Episode Sixty - Enemy's Eye

General Summary

Once the party, including Aldrich, Arion, Calaeriel, Thorum, Tokin, and Varis, met up at the Hall of Justice in the city of Neverwinter; Calaeriel introduced the Asgardian god Thor to her companions. He offered to help them kill whatever monsters they were planning to face if it got Calaeriel closer to finding Than, the Last Titan of Urgrund. They then took him to the Gates of Neverdeath and bid him help them face a necromancer and his potential horde. Thor devised a plan off of a few words from Arion to have them hold on to a rope as he slung them over a the wall that caged the cemetery. On the other side faced a Red Wizard of Thay and a few shambling monsters. As a horde arose behind the few, Thor soared into action as Arion and Thorum charged into the fray ahead. Calaeriel jogged forward as well and cast a fireball upon a ghoul and a zombie, killing the zombie. As the zombie fell the necromancer stepped forward and declared, "no one will kill Tolivast!" He pointed a finger forward and engulfed Aldrich, Calaeriel, Tokin, and Varis in a circle of negative energy that Varis knew to be the spell Circle of Death. Pulling the life force from him, Tokin fell as the energy receded and Arion fueled himself with determination and charged at the Red Wizard. Aldrich rushed to Tokin's aid and stabilized him as Thor called lightening down on the horde beyond and Thorum charged the undead that Arion ran around. Thorum piked the ghoul right into the ground and then stabbed the remaining zombie. The beast hit the ground but willed itself up to its feet once more as a cloud of noxious gas burst behind it and it froze from the blast of Varis's arcane firearm. Tolivast had cast the poison out at Arion not knowing he would be unaffected. In his determination, Arion rushed in and cut the Red Wizard deeply three times across his chest but he teleported away just there after. Tolivast had only placed himself in further danger as he had underestemated Arion's squire. Charging the mound he'd been hiding in, Tokin rushed to level ground and called lightening down upon the wizards and delivered him just agony. His clothes tattered, the wizard stood as Aldrich Misty Stepped up and cracked his whip at Tolivast. Tolivast had taken cover behind the stone to avoid Aldrich but ended up dodging Varis arcane firearm as well as Varis tracked his shot and hit hte tombstone center mass. Calaeriel then firebolted the stone herself as Tolivast struggled back to his feet once more. He charged out between the stones and stopped upon the road. Not being able to help himself he stretched out his finger and cast a blight upon Aldrich whom was closest. Knowing it would be his end the necromancer accepted his fate as Tokin stood atop the embankment and shouted his dragon speech at the necromancer. His spine snapped upon the tombstone behind him as Tolivast twisted and whirled over to another nearby. Propped there, Aldrich wrapped the horror up in divine vines and watched as Arion rushed in and chopped off the dead man's head. As Arion ran to his ward whom collapsed in the small sunken spot nearby, Aldrich and Varis investigated the body. Later, as Arion was carrying Tokin's unconscious body, Aldrich reported that they'd found a wand, that would be broken by them, and a hole already in Tolivast's body. They determined that Tolivast had likely already been dead but brought back by some evil magic. After Thor departed, well after the horde he fought fell along with Tolivast, the party delivered themselves once more to the Hall of Justice. They updated Dagult and decided to leave the city of Neverwinter and thus the kingdom and head once more to the City State of Waterdeep. As they set to depart Dagult encouraged, knowing that their quest was so grand it was likely universal, "there are mysteries to the universe we were never meant to solve, but who we are and why we are here are not among them. Those answers we carry inside. Thus, follow hearts and please continue to save Faerûn, this whole world need you." From there, the party decided to rent a ship to head south, as Calaeriel met with Liset to be given her chests, Varis repaired his owl, and Arion booked Karling's Way with a captain named Karling after getting his manticore heads; they did just that. On the journey, Calaeriel reminisced over the words spoken to her by Liset as she left, you'll always have a coffin here and remember, your teeth are showing. They were sweet words and she recounted her conversations and decision with Aldrich. Along the way Varis mended the party's many scrapes and scuffs. He started with Aldrich's armor, he sorted out the scrape on the right arm of the armor from a javelin. He patched well the claw marks across the left breast of the armor from a manticore and then moved on to Arion's armor. Arion's shield had several faint scuffs on from the tail of a horned devil that Varis buffed out. There was also a small hole from from an arrow on the forward facing, left pauldron that Varis sealed. With diligent work, Varis even healed the three puncture marks on the right bracer from the teeth of a drake. With