Module - Defending the Feyshard - The Story So Far...

4/4/10 Session at The Hidden Keep

The party had just finished a fight with many fire elementals when we last met. They had put the sword in the bag of holding found in "Death's Waiting Room" above, along with Lucan, who was burned and unconscious at the time.

Heading upstairs, the party found a curious man in a dragon head hat doing some odd magical manipulation of the lift on which the party had descended. He claimed he was "maintenance." When asked further, he looked around nervously, then admitted that he was an agent of the Wyrmlords, sent to bring the party back.

They first went up to the ziggurat to retrieve the four large gold scarabs adorning each corner of it. They are worth 700 gold pieces.

Then the agent, named Ambryn. Did some final manipulation of the weaves of magic of the lift. When they then activated the lift, it descended to the floor of the embassy of the Wings of the Chamber, where the party had first been hired to return Lucan and the sword to them.

The two wyrmlords who had initially sent the party on this quest, Mishayla and Drayon, were in the main embassy chamber waiting, along with 2 wyrmlord guards. They exit the room and lead in a third wyrmlord. All bow as a third Wyrmlord enters, Maglos, the leader of the Dragon's Fate embassy of the Wings. The party follows suit, bowing in respect as Maglos enters.

Maglos introduces himself as the "Talon" (leader) of the embassy:

Gifts

Ambryn wheels in an ornate cart, which holds bags of gold. He distributes the gold portion of the reward.

Mishayla indicates that the greater treasure is the bestowal of trust. She pins a Manaprint Medallion on each party member, speaking a few words in draconic as she does so, which activates them. Any who know Draconic recognize the words, "Your soul is recognized."

As a quest reward, the party members receive 1,500 experience. Further, any characters turning in the quest (or slackers who have taken part in the quest so far that were not present), may select a level 9 magic item of their choice.

As his magic item reward, Dan picked a wondrous item flying mount (shown in the image to the right).

Manaprint Medallion

Party members will be given an intricately-designed broaches of platinum, called a Manaprint Medallion. When the Wyrmlords grant them, they perform a simple magic ritual, which attunes the medallion to a specific person. When worn by the agent for whom it is attuned, it glows a faint purple hue. If someone attempts to wear it who has not been attuned to it, it will not glow.

Wearers of the medallion will enjoy free passage on any conveyance operated by any of the dragonmarked houses, which have an understanding with Argonnessan. Representatives of the house have been trainined to spot these medallions and to offer their services, though most members of the house will have no idea why the arrangement was made or with whom. Any costs get charged against Argonessan accounts.

Mageforged Carriage

The party leader is given a Mageforged Carriage. This wondrous magical item is a small metal miniature of a horseless carriage a few inches high. Upon speaking a command word, it grows into a large (2x2 squares) carriage. Its door opens only to one with a Manaprint Medallion attuned to them.

Climbing inside, one finds that the inside is far larger than the outside would suggest. The main room contains several overstuffed leather couches and a well-stocked bar. On the bar is a beautiful ceramic and gold container with a slot in the top. Placing a gold coin in the slot will cause a female Djinn to appear in the garb of a butler, complete with a towel draped over her arm.

The Djinn, named Baeth (pronounced "bayth"), offers any services typically performed by hired help, such as making beds, cooking, mixing drinks, drawing a bath, cleaning, and so on. Baeth will not leave the carriage, and returns to the container once the party leaves the carriage and returns it to its miniature state.

Througout the carriage, the walls are completely transparent, allowing one to view the countryside as it passes by. Any in the carriage can give simple commands to the carriage, such as "slow," "stop," "turn right," and so on. The carriage is a living thing. It can read a map and follow directions to specific locations shown in a map. It will move at the highest safe speed it can. It will avoid obstacles, where possible.

if the cart is attacked, it will eject the characters from the cart, along with equipment typically worn on thier person.

Upon the utterance of a keyword, it will return to its miniature size. It can be enlarged to its full size once per hour.

Two doors lead off of the main room. One leads to a bunkroom with 10 feather beds and sets of drawers. The second leads to a well-appointed bathroom, complete with large claw foot iron tub, privvy, and wash basin.

