Welcome to the Everlasting Night
The sun hasn’t risen over Icewind Dale in two years. Many believe that the goddess of winter’s wrath -- Auril, the Frostmaiden -- is weaving a spell to lengthen winter and increase the suffering of Ten Towns. No one knows exactly why, but the people of Icewind Dale are hoping for heroes to step up and save them from the everlasting night.
On behalf of Sheriff Markham Southwell of Bryn Shander, bounty hunter Hiln Trollbane has hired a group of adventurers: Anatol, a human paladin of Amaunator; Harvan Stonebridge, a halfling cleric of Yondalla; Ligs, a dwarf fighter from the Dwarven Valley; Ratimir, a human bard; Ziff, a kobold rogue; Glim Peppadimmie, a gnome druid; and Lain Sorenstarr, a drow ranger. What began as a search for a serial killer has become a struggle for the survival of Icewind Dale, and perhaps the world itself.
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Session 40: Beyond the Crystal Cave
Campaign Almanac
Day 19 of the campaign, 6 days until the new moon.
Anatol, Ziff, Ratimir, Ligs, Harvan, and Glik have had a long rest in the Bone Machine at Caer-Bannog and then ventured into a mysterious cave in the foothills of the Spine of the World Mountains in search of a cure for Harvan's parents.Ask
Ligs, as cautiously was he was able, entered the low cave entrance. Inside,
he found a natural cavern about 40 feet across and about 25 feet high in the
center. The floor was flat and very dusty with a few scraps of dry vegetation
scattered about. Numerous tracks were visible in the dust, most of which were
small animals that led to a passage on the right. A set of larger, humanoid
tracks formed a clear path from the entrance to a dark exit to the left. With
his
Ratimir and Anatol followed the passage to the right where they found the echoes of their footfalls were strangely magnified. The granite walls were covered with chalk markings too worn and faded to read. Finally the passage opened into a round cavern with glassy walls of black rock. The floor of the cavern was flat and bare: the black walls rose vertically, forming a roughly vertical cylinder about 40 feet in diameter. The roof was lost in darkness, beyond the range of their vision.
On the floor — written in common — was the word, "Ask."
I'm Breathing Mouther
Ligs, Harvan, and Ziff took the left branch and entered a cavern with a smooth but undulating floor and littered with fragments of stalactite. The roof, about 30 feet high, was covered with stalactites ranging in size from a few inches to several feet. Many of them seem to have snapped off at the root. Winding through the broken stalactites was the set of humanoid tracks.
Anatol and Ratimir caught up with Team Fun Size and followed the tracks into a natural cavern that contained a large pool of mud. Next to the pool on the side nearest the party were two mounds of dried mud about 4 feet high and 3 feet across. Two pale humanoid hands caked in dried mud stiffly protruded from different mounds, each hand reaching for the other. One hand was thick and masculine, the other feminine and delicate. The feminine hand wore a gold ring on its ring finger.
As Ligs stepped into the mud on his way to explore an island in the giant pool,
a
Bear Ligs pursues one of Ziff's Hand Turkeys
Ziff fired a dark chardalyn-tipped arrow charged with the spell
Going in Hot, Burning Slots
Ratimir cast
Hard Water Problems
Leaving the mud cavern behind, the party advanced to an even larger cavern
whose walls were covered in shimmering crystals. The slightest movements of
Ratimir's
Experimenting with the water, the party discovered that the waterfall and pool weren't frozen, but were moving very slowly. Walking across the pool's surface quickly was easy, like walking on soft soil. If one stood in one place too long they'd sink and be dragged under the viscous water.
Ratimir cast
The Bright Lands
Behind the waterfall was a room carved into the rock. The floor, which was about 3 feet above the surface of the pool in the crystal cave, bore a mosaic consisting of a geometric pattern enclosing representations of birds, animals, fruits, and flowers. Lying on the floor were the decayed, collapsed remains of a long couch, a wooden table, and a quantity of broken glass. The walls were bare rock but in the wall opposite was a decorated alcove, the floor, walls, and ceiling of which were covered in a much brighter, fresher-looking mosaic of garden scenes.
