable to fight back when they kidnap him.
Alain showed up at the Azure Wind bringing gifts from King Boranel: enchanted armor for Kalyna and Carv, a staff of healing for Finwe and an enchanted battle fist for Tulthus. These given in thanks for their efforts to save the Cyran people under Boranel's protection. None of the group are native to Breland and so unable to join the Citadel but these items declare them an ally of the nation and grant them the favor of the king. When the phrase “I am a friend to Breland” is spoken each of these items display the coat of arms for Breland for a short time. They asked Alain about meeting with the Cyran Prince Oargev ir'Wynarn. He said that right now the prince is in Wroat meeting with the parliament and the king. It may be some time before a meeting could be arranged.
They hired a skycoach and watched the estate. Luck seemed to be on their side. They saw ir'Tonn leaving the estate but dressed for a fight. None of the house guards seemed to be going with him. They trailed him as he moved down into Deathsgate in middle Tavick's Landing, a district known for adventurers and mercenaries. They decided to spring the trap on one of the streets.
Things did not quite go as planned. Uthar seemed to be more resistant to the spells than expected and was not as alone as he had appeared. Fighting broke out with Uthar seeming to have two archers and an invisible mage moving around the area. Unable to keep the nobleman trapped as a turtle the party closed in to take him down the hard way.
Alain showed up at the Azure Wind bringing gifts from King Boranel: enchanted armor for Kalyna and Carv, a staff of healing for Finwe and an enchanted battle fist for Tulthus. These given in thanks for their efforts to save the Cyran people under Boranel's protection. None of the group are native to Breland and so unable to join the Citadel but these items declare them an ally of the nation and grant them the favor of the king. When the phrase “I am a friend to Breland” is spoken each of these items display the coat of arms for Breland for a short time. They asked Alain about meeting with the Cyran Prince Oargev ir'Wynarn. He said that right now the prince is in Wroat meeting with the parliament and the king. It may be some time before a meeting could be arranged.
They hired a skycoach and watched the estate. Luck seemed to be on their side. They saw ir'Tonn leaving the estate but dressed for a fight. None of the house guards seemed to be going with him. They trailed him as he moved down into Deathsgate in middle Tavick's Landing, a district known for adventurers and mercenaries. They decided to spring the trap on one of the streets.
Things did not quite go as planned. Uthar seemed to be more resistant to the spells than expected and was not as alone as he had appeared. Fighting broke out with Uthar seeming to have two archers and an invisible mage moving around the area. Unable to keep the nobleman trapped as a turtle the party closed in to take him down the hard way.
EPISODE 28 - FAMILY SECRETS
The group went to Serrianna to help work out what to do about Kaimathest. She informed them that she is not willing to try to kill Kaimathest. She has hope that eventually he will come around. She did say that she will think about methods that could be used to trap him. She also informed them that the airship Azure Wind has arrived in Sharn and is available for use.
Leaving Serrianna's they ran into Enmor who had returned at last. They asked about his work in Thrane and he told them he had to take out a pack of gnolls that were attacking Cyrans in the area around Flamekeep.
They decided to watch ir'Tonn to find his habits and a time to ambush him. Kalyna, Carv, and Enmor kept watch on his estate in shifts.
Tulthus and Finwe went to the Azure Wind and met the captain and crew. They had a fine evening drinking some of Bellem's special brew. This ended up knocking Tulthus out.
They returned to the mansion using the airship and Kalyna spoke with Cassandra. She told Kalyna that her father was always tight lipped about who her real mother was. She said that at times he let slip that he was afraid of Kalyna's grandmother. Her father had kept a safety deposit box with House Kundarak and set it up so Cassandra could access it. Cassandra gave the box to Kalyna. Within was an ornate signet ring that Kaylna recognized as belonging to a noble house. Such rings were often enchanted to react only to members of the family and when she put it on, the ring began to glow with a soft light. Cassandra theorized that Kalyna’s mother was a noble and had a relationship with Kalyna’s father but Kalyna’s grandmother disapproved.
Kalyna headed to Sharn the next morning and began to search the library at Morgrave University. She found that the sigil belonged to ir’Onem, a noble Cyran house who had an estate located in Metrol, the capital of Cyre, and was one of the more influential noble houses. The book detailed they were involved in magical artifice and had ties with House Cannith. It seemed that Kalyna’s real mother was a Cyran, which made Kalyna half Cyran.
Leaving Serrianna's they ran into Enmor who had returned at last. They asked about his work in Thrane and he told them he had to take out a pack of gnolls that were attacking Cyrans in the area around Flamekeep.
They decided to watch ir'Tonn to find his habits and a time to ambush him. Kalyna, Carv, and Enmor kept watch on his estate in shifts.
Tulthus and Finwe went to the Azure Wind and met the captain and crew. They had a fine evening drinking some of Bellem's special brew. This ended up knocking Tulthus out.
They returned to the mansion using the airship and Kalyna spoke with Cassandra. She told Kalyna that her father was always tight lipped about who her real mother was. She said that at times he let slip that he was afraid of Kalyna's grandmother. Her father had kept a safety deposit box with House Kundarak and set it up so Cassandra could access it. Cassandra gave the box to Kalyna. Within was an ornate signet ring that Kaylna recognized as belonging to a noble house. Such rings were often enchanted to react only to members of the family and when she put it on, the ring began to glow with a soft light. Cassandra theorized that Kalyna’s mother was a noble and had a relationship with Kalyna’s father but Kalyna’s grandmother disapproved.
Kalyna headed to Sharn the next morning and began to search the library at Morgrave University. She found that the sigil belonged to ir’Onem, a noble Cyran house who had an estate located in Metrol, the capital of Cyre, and was one of the more influential noble houses. The book detailed they were involved in magical artifice and had ties with House Cannith. It seemed that Kalyna’s real mother was a Cyran, which made Kalyna half Cyran.
EPISODE 27 - MEETING THE OPPOSITION
The group arrived Upper Tavick's Landing at the Dalan's Refuge district. Kalyna leading the way as Lady Melody ir'Autumnbrew, one of her established false identities, impersonating the daughter of a noble in Aundair. Tulthus preteneded to be her bodyguard, Finn her footman, and Carv her personal physician. They arrived at the ir'Tonn estate and requested an audience with the lord of the house. They were informed that Lord Bestan ir'Tonn was in a city council meeting but would be welcome to wait until he returns. They accepted.
Left alone in a lavish sitting room the group discussed possible next moves with having no idea when Bestan might return. Tulthus watching out the window of the room saw a man hand one of the house guards something. The messenger resembled the description of Kaimathest that they had heard from a gnoll some time back.
Kalyna cast invisibility on herself and slipped out in to the hall to follow the house guard as he went to deliver the letter. This lead her to Uthar ir'Tonn. Invisibly she was able to read the note over his shoulder before he burned it “Meet me tonight at the Rampant Gryphon” with no signature. Sealed in the room with Uthar she was able to read another note that arrived and this one stated there had been numerous deaths in New Cyre. It appears that while they stopped the plot for High Walls, New Cyre was hit at the same time.
Kalyna knocked on the door of the room to trick Uthar into opening it to let her out but she could tell he was suspicious when he found none of the house members anywhere around. She made her way back to the group and it was not long before they could see Uthar was leaving. They followed after knowing he was heading to the Rampant Gryphon
A quick bribe and they were in the restaurant clearly able to see Uthar sitting with the grim figure of the man they thought to be Kaimathest. Unfortunately the tables all around them had been “reserved” and so Finwe decided to change into a mouse while at the privy to creep over and listen to them.
Kaimathest ended up looking right at Finwe as a mouse and asked “Is there something on your mind?” A disconcerted Uthar left the table moments later heading out into the streets as Kaimathest invited the group to join him. From this chat they gathered that Kaimathest believes he is doing what is necessary to stop the coming disaster and does not seem to take any pleasure in doing it. His view of the prophesy showed the dark creature carrying the Cyran banner. His attempt to have them killed was not anything personal, he does not truly wish them dead but only out of the way of his plans. He paid for their meal and even told them he would leave the Cyran people in peace for a week when they asked for a truce for the people killed in New Cyre and to try to find evidence to convince Kaimathest his interpretation of the prophecy is incorrect.
The question for the heroes now is, what do we do?
Left alone in a lavish sitting room the group discussed possible next moves with having no idea when Bestan might return. Tulthus watching out the window of the room saw a man hand one of the house guards something. The messenger resembled the description of Kaimathest that they had heard from a gnoll some time back.
Kalyna cast invisibility on herself and slipped out in to the hall to follow the house guard as he went to deliver the letter. This lead her to Uthar ir'Tonn. Invisibly she was able to read the note over his shoulder before he burned it “Meet me tonight at the Rampant Gryphon” with no signature. Sealed in the room with Uthar she was able to read another note that arrived and this one stated there had been numerous deaths in New Cyre. It appears that while they stopped the plot for High Walls, New Cyre was hit at the same time.
Kalyna knocked on the door of the room to trick Uthar into opening it to let her out but she could tell he was suspicious when he found none of the house members anywhere around. She made her way back to the group and it was not long before they could see Uthar was leaving. They followed after knowing he was heading to the Rampant Gryphon
A quick bribe and they were in the restaurant clearly able to see Uthar sitting with the grim figure of the man they thought to be Kaimathest. Unfortunately the tables all around them had been “reserved” and so Finwe decided to change into a mouse while at the privy to creep over and listen to them.
Kaimathest ended up looking right at Finwe as a mouse and asked “Is there something on your mind?” A disconcerted Uthar left the table moments later heading out into the streets as Kaimathest invited the group to join him. From this chat they gathered that Kaimathest believes he is doing what is necessary to stop the coming disaster and does not seem to take any pleasure in doing it. His view of the prophesy showed the dark creature carrying the Cyran banner. His attempt to have them killed was not anything personal, he does not truly wish them dead but only out of the way of his plans. He paid for their meal and even told them he would leave the Cyran people in peace for a week when they asked for a truce for the people killed in New Cyre and to try to find evidence to convince Kaimathest his interpretation of the prophecy is incorrect.
The question for the heroes now is, what do we do?
EPISODE 26 - A LEGACY OF DHAKAAN
The group, after making the report to the watch over the cistern poisoning attempt, headed for a tavern to talk things over. At which point the female hobgoblin Kuraas found them again. Invisibly the duur'kala tried to steal the sword again from Tulthus only this time she succeeded in getting hold of it.
She fled carrying the blade and the heroes chased after her. She used magic to hold Kalyna and to keep her from catching up. In the end it was Carv who managed to stop her with a lasso from above while riding Darkwing.
Kuraas explain why she had been following them and that she only wanted to recover the blade as it was a relic of the goblinoid empire of Dhakaan. She promised to leave the blade with Tulthus if she could be allowed to study the sword. Tulthus kept watch as she examined the blade and she told him the sword is named Duurghas or “Defender.” It was created to destroy the unnatural creatures of Xoriat and to warn its wielder of their approach. The runes of the blade glow when such creatures are near but only the holder of the sword can see this.
Tulthus agreed to return the blade to Kuraas if she could locate Ruukan and lead the group to him.
The group went to see Alain Durgan and through him were able to find that the archer who had given them so much trouble was a former Brelish soldier, Sergeant Kardin Streph and that he had served under Uthar ir'Tonn during the Last War. Both had served on the Cyran front.
Investigating ir'Tonn would be complicated, as his brother is a Sharn city councilman and they live in Upper Tavick's Landing which has special laws governing carrying weapons, casting spells and even has a dress code to keep out undesirables. Alain secured proper papers for the group so they could investigate but warned that they needed to be extremely careful.
The group set out for Upper Tavick's Landing and Dalan's Refuge.
She fled carrying the blade and the heroes chased after her. She used magic to hold Kalyna and to keep her from catching up. In the end it was Carv who managed to stop her with a lasso from above while riding Darkwing.
