We D&D.
Session #36 Hoard of the Dragon Queen #22 Talis Meets Frulam.
Brothers of the First Light.
Lummins (played by Rob) Male Half-Elf Cleric of Lathander Lvl 6
Lux (played by Sandy) Female Human Warlock Lvl 6
Watt (played by Jackie) Male Human Bard Lvl 6
Sgt Bobby Markguth (played by Pete) Male Human Fighter Lvl 6
Secondary PCs.
Hotlips Houlihan (played by Sandy) Female Halfling Rogue Lvl 6
Derek Pilch (played by Jackie) Male Human Druid Lvl 6
Hard Bonk (played by Rob) Male Half-Orc Monk Lvl 6
Sgt Harald Hardaxe (played by Pete) Male Shield Dwarf Fighter Lvl 6
Note, this is session #36 of our game but only session #22 of the Hoard of the Dragon Queen scenario.
Oh, and did you notice- they’re all Level 6 now- Woo, and indeed, Hoo!
If you remember there was a little bit of a falling out at the end of the last session, which resulted in Sgt Bobby (Human Fighter played by Pete) going for a wander to think about things. So, were back- all of us rededicated to the cause, it’s happy families all the way for the Brothers of the First Light from this moment on.
Yeah, right!
Last session ended with the PCs having captured Castle Naerytar, in the process destroying Fartbox (Pharblex) and his Bullywug minions, capturing or killing all of the Dragon Cultists (including Dral, a Wearer of Purple), and in the process freeing the Scaly Death Lizardfolk from the yolk of tyranny. Damn that yolk, the albumen isn’t too bad, but the yolk…. Don’t get me started on the yolk!
Alas Rezmir (Half-Black Dragon Cult leader) and Azbara Jos (Red Wizard of Thay) have fled through a magical portal located in the Bullywug caverns beneath the castle, the PCs have since located the password to this portal, and then taken an Extended Rest- this decision being the source of the last session’s falling out. Sgt Bobby was desperate to press on, even though he and the rest of the PCs were fairly (very) low on resources- no spells and few hit points.
Oh, and in a moment of clever Lux asks the captured Dral for the name of the Red Wizard of Thay- so, it’s Azbara Jos- and while you have been reading that name for the past I don’t know how long, the PCs have only just learned it.
This session however starts with a speech, which soon turns in to a love-in, Sgt Bobby (Pete) having had two weeks (between sessions) to think about things has something to say. It starts with ‘sorry’ and then goes on to explain his reasons for sometimes acting like a ‘petulant child’ (Pete’s words), it all started in his childhood… kidding, but he has his reasons- and now we know them. After the speech comes the glistening eyes, and the mutual love-in because we do indeed love Pete, who couldn’t- with his sad eyes and black t-shirt clad paunch. So, we’re all the best of friends again, in truth I wasn’t aware there was a time when we were anything other than the best of friends.
We move on, to a new emotional and spiritual plane. With the hope, postulated repeatedly and loudly by all four players, of smushing more of my bad guys and in general upsetting all of my plans. The Brothers of the First Light have found new impetus for their cause- they have rededicated themselves to pissing me off. Oh, how we (they) laughed- dagnabbit.
And so, now we are ready to plunge through the magical portal in pursuit of Rezmir & Azbara, only… Lux (Human Warlock) has remembered that when they were doing their reconnaissance of the castle, prior to the revolution proper, she spotted that the Keep in the centre of the structure had a glass roof, like an observatory. Lux stated at the time that she wanted to investigate this place when the fighting was done- and then she, and her comrades in arms, swiftly forgot all about it.
Well, now she’s remembered again (between sessions), and so… there are no dissenters, the Brothers of the First Light enter the lower floor of the Keep for a nose around. A very neat bedchamber on the ground floor contains a locked and magically trapped chest, at least that’s what Hotlips (Halfling Rogue) thinks, and is soon proved right when the trap goes off and the Halfling suffers minor acid burns. The chest is empty… of course, Azbara took his spellbook with him.
On the next floor up another very nice bedroom, with equally well-appointed adjoining rooms, gives up a chest full of cash, actually Dral’s emergency fund- he won’t be needing it. Then up another flight of stairs and in to the observatory proper- which is exactly what the chamber is. Lux explains to Sgt Bobby that the strange metal and glass device (the Fareseer of Illusk- although the Warlock actually thinks the device is just an odd-looking telescope) is used to observe heavenly bodies, nicely setting up Sgt Bobby (Pete) for a very crude reply.