Ziff and Jghearriex* entered the alcove and were teleported instantly to a fairy
ring of toadstools surrounded by a group of short humanoids. At Ziff's side
was the female satyr he'd seen as Jghearriex's reflection in the
Session 41: The Endless River
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
Who’s Gonna Be Our Hooch Rat?
Ziff barely had a moment to consider his new surroundings before he was joined by Ratimir, Harvan, Ligs, and Anatol, all materializing in positions around him. The party found themselves standing in the middle of a 20-foot-diameter ring of large toadstools in a small grassy clearing in idyllic woodland. Seated on five of the larger toadstools were five diminutive figures with pointed hats, red cheeks and bright, cheerful clothing all staring intently at the new arrivals. The apparent leader was standing facing away from the group, relieving himself outside the fairy ring.
“Apologies! You caught me with me pants down. Haven’t had visitors in a quite a spell. Just a minute!”
The five leprechauns taunted and sang to the party while offering slugs of “the homebrew” – a strong, distilled whiskey blended with several other flowers and herbs (foxglove among them). As more of the party partook of the strong drink, the leprechauns became more animated and broke out into a boisterous song with the following verses.
The river o'er yonder appearing
Has five bridges (of which you are hearing).
The problem we set,
Is how do you get
Across each and return to this clearing?There's a fountain somewhere in this garden
Whose waters, we hear, sometimes harden,
But a drink now and then
Cures all in our ken,
And may even bring forth cries of “Pardon.”There's a lovely building just here
With turrets and domes far and near.
"Tis a shame you can't spy it
AS we urge you to try it.
Solve the puzzle and see it appear!Some may think that our maze is a pest
But it shelters a haven of rest,
And ere anyone leaves
They must leave more that leaves
And then honour our master’s request.There are leaves in the garden to trace
and a maze with a clear central space
with a leaf in your hand
you could stand and stand
but to leave, leave the leaves in their placeThere was a young man from Sybar
Who was stung on the nose by a wasp
We said “Does it hurt?”
He replied “Not at all,
It can do it again if it likes."
With their song complete, the leprechauns bid the party farewell, though not before giving directions to the maze referred to in their song and turning Ligs’ backpack into an enormous unicorn-head plush toy.
The Endless River, revealed after Ratimir's brief tenure as a fish
Duskward, Nightward, Glimmerward, Shimmerward
After the leprechauns departed, Ligs climbed a tree to get a better look at their surroundings. In the direction of the setting sun, he saw a large meadow of waving grasses, an enormous lake, and another green meadow beyond. To the right of this scene was an imposing cypress swamp. To the left, low mountains reflecting the alpenglow of late sunset. Behind him, the full moon was just starting to crest the horizon.
Gazing upon the disk of the moon, Ligs felt an overwhelming feral impulse well up within. He quickly looked away and was able to resist the fierce rage and hunger that demanded control.
Jghearriex, using a form of sign language, explained the cardinal
directions of the Feywild:
In Our Darkest Moments, We’ve All Wondered What Anatol Tastes Like
The party systematically followed the river banks trying to discern a pattern that would satisfy the leprechauns’ limerick, but the flow of the river and arrangement of the bridges didn’t appear to make sense.
They followed a footpath away from the river that carried
them
Jghearriex used her flutes to charm Ligs into a torpor,
controlling his rage. Ratimir took this opportunity to slip
the
With Ligs under control, the party walked back
The Incredible Mr. Ratimir
Returning to the nonsensical river, the party followed a
single riverbank
The sinuous form approached the bard and a vaguely draconic-looking head covered in blue and white fish scales breached the surface. It spoke:
"Exalted Master of the Waters, eh? You do see that this is a pond, yes?"
Ratimir asked the creature for its help understanding the flow of the river.
"I can see you’re not from here. Alright...since you asked so politely. Let’s have a look, shall we?"
The creature grabbed Ratimir by the lapels and pulled him into the water. The bard was instantly transformed into a fish, and the Yu lung led him on a thrillingly fast circuit of the river. He located all five bridges and discovered that the inscrutable river was a figure eight that flowed into itself in an endless cycle.
The Yu lung returned with fish Ratimir to the pond and – with a forceful shove under the bard’s dorsal fins – ejected him from the water. He reverted to his human form before he’d even hit the ground.