Kuraas explain why she had been following them and that she only wanted to recover the blade as it was a relic of the goblinoid empire of Dhakaan. She promised to leave the blade with Tulthus if she could be allowed to study the sword. Tulthus kept watch as she examined the blade and she told him the sword is named Duurghas or “Defender.” It was created to destroy the unnatural creatures of Xoriat and to warn its wielder of their approach. The runes of the blade glow when such creatures are near but only the holder of the sword can see this.
Tulthus agreed to return the blade to Kuraas if she could locate Ruukan and lead the group to him.
The group went to see Alain Durgan and through him were able to find that the archer who had given them so much trouble was a former Brelish soldier, Sergeant Kardin Streph and that he had served under Uthar ir'Tonn during the Last War. Both had served on the Cyran front.
Investigating ir'Tonn would be complicated, as his brother is a Sharn city councilman and they live in Upper Tavick's Landing which has special laws governing carrying weapons, casting spells and even has a dress code to keep out undesirables. Alain secured proper papers for the group so they could investigate but warned that they needed to be extremely careful.
The group set out for Upper Tavick's Landing and Dalan's Refuge.
episode 25 - deadly water
The battle won, the group proceeded to question the Archer but no matter what they threatened he would not give up any information.
At this point Carv of the BlackClaw tribe came sailing in on his glidewing having seen the fight offers to join the party. Knowing that the barrels on the cart are likely filled with poison and the delivery to be made to a cistern they decided no time to be wasted.
They packed the Archer, properly tied and gagged, into the cart with the barrels. They covered him with cloaks and drove the cart to meeting point. They were waived through the cistern gates by two Brelish guards but when looked at closely there was blood on the cloaks. Hidden just beyond the gates were the bodies of 10 members of the city watch.
Outside the cistern were two more carts of barrels and men rolling the barrels in. The group went inside to see archers standing on the raised access to the water supply and numerous men dumping barrels into the water supply.
A tall man in full plate asked Kalyna, who was disguised as the archer, “Were there any problems Sergeant?” She shook her head and remained silent while making her way over with Tulthus. The man in plate commented “Soon this will be over and a threat will be removed permanently.”
At this point Kalyna responded “You got that right” and tried to stab him. Tulthus and Kalyna fought to bring down the armored warrior while Finwe called wolves into existence and Carv fired arrow after arrow into the archers. The man in plate offered a brutal choice to Tulthus as he struck down Kalyna, save her or stop him.
Tulthus picked up Kalyna and ran with her to safety behind the cistern, the armored man made no move to hinder him. He instead walked into a stairwell leaving the chaos behind.
A potion helped bring Kalyna back to consciousness and Tulthus headed back in to help the others. Carv was proving he is a deadly shot with a bow while Finwe's wolves shredded men. In the end the group was victorious. They called for the Sharn Watch and started to discuss what to do now...
At this point Carv of the BlackClaw tribe came sailing in on his glidewing having seen the fight offers to join the party. Knowing that the barrels on the cart are likely filled with poison and the delivery to be made to a cistern they decided no time to be wasted.
They packed the Archer, properly tied and gagged, into the cart with the barrels. They covered him with cloaks and drove the cart to meeting point. They were waived through the cistern gates by two Brelish guards but when looked at closely there was blood on the cloaks. Hidden just beyond the gates were the bodies of 10 members of the city watch.
Outside the cistern were two more carts of barrels and men rolling the barrels in. The group went inside to see archers standing on the raised access to the water supply and numerous men dumping barrels into the water supply.
A tall man in full plate asked Kalyna, who was disguised as the archer, “Were there any problems Sergeant?” She shook her head and remained silent while making her way over with Tulthus. The man in plate commented “Soon this will be over and a threat will be removed permanently.”
At this point Kalyna responded “You got that right” and tried to stab him. Tulthus and Kalyna fought to bring down the armored warrior while Finwe called wolves into existence and Carv fired arrow after arrow into the archers. The man in plate offered a brutal choice to Tulthus as he struck down Kalyna, save her or stop him.
Tulthus picked up Kalyna and ran with her to safety behind the cistern, the armored man made no move to hinder him. He instead walked into a stairwell leaving the chaos behind.
A potion helped bring Kalyna back to consciousness and Tulthus headed back in to help the others. Carv was proving he is a deadly shot with a bow while Finwe's wolves shredded men. In the end the group was victorious. They called for the Sharn Watch and started to discuss what to do now...
Episode 24 - The Asshole Archer
After leaving the Widow, the group went to the Dancing Rabbit and took a well deserved night off. Finwe presented a gold and silver bracelet traced with interwoven vines. For Kalyna her bracelet had a silver fox wrapped around a gem with the words in elvish “Kalyna, the Cunning & Fair, Esteemed Friend ~ Defender, Circle of the Sacred Grove.” For Ekemon, his bracelet had the tentacle of a kraken wrapped around the gem with the elvish inscription “Ekemon, the Insightful & Mystic, Esteemed Friend ~ Defender, Circle of the Sacred Grove.” For Tulthus a rhinocerous wraps the gem with the inscribed words “Tulthus, the Fearless & Brave, Esteemed Friend ~ Defender, Circle of the Sacred Grove.” Finwe thanked them all for standing with him and protecting the grove.
In the alcohol induced coma later, Ekemon relived a nightmare he had suffered many times over the years. Watching his village burn as a child and being powerless to do anything about it. This night he remembered a detail long forgotten in the shock and chaos of that night. A gentle hand on his shoulder as he stared at the ruin. Serrianna's voice telling him to come away, and guiding him to the trade road where he was later found by merchants that took him in. She had pressed a bag of gold into his hand before leaving him on the road.
The next day he told the group he needed to go see Serrianna. As they made their way through the streets they spotted an ornate longbow they recognized. The archer was following a group of men in a wagon full of barrels. The wagon was loaded on to a lift to be taken higher in the city and the archer made his way down a side street. Kalyna and Ekemon followed him while Finwe and Tulthus stepped onto the lift.
Kalyna and Ekemon soon see the archer hop into a skycoach with a man holding the driver at sword point. They quickly find a coach of their own and head for the lift since that looked like the archer was headed that way.
The archer spots Tuthus on the lift and fires arrows down on him from the skycoach. Ekemon and Kaylna have the driver of their coach move to catch up.
The battle is vicious and culminated with the archer leaping off the skycoach drawing his bow as he falls slowly thanks to a feather fall token and Kalyna leaping off after with the same type of token. As she did so hurling magic missiles down on him. This finally incapacitated him. Both he and Kalyna drifted safely down to a walkway between the towers.
Ekemon was badly hurt and Tulthus was in rough shape but he had captured one of the guards. The guard said he didn't know what was in the barrels their merc group had been hired only a couple days before to make the delivery to the cistern in middle Tavick's Landing tonight.
Ekemon told the group he was too hurt to keep going and he really needed to see Serrianna. Finwe had one of his summoned eagles carry Ekemon to Platinum Heights. There he spoke with Serrianna who was saddened that he could not leave the past behind but understood. She told him the fiend that destroyed his home was named Ksarraja. She said she had read the signs too late to arrive in time. He is an ancient creature of terrible evil, a rakshasa. She said even if Ekemon were to meet him he might never know it. She told him the last she had heard of Ksarraja was that he had been near Maruk Dar in the Demon Wastes. She said she would be there if he needed her. And so Ekemon departed to hunt Ksarraja.
In the alcohol induced coma later, Ekemon relived a nightmare he had suffered many times over the years. Watching his village burn as a child and being powerless to do anything about it. This night he remembered a detail long forgotten in the shock and chaos of that night. A gentle hand on his shoulder as he stared at the ruin. Serrianna's voice telling him to come away, and guiding him to the trade road where he was later found by merchants that took him in. She had pressed a bag of gold into his hand before leaving him on the road.
The next day he told the group he needed to go see Serrianna. As they made their way through the streets they spotted an ornate longbow they recognized. The archer was following a group of men in a wagon full of barrels. The wagon was loaded on to a lift to be taken higher in the city and the archer made his way down a side street. Kalyna and Ekemon followed him while Finwe and Tulthus stepped onto the lift.
Kalyna and Ekemon soon see the archer hop into a skycoach with a man holding the driver at sword point. They quickly find a coach of their own and head for the lift since that looked like the archer was headed that way.
The archer spots Tuthus on the lift and fires arrows down on him from the skycoach. Ekemon and Kaylna have the driver of their coach move to catch up.
The battle is vicious and culminated with the archer leaping off the skycoach drawing his bow as he falls slowly thanks to a feather fall token and Kalyna leaping off after with the same type of token. As she did so hurling magic missiles down on him. This finally incapacitated him. Both he and Kalyna drifted safely down to a walkway between the towers.
Ekemon was badly hurt and Tulthus was in rough shape but he had captured one of the guards. The guard said he didn't know what was in the barrels their merc group had been hired only a couple days before to make the delivery to the cistern in middle Tavick's Landing tonight.
Ekemon told the group he was too hurt to keep going and he really needed to see Serrianna. Finwe had one of his summoned eagles carry Ekemon to Platinum Heights. There he spoke with Serrianna who was saddened that he could not leave the past behind but understood. She told him the fiend that destroyed his home was named Ksarraja. She said she had read the signs too late to arrive in time. He is an ancient creature of terrible evil, a rakshasa. She said even if Ekemon were to meet him he might never know it. She told him the last she had heard of Ksarraja was that he had been near Maruk Dar in the Demon Wastes. She said she would be there if he needed her. And so Ekemon departed to hunt Ksarraja.
EPISODE 23 - CHASING PROPHECY
The party descended into Khyber under the protective ward cast by Kharag. The very fabric of reality seeming strained in the cavern as they searched for the Master of Tendril's prison. It did not take them long to find it.
The Daelkyr sat upon a writhing throne of tentacles, garbed in armor that resembled chitin and whip like tentacles extended from his back with barbed spikes at the tips. Inspite of this its face was that of a human male of exceptional beauty, though its eyes were pure white.
Dalgrytheer offered to alter the members of the party in any way they wished if they would simply kill Kharag. Going so far as to mold the face of a dolgaunt member of his court to have the same face as Kalyna. The group refused and the creature implied that his servant Ruukan escaped with some sort of plan for the future. Ruukan being the dolgaunt the party first found in the ruins near Lyrenton.
Once the prison was resealed, the disturbing properties of the cave seemed to subside and Kharag offered to teach Finwe to become a Gatekeeper. He stated he would remain here and work to restore the grove. The group thanked him for his help and they departed to keep their word to Serrianna that they would seek a passage of the Draconic Prophesy.
They made the long journey to Barran's Keep in eastern Breland. The ruins of a fortress on the edge of the Howling Peaks. They explored the ruin for a time and eventually found a path into caverns below.
They found a cavern that glowed with a faint blue-ish light and along the walls they could see sigils and patterns that seemed to change subtly as they watched. Then suddenly the light flared brightly and it felt like the world tilted... then all was darkness
The Vision they experienced:
You see a green field of grass, the sky is bright but in the distance you can see storm clouds more violent than you have ever seen. Ahead a tattered green banner hangs from a tall pole. The banner is a field of green with a golden crown within a laurel wreath and with a bell hanging below it..
And then suddenly the darkness surges... the storm clouds swallow the sky. Half of the banner is shadowed beneath the clouds and the grass withers. You watch as the ground cracks and then explodes. You stand in the light and look into devastation. You see shadowed forms moving among the upheaval. Things writhe and flail. It is impossible to tell if these are the death throws of the innocent or abominations creeping closer. A single figure darker than the deepest pit stands watching and you know they are the
cause of all that surrounds them. The world as far as the eye can see brought to ruin.
In the light with you are figures felt but not seen. You feel three others stand at your side but you cannot see their faces. You ready yourself for the fight...
