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Hoard of the Cold Sun (ToD Storyline in Eberron)
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<blockquote data-quote="Gradine" data-source="post: 7363659" data-attributes="member: 57112"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Chapter 2: Cold Sun Camp</span></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Session 3</strong></p><p></p><p>The party take a long rest as everyone recuperates from the attack and the rebuilding process begins. Rylorn lets the rest of the party know that the cult’s half-orc leader is Frulam Mondath, the criminal he’s been sent to capture and bring back to the Shadow Marches.</p><p></p><p>The party is then approached by Escobert, who is still heavily injured from the attack. He says that he has a job for the party, and that Lady Cara has promised to pay them each 250 gp for finding out information about the cult: where they’re striking from, what their numbers are, who their leaders are, what’s motivating the attacks, and where they plan to strike next. Escobert even offers his personal stash of <em>khyber dragonshards</em>, which the party utilized to have Jerred d’Cannith enchant some equipment for them.</p><p></p><p>Coop, Rylorn, and Herb all had Jerred enchant their <em>spell foci</em> (with <em>fire</em>, <em>ice</em>, and <em>tremors</em>, respectively); these spell foci grant them a +1 bonus to their spell attack rolls, the ability to ignore up to half-cover with spell attacks, and a once-per-day spell (<em>burning hands</em>, <em>ice knife</em>, and <em>earth tremors</em>, respectively). Brother Alwyn had a lapel pin enchanted to grant his unarmed strikes a +1 bonus to hit and a +1d4 lightning damage. Anakendrick ended up with a <em>flashy belt</em>, which allows him to blind opponents in front him. Merla got the <em>gauntlets of earthy grasp</em>, which allow her to pull opponents ankle-deep into the earth, momentarily restraining them. And finally, Kazik had his shoes enchanted with the <em>khyber dragonshard</em> he found in Lady Cara’s manor, granting him the ability to gain purchase in mid-air one time before touching solid ground, effectively doubling his jump distance (<em>gravity boots</em>).</p><p></p><p>While working, Jerred brought up how he wished he got a chance to look at Cyanwrath’s <em>byeshk greatsword</em>, as byeshk weapons are exceedingly rare, ever since the secret to forging them was lost with the fall of the Dhakaani Empire. Anakendrick showed him the <em>byeshk shortsword</em> he took from Francine, and was flabbergasted by it. According to Jerred, the weapon doesn’t look anything like an ancient goblin-made weapon; that it in fact bore some hallmarks of ancient dwarven crafting, though with a fine and detailed filigree that no dwarven smith would’ve been able to accomplish. He also estimated, based on the wear of the blade, that the sword itself was no more than a few months old, which should be impossible. He asks the party to bring him any more byeshk weapons they find.</p><p></p><p>The party departs Windshire, finding the trail of the cult exceedingly simple to follow. After journeying for a few hours, they spot a plume of smoke in the distance. Merla, who’d spent a good deal of time with House Ghallanda colleagues, thinks she smells game hens, pheasants, and maybe a hint of roast duck. Herb transforms into a skunk to scout the area, finding a small group of human cultists and kobolds roasting some game hens and pheasants, and one duck (technically a mallard, which for some reason became a point of contention). The cultists have their backs against some high rocks, providing an optimal position for an ambush. The kobolds were eating about 60 feet away, and had with them one of the smaller lizardfolk as well as a winged kobold in their midst. After spraying the cultists, Herb runs back to report her findings. </p><p></p><p>The party concocts an unnecessarily elaborate and cockamamie scheme; Merla, who has taken the fringe off of Francine’s robes, will wear the robes, and ride in on a horse (Herb in disguise). Coop helped with the disguise, stuffing some pants and boots with straw to give Merla the appearance of being as tall as a human. Merla rides up, and while most of the cultists wave hello, their leader immediately sees through the disguise and lets loose a sacred flame. Merla and Herb dodge out of the way just in time, with Herb transforming back into a gnome at the same time. The rest of the party launch their ambush.