All your base are belong to Cyric: Part 2 Report

General Summary

We open with the crew exiting from the basement of the Tricky Tavern, with a group of freed slaves ready to fight for their freedom.
1489 DR - Summer - 17, Flamerule (7) - Sword Coast - Waterdeep

• The carnage out front is caused by an explosion on the front of the building from some manner of spell and there are several demons engaged in the taverns guards
• It is now revealed that the entire tavern was run by Gnolls, and their leader was an illusion spell wielding warlock Flind named Gnarrir
• The fight rages with the freed slaves holding more than their own and the crew taking extreme advantage of the confusion caused by the demons, debris, and destruction.
• Xifor (the green tiefling) is standing in the open surrounded by dretches attacking the gnolls, he crackles with spell energy and releases it at the gnolls to great effect.
• Fallen uses his superior speed to maneuver around the gnolls and grapples and breaks them down handily, while also choosing to removes their hearts, pausing the fight to eat hearts in the name of Zaltec, causing the rest of the team to scream at him to get back into the fight.
• Lucyan and Huden unleash large devastating spells, clearing much of the gnolls away, and provide solid support through Lucyans Spider summons, and Hudens trickery spells.
• The man in rags vanishes, only to reappear behind gnols occasionally, backstabbing them with a short sword to murderous results.
• The Sentient zombie slams gnolls into pulp, easily holding his own and barely getting scratched during the fight
• The Goliath fashions a makeshift chain flail and wades into the gnolls with abandon, drawing many of the worst attacks and distracting the wizard. He is eventually charmed through madness and taken down by his own liberators.
• The Human dual wielder and the orc barbarian go toe to toe with gnols, providing crucial defense to Xifor, and dying for the cause.
• The fight continues to the death, with one gnoll fleeing into the streets.
• Zul drops a griffon rider and his mount to the ground, explaining that another squadron is on the way. Immediately the street is filled with city guard and a Blackstaff wizard steps forward and orders the crew to surrender. The zombie then screams at him and charges, but is imprisoned within a magic cell by the wizard, providing the others a brief chance to flee back into the tavern dungeon.
• Once in the basement they encounter a dead end, but are sure the wall is fairly thin. Xifor thunderclaps the fragile wall apart, but also triggers a complete collapse of the tavern. The crew barely escapes into the dungeon, and further to the sewers as the entire building collapses on the city guard chasing them. This leaves them stuck with only the sewers to flee to.
• The crew navigates through the maze of sewers, avoiding the worst smells and dangerous areas partially by luck and partially by Lucyan's vermin like sense of danger.
• Part way through the travels, the crew notices that their new man in rags companion, and Fallen have slipped away into the darkness. Huden finds a note from Fallen in his pocket: "Sabyn must wait, Zaltec calls me."
• They emerge from a dry waterway leading to the Yawning Portal, and are treated with a rough welcome by the patrons (partially because Huden tries to trick them with a wager).
• The crew then has to try and sneak out of the town, but with the death of the city guards the watch is out in force and the exits are all being checked.
• They hire a carriage, and Huden rides lead, with the others (Lucyan, Zul, Xifor) disguised inside.
• After bribing the carriage driver and approaching the south gate, they try to skip the line, only to be stopped by a Blackstaff! who is magically scanning each carriage.
• Huden throws a noble tantrum, and tricks the wizard into believe he is from the noble and wealthy Dobrane family, but then becomes suspicious and needs to see inside the carriage!
• Inside, Xifor and Lucyan are non-magically disguised, and managed to escape the magic detection, but Zul is using a magic hat, and for some inexplicable reason has transformed his image into that of a mentally deficient fool! He stammers and spatters at the wizard, igniting his distrust, while also radiating magic.
• After a tense moment, the city guard and the carriage driver mention something to the wizard, and he immediately about faces his attitude, backing down and apologizing for the Dobrane families 'loss'. They are allowed to pass through the gate.
• Once through the gate, the carriage driver explains that one of the wealthiest families in the city, the Dobrane's, have a mentally challenged lordling who gallivants like a prince around the city. Zul admits he knew that. Everyone sighs relief.
• The journey back to Blasingdel is fairly straight forward, with Huden negotiating performances for good room discounts and the crew milling about the taverns collecting rumors and news updates as follows:

1. Ilmater is making a resurgence in popularity among the Hamlets
2. The forest is rising up against the farmers in revenge for the cutting, tree creatures are killing people in their sleep
3. Goblins in the wilderness are getting sick and going mad, some kind of fungal infection
4. A Zhentarim Black Network Wizard discovered and destroyed an evil trafficking den in Waterdeep saving the poor townsfolk that were trapped there. he is a hero. He donated the spoils of the den to the city guard who suffered a tragic defeat in the aftermath melee.
5. The Zhentarim have reinforced their position in Cormyr and declared Sembia a Vassal State.
6. A casino in the dock district had to shut its doors after everyone playing won every game in a half hour streak last night
7. The Red Wizards have signed a non-compete with the Black Network over northern trade rights.
8. More flying ships have been seen off the shores of the Sword Coast, not Halruaan skyships, but strange Nautilus shaped ships.
9. Maztica has reappeared and the denizens are mostly dead or gone and it has been reduced to ruins and Wilderness, with strange plants growing over previous bustling trade ports, merchants and guilds are making a dash to claim colonization rights.
10. A pregnant woman on the east side of town fell off a 5 story building, but was completely unharmed and the baby is fine!
11. One of the richest nobles (the head of Dobrane) tripped in the mud in his garden and drowned, even the Blackstaff investigators said it was truly just a fluke accident and not foul play.

• While finishing the last leg of travel to Blasingdel they are attacked by goblins, the fight is over in a flash and the crew wonders why goblins would even have tried to attack an obvious superior force. The bodies have a fungal skin growth and their eyes are cataracts. A particular tumor is opened and releases a small magic discharge of heat and magic identified by Xifor.
• A nearby trail leads to a broken caged wagon and dying Zhentilar. He is put to the question and reveals that they were preparing to attack Blasingdel. He is then put out of his 'misery'.
• The crew realizes that Blasingdel is in danger and doubletimes back to the town. But they still have days to go...

To be continued!

Rewards Granted

Freedom, and some information and allies.

Campaign

The Chosen

Protagonists

Lucyan Kilndar

Level 12 Shadar-Kai Neutral Evil Druid
(Outlander)

79 / 79 HP

Xifor

Level 11 Tiefling-Abraxus (Mephistopheles, MTOF) Chaotic Evil Wizard/Forbidden Lore (COBW)
(Raised by Fiends (Raised by Evil, COE))

/ 54 HP

Huden Golman

Level 7 hooman chaotic evil bard
(charlatan)

/ 38 HP

Report Date

24 Feb 2020