Session 42: Blame It On the Feywild
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
After considering many potential methods to solve the leprechauns' limerick regarding the river and the bridges, the party tossed out their assumptions and swam across the river in order to arrive back in the fairy ring. Everyone was transformed into a fish once they were immersed in the water and transformed back once they jumped out on the other side.
The leprechauns (who had been watching the entire time) found the party’s exploits very entertaining and rewarded them by answering two questions: the location of the fountain ("Glimmerward of the lake") and the way to get home ("through the maze"). Ziff, Anatol, and Ligs partook of another draught of the leprechauns’ homebrew whiskey.
The party headed
As they approached the lake, they got a better look at the building in the center: a two-story oval-shaped structure, rising above the surface of the lake, apparently constructed of white stone with a curved roof and a veranda all around it about 20 feet above the water. Below the veranda there was a tunnel that passed through at the water’s surface.
At the shore, they found a dock with a half-dozen punting boats. Loading into
two of them, the party set off for the white structure. Halfway across they
encountered a pair of playful giant otters that splashed and nudged the boats.
Ziff distracted them by using
They tied the boats up to cleats inside the tunnelway and ascended a set of
stairs. In the room above, they found the otters’ nest and a pair of young
otters, who started crying. The otter parents heard these cries and entered the
room but were thwarted by Ziff’s use of
The party escaped up another set of stairs on the veranda outside, following it around until they came to a doorway leading to a finely furnished room with fully surrounding windows that looked out upon the lake.
The floor, walls and ceiling of this room were of fine marble. In the center was a long white table with four padded chairs arranged around it. On the table was a silver tray bearing a crystal decanter filled with delicious wine and four crystal glasses.
Session 43: The Midsummer's Dance
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
Insert Yet Anotter Otter Pun Here
Although the walls of this room appeared to be marble from the outside, inside the walls were as clear as glass and afforded a commanding view of the lake and surrounding environs. The party took a moment to sit and sample the wine on the table, then Ratimir and Ziff examined the room for any signs of secret doors.
Harvan stepped outside onto the veranda to have a better look around. He studied the shoreline carefully and picked out the stream that fed the lake; assumedly, the fountain they sought was the source of this stream. He also saw a lone storm cloud – small and hanging unnaturally low – traversing the forest canopy between Nightward and Glimmerward.
At about this time, the chittering of the otters below switched to a low, guttural hum that seemed to pervade and carry across the lake waters. At the same time, Ziff noticed that the giant dragonflies – whom up until now had seemed content feeding in the marshy shallows on the Shimmerward side of the lake – rose into the air, pivoted, and began flying toward the structure.
As Ratimir and Harvan discussed the health and welfare of the baby otters, Ziff and Gary bolted between them as they ran for the boats, screaming, "The dragonflies are coming – it's time to go!" Soon, the two boats were loaded and making their way for the shore. Anatol noticed several dark, long, muscular shapes swimming toward their boats: the rest of the lake's otter population had been called to help as the two otter parents – their faces now contorted into ferocious horror – gained on the boats.
Ratimir cast
The Dawnbringers narrowly escaped an adorable mauling by a pack of giant otters
"Oooooh, you've got yourself into quite the pickle. Invading an otter baby nest? Not a bright move. We're willing to rescue you if you help us in return."
Ratimir agreed on behalf of the party, with the caveat that they must visit the Fountain first. Dardyn, the lead sprite, spit in his hand and leaned in. "We have an agreement?" As Ratimir shook Dardyn's tiny hand, he felt a wave of tingling warmth flow over his body.
Like All Magnificent Things, It's Very Simple
The sprites and dragonflies scooped up the Dawnbringers and shuttled them the short distance to the Fountain at the headwaters of the stream. Looking back as they gained altitude, they saw the horde of lake otters overtake and destroy the boats they had manned just moments before. They'd barely leveled off before the dragonflies began spiraling in to land.
The Dawnbringers stepped off the giant insects and Dardyn gestured toward the fountain. "There you are. We'll wait."
The fountain was a natural spring bubbling up from the centre of a rock basin about 6 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep, which, as it overflowed, formed a narrow stream which eventually ran into the lake. A dilapidated colonade surrounded the fountain.
