GH 03 - "A Covetous Shrine"
General Summary
Hello and welcome back to Phonic Fables - Green Hunters of the Dragon Queen Edition, a product of The Techno God, free to consume on World Anvil, Discord, and platforms like Spotify under Wizards of the Coasts’ Fan Content Policy. This journey is shared by myself, my Partner in Life, Katie, and some friends we’ve met along the way, Rachel and Jarod, who have given consent for their characters and tales to be shared here as well. This content is not official in any capacity, and is merely a rendition of stories Wizard’s IP has already published throughout the years. The foundation of lore from the books we use, mine and my players' creativity and passion, and little moments of spontaneity create this tale. With boundless joy, my scribing and reciting of these tales is something I am happy to share with y’all.
Session 02 Recap
In the last leg of the journey, the Trio talked about the town and established roots, reignited bonds, and even forged new ones within the town of Phandalin, and especially in the Green Dragon Inn. Chief among them was Aeri Grand, the Firbolg hostess of the establishment; as well as Talon Thornwild - a local prospector; Donabella ‘Fi’ Fiasco - a college mage dropout; and Iverna Nightbreeze - a mysterious visitor with newer scars. They shopped, danced, and corralled rumors and mystery from the lips of the locals through various means. Then rested in town, some ways away from a frightful storm in the Neverwinter Woods to the North, and prepared themselves for the next day of travel.Session 3 - “A Covetous Shrine”
The Trio journeys with a companion on this day, it seems! They have awoken in the morning at various points, Zelana finally waking when she means to, and Orlais getting some last minute lessons from Aeri before they step outside to be greeted by Talon. Reymira had packed her tent up and was trodding down the road when she saw the three of them standing outside. A sizable glint between them in the early morning Sun. As she steps up and releases a sigh of a greeting, she is told that they are making their way for Zoud’s Expedition site - though Zelana says “Dwarven Ruins” in front of Talon. Outside the Green Dragon Inn, the four of them discuss how to approach this and other goals for the next few days. They ultimately decide there are two routes, through the hills, or around and along the path, and as they do, Talon chimes in that he thinks the fastest way is to take the road; to which Reymira and Oralis disagree. Oralis begrudgingly says that the fastest way would be to traverse through the hills to the Southwest, avoiding Umbrage Hill for now, else they would be traveling well into the nighttime, and may be seen as a threat when they arrive to meet the Dwarf miners. Reymira adds that Those Up the Mountain make it dangerous at night, but she knows of some paths the group might take and what signs to look for to avoid them, Oralis reminds her that he has dealt more with those in the hills, knows the paths too, and that they have not been as dangerous as the Orcs in the Neverwinter Woods or at the Southern base of the Sword Mountain. He attributes this to the Quintel Tribes and their protective practices; though he admits he knows nothing of their why, but knows they do not worship the Orcish Pantheon, at least. They bicker and argue and with somewhat of a stalemate, they both turn to Zelana to settle the sort-of-tie. She is out of her element, knowledge of survival and nature, but maybe it was because it had to do with her patron Zoud. She felt a sense of duty to arrive sooner rather than later, so they made a compromise. They would travel through the hills, but once they found markers and signs of the Orcs, they would travel slower and with caution until making it to the base of the mountain. Zelana knew what was needed and used her diplomatic skills to bring about this accord.Head to the Hills
Umbrage Hill on the return journey, then, it was decided, and so they set off! The journey through the hills was calming, yet brisk, the day after a storm had a certain feel about it, the ground was charged still, and even though they were traveling away from the Woods, something nagged at Reymira. The Orcs in these hills were not all the same, there were a few tribes that inhabited the area: A couple in the Hilted Hills - the Quintel in the North and the Azon in the South; one atop the mountains - the Anchorites, and in the Woods there were bound to be several aside from the Bloodshot Orcs. The ones that carry the marks of Talos, they come from atop the mountains, and have a few names: Those Up the