15th session:
Day 161-182 (skipped)
Some shopping was done in Waterdeep and the party visited Veldyn in his rented apartment. There Veldyn introduced the wizard and agent of the Harpers, Lord Zelraun Roaringhorn, to the party. Tyus played some dragonchess with him and lost badly. In the morning the party received an animal messenger from Eldeth, asking the party to come to Gauntlgrym as soon as possible.
Day 183
Upon arrival in Gauntlgrym the party was greeted by Eldeth. Together they had an audience with Bruenor Battlehammer where they told him about their travels in the Underdark. Afterwards the party met Morista Malkin, former teacher of Eldeth and close counsellor of the king. She told the party that there has to be another expedition into the Underdark soon and that the Emerald Enclave will surely support this mission.
Eldeth showed the party the Iron Tabernacle, Great Forge and the Fiery Pit. As Vanya threw some rocks into the primordial's prison a fire elemental escaped from Maegera and the party had a small fight (during which Vanya and Athut were set on fire multiple times). Afterwards Eldeth brought them to a tavern where they drank and recovered their wounds. There they met Eldeth's cousin Khurnok who brought five ale to the table. Eldeth was puzzled, as she thought Khurnok to be on a scouting mission at the moment.
In the evening the party was taken by Eldeth to a feat in their honour. They saw the faction representatives and had some time to chat with dwarven acolyte. She told the party of a dark prophecy and that she hopes king Bruenor will send out another expedition into the Underdark. The party was asked by Davra Jassur (Zhentarim) to meet later in private. Athut, who seemed less interested in the table talk approached Lord Eravien Haund from the Lords' Alliance. Eeria talked to Morista Malkin (EE) and wanted to talk to Davra Jassur as Lord Eravien began choking and gasping for air. He was quickly saved by Morista and other clerics. Tyus realized that during the commotion Athut vanished from the banquet hall. Soon everybody realized that Athut had poisoned the representative from the Lord's Alliance and the party started a man hunt. Eeria's tracking supported by Ebert's sense of smell lead to Eldeth's cousin who was running further into the tunnels. Eeria questioned and ultimately grappled him and started to bring him back to the banquet hall. Tyus and Vanya, who had caught up with Eeria, wanted to question and intimidate the supposed shapechanger - which led to the suicide of the assassin. Eeria brought a dead Doppelganger to the dwarven king at the same time a drugged and dizzy Athut stumbled into the banquet hall. The king had a cleric cast zone of truth on Athut and questioned him briefly.
The party was asked to join king Bruenor in his private quarters. There he asked the party to once again descend into the Underdark to find the mythical library Gravenhollow. The party accepted and Bruenor told them it would be wise to convince the faction representatives to aid them, especially the Zhentarim (as they have an agent with a map to Gravenhollow). Vanya and Tyus went to Davra Jassur (Z). They agreed on her terms: 25% of all findings, following her officer's command in Mantol-Derith and reporting to her directly. Tyus got a sending stone to contact her and the offer to join the Zentharim. For now he declined politely. Eeria and Athut went to see Sir Lanniver Strayl from the Order of the Gauntlet. Their effort of convincing him of their good and just cause failed.
At night the party was summoned to an emergency meeting of the factions with king Bruenor. The king explained to everybody that the party has accepted his request of finding Gravenhollow. He offered the faction representatives to question the party or state their thoughts regarding this endeavour. Morista Malkin (EE) was the first to speak. She showed her full support and promised 3 dwarven scouts and 7 giant lizards as aid. Davra Jassur (Z) slyly grinned and declared that she will allow access to Mantol-Derith as well as send 8 human thugs with the party. Lord Eravien Haund (LA) who was attacked earlier that night, started to question the party. Vanya conviced him that the demon uprising in the Underdark would not stop there. Lord Eravien eventually agreed and will support the expedition with 5 dwarven guards. Afterwards Sir Lanniver Strayl (OG) stated even though he supports the noble effort, he is not convinced of the party's ambitions and therefore will not aid them. At last Lord Zelraun Roaringhorn (H) thanked the characters for their willingness to risk their lives. Bruenor concluded the meeting by strengthening the importance of this task once again. Afterwards Lord Eravien (LA) told the party of a deep cover spy for the Lord's Alliance within the drow named Khelessa Draga. Eldeth asked Morista Malin (EE) to join the expedition as a scout and was granted this privilege.
