RoT 19: "The Third Council of Waterdeep"
Diplomatic action
The Cult of the Dragon has once again sent an assassin squad after you. Though you survived, The Brass Wain is in shambles, civilians have died, and one of the demons in the Cult's employ escaped. They even tried to kll Neronvain so he couldn't talk, but somehow he survived.
Despite all that, and all of you being fairly wounded and battered yourselves, you still need to get back to Waterdeep, now more than ever, to report all the information you've gathered to the Council.
In the aftermath of assassination attempt by the Cult of the Dragon, the Brass Wain lies in shambles. The front room is filled with the dead carcass of an adult black dragon and you are all beaten and bloodied. Even you prisoner, Green Wyrmspeaker Neronvain barely survived.
Arthur is understandably distraught but more so because he felt he betrayed you all in some way than with the destruction of his inn.
Malice contacts your trusted chamberlain in Waterdeep, Chauncy, to let him know what has happened and have him inform the Council (or those present in Waterdeep). He soon responds that Lady Silverhand has sent a dispatch to Daggorford. Within a day Sir Isteval arrives with two squads of Purple Dragon Knights and says that another is a day behind escorting a convoy of carpenters and masons to help repair/rebuild The Brass Wain. Delaan Winterhound is with him as he was visiting Daggorford when the news arrived – he’s more than willing to assist with the skinning of the black dragon.
Sir Isteval also presents you with a Scroll of Teleport that is keyed to the permanent circle just outside of the Palace of Piergeiron’s. He and Delaan also ask if they may teleport with you and you all soon find yourself safely back in Waterdeep.
After some needed rest and a good meal, you take care of personal errands, such as Malice collecting the Longsword he had commissioned to be made from a white dragon tooth as well as visiting Frederick's Fabulous Haberdashery & Clothier to commission pants and a cloak from the green and black dragon hide.
After a few days, the Council of Waterdeep has once again gathered. Some word of what was promised to the Ancient Dragons for their aid has already reached them and there is a good bit of grumbling about it. Connerad Brawnanvil is unhappy about the return of the silver dragon armor; King Melandrach is displeased with having to apologize for the Dracorage mythal, although this displeasure is tempered with his gratitude for your efforts in the Misty Forest and the capture of his traitorous son. The rest of the council, save for Delaan who is neutral, grumbles about the bartering away of a share of the treasure hoard once it is recovered since they will have spent quite a bit of gold in the interim. Nevertheless, they are overall pleased and grant you the responsibility of determining how the metallic dragons will be distributed with the following requests:
- The Harpers request any dragons assigned to them be used for intelligence gathering
- The Order of the Gauntlet requests dragons for the express defense of Elturel
- The Emerald Enclave requests that dragons be sent to protect the treant known as the Grandfather Tree
In all, 30 dragons have been dispatched to the aid of the Council (3 young and 3 adults of each of the chromatics). You choose two young gold dragons, twin brothers named Reitenuber and Aufzuguber, to act as your personal transportation and runners.
While planning the distribution of the dragons, you are called upon by the tiefling woman who was see sitting near Lord Neverember at the last council meeting; a person you noted that many council members made a point of trying to ignore. All you know of her is that her name is Rian Nightshade and she is a “special adviser” to Lord Neverember.
You quickly cover the maps and have Chauncy show her in. “I thank you for seeing me” she says. “As you probably noticed in the council chambers, there are some that my not trust someone from the organization I represent.” She reveals she is a member of the The Zhentarim , a well-known, and nefarious organization of thieves, spies, and assassins. She also says that she was a friend of Jamna Gleamsilver . The purpose of her visit is to deliver a letter she says she smuggled out of Xonthal’s Tower – a letter specifically intended for deliver to The Iron Company. It reads:
You don’t know me, but we can help each other immeasurably. My name is Iskander, and I made a terrible mistake in joining the Cult of the Dragon. The cult’s horrifying plans are sure to bring doom to all, but I can stop those plans with your help. Rescue me from the cult’s clutches, and I will deliver to you the prize of prizes: the Blue Dragon Mask. Without it, Severin faces an insurmountable setback in his effort to call Tiamat back to our world. The mask is here in Xonthal’s Tower, being studied and guarded by only a handful of wizards, including myself.
The danger of my treason becoming known grows with every passing day, and if I’m discovered, I’ll surely be killed. Please hurry, for the sake of everyone and everything you value.