At which point the four Gargoyles sitting atop the castle battlements suddenly leap in to life and shatter their way in to the observatory. Alas only Lummins (Half-Elf Cleric) spots the stony monsters before they swoop in to attack- Watt (Human Bard) and Lux are both clawed, while Lummins is bitten- his Warding Flare fails to save him. The Priest of Lathander is not at all happy and immediately unleashes his Radiance of the Dawn- all of the Gargoyles suffer in the burst of holy light.
Hotlips scurries away from the Gargoyle attacking her (Disengage) and then heads over- rapier in hand to help out Lux, moments later the Gargoyle facing the Warlock is beyond bloodied (Sandy knows how to get in her Sneak Attack). Lux finishes the beast off with a Shocking Grasp.
That’s the first one down- easy as.
Watt keeps a Gargoyle at bay and then stabs it with his rapier- the weapon (not magical) barely leaves a scratch, the Bard lets his colleagues know. Lummins’ Warding Flare fails again, and the Priest is bitten once more. The Gargoyle Hotlips avoided chases the Halfling Rogue down but fails again to land a blow (‘1’ & ‘1’).
Lummins fills the observatory with the spectral spirits of Lathander’s warriors of Light (he casts Spirit Guardians). Sgt Bobby hits the Gargoyle facing Watt twice, his magical longsword, cuts deep. Hotlips also stabs the Gargoyle she’s facing, but her dagger lacks the magical taint needed to really hurt her foe, Lux grabs at the creature and unleashes another Shocking Grasp (and another hit) but still the Gargoyle persists.
Then the initiative counter ticks around to one of the Gargoyles, and the beast is swiftly bested by Lummins’ Spirit Guardians- smashed to pieces.
Two down.
The Gargoyle facing Lummins however seems unconcerned by the ghostly attackers- it bites the Priest again (Warding Flare fails for the third time in quick succession)- he’s bloodied.
Watt gets his bow out (it’s magic) and sinks an arrow in to one of the two remaining Gargoyles, who are proving to be tough bastards, seconds later the same beast- beset on all sides by Spirit Guardians attempts to flee the scene and gets stabbed in the leg by Hotlips’ magical rapier and immediately ceases functioning, it drops to shatter on the floor.
Three down.
Just one Gargoyle left, still attacking Lummins, Sgt Bobby rushes over and stabs the elemental creature, Lux hits it with an Eldritch Blast, while Watt fires two more arrows in to it and then, at last, Lummins’ Spirit Guardian’s rip the stony bastard to pieces.
The fight is done, although for Jackie (Watt) and Sandy (Lux & Hotlips) it’s the start of the inquiry, the pair need more information- specifically, how and why were the Gargoyles so difficult to damage. Some monsters (the kindly DM states) are resistant to various forms of damage- fire, electricity, cold etc., while others require magic weapons to properly do harm to them. Certain, terrifying creatures combine both traits- with multiple resistances, and even immunity to some forms of damage. Somehow this rule has managed to evade both Jackie and Sandy, I am- they tell me, a ‘cheating bugger’ for not making this clearer. It’s a cross I am willing to bear.
Then the room gets investigated and it quickly becomes apparent that the telescope-like-device in the observatory is something far more fabulous, Lux identifies it after close inspection- it’s called the Farseer of Illusk. Even more remarkably she gets the device to work, although it produces a somewhat blurred representation- not of the stars, the device is not pointing upwards, but rather the lens points down slightly and to the west, the viewer shows the Carnath Roadhouse.
The Roadhouse is a wreck.
The compound walls have been torn down, or else burnt… or, perhaps not fire- something terrible has happened there. The roof of the main building is holed- smoke (or steam, or mist) issues from the opening. Just visible, although hard at first to ascertain, are the bodies of the fallen scattered around the compound.
And moving amongst them, very much alive, are the Dragon Cultists picking through the dead- the bastards.
Lux continues to watch through the view finder, when suddenly a Black Dragon the size of a cart-horse muscles its way out of the hole and on to the roof of the building. It roars and then turns to stare directly at the viewer, which causes the Warlock to shriek and rear up, and suddenly she’s back in the room. Lux tells her friends what she has seen, and less than a minute later a decision is made- it’s the most decisive I’ve ever seen them.
