|
Post by Derek Raines on Jan 2, 2019 15:22:55 GMT -5
Dragon Heist: Session 6
Part 1: Floxin's Fury Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown of the North, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure continues. Our session begins with our heroes preparing to do battle with Urstul Floxin...
Floxin wastes no time, and orders his minions to attack their newfound foe! Vanishing in an orb of magical darkness, the unseen assassin stalks his prey while his trio of winged serpents rush forward. The combat is a swirling melee of crashing blades and vital strikes, but the tide of battle turns and the heroes defeat the Black Network thugs. Lord Alicard manages to save Lord Gralhund with some quick thinking and a bit of bardic magic. Wounded and outnumbered, Floxin makes a hasty retreat by leaping from a nearby window.
Moments later, the Waterdeep Watch arrives on the scene, gathering at the lawn and scanning the skies upon noble Griffon mounts. Sparrow manages to escape arrest with the assistance of Velric (with all of the loot!) while the others open the double doors leading to the balcony. There they find Lady Gralhund, her two young children and the mysterious Nimblewright. The Nimblewright, the same one that launched the Fireball in the center of Trollskull Alley, attacks upon Lady Gralhund's command. A series of well placed critical strikes smashes the clockwork guardian, and the noble woman is prevented from throwing her own children from the balcony in bitter defeat.
The Watch enters, led by Captain Stagg and Barnibus Blastwind, and they gather information on the massacre that has taken place. Davrim turns over the discovered evidence, clearly showing that the Gralhund's have been working with the Zhentarim. Furthermore, there is proof that the ancient noble family has been affiliated with a Cult of Asmodeus...perhaps for many generations.
Blastwind thanks the heroes for their great service and allows them to go while the Watch deals with the aftermath. Before they depart, however, Lord Alicard manages to reclaim an item that Lady Gralhund secretly gave to her young tiefling son. The Stone of Golorr!
Part 2: The Stone of Golorr The group returns to Trollskull Manor to discuss what they have found and what they should do next.
The Book of Gralhund, taken from the hidden temple of Asmodeus, details a secret pact that was made hundreds of years ago by a dozen Waterdavian noble houses. In return for great wealth and power, the nobles have tainted their bloodlines so that each generation a tiefling is born. This tiefling eventually becomes a host to Asmodeus' will, allowing the devil deity to work his foul schemes through these splintered avatars. While it is clear the Gralhund's are involved, there is no mention of the other nobles included in this dark pact.
The secret documents found also include several love letters between Lady Gralhund and a Captain Zardoz Zord of the Sea Maiden's Faire. This is the second time the man's name has come up...as he is also the one said to have brought the Nimblewrights to Waterdeep for the annual Spring Parade.
Then there is the Stone of Golorr. The key to the hidden fortune and the center to Waterdeep's recent crime and conflict. After some research and divine inspiration, the group discovers that the Stone is actually a sentient Aboleth forged into an artifact! It devours thoughts, secrets and memories to those who possess it, and acts as a sort of repository for these things. However, the method to look into the Stone of Golorr is to close its three eyes with seals crafted by ancient Elven artisans. With the three seals in place, one would be able to look within the Stone to discover all manner of things.
One secret specifically- the location of the Dragon Vault and a treasure large enough to shape the future of Waterdeep!
Part 3: Spy of the Beholder
With so much new information to sift through, the letter Davrim receives seems a small detail. The owner of the Tiger's Eye has completed his mission and found Leaf's murderer...A man named Emmek Frewn.
The group begins to ask around, trying to find information on Frewn, and are eventually directed to Volo. It would seem the gregarious Volo encountered Frewn not long ago, having outbid the man when recently purchasing Trollskull Alley. Volo explains that Frewn's family operated their own business in the Dock Ward named Frewn's Brews, but the place went under years ago and the family tossed out on the streets.
The group travels to Frewn's Brews to find the place boarded up and empty. They force their way inside and discover strange ratlike tracks as well as a secret tunnel leading to the sewers below. Following the tracks, the heroes move through the twisting tunnels of the sewers, with Irontamer marking their passage as they go. Valric sends his familiar forward and discovers a group of creatures lurking in the darkness..
The party ventures forth into a large antichamber...where they are suddenly surrounded! Cloaked by some strange power, dozens of various monsters appear! Before the heroes can truly understand what is happening...a large, bulbous floating eye lowers its bulk from the shadows. The Xanathur, Tyrant of Skullport, gives them a terrible smile. And then he says...