GM notes:
This was our first big RP session, filled with skill checks (mainly persuasion). The two fights (fire elemental and doppelganger) were quickly handled and no real threat to the party. All in all it was a nice experience even though I would keep the "sightseeing" with Eldeth a bit shorter or more interactive (OotA only gives a lot of description but not really anything to do in Gauntlgyrm - if you don't want the party to fight random encounters).
I decided for the doppelganger assassin last minute to bring a bit more tension into the game, as otherwise the evening would have been 90% persuasion (and history or religion) checks. The player of Athut was informed by private message that he is NOT at the moment with the party, but rather sleeping in his bedroom (poisoned by the doppelganger). He made CON saving throws to wake up and survival checks to find the correct way to the banquet hall (disadvantage because still poisoned) but failed nearly all of them. This allowed the doppelganger to poison Lord Eravien, escape and ultimately led to the chase through the tunnels of Gauntlgrym.
I think the session was fun, but I cannot but feel a bit disappointed by OotA. There is so much potential in this chapter, but really not much more than a vague guideline for the DM. Be warned if you run this chapter, it needed A LOT of extra preparation time. It would have been nice to see a sophisticated and well-engineered chapter with social interactions and multiple social obstacles here rather than a few character descriptions, endless name lists for upcoming NPCs and even NPC stat cards (wtf!? why is this not in the appendix like everything else? This just feels as if someone tried to make the chapter appear two pages longer instead of actually writing some content).
F
action representatives (mechanics):
- Morista Malkin (Emerald Enclave) meets the party early on and will aid them if not vexed by the party with 3 dwarven scouts and enough giant lizards for said scouts and all PCs. If a party member want to join the Emerald Enclave she will hear them out and maybe take them in on a trial basis.
- Davra Jassur (Zhentarim) wants a private chat with a party member. She will allow the party access to Mantol-Derith if not irritated by the PCs behaviour. She will ask for three things of the party: 25% of all findings, following her officers' ruling in Mantol-Derith and to report back to her directly. All three things are negotiable (Persuasion 15). If the party has less than two failed Persuasion checks and didn't bother her in any other way Davra will also send 8 human thugs with the party. She is eager to recruit any party member for the Zhentarim.
- Lord Zelraun Roaringhorn (Harpers) who the party met already in Waterdeep wants to play a private game of dragon chess with a PCs. This will be resolved by 3 Intelligence contests. He has a +9 on Intelligence. He will bet his shield guardian and hand over his control amulet if he loses. If the party does not manage to get any other aid than the 3 dwarven scouts by the Emerald Enclave and/or access to Mantol-Derith he would give the amulet to the party as a present at the end of the session (provided he is not alienated by any party member). If PCs want to join the Harpers he will hear them out and maybe take them in on a trial basis.
- Sir Lanniver Strayl (Order of the Gauntlet) wants the party to declare their good and just intensions. This can be done in private conversation or during the last meeting at the end of the session. The party has to succeed 3 Persuasion checks of increasing difficulty (12, 13, 14). PCs with a good alignment have advantage on their rolls. Two successes grant them 3 human veterans, three successes 2 additional veterans and a +1 weapon (or similar). If PCs want to join the Order of the Gauntlet he will tell them that heroic actions and/or a just way of living are necessary to be offered a membership in the Order. The expedition in the Underdark might be a chance for the PCs to prove themselves.
- Lord Eravien Haund (Lords' Alliance) is sceptical of the whole endeavour and needs convincing. This can be done in private conversation or during the last meeting at the end of the session. If the party can argue that the demons are also a threat to the cities of the Sword Coast they have to succeed 3 Persuasion checks of increasing difficulty (15, 16, 17). Two successes grant them 5 dwarven guards, three successes 3 additional human spies. If PCs want to join the Lords' Alliance he will tell them to talk to his superiors in Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate.
The PCs can work together to get advantage on their checks or make a group check. Any intimidation attempts lead to disadvantage on their rolls. Deception is possible but the DC is +3 on all such rolls.