The Brothers of the First Light are heading for the portal- now, although if possible they’re going to come back for the Farseer of Illusk at some point in the future- they realise it would take hours to dismantle the device.
DM Interlude- just a note to say I didn’t really understand the image that the Farseer of Illusk was supposed to reveal to the PCs (in the Module), the fact that there are two Black Dragons, two Scaly Dreads is kinda- Meh! At least the effort it would take to make this some part of the story, and something of value to spy upon by the PCs, is… ridiculous. So, I went for the ‘giddy-up’ and showed the PCs the threat (the Black Dragon) and what it can do (the slaughter at the Carnath Roadhouse) and then implied it was heading the PCs way- it worked a dream.
Okay, back to the story-
En route to the portal below the following things are also achieved-
a) Snapjaw is thanked profusely, and informed that there’s a Dragon, possibly, heading this way. Snapjaw is intrigued- Lux describes the Dragon and Snapjaw is elated- it’s Scaly Dread- the Scaly Death Lizardfolk clan’s Black Dragon ruler. “Huzzah!” says Snapjaw. “Bugger that!” say the Brothers of the First Light, they’re not hanging around (even Pete, he’s been reborn) to see what Scaly Dread wants. That aside, Snapjaw is obviously overjoyed to have made the PCs acquaintance and informs them that they will always be welcome back in the Mere of the Dead (which is nice). Moments later two Lizardfolk- Gawp (Lummins) & Ping (Lux) swear to serve the named pair for a year and a day, as per their agreement. Woo-Hoo, although at least two of the Players are a little miffed that they’ve not been given Lizardfolk servitors too.
b) Lummins casts a Sending spell directed to Leosin Erlanthar (the Harper Monk the guy’s rescued), stating- “Following loot through portal Castle Naerytar, Mere Dead. Two days east Carnath Roadhouse. Friendly Lizardfolk here have Cult prisoners & info. Ware Dragon!”
c) Lummins heals himself, and then begs Watt for some more of the same- the Bard obliges; the Cleric is still wounded however, as are several of the other PCs.
The PC, after another quick chat, then attempt to take a Short Rest while waiting at the portal- they’d all really like to spend a few healing HD. However, their rest is interrupted only ten minutes later when Hotlips comes rushing back to her comrades. She’s been on watch up on the surface- the Black Dragon Scaly Dread has arrived and has started ‘punishing’ (for which read- ‘eating’) the Lizardfolk of the Scaly Death clan.
Snapjaw was the first to be eaten, the Halfling states- the revolution is well and truly over it seems.
The PCs therefore make immediate use of the magical portal, remember they’re expecting to be teleported in to a Dragon Cultist redoubt of some sort, they’re therefore as ready as they can be and primed for battle.
Episode 7: Hunting Lodge.
Which looks somewhat odd when they all instantly appear looking like a densely populated version of the silhouetted Charlie’s Angels- all in action poses with spells and swords ready for the imminent attack. They’re in a beautiful sun-dappled forest- whipped by a cooling wind, and standing between a pair of hefty looking menhirs, a well-trod track leads a hundred or-so yards to a large manor-style house. The PCs continue a while in their silhouette pose- not wanting to make a move, or a sound, just in case- but nothing stirs.
Phew.
DMs Note- the PCs are all still dressed as Dragon Cultists, with Lux doing her finest impersonation of Frulam Mondath- Wearer of Purple (she has Disguise Self AT WILL), also she’s definitely back in charge of the gang- Pete’s revolution is over.
Another decision is quickly made, the PCs retreat a little from the manor house- they’re going to try to take their much-needed rest, and only then investigate the place- or at least circle around the building.
Which, of course, doesn’t happen.
Because I am a very bad man.
Thirty minutes in to their down time the PCs come alive as a pair of Trolls accompanied by a trio of Ambush Drakes come shuffling through the undergrowth- they were attempting to creep up on the PCs, but (alas) my dice fail to make it happen.
Trolls!
Seconds later Watt is bitten as a ferocious Ambush Drake dashes straight in to the middle of the adventurers, Hotlips ducks in to the undergrowth and then with her crossbow Assassinates one of the other two Drakes. The last Drake, and its Troll handler, suddenly disappear from sight- engulfed by Lux’s Hunger of Hadar, seconds later however the Troll emerges from the inky blackness- teeth chattering and burned by acid- and howling, but also very much alive, and very angry.