Mountain - to the other Orc Tribes, Dark Destroyers - to the locals; and Anchorites to all who understand they are the anchors of Talos’ lightning, arcing his destruction across their wake. They likely came down the mountain because of the Dragon, hunting atop and near the peak as it is. Whatever the reason, their chaos is spilling down the cliffs as if an avalanche. Reymira’s mind comes back to the hills they walk over, as she spots signs of the Orc tribes: old markings replaced with Talos’, trinkets of orcish make that signify death to those that are not a part of the tribe, and makeshift banners made of animal hide. They had been walking through the hills a few hours at this point, snippets of Orlais, Talon, and Zelana musing on the beauty of the nature around them percolating her brooding thoughts as they had walked. They were admiring the vast rolling hills as far as you can see, little buildings on a few distant hills, the Umbrage Hill Wind-Farm falling under a bluff behind them, and little hues of rainbows that dance off the dew of last night’s storm - and Zelana’s skin. Reymira interrupts, unintentionally rude, but gets down and low and shows the markings. They begin to walk slower, talk quieter, and the hills begin to crest steeper for a time, as the party juts into the base of the Sword Mountain.Unwelcome Guests
Eventually, as they make their way through the hills further, the difficult terrain making them stop more than once for Zelana to catch her breath and pace herself, the day begins to shift to night and Talon pulls down some goggles over his eyes, Goggles of Night Seeing, a prospector family heirloom. They see no signs of Orcs for a long time, creeping slowly and whisper-talking for a few hours, it seems they are at the last bluff. So Zelana and Talon say they want to pick up pace again, as they go back down the hills to the West. Reymira agrees, but plans to scout from atop this last, great hillside before the quick march. However, Orlais picks up a sound at its final echo amidst their discussion. He shushes the party before they head up the hill, and they all hear clear roars of laughter over the Hilted Hills. They sidestep away and around the sound for a time as they head up the mountainside, spiraling up it as if they were spacing a staircase to the Seven Heavens. As they near its peak, a little descent down the other side of the hill is illuminated by the warm glow of a bonfire that makes out a small camp, a tiny woods, and… a cabin of sorts. The shadows of the fire roam through the pine needles of the trees and layer shade as thick as the blanket of night in some spots. The source of the merriment is a small band of Orcs, and as the Trio draws near, all but Rey split to take a longer route, the others aiming to avoid them altogether. Reymira’s safety be damned, she had to know, but as she takes a few steps away, determined, Oralis stops her with a hand on her shoulder; other hand on a blade, the moonlight shining on his face as her back is turned to it, and demands that he help her with whatever she is about to do. Reymira says nothing but stops until he is ready. He turns back to Zelana and asks her to wait for a minute or so. Her and Talon are happy to sit some ways away and look in anticipation, discussing how they hope someone else might help the woman at Umbridge Hill before they arrive in case there are Orcs there too. Reymira and Orlais sneak up to the edge of the bluff, trees from the pine wood creaking up the hill they sat on, still much too far for the Orcs to see them. A gentle wind brushes their cheeks as they reach the treeline and Orlais feels he should stop. Had Reymira been alone, she knows that she would have taken the next steps into the camp. By the sound of it, the Orc group have had quite a bit of ale after some recent victory. Talking amongst themselves, it becomes clear that at least some of them were of the Talos Anchorite tribe before they arrived here, others have their head on pikes for refusing to join. They also wonder why they are planning to take over the nearby excavation for Xugor, The Charred Branch, and admit they are happy to have Agar Dro-Barah among their ranks, certain that they will be successful thanks to his new dark gifts from the Shadow Lady. The name Xugor makes Reymira turn pale, but Agar means nothing to either of them. Orlais takes a mental note of the names, but is too focused on the camp to see Reymira’s face. They fall back, and make their way to the Excavation Site, a couple more hours of travel, quickening pace after the bellowing laughter is no longer audible.Mine, Ruin, or Temple?