You blink your eyes and find you are back in the cavern beneath Baran's Keep. Your heart is racing and your breathing hard but the place is empty except for your companions.
After this they made their way to Sharn to speak with Serrianna about the vision. She confrimed that she had seen the same vision but her perspective was that of an observer while it appears they were participants standing in opposition. She revealed that Kaimathest believes this vision means that the Cyrans will be responsible for the destruction of the world and so he is seeking to exterminate them. Her belief is that only those of Cyran blood will be able to stop the impending apocalypse. She offered to aid them through chartering an airship to speed their travels.
They then went to High Walls and sought out the Widow, enlisting her aid to warn the Cyrans that they are under attack.
The Daelkyr sat upon a writhing throne of tentacles, garbed in armor that resembled chitin and whip like tentacles extended from his back with barbed spikes at the tips. Inspite of this its face was that of a human male of exceptional beauty, though its eyes were pure white.
Dalgrytheer offered to alter the members of the party in any way they wished if they would simply kill Kharag. Going so far as to mold the face of a dolgaunt member of his court to have the same face as Kalyna. The group refused and the creature implied that his servant Ruukan escaped with some sort of plan for the future. Ruukan being the dolgaunt the party first found in the ruins near Lyrenton.
Once the prison was resealed, the disturbing properties of the cave seemed to subside and Kharag offered to teach Finwe to become a Gatekeeper. He stated he would remain here and work to restore the grove. The group thanked him for his help and they departed to keep their word to Serrianna that they would seek a passage of the Draconic Prophesy.
They made the long journey to Barran's Keep in eastern Breland. The ruins of a fortress on the edge of the Howling Peaks. They explored the ruin for a time and eventually found a path into caverns below.
They found a cavern that glowed with a faint blue-ish light and along the walls they could see sigils and patterns that seemed to change subtly as they watched. Then suddenly the light flared brightly and it felt like the world tilted... then all was darkness
The Vision they experienced:
You see a green field of grass, the sky is bright but in the distance you can see storm clouds more violent than you have ever seen. Ahead a tattered green banner hangs from a tall pole. The banner is a field of green with a golden crown within a laurel wreath and with a bell hanging below it..
And then suddenly the darkness surges... the storm clouds swallow the sky. Half of the banner is shadowed beneath the clouds and the grass withers. You watch as the ground cracks and then explodes. You stand in the light and look into devastation. You see shadowed forms moving among the upheaval. Things writhe and flail. It is impossible to tell if these are the death throws of the innocent or abominations creeping closer. A single figure darker than the deepest pit stands watching and you know they are the
cause of all that surrounds them. The world as far as the eye can see brought to ruin.
In the light with you are figures felt but not seen. You feel three others stand at your side but you cannot see their faces. You ready yourself for the fight...
You blink your eyes and find you are back in the cavern beneath Baran's Keep. Your heart is racing and your breathing hard but the place is empty except for your companions.
After this they made their way to Sharn to speak with Serrianna about the vision. She confrimed that she had seen the same vision but her perspective was that of an observer while it appears they were participants standing in opposition. She revealed that Kaimathest believes this vision means that the Cyrans will be responsible for the destruction of the world and so he is seeking to exterminate them. Her belief is that only those of Cyran blood will be able to stop the impending apocalypse. She offered to aid them through chartering an airship to speed their travels.
They then went to High Walls and sought out the Widow, enlisting her aid to warn the Cyrans that they are under attack.
EPISODE 22 - THE TAINTED GROVE
The heroes continued toward the grove while the woods became more alien around them. When they reached a clearing an eagle swooped in and transformed into an orc with a tall staff hung with small bones and skulls.
The orc introduced himself as Kharag, a Gatekeeper from the Shadow Marches. He was aware that Finwe was Lassan's student. He asked if Finwe knew what was beneath his grove he had been given to protect and it became clear that Finwe did not. Kharag said that Lassan like many of the druids in the current age do not believe that the ancient Daelkyr are a threat. An oversight that likely has lead to the corruption in this part of the woods.
He told Finwe that beneath his grove is the prison of Dalgrytheer, the Daelkyr Lord of Tendrils. Like all of his kind, this foul creature can mold flesh as if it were clay. It was said that the dolgaunts were his creations. Kharag advised that stealth should be used to pass through the woods to reach the seal. He brought with him the means to reseal the prison but he will need help. He also warned that they should not trust anyone they see. The poor rangers that had been taken by the tentacles are not the worst things to be feared if Dalgrytheer's prison is cracked.
They moved through the woods quickly and quietly, Finwe and Kharag using the power of nature to help mask their movement. They took out one more group of infested rangers as they moved through. At one point they did see Lassan... standing alone in the open in the woods. They decided not to approach him. Sealing the prison being the goal.
They reached the grove and found Ruukan leaving, Kalyna yelled at him and he turned with tentacles lashing. He called back to the group that he wished he had the time to deal with them. He ran deeper into the woods as two of the vein covered trees suddenly came to life and began to advance.
A mass of eye covered tenacles bound together in the shape of a man came into view. Finwe sent his assorted animals to attack it while Tulthus charged the trees. Kharag moved to make sure nothing else emerged from the shattered stone seal in the ground. The trees hammered Tulthus as the tendril creature ripped apart animals. Ekemon and Kalyna hurled spells at the trees trying to bring the things down. It was a brutal fight but they emerged alive though in rough shape.
Kharag looked to the heroes, offering the chance for them to take a moment to breathe. For next they must descent to face a lord of madness.
The orc introduced himself as Kharag, a Gatekeeper from the Shadow Marches. He was aware that Finwe was Lassan's student. He asked if Finwe knew what was beneath his grove he had been given to protect and it became clear that Finwe did not. Kharag said that Lassan like many of the druids in the current age do not believe that the ancient Daelkyr are a threat. An oversight that likely has lead to the corruption in this part of the woods.
He told Finwe that beneath his grove is the prison of Dalgrytheer, the Daelkyr Lord of Tendrils. Like all of his kind, this foul creature can mold flesh as if it were clay. It was said that the dolgaunts were his creations. Kharag advised that stealth should be used to pass through the woods to reach the seal. He brought with him the means to reseal the prison but he will need help. He also warned that they should not trust anyone they see. The poor rangers that had been taken by the tentacles are not the worst things to be feared if Dalgrytheer's prison is cracked.
They moved through the woods quickly and quietly, Finwe and Kharag using the power of nature to help mask their movement. They took out one more group of infested rangers as they moved through. At one point they did see Lassan... standing alone in the open in the woods. They decided not to approach him. Sealing the prison being the goal.
They reached the grove and found Ruukan leaving, Kalyna yelled at him and he turned with tentacles lashing. He called back to the group that he wished he had the time to deal with them. He ran deeper into the woods as two of the vein covered trees suddenly came to life and began to advance.
A mass of eye covered tenacles bound together in the shape of a man came into view. Finwe sent his assorted animals to attack it while Tulthus charged the trees. Kharag moved to make sure nothing else emerged from the shattered stone seal in the ground. The trees hammered Tulthus as the tendril creature ripped apart animals. Ekemon and Kalyna hurled spells at the trees trying to bring the things down. It was a brutal fight but they emerged alive though in rough shape.
Kharag looked to the heroes, offering the chance for them to take a moment to breathe. For next they must descent to face a lord of madness.
EPISODE 21 - THE TOWERING WOODS
Travel through the unnatural woods was slow. Moving through the shadows things started to creep out to eat our heroes. Horrible things that were little more than screaming blobs of flesh with eyes and teeth dropped from the trees.
The group found it hard to concentrate amid the gibbering monsters but they managed to destroy the things. They moved on and found a place to camp for the night.
Their sleep was less than peaceful. The web walls that surrounded them began to dissolve. They found men who had been infested by eye covered tentacles. They had burrowed through the men's eyes and filled their mouths.
Once the creatures were defeated they could see that they had scabbards with markings of the Wardens of the Wood. These things had turned the protectors of the Eldeen Reaches into monsters.
The next day they pressed on until Tulthus was grabbed by an angry ape with ten foot long arms. It hauled him up into the tree. He managed to break free but fell about forty feet crashing into the ground. Another of the creatures grabbed Ekemon but he used magic to escape the thing's clutches. The heroes drove off the foul things and proceeded deeper into the darkness.
The group found it hard to concentrate amid the gibbering monsters but they managed to destroy the things. They moved on and found a place to camp for the night.
Their sleep was less than peaceful. The web walls that surrounded them began to dissolve. They found men who had been infested by eye covered tentacles. They had burrowed through the men's eyes and filled their mouths.
Once the creatures were defeated they could see that they had scabbards with markings of the Wardens of the Wood. These things had turned the protectors of the Eldeen Reaches into monsters.
The next day they pressed on until Tulthus was grabbed by an angry ape with ten foot long arms. It hauled him up into the tree. He managed to break free but fell about forty feet crashing into the ground. Another of the creatures grabbed Ekemon but he used magic to escape the thing's clutches. The heroes drove off the foul things and proceeded deeper into the darkness.
EPISODE 20 - HOMECOMING
The group traveled to Underlook in Middle Dura. The district has a somewhat rundown feel to it. With a little effort they located Ashold Investigations. Enmor was not in the best state either, clearly had been drinking excessively but brushed off the questions about it. He let them know that his employer wanted to meet the group and they agreed to go.
They took a skycoach up the Platinum Heights in Upper Menthis. The wealth of this district was quite evident in the shining towers and guarded homes. Enmor led them to the edge of the plateau. The tower was beautiful like the others but lacking in any guards. Enmor walked up to the door and knocked.
The woman who answered had the kind of beauty that defies description. She introduced herself as Serrianna and told them she had a request for them, for which they would be paid 1000 gold each. She wants them to go to a cave near Baran's Keep along the Howling Peaks. She is a student of the Draconic Prophesy and wants to know what the heroes will see if they view the passage that waits there. They agreed to do this.
As the discussion went on Ekemon began hearing whispers and when he looked to the north west the walls of the tower fell away, he saw a dark wood in the moonlight and eyes... thousands of eyes. Whispered words of “The druids cannot stop us this time..” He relayed this to the others and Finwe felt certain this was about his corrupted grove. Serrianna told them that her request can wait, she knows what the druids guard against and they departed with her saying “May the blessings of Vvaraak go with you.”
They put out the call for aid to the Watchers and to druid contacts before departing Sharn for the long journey to the grove. Sadly when they arrived at Sylbaran in the southern Eldeen Reaches no one had arrived to help. Word around the town that druids and rangers had departed for the grove over a month ago and had not been seen since.
They left the roads and headed for the grove in the Towering Woods... something is terribly wrong. Strange fleshy veins seem to creep up the trunks of the trees and the wood is deathly silent. They pressed on and were attacked by two giant boars that were horribly mutated, covered in eyes and tentacles. Now they walk deeper to find the heart of this darkness.
They took a skycoach up the Platinum Heights in Upper Menthis. The wealth of this district was quite evident in the shining towers and guarded homes. Enmor led them to the edge of the plateau. The tower was beautiful like the others but lacking in any guards. Enmor walked up to the door and knocked.
The woman who answered had the kind of beauty that defies description. She introduced herself as Serrianna and told them she had a request for them, for which they would be paid 1000 gold each. She wants them to go to a cave near Baran's Keep along the Howling Peaks. She is a student of the Draconic Prophesy and wants to know what the heroes will see if they view the passage that waits there. They agreed to do this.
As the discussion went on Ekemon began hearing whispers and when he looked to the north west the walls of the tower fell away, he saw a dark wood in the moonlight and eyes... thousands of eyes. Whispered words of “The druids cannot stop us this time..” He relayed this to the others and Finwe felt certain this was about his corrupted grove. Serrianna told them that her request can wait, she knows what the druids guard against and they departed with her saying “May the blessings of Vvaraak go with you.”