Watt unleashes a Shatter spell- wounding both of the Trolls, and also the Drake biting at his legs, the latter is almost broken by the spell’s fury. One of the Trolls claws and snaps at the Bard, but Watt evades the vicious bugger. Moments later the Ambush Drake caught within the Lux’s Hunger of Hadar also emerges from the globe of darkness- battered but not broken by the spell.
Sgt Bobby gets in to action, at last, and cuts a wounded Troll- although thanks only to some Bardic Inspiration. Lummins opens up with his Scorching Rays and both Trolls are burnt, and now neither are regenerating. Moments later Hotlips emerges from hiding behind a Troll and stabs the beast repeatedly. Lux goes for a Shatter spell- a badly wounded Drake dies, and one of the Trolls is hurt some more.
Just for info neither Troll has managed to land a hit yet- it’s my dice that are broken now.
Watt’s Thunderwave kills the last Drake standing and sends one of the Trolls staggering back, both beasts are now bloodied and worse, but neither is giving up- one tears in to Hotlips, the Halfling’s Uncanny Dodge prevents some of the hurt, but she’s left badly wounded.
Sgt Bobby cuts the Troll he’s facing twice more (one a Crit) and the beast screams loud enough to wake the dead. Lummins attempts to silence it with a trio of Scorching Rays and is off-target with every attack.
Hotlips stabs the Troll she’s facing one more time, and then dives in to the vegetation behind her and burrows through it until she’s well out of sight, and reach. Lux launches a Fire Bolt in to a Troll, the creature attempts to flee- it doesn’t get far, Sgt Bobby cuts it down.
Watt retreats, grabs out his bow, and moments later fires two arrows in to the last Troll standing, which screeching like a stuck-pig as it goes, also attempts to flee the scene.
The Brothers, keen to silence the beast, give chase- briefly, Sgt Bobby manages (at long range) to thunk a dagger in its back (with a Crit), Lummins hits it with a Sacred Flames, while Hotlips emerges again from hiding and fires a crossbow bolt in to the beast. Finally, Lux takes it down with another Eldritch Blast (and yet another Crit)- the PCs gather around the beast, which is regenerating- they stab and pummel the Troll’s broken body while Lux spams the Firebolt button. The creature is destroyed.
Phew x2.
That was a less than friendly welcome to wherever the hell the PCs are.
Now time to take that much needed rest…
Except less than a minute later another Troll- accompanied by half-a-dozen Ambush Drakes that snarl and growl, and snap but never move too far away from the great beast, strides in to view and barks in broken Common- “Make sign!”
The Troll is clearly a brighter than average example of the species (it talks). The creature wears a great mossy cloak, and now the PCs are close enough they can see it has two pairs of arms- most odd (and even more terrifying, Pete states- “two more attacks every turn- EXPLETIVE GOES HERE”).
The PCs immediately make the five-fingered/headed sign of Tiamat.
Trepsin (the four-armed Troll) nods, then takes in the scene- dead Ambush Drakes and crisping, still smoking, Troll corpses. It nods, smirks and then grunts “Sorry”, then, “Follow”, and then turns and strides off- Ambush Drakes excitedly following, heading back towards the manor house.
Do the PCs attack the creature?
Nope, somewhat reluctantly they follow- they’ve got their backstory sorted, they’ve used it a few times now, and besides- it’s mostly Lux (Sandy) and the more charming PCs (Watt & Lummins) that do the talking.
Trepsin the Troll, Lux learns the creature’s name, is swiftly pumped for information, Lux (& Watt) learn the following- the owner of the manor house is someone called ‘Talis’. That’s it.
Two minutes later the Brothers et al are deposited outside of the front door of the manor house- Trepsin simply states “Wait” and then steps inside, wiping his feet first, the Drakes- much cowed follow the Troll in.
Time passes- and the PCs chat, there’s a lot of what if’s explored, but they’re not actually that nervous- they’re a fairly confident bunch these days- whatever happens next they’ll be ready.
Five minutes later and the PCs are ushered inside, with Trepsin and his Drakes sent back outside again- so effectively behind them- the PCs are a little more wary.
Through a cloakroom and in to a well-appointed, but tatty and somewhat faded, entrance hall- with an ornate wide stair case heading up to a balconied first floor. There are wall-hangings, Gargoyle-like statues and ornamental suits of armour- the place is an old hunting lodge, latterly a few items of Dragon Cult memorabilia have been added to the collection.