The water from the fountain was crystal clear, cool and clean. Around the rim of the basin written in the common language and imprinted in letters of gold were the words “Fountain All Heal”. The basin was decorated by a naturally growing dog-rose.
Ratimir thrust his face in and took a long, cool drink. The magic of the fountain reinvigorated him, cured all his ailments, and restored some of his magical abilities. Harvan also took a drink and removed the last, lingering bit of exhaustion from his resurrection.
Harvan then took out the magic container given to them by Aunt Serah. He submerged the clay pot in the basin and filled it with water. As the waters swirled inside, a pulse of light swelled in the basin and flowed downstream into the lake.
He's Got Ligs, and He Knows How to Use Him
Dardyn then told the Dawnbringers about the sprites' two missing friends, Fri and Dayl.
"Fri and Dayl were fascinated with the Witchlights that have been appearing in the Dryad's Woods lately, so they thought they'd follow them and see where they went. They've been gone a while, longer than they should. The Dryad's Woods reaches into Nightward, where the Lycans live. Since you travel with a Lycan, we think you're perfect for the job."
The group boarded the dragonflies again for a trip across the lake. On the way, Dardyn explained about the Garden and how Porpherio carved out this pocket of the Feywild for himself and his partner, Caerwyn. Ever since Porpherio’s death long ago, the wards on the garden’s barrier have weakened and a rift to the Shadowfell has formed somewhere Nightward. However, Dardyn says, he’s hopeful that will be amended now that Porpherio and Caerwyn have returned.
The sprites set the Dawnbringers down at the treeline Nightward-by-Shimmerward
of the lake and wished them luck. Ratimir affixed the receiving half of the
The Danse Macabre
Ziff turned invisible and dove into the forest, scouting ahead of the rest of the Dawnbringers. Out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to see the trees clearing the way for him, despite his invisibility. Soon, he caught sight of the eerie Witchlights described by Dardyn. He followed the trail of lights that wound their way through the forest until he came upon a clearing with a roaring bonfire and five dancers cavorting around the fire: a pair of eladrin elves, a weretiger, and a pair of sprites. The music took hold of Ziff's mind and he found himself swept up in the dance.
Ratimir began playing a countercharm song on his instrument, hoping to protect the rest of his companions from the music. Harvan succumbed, while Ratimir, Anatol, and Ligs resisted its effects. Taking a good look at the scene, the party saw that the clearing was decorated with all the accouterments of a wild seasonal festival: a maypole, tables of food and drink, a glorious bonfire, and a stage with floating musical instruments belting out a joyous tune. Despite the exuberant dance steps and rictus grins on the charmed dancers, a closer look revealed their thinly veiled exhaustion and terror.
Interested that no other fires have burned in this place, Anatol probed the bonfire and discovered it was an illusion. As Ratimir continued his countercharm, Ligs and Gary took turns destroying the floating instruments one by one. When the last was destroyed, the fire was snuffed out and the festival decorations disappeared, leaving only the empty clearing and all of the dancers lying prone on the ground.
Ziff and Harvan were somewhat dazed and disoriented. The pair of elves were dead
and beyond help. Their desiccated skin was pulled tight over their gaunt faces,
their eyes dried and likely blind for an indiscernible amount of time. They wore
armor that marked them as guards of the elven city of Syngorn. The party took
their
The pair of sprites were unconscious, but Harvan and Anatol quickly revived them
with healing magic. With the illusion dispelled, the party noticed that there
were piles of bones scattered along the periphery of the clearing, the remains
of dancers long dead whose remains had been carelessly kicked to the sides by
newly charmed participants. Among these remains, the party found a
The party reversed course, following the setting sun of Duskward through the trees. They arrived back at the grassy meadow and were immediately joined by the sprites and dragonflies who greeted the two lost sprites they had rescued.
Flying back across the lake once again, the party saw a majestic unicorn in the meadow Duskward of the lake and three great gardens Duskward of that: one central set of hedges arranged in a grand maze and two smaller enclosures which appeared to house rose gardens. The solitary storm cloud Harvan had spied earlier had rounded the lake, passed the Fountain, and was heading Shimmerward toward the maze.