They put out the call for aid to the Watchers and to druid contacts before departing Sharn for the long journey to the grove. Sadly when they arrived at Sylbaran in the southern Eldeen Reaches no one had arrived to help. Word around the town that druids and rangers had departed for the grove over a month ago and had not been seen since.
They left the roads and headed for the grove in the Towering Woods... something is terribly wrong. Strange fleshy veins seem to creep up the trunks of the trees and the wood is deathly silent. They pressed on and were attacked by two giant boars that were horribly mutated, covered in eyes and tentacles. Now they walk deeper to find the heart of this darkness.
EPISODE 19 - VENGEANCE
Roland Thul was a bear of a man and his blade rained down blows on Tulthus with occasional jabs at Kalyna. In the end he was over matched, Kalyna took his left eye and then slammed the pommel of her sword into his groin. She left him alive but with a defeat he will not soon forget.
Halden took charge of the clean up as the White Lions brought down the remaining Bones members that could be found. The group was informed that Cassandra had been taken to the House Jorasco enclave for treatment. Halden said he would take care of the costs as Jorasco and Deneith are on very good terms. The party was allowed to keep the Bones gold and goods that were found at the base which turned out to be quite a bit.
Kalyna was able to sit and catch up with Cassandra as she rested under the care of Jorasco healers. Cassandra was sorry for the harsh words that had been spoken just before her disappearance and was proud of Kalyna's achievements. It took about a week for her to recover enough to be ready to travel.
The group departed Korth by ship arranged by Halden and they returned to Flamekeep. Knowing that the lightning rail is expensive but worth the saved time, they left a message for Norah Drosin at the cathedral. She was happy to see the group and agreed to go with them to negotiate with the Orien rail master. After securing a real bargain price for the trip home they decided to travel to Lathleer to see Alesia.
They arrived at Alessia's estate on the first of the new year and spent a week with her. She was pleased to have the company and for the chance to meet Cassandra after all this time. They enjoyed quiet times of taking rides in the snow and the company of good friends by the fire.
Eventually they headed for Passage, catching the lightning rail from there back to Sharn and then heading back to the mansion.
Jamison was happy to see everyone. With the demonic tome now a thing of the past, he told the group that some of the Watchers were going back to their old lives or leaving for other duties. He said he would like to stay on to help the group and he still has connections with member who are looking for a cause to follow. He advised that he could act as a relay point for information. Word could be sent to the Terminus message station and he could forward it to others like Alain Durgan as needed. He handed over a letter that he had received from Enmor. The contents were simple: “We need to talk.”
Halden took charge of the clean up as the White Lions brought down the remaining Bones members that could be found. The group was informed that Cassandra had been taken to the House Jorasco enclave for treatment. Halden said he would take care of the costs as Jorasco and Deneith are on very good terms. The party was allowed to keep the Bones gold and goods that were found at the base which turned out to be quite a bit.
Kalyna was able to sit and catch up with Cassandra as she rested under the care of Jorasco healers. Cassandra was sorry for the harsh words that had been spoken just before her disappearance and was proud of Kalyna's achievements. It took about a week for her to recover enough to be ready to travel.
The group departed Korth by ship arranged by Halden and they returned to Flamekeep. Knowing that the lightning rail is expensive but worth the saved time, they left a message for Norah Drosin at the cathedral. She was happy to see the group and agreed to go with them to negotiate with the Orien rail master. After securing a real bargain price for the trip home they decided to travel to Lathleer to see Alesia.
They arrived at Alessia's estate on the first of the new year and spent a week with her. She was pleased to have the company and for the chance to meet Cassandra after all this time. They enjoyed quiet times of taking rides in the snow and the company of good friends by the fire.
Eventually they headed for Passage, catching the lightning rail from there back to Sharn and then heading back to the mansion.
Jamison was happy to see everyone. With the demonic tome now a thing of the past, he told the group that some of the Watchers were going back to their old lives or leaving for other duties. He said he would like to stay on to help the group and he still has connections with member who are looking for a cause to follow. He advised that he could act as a relay point for information. Word could be sent to the Terminus message station and he could forward it to others like Alain Durgan as needed. He handed over a letter that he had received from Enmor. The contents were simple: “We need to talk.”
EPISODE 18 - RESCUING CASSANDRA
The group plotted the assault with Halden on the Bones hideout. Finwe using his power transformed into a mouse to scout the buildings ahead of the attack.
The group noticed strange ropes strung between the buildings that could not possibly be used for laundry and Finwe creeping around as a mouse confirmed they were an alarm system to link the four buildings.
Finwe was able to find an emaciated woman who fit the description of Cassandra Rhin. After he reported his findings the group went into action. Kalyna carefully scaled the walls of the building holding Cassandra and severed the lines for the alarm bells. Once that was done they charged in.
The Bones were caught off guard and put up minimal fight. With the ropes cut they were unable to summon aid from the neighboring buildings. Kalyna carried Cassandra out who was terrified that Roland Thul would find Kalyna. Cassandra's condition was worse than Finwe had been able to see from his position as a mouse. The Bones had cut off her left hand and removed her left eye.
Returning to the street, Kalyna handed over Cassandra to waiting members of the White Lions, the city watch for Korth. Furious she led the group to meet up with Halden who signaled the White Lions with a flare to start the assault. Thanks to Finwe, the group knew exactly where Roland Thul was.
Finwe summoned wolves while Kalyna leaped into the fray with a bloody vengeance. Tulthus smashed foes in a rage and Ekemon hurled spells into the thugs while Halden stood to block any who would approach.
At last the group charged into Thul's chamber...
The group noticed strange ropes strung between the buildings that could not possibly be used for laundry and Finwe creeping around as a mouse confirmed they were an alarm system to link the four buildings.
Finwe was able to find an emaciated woman who fit the description of Cassandra Rhin. After he reported his findings the group went into action. Kalyna carefully scaled the walls of the building holding Cassandra and severed the lines for the alarm bells. Once that was done they charged in.
The Bones were caught off guard and put up minimal fight. With the ropes cut they were unable to summon aid from the neighboring buildings. Kalyna carried Cassandra out who was terrified that Roland Thul would find Kalyna. Cassandra's condition was worse than Finwe had been able to see from his position as a mouse. The Bones had cut off her left hand and removed her left eye.
Returning to the street, Kalyna handed over Cassandra to waiting members of the White Lions, the city watch for Korth. Furious she led the group to meet up with Halden who signaled the White Lions with a flare to start the assault. Thanks to Finwe, the group knew exactly where Roland Thul was.
Finwe summoned wolves while Kalyna leaped into the fray with a bloody vengeance. Tulthus smashed foes in a rage and Ekemon hurled spells into the thugs while Halden stood to block any who would approach.
At last the group charged into Thul's chamber...
episode 17 - karRnathi wintER
The days of travel along the snowy roads of Karrnath was slow but at least easy to follow. The people of Karrnath long ago set up tall road markers to avoid travelers not being able to follow the roads when the snow gets deep.
Along the path the group was ambushed by a pack of hungry winter wolves. They saw two of the beasts before they could close in but the third caught them off guard. They all used their deadly cold breath on the group. Finwe was badly wounded in the initial attack. Halden moved to intercept the one who managed to sneak up on the group and prevented it from being able to close on Kalyna, Ekemon and Finwe. Tulthus charged in to take on the other two supported by wolves summoned by Finwe. Kalyna aided Halden with the lone wolf stabbing with deadly accuracy. When the foes were at last defeated the group took a few moments to rest and collected two of the pelts from the winter wolves before moving on.
They arrived in Korth on Aryth 23,998. They passed into the ancient city and took rooms at the Howling Wolf Inn. Halden explained that he has done a lot of work in Korth and there is decent risk of him being recognized in the low district. He gave them directions on how to get to where they need to be to start investigating.
The group traveled to the low district and crossed paths with a bone knight leading a squad of Karrnathi undead. They moved through the streets with Kalyna and Ekemon disguised to look like redeye addicts. Kalyna having experience in dealing with the criminal underworld eventually found an apothecary shop that had the right look and smell to be dealing in less than legal substances.
Unfortunately for them, the gnome proprietor was very shrewd and could tell they were up to something. Ekemon offered that they wanted to take out the Bones which would remove his competition. That idea appealed to the gnome enough for him to give them the directions to where the Bones have their hideout. He drew them a map and said he would be out of town for a few days til he could see how it all pans out.
The group returned to the Howling Wolf to plan the next steps with Halden.
Along the path the group was ambushed by a pack of hungry winter wolves. They saw two of the beasts before they could close in but the third caught them off guard. They all used their deadly cold breath on the group. Finwe was badly wounded in the initial attack. Halden moved to intercept the one who managed to sneak up on the group and prevented it from being able to close on Kalyna, Ekemon and Finwe. Tulthus charged in to take on the other two supported by wolves summoned by Finwe. Kalyna aided Halden with the lone wolf stabbing with deadly accuracy. When the foes were at last defeated the group took a few moments to rest and collected two of the pelts from the winter wolves before moving on.
They arrived in Korth on Aryth 23,998. They passed into the ancient city and took rooms at the Howling Wolf Inn. Halden explained that he has done a lot of work in Korth and there is decent risk of him being recognized in the low district. He gave them directions on how to get to where they need to be to start investigating.
The group traveled to the low district and crossed paths with a bone knight leading a squad of Karrnathi undead. They moved through the streets with Kalyna and Ekemon disguised to look like redeye addicts. Kalyna having experience in dealing with the criminal underworld eventually found an apothecary shop that had the right look and smell to be dealing in less than legal substances.
Unfortunately for them, the gnome proprietor was very shrewd and could tell they were up to something. Ekemon offered that they wanted to take out the Bones which would remove his competition. That idea appealed to the gnome enough for him to give them the directions to where the Bones have their hideout. He drew them a map and said he would be out of town for a few days til he could see how it all pans out.
The group returned to the Howling Wolf to plan the next steps with Halden.
EPISODE 16 - ALESIA
The heroes fought in the street against the gnoll ambushers. Tulthus took quite a beating but managed to stand through it all. The fighting ended pretty quickly once Ekemon showed up to join the battle. Again he was guided by whispers to the group.
From those watching the fight stepped Alesia Damero, a former lover of Kalyna. The noblewoman stated she was in town to visit family and offered her coach to help transport the captured gnoll captian out of the city. She purchased horses for the party and they left town quickly before the city watch could become involved.
Outside of town a bit they questioned the gnoll to find that Kaimathest hired them. A name they found on a tattered piece of paper in a dead man's home in Sharn. He just came out of the plains to where they were camped and hired them to kill the heroes in Flamekeep. Alesia pulled Kalyna aside and let her know that a sentinel marshal came looking for her. Said he wanted to talk about
Cassandra. She offered to let the group stay at her home in Lathleer and to arrange the meeting with the marshal. Kalyna rode with Alesia in her carriage and the two caught up. They freed the gnoll about half way to Lathleer and then continued on.
At Alesia's estate, Kalyna told the group that Cassandra is her mother. Well, sort of. She was raised by Cassandra and always thought she was her mother. But at age 16 she found a letter from her father asking Cassandra to raise Kalyna if anything happened to him. After confronting Cassandra, she found out she wasn't her real mother. Cassandra left Kalyna on her own, telling Kalyna she never loved her. Kalyna has been searching for Cassandra ever since and is determined to find out who her real mother is.
After a good nights rest in Alesia's home she went to bring Sentinel Marshal Halden d'Deneith to the estate. He explained to Kalyna that at the time of Cassandra's disappearance seven years ago she had been working with him. She was on a mission for him to investigate a drug smuggling group called 'The Bones” Part of the bargain was that he would setup a new life for Kalyna and education and Morgrave University in Sharn. Something went wrong or she joined the gang. By the time he knew something was wrong he was unable to locate Kalyna. Kalyna was surprised to find out that Cassandra seemingly did care about her and was looking out for her. The Bones have resurfaced peddling the redeye drug on the streets. Halden has found they are smuggling it from Karrnath into Thaliost. His belief is that production of the drug must be in Vurgenslye or in Korth. The party agrees to help for the chance to find Cassandra's fate.
