After a relatively restful night’s sleep in the camp near Scarlet Moon Hall, the party roused their new Lord Commander (Ted 
), and their druidic friends and headed up the hill to do something about this so-called “Wicker Giant” before it got loose.
Calling out the Eternal Flame Priests who were praying to the Wicker Giant, the party quickly ruined their plans at world domination. As it would happen, the new Water Cult leader, Ted, cast Sleet Storm
on the priests and the Wicker Giant, wounding, and thus angering, the Fire Elemental trapped within. Alas, the flame was no match for the deluge of thick wet sleet and the Fire Elemental was doused in less than 12 seconds. The priests were taken down almost as quickly, with Sytarii charging into the maelstrom to thoroughly disembowel 
the priest caught within.
Reinforcements were many as the Eternal Flame Guardians fired crossbow bolts at the party – only to get pulled off their perch by a well-aimed thorn-whip; an Azer came lumbering down the scaffolding only to be beaten to death by the druids and their shillelagh’s; and three Hell Hounds and another Priest came slipping and sliding through the sleet storm, emerging one at a time to be cut down by the adventurers before they could even use their formidable weapons.
After gathering their breath, the adventurers scaled the scaffolding and entered the tower itself. Choosing not to deal with the magmins
below them, they ascended the stairs. First one flight, then another, only to be surprised by a very well prepared foursome. First, a fireball whooshed into the team, knocking poor Telfid out – thankfully, the party was well-stocked with healing potions. Reyroris shook off the fire damage though and would have fought back, had the fireball not been followed by a stinking cloud of gaseous nastiness that left the party retching. Two Guardians led their attack with strikes from their flaming swords, further aggravating the situation. Then the druid, Elizar, 
conjured a wall of fire that knocked Telfid out again. Ganus made himself invisible and ran downstairs to take cover. Sytarii wasn’t far behind and sprinted for the exit. Reyroris administered another potion to Telfid and they took off too. After a few seconds, the druid dropped the wall of fire and the foursome chased after the party. Unfortunately, Lord Commander Ted had been overcome by the fires and was no more.
On exiting the tower, Reyroris smartly disguised himself as an Eternal Flame Guardian and started chasing Telfid and Sytarii across the courtyard. Sytarii was running full-tilt and made it through the gateway to the relative safety of the slope beyond. Telfid and Reyroris were not so lucky as thorny briars and bushes sprouted around them, taking the barely conscious Telfid back into oblivion. Reyroris’ quick thinking saved the day though, as he yelled, “They went that way,” pointing through the gate and down the hill. Elizar cleared the brambles and the foursome continued chasing after Sytarii, who was leaving them in his dust. Reyroris dropped the disguise, healed his 
unconscious friend one last time, and the two trotted East into the hills and forests beyond. An hour or so later, Ganus appeared, huffing and puffing behind the two.
Eventually, and, thankfully, uneventfully, the party made it to their boat and settled in for the night. Sytarii was resting in the captain’s quarters, with Ganus in a bunk nearby. Telfid and Reyroris stayed topside, preferring to bunk in the wheelhouse.
Shortly after they were all asleep, three hellhounds padded onto the boat. 
Sytarii hid in the captain’s quarters until he heard Ganus getting attacked. The hellhounds took turns breathing fire in the wheelhouse and Telfid dropped again, however, he was granted a boon from the heavens and miraculously recovered. With their combined efforts, the party was able to vanquish the monsters.