</p><p></p><p>The kobolds immediately scatter for the nearby hills, and the party has little trouble dispatching the remaining cultists. Merla uses her new <em>gauntlets of earthy grasp</em> to pull their leader into the earth, rooting him to the spot, where Anakendrick is able to easily knock him out. Unfortunately, just then the kobolds return, firing attacks from their slings. Alywn takes out a few kobolds before an arrow from the small lizardfolk strikes him in the side, poisoning him. Merla is able to send several of the attacking kobolds into a deep <em>sleep</em>. Coop casts <em>command</em> to bring the flying kobold crashing prostrate to the ground and grovelling. A few <em>eldritch blasts</em> take care of the lizardfolk, and the battle is easily won from this point. </p><p></p><p>Most of the cooked meat is ruined on account of skunk-spray-related-vomitus, which leaves several party members (especially Merla) disappointed. Sensing an opportunity to be helpful, Brother Alwyn departs.</p><p></p><p>The unconscious cultist leader is awoken, and the party is able to successfully interrogate him. He reveals that this sect of the Cold Sun answers to Frulam Mondath, and Frulam answers to “the dragon-lady”, who, as far as he is aware, answers only to Masvirik, the Cold Sun himself. He is unable to answer most of the party’s questions, but he does reveal that the horde is usually somewhat disorganized after an attack, and that there are plenty of mercenary groups working for them.</p><p></p><p>Brother Alwyn returns with a handful of freshly caught wild game hens, and the party settles in for a meal and short rest.</p><p></p><p>The party deduces, based on the fact that, back at Windshire, one of the cultists confused them for mercenaries, that they should be able to waltz right into the camp unmolested, and this is precisely what they do. Just past the entrance they spot the individual camps of three large mercenary groups, each at least 80-strong. One, seemingly comprised entirely of elves, had a banner of a bleeding anatomical heart in a field of daggers. This is the Blood of Niath, comprised entirely of banished and disgraced Tairnadel mercenaries, all of whom were chosen by ancestors who were banished and disgraced and became mercenaries but ended up bringing greater glory to Valenar. Brother Alwyn goes to chat with this group, where he runs into an old colleague by the name of Thail. Alwyn tells Thail that a cultist told him to loot some buildings in Windshire (which is entirely true), and Thail reveals that’s what all of the mercenaries were hired to do.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, Kazik and Merla depart to talk with a second group, known as the Thunder Fangs, which Kazik and Anakendrick are somewhat familiar with, as they too hail from Sharn. Their banner is a white wolf with fangs beared over a dark blue background with lightning flashing. Their leader is a charismatic and boisterous minotaur named Leenan Boulderfist, whom Merla attempts to seduce (Leenan, already drunk at this point, think this is some sort of hilarious joke). They discover that the Thunder Fangs and the third major group, the Emerald Reapers (a green skull over a black background) out of Karrnath, do not get along, and that the Blood of Niath always seem to be spoiling for some kind of fight. They also learn that the “dragon-lady” was here at the end of the canyon as the raiding party returned from Windshire, and she did not look happy. Which is weird, since everyone seems to have considered the raid a smashing success.</p><p></p><p>Coop and Herb spot the prisoners in a space between the mercenary camps and where most of the cultists have appeared to set up camp. They go to inspect the prisoners, where there are three hostages from Windshire held in stocks and unconscious. None match the description of Leosin Erlanthar. They are watched over by a diverse group of mercenaries. Coop attracts the attention of one, an Emerald Reaper by the name of Theda Dorn. Theda is from Karrnath, but he’s still pretty freaked out by all the necromancy. He asks Coop what she knows about the Thunder Fangs, and if she thinks they would accept him. Coop sees Kazik and Merla chatting up Leenan Boulderfist, and tells Theda that he should go talk to the minotaur.</p><p></p><p>As they approach the cultist end of the camp, they see a large tent guarded by several of the very large lizardfolk they saw earlier. Langdedrosa Cyanwrath exits the tent holding a half-elf male prisoner Kazik instantly recognizes as Professor Leosin Erlanthar. Cyanwrath hands him to a pair of cultists, and tells them that he didn’t seem to know anything, to take him back with the other prisoners, and that Frulam had plans for them all at dawn. The cultists take Leosin away, as all are distracted by some sort of commotion coming back from the entrance to the camp.</p><p></p><p>Five tieflings, all wearing distinct crimson robes, walk through the camp and towards the large tent. The robes give Kazik a memory from his childhood; he recalls his parents owning robes exactly like these. The lead tiefling removes his hood, causing Cyanwrath to start. “You’re not Rath Modar,” he says. “Who are you?”