Before they leave, Kalyna shares a moment alone with Alesia and apologizes for how she left in the past, just when they were getting close. She tells Alesia she does truly care for her. The two share a tender kiss before Kalyna leaves.
They depart with Halden for Flamekeep and from there charter a ship to the coast of Karrnath. They arrived in Vurgenslye. A quick examination of the village made it pretty clear that this is not the production center of the Bones drug ring. The group departed for Korth in the ever deepening snow.
From those watching the fight stepped Alesia Damero, a former lover of Kalyna. The noblewoman stated she was in town to visit family and offered her coach to help transport the captured gnoll captian out of the city. She purchased horses for the party and they left town quickly before the city watch could become involved.
Outside of town a bit they questioned the gnoll to find that Kaimathest hired them. A name they found on a tattered piece of paper in a dead man's home in Sharn. He just came out of the plains to where they were camped and hired them to kill the heroes in Flamekeep. Alesia pulled Kalyna aside and let her know that a sentinel marshal came looking for her. Said he wanted to talk about
Cassandra. She offered to let the group stay at her home in Lathleer and to arrange the meeting with the marshal. Kalyna rode with Alesia in her carriage and the two caught up. They freed the gnoll about half way to Lathleer and then continued on.
At Alesia's estate, Kalyna told the group that Cassandra is her mother. Well, sort of. She was raised by Cassandra and always thought she was her mother. But at age 16 she found a letter from her father asking Cassandra to raise Kalyna if anything happened to him. After confronting Cassandra, she found out she wasn't her real mother. Cassandra left Kalyna on her own, telling Kalyna she never loved her. Kalyna has been searching for Cassandra ever since and is determined to find out who her real mother is.
After a good nights rest in Alesia's home she went to bring Sentinel Marshal Halden d'Deneith to the estate. He explained to Kalyna that at the time of Cassandra's disappearance seven years ago she had been working with him. She was on a mission for him to investigate a drug smuggling group called 'The Bones” Part of the bargain was that he would setup a new life for Kalyna and education and Morgrave University in Sharn. Something went wrong or she joined the gang. By the time he knew something was wrong he was unable to locate Kalyna. Kalyna was surprised to find out that Cassandra seemingly did care about her and was looking out for her. The Bones have resurfaced peddling the redeye drug on the streets. Halden has found they are smuggling it from Karrnath into Thaliost. His belief is that production of the drug must be in Vurgenslye or in Korth. The party agrees to help for the chance to find Cassandra's fate.
Before they leave, Kalyna shares a moment alone with Alesia and apologizes for how she left in the past, just when they were getting close. She tells Alesia she does truly care for her. The two share a tender kiss before Kalyna leaves.
They depart with Halden for Flamekeep and from there charter a ship to the coast of Karrnath. They arrived in Vurgenslye. A quick examination of the village made it pretty clear that this is not the production center of the Bones drug ring. The group departed for Korth in the ever deepening snow.
EPISODE 15 - FLAMEKEEP
The heroes spent the day wandering Flamekeep after being informed the Council of Cardinals are in meetings. They soon found they were being tailed by someone. Eventually they approached the man and found he was an agent of Breland. He informed them about the deaths of Cyran emissaries sent by Prince Oargev ir'Wynarn. Alain requested they keep their eyes open.
They went a step further and spent most of the day covertly spreading rumors that those of Cyran blood are in danger.
Later they met Captain Norah Drosin. She informed them that High Cardinal Khalia Talandro would be able to meet with them after they have their evening meal. They ate quickly while debating if they should bring up the deaths of the Cyrans.
They departed for the great cathedral, the massive white marble structure easily dwarfing any other structure in the city. They passed through the maze of halls guided by Norah and into a sitting room where the High Cardinal waited. They discussed the book and that it must be cast into the Silver Flame itself to be destroyed. Talandro was convinced to help but would have to put it to the vote of the council of cardinals, which might take some time. In the mean time she offered them the safety of staying within the cathedral until the decision could be made. The heroes accepted.
Guided by an acolyte they headed for their rooms when suddenly a red ball came bouncing around the corner ahead followed swiftly by a large and threatening creature, which snapped up the ball and turned to return to the side of a young, dark skinned girl of 10 or 11 years. The acolyte immediately dropped to her knees and bowed low to the girl.
Jaela Daran, Keeper of the Flame, greeted the heroes and told them she had been waiting for them. She stated it was time for them to do what they had come so far for and so she led them to the chamber of the Silver Flame. Silver and white flames danced at the heart of the chamber bathing the carvings of the tale of Tira Miron in warm light.The heroes hurled the book into the flames where it wailed in unearthly agony before disintegrating.
The Keeper then asked each of them to come and speak with her privately.
To Kalyna: You will see your mothers again. Take care in how you judge each of them when the time comes.
Finwe: You worry greatly about what you have left behind. The past holds keys to your future.
To Tulthus: You were born to war that you had no stake in. You have fought on different sides just because there was a side. Maybe your path should be what you want it to be. I see a chance for you to bring justice for others. Maybe you should keep your eye on that.
They departed from the Keeper with her blessing and slept better than they had in a long while. In the morning they left the cathedral walking again with Norah Drosin who wished them well in their travels.
They decided to send word to Jamison and Alain in Sharn by speaker post. While traveling to the Sivis message station they were ambushed by a group of gnolls, one of them crying out “These are the ones we want!”
They went a step further and spent most of the day covertly spreading rumors that those of Cyran blood are in danger.
Later they met Captain Norah Drosin. She informed them that High Cardinal Khalia Talandro would be able to meet with them after they have their evening meal. They ate quickly while debating if they should bring up the deaths of the Cyrans.
They departed for the great cathedral, the massive white marble structure easily dwarfing any other structure in the city. They passed through the maze of halls guided by Norah and into a sitting room where the High Cardinal waited. They discussed the book and that it must be cast into the Silver Flame itself to be destroyed. Talandro was convinced to help but would have to put it to the vote of the council of cardinals, which might take some time. In the mean time she offered them the safety of staying within the cathedral until the decision could be made. The heroes accepted.
Guided by an acolyte they headed for their rooms when suddenly a red ball came bouncing around the corner ahead followed swiftly by a large and threatening creature, which snapped up the ball and turned to return to the side of a young, dark skinned girl of 10 or 11 years. The acolyte immediately dropped to her knees and bowed low to the girl.
Jaela Daran, Keeper of the Flame, greeted the heroes and told them she had been waiting for them. She stated it was time for them to do what they had come so far for and so she led them to the chamber of the Silver Flame. Silver and white flames danced at the heart of the chamber bathing the carvings of the tale of Tira Miron in warm light.The heroes hurled the book into the flames where it wailed in unearthly agony before disintegrating.
The Keeper then asked each of them to come and speak with her privately.
To Kalyna: You will see your mothers again. Take care in how you judge each of them when the time comes.
Finwe: You worry greatly about what you have left behind. The past holds keys to your future.
To Tulthus: You were born to war that you had no stake in. You have fought on different sides just because there was a side. Maybe your path should be what you want it to be. I see a chance for you to bring justice for others. Maybe you should keep your eye on that.
They departed from the Keeper with her blessing and slept better than they had in a long while. In the morning they left the cathedral walking again with Norah Drosin who wished them well in their travels.
They decided to send word to Jamison and Alain in Sharn by speaker post. While traveling to the Sivis message station they were ambushed by a group of gnolls, one of them crying out “These are the ones we want!”
EPISODE 14 - RIDING THE LIGHTNING RAIL!
Kalyna and Finwe race across the top of the lightning rail while Ekemon and Tulthus pass through the cars below them. Above they can see soldiers descending from ropes hanging down from the airship onto the cars. Finwe summons a pair of dire wolves and sends them ahead to strike at the oncoming Emerald Claw.
As the the battle begins on top of the cars, Ekemon and Tulthus enter the car beneath them only to have a window explode inward. A woman in black robes climbs in from outside. She faced the pair, eyes glowing with hellish light, and stated “The master wants his book!” Tulthus moved to strike her down as the passengers in the car panicked and tried to flee. Ekemon and Tulthus battered the creature but each time they did its wounds would heal partially. Suddenly a window shattered on the other side of the car and another vampire entered the car.
The battle on top of the cars seemed to be going well until a spectral scythe appeared next to Finwe and started slashing at him. This was soon followed by bolts of energy. The soldiers were being held back by the wolves but for how long? The cleric of the Blood of Vol stepped forward, hand wreathed in darkness and touched one of the wolves which withered and vanished. The soldiers moved to surround the final one.
The second vampire wounded Ekemon before turning its attention to Tulthus who was still fighting the first one. Things were not looking good as Tulthus was hammered by multiple blows and held in place by the first creature. From the direction the heroes had come down the train a group of knights came into Ekemon's view. The one in the lead wearing full plate emblazoned with the holy symbol of the Silver Flame. The heroes managed to take down the original creature and then the lead knight entered the fray. Her blade engulfed in white fire as she struck the vampire and these wounds did not heal. With her help they finished off the other one quickly. She prayed over Tulthus healing the worst of his injuries so he could head topside to help and then turned to tend to Ekemon.
The wolf was still managing to keep the Emerald Claw busy but the question was how long? The scythe slashed Finwe again and again, threatening to break his concentration on the spell while Kalyna hurled magic missiles and bolts of fire. He decided at last to take a risk, letting go of the summoned wolves he called lighting from the sky in a blast that decimated the enemy who had pulled in close to fight the remaining wolf. At this, the airship retreated.
In the aftermath they were properly introduced to Captain Norah Drosin, Knight of Thrane. Her troops located two crates in the freight car at the back of the rail that were lined with earth. The vampires must have been loaded on as cargo at one of the stops. The party discussed with her why they were coming to Flame Keep. She explained it is very rare for anyone other than the Keeper of the Flame to be allowed into the chamber of the Silver Flame. She could not promise anything but she was to give her report to High Cardinal Talandro on the following afternoon. She offered to take them with her. She could sense the horrible evil of the book they possess and wants to see it destroyed.
Arriving in Flamekeep, Norah lead them to the Jolly Tin Cup, a cozy inn and tavern with reasonable prices. She then departed, leaving the group to enjoy a bit of rest after the chaos of the previous night.
As the the battle begins on top of the cars, Ekemon and Tulthus enter the car beneath them only to have a window explode inward. A woman in black robes climbs in from outside. She faced the pair, eyes glowing with hellish light, and stated “The master wants his book!” Tulthus moved to strike her down as the passengers in the car panicked and tried to flee. Ekemon and Tulthus battered the creature but each time they did its wounds would heal partially. Suddenly a window shattered on the other side of the car and another vampire entered the car.
The battle on top of the cars seemed to be going well until a spectral scythe appeared next to Finwe and started slashing at him. This was soon followed by bolts of energy. The soldiers were being held back by the wolves but for how long? The cleric of the Blood of Vol stepped forward, hand wreathed in darkness and touched one of the wolves which withered and vanished. The soldiers moved to surround the final one.
The second vampire wounded Ekemon before turning its attention to Tulthus who was still fighting the first one. Things were not looking good as Tulthus was hammered by multiple blows and held in place by the first creature. From the direction the heroes had come down the train a group of knights came into Ekemon's view. The one in the lead wearing full plate emblazoned with the holy symbol of the Silver Flame. The heroes managed to take down the original creature and then the lead knight entered the fray. Her blade engulfed in white fire as she struck the vampire and these wounds did not heal. With her help they finished off the other one quickly. She prayed over Tulthus healing the worst of his injuries so he could head topside to help and then turned to tend to Ekemon.