Next Session: "Oh, You are ALL in Trouble Now, Baby!"
|
|
|
Post by Derek Raines on Jan 7, 2019 20:33:10 GMT -5
Dragon Heist: Session 7
Part 1: Don't say THAT Name! Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown of the North, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure continues. Our session begins with our heroes surrounded by a hoard of monsters and a grinning Beholder...
Xanathur's greeting causes the monsters that are gathered to roar in triumph! Dozens of Orcs, goblins, ogres, and kuo toa fill the corridors leading to the main chamber, and the entrance is blocked by a barred portcullis. To the beholder's right is a familiar mindflayer, Nihalor, and to Xanathur's left is the wererat the group was tracking, Emmek Frewn. It is clear that Xanathur is a loose cannon, if not completely insane, and after several minutes of rambling the beholder gets to the point.
The Tyrant of Skullport is looking to make a few deals with the heroes. In return for half the gold found in the fabled vault (250 thousand or more!), Xanathur wants the group to slay the leader of the Zhentarim, Manshoon. The beholder explains that Manshoon has many powerful enemies in the city and the party may be able to work with them to overthrow the dark wizard. One of which is the Open Lord of Waterdeep, Laeral Silverhand, whose name causes Xanathur to fly into a rage!
The beholder also wants the group to bring him their ally, Renaer Neverember, or at least an item the young noble possesses. Xanathur believes this item is one of the three seals for the Stone of Golorr, and after arrogantly confessing that both he and Manshoon have the other two seals, the beholder promises to assist the group directly in return for selling out their friend.
After some consideration, the heroes reluctantly agree to help with defeating Manshoon, but they have no interest in putting Renaer in danger. In fact, the group would like to simply apprehend Frewn and leave the sewers without conflict, but Xanathur has something else in mind...
Part 2: The Gauntlet The beholder is not willing to let the party leave without providing a little entertainment. Offering up a pile of treasure to the victors, Xanathur's Gauntlet is several rounds of battle with his gathered minions.
The first round is against a gang of terrible Kuo Toa shamans, but their dark magic is not enough! Xanathur delights in their deaths.
The second round is against a massive Ogre named Thraka and his faithful Death Dogs, but the heroes send him fleeing back into his own ranks where he is slaughtered for his cowardice. The beholder laughs, but not quite as loudly..
The third round is against Lady Lamia and her Githyanki slaves, but even her deadly blades and enchanting magic cannot turn the tide against the heroes. Xanathur's frustration is close to boiling over, but his mood changes when the party unexpectedly agrees to fight his champion!
The remaining monsters begin to chant, their voices echoing through the halls, and a name is repeated with growing intensity.
"Badrum! Badrum BADRUM!"
Smashing through the assembled goblins, a colossal giant roars his defiance! Clad in the armored hull of a sunken ship, and wielding a cruel hook-spear, Xanathur's champion prepares for the final round!
Next Session: "Badrum! Badrum! BADRUM!"
|
|
|
Post by fenris on Jan 9, 2019 22:03:32 GMT -5
Don't forget Davrim's hasty side bet with the mad beholder. A debt is a debt. It's going to take a lot of saving up for plate mail!
|
|
|
Post by Derek Raines on Jan 14, 2019 22:05:50 GMT -5
Dragon Heist: Session 8
Part 1: Dust in the Wind Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown of the North, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure takes a dark and tragic turn. Our session begins with our heroes preparing to fight Xanathur's champion...
Stomping from the furthest tunnel, footfalls shaking the masonry and scattering the goblins gathered at his massive feet; Badrum arrives! Xanathur salivates in anticipation of the violence to come, but the battle is halted when Lord Alicard approaches the Beholder with the promise of a song.
This song is an hour long ballad, praising the majesty of the beholder while openly mocking his rival, Lady Silverhand. Xanathur is so enthralled with the masterful tune that he allows the party to rest while his minions groan in obvious boredom. With the bard's ploy complete, the signal for the battle rings out and the heroes square off against Badrum.