</p><p></p><p>The tiefling introduces himself as Azbara Jos, sent on behalf of Rath Modar to treat with them. “Rezmir’s not going to be happy,” Cyanwrath responds, “though that’s hardly a change.” </p><p></p><p>It’s at this point that something strange happens. Cyanwrath scans the crowd, and several of the party members see him lock eyes directly with Anakendrick. Anakendrick, meanwhile, is too distracted by hearing the name “Rezmir” to notice. Cyanwrath grins for a moment, and then turns his conversation back to the tieflings, whom he escorts back into the tent. The party waits for a few tense moments, but nothing else seems to happen.</p><p></p><p>Concerned that their cover was about to be blown, the party springs into action. Merla and Coop return to the Thunder Fangs camp with Brother Alwyn, where they attempt to sow seeds of discord between the Fangs and the Blood of Niath, but both Alwyn and Leenan Boulderfist are too friendly and personable for them to make much headway.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, Rylorn heads to the Emerald Reapers camp, where he name-drops his archlich patron, Larloch, to their leader, a man named Wultram Brand, surrounded by skeletal bodyguards. Rylorn mentions that Theda has defected, and is able to point to him chatting up Leenan Boulderfist in the Thunder Fangs area. He motions to several of his members, and they approach the Thunder Fangs camp. Several Fangs hop to attention in response. Before too long, the Fangs and Reapers have devolved into an all-out brawl. The Blood of Niath, who’ve had worse excuses to engage in violence, jump into the fray as well. Their aligned mercenaries on prisoner guard duty abandon their posts to aid their companions.</p><p></p><p>The party works quickly. Herb quickly mixes together some smelling salts to wake up the prisoners, and Leosin asks Kazik what’s going on. There’s no time for talk, however, as several cultists are rushing past to try to stop the massive fight that’s been unfolding. Anakendrick cuts them free, and Rylorn is able to turn up an empty treasure wagon. Herb turns into a draft horse, and the party load up with the prisoners and ride swiftly past the brawl and out of the camp, back towards Windshire.</p><p></p><p><u><strong>Preview for Session Four:</strong></u></p><p><strong>Play Date:</strong> 03/17/18</p><p></p><p>Leosin reveals what he’s learned, which has the party heading back to the Cold Sun Camp to investigate further. Rylorn faces a difficult decision as a battle rages over his soul. The party learns a terrible secret about the Cold Sun Cult.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Gradine, post: 7363659, member: 57112"] [B][SIZE=4]Chapter 2: Cold Sun Camp[/SIZE] Session 3[/B] The party take a long rest as everyone recuperates from the attack and the rebuilding process begins. Rylorn lets the rest of the party know that the cult’s half-orc leader is Frulam Mondath, the criminal he’s been sent to capture and bring back to the Shadow Marches. The party is then approached by Escobert, who is still heavily injured from the attack. He says that he has a job for the party, and that Lady Cara has promised to pay them each 250 gp for finding out information about the cult: where they’re striking from, what their numbers are, who their leaders are, what’s motivating the attacks, and where they plan to strike next. Escobert even offers his personal stash of [I]khyber dragonshards[/I], which the party utilized to have Jerred d’Cannith enchant some equipment for them. Coop, Rylorn, and Herb all had Jerred enchant their [I]spell foci[/I] (with [I]fire[/I], [I]ice[/I], and [I]tremors[/I], respectively); these spell foci grant them a +1 bonus to their spell attack rolls, the ability to ignore up to half-cover with spell attacks, and a once-per-day spell ([I]burning hands[/I], [I]ice knife[/I], and [I]earth tremors[/I], respectively). Brother Alwyn had a lapel pin enchanted to grant his unarmed strikes a +1 bonus to hit and a +1d4 lightning damage. Anakendrick ended up with a [I]flashy belt[/I], which allows him to blind opponents in front him. Merla got the [I]gauntlets of earthy grasp[/I], which allow her to pull opponents ankle-deep into the earth, momentarily restraining them. And finally, Kazik had his shoes enchanted with the [I]khyber dragonshard[/I] he found in Lady Cara’s manor, granting him the ability to gain purchase in mid-air one time before touching solid ground, effectively doubling his jump distance ([I]gravity boots[/I]). While working, Jerred brought up how he wished he got a chance to look at Cyanwrath’s [I]byeshk greatsword[/I], as byeshk weapons are exceedingly rare, ever since the secret to forging