The Excavation Site lies East of Leilon, close enough that an Orc Raid would only take a half day’s march, but they’ve other concerns mounting in that portside town that has also begun a resurgence of its own in recent years. The cool air of the eve slipping in, they arrive around what can be surmised as 9pm to a 200 yard valley 80ft high on either side, barren on the surface of the dusty ground until a jet black stone gate sprouts up about 30ft tall, partially open, a partial gap between its stone maw. Talon directs Zelana’s attention to the South, away from the gate, telling her that the gold he found was resting among some rubble on the surface. She tells him the truth that she kept from him until now, that the location has rights bought, and she is associated with the beneficiary. She also gives him back his gold chunk, and says that he can get a fair share of whatever they find tonight though, so she can try to salvage their new and budding relationship. He is hurt, but her negotiation skills triumph once more! He already got his hunk of gold back anyhow, so she knew she just had to entice his greed a little. With Talon still in tow, the Trio approach the gate, crossing the plateau in the moonlight with little puffs of dust kicking up under their heels. Through the gates, they are indeed ruins, but it is not what they expected. It seems that the walls protected a city or village, a small chapel of sorts, rocks, pebbles, and boulders aplenty are strewn about. Where’s the mine? They walk through the ruined town, with holes and cracks in buildings, making windows out of walls, using the dim light of the moon to stay as small and secret as possible. They turn a corner and catch a blur, past the well in the center of what appears to be a square, and they approach it with caution, evermore. What could it possibly be? Their collective darkvision adjusts as they turn the corner of a sturdy wall, the blur had disappeared behind, and they find… two Dwarves. They are the miners hired by Cap. Zoud who had excavated this collapsed mine that the Trio had realized by then was more than just a mine. Looking up, an intricate carving was sheen in the moonlight, Abbathor’s Greedy Grin, large detailed teeth and yellowed paint in the eyes - his Gaze of Avarice. Zelana calms everyone's recoil as they step from the shadows, speaking ‘as a ward of Zoud’. The two Dwarves introduce themselves, as Dazlyn and Norbus, and true to Dwarf form, they are too stubborn to leave. They share some history of their time there, and some history of the site that they had learned. It seems it had been a gold mine, but after being mined out, it was turned into a holy site for Abbathor, the Dwarven God of Greed. Reymira knows the name from Dwarven merchants that sometimes would stray to the monastery, but little else, so Dazlyn would detail some facts about the Trove Lord. Abbathor was a relatively minor deity in power, sages have said, but he represents a dark twisted truth about all Dwarves, greed is a core weakness of their kind. This God's power comes from this inherent weakness, and what should be a fascination and adoration of gems, the creations of the Chief God of the Morndinsamman Pantheon, has likewise been twisted by greed to become something of a fetish for His followers. Though He personifies Neutral Evil natures of Dwarves, unable to help themselves, He captures a certain calling to trickery that harnesses a greed for power as much as gemstones. Dazlyn does not know everything about this Deity, being a miner and not a sage, but He knows that Abbathor is as much a ghost story, as he is a fable to learn lessons from, losing his godly title from such avarice for a time, where he betrayed Moradin and served as Exarch to another powerful God. Norbus adds that they think the temple’s area was crushed by a supernatural earthquake... Probably related. He then talks about the Ochre Jelly they had encountered and how they managed to escape, but rather than stress about the Jelly, they kept watch for it and ate their rations until they could come up with a plan, knowing the blobulous being was slow and easy to outrun if keeping an eye out. Luckily, the Trio came along when they did. The Dwarves offer half of a pair of Sending Stones, so they can ask a question while they’re in there if need be.In and Out, Greed and Doubt
