Session 8 - Here be Dragons...

General Summary

Saramonus the Pure; lover, bard, free spirit, official chronicler & part time accountant.An extract from the humble tome’s of the epic “Through Darkness Until the Light; The Fall of an Empire” by 
Volume 2, Chapter 1.
It is perhaps important now to examine the being once known as ‘The Exquisite’, the Ancient Blue Dragon, Azlamorth . Once, before men came to the Moonsea, this creature’s name was only spoken in whispers. Ruling over a  cadre of Chromatic Dragons Azlamorth oversaw over an empire of elves and men dominating them with his sheer force of will. This history of this time is lost with him but the legends tell of a banding together of the mortal races overcoming their draconic dictators and using powerful magics to imprison them in secret locations around the ancient world. The fate of these has faded into rumour, a green dragon responsible of for the destruction of Phlan over 200 years ago, a black dragon in the mines of the Dragonspine mountains. Even of metallic dragons; silver in the forests of Cormanthyr and perhaps a gold dragon living beneath the Moonsea itself.
Azlamorth himself was hunted and cornered in the Quivering Forest . After a suitably dramatic showdown and unable to kill the beast their mages buried him alive, trapped beneath the woods themselves. There he remained, brooding, biding his time waiting until the world had forgotten him. As shadows creep across the sky, with infinite patience the Dragon, spread his influence once more into the minds of men. In dark crypts, cults began to gather, worshipping him and seeking artefacts that might secure his release. Each time his name was whispered, Azlamorth’s strength returned and as it did so the natural world around began to sicken and die.
Somehow those whispers wormed their way into the ears of the Bridge Burners. Drawn by a power they could hope to comprehend they made their way towards the Dragon’s prison. Despite the pleas of citizens of Leafholm  they fought their way to the very centre of the Quivering Forest, dispatching Azlamorth’s final guardian and releasing once more his evil upon the world.

An Ancient Power released once more upon the World

Faced with the fury of this ancient creature the only hope for our heroic band was to throw themselves on what might be left of Azlamorth’s mercy. For its own dark purposes the Dragon let them live and what’s more even offered each of them a boon. But offered their hearts desires what would they ask for? For Torbera the choice was simple, the location of her daughter one Berachin Thanekin, the wilful young dwarf she had left the safety of her home to find. Atlender simpler still, a magical blade power. Ildreth wished to know whether his lost mentor, Aelar Oaksway, still lived and Dustinby , craved a fragment of the Dragon’s arcane lore through a grimoire taken from Azlamorth’s own library.

Azlamorth then introduced the party to eight masked figures, one of whom they had seen aiding the goblins previously. After a display of their terrible power and lots of unkind words being said, the dragon tied of their bickering, announcing whom ever could release his siblings would prove their loyalty.  Without further ceremony, he teleported the party out of his domain. 
In an instant they were returned from the creature’s lair to the forest. Finding the stunned survivors of the original caravan [Ed. You remember that right? From the Merchant's Alliance ], and through an uncharacteristically gentle interrogation learn that they were sent to by the Merchant’s Alliance of Phlan [Ed. See told you] to find an artefact. Having reached a literal cross roads the Bridge Burners hand off these survivors to Atlendor’s contact with the The Harpers in Cromerth .
This chapter closes as it opened with the Bridge Burners sitting together in Madame Freona's Tea Kettle . They were welcomed as heroes back to Phlan for slaying a monstrous tree creature, bringing peace between the city and the denizens of the Quivering Forest. The Merchants Alliance mired in scandal for their role in these attacks. What our heroes choose to do with the truth was up to them...

Summary

• Bridge burners bow to the mercy of the Azlamorth, an adult blue dragon
• After visiting a manor in a pocket dimension, Azlamorth grants each a boon
• The party faces off with a eight mysterious figures who praise the dragon/ Azlamorth however allows them to escape
• The party questions the survivors and discovers most are mercenaries sent to provoke the Forest and attack the Guardian.
• The party hands over the Merchant's Alliance's men to the Harpers. They are rewarded 3000 gold pieces for their efforts

Report Date

14 Dec 2019

Primary Location

Quivering Forest

Secondary Location

Phlan