The Caretaker
The solitary storm cloud approached as the dragonflies and sprites departed and the adventurers peered up at the garden maze. Underneath the cloud was a tall humanoid with skin the color and texture of an aspen tree, hair a mixture of moss and quaking aspen leaves, a leather and lichen tunic, and a scrimshaw amulet featuring an acorn motif around his neck. He played an elaborate flute, but as he pulled it away to speak the storm cloud and rain immediately disappated.
"You're the outsiders I've heard about? Cool."
The creature pressed the flute to his lips and began to play. The storm cloud reappeared and rain poured down once more, soaking everyone.
Session 44: Man and Maze
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
A Proper Introduction
Standing before the Dawnbringers was a tall humanoid with skin the color and texture of an aspen tree and hair a mixture of moss and quaking aspen leaves. He wore a leather and lichen tunic and a scrimshaw amulet featuring an acorn motif around his neck. He was playing an ornate twin-piped flute, and when he lowered the flute to speak, the rain cloud immediately dissipated and the party noticed that he possessed two mouths, stacked vertically.
“I’ve been out taking care of the garden, and I got wind that a group of visitors were exploring, so I figured I’d cut my rounds short and make a proper introduction. Folks around here call me the Green Man, and I’m the custodian of Porpherio’s Garden. Sorry about the rain – I’m not used to visitors. Let me fix that.”
He replaced the flute to his lips and played another tune. This time, a strong wind stirred up and blew across the party, drying them in a matter of moments.
“Y’all look like you could use some refreshments. Why don’t you accompany me to my abode and we’ll set you right?”
He strode past the Dawnbringers and continued Duskward-by-Shimmerward, turning back once to beckon them to follow. As they walked, Ratimir faithfully replicated the tune that had summoned the rain cloud, catching the attention of the Green Man.
They soon arrived at the entrance to his dwelling, and the Green Man requested that everyone shed their weapons and armor before entering. He played another tune, and this time the trees on the borders of the path rearranged their branches into hanging hooks and racks to accept the adventurers’ belongings. Seeing that Ligs’ armor was soiled and needed attention, yet another tune issued from their host’s flute, and a mat of mobile mushrooms emerged from the trees and settled into the Frostshard Armor.
Inside they found a laboratory and workshop full of crucibles, vats, cauldrons, books, and utensils upon a myriad of tables and stands. The Green Man approached one table large enough for the group and shook out the tablecloth upon it. As he did, the labware and crockery strewn across vanished and were replaced with a tea service, scones, fruits, and breads when the cloth settled back into place.
After offering everyone samples of his various distilled spirits and brews, the Green Man told them the story of Porpherio’s Garden.
The Man Who Fell to Toril
"Porpherio was a powerful wizard that came here from without – from the sky – but somehow he became stranded. While searching for a way home, his travels brought him to the valley I believe you mortals call Icewind Dale. There, he met and fell in love with Caerwyn, the daughter of a trapper in the foothills of the Mountains. Caerwyn had wanderlust, but her family forbade her from venturing far from home for fear of the dangers of the wilderness. To satiate her urge to travel, Porpherio took her to the Feywild where they could spend weeks and when they returned, only a few minutes had passed in the Prime Material Plane.
"Eventually, Porpherio created his own pocket dimension borrowing topography and creatures from the Feywild, a safe garden retreat where he and Caerwyn could live out their lives in peace.
"My master – Oberon, the Green Lord – was so impressed with Porpherio's work that he allowed it to continue, with the added stipulation that the
"They lived thus for many, many years but eventually time caught up with Caerwyn. She passed away, and a few weeks later Porpherio followed, but not before strengthening the magicks that protected the garden.Fountain All Heal be transferred from the Feywild to this garden, and that Porpherio should assume its guardianship.
Anatol asked about the Green Man’s scrimshaw acorn amulet.
“My friend,Tolben , often visits us here and maintains a grove in the swamps Shimmerward of the lake. Though, he left just before sunset to go look for something out in your world.”
The Green Man said he’d never met Arundel or Lysan, but he did recognize their names.