Alas, our tale pauses here, to be continued next week.
| Character | XP / XP So Far | Level / To Advance |
Treasure |
|---|---|---|---|
Ganus |
2715 / 6387 | 4 (6500) | Wand of Magic Missiles Scroll of Haste Scroll of Wall of Water Scroll of Skywrite |
Reyroris |
2715 / 6836 | 5 (14000) | 250 GP gold ruby ring |
| Sytarii | 2715 / 6999 | 5 (14000) | +1 Dagger, “Reszur” Potion of Diminution |
| Taban | 0 / 4058 | 4 (6500) | N/A |
| Telfid | 2715 / 6316 | 4 (6500) | Scroll of Lesser Restoration |
| Keeley | 0 / 3601 | 4 (6500) | N/A |
| Olive | 0 / 75 | 1 (300) | N/A |
| Defortune | 0 / 163 | 1 (300) | N/A |
| Rainar | 0 / 226 | 1 (300) | N/A |
| Noctavia | 2190 / 6110 | 4 (6500) | N/A |
| Nastane | 0 / 3942 | 4 (6500) | N/A |
| Nala | 0 / 4942 | 4 (6500) | N/A |
While the party wisely went around the giant killing machines, Sytarii thought he’d have some fun and unleashed Ildon’s crossbow. Taking careful aim at an ogrish posterior, he loosed a quarrel, that missed, of course. The ogres took note of the miss though and chased Sytarii for a long way before they tired and gave up. 
One of them even nicked him with a massive javelin.
up and left as soon as she could. She did, however, leave a small box in her tent with a note that said, “Use them well.” Ganus was very happy to see a pair of magic scrolls in the box.
Jolliver charged in, knocking out Telfid, but the party rallied and the enemies were dispatched forthwith. Then the adventurers thoroughly looted the keep. Encountering little remaining resistance. The chapel contained a cultist priestess and her guard, who attacked the intruders, so they were aggressively dealt with. Some bugbears proved to be the last remaining resistance in the last tower. They, likewise, were aggressively dealt with. Exploring the secret staircase in the throne room, the party found a grotto with a wide stream running through it. Embarking on the boats that seemed provided for that purpose, they headed downstream only to be waylaid by ghouls who capsized one of the boats, dumping the heavily armored passengers straight into the stream. Thankfully, the other boat got back to shore safely, so the drier members of the party were able to throw a line to the wetter ones and haul them ashore. The ghouls proved to not be too much of a challenge as Telfid called forth his holy anger and scared half of them away. the rest were readily dispatched.
I say nearly, because the party reacted quickly and decisively to the threat, killing the captain and his mate before the pirates could mount an offense. Several remaining pirates jumped ship and swam for the shore, while one stubbornly held his post, only to be cut down.
take on the day. That all changed the moment the Innkeeper, Nalaskur Thaelond, a Zhentarim operative, walked up and asked her and the party to run the inn for a ten-day while he went to Waterdeep to sort out some supply issues. After he left, she immediately discovered that 6 of the keys were missing. After much investigation, all evidence pointed at the Senior Sword, Chalaska Muruin, Guardmaster for the Inn. But it was a frame-up. Iglor the handyman was the actual culprit and he now sits in prison. Nalaskur was very happy that the Inn didn’t burn down in his absence, and rewarded the party handsomely for their efforts.
water genasi and high ranking member of the Water Cult. After entertaining the nosy adventurers for an interminable amount of time, he attacked. Discovering the party was a little more resilient than he’d expected, he unleashed a Tidal Wave that nearly washed the entire party down to Davy Jones’ locker. With Ganus’ nifty use of the invisibility spell and a few much-needed healing potions, the party was able to destroy the water wizard and his entourage.
encountered a sour-faced fellow with a drooping mustache named Reash. After Ganus told him they slew the genasi, he invited them in. An escort of 3 reavers brought them to the tower room where Reash and a small army were waiting for them. Reash proved to be a worthy 
adversary, but the Reavers, deckhands, and bandits just kept coming. Wave after wave of water cultists came after the party as the alarm spread throughout the keep. And wave after wave of cultists died. Sytarii got to experience what it must be like to be a red dragon, breathing Dragonfire and burning his attackers to a crisp. With burnt, slashed, pierced and bludgeoned bodies piling up (34 in all), the party was able to stem the tide. Now, after a short rest, they ready themselves to explore the keep.
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