The wolf was still managing to keep the Emerald Claw busy but the question was how long? The scythe slashed Finwe again and again, threatening to break his concentration on the spell while Kalyna hurled magic missiles and bolts of fire. He decided at last to take a risk, letting go of the summoned wolves he called lighting from the sky in a blast that decimated the enemy who had pulled in close to fight the remaining wolf. At this, the airship retreated.
In the aftermath they were properly introduced to Captain Norah Drosin, Knight of Thrane. Her troops located two crates in the freight car at the back of the rail that were lined with earth. The vampires must have been loaded on as cargo at one of the stops. The party discussed with her why they were coming to Flame Keep. She explained it is very rare for anyone other than the Keeper of the Flame to be allowed into the chamber of the Silver Flame. She could not promise anything but she was to give her report to High Cardinal Talandro on the following afternoon. She offered to take them with her. She could sense the horrible evil of the book they possess and wants to see it destroyed.
Arriving in Flamekeep, Norah lead them to the Jolly Tin Cup, a cozy inn and tavern with reasonable prices. She then departed, leaving the group to enjoy a bit of rest after the chaos of the previous night.
EPISODE 13 - DEATH IN HIGH WALLS - PART 2
Ekemon came to Sharn and was given a message indicating his friends were in High Walls. He followed strange whispers until he found them. The alchemist Falko Garrick discussed the poison further with the group and let them know it could be possible for him to make an antidote with some experimentation. He provided Kalyna with a list of ingredients and that she might be able to find them in the Dragon Eyes district. Kalyna and Finwe went to get the items while Ekemon and Tulthus were to guard Falko.
A noise drew the attention of Ekemon and Tulthus to check the hall of the tenement only to have arrows shot at them. They tried to catch the archer, but he vanished into the shadows. Tulthus kept watch near the door to the hall and ended up being shot again by the archer this time from a bridge above at over 300 ft away. Tulthus retreated back to hole up in the room with Ekemon and Falko.
Kalyna and Finwe came within sight of the building and arrows began to rain down on them. They ran into an alley and tried to get around the archer's position only to find him riding in a skycoach to intercept. They ran and dived into the building through the windows.
Falko offered to help everyone escape as now his family will be in danger no matter what. The archer will assume he helped the heroes. Using the alchemy supplies he created foul smelling smoke bombs that they hurled into the street. Finwe became a horse and carried several of the group to safety. The archer was not seen again.
They returned to Upper Menthis and the University District to meet with the man in blue. After hearing the tale he revealed that he is a member of the King's Citadel and his name is Alain Durgan. As an agent of the crown he can call on many resources to protect the people of Breland. He revealed also that Jamison was never in any real danger and that they had worked together in the past a few times. The job had been a test for the group and payment for arranging travel by the lightning rail to Flamekeep in Thrane. Falko agreed to go with Alain to work with the Citadel in countering the poison.
The group stayed in Sharn that night, grabbed a few supplies and headed for Terminus and the lightning rail. They departed for the three and a half day journey to the capitol of Thrane. At last the foul book they have been keeping from evil hands can be destroyed by casting it into the Silver Flame itself.
The night before arrival in Flamekeep a child spotted someone or something climbing on the side of the cars. The heroes looked out and above the train floats the same airship that they had last seen on fire above the vault. The heroes headed for the ladders that would take them up to the roof of the coaches...
A noise drew the attention of Ekemon and Tulthus to check the hall of the tenement only to have arrows shot at them. They tried to catch the archer, but he vanished into the shadows. Tulthus kept watch near the door to the hall and ended up being shot again by the archer this time from a bridge above at over 300 ft away. Tulthus retreated back to hole up in the room with Ekemon and Falko.
Kalyna and Finwe came within sight of the building and arrows began to rain down on them. They ran into an alley and tried to get around the archer's position only to find him riding in a skycoach to intercept. They ran and dived into the building through the windows.
Falko offered to help everyone escape as now his family will be in danger no matter what. The archer will assume he helped the heroes. Using the alchemy supplies he created foul smelling smoke bombs that they hurled into the street. Finwe became a horse and carried several of the group to safety. The archer was not seen again.
They returned to Upper Menthis and the University District to meet with the man in blue. After hearing the tale he revealed that he is a member of the King's Citadel and his name is Alain Durgan. As an agent of the crown he can call on many resources to protect the people of Breland. He revealed also that Jamison was never in any real danger and that they had worked together in the past a few times. The job had been a test for the group and payment for arranging travel by the lightning rail to Flamekeep in Thrane. Falko agreed to go with Alain to work with the Citadel in countering the poison.
The group stayed in Sharn that night, grabbed a few supplies and headed for Terminus and the lightning rail. They departed for the three and a half day journey to the capitol of Thrane. At last the foul book they have been keeping from evil hands can be destroyed by casting it into the Silver Flame itself.
The night before arrival in Flamekeep a child spotted someone or something climbing on the side of the cars. The heroes looked out and above the train floats the same airship that they had last seen on fire above the vault. The heroes headed for the ladders that would take them up to the roof of the coaches...
EPISODE 12 - DEATH IN HIGH WALLS - PART 1
The Wrath of Fate flies for Sharn and as the time passes the group filled in Captain Blaze on what had occurred in the depths beneath Lyrenton.
In the discussion they decided they wanted to know more about what dolgaunts can do just in case they should run into the thing in future. To that end they asked that Blaze to drop Ekemon off at the mansion and then take them to Morgrave University in upper Sharn.
When they arrived they decided to go ahead and get cleaned up before going to the university. They walked onto the campus and asked for directions to the library which a passing provost (professor) provided to them. The old librarian Marrik provided them with access to the section of the library which contains books on aberrations and other creatures of Xoriat. Making a passing comment that Provost Attavis must be having them do some work as he is in the Shadow Marches right now. They did not have to search too long to find information about their chosen foe.
Leaving the library several of the group notice a hobgoblin leave the grounds which struck them as odd but also that a man dressed all in blue with a rapier at his side was watching them. Kalyna moved to follow the hobgoblin but was intercepted by the man in blue. He made it clear that he needed to speak with the group and that Jamison's life hangs in the balance.
They went to a nearby tavern and the man in blue told them he has a job for them. If they complete the job, Jamison goes free and will be unharmed. He asked the group to investigate strange deaths in the district of High Walls in lower Tavick's Landing. With the group's talents he felt they should have no trouble blending in. He asked that they find who or what is doing the killing. They agreed.
Kalyna worked out disguises and helped come up with an easy tale for the group. Just a group of travelers recently arrived from New Cyre. They took the lifts down to High Walls. Nothing could fully erase the fact that the district once had massive steel doors to seal it off. During the Last War it had been a ghetto to house political prisoners. In the rapidly fading light this deep in Sharn they found the Gilded Rose and a tavern seemed like a good place to start asking around.
Just as they were about to enter Kalyna saw a man try to grab the byeshk blade off of Tulthus' back. She intervened and the male human spoke with a feminine voice saying with disgust “Stupid chaat'oor” before speaking another word and vanishing. Tulthus explained that “chaat'oor” is a goblin term loosely translated it means “defiler” and typically reserved for races who are not native to Khorvaire. They quickly covered the sword and continued inside.
At the bar they chatted with the barman, Joran, about local events. He explained that as of yet there was no known connection between the people who had died. Stranger still they had been dead for a while before the bodies were found in alleys or on the street. The Sharn Watch does not really come to High Walls and rarely gets a warm reception when they do. The district housing mostly poor Cyran refugees. Joran said that Nadril was a local man looking into the killings and that maybe they could talk with the Widow. He explained no one knows much about the Widow but she showed up sometime around the Treaty of Thronehold. She has been an angel of mercy in the district offering food and supplies to those in need when she can.
The group went to find Nadril and along the way found the Widow. She sat in a small square watching twenty or thirty children play. She in a long black gown with a veil hiding her face and beside her stood Isvor in crimson full plate. The group spoke with her about the deaths and found that she had earlier kept Nadril from likely overdosing on dreamlily. As she did not know anything more the group moved on.
They found Nadril's door open and upon entering his bedroom found him dead. The room was a mess but if it had been searched the job had been hasty. They found a vial with some dreamlily left in it but it clearly had something else mixed it. It was also clear that someone had forced him to drink it. The window was open and looking out they found a rope leading down.
They used the rope to descend into the alley and then took the shortest route to a major street. They noted a figure in gray cloak moving swiftly away and followed. The figure entered another tenement building. They followed inside finding the latch on the door was broken. Inside the hall reeked of chemicals. They searched each appartment finding no people until the last door revealed a man working a benches covered in beakers and chemicals.
Kalyna slipped up behind him and had a knife to his throat before he knew anyone was there. He explained he didn't really want to be involved in all this and that the man who forced him into it threatened to kill his family. Though he admitted he has few family and only a few relatives he likes. Through talking with him it seems clear the Boromar Clan is not involved and that his mysterious employer must have a lot of the poisoned dreamlily by now. The final discovery being that the group may have just found the worst poet in Khorvaire.
In the discussion they decided they wanted to know more about what dolgaunts can do just in case they should run into the thing in future. To that end they asked that Blaze to drop Ekemon off at the mansion and then take them to Morgrave University in upper Sharn.
When they arrived they decided to go ahead and get cleaned up before going to the university. They walked onto the campus and asked for directions to the library which a passing provost (professor) provided to them. The old librarian Marrik provided them with access to the section of the library which contains books on aberrations and other creatures of Xoriat. Making a passing comment that Provost Attavis must be having them do some work as he is in the Shadow Marches right now. They did not have to search too long to find information about their chosen foe.
Leaving the library several of the group notice a hobgoblin leave the grounds which struck them as odd but also that a man dressed all in blue with a rapier at his side was watching them. Kalyna moved to follow the hobgoblin but was intercepted by the man in blue. He made it clear that he needed to speak with the group and that Jamison's life hangs in the balance.
They went to a nearby tavern and the man in blue told them he has a job for them. If they complete the job, Jamison goes free and will be unharmed. He asked the group to investigate strange deaths in the district of High Walls in lower Tavick's Landing. With the group's talents he felt they should have no trouble blending in. He asked that they find who or what is doing the killing. They agreed.
Kalyna worked out disguises and helped come up with an easy tale for the group. Just a group of travelers recently arrived from New Cyre. They took the lifts down to High Walls. Nothing could fully erase the fact that the district once had massive steel doors to seal it off. During the Last War it had been a ghetto to house political prisoners. In the rapidly fading light this deep in Sharn they found the Gilded Rose and a tavern seemed like a good place to start asking around.
Just as they were about to enter Kalyna saw a man try to grab the byeshk blade off of Tulthus' back. She intervened and the male human spoke with a feminine voice saying with disgust “Stupid chaat'oor” before speaking another word and vanishing. Tulthus explained that “chaat'oor” is a goblin term loosely translated it means “defiler” and typically reserved for races who are not native to Khorvaire. They quickly covered the sword and continued inside.
At the bar they chatted with the barman, Joran, about local events. He explained that as of yet there was no known connection between the people who had died. Stranger still they had been dead for a while before the bodies were found in alleys or on the street. The Sharn Watch does not really come to High Walls and rarely gets a warm reception when they do. The district housing mostly poor Cyran refugees. Joran said that Nadril was a local man looking into the killings and that maybe they could talk with the Widow. He explained no one knows much about the Widow but she showed up sometime around the Treaty of Thronehold. She has been an angel of mercy in the district offering food and supplies to those in need when she can.
The group went to find Nadril and along the way found the Widow. She sat in a small square watching twenty or thirty children play. She in a long black gown with a veil hiding her face and beside her stood Isvor in crimson full plate. The group spoke with her about the deaths and found that she had earlier kept Nadril from likely overdosing on dreamlily. As she did not know anything more the group moved on.