Waiting for the Brothers et al are an array of Cultists on the stairs- three of the fellows are obviously Cult warriors or else hired muscle, they’re protecting the fourth member of the company. Talis the White, a short woman clad in pure white scalemail glimpsed beneath a Winter Wolf cloak, and armed with a wand topped with a blue gemstone which seems to shiver and mist the air surrounding it.
Talis perfunctorily makes the sign of Tiamat, and then snaps- “I was not expecting visitors. State your names and your business?”
And then the interrogation begins- I didn’t want to make it easy for the guys, this place could prove to be a pretty awesome combat encounter- and there are plenty of unseen monsters and traps that Talis can call on- a Freezing Armour Trap, Gargoyles, Kobolds, more Cultists and my favourite the Helmed Horror. So, if the Players are going to snake out of a great fight then they’re going to have to work for it.
Talis fires off questions- Who are you? Why are you here? Where have you come from? Who do you work for? What do you do for them? Who else do you know? Where else have you been?
With secondary questions added to dig deeper in to the PCs (mostly Lux with a little bit of Lummins & Watt) story.
We do twenty plus minutes of this, and the dice rolls are mostly okay to good, the Brother’s story is actually getting better every time they tell it, in essence- they were recruited way back when (remember Lux, Lummins & Watt are all ex-Cultists) they mention names. They (actually Lux says ‘I’ a lot- SHE did everything, that’s the kind of gal Frulam Mondath is, Lux has decided) established contact with Venomfang, a powerful Green Dragon based in the ruined town of Thundertree (which was where the Blessed Avengers first met (& converted) the now Brothers of the First Light). Frulam got promoted (repeatedly) a Wearer of Purple working with Cyanwrath, and for Rezmir in various camps- attacking a variety of places (including Greenest) and gathering loot. Then two months commanding the Cult loot caravan up the Sword Coast, to Waterdeep and on. Then through the portal to here.
The sticky bit, the part of their story that takes some dragging out, or else Lux (Sandy) has to sort of make up on the spot, is the why they’re here.
Lux’s answers wander about a bit for a while before settling on something like the following, note the Warlock was making Insight checks aplenty as she went on with her story- trying to read Talis’ reactions (if any). Sandy (playing Lux) started out like she was delivering her report to a ‘boss’ (and making sure that she looks good in the telling) and then changed her tack slightly (see below). Lux’s Insight checks revealed (perhaps) that Talis is no great admirer of Rezmir.
And so…
Lux goes on to explain that she and her comrades in arms have been working for Rezmir for quite a while now, and while the Half-Black Dragon is powerful, she is (respectfully) not yet a great leader. They were left to clear up the mess of Camp Dragonclaw when the place broke up. It was up to them to arrange, and then guard, the Cult loot on its journey north. Rezmir made her own way north, travelling in comparative luxury. They eventually arrived at Castle Naerytar just in time to witness a Lizardfolk revolution, and only just managed to escape the place through the portal (to here) with their lives. Rezmir- it appears, realised the way the wind was blowing with regard to the bolshie Lizardfolk at the castle, she fled through the portal yesterday. The Half-Black Dragon did not see fit to tell Lux and her comrades where she was going- or why?
Remember, every time I write ‘they’ above you need to imagine Lux (Frulam- actually Sandy, she’s a school teacher) saying “I” a lot and getting increasingly irate as she goes on.
As to why they are here? Beyond, obviously, the fact that they were fleeing for their lives- they’re also looking to catch up with Rezmir, to report in and let the Half-Black Dragon know that they are very much still alive, no thanks (respectfully) to her.
Talis is convinced- she offers Frulam (Lux) and her comrades food, advice and a deal- although she warns the PCs that they are going to have to make their choice whether to accept her deal very quickly- Rezmir did indeed pass through here yesterday, and clearly in a rush to get away. However, the Half-Black Dragon will be far away from here by some time early tomorrow…
The PCs are keen to learn more, but that’s for the next session.
The chatter at the end with Talis was great in places- I pushed them/Sandy hard (a bit), but I was eager for the story to head in this direction, so it was all just about the journey.
Remarkably Sgt Bobby (Pete) kept schtum more or less throughout, and when he did comment- once or twice, he towed the party line. I don’t know why I was surprised at the time, he did great back in Camp Dragonclaw.
More of the same next session, and I managed to get in a minor cliff-hanger, what’s Talis’ deal?
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