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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Obergnom" data-source="post: 4417142" data-attributes="member: 7145">I dislike giving out those 'diary' handouts often used in published adventures to reveal the plot. Currently, I'm somewhat stuck how to do so, though. Maybe someone here can help <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Here is some info:Setting (Modified Realms)Lead by the powerfull city of Bard's Gate, the Dalelands are a trading hub and neutral ground between the powerful empires of Cormyr, the Moonsea and Netheril occupied Sembia. While the dales would be unable to defend themselves for a long time, should one of these empires decide to invade, it is both the age old pact with the Fey which ensures them the help of the Elves, and the rivalry of the former three that secures their independance. While each of the dales has its own lord, it is the Lord of Mistle Dale and High Councilor of Bard's Gate, the half-elf bard Cyrylia, who is the defacto ruler of the region.Main PlotThe Cult of Xvim, the son of Bane and Exarch of Human Supremacy, discovered a powerful ritual in the endless ruins below Zhentil Keep. A ritual that creates a powerful disease, which attacks all traces of fey blood. The afflicted slowly vanish to the feywild, unable to return. They want to cleanse the Dalelands of all traces of elves and halfelves, establishing human rulership once and for all.To complete the ritual, they need a vessel. And they found one: The unborn child of Marleel, a 17 year old girl and once lover of a charming Halfelf Bard from Mistledale. He left her. In her desperation, she was an easy target for the Lareth the Beautiful, Lord of Shadowdale. Unknown to nearly everyone, Lareth is actually one of the highest ranking priests of Xvim.Besides the vessel, they need the blood of fey. A lot of it. And a source of great power. To reach these goals, they tricked the Zhentarim and the Church of Bane into establishing an outpost in the Tomb of Abysthor. There, Hedrack, High Priest of Bane and cultist of Xvim began to search for a source of great power, he suspects to be hidden in the burrial halls. In the same time, he hired the gnolls of Cormanthor, to catch as many fey creatures as possible and bring them to him.What the cultists do not know, the power source they are looking for is in fact a black monolith, a connection to the far realm. Abysthor went there, to seal it. He was successful, but after he completed the ritual of sealing, he was transformed into a horrible abberant creature. The Cult of Xvim is about to open the seal, just to face hordes of Foulspawn and other creatures of the Far Realm, controlled by the creature that Abysthor became.What the players already know:- They escorted a cart full of wares coming from the Moonsee to Lord Lareth Amcathra. They do not know which wares the cart transported, but they know there was a young, pregnant girl with the driver, who is connected to Lareth.- They know that Lord Amcathra does not like non-humans and does not respect the old pact with the fey of Cormanthor. But in the 12 years of his reign, he increased wealth in Shadowdale significantly. Many commoners love him, especially the younger folks.- The elven witch Luriel suspects Lareth to be in league with dark powers. She went as far as killing the driver of the cart the PCs were escorting with a creature summoned from the shadowfell, to read his memory. She was unable to gather useful information, though.- Fey creatures all over the Cormanthor have been kidnapped by gnolls. The elves know the Gnoll Fortress must be somewhere near Bard's Gate.- The Elves were able to follow the gnolls to the Valley of Shrines, where the Tomb of Abysthor is located- The Tomb of Abysthor were once a great, subteranean Burrial Halls for high ranking followers of Tyr (dead), Torm and Illmater. They are called Tomb of Abysthor, because the mighty priest Abysthor went there, long after they have been desecrated. He was on a holy quest, but never returned.- A Banedead (Lich-like Undead Bane Priest, wearing regalia not used since 100 years ago) payed the Gnolls for capturing fey creatures. They found his hideout in the upper levels of the Tomb of Abysthor, but there were no fey creatures to be found.- Deeper in the dungeon, they found an Entrance to an Outpost of Zhentarim, which they are about to enter...My problem is, how to unravel the plot?There is this big dungeon, and just 'grinding' through would eventually give them some information, but I do not like that. They go to Shadowdale quite often, actually do a side quest for Lareth (Though they do not like him).And I would like to get the city of Bard's Gate involved...Any ideas?</blockquote>

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