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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nebulous" data-source="post: 4605251" data-attributes="member: 31465">Side Trek (II):  The Streets of SilverymoonPART ONE[GM Note: These events take place either when the main Shadowfell party has first reached Winterhaven, or right before their arrival.  It is likely that Douvan and Merric passed the other heroes on the road without knowing]. [GM Note: This adventure also springboards a homebrew campaign that starts after Shadowfell is complete].<img src="http://www.zikadik.com/shadowfell/silver vale.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />For three days Douvan Stahl and his companion Merric Littlefoot have trudged northward along the Evermoor Way from the small hamlet of Winterhaven, carrying with them a curious artifact: a large ornate mirror confiscated from the watery grave of a dead dragon named Blacksoul.  It was not easy to haul the item up from the mud, and even harder to salvage when an ornery bugbear and his friends appeared and tried to murder them. <img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/winkle.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />But the two adventurers prevailed, and upon reaching Winterhaven with the mirror (which surely must be valuable!) the local sage and scholar, portly Valthrun the Prescient, told them that certain parties might want the mirror back at all costs.  The mirror, in fact, could cause grave danger for everyone in Winterhaven.  Well, Douvan the Ranger and Merric the Rogue didn’t much like the sound of that, but Valthrun was insistent.  He had smiled gently, twiddling his wide thumbs. <img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/val.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />“Don’t worry,” he said, “just leave and take the mirror as far from Winterhaven as you can.  I believe it is called the Mirror of Skarvoss, and a small piece of the Shadowfell is trapped within.  The Shadowfell is a dark place of…well…nevermind.  Just go, my friends, and may the luck of Tymora be with you.” But Douvan is not one to rely on luck so much as sweat and blood.  Merric…well, yes, he lives day to day on luck and mischief.  But they have no problem taking the mirror to Silverymoon.  In fact, their sponsor Merple the Moneylender will probably be very interested in what they found and possibly give them a bonus.  Their only task originally was to inspect the dragon grave and determine if it was salvageable, but it had been well looted by the kobolds.That was three days ago when Valthrun’s words first worried them, and since then the two heroes had to fend off an attack by kobolds who had already destroyed another wagon and its occupants.  <img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/bolds2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[GM Note:  We didn’t actually play through the fight; there are enough kobolds in this campaign already]Perhaps the vicious little bastards were hoping to recapture the mirror of Skarvoss, but Douvan and Merric didn’t leave any alive to question afterwards.  They encountered no more problems, and on a brilliant vermillion dawn, their wagon being pulled by Jim the Mule, they clear a rocky rise that offers them a majestic view of mighty Silverymoon, Gem of the North. <img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/silver3.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />They enter through the southern gate, passing the School of Thaumaturgy and the Lady’s College.  Throngs of people have already begun to stir, and the morning air is split by cries from birds and children and voices in a multitude of racial tongues, soon joined by the creak and groan of daily commerce.  Jim plods sullenly onward and they reach the translucent, shimmering Moonbridge that spans the River Rauvin.  Merric cannot stand looking down through the semi-transparent bridge into the swirling current below, (it gives him terrible vertigo) so he stares into the sky, whistling. <img src="http://www.zikadik.com/shadowfell/silverymoonmap2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The Market is bustling with activity from various vendors and customers.  Douvan and Merric plan to head straight to Diagon Alley and Merple’s shop, but then a large shadow passes over their wagon from above.  Douvan looks up, shielding his eyes, and is surprised to see a large griffon wheeling down on their location.  Moments later he spots a second griffon, and then a massive owl joins their ranks, all three bearing armed riders!“What is this?” mutters Merric, hand flitting to his dagger. <img src="http://www.zikadik.com/shadowfell/city1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The birds of prey alight on the cobblestone streets right in front of their wagon, and Jim the Mule is clearly displeased at their proximity.  A rider clad in purple plumes and purple leather armor, not unlike a bird himself, hops off his griffon.  A tiefling woman dismounts as well, but the woman on her owl remains seated.  Douvan sees an armband on each person designating them as Silver Knights, part of Silverymoon’s standing army.  Douvan raises his hands in submission.  He doesn’t want any trouble.<img src="http://www.zikadik.com/shadowfell/city2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/city3.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/city4.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/city5.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />“You there!” shouts the purple-plumed warrior.  “Halt in the name of the Griffon Guard! What do you carry in your wagon?”Dozens of citizens are gawking at this exchange.  It is not everyday that the Griffon Guard swoops down from the sky on unsuspecting travelers. A griffon squawks its impatience, shifting from one taloned foot to another.  Douvan clears his throat and answers as honestly as he can. “It is a mirror we found near Winterhaven.  We are bringing it to Merple the Moneylender, of Diagon Alley.”The man steps closer, shouldering a wicked looking longbow. “The Mythal of Silverymoon detected an item of unacceptable power within our borders.  It is our sworn duty to inspect any and every violation of the law.  Open your wagon, sir. Slowly, please.”Douvan obliges, sweeping back the fold and pulling off the black cloth to reveal the mirror safely nestled in the back of the wagon. <img src="http://www.med.unc.edu/~saasha/keep/scarvoss.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The Griffon Knight says, “Is that all?  A mirror?”  He looks somewhat perplexed. “Yes,” answers Douvan.  “We…we aren’t exactly sure what it does.  We were just told…” and Douvan relates some of the details about the Mirror of Skarvoss, as told to him by Valthrun the Prescient.  He ends with mention of the Shadowfell, and possible danger associated with Winterhaven if it had remained. The Griffon Knight nods, and when Douvan is done, he snaps his fingers at the others.  “This mirror will have to be confiscated and tested.  My apology for the inconvenience, but it is our obligation.  Please do not argue.”“But…I…” And yes, Douvan does want to argue, but he doesn’t want to anger them either.  “Will we get it back?” he asks imploringly.“Perhaps,” the Griffon Knight says.  “That all depends on what our mages find. But don’t hold your breath in a jelly cube, as they say.”Douvan wracks his brain about the Silver Knights.  They are resourceful and formidable, but known to be fair.  Douvan is not a citizen himself, but has spent so much time in this city that it almost feels like home. “Well…I would like some other compensation then,” Douvan says.  “We went through a lot of trouble to get this mirror.”“A LOT of trouble,” Merric adds peevishly. The Griffon Knight rubs his chin as Douvan tries to convince him, looking to the owl-rider for advice.  “Well, Onyx?” She shrugs, and ultimately he shrugs too and pulls out a piece of parchment.  He begins scribbling with a quill.  “My name is Grax Steelfeather.  Consider this a receipt then.  Come to the Rookery at dawn tomorrow, we’ll know by then is this mirror of yours can be returned or not.  If not, the City will offer you some sort of reparation.  I can’t say what exactly, it’s not up to me.” Douvan shakes each of their hands, appreciative that he is at least being given a fair chance. Not long after Grax the Griffon Knight hands the parchment to Douvan, a new contingent of Silver Knights arrives with their own wagon.  They take the mirror and carefully load it, and begin trundling through the streets towards Alustriel’s Palace. “G’day gentlemen,” Grax says with a nod, and he mounts his griffon. Seconds later they’re all airborne and vanishing toward distant airy spires. Merric sighs.  “It could have been worse.”Douvan agrees.  But in truth, he thinks this is probably for the best.  If the item is indeed a threat it is better for experienced wizards to deal with it. If nothing else, they’ll get some sort of recompense for their trouble, perhaps a sack of gold.  That would be good enough.</blockquote>

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