little effort, Varis even banged out the impressive dent in the armor on the left breast from the orc commander's flail. Finally, with that work done he sowed Calaeriel's shirt, which was tattered from a near complete bite from a manticore. They had set sail on the 7th of Ches by the midday and arrived on the morning of the 11th at the docks of Waterdeep. They took the manticore heads to the Mighty Manticore first and foremost where upon Varis introduced the party and told the innkeeper that they went to find Dagult after he went missing where they stayed and stood valiantly to the city's desperate defense. He told them man that the abashed hordes upon the wall and told him every detail of how they fought the manticore and killed them but he had left out detail on himself and heavily embellished others. The inkeeper promised that they would stay free at the Manticore from then on and gave a rousing thanks. Back at the mansion come highsun Farnsworth, the butler, informed the group that the candlestick were recovered and the once responsible were Korvan and Lyra. He told them about the explosion and that they were connected by some magical means. He told them that they were seen in the Dagger's Rest with The Cartophile and then of how they left town heading north to find a dwarven stronghold. He then informed Lord Arion that a caller, a cloaked figure, had been by and how he would see Arion when he returned. An afternoon of studying then commenced. Varis studied and found a combination to try on the Stellar Gateway, he found Faerûn's combination, and an extra button to enter after the sequence that could deliver him to the outlands from Faerûn. Arion learned about the Nether Barrier Mountains and asked Farnsworth to keep book up to date again, as he had stopped a few year prior after the old man he traded books with died. Calaeriel learned about vampires and how to build their cure as Aldrich learned a technique about shield fighting as he sparred and defeated Thorum with Baern, Autumn, and Tokin as an audience. At lunch Arion had a vision of a burning fire and it whispered to him. "I see you..." Before supper Calaeriel found a black cat as a familiar and at supper they were met with an unexpected guest. The Cartophile joined them and told them about his hiring of the thieves, he'd been sent for by the page. He also told them how to get on the path of the expedition. On the 12th of Ches, 1479 DR, the party set out for Rassalanter and the north. They were in Amphail on the 13th at night and only passed through Red Larch. On the 18th they slept at the inn in Beliard and on the 19th they traveled with an Elf named Normenor to a hall he thought would offer riches. He paid 100 Platinum to scout its location and along the journey he learned names well as Calaeriel told him of her home, a realm called Álfheim. She told him of the Elves there and of the woods. On the 22nd they arrived through the fog at the Hall of Four Ghosts. Before the agreed separation Normenor asked if the party wanted to help him explore the ruin and was met with much suspicion as Aldrich finally confronted him about what he had divined, that Normenor was a Celestial. Aldrich called him out, outright, as a celestial but Normenor spoke as if he was being played with. Aldrich wanted answers and as they questioned Normenor, Aldrich tried to cast Command but it failed. Normenor thought he was being robbed then and grew a suspicion of his own. Arion calmed the moment and they continued to question but eventually they agreed to separate. Normenor did so with a bow and Varis took it as a deep offence, given that he'd been dodging questions about his birthplace. Varis questioned Normenor on his bow but knew Calaeriel had already given the Elf an exit strategy. Then, Arion offered aid in the form of food by the vegetarian rejected the substances. Normenor then thanked Arion and said "that is a very kind thing for you to off me Arion." After Arion offered more wisdom for Normenor going forward, Normenor stated, "if you come back this way I hope you will find me the keeper of this hall. I know we will see each other again soon Arion, I feel it in my bones."

Rewards Granted

900xp

Missions/Quests Completed

Sidequest Forever War in Neverwinter Completed

Character(s) interacted with

Normenor met.

Notes

Notable Party Damage:

Aldrich has a horrible burn scar on the left side of his neck in front of the ear from a azure fire elemental summoned by Seldra Tylmarande.
Noted Effects: Horrible Scar. You are disfigured to the extent that the wound can't be easily concealed. You have disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks and advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) checks. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the scar.
Arion came from Arda with a scar that won't seem to heal.
Noted Effects: Minor Scar (Head). The scar doesn't have any adverse effect. Magical healing of 6th level or higher, such as heal and regenerate, removes the scar.
Calaeriel is prestine.
Noted Effects: None
Varis has a bite mark from a warped Plaguechanged monster on his left shoulder.
Noted Effects: None