An Errand for Aunt Serah
Their host then asked why the Dawnbringers had come to Porpherio’s Garden, and
they recounted the failing health of Harvan’s parents and how the family healer
–
The Green Man’s brow furrowed as he heard the name Serah. He explained that the magic of the fountain only works if the water is consumed directly from the stone basin. Once the water is removed, the magic dissipates. He asked to examine the container she provided and determined that if there was ever any magic in the cup, it had been expended.
The party asked why the Green Man looked upset, and why he reacted to the name Aunt Serah.
“Serahthil was a dryad living with her two sisters, Grynathil and Melathil in the forests in the border area where the Dusk gives way to Night. The three became corrupted by the darkness of Nightward and (with Porpherio dead and his warding magic fading) found a tear in the barrier that divided the garden from the rest of the Feywild and the Shadowfell. Serahthil was the first to venture deeper into the darkness and she returned changed. She began ritually killing other garden inhabitants secretly, using their bodies to concoct various arcane brews to increase her power.
The Maze
Sundial at the center of the Maze“The three sisters plotted to take control of the garden and wield the power of the
“The waters of the Fountain are the same that pour over the waterfall that separates our two worlds, and I’m afraid this container you’ve brought in may have weakened those wards. I must go investigate this. I’m also concerned about the rumors of Porpherio’s return, so I ask that you go to the Maze and visit the Palace.Fountain All Heal for themselves, but with Tolben’s help I was able to stop them. Her two sisters were sealed in amber gems and placed insidea pair of guarded locations here in the garden . Serahthil escaped into your world, and I placed protective wards on the Crystal Cave to prevent her from returning.
The Moonbrush
Before leaving for the Maze, Ziff excused himself to explore the rear of the Green Man’s cave. Taking the doorway on the right, he entered another hand-hewn but comfortably-finished cave lined with shelves of plants, all illuminated by the same magical sunlight that lit the rest of the cave. Continuing further, he came to a broad opening that ended in a mangrove swamp bordered by tall grasses underneath a starry, moonlit sky. A pair of flat-bottomed boats bobbed next to a narrow plank dock and in the distance, beyond the mangroves, was a wide plain of long grasses that led into gentle, rolling foothills.
You are in a Maze of Twisty Little Passages, All Alike
The Dawnbringers set out for the Maze while the Green Man made for a large tree near his cave’s entrance. He promised to meet the party in the center of the maze with the last leaf they required to enter the Palace: a dog-rose from the Fountain All Heal. With that said, he took out his flute and played a lilting melody. The large tree he stood near contorted and then split down the middle, opening into a wide passage. With a nod to the group, the Green Man stepped into the tree and disappeared.
After navigating several dead ends in the Maze, Ligs and Anatol scaled a statue they came upon near one of the corners. Ligs – standing on Anatol’s shoulders on top of the statue – memorized the twisting passages of the Maze from this vantage point and was able to quickly lead his companions to the center. As they drew closer to the center of this maze, the sun rose steadily until – once they’d reached the center – it was directly overhead.
The Palace of Spires (the artist, writer, and cartographer for this module definitely never spoke to each another.)
There, they found a wide, circular pool that reflected the surrounding environs outside the Maze as if the hedge walls did not exist. They could clearly see the reflections of mountains to Glimmerward, the swamps of Shimmerward, and the forests both to Duskward and Nightward.
Beside the pool was a sundial indicating it was high noon. Around the edges of the sundial were leaf-shaped depressions: an oak leaf, a shamrock, a sprig of mistletoe, and a dog-rose. Ligs placed leaves for the first three in the corresponding depressions. A moment later, a tree on the periphery of the clearing opened and out stepped the Green Man with a dog-rose in hand. He placed it in the remaining depression and the reflection in the water basin changed: an enormous, floating palace appeared Duskward.
The Palace of Spires
The Green Man stood at the edge of the basin, then fell face-first into the water. His reflection continued all the way around and appeared upside down, standing in front of the floating palace. The rest of the party followed suit and all found themselves standing on a grassy meadow facing a marble wall with a tunnel. They walked through the tunnel into a walled garden, in the center of which was a spiral staircase that abruptly ended 20 feet from the ground. They ascended and when their heads reached the break in the stairs, they suddenly saw marble columns and wood paneling in a lavishly appointed entry bower, surrounded with comfortable-looking sofas. Everyone immediately felt drowsy, and since noting the passage of time in Porpherio's Garden had been difficult, they had lost track of how much time had passed. They settled into the sofas for a rest.
