Episode Sixty-one - Enemy's Gate

General Summary

Pushing into the forest further, they all made their way around the Hall of Four Ghosts. From above the trees a gong sounded. Birds fluttered from the treetops and brush rustled all around the heroes, scattering far afield from the keep behind them. Aldrich, Arion, Calaeriel, Thorum, Tokin, and Varis all turned to see the hall emblazoned in an aura of murky green light as the dust that once clung to the walls filled the air around the structure. As vines and various growth clattered to the ground, the wave of dust dissipated and green lights illuminated the once overgrown dwarven keep. The gong sounded again and a distant drumming could be heard seemingly beneath their feet. The thunderous chant of marching boots grew as orcs ascended from the bowls beneath the keep at a cave entrance on the cliff wall. Gnarly cleavers and rusty axes were held aloft as the formation swelled. From the depths of the forming horde a figure emerged, dwarfed by the orcs who gave a start and recoiled at his presence. The black cloak that shrouded the man was cast aside by him and a black and red painted body revealed. His mask was a horned, red skull and then the figure revealed further, a blade. Twisting the black saber with mastery, the form began to run toward the party and the horde followed. Thrusting his sword high they heard the blade master's mangled scream wretch, "for Sauron!" From behind them, they heard, "run you fools! Come on, run!" As they turned, they found two human men beckoning them into the brush. They looked ready for flight even before the party followed. They all began a vigorous chase and Thorum quickly started to fall behind. Calaeriel took the moment to slow and then, as the horde engulfed her, Thunder Stepped ahead of the party. Aldrich sallied his mule and snatched Thorum up and planted him on the beast of burden. Swiftly, Aldrich rushed toward Tokin but not before the boy found himself ensnared in an orc hunting trap there in the thicket. Arion promptly rushed to this squire's side and cut him free as razor vine abound tore at his armor. Aldrich arrived at that very moment and traded his place on the mule for Tokin's and slapped it forward. With the slowest among them then surging ahead, the heroes ran harder and faster then ever before and left their pursuers behind. Though exhausted at the end of their sprint through the thick forest, they had escaped with their lives. As they walked, Arion acquainted himself with Dragon Hollow and Wolfhelm, two Dragon Knights from the lands of Noveatus. Hailing from a kingdom known as Fraellan, these men professed to be champions serving a college dedicated to the studies of Dragon Magic. They informed the group, though mainly Tokin whom they sought as a chosen one, that they served a god called Azgenerath. They told the group that their sacred duty was to stop gods that were evil and they did so with the help of Dragon Marked, like Tokin. They told Tokin his primary purpose with them would be to first seek dragons that had betrayed Azgenerath and slay them, before serving as a champion of the god himself. They told the group that they'd worked their whole lives to find a Dragon Marked like Tokin. After their walk, further into the forest, the group camped together. That night, Varis' owl saw that the orcs were perusing them but had veered off course. In his sleep, a voice came to Arion again, along with fire it whispered, "Your magic is weak, I see you Arion." On the 24th of Ches, 1479 DR, the party joined a trail in the High Forest that carried them easily though it, to a point between the Star Mounts. The trail ahead widened to a path trod ever so lightly but walked millions of times. The path snaked its way through the forest before them as the trees above allowed a single snowflake to gently fall to the ground ahead. As they moved forward they could tell that, that region of the forest was forested and curated ever so carefully. Mushrooms rested easily and others showed signs of prior harvest as the wildlife around them moved freely, finally unhampered by the thorns and thick brush behind that place. They had all noticed that the eyes of the wildlife had been upon them, curiously, but as they entered that place, the eyes left them and returned to their lives. The party realized that that they were in fact at the start of the Elven Path, the one The Cartophile had spoken of, which would signal the beginning of the known start of the Lost Expedition of Kwalish. They heard beautiful birds in the distance, woodland creatures frocking gayly, and a calm breeze that beset the peace of that place. Along the path as they pressed slightly forward toward their quest, they stumbled upon a flower that Arion recognized from his homeland, Elgaran, as they reached an intersection. As the day's portion of the walk felt at its end, Varis found a nice spot for camp. Aldrich, Arion, Calaeriel, and Varis all found a nice place to set their bedrolls as Thorum accepted Tokin's assistance in building a fire for the night. As Tokin drew the warmth, they all made their way to the edge of camp and looked to the road ahead just as the sun started to fall beyond the treetops. Beyond that place the trail twisted ever onward through the wood. The walk to grace them upon the coming days would offer a wide path and fruit filled bushes. As they looked on, voices emerged behind them, then they turned. Walking down the adjoining path that ran north from there, at some distance, was a humanoid bird, a Human man, and an Elven woman. The woman lead the group, scouting their way. As they all gave a jovial chuckle her warm face widened with her rosy cheeks and her large eyes emboldened with color reserved for the Elves. She stalked the forest, circulating from watching the path, checking the trees, and looking ahead. Her happy face masked a serious carefulness. Behind the woman marched a young man, clad in white, adorned with a blue cape, and collared with a white fur neckpiece. His calm complexation unlike the rough sea of older men's; he walked with optimism in his gait and wanderlust in his heart like an even younger boy. Just offset and to his right-side walked a humanoid bird, the red-feathered menace looked strong and equally capable. He walked with a walking stick in hand, a totem adorned staff with an eagle, an owlbear, a masked man, and a dwarf upon it. There was a surety in his clawed step as he and his friends grew ever closer to the heroes. The parties