them was lost with the fall of the Dhakaani Empire. Anakendrick showed him the [I]byeshk shortsword[/I] he took from Francine, and was flabbergasted by it. According to Jerred, the weapon doesn’t look anything like an ancient goblin-made weapon; that it in fact bore some hallmarks of ancient dwarven crafting, though with a fine and detailed filigree that no dwarven smith would’ve been able to accomplish. He also estimated, based on the wear of the blade, that the sword itself was no more than a few months old, which should be impossible. He asks the party to bring him any more byeshk weapons they find. The party departs Windshire, finding the trail of the cult exceedingly simple to follow. After journeying for a few hours, they spot a plume of smoke in the distance. Merla, who’d spent a good deal of time with House Ghallanda colleagues, thinks she smells game hens, pheasants, and maybe a hint of roast duck. Herb transforms into a skunk to scout the area, finding a small group of human cultists and kobolds roasting some game hens and pheasants, and one duck (technically a mallard, which for some reason became a point of contention). The cultists have their backs against some high rocks, providing an optimal position for an ambush. The kobolds were eating about 60 feet away, and had with them one of the smaller lizardfolk as well as a winged kobold in their midst. After spraying the cultists, Herb runs back to report her findings. The party concocts an unnecessarily elaborate and cockamamie scheme; Merla, who has taken the fringe off of Francine’s robes, will wear the robes, and ride in on a horse (Herb in disguise). Coop helped with the disguise, stuffing some pants and boots with straw to give Merla the appearance of being as tall as a human. Merla rides up, and while most of the cultists wave hello, their leader immediately sees through the disguise and lets loose a sacred flame. Merla and Herb dodge out of the way just in time, with Herb transforming back into a gnome at the same time. The rest of the party launch their ambush. The kobolds immediately scatter for the nearby hills, and the party has little trouble dispatching the remaining cultists. Merla uses her new [I]gauntlets of earthy grasp[/I] to pull their leader into the earth, rooting him to the spot, where Anakendrick is able to easily knock him out. Unfortunately, just then the kobolds return, firing attacks from their slings. Alywn takes out a few kobolds before an arrow from the small lizardfolk strikes him in the side, poisoning him. Merla is able to send several of the attacking kobolds into a deep [I]sleep[/I]. Coop casts [I]command[/I] to bring the flying kobold crashing prostrate to the ground and grovelling. A few [I]eldritch blasts[/I] take care of the lizardfolk, and the battle is easily won from this point. Most of the cooked meat is ruined on account of skunk-spray-related-vomitus, which leaves several party members (especially Merla) disappointed. Sensing an opportunity to be helpful, Brother Alwyn departs. The unconscious cultist leader is awoken, and the party is able to successfully interrogate him. He reveals that this sect of the Cold Sun answers to Frulam Mondath, and Frulam answers to “the dragon-lady”, who, as far as he is aware, answers only to Masvirik, the Cold Sun himself. He is unable to answer most of the party’s questions, but he does reveal that the horde is usually somewhat disorganized after an attack, and that there are plenty of mercenary groups working for them. Brother Alwyn returns with a handful of freshly caught wild game hens, and the party settles in for a meal and short rest. The party deduces, based on the fact that, back at Windshire, one of the cultists confused them for mercenaries, that they should be able to waltz right into the camp unmolested, and this is precisely what they do. Just past the entrance they spot the individual camps of three large mercenary groups, each at least 80-strong. One, seemingly comprised entirely of elves, had a banner of a bleeding anatomical heart in a field of daggers. This is the Blood of Niath, comprised entirely of banished and disgraced Tairnadel mercenaries, all of whom were chosen by ancestors who were banished and disgraced and became mercenaries but ended up bringing greater glory to Valenar. Brother Alwyn goes to chat with this group, where he runs into an old colleague by the name of Thail. Alwyn tells Thail that a cultist told him to loot some buildings in Windshire (which is entirely true), and Thail reveals that’s what all of the mercenaries were hired to do. Meanwhile, Kazik and Merla depart to talk with a second group, known as the Thunder Fangs, which Kazik and Anakendrick are somewhat familiar with, as they too hail from Sharn. Their banner is a white wolf with fangs beared over a dark