The forgotten people of Raven Ridge

First visit to Snarl Island

Mr Gleaves hires the Guild to explore Snarl Island, one of the Tonitru Isles.
On the island they find a deserted village. Most of the buildings were in very poor condition, with collapsed walls and roofs, rotting doors and vegetation growing over and through the structures.

Return to the island

On this trip, prior to going ashore, the Knotty Bucket circles the island. They spot some more settlements that also appear deserted.
When investigating the house they finds skeletal corpses of soldiers, wearing livery with blue and green squares behind a black crow silhouette. They don't find any remains for the soldiers adversaries, but do find proof that they are local soldiers.
In the ruins they find more remains of the local army and several Sahuagin weapons, but no Sahuagin remains.
The heroes head back to the abandoned village and finish their investigation of the ruined buildings. They don't find any more monsters, but do find a hermit called Timmy, who has lived alone her for 30 years. He was the sole survivor of the Sahuagin attack. He went back into hiding when the monsters started to appear about 6 months ago.

Exploring Raven Ridge

The party head north to explore more of the island. They find a couple of abandoned villages, a fortified wall and a small port.
There is evidence that the residents evacuated due to an invasion by Sahuagin of the Manta clan, with the soldiers trying to hold them off.
They also learn that the country is called Raven Ridge, the invasion happened 32 years ago, the country’s capital is on the west side of the inner bay, and there are many statues to a noble looking dragon called Collis Salvatoris who is referred to as a legendary protector.
Just before exploring the capital, there is a sizeable earth tremor that shakes the trees and buildings, and causes the sea to become very choppy.
At the captial they find more signs of evacuation, another statue of Collis Salvatori, but no signs of battle.

The Ravens Nest

The heroes head to the fort on the south side of the capitol. There are the remains of the Raven Ridge Guard's last stand, with many barricades destroyed by the Sahuagin onslaught and the remains of fallen soldiers.
Speaking with the dead and finding a couple of notes, the group confirm that the fort (the Raven's Nest) and the country was lost to the Sea Devils.
They also learn about King Martinet, who ruled the country with strict laws and taxes, used tales of Collis Salvatoris to keep the people cowed, and his greed left the country nearly defenceless.
Also, the King’s Counsellors fled with their gold to the Lonely Tower.
A room at the top of the inner keep has been disturbed recently, inside the room drawers and chests are open and some items taken.

Conflict at the Lonely Tower

The party made their way to the Lonely Tower, on an island in the middle of the main bay.
After they had cleared it of monstrous Perytons they started to search the tower, finding only an old storeroom, but were disturbed by another boat turning up.
After inviting the crew ashore for a parley, they noticed they are all residents of the Underdark and one of them was Cleric of Bane.
The Cleric stated she is looking for the Servant of Bane. The Captain added they just want to get to the tower.
Not wanting to let them past, the party take out most of the crew, with just the Captain and the bard escaping.

After the fight at the Lonely Tower

You then searched the top floor of the tower finding a couple of old chests, but the contents were scraped out by large claws a long time ago.
Malenia spoke with the deceased Cleric of Bane. The Cleric informed Malenia that the Servant of Bane is a person that she hoped to find so she could help them force all to kneel before them in the name of their god.
The Captain of the Four Winds and the bard had teleported away.
You found a map with several markings...

Selun'e guidance informed you of the location they others escaped to, to the west of the capital.
Once there you found a derested campsite in a ruined market town, plus a teleportation circle.
Further guidance from Selune informed you they are headed to the Palace

The Black Hand Palace

As you approached the shore near the palace there was another sizeable earth tremor.
The meadows and marshes on either side of the road from the waterfront to the palace were several cracks and fissures in the ground with smoke rising from the recent seismic activity.
You noticed many Sahuagin skeletons, some of their armour was melted.
The Palace is deserted and reclaimed by nature and all expensive ornaments were gone.
At the entrance to the gardens and the palace were pairs of Royal Guard’s skeletons, still at their posts, appearing to have died while still keeping watch.
You learning how the King had fooled the populace into following the doctrines of Bane.
The throne room was guarded by more skeletal Royal Guards, and regaled in banners to the Black Hand of Bane.
A secret passage beneath the throne lead down to a ruined Temple of Bane.
There you found the near skeletal body of King Martinet, but he was somehow still alive. He wore Bane's Amulet of Command.
When he was defeated a colossal claw covered in red scales emerged from the burning pit and grabbed his corpse. Then the temple collapsed, but you grabbed a scroll as you fled.

The Servant of Bane

The scrollexplained how the King and his Council had created the legend of Collis Salvatori and tricked the people into worshipping Bane. It also revealed that King Martinet is not the Servant of Bane.
Believing the monster under the palace to be a dragon you decided to scout out the lair. There you found a horde of gold and a sleeping gargantuan red dragon.
You regrouped in Gull Bay to prepare to fight the dragon.
You returned to the dragon's lair. He informed you his true name is “Servus D’Imperium”, which translates into common as the “Servant of Bane”.
After you defeated him you gathered the Amulet of Command.

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