When last we left our party, they headed for the goblin fortress to make good on the peace treaty.
The party stopped to rest on the way back from Brynn Shander with a herd of goats and a signed peace treaty, the gnome wizard casting Leomund’s Tiny Hut to provide shelter.
One member stood guard outside to ensure the party’s safety upon exit and to watch the herd.
The ranger heard it first, calling to the party for backup. Through the blizzard pair of owl-like shrieks sounded!
Bounding out of the snowy weather across the tundra came a pair of owlbears!
The party, with the paladin/barbarian and ranger’s help, made short work of them, only to face another that was slower on approach.
Afterwards, the party delivered the treaty and goats, and headed back to Brynn Shander.
Only…they were being watched.
Along the way, they felt a presence watching them. They could not pinpoint what it was, only that they had people among them…
The ranger moved to have tactical advantage when he bumped into something… invisible. Invisible and big…then they attacked!
A small host of duergar, grown to their giant size, fell upon the party. It was a pitched battle, and the party felt that there was a chance that they would possibly not make it out when the dragonborn sorceress fell, followed by their rogue and ranger. The paladin/barbarian was absolutely essential to the party’s safety and survival. When the snow settled and their foes lay defeated at their feet, dead, while the party lay standing and bloodied or unconscious, the party tended to their wounded only to find their dragonborn sorceress had bled out, perishing. Looting the dead, they found a note from Xardorok, the duergar warlord that was allegedly creating some sort of construct beast out of chardalyn in a fortress called Sunblight, the ambush to destroy the party for their meddling. It also said that they had 4 days before the beast would be unleashed.
Thankfully, though the party cleric was not present, they knew someone that could help: the clerics if Lathander and Aumantur back in Brynn Shander could cast a spell to bring back the dead. They made a speedy retreat back to Brynn Shander and had the spell cast. Due to the taxing nature of being brought back from death, the party had to rest for the next 4 days, a dangerous prospect but unavoidable, to allow the dragonborn sorceress to recover completely.
Knowing the time was short and that It would be a close call, the party made haste on their trusty axe beak mounts towards Sunblight.
The party arrived at the massive fortress in the mountains. It was a tall structure looming far above with a winding staircase to the top landing.
As soon as they began to ascend the stairs, a grating sound was heard, and the massive beast flew off, the party guest, towards Dugan’s Hole.
Knowing that the party was going to be unable to get to the town of Dugan’s hole before the dragon, the party decided to try to make a stand in another town, Easthaven, leaving both Dugan’s Hole and Good Meade to the chardalyn dragon’s wrath.
The party arrived just in time, drawing the construct to them with attacks and taunts. It engaged them, taking some damage and doling out damage to the party. Taking off, it headed north to Caer Dineval.
Knowing that they would be unable to keep up with the dragon, the party made a calculated decision and headed straight for the town of Termaline, deciding on making a stand there, having had Easthaven send messengers across Ten Towns to warn them if the threat.
The party, having had no rest, headed towards their destination. They arrived at just in time to have the watch help in engaging the threat. The entirety of the town guard were killed, but the party struck the final blow, felling the foul construct, the shards of chardalyn falling into the lake of Maer Dualdon. Enlisting the aid of “Bob” the awakened plesiosaurus, the party had all of the pieces of chardalyn moved and hidden away from humanoids, under the lake.
The party was furious at the destruction caused, and vowed to take the fight to the duergar.
The party headed to Bryn Shander, apparently the place holding all of the refugees from the other towns, to restock on supplies. The townspeaker offered the party 200 gold pieces each to take out the threat. Additionally, the party found out the tally of the destruction: besides the aforementioned towns’ destruction, both Caer Dineval and Caer Konig had been destroyed, with many of their population having perished, and the towns razed to the ground. Additionally, several beloved NPCs had also perished in the attack.
Turning their attention to Sunblight, the party marched on to war…
How will the party get into the fortress? Will they be able to destroy the threat of the duergar warlord Xardorok?
Until next time, Dear Readers…
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