The path forward Report

General Summary

1488 DR - Spring - 7, Tarsakh(4) - Sword Coast, Nashkel and across Toril

-After escaping the Kobold caves, the party ran into the fleeing masses from Fallston in the woods, Huden sold them the now vacated cave for a back pack and waterskin, Fallen-Tree roasted Kobold and everyone but Lucyan partook. Sabyn ventured on ahead in the night in secret per her instructions.

-The party traveled West toward civilization, only to become lost due to strange moss and beset upon by Twig Blights! Nearly died, but for the timely save from the half cavalry (a centaur named Jamorlin).

-Jamorlin was looking for the refugees of the village to help, the crew convinced him to guide them out instead.

-After traveling, a young green dragon (Dealthlanthia) cornered the crew and demanded tribute for trespassing of all valuables and 5 children. As the children were not there, the Dragon offered to the crew to take the centaur instead, after being convinced he would be sacrificing himself to save the children (and that the crew would help them), he went willingly, along with the crews treasures.

-In the night the crew listened to the screams of the centaur, while deciding to press on to town.

-Upon arriving at Nashkel the team was welcomed and given a place to stay, their shifty nature and dodgey answers made the farm proprietor suspicious, and he left to find the guards.

-When the crew investigated, they found the farmer was in some kind of trance, and offered them shelter in his home, only for them to discover his family brutally slain and him no memory of it. A note was left with guidance on where the crew could find teachers for their particular talents should they want to join with Sabyn in the search for glory.

-They each accepted this and the gold (that Huden tried to cheat everyone out of, with some success) to fund their travel.

-Each member then traveled to their guided place as follows and spent an entire year away:

-Huden, Traveled to Waterdeep and met a Bard of the House of Whispers (known to him only as Terrance), who showed him that bards need not hold to strong bonds to maintain success, and that talent for performance can be used to sway the minds of others. He spent time following the Bard as an apprentice (with no help from his singing to convince him) and learned many ways mystical and mundane of weaving stories and spin to entrance audience and individual. He attempted to pull things past Terrance, but was never able to trick him or fool him, and was even fooled in the end when he tried to copy the book, finding that having copied the book was his final test and acceptance to the House of Whispers. He was then cut loose to return.

-Damien was sent to Suzail, (in former Cormyr, now part of Zhentarim territory), he arrives only to be expected at the gate. They lead him to the main throne room with the slashed in half king of Cormyrs throne, seated upon it is a monstrous halfman with Dragon-like features and a huge black trident. He introduces himself as Garen and explains that Damien needs to prove himself. He is brought close to the trident and hears a horrific black wind of voices from it, and barely resists fighting back. This seems to mollify Garen, and he tells him he will be great. He is then moved to something barely more than a cell and locked in complete darkness for months, with only the near presence of the Trident speaking to him in horrible whispers. eventually he feels changed and is let out, being told he is lucky for surviving the ordeal. He trains with several well known captains of the Zhentilar guard for further months to hone his combat skills and given his choice of equipment. He is introduced then by Garen to three Zhent lords, Kanien the black hand, Neecous the unliving, and Khelden Destarin, Lord Commander of the Zhentilar (and Garen's father). They talk about him as an experiment with differing opinions about his potential success and life expectancy. They agree to give him a try and leave him with Kanien. The black hand explains with no holds barred that he is an experiment in dissent, and wishes him luck in whatever he pursues, and that they will be in touch. Then sends him on his way.

-Lucyan is directed to a name of Tyranthraxus in Myth Drannor, but upon arriving he is left alone by a scared driver outside the ancient city. He tries to enter the city only to be strongly rebuked by the Mythal due to his shadow realm nature. Along the road he finds a dried corpse, with a strange fruit inside and a scattering of intelligent acting cockroaches. He eats the fruit (for some reason), and begins a transformative experience of passing time. He floats above his lifeless body on the road, as he watches it decompose, animals taking his meat and energy and eventually bones and returning it to the earth. This accelerated entropy leaves him wholly changed and he wakes nearly a month later on the road with a carriage waiting for him. The ride back to Nashkel only gives him time to reflect on how things are connected, beyond his previous understanding.

-Fallen-Tree travels by ship and carriage to a village outside the Thaymount in Thay, where he is introduced to the Captain of the ship that pulled him from the ocean and sold him to slavery. He is shocked and dismayed over his past come back, but seems to know what do do. Fallen-Tree is instructed on use of an energy inside him related to his rage and depth, but not wholly familiar or OF him. after a week of instruction and grueling trials, Fallen-Tree is released and informed that the Red Wizard he was sold to is the mayor and regent of this township, and lives in the mansion nearby. He is given a key to the building and discovers when he arrives there that the guards are gone. He proceeds to murder the entire staff without remorse in a fury, channeling his new powers into violence. He finds the wizard in bed, and before he can defend himself, he is slain by Fallen-Tree, who then sacrifices his heart to his god. His god however does not answer, and instead a black void takes the offered heart, and returns nothing but silence. Fallen-Tree returns to Nashkel feeling only blackness and renewed vigor to take what he wants.

-Upon everyone returning to the farm a year later, the farmer is withered away to a husk of his former self, and Damien puts him out of his misery. The rest join and everyone swaps stories about their journeys. After all stories are completed Sabyn reveals herself and explains she was there the whole time. She shows each a talisman that changes symbols for the viewer: (Bane for Damien, Merkul for Lucyan, an unknown Lord of Knowledge for Huden, and Zoltar for Fallen-Tree, though with a black stain in the edges of vision) She then relays her story:

-Sabyn was a priestess of Ilmater, and was spoken to by the god of suffering and told that he also holds dominion over the realm of those that cause suffering, even though his followers have forgotten that. She then preached this to an entire congregation, to the horror of the temple leaders. She is excommunicated, and finds in her despair that the lord of lies (Cyric) was her true patron, and that she is now committed to restoring his strength through others, and that they are all deemed as key to helping bring their own powers back. She says that everything she did was instructed and not of her making, such as where to release Fallen-Tree, and where Damien and Huden would commit their first murder, and that Lucyan would set the town of Fallston on fire.

-The party then agrees to join and seek power and wealth to help restore their own goals in a concerted effort through a pact.

Rewards Granted

Completion of the 0 level progression, ability to choose a class, and a bonus Feat to be negotiated with DM. Rewarded Alignments based on tallied actions: Lucyan-NE, Damien-CE, Fallen-Tree-CE, Huden-NE or CE.

Missions/Quests Completed

Completion of the Flight from Fallston. Completion of the Anti-Heroes Ascension

Character(s) interacted with

Huden and Damien constantly bickered over who killed who, even when they knew they were both wrong.
The entire crew supported tricking the Centaur into sacrificing himself.
Huden cheated the townspeople, but in a fairly neutral way.
The crew left the refugees to travel through the Dragon territory alone and unaided, while ignoring the centaur screams.
The crew decided that taking advantage of the farmer was the best choice given his apparent acquiescence.

Notes

-Rumors about town explain that the refugees from Fallston were all mostly eaten by a Dragon while fleeing to Nashkel -The Farm is on the East end of Nashkel.

Campaign

The Chosen

Protagonists

Lucyan Kilndar

Level 12 Shadar-Kai Neutral Evil Druid
(Outlander)

Sabyn Talamoth

Level 5 Human... CE Cleric
(Herald of Strife)

Huden Golman

Level 7 hooman chaotic evil bard
(charlatan)

Report Date

28 Jun 2019

The path forward Report