The Hunt for the Clasp of Vergren
22 Marpenoth, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR)
Neverwinter Wood, The Sword Coast
Turnoroth Brimsdall, a Dragonborn sorcerer and warlock, was on a quest to find the missing Clasp of Vergren.
From what he learned about the Clasp from Tsendur, a half-orc wizard whose life he saved when the wizard's tower burned to the ground in Phandalin, The Clasp is said to grant the wearer the ability to replenish their magical energy by tapping into the ambient magical energy of the Weave all around the wearer. Tsendur acknowledged that there possibly more qualities about the Clasp of Vergren he wasn't aware of.
After the devastating fire, Tsendur claimed he was attacked in his tower by an elven woman and several robed figures who moments before came unannounced. The woman asked Tsendur about the Clasp and had asked to see it. When he declined, she suddenly commanded the others to reveal themselves. Tsendur was horrified to see several zombies with the woman. Suddenly, she uttered a word and the zombies burst into flames.
Tsendur had heard of Scorch Zombies but knew they were extremely rare and took a necromancer who also specialized in evocation magic to create them. The wizard also claimed that he did not know who the woman was, but that he did recognize her and recalled seeing her in the city of Neverwinter during a recent trip.
Brimsdall convinced Tsendur to let him keep the Clasp of Vergren if he were to go and retrieve the lost item. Tsendur, who was considering retiring from adventuring, acquiesced. Tsendur added he was going to move to Interior Faerûn and not rebuild his burnt tower and retire in peace.
The next day, Brimsdall packed his adventuring gear and left Phandalin following directions from witnesses who said they saw the robed elven woman running faster than possible. The elven woman was seen headed north, towards the Neverwinter Wood.
***
Two days after leaving Phandalin, Brimdall was resting on a log around highsun when he was attacked by strange plant creatures that resembled woody shrubs. Their branches twisted together to form humanoid-looking bodies, each with a head and limbs. Brimsdall had never seen or heard the likes of them before. He was able to slay at least one but he was outnumbered.
Fortunately, a group of centaurs armed with bows appeared and slew the creatures.
They later told Brimsdall, the creatures were known as Blights and had been a plague to those who lived in Neverwinter Wood.
Brimsdall was then escorted to a village of centaurs where he met with the centaurs' leader, Zurgas Steelskin, who offered Brimsdall a safe place to stay. Brimsdall asked if they had seen the elven woman he was searching for. Zurgas said he would give Brimsdall that information if he would help them find the village druid, Aldrudis, who had recently gone missing.
Brimsdall offered to help.
Zurgas then had the dragonborn led to the druid's home, a cottage at the edge of the village.
Brimsdall investigated the cottage. The only unusual thing he saw was a stack of oddly shaped metal pieces sitting on a table. He took the pieces to examine later.
Behind the cottage was a large red tower that rose some 40 feet into the air. The tower seemed to have been built from a single piece of crimson stone block. No windows were visible on the tower. A single sturdy wooden door was visible and seemed to be the only entrance to the tower. The door had no handle nor hinges and was built right into the tower's structure.
In the center of the thick door, Brimsdall saw a sunken metal square that looked as though it would accommodate the metal pieces he found in the cottage.
After several minutes, Brimsdall solved the puzzle. He then heard a strange humming sound emanating from the door. Within a heartbeat, Brimsdall was engulfed in a flash of light, the world spinning all around him.
When he was able to see around him again, Brimsdall found himself in a long rectangular room. A door, similar to the one he entered from stood at the opposite side of the room.
Laying in the middle of the room was a large, black wolf creature, bigger than any wolf he had ever seen or heard about from trappers and loggers. The wolf, easily the size of a horse, had its red eyes trained on Brimsdall, and its hackles rose as it moved toward him. A deep guttural growl emanated from the advancing wolf.
Brimsdall quickly took out a handful of dried meat from a belt pouch where he kept part of his day's ration. He tossed the food towards the wolf. It sniffed the food, took a piece into its mouth, and eyed the dragonborn.
Brimsdall sensed the wolf was comparing him to the meager portion of food by its two front paws.
The dragonborn didn't wait for the wolf to make a decision. Brimsdall ran towards the door. As he ran, the wolf sprinted towards him and leaped to cover the last few feet. Its slobbering muzzle was wide open revealing sharp teeth that Brimsdall knew could probably tear through even his thick dragonborn hide.