They awoke after only a few moments with all the benefits of a full-night’s sleep. The bower led to a stone porch, where a flight of broad stone steps lead up to an arched doorway. The arch over the door protruded from the wall and was supported by a stim stone pillar and caryatid statue on either side. The huge double doors, each 10 feet wide and 30 feet high, were of silvery metal and decorated with a fine incised geometric pattern. There were no door handles. In black letters around the arch over the door were written the words “Enter in Peace."
Ziff pulled out the
Enter in Peace
There were two small glass-topped tables, each with five comfortable-looking chairs arranged around them. On each table stood a crystal decanter, a bowl of fruit and five crystal glasses.
At the far end of the room a large, semi-circular alcove and a semi-circle of slender pillars formed a circular area in the center of which was a fountain. The ceiling of the room ended here and a jet of water from the fountain rose into this opening. A fine, unsupported, metal spiral staircase wound upwards around the jet.
The fountain jet rose to about 70 feet but the spiral staircase stopped at about 40 feet where a short cat-walk appeared to connect it to the floor above.
As the adventurers discussed their next move, a voice rang out from above, “Who’s there?” followed by footsteps on the tall spiral staircase. Moments later, Luther Stonebridge, dressed in elegant wizard’s robes, stepped off the staircase and onto the main floor.
Session 45: The Price You Pay
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
Treachery and Happenstance
As the shock of the situation wore off, Luther and Rosalee Stonebridge rushed
forward to greet their son. They asked how he'd found them, how Harvan's
brothers were doing, and introduced themselves to the rest of the Dawnbringers.
Then, Luther poured himself a glass of wine from the decanter and began
recounting the story of his arrival in
"How can I explain it? There aren't many halflings up here in the North, so
finding work was always difficult. But Mr. Pumab, well, he was from Calimshan
and understood the problems that came with being the stranger. He took me in and
gave me a job running the magic shop at his store,
"Then, Pumab got sick and passed away. To my surpise, he left *me* the store in his will. Running the magic shop was one thing...but an entire store? I was out of my depth. I didn't know the first thing about running a business, and I was shocked at how many of the traveling merchants expected bribes or were dealing in stolen goods. Apparently, I didn't have that vein of ruthlessness required to run a business.
"And so, not knowing where else to turn, I went to see the old family friend, Aunt Serah. She'd been so good to us in the past, I figured she'd have some good advice. She told me I lacked confidence and that there was a simple spell she could cast that would boost me up. But she warned me: enhancing one emotion would come at the cost of another. To gain confidence, I would lose a bit of my happiness.
"But what could I do? Stonebridge's was a month away from complete failure, and the debts were piling up. Jomin and Conret were already toddling around our tiny cottage, and Merser was on the way. Besides, I was a happy guy, always finding the silver lining in things. I could spare a little happiness if it saved my family.
"Serah delivered on her promise: business immediately improved. I secured a reliable network of vendors that brought me low-cost goods from all over the Sword Coast. Within months, I expanded the main showroom to twice its size. Within a year, we opened locations in Bryn Shander and Termalaine. Stonebridge's became a household name.
"Years went by, and business boomed. You boys grew up comfortable and cared for.
Then, one day, Maxildanaar and his goon Skath showed up on my doorstep, said
they had proof Stonebridge's was dealing in stolen goods. 'Poppycock!' I told
them. But, they laid it out for me: names, dates, shipments...all linked back to
reports of pirates and banditry across the Sword Coast. Aunt Serah had made
my business flourish by getting me involved with the biggest criminal
organization on the continent: the
"Maxildanaar promised not to go public with the information IF I used my influence with the Town Elders to their benefit. They wanted me to back their candidate for the Speaker position. Had that been all, I would have marched over to Danneth and confessed then and there, put an end to it! But, no. Skath threatened Rosalee. He threatened you and your brothers.
"So, I toed the line for a while, trying to find a way to get the upper hand with those two. But I never wavered in my support of Danneth.
"And then the lottery started, and Harvan's name was the first to come up. What were the odds? Was