Talon in tow once more, they entered the great hallway before them, and found the Jelly the Dwarves spoke of. The yellowed slime of an ooze dropped on top of them, but not before sharp eyes spotted it shifting along the ceiling! Orlais’ Moon-Touched Shortsword, named Fogcutter, provided the glimmer they needed to see it edge into view. They made quick work of this one, and discovered that it reacts to sound more than light. After they delve a bit deeper, the pillars and carvings aboard the wall, a sarcophagus and altar at the center-back, they find another Jelly! The second blob battle was pitched, a surprise of the creature coming out from within the stone tomb they had opened. Its acidic blows need only hit once to really create threat, the surprise didn’t catch Reymira, but the next blow did as she was knocked back into one of the pillars after kicking the creature - it slammed her into a weakened one, and (there was) a loud clatter which would be looked upon later. When she kicked it, the congealed mass had stilled her foot on impact enough to eat one of Rey’s magical booties rather than take her to her finality, and her Half-Orc Endurance helped a bit too. Orlais and Zelana jump in quickly after their own surprise subsides, Talon even takes a stab at it with his spear, but it would not be quick enough. Reymira, still on the ground, would take a massive blow, a slam to the back of her head, that would leave her seeing stars. Zelana rushes over to Reymira, and remembers that the Half-Orc had a potion handy (before), so she helps Orlais freeze and break the gilded, iced slime. As the bits shatter to the floor of the temple, Zelana gives Reymira their last potion, and they loot the room as it stands. In the room, out from the pillar that Reymira was slammed into, was a cache of gemstones bundling up to and over 100 gold in value, easily, and the remnants of the corpse within the tomb clutched a Key - that Reymira would claim as her own. As well as cattered bits of coin the Jellies held onto. Instead of pressing their luck, they headed back outside, a little beaten, but otherwise able to report and settle up for a rest. They were certain the threat was dealt with and would head to Umbridge Hill in the morning, on the way back to Phandalin, but for now, they shared some souvenirs with the Dwarves, and Talon, so they would be less tempted to enter the temple while folks rested. Reymira’s loss of a shoe, otherwise eaten bits of cloth, and still fresh wounds would help to dissuade them as well. Sereena even found a platinum coin at the bottom of the rock-filled well! What luck!Dreams and Fright
Orlais decided to take the first watch, and Talon took the second, with bedrolls and tents setup, they rested under the gaze of Abbathor’s Greedy Grin. Reymira barely slept, though plagued with nightmares, or... omens perhaps of what was to come, of what would happen if she delivered the final blow. The final blow to what she wondered, and then was whisked away in the dream. She did not understand, but the scenery changed as if dust and smoke, and she could see the crashing of thunder in the distance again - going back to her memory of the night before on the hill. Something new would enter her sight, a pause in time as the thunder would crash below, on the surface of the Woods, resting atop the trees, she could see a great prismatic dragon, and in the same instant the lighting fell, the shimmer disappeared in the distance. The same voice that came through the Silver Fire before now emanated, “Stillness cannot be achieved if you deliver the final blow. Only you can break this Shadow that the Mountain hides.” The memory within the dream then falls away as if a gust of wind picks up, and she is watching herself sleep now, watching Orlais carve little darts that litter the firepit. She sees herself in anxiety, and realizes what the dream means, realizes what the stillness is, what the shadow is, perhaps, what blow needs to be stayed - whether she has the strength when the time comes, will yet be seen. Her form becomes one with herself, and she becomes still for this night, at least. The next morning, after packing their stuff, they make their way for the gate - Orlais notices little pebbles falling down the valley as they near its threshold, but thinks nothing of it, maybe a lizard or a bird scurrying atop the crags. When they all walk through the already opened maw of stone, though, a veritable army of Orcs and their ilk come into the periphery under the light of this day's early Sun. A quick scan reveals the Orcs that had been in the hills the night before, they were here, but there was far more than just that small band. Cornered at the back of this valley dedicated to greed, they would need to make a decision.Until Next Time, Fellow Adventurer!
Missions/Quests Completed
Dwarven Excavation
Report Date
27 Dec 2023
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