Sea-Side Serpents

After putting a stop to the dark ritual taking place in the Mineral Peaks, the party found rest, and began to dream. Collectively they heard a voice, low and taunting, the voice of Bane, The Chained Tyrant. The God of Tyranny taunted the party, saying while they occasionally stopped his schemes, he always had more, he was immortal, everlasting, and they were mortal, their time limited. The party, defiant, said they would not be the only ones to fight Bane, there would always be those willing to fight. Bane welcomed the challenge, and left the party with a parting offer, join him in his conquest, or be crushed like the rest.
The party returned to Jotun to deliver a report of the events that transpired in A New War. And show the letters found on the body of one of the priests they defeated. The council has finally accepted the return of The Black Hand, and have decided to dedicate more time and resources to investigation. The letters make mention of multiple members under code names, and several locations, New Mazzelheim, Jotun, Exaldren, and several others. While in the presence of the council, Lance tells the party he would like them to investigate a collection of stolen shipments in Exaldren.
The Party returned to Exaldren, the location of their first adventure. Now, an almost completely new party returned, with only Glar and Sir Angus remaining of the original group. The party went to The Merchant's Guild to speak to Archibald Darian (Deceased) and gain information about the stolen shipments. They found Archibald going over reports of the incidents, and receive the Branch Head's views on the incidents. Not completely trusting of the man, the party took the reports and set out on their investigations. After reading the reports, there were two methods of theft, two ships were hit while docked in the harbor, and three were sacked while out at sea. The thefts at the docks were Archibald's shipments, while the ships that were hit at sea had shipments belonging to Wyn Sal'Veth and Tanyth Iannorin. Archibald's shipments seemed to be the work of professional thieves, efficient, silent, and 0 casualties. While the other ships were decimated, limping back to the harbor, or not returning at all. The party managed to find a witness of the destruction of a ship. First Mate of one of the sacked ships, Fredegar. He described the scene, his ship attacked by another, the crew consisting of almost snake-like people. The Yuan-Ti, the party had to return to The Hunting Grounds, and the upcoming trade meeting between The Merchant's Guild and Azuha's tribe would be the perfect cover. Storm managed to convince Fredegar to accompany them, believing he could be useful in identifying anyone who attacked his ship.
The entire trade felt off, Azuha was wooden, she spoke to th eparty with no emotion, nothing. Along with the presence of Azuha's rival Salzar, the situation left the party feeling very suspicious. Axil, the newest member of the party, delved deeper into the jungle alongside his dire wolf, Jojen, and Glar, to find the Yuan-Ti village. What they found was a massive step pyramid Temple in a large valley clearing. Axil rushed back to the trade meeting, to inform the rest of the party of their discovery. Meanwhile, Storm, Fredegar and Angus finally realized what was wrong with Azuha, she had been charmed, controlled by Salzar. Not wanting to start an all out fight with the tribe, the party quietly informed Archibald, who's reaction was...suspect at best. The pudgy Half-Elf became very nervous, anxious to end the trade and leave. The party told him they weren't leaving until the mystery was solved, and so Archibald "agreed" to leave with the other representatives and send a second ship back to retrieve them. And so, with both halves of the party caught up on the situation, and the potential casualties out of range, the party journeyed further into snake pit.
Tailing the yuan-Ti proved to be easier than initially thought, the snake people too focused on their crates of good collected at the trade meeting to pay attention to their surroundings. The party followed the group back to the temple, seeing Salzar go into it, while Azuha was taken to the outskirts of the camp, and caged. Freeing her from her prison after a distraction via Glar slinging insults at the guards with his Helm of Telepathy, Azuha explained Salzar's coup against her. Taking control of her mind and forcing her to relinquish leadership to him, she also remember being forced to write letters on occasion... Azuha and the party came up with the best plan they could, Azuha would rally any supporters she could, and take the fight to Salzar, while the party and Fredegar infiltrated the temple and find Salzar's connection to the missing shipments and destroyed ships. The party began to approach the temple, when chanting could be heard emanating from the top, strange fire light dancing in the darkened sky. Once they reached the top Salzar's involvement became abundantly clear. Several soldier were tied down, and in the middle of the temple platform stood Salzar, in front of a pit of snakes, a woman trapped amongst it. Before the party could stop him, Salzar gutted the woman, standing in the snakes, showering in the viscera while completing his chanting. Salzar transformed, becoming an Anathema,

The party attacked in fury, and Salzar responded by transforming the captive sailors into terrible snake monsters. Slaying the creatures, the party moved on to the newly ascended Anathema, while the sounds of rioting could be heard below. The snake demi-god fell, and the party fell silent, Azuha had managed to quell her tribe, and re-establish herself as chieftain. All that was left was to finish the investigation.
Searching Salzar's living space gave the party much in information and revelations. While Salzar had control of Azuha's mind, he used her connection with Archibald to gain information through letters. As it turned out, Archibald had requested Azuha attack the ships, to take out his competition! While members of the party learned of the merchant's treachery, Axil and Fredegar found Salzar's means of attacking the sunk ships. A ship of his own, a massive galley in pristine condition. After investigation, Salzar's staff snapped perfectly in front of the wheel of the ship, once connected, the person with their hand on the staff could control ship, from the oars below deck to the sails overhead. Withe their evidence collected and means of getting home found, the party returned to Exaldren. Archibald's "promised" ship never appearing. Not wanting Archibald to flee at their accusations, the party tricked him into returning to Jotun with them, so they could tell the council of his great work. The arrogant merchant fell for the trick, and so they prepared for the journey back. After a well earned rest, the party found a gift waiting for them, no note given, just a small piece of paper with a strange symbol

What the paper was attached to was a journal belonging to Archibald, containing even more evidence of his treachery. Once in Jotun the party made straight away for the palace, barging into the council room, Archibald in tow. Before the merchant could even speak the party threw out their accusations, producing all the evidence they had collected, Archibald was floored, unable to defend himself, and Silas Stagfell delivered the judgement himself, Archibald was guilty, and would be publicly executed for his crimes. The execution was a grim affair, a large group of citizens gathered to see the corrupt businessman receive his punishment. Lance played the role of executioner, however he decided not to bloody his blade, he bent down and spoke a word into Archibald's ear, and as soon as the word was spoken, the man was dead, no wound, no illness, just a word, and death followed. The crowd gasped in a mix of horror and strange awe, just what is the Captain of the Crownsguard?

Parent Plot

The Return of The Chained Tyrant