then met with kindness and the three established their own camp just across the path from the heroes. Aldrich was the only member to speak with the party at some length. They had already introduced themselves as Aaick the Diviner, Diexyrûn Zryse a young wizard, and Faralei a ranger of the Elves of the High Forest. He learned that Aiack believed the boy was special and meant to find the Rod of Seven Parts but grew to bored to learn more. Seeing that he wasn't going to get into Faralei's pants, he returned to his side of the path as Tokin made his decision to learn more about his magic and travel with the Dragon Knights. Tokin worried he was betraying Arion but Arion released the boy from his vow to Gondor. Arion charged a duty of protection upon the Dragon Knights and did not veil his threats if they were taking the boy under falsehoods. Arion then swore by his name that the boy was dear to him and made clear that, though he had died before, death would not be a barrier for him to exact revenge should he need to with them. The knights took the encounter seriously and showed a great respect for Arion before making plans to set out the following day. Before the night's rest, Varis met well a treant prone to threatening jokes and fond of laughter, named Mildlarch-Fallentindril, before they all retired for the evening. On the morning of the 25th, Tokin said his goodbyes to each member. Calaeriel gave Tokin a dragonchess set piece and bid him to remember them with his dragon heart. The Dragon Knights and Tokin then headed back the way the party came and the party ventured onward. Down the Elven Path, Varis noted runic magic that added to their speed. The party traveled roughly a hundred miles across that path in but a single day. Shrinking once more to a trail, the woods around the party took a new shape as the sun fell. After a night of rest, they pushed on. Their path through the woods descended along a ridgeline, with the trees crowding together under a dense canopy above. The ground was littered with fallen nuts. Tree trunks were coated in thick patches of fungus, and a musty smell filled the air. Yet despite the rising gloom, vivid sunbeams still shined between the trees. As they passed through beams of light, trees slapped out at the party and Arion threatened the very trees themselves. Threatened by a treant and the very woods themselves they heard the sound of a singing voice approaching, heralding the arrival of an elderly dryad bearing the features of a stag. As the forest retreated, they saw enormous antlers growing from the dryad's head, on which hung innumerable herb pouches and charms, as well as dozens of lit candles set on the antlers’ points. "I am Mother Stag," the dryad stated. "Please do not think unkindly of our woods." As she walked toward the party, she easily stepped through the troublesome sunbeams without fear. "Things here were not always this way, and it troubles me that good travelers should suffer in a place they should instead find tranquil." Mother Stag offered to lead the party to her tree cottage for soothing tea and a brief respite from their weary journey and they happily accepted. As long as they journeyed with her, Mother Stag’s power kept the nefarious magic of the sunbeams at bay. Then, within a clearing, three massive trees had grown together, their trunks entwining overhead. A hollow between them formed the interior of a dwelling, with thick branches acting as its roof. Dense patches of mushrooms grew in garden plots around this unique domicile. "Our cottage," Mother Stag pointed out. "Our dryad trees, some of the last in these woods that haven’t yet succumbed to Banrion’s corruption." Mother Stag introduced Mother Skunk and Mother Mole, as well as their satyr helper, Olitor. They offered the party shelter and delicious food, as well as a healing tea that fully healed wounds sustained from the trees and the effects from the hazards activated by the sunbeams. Though extremely reluctant, and against Mother Mole's wishes, Mother Stag admitted that they needed help fending off Banrion. "Just as goodly deities assign unicorns to protect sacred places," Mother Stag explained, "Banrion serves an evil god, who sent her to corrupt these peaceful woods. Since her arrival, the dark-hearted unicorn has hunted goodly fey into near extinction, with the help of evil creatures that now serve her." The dryads wanted Banrion captured for conversion to good and gave the party a bridle of capturing as well as woven crowns of willow branches they called crowns of the forest that would protect them from the beams. They then lead the party to a clock tower bridge but they all left, fearing the unicorn. Marching ahead, the trees parted to reveal to the heroes the ruins of an ancient city. All that remained were worn flagstones covered in moss and lichen, toppled blocks of weathered stone, and a former tower fallen and lying stretched across a fifty foot-wide chasm. The chasm fully circled an isolated plateau of rock at its center. More ruins rose atop that plateau, including sections of walls held together by the roots of stunted trees. On the near side of the chasm, the base of the fallen tower could be seen, reduced to a broken section of its former ground floor. The party then worked diligently to cross that tower bridge and chasm but Thorum fell through and had to be rescued by Aldrich and Arion. When Varis crossed, he nearly fell into the inner tower and spotted a mechanism within. The mechanism was operated by buttons he replaced and learned was derived of transmutation magic. Varis used the panel to reverse time on the clock tower and restored it to its whole self for later crossing. As Varis made his way out of the completed tower's window, his old entrance through a hole then sealed, he fell and was caught by Calaeriel's Feather Fall spell. Finally across the party found and then reasoned with the unicorn, thanks to Aldrich's Speak With Animals. Despite its outward appearance, the party realized they were being tricked with illusions and plotted with the unicorn to attack what they learned were three hags and a red cap.

Missions/Quests Completed

Quest of Fate Continued, Subquest Forging Fate Started

Character(s) interacted with

Faced the Cloak of Sauron, met Aaick the Diviner, Diexyrûn Zryse, and Faralei, encountered Mildlarch-Fallentindril

Created Content

Cloak of Sauron [Roll20], Aaick the Diviner, Diexyrûn Zryse, and Faralei [Roll20]

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