Party members summon the djinn, receiving services such as footrubs, massages, sharpening weapons, and polishing armor. Meike comments that, "At last, I'm travelling in style fitting my station." (or something along those lines)

Laying Out the Mission

Maglos explains that he needs the help of the party:

He indicates that the party can take care of purchasing any items they might need and make any preparations for leaving in the morning.

Trip to Sharn

The party begins their journey to Sharn aboard the Mageforged Carriage. The trip takes 8 hours. 6 hours into the trip, the carriage is attacked by two large undead creatures, which look like the Cerebrilith to the right.

These brutes attacked the cart as it bounded along the road. Upon being attacked, the carriage ejected the party members, along with their equipment. The command word was spoken, which shrunk the carriage to its miniature size.

A perception check was made. Those with rolls of 25 or over spotted two blue drakes in the distance, shown at right. They fly toward the party.

These drakes attack with cold blasts. If they hit, the target is frozen in place (save ends).

Initiative rolls were made and combat began.

Soon, beneath three nearby trees, skeletons were spotted. Each of them reached their arms into the trees, and upwards, as if putting on arm-length gloves. They could then control the trees, which began attacking those just across the river stretching alongside the road on which the carriage travelled.

Attacks by the trees took two forms, a grab and hold or throwing characters. Upon being thrown up to 5 squares, those attacked took damage and got knocked prone.
Soon three additional enemies attacked, a type of foes fought in the past. These are the creatures fought in the mines in the battle which ended with a bulette crashing through the wall with Mishayla and Drayon.

These enemies light firespouts underfoot of their targets, which persist until the end of the encounter. Whether the attack is successful or not, the firespouts erupt under the feet of their targets. On a successful hit, they do fire damage.

Each round a creature has one of these fire spouts in their square, they must make a successful saving throw or take fire damage. This attack was made worse when the drakes would freeze one in place with a fire spout underfoot. Also, the trees would pick up players and hurl them up to 5 squares, into a fire spout, where possible, which would knock them prone in the fire.

Highlights of the battle included twice when one or two trees were knocked prone. The most successful of these had to be when a tree with one hit point was knocked prone... into a fire spout, which finished it off.

There were several times when trees did epic dwarf tosses, often into fire spouts. "Short ribs, anyone?"

Postgame

After finishing off all attackers, the players searched the bodies. A little over 300 gold pieces were found. The best dressed of the fire mages had a note in her pocket. The note reads:

4/10/10 Session

Tower

First Story

The main floor of the tower is occupied by six sets (reduced to 4, since fewer players showed up than normal) of Haunted Armor, which will attack any who enter who are not undead. Blood is splattered all over the walls, which is actually a Blood Golem.

After 10 rounds (or once the action begins to settle down), Blackwings smash through the large, high stained-glass windows, joining the fight.

Haunted Armor	Blood Golem	Blackwing

Top Story

The top story of the tower houses a small lab. Its current resident is Candleheart, a lich. Candleheart is not here at present, having left for Sharn just two days before to deliver the bomb to Jerda. In this lab, he crafted the necrotically-powered anti-magic bomb which is to be used to destroy the heart of the Feyshard, The Great Machine.

Two paintings adorn the walls of the tower, one of Candleheart as he now is and one of Divita as she was in her prime. The two are friends in undeath. They were lovers in life.

A finely-carved desk has a hutch with many papers in it, among which are love notes from Candleheart to Divita. One will also find plans for the bomb.

4/17/10 Session at The Hidden Keep

At the Spoils of War tavern, Meike overheard the following conversation.

Meike asked about what Grond had said about variations from the plans. Grond at first was reluctant to talk, somewhat embarassed that he had been overheard. After another beer, he loosened up a bit, and was more willing to discuss the situation.

She asked what they were excavating. Grond talked about this being the new, underground Dwarf Quarter of the Feyshard. When asked about those who are working down there, he talked a bit about the project leader, Gundar. He mentioned again that "He's not a proper dwarf, altering plans like that." He also mentioned that they are desperate for additional laborers on the project. "They are in so much need that they're even hiring greenskins," he said in disgust.

Meike then went off to talk with someone at House Kundarak about what she had heard, since she's minor royalty of that house (she might have mentioned this offhandedly at least once... or 10 times).