The Later History of the Originals

This is a series of session summaries in reverse chronological order detailing break-up of The Originals and the birth of The Reborn
The initial onslaught of bugbears and drow repulsed, our heroes explored deeper into the tree fortress. Rooms of spiders and an armoury of magical weapons were found, but a glyph of warding on the armoury door alerted the fortress (and exploded in the tabaxi's face). Beaufort, as well, fell victim to drow sleeping poison as he enthusiastically opened a parcel in the armoury. After searching rooms for their drow enemies, the party was led into a trap, caught between crossbow-wielding drow, a drow sword-master, and a tentamort, a strange octopus-like creature. The party survived, but can they continue with spells and healing depleted? Awakening at the end of the battle, Beaufort, has urged them on!
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Having come upon the giant tree the adventurers cautiously approached double-doors in the side and a large 'cave' carved from the living wood, a pen of sorts for 15 or more ragged human and demi-human slaves. Harold, a slave carrying a bucket of some rotting goo was suprised and, charmed by Emmanuel, was about to lead the party into the tree when Quaggoths emerged to attack. After dispatching these beasts of the Underdark, the party made their way into the tree only to be beset upon by Drow warriors and Bugbears. Harold ran to cower with his fellows in the 'cave'. We ended with the party have killed all their enemies in a long corridor carved from the tree with many door and passages. What will they do next?
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It's early Uktar (the Month of Rotting) and the party has once again left Daggerford. They had returned to the Ducal Seat after battling the mysterious drow and his bugbear accompaniment on the bank of the Shinning River. The drow had a sketched image of both the Duke and his sister and once reported to the Duke, he asked the party to investigate, fearing a nefarious plot. Rumours (and a muttered insight from Gwydion) have led the party to the heart of the Misty Forest, and to the base of great tree, 200 feet or more in diameter and a 1000 feet high. What awaits inside?
New members have joined the party and old ones departed. Dedune returned to his order, Bree went in search of her sister, and Amber ventured north to rejoin her clan, hopefully. Qually the half-elf druid, and Beauforte de Montague, erstwhile Captain of the old group, have been joined by Emmanuel, the bard with a strange bag, Snow, a tabaxi rogue, Garadin, a paladin trying to find his way, and Khosrov, Barbarian with a haunting past. Will the new party be able to work together? Will they chafe under Beauforte's "leadership"?
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After five or six days underground, the party has routed the Illefarn dwarfhold of orcs and bandits. Upon returning to the dwarves, Korin accepted their description of Ibin's fate and asked to be led to Dervin's hoard. The party brought Korin and his personal guard to the treasure room of Dervin wherein Korin was finally able to lift his ancestor's crown. Despite some grumbling amongst Korin's followers, Korin declared that the party could always find shelter with the Dwarves of Illefarn. Leaving from the main entrance of the dungeon the party was greeted by the morning autumnal sun of mid-Marpenoth (the 10th month of the year), DR 1490, as they gazed down into the mists of Laughing Hollow. Walking to the glade in the hollow where they expected to meet wood elves and their horses, they found neither.
Qually was able to track the horses a few miles to the Shinning River. The horses had crossed, and thus, so did the party. On the south bank Beauforte and Dedune dried their clothes, while Qually, Bree, and Amber continued to track the mounts. After another mile they came upon a seemingly abandoned wood elf camp. Having lost the horse trail, the trio returned to the river, only to be beset upon by bugbear archers in the forest, within site of the river. All five joined the fight and eventually killed the bugbears and a mysterious (and levitating!) hooded figure, revealed in death as a drow elf.
[Game notes: all PCs are at 6900 XP, 5th level. Session ended with the close of battle and all are standing near the defeated drow underneath a tree garlanded with Beaufort's web...]
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