The armored giant roars and begins by hurling huge boulders at the group with terrifying force! A retinue of goblins emerges from between Badrum's feet, rushing forward with cruel blades and hurling dark, shamanistic magic. The battle is a fierce one, but before it can build into a true crescendo, the giant's weak will is manipulated by suggestive magic. Lord Alicard commands Badrum to lift the portcullis and flee to the hills outside of the city. When the giant begins to obey the bard's orders, Xanathur snarls in indignant rage...
In an attempt to break the spell, or simply harm the giant for his stupidity, Xanathur rises to a lofty height and fires a crimson beam from a central eye-stalk. Before the beam can reach Badrum, however, Velric gathers his faith and shield before throwing himself into the beholder's attack. The deadly power of the beam rips through Velric's being, and with a final defiant shout, the cleric of Tempus is turned to dust.
Badrum escapes, and a hush falls over the gathering. After a long pause, Xanathur snarls in frustration at the outcome. He explains that this is the "price of not playing fair," and offers them Emmek Frewn and the treasure as a consolation prize for the death of their friend. Then, Xanathur and his minions slip through a summoned portal, back to the City of Skullport, where they wait to hear of Manshoon's inevitable demise.
Part 2: A Poisonous Love With heavy hearts, the party gathers the ashes of Velric before making their way to the surface with their prisoner. The wererat, Emmek Frewn, does not resist and seems to submit fully to the situation at hand. The group returns to Trollskull Manor where they place Frewn in a makeshift prison. Irontamer guards the door throughout the night, but the wererat does not attempt escape. Meanwhile, Sparrow communes with the spirit of Leaf, which is angered by Frewn's presence. While she does not learn the circumstances of his murder, she does learn the name of a mysterious woman that is linked to the act.
~Keera~
The next morning, Davrim takes Velric's remains to the Temple of Tempus to be honored. He then returns to the Manor with a desire for justice. Preparing a ritual of truth, the heroes begin to question Frewn in regards to his sinister deeds...
The wererat weaves a tragic tale, explaining his plan to have the woman who broke his heart, Keera, serve him a poisoned drink. The plan backfired when Keera brought the drink to the charismatic Leaf, who died within moments and whose spirit still haunts Trollskull Alley. Frewn goes on to explain how he lived for years in the sewers, and was bitten in the night and cursed by some foul creature there.
He had eventually raised the coin to purchase Trollskull Manor by turning to petty crime, in hopes of freeing Leaf's angry spirit, but Volo won the auction for the old place. Defeated yet again, Frewn turned in desperation to Xanathur who assured the wererat he only wanted to talk to the heroes and would convince them to turn over the building to him.
Now Frewn, overcome with shame and regret for his many mistakes, is willing to help the party in any way he can. Even if that means guiding them through the deadly levels of Undermountain and towards the City of Skullport...
Part 3: Lady Silverhand
Several days pass and the group takes care of a few tasks. After some downtime, the party is approached by a halforc named Jalastar who serves Lady Silverhand on behalf of the Lord's Alliance. Leading them outside, Jalastar presents them each with a trained Griffon mount, which takes to the skies and begins the ascent towards the Palace Tower.
There they meet Lady Silverhand, the beautiful and enigmatic Open Lord of Waterdeep, as well as their friend Alanah. Alanah has a new companion (update name), and the two are planning an expedition into Undermountain to find the missing Balduar. When the preparations are finalized, they accept any offer from the heroes to join in this dangerous endeavor.
In the meantime, however, Lady Silverhand questions the direction and intention of the party. Fate, it would seem, has placed the Stone of Golorr into their hands and the Lady wonders what they plan to do with it. Silverhand explains that the Stone is a sinister thing, but full of vast knowledge, and as long as it and the treasure remains within Waterdeep there will be trouble. The heroes refuse her offer to take the Stone from them, but are willing to accept any aid she is willing to grant.
The plan going forward is to find the Three Seals that contain the Stone of Golorr. If the beholder can be trusted, the location of the three may already be known. Xanathur has one, the Zhentarim claims the second, and the third may be in the possession of Renaer Neverember. The heroes decide to talk with the young noble and see what new insights they are able to uncover.
Next Session: "Just when you Thought it was Safe to go Back in the Water!"
|
|
|
Post by Derek Raines on Jan 24, 2019 14:36:05 GMT -5
Dragon Heist: Session 9
Part 1: Renaer's Woes Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown of the North, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure continues to unfold. Our session begins with the heroes meeting with the young noble, Renaer Neverember, who is in hiding from those who seek him out...
