Chapter 9: Trouble in Paradise
The savage seven entered the city of Silverymoon with the goal of helping the free peoples of the moonwood in their attack. After helping out a group of wood elves and Uthgardt barbarians, they were pointed to the dancing goat inn where their leader The Silver Mask was orchestrating the effort. After hearing tales of Pan's fame amongst the free peoples, Keladrien raised one of the dead knights as a zombie and the group departed towards the inn.
On the way, the party passed a burning building with a screaming child inside. Kathra, Sai and Nalzmyr entered the building where Sai rescued the child and leapt from a window. Kathra fell through some collapsed stairs, but managed to get herself out while Nalzmyr left the building.
At the inn, the group met with the leader of the resistance -- The Silver Mask. He was an elf dressed in a simple green tunic wearing a reflective silver mask. He explained that 9 days ago, Archmage Aerundal had suddenly died (as if something erupted from his head). The arcane council blamed the free peoples and orchestrated an attack on the settlement of One-Stone, where the knights and spellguard killed everyone there. In retaliation, the free peoples of the moonwood banded together and attacked the city.
The group offered their assistance and the Silver Mask charged them with slaying the Arcane Council and stopping the bell from ringing atop the high palace, thereby sounding the retreat and letting him know the city was theirs. He offered them potions that had been pilfered from an alchemist in the market, and they set out after taking a short rest. Along the way, the group encountered an Uthgardt barbarian assaulting a high elf woman. Kathra smashed his kneecaps to prevent him from raping the woman, and Nalzmyr beheaded him. Keladrien collected the barbarian's head in the bag of holding. They also encountered an elven cleric of Lathander trying to resurrect a fallen knight, but ended up killing him as well. Keladrien once again collected his head.
Near the palace, the party fought a conjurer who had summoned forth fire and air elementals. After a difficult fight, Sai managed to sneak atop rooftops and assassinate the mage (banishing the remaining elemental). As they arrived at the high palace and the tower of the arcane council, Kathra used a potion of growth to grow in size and a potion of hill giant's strength to strengthen herself. Nalzmyr used his magic to give her the ability to fly temporarily, while the rest of the group tied themselves together with the rope of climbing. Kathra lifted them up by the rope and flew them to the top of the tower.
Sai snuck up to the entrance of the council chamber and relayed what he saw to the group. Kathra flew off and disabled the bell while her magical flight was still active. As she returned, the arcane council began discussing the use of the silverymoon mythal (a massively powerful magical effect) to end the conflict. Spurred into action by this revelation, the group entered the chamber and began battling the wizards. One wizard from each school of magic (minus necromancy) served on the council, and proved worthy foes for the savage seven. Through tactical advantage and more than a little luck, the group defeated the seven wizards and claimed the tower.
After looking the chamber, Sai discovered a hidden chamber that led to a magical prison where they discovered a dead warlock and a journal detailing his torture. The journal revealed that he was a warlock of the lord of shade, and had come to the city seeking lore on the history of the netherese empire and the phaerimm. The group found his effects in a chest (a glamoured chain shirt and a rod of the pact keeper that Nalzmyr claimed).
After resting for an hour, The Silver Mask arrived in the tower and thanked the group for helping him secure the city. He left the tower with them and paid them 4,500 gold from the city coffers. He revealed himself as Teldaron Silvermask, a high elf who decided to fight to restore silverymoon to its rightful state as the inclusive jewel of the north. He announced his intention to form a new council called the Council of Silverymoon made up of representatives from the wood elves, high elves and Uthgardt tribesmen (led by him, if they would have him). He warned that the city would be chaotic for a time as he tries to establish this new government and deal with any lingering effects of the Mageocracy.
The group retired to the dancing goat inn and rested for the night. Keladrien tried to read one of the arcane councillors' spellbooks but it exploded from a rune of warding, nearly killing him and destroying his room. The new patron of the inn (an Uthgardt barbarian) refused to give him a new room, suggesting he use his bedroll.
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