blue background with lightning flashing. Their leader is a charismatic and boisterous minotaur named Leenan Boulderfist, whom Merla attempts to seduce (Leenan, already drunk at this point, think this is some sort of hilarious joke). They discover that the Thunder Fangs and the third major group, the Emerald Reapers (a green skull over a black background) out of Karrnath, do not get along, and that the Blood of Niath always seem to be spoiling for some kind of fight. They also learn that the “dragon-lady” was here at the end of the canyon as the raiding party returned from Windshire, and she did not look happy. Which is weird, since everyone seems to have considered the raid a smashing success. Coop and Herb spot the prisoners in a space between the mercenary camps and where most of the cultists have appeared to set up camp. They go to inspect the prisoners, where there are three hostages from Windshire held in stocks and unconscious. None match the description of Leosin Erlanthar. They are watched over by a diverse group of mercenaries. Coop attracts the attention of one, an Emerald Reaper by the name of Theda Dorn. Theda is from Karrnath, but he’s still pretty freaked out by all the necromancy. He asks Coop what she knows about the Thunder Fangs, and if she thinks they would accept him. Coop sees Kazik and Merla chatting up Leenan Boulderfist, and tells Theda that he should go talk to the minotaur. As they approach the cultist end of the camp, they see a large tent guarded by several of the very large lizardfolk they saw earlier. Langdedrosa Cyanwrath exits the tent holding a half-elf male prisoner Kazik instantly recognizes as Professor Leosin Erlanthar. Cyanwrath hands him to a pair of cultists, and tells them that he didn’t seem to know anything, to take him back with the other prisoners, and that Frulam had plans for them all at dawn. The cultists take Leosin away, as all are distracted by some sort of commotion coming back from the entrance to the camp. Five tieflings, all wearing distinct crimson robes, walk through the camp and towards the large tent. The robes give Kazik a memory from his childhood; he recalls his parents owning robes exactly like these. The lead tiefling removes his hood, causing Cyanwrath to start. “You’re not Rath Modar,” he says. “Who are you?” The tiefling introduces himself as Azbara Jos, sent on behalf of Rath Modar to treat with them. “Rezmir’s not going to be happy,” Cyanwrath responds, “though that’s hardly a change.” It’s at this point that something strange happens. Cyanwrath scans the crowd, and several of the party members see him lock eyes directly with Anakendrick. Anakendrick, meanwhile, is too distracted by hearing the name “Rezmir” to notice. Cyanwrath grins for a moment, and then turns his conversation back to the tieflings, whom he escorts back into the tent. The party waits for a few tense moments, but nothing else seems to happen. Concerned that their cover was about to be blown, the party springs into action. Merla and Coop return to the Thunder Fangs camp with Brother Alwyn, where they attempt to sow seeds of discord between the Fangs and the Blood of Niath, but both Alwyn and Leenan Boulderfist are too friendly and personable for them to make much headway. Meanwhile, Rylorn heads to the Emerald Reapers camp, where he name-drops his archlich patron, Larloch, to their leader, a man named Wultram Brand, surrounded by skeletal bodyguards. Rylorn mentions that Theda has defected, and is able to point to him chatting up Leenan Boulderfist in the Thunder Fangs area. He motions to several of his members, and they approach the Thunder Fangs camp. Several Fangs hop to attention in response. Before too long, the Fangs and Reapers have devolved into an all-out brawl. The Blood of Niath, who’ve had worse excuses to engage in violence, jump into the fray as well. Their aligned mercenaries on prisoner guard duty abandon their posts to aid their companions. The party works quickly. Herb quickly mixes together some smelling salts to wake up the prisoners, and Leosin asks Kazik what’s going on. There’s no time for talk, however, as several cultists are rushing past to try to stop the massive fight that’s been unfolding. Anakendrick cuts them free, and Rylorn is able to turn up an empty treasure wagon. Herb turns into a draft horse, and the party load up with the prisoners and ride swiftly past the brawl and out of the camp, back towards Windshire. [U][B]Preview for Session Four:[/B][/U] [B]Play Date:[/B] 03/17/18 Leosin reveals what he’s learned, which has the party heading back to the Cold Sun Camp to investigate further. Rylorn faces a difficult decision as a battle rages over his soul. The party learns a terrible secret about the Cold Sun Cult. [/QUOTE]
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