They found Nadril's door open and upon entering his bedroom found him dead. The room was a mess but if it had been searched the job had been hasty. They found a vial with some dreamlily left in it but it clearly had something else mixed it. It was also clear that someone had forced him to drink it. The window was open and looking out they found a rope leading down.
They used the rope to descend into the alley and then took the shortest route to a major street. They noted a figure in gray cloak moving swiftly away and followed. The figure entered another tenement building. They followed inside finding the latch on the door was broken. Inside the hall reeked of chemicals. They searched each appartment finding no people until the last door revealed a man working a benches covered in beakers and chemicals.
Kalyna slipped up behind him and had a knife to his throat before he knew anyone was there. He explained he didn't really want to be involved in all this and that the man who forced him into it threatened to kill his family. Though he admitted he has few family and only a few relatives he likes. Through talking with him it seems clear the Boromar Clan is not involved and that his mysterious employer must have a lot of the poisoned dreamlily by now. The final discovery being that the group may have just found the worst poet in Khorvaire.
EPISODE 11 - GAMES IN THE DARK
The heroes decided to explore the rest of the ruin that hid the vault. They wanted to be sure they knew the layout before attempting a risky and very dangerous rescue of the dolgaunt's captives.
They made their way through the dungeon handling the traps without much trouble aside from a acid bath for Tulthus courtesy of a trapped floor tile.
They went to the furthest rune they could find to start the plan for the rescue. The idea being to draw the dolgaunt to that rune and keep him occupied while Finwe and Kalyna would creep past another rune elsewhere to free the victims. They began screaming and jeering into the hall beyond the rune..
Things did not go to plan. The sound of boots and rattle of armor soon could be heard. Before they knew it the heroes were being attacked by agents of the Emerald Claw lead by a cleric of the Blood of Vol. The battle was short but vicious. Tulthus sustained a brutal strike from the cleric's dark magic.
They crossed the rune and began to search as it made no sense that the dolgaunt would just allow the troops to walk freely in the halls. They discovered a twilight purple blade of hobgoblin design resting in a pool of acid. A little magic pulled the blade from the pool easily. They realized the blade is made of a rare metal called byeshk which is an anathema to the creatures of Xoriat like the dolgaunt.
They pressed on and found a pile of coins and more mad victims of the dolgaunt. From here they battled another group of Emerald Claw soldiers but defeated them easily. One fled the fight after Ekemon's spell attack. After rounding up the treasure and the victims, they proceeded out of the ruin and found along the way that someone had shattered one of the runes. The dolgaunt is loose somewhere in the world.
Stepping out of the ruin they found a black airship in the sky above and no sign of their escape ship. Within moments of emerging from the ruin the Wrath of Fate burst out of the mists of the Mournland swerving over the other ship and they could see flaming barrels drop onto the deck. Flames erupted on the deck of the enemy ship and Blaze brought the ship around, ropes hanging for the group to catch.
Once everyone was on board they sped away with a course set for Sharn. Blaze was heard from the helm “You owe me for the rum!”
They made their way through the dungeon handling the traps without much trouble aside from a acid bath for Tulthus courtesy of a trapped floor tile.
They went to the furthest rune they could find to start the plan for the rescue. The idea being to draw the dolgaunt to that rune and keep him occupied while Finwe and Kalyna would creep past another rune elsewhere to free the victims. They began screaming and jeering into the hall beyond the rune..
Things did not go to plan. The sound of boots and rattle of armor soon could be heard. Before they knew it the heroes were being attacked by agents of the Emerald Claw lead by a cleric of the Blood of Vol. The battle was short but vicious. Tulthus sustained a brutal strike from the cleric's dark magic.
They crossed the rune and began to search as it made no sense that the dolgaunt would just allow the troops to walk freely in the halls. They discovered a twilight purple blade of hobgoblin design resting in a pool of acid. A little magic pulled the blade from the pool easily. They realized the blade is made of a rare metal called byeshk which is an anathema to the creatures of Xoriat like the dolgaunt.
They pressed on and found a pile of coins and more mad victims of the dolgaunt. From here they battled another group of Emerald Claw soldiers but defeated them easily. One fled the fight after Ekemon's spell attack. After rounding up the treasure and the victims, they proceeded out of the ruin and found along the way that someone had shattered one of the runes. The dolgaunt is loose somewhere in the world.
Stepping out of the ruin they found a black airship in the sky above and no sign of their escape ship. Within moments of emerging from the ruin the Wrath of Fate burst out of the mists of the Mournland swerving over the other ship and they could see flaming barrels drop onto the deck. Flames erupted on the deck of the enemy ship and Blaze brought the ship around, ropes hanging for the group to catch.
Once everyone was on board they sped away with a course set for Sharn. Blaze was heard from the helm “You owe me for the rum!”
EPISODE 10 - THE FINAL PAGE - PART 2
The group moved back out of the torture chamber defenses at the ready. They began to hear discordant and gibbering voices. Tulthus could understand some of the words which were spoken in goblin. Chanting words of violence and madness.
Four dolgrims charged into the room with crossbows ready and began shooting. Finwe moved to engage a few of them while Ekemon and Kalyna hurled magic. Then a creature suddenly ran across the wall past Finwe and closed with Ekemon. The dolgaunt wrapped its tentacles around Ekemon while Kalyna and Tulthus tried to kill the foul thing.
The dolgaunt proved to be a difficult foe, moving with unnatural speed and managing to slap aside blows that should have been solid strikes. It began bleeding out Ekemon and soon had him on the verge of death. It offered a bargain to the heroes. It would leave them in peace if they destroyed one of the runes that it was unable to cross. The same runes that had felt comforting to Finwe and disturbing to Ekemon. Swift planning through Ekemon's telepathy led to a risky gamble. Kalyna bluffed it into believing they would destroy the rune but when they got close Ekemon teleported to safety, carried across the rune by Tulthus.
The creature raged and flailed at the barrier unable to cross it screaming that it would kill the Gatekeeper and all their friends. Finwe realized it was calling him “Gatekeeper.” The Gatekeepers being the oldest druid tradition on Eberron.
The group continued through the maze of tunnels after taking a rest to recover from the attack of the dolgaunt. They found a chamber with a pile of gold and four suits of armor standing on display. They were suspicious and fiddled with the gold. Nothing happened until they tried to exit the room through another door. The armor came to life and tried to kill them. Ekemon moved quickly to summon dark energy in a blast around him that damaged all the sets of armor. Tulthus charged in and started shattering metal plates. Kalyna beheaded one of them while Finwe took a bit of a beating from the metal fists.
They crossed another bloodstained room they came to the door of the vault, they used the amulet to unlock the door. Within the room the final page rests on a pedestal. Another set of armor but this one filled with red light stepped to defend the page. The amulet kept it at bay while Ekemon collected the page.
The group stepped out of the vault and now must decide what path to take...
Four dolgrims charged into the room with crossbows ready and began shooting. Finwe moved to engage a few of them while Ekemon and Kalyna hurled magic. Then a creature suddenly ran across the wall past Finwe and closed with Ekemon. The dolgaunt wrapped its tentacles around Ekemon while Kalyna and Tulthus tried to kill the foul thing.
The dolgaunt proved to be a difficult foe, moving with unnatural speed and managing to slap aside blows that should have been solid strikes. It began bleeding out Ekemon and soon had him on the verge of death. It offered a bargain to the heroes. It would leave them in peace if they destroyed one of the runes that it was unable to cross. The same runes that had felt comforting to Finwe and disturbing to Ekemon. Swift planning through Ekemon's telepathy led to a risky gamble. Kalyna bluffed it into believing they would destroy the rune but when they got close Ekemon teleported to safety, carried across the rune by Tulthus.
The creature raged and flailed at the barrier unable to cross it screaming that it would kill the Gatekeeper and all their friends. Finwe realized it was calling him “Gatekeeper.” The Gatekeepers being the oldest druid tradition on Eberron.
The group continued through the maze of tunnels after taking a rest to recover from the attack of the dolgaunt. They found a chamber with a pile of gold and four suits of armor standing on display. They were suspicious and fiddled with the gold. Nothing happened until they tried to exit the room through another door. The armor came to life and tried to kill them. Ekemon moved quickly to summon dark energy in a blast around him that damaged all the sets of armor. Tulthus charged in and started shattering metal plates. Kalyna beheaded one of them while Finwe took a bit of a beating from the metal fists.
They crossed another bloodstained room they came to the door of the vault, they used the amulet to unlock the door. Within the room the final page rests on a pedestal. Another set of armor but this one filled with red light stepped to defend the page. The amulet kept it at bay while Ekemon collected the page.
The group stepped out of the vault and now must decide what path to take...
EPISODE 9 - THE FINAL PAGE - PART 1
Back home in the City of Towers the group spent some time catching up with Finwe and his brewery project.
It was not long before Solomon of the Watchers arrived to deliver information on the final page of the demonic tome. He brought with him Tulthus, a strong warforged who had been assisting him and others on a variety of assignments.
Solomon explained that the Watchers hid the final page in a vault around fifty years ago. At the time the town of Lyrenton had been relatively safe on the Cyran border. Twenty-one years after that the rebellion lead by Haruuc of the Rhukaan Taash carves out the nation of Darguun from Breland and Cyre. Then Cyre ceased to exist on the Day of Mourning.
Lyrenton was left a haunted ruin on the very edge of the Mournland, a horribly twisted place where magic runs out of control and no healing of any kind functions. He was able to gather rough maps and a small bit of information in that an artificer was hired to create defenses for the vault. He was not able to get much more as the enclave that had more detailed records was in Cyre when the Mourning happened. He also mentioned that the vault itself was not something the Watchers created but rather tunnels they found and used.
Tulthus joined the group and they met with Captain Blaze. Repaying the favor owed, Blaze flew The Wrath of Fate, an airship, across Breland, Zilargo and to the ruins of Lyrenton in eastern Darguun.
Wails of pain sounding human and not so human echoed out of the shattered city of Lyrenton as the group used the sketches to locate the entrance for the vault. The drawings made it relatively easy to find and so they opened the hidden door and descended into the depths.
The moved through the dark halls of cleanly cut stone coming to a room where strange cold clouds of mist drifted and a horde of spectral hands clawed at the air. The mist and the hands attacked the group, spells given an odd semblance of life by the terrible power of the Mournland. Though they were hard to kill the group escaped mostly unscathed. The walls of the room were covered in carvings of hobgoblins in armor standing in ranks.
They proceeded deeper into the ruin coming to a door with the words “Raat shi anaa” carved into it. Which Tulthus who spoke goblin explained means “The story continues” and is a traditional opening to hobgoblin legends. When they passed through the door they found the ruins of a library. The shelves long broken and the tomes turned to dust. On the far side of the room was a glowing green rune carved into the floor. None of them could read it but Kalyna thought it might be orcish in origin. The rune caused Ekemon to feel uncomfortable, while Finwe felt almost a spring breeze flowing from it. The others of the party felt nothing when approaching the rune.
They passed over the rune and through the door beyond it and while not comfortable, it caused no harm to Ekemon. Through the halls they walked until they found a broken door. Tulthus knocked the door off its hinges and the stench of death washed over the group. They began to hear cries of “Oh gods let us die” and “Don't let it come back, please don't let it come back”
Passing through the room into another they found two emaciated figures chained to the walls amid rotting corpses. They twitched and wailed but otherwise did not respond to the heroes. Their eyes had been torn out and along the exposed flesh that could be seen were hundreds of pin prick wounds in strips. Ekemon tried to use his telepathy to reach out to their minds and only received images of pain and terror. He felt from this certain they have been tortured for a long time, maybe even years.
As they worked to free them from the shackles a voice echoed through the chambers,”Who walks my halls?....”
It was not long before Solomon of the Watchers arrived to deliver information on the final page of the demonic tome. He brought with him Tulthus, a strong warforged who had been assisting him and others on a variety of assignments.