The group says farewell to Lady Silverhand, and accepts the follower of Ilmater, Aranel, to their party. Alanah assures them that an expedition to Undermountain is being prepared, and there will soon come a time when their assistance will be desperately needed.
The heroes travel down the Palace Tower, traversing the enchanted stairwell to enter Renaer's borrowed quarters. The room is strewn with empty wine bottles, stacked with half-written letters and covered in piles of fine clothing. Renaer seems exhausted, explaining why he has taken up residence in the Tower. The servants of Xanathur had been stalking him for weeks and he arrived here for his own protection.
After explaining the nature of the mysterious Stone of Golorr, and the fact that the noble might possess one of the Three Seals, Renear suggests to the group that his old signet ring might be what they are looking for. However, after his father's betrayal to Waterdeep, Renaer tossed the ring out into the open waters near the Dock Ward.
Hope is not completely lost, as the noble's mother wore a magical amulet that was attuned to Renaer's signet ring in case he was ever lost as a child. Renaer will try and find his mother's amulet with plans to notify the group if he locates it.
Part 2: Factionably Late The group decides to take a much needed stretch of downtime as they wait for Renaer's news. The party goes their separate ways for several days, assisting their various Factions and affiliations.
- Aranel -
Aranel, a secret member of the Harpers, arrives at the Dock Ward to accept his next mission. As he pulls in the crab pot containing his instructions, he sees something dark cut the surface of the water before vanishing beneath the depths...
Aranel is tasked with meeting the great seer Eldo Un, beneath the full moon, to ask for knowledge on the villain, Manshoon. Eldo Un arrives rarely in the area, and those who seek his wisdom are often slain if they do not provide an appropriate gift. Aranel treks the many miles to the foot of the mountain, sneaking past the Wyvern that circle its peaks, and comes face to face with the seer.
Eldo Un explains that Manshoon is indeed within the city of Waterdeep. He assumes, there beneath the full moon, that Manshoon is a dark twin of the one who was slain long ago. The twisted spirit of Manshoon has taken another as a host, and Eldo Un says that the heroes even know who this host is.
Aranel offers the gift of wisdom to the seer, that slaying those who seek knowledge corrupts the truth of that knowledge, and the wood elf is invited to sit upon the mountain top and commune, beneath the moon, with Eldo Un.
- Davrim -
Davrim is summoned to the headquarters of the Order of the Gauntlet, and instructed to deal with the rising crime in the Farm Ward. He is also tasked with discovering the identity of a mysterious new crime boss that seems to be instigating the conflict there. The paladin decides to travel with a group of his fellow members, including the pragmatic Markus, and together they march on.
It does not take long to find evidence of what they seek. Several young scoundrels are looting an overturned wagon, and while they attempt to escape down the narrow alleys, they cannot outrun the Order's champions. Davrim questions one of the captive rogues, but instead of leading with threats, he speaks calmly and with compassion. The paladin has the criminals arrested, but vows to seek them out to discuss the matter further when the mission is complete. Having faith in Davrim's word, the scoundrels describe where their leader is; An abandoned lighthouse just down the coast.
Davrim rushes to the lighthouse, burdened by his heavy armor, but finding speed in his just purpose. He arrives too late to encounter this leader, but early enough to keep the evidence from being destroyed. Documents describe a criminal organization on the rise. Their leader is a man that Davrim is all too familiar with - Urstul Floxin.
With evidence gathered and his mission complete, Davrim makes his way to the prison where the street scoundrels are being held. He calls in a favor with Barnibus Blastwind, and after encouraging the rogues to rethink a life of crime, he allows them to go free.
- Irontamer -
The mighty goliath is approached by a dwarf named Duravar while working the forge outside of Trollskull Manor. Duravar explains that he represents an inner circle of craftsman, The Ironlords, who have a rare opportunity for him. A seat has recently become available and a competition is being held to see what craftsman is worthy enough to hold it. Word of Irontamer's skill has begun to circulate, and the invitation is honorably extended.
The next morning, Irontamer arrives at the Street of Steel where dozens of forges ring out their metallic song. Duravar introduces the goliath to a half orc named Karn Blackcloak, his direct rival in the competition, and the two decide on what to craft. Karn immediately begins his word on a massive great axe, but Duravar explains that a shipment of rare ore has recently arrived from Ten Towns.
Irontamer makes his way to the Dock Ward to pick up this shipment only to discover that it has been stolen. Tracking down a group of deck hands who have been looting ships in the night, the goliath makes short work of the thieves before hastily returning to the Street of Steel with his supplies.
Karn has taken advantage of the extra time, and his axe is a masterpiece, but the breastplate that Irontamer has forged crackles with the arcane energy laced in the ore.
The Leader of the Ironlords arrives to judge the competition. Athanos Proudhammer is torn, but it is clear that Irontamer's piece is the greater of the two. He welcomes the goliath to their ranks, and promises to reveal secrets of the craft normally reserved for dwarven kings!
- Sparrow -
An invitation arrives for Sparrow with the seal of a harp pressed into the wax. Within is a ticket to the Waterdavian Opera House, and a single balcony number. Leaf and Frewn do their best to help Sparrow prepare for the event, by offering several of Keera's old dresses to try on, which is not creepy at all. After getting prepared for the noble occasion, Sparrow takes the carriage that is waiting for her outside.
At the Opera House, she meets Mirt and several other masked individuals who are watching the theatrics from the height of the balcony. Mirt explains he is a Harper leader, and would like to bring her into their ranks after seeing the good she has done from the shadows. Sparrow accepts, and Mirt wastes no time giving her a mission.
The legendary Black Viper, infamous thief, has returned to Waterdeep after nearly a century. This new Black Viper is raiding noble houses, stealing heirlooms and causing a sense of panic and unrest in the upper echelons of Waterdavian society. Mirt would like Sparrow to find out who the Black Viper is so that order can be restored. After all, when the nobility suffers, the common folk suffer twofold.
Sparrow takes to the rooftops that night, dodging patrols and clinging to the dark places. After several hours, the Black Viper reveals herself, breaking into the upper floor of a nearby mansion. Sparrow slips in behind the Viper, who has taken a few baubles and is melting black candle wax upon a desk. When Sparrow calls out, the Black Viper becomes spooked, and a fast paced chase takes place along the rooftops!
The Viper is swift, but she loses her footing on a slick tile, and goes tumbling down one side; her loot goes tumbling down the other. Sparrow decides to save the mysterious cat burglar and is surprised to see that the other woman's mask has fallen away. The Black Viper is also a member of the Harpers, one of those gathered in the Opera balcony no less! She does not give her name, but when Sparrow promises to keep her secret, the Black Viper gives her friendship instead.
After clasping hands, a seal to the silent pact between them, both shadowy figures move in either direction before the guards can discover them.
- Lord Alicard -
Lord Alicard is approached by Jalastar, leader of the Lord's Alliance in Waterdeep, with a sensitive mission only a noble can accomplish. There is great concern among the Lords of the city in regards to the unknown cabal of Asmodeus worshipping nobility. House Phylund, overseen by brothers Ormond and Vargo, is suspected of being involved in this cult. While the nobles refuse to speak with members of the Lord's Alliance, Jalastar is certain they would be open to a dialogue with a member of another noble house.
After proper communications, the Brothers Phylund invite Lord Alicard to their estate. The Phylund's have built their fortune on acquiring, training and selling rare beasts, and there is evidence of these creatures within the courtyards of their extravagant home.
A feast is prepared and the three nobles begin to discuss various rumors and the ongoings of the last year. The conversation remains formal at first, however, Ormond drinks deeply and the spirits have certainly loosened his tongue. Ormond begins to boast of his House's new enterprises, many of them illegal, but there is not mention of the cult of Asmodeus. Lord Alicard begins to question Ormond further, but before the Phylund noble can sputter out any more replies, he grasps his throat in panic and collapses in his chair. Ormond Phylund is dead.
Vargo encourages Alicard to go, but the tiefling noble notices damning evidence. The same powder edging the rim of Ormond's tankard has dusted Vargo's sleeve. Accused of murder, Vargo boldly confesses, explaining that Ormond threatened their noble house by dealing in criminal activities. Vargo wishes to restore House Phylund to its lofty heights, but not by turning to crime, and promises to be a great friend to House Alicard if the secret of Ormond's murder stays between them.
Lord Alicard and Lord Vargo shake hands, a very different kind of silent pact forged between them.
Next Session: "Red Beneath the Waves!"
|
|