Brimsdall let loose a spell. Magic missiles shot out of his fingers and struck the wolf in mid-air. It sailed over Brimsdall and landed hard on its side.
It quickly got back up growling in fury at Brimsdall.
He had almost reached the door when the wolf grabbed him from behind, tearing into his robe. He suddenly felt himself being lifted, shaken, then tossed to the ground hard. He was hurting but he managed to keep his footing when the wolf let go of him. He knew if he fell prone, the large wolf would make an easy meal of him.
He spun and placed his hands together, uttering a simple magical incantation. A thin sheet of flames shot forth from his outstretched fingertips and struck the wolf's muzzle. The wolf yelped. The smell of burnt fur filled the air.
The wolf tried to bite Brimsdall, but smoke from its burning muzzle obscured his vision causing him to snap at nothing but air.
Brimsdall took advantage of the wolf's momentary blindness and ran as fast as he could to the door. As he got with a few feet, he was relieved to see the door did not have a puzzle. It didn't have a door also.
Brimsdall touched the door and suddenly vanished.
***
The dragonborn wizard/sorcerer found himself in a large room with an altar in the center.
Trussed up on the altar was a very undignified looking centaur. It had to be Aldrudis, the missing druid. The centaur was covered by a net that tied to small stone posts circling the druid.
Circling around the centaur were eight poorly molded clay-like creatures that were all suddenly turning to face Brimsdall. Each was about the size of a halfling. Disgusting bodily sounds were coming from each creature who spoke, if that's what they were doing. Brimsdall didn't understand them and that was just as well.
Brimsdall spotted another door, opposite where he appeared.
He ran towards the door, but stay close to the wall. He hoped to lure the creatures towards him.
It worked. All too well, Brimsdall thought as he found himself nearly surrounded by the disgusting creatures. He once again cast Burning Hands only to discover that fire had no effect whatsoever on the creatures.
He had no other choice but to avoid fighting the creatures with spells.
He kept running, trying to maintain some distance from the slower creatures who were all now trying to chase him around the room.
Brimsdall ran to the trapped centaur. He took out his dagger and cut the thick net. Aldrudis opened his eyes.
"Who...who are you?" Aldrudis asked. The centaur was weak.
"I was sent by Zurgas," Brimsdall said. "Quick, can you get up? We don't have much time before those things surround us both."
With a sudden surge of energy, the centaur druid stood up. "Get on my back!" Aldrudis said.
Brimsdall eyes opened wide. He was going to get to ride a centaur! It was something he'd always wanted to do.
With Brimsdall on his back, Aldrudis leaped off the altar just as the creatures were almost upon them both.
The druid galloped towards the door where Brimsdall emerged from and touched it.
And appeared in the room with the large wolf. "You didn't kill that Dire Wolf?" Aldrudis asked Brimsdall.
Brimsdall shrugged. "I could ask the same of you," he said.
The dire wolf, seeing them both leaped towards them. Aldrudis rose on his two hind legs. His two front hoofs struck the dire wolf in mid-air knocking it to the side.
It was hurt but still alive.
Aldrudis leaped forward and ran towards the opposite door just as the dire wolf was starting to get back up.
The door was close! Brimsdall looked behind him. He wished he didn't! The wolf was fast. It was right behind the centaur. Brimsdall could smell the dire wolf's foul breath as it snarled at its fleeing meal.
"Hurry!" Brimsdall shouted. "It's almost on top of--."
***
"I can't believe we survived," Brimsdall said. He and Aldrudis were headed back to the village.
"Thank you for saving me," Aldrudis said.
"Well, I actually did it for selfish reasons," Brimsdall admitted.
"Oh, what reasons would that be?"
"Zurgas promised to tell where an elven woman who passed through the area went."
The druid looked back at Brimsdall. "That's only one. You said reasons."
Brimsdall smiled. "Zurgas also promised to let me ride on the back of his son, Grazzen, who seemed to hate that idea."
Aldrudis laughed out loud as they came within sight of the village.
Session played on November 10, 2020
Plot type
Chapter
Parent Plot
Aldrudis (male centaur druid)
Comments