Solomon explained that the Watchers hid the final page in a vault around fifty years ago. At the time the town of Lyrenton had been relatively safe on the Cyran border. Twenty-one years after that the rebellion lead by Haruuc of the Rhukaan Taash carves out the nation of Darguun from Breland and Cyre. Then Cyre ceased to exist on the Day of Mourning.
Lyrenton was left a haunted ruin on the very edge of the Mournland, a horribly twisted place where magic runs out of control and no healing of any kind functions. He was able to gather rough maps and a small bit of information in that an artificer was hired to create defenses for the vault. He was not able to get much more as the enclave that had more detailed records was in Cyre when the Mourning happened. He also mentioned that the vault itself was not something the Watchers created but rather tunnels they found and used.
Tulthus joined the group and they met with Captain Blaze. Repaying the favor owed, Blaze flew The Wrath of Fate, an airship, across Breland, Zilargo and to the ruins of Lyrenton in eastern Darguun.
Wails of pain sounding human and not so human echoed out of the shattered city of Lyrenton as the group used the sketches to locate the entrance for the vault. The drawings made it relatively easy to find and so they opened the hidden door and descended into the depths.
The moved through the dark halls of cleanly cut stone coming to a room where strange cold clouds of mist drifted and a horde of spectral hands clawed at the air. The mist and the hands attacked the group, spells given an odd semblance of life by the terrible power of the Mournland. Though they were hard to kill the group escaped mostly unscathed. The walls of the room were covered in carvings of hobgoblins in armor standing in ranks.
They proceeded deeper into the ruin coming to a door with the words “Raat shi anaa” carved into it. Which Tulthus who spoke goblin explained means “The story continues” and is a traditional opening to hobgoblin legends. When they passed through the door they found the ruins of a library. The shelves long broken and the tomes turned to dust. On the far side of the room was a glowing green rune carved into the floor. None of them could read it but Kalyna thought it might be orcish in origin. The rune caused Ekemon to feel uncomfortable, while Finwe felt almost a spring breeze flowing from it. The others of the party felt nothing when approaching the rune.
They passed over the rune and through the door beyond it and while not comfortable, it caused no harm to Ekemon. Through the halls they walked until they found a broken door. Tulthus knocked the door off its hinges and the stench of death washed over the group. They began to hear cries of “Oh gods let us die” and “Don't let it come back, please don't let it come back”
Passing through the room into another they found two emaciated figures chained to the walls amid rotting corpses. They twitched and wailed but otherwise did not respond to the heroes. Their eyes had been torn out and along the exposed flesh that could be seen were hundreds of pin prick wounds in strips. Ekemon tried to use his telepathy to reach out to their minds and only received images of pain and terror. He felt from this certain they have been tortured for a long time, maybe even years.
As they worked to free them from the shackles a voice echoed through the chambers,”Who walks my halls?....”
EPISODE 8 - THE MHARUUK GAMBIT AND EKEMON'S SECRET REVEALED
The heroes while wandering the streets of Sharn were intercepted by a house Orien courier. He delivered a simple unsigned message asking for a meeting with Ekemon and his associates at the King of Fire.
The group traveled to the district of Harreth's Folly to meet the mysterious writer at the King of Fire. The man indicated to Ekemon that he was there on behalf of a mutual patron. This patron was interested in seeing the group's quest to destroy the demonic tome succeed. He went on to describe a risky plan to fool the group's foes into believing the final page of the book was somewhere in the depths of Mharuuk Kraat. This place being a ruin from the long fallen empire of Dhakaan and situated in a dangerous part of Droaam. The group agreed to the plan and took the map that was to fall into enemy hands when the time was right.
They boarded the sailing ship Demeter at the docks of Sharn and sailed for Vralkek on the coast of Droaam. From there they passed through the city and out into the plains heading west. While crossing the plains they encountered a hideous dog like creature that vomited acid and managed to evade the notice of an ogre.
They arrived at Mharuuk Kraat to find the ruin with a campfire burning but no sign of who had lit it. Soon they were pounced upon by spiders with a vile spider-like humanoid who tried to catch Kalyna in a web net. Once the foes were dead, they could see from the top of the walls a large force of men headed for the ruin. They descended from the walls, leaving the map tucked into a bedroll. Then the group hurried deeper into the ruin while hearing the scuttling of more spiders and took refuge in a hidden room.
From within the hidden chamber they heard the tromp of boots and the screams of dying men. When at last it was quiet, they emerged to find blood scattered everywhere but not a single body to be seen.
They made a swift exit from the ruin and signaled the waiting ship off the coast of Droaam. As they departed the shore on rowboats, they noted a lone hobgoblin woman watching from a hillside in the direction they had come from.
They sailed back to the City of Towers.
The group traveled to the district of Harreth's Folly to meet the mysterious writer at the King of Fire. The man indicated to Ekemon that he was there on behalf of a mutual patron. This patron was interested in seeing the group's quest to destroy the demonic tome succeed. He went on to describe a risky plan to fool the group's foes into believing the final page of the book was somewhere in the depths of Mharuuk Kraat. This place being a ruin from the long fallen empire of Dhakaan and situated in a dangerous part of Droaam. The group agreed to the plan and took the map that was to fall into enemy hands when the time was right.
They boarded the sailing ship Demeter at the docks of Sharn and sailed for Vralkek on the coast of Droaam. From there they passed through the city and out into the plains heading west. While crossing the plains they encountered a hideous dog like creature that vomited acid and managed to evade the notice of an ogre.
They arrived at Mharuuk Kraat to find the ruin with a campfire burning but no sign of who had lit it. Soon they were pounced upon by spiders with a vile spider-like humanoid who tried to catch Kalyna in a web net. Once the foes were dead, they could see from the top of the walls a large force of men headed for the ruin. They descended from the walls, leaving the map tucked into a bedroll. Then the group hurried deeper into the ruin while hearing the scuttling of more spiders and took refuge in a hidden room.
From within the hidden chamber they heard the tromp of boots and the screams of dying men. When at last it was quiet, they emerged to find blood scattered everywhere but not a single body to be seen.
They made a swift exit from the ruin and signaled the waiting ship off the coast of Droaam. As they departed the shore on rowboats, they noted a lone hobgoblin woman watching from a hillside in the direction they had come from.
They sailed back to the City of Towers.
episode 7 - the race of eight winds
Kalyna, Finn, Ekemon, and Cyza took a well-deserved break during The Race of Eight Winds, a legendary annual event in Sharn. The heroes all managed to get sponsorship from different factions in the city to enter the Race. Kalyna rode a glidewing, Ekemon a gargoyle, Finn a great owl, and Cyza a griffin. It was an exciting race with everyone jockeying for the lead. Finn won the race to great acclaim, the first victory the owl ever had in the race. All the others won individual events during the race, so all came out of it very happy.
episode 6 - stopping a saboteur
Kalyna and Ekemon were enjoying a nice evening in a tavern in Sharn chatting with two Paladins and a Barbarian when they saw a striking woman with flame hair. She was Blaze, a Lyrander who was second in command of an airship. Blaze told them she believed her cousin, the Captain of her ship, was planning to sabotage The Race of Eight Winds, one of the biggest events in Sharn where racers fly different creatures through a course and obstacles.
After some investigating, Kalyna and Ekemon, with the help of their three new friends, had a tense encounter with an air elemental that was going to influence the race. The heroes defeated the elemental and secured another evidence to prove Blaze’s cousin was behind the plot to sabotage the race. They turned him over to the authorities, which made Blaze Captain of the ship. Grateful for their efforts, Blaze gave them a ride on the ship and promised to take them on future journeys.
After some investigating, Kalyna and Ekemon, with the help of their three new friends, had a tense encounter with an air elemental that was going to influence the race. The heroes defeated the elemental and secured another evidence to prove Blaze’s cousin was behind the plot to sabotage the race. They turned him over to the authorities, which made Blaze Captain of the ship. Grateful for their efforts, Blaze gave them a ride on the ship and promised to take them on future journeys.
episode 5 - the watchers
Kalyna and Cyza returned to the mansion and shared stories with Finn and Ekemon. All four got a shocking revelation from their butler Jamison when he revealed he was a member of secret-society The Watchers. Jamison told them the book needed to be destroyed in an ancient flame to prevent a terrible demon from being unleashed and destroying the world.
EPISODE 4 - THE BOOK
Kalyna meets a new friend - a female Drow Monk named Cyza who also happens to be an author. But a ruthless gang is set upon getting a mysterious book from our heroes. Kalyna had found a page of this book from her weekly excursions sneaking into snooty rich people’s homes and stealing various items. She had no idea what the page was but realized it was important when a man tried stole it from her in the bookstore. She and Cyza caught the guy and Kalyna dunked his head in a horse trough until he talked. They found out there was a book some evil organization was after and that the organization believed the book was in the heroes’ mansion. They had sent other agents to steal the book from the mansion.
While Kalyna and Cyza were dealing with the one agent, several other agents broke into the mansion and attacked Finn and Ekemon. The duo managed to defeat them after a bloody battle.
While Kalyna and Cyza were dealing with the one agent, several other agents broke into the mansion and attacked Finn and Ekemon. The duo managed to defeat them after a bloody battle.
EPISODE 3 - SHAMBLING MOUND
Finn gets a dire message from his fellow Druids. Finn and the others rush to their aid and find out the Druids are having a huge problem with a Shambling Mound!
EPISODE 2 - THE RESCUE
As a reward for their heroic efforts, the party was accused by the town guards of being behind all the demon problems (stupid guards!). Kalyna, Finn, Ekemon, and Euphemia took on a mission to clear their names. They were tasked with rescuing the Halfling daughter of a gang leader being held by a rival gang. Kalyna and Finn (who changed into a flea) did some reconnaissance and located the house the rival gang was keeping the daughter. They broke into the house and found a vampire was the head of the gang and was about to perform some terrible ritual on the daughter. They managed to kill the vampire and return the girl to her father.
EPISODE 1 - THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
Our heroes met for the first time at the mansion of Uncle Tobias, who wasn’t actually Uncle to any of them but had adventures in the past with all of them. The adventuring party consisted of Kalyna (a Half-Elf Rogue), Finn (A Wood Elf Druid), Ekemon (a Tiefling Warlock), and Euphemia (a Human Fighter).
Uncle Tobias had recently passed away and had listed all of the heroes in his will. The will stated that if they stayed the night at his mansion they would inherit it as their new home. What could go wrong! Well of course everything. There were occurrences and deaths during the night. After fighting some gross creatures and investigating the mansion grounds, they found the mastermind behind the evil goings-on: no other than Tobias himself! He had been conducting bizarre experiments, sacrificing innocent people in order to live forever. But in doing so, he had turned into a grotesque demon. They managed to defeat him after a fierce battle though Euphemia got covered in gross monster slime in the process. On the upside, they now owned a nice mansion with a cool butler named Jamison.
Soon after that the heroes were recruited to investigate weird occurrences in an insane asylum. They discovered the evil that had infected Tobias had spread to the asylum. They battled some other lovely demons and were finally able to rid the evil from the area once and for all.
Uncle Tobias had recently passed away and had listed all of the heroes in his will. The will stated that if they stayed the night at his mansion they would inherit it as their new home. What could go wrong! Well of course everything. There were occurrences and deaths during the night. After fighting some gross creatures and investigating the mansion grounds, they found the mastermind behind the evil goings-on: no other than Tobias himself! He had been conducting bizarre experiments, sacrificing innocent people in order to live forever. But in doing so, he had turned into a grotesque demon. They managed to defeat him after a fierce battle though Euphemia got covered in gross monster slime in the process. On the upside, they now owned a nice mansion with a cool butler named Jamison.
Soon after that the heroes were recruited to investigate weird occurrences in an insane asylum. They discovered the evil that had infected Tobias had spread to the asylum. They battled some other lovely demons and were finally able to rid the evil from the area once and for all.