“Finally!” you think. "We finally have a chance to obtain one of the Dragon Masks!” And thus you begin finalizing your distribution of the dragons so you can make all haste in to Xonthal’s Tower.
In the aftermath of assassination attempt by the Cult of the Dragon, the Brass Wain lies in shambles. The front room is filled with the dead carcass of an adult black dragon and you are all beaten and bloodied. Even you prisoner, Green Wyrmspeaker Neronvain barely survived.
Arthur is understandably distraught but more so because he felt he betrayed you all in some way than with the destruction of his inn.
Malice contacts your trusted chamberlain in Waterdeep, Chauncy, to let him know what has happened and have him inform the Council (or those present in Waterdeep). He soon responds that Lady Silverhand has sent a dispatch to Daggorford. Within a day Sir Isteval arrives with two squads of Purple Dragon Knights and says that another is a day behind escorting a convoy of carpenters and masons to help repair/rebuild The Brass Wain. Delaan Winterhound is with him as he was visiting Daggorford when the news arrived – he’s more than willing to assist with the skinning of the black dragon.
Sir Isteval also presents you with a Scroll of Teleport that is keyed to the permanent circle just outside of the Palace of Piergeiron’s. He and Delaan also ask if they may teleport with you and you all soon find yourself safely back in Waterdeep.
After some needed rest and a good meal, you take care of personal errands, such as Malice collecting the Longsword he had commissioned to be made from a white dragon tooth as well as visiting Frederick's Fabulous Haberdashery & Clothier to commission pants and a cloak from the green and black dragon hide.
After a few days, the Council of Waterdeep has once again gathered. Some word of what was promised to the Ancient Dragons for their aid has already reached them and there is a good bit of grumbling about it. Connerad Brawnanvil is unhappy about the return of the silver dragon armor; King Melandrach is displeased with having to apologize for the Dracorage mythal, although this displeasure is tempered with his gratitude for your efforts in the Misty Forest and the capture of his traitorous son. The rest of the council, save for Delaan who is neutral, grumbles about the bartering away of a share of the treasure hoard once it is recovered since they will have spent quite a bit of gold in the interim. Nevertheless, they are overall pleased and grant you the responsibility of determining how the metallic dragons will be distributed with the following requests:
- The Harpers request any dragons assigned to them be used for intelligence gathering
- The Order of the Gauntlet requests dragons for the express defense of Elturel
- The Emerald Enclave requests that dragons be sent to protect the treant known as the Grandfather Tree
In all, 30 dragons have been dispatched to the aid of the Council (3 young and 3 adults of each of the chromatics). You choose two young gold dragons, twin brothers named Reitenuber and Aufzuguber, to act as your personal transportation and runners.
While planning the distribution of the dragons, you are called upon by the tiefling woman who was see sitting near Lord Neverember at the last council meeting; a person you noted that many council members made a point of trying to ignore. All you know of her is that her name is Rian Nightshade and she is a “special adviser” to Lord Neverember.
You quickly cover the maps and have Chauncy show her in. “I thank you for seeing me” she says. “As you probably noticed in the council chambers, there are some that my not trust someone from the organization I represent.” She reveals she is a member of the The Zhentarim , a well-known, and nefarious organization of thieves, spies, and assassins. She also says that she was a friend of Jamna Gleamsilver . The purpose of her visit is to deliver a letter she says she smuggled out of Xonthal’s Tower – a letter specifically intended for deliver to The Iron Company. It reads:
You don’t know me, but we can help each other immeasurably. My name is Iskander, and I made a terrible mistake in joining the Cult of the Dragon. The cult’s horrifying plans are sure to bring doom to all, but I can stop those plans with your help. Rescue me from the cult’s clutches, and I will deliver to you the prize of prizes: the Blue Dragon Mask. Without it, Severin faces an insurmountable setback in his effort to call Tiamat back to our world. The mask is here in Xonthal’s Tower, being studied and guarded by only a handful of wizards, including myself.The danger of my treason becoming known grows with every passing day, and if I’m discovered, I’ll surely be killed. Please hurry, for the sake of everyone and everything you value.
“Finally!” you think. "We finally have a chance to obtain one of the Dragon Masks!” And thus you begin finalizing your distribution of the dragons so you can make all haste in to Xonthal’s Tower.