Session 8: First Step Report

General Summary

Eyre 5th, 998

Shortly after reuniting, the party continues into the cave, clearing out section after section of the Half-Dragon menace they were requested to dispose of, though at great cost to their physical health. They soon come to a side passage which led to the Northern most section of the cave. They were able to successfully sneak their way to the end of the passage, only to find that there was a barricade preventing them from continuing. In a spark of genius, Sparhawk begins chopping the obstacle to pieces, being very loud in doing so. As the last piece was disposed of, the party sees a group of nine Half-Dragons, all staring back at them with a look of shock and surprise. Fortunately, them being forced to fight in a corridor had it's advantages of forcing the Half-Dragons to take them on in small groups and being harder to hit with their crossbows, some even injuring, and even killing themsevles during their attacks. Left battered and bruised from their battle, the party continues onward, searching through the cave for more Half-Dragons, as well as the item they were requested to find.

Finally, the party arrives in the last section of cave and finds a cell containing a Gnome and a chained up Half-Dragon. Upon entering the cell, the party checks on the Gnome who quickly awakens, not seeming to know where he is, but says that his name is Jinx. They then release him from his bindings and set him free, though he elects to stay with them. They then check on the Half-Dragon who, after some persuasion, reveals himself to be Sir Elkos and tells them that he was there to take care of the Half-Dragons himself by going undercover, but was quickly discovered. They then free him and search through the cave once more to look for the item. Unable to find it themselves, they ask Elkos about what they're supposed to be looking for and find out that he is what they are looking for, so they all decide to leave for Dragonswatch Keep.

 

Eyre 10th, 998

The party arrives at the gates of Dragonwatch Keep after registering Jinx to the party, as he agreed to stay with the party, and Elkos. Seeing that they were able to rescue him and now knowing that one of their knights owes them, he lets them into the keep to continue their assignment. They report in to the main tower, where an old knight named Amond Gol is, reading over some papers. They tel him that they were sent by Krigal and ready for their orders. He tells them to go to Dragonwatch Tower through their gateway and to recon the mountains for the missing dragons. Before they can leave, he suggest that they go to the quartermaster to get some warmer gear as they'll be high up in the mountains. After visiting the quartermaster and purchasing some provisions, the party departs into the gateway. However, instead of walking through and ending up at the tower, they step into a blizzard, which is slowly freezing them to death. After surveying the area, they find that they are in the Draken Summits; the territory of Fuuthendrung. They attempt to make fires, but are unsuccessful as the blizzard extinguishes any and all flame they are able to produce. Near death, they all see a moving figure in the distance. Hoping that they can help them, they get the figures attention. It then turns to them, opens up it's wings and, after flying over to them, swoops them up in it's giant claws.

They all wake up inside a massive stone room filled with hordes of treasure, which provides them with some unease. Not long after they awaken, they begin to hear loud and heavy footsteps moving in their direction. They all decide to remain calm as if this creature wanted them dead, they would have killed him in the blizzard. As the footsteps approach, they see a massive golden dragon, adorned in fine jewels, who, upon noticing that they are awake, immediately stops so as to not frighten them. After speaking for some time, the party is told that they are, indeed, in the lands of the Draken Summits and that their teleporter must have malfunctioned, sending them there. He also tells them that the missing dragons have been summoned to Fuuthendrung to discuss the sudden appearance of Ashethax. They were able to find out that he was meeting with someone named "Ruddek", but not much other than that as a group of amateur adventurers disrupted their meeting. After their discussion, the kind dragon allows the adventurers to use his gateway to send them to the correct location, to which they all gratefully accept.

Upon stepping out of the gateway, the party is met with a near deafening roar from the sky, followed by the cracking of thunderous wings overhead. They are approached by a white Dragonborn who orders them to the frontline; they are tasked with guarding the front gate while the others work on a barricade to hold the invaders back. Shortly after getting to the courtyard, the party is attacked by several groups of Ghouls and Flesh Golems, who severely wound the majority of the party. After a grueling battle, the Dragonborn returns with additional men and, to their surprise, see that the party is still alive. He informs them that they are retreating just as a massive dragon lands before the tower with an army to take it. They all retreat back to the keep and are thanked for their efforts. With their task completed, they make their way back to Caer Findor to report to Krigal.

 

Eyre 15th, 998

The party arrives in the Grave Waters to find that there is no way across the river without having to wade through it, so they elect to go around.  

Eyre 16th, 998

After travelling for the day, the group comes across a strange looking flower. As Sandy goes to examine it, it bursts out from the ground, revealing itself to be a corpse flower, accompanied by two others, the first of which lands an attack on the girl.  

Eyre 17th, 998

Party arrives at the hags place, seeing that Fireheart's horse was taken care of, though they still do not see her. Fireheart leaves her a "thank you" note with some gold and they depart for Hillgfar.  

Eyre 18th, 998

They all make it to Hillgfar and take a carrage to Caer Findore to turn in.  

Eyre 21st, 998

The party arrives at Caer Findore and reports to Krigal, informing him that Dragonwatch Tower has been lost and that Ashethax has an army marching for Ephiria. He thanks them for their service and pays them. Now without work, they go to Maford to look for a job with the guild.  

Eyre 23rd, 998

Shortly after arriving in Maford, they accept a job from a frail old man named Nacks, who needs adventurers to escort him to his ancestral home in the Grave Waters, so they all begin their journey to Eelry.  

Dravago 1st, 998

The party arrives at Eelry and begins asking around for Nacks in the local tavern, Qrione even causing a ruckus with her booming voice. Fortunately, the bar tender shows them to the man, who is grateful to them for accepting the job. Qrione, however, asks for more money from him, feeling that 70 gold was not enough, and he reluctantly agrees to a higher price. While the party is setting off, Nacks goes over to Sparhawk, who is drinking at the bar, and they begin chatting about the Draken Summits and the Dragonborn. After their preparations, they all decide to take a carrage back to Hillgfar then walk through the swamp.  

Dravago 7th, 998

Party arrives at Hillgfar and begins walking through the swamp.  

Dravago 8th, 998

Party arrives at Hags hut to see that there is no boat to take across the river, so they are forced to walk around, once again.  

Dravago 11th, 998

Nearing the Gol Estate, they all begin to notice that the area is unnaturally quiet and devoid of fauna. Before leaving the old man, they decide to have a look around for any nefarious thing that may be living there, but they find nothing. Feeling satisfied, they allow him to enter the home after receiving the raised payment from him and begin their journey back.  

Dravago 15th, 998

Coming back to Hillgfar, they decide to pick up another request, this time selecting one that asks for voyage guards in Tiregal Port.  

Dravago 22nd, 998

Party arrives at Tiregal and meets up with the captain of a ship and begin sailing for Vor Thurum.  

Dravago 23rd, 998

After the first day of travelling, the party begins to hear an echoing and pulsing call, similar to a whales call but sounding unnatural. Shortly after, the sky grows to an inky blackness that forces them to light some torches to see around them. The calls then start sounding again, this time from the sky. They all look up to see teal dancing lights slowly moving towards them, which causes Sylrieth to feel weak and nearly faints. As the lights descend closer, they start to fall faster and faster, until they reach the water as an object blacker than the stygian sky above them, which breaches the water behind them, showing them a massive serpent with several eyes. As its head opens up like a blossoming flower, it lets out another deafening call. Realizing that they will need something stronger than their weapons, Sylrieth, Sparhawk, and Ringo all run for the ballista in the hopes of, at least, deterring the creature away from them. With every attack it throws at them, the ship takes more and more damage, forcing them to become desperate for a solution. Fireheart tries to communicate with it and it begins to speak in their minds, telling them that it wants their souls. After a failed attempt to charm the beast by Sandy, Fireheart is able to convince it to leave them alone, forcing it back down into the darkest depths of the ocean.  

Dravago 24th, 998

The day after their first attack, the party begins to hear scratching at the bottom of the ship. They go to investigate and find that there is a group of Merrow beneath them, preparing to attack. They all jump out of the water and onto the boat, attacking anyone in sight. They are able to easily fend them off until Fireheart decides to summon a wave of lightning which starts a fire. They all continue to concentrate on the Merrow instead of putting out the fire, which causes the whole ship to be destroyed. Now in the water, the Merrow are easily able to attack them all without consequence. Just as they are all about to suffer a watery death, they hear a familiar voice from behind them. They turn to see a portal leading to Ingrannus and Ulthis, who are able to pull them in along with the crewmembers, who are angry at the party, demanding 130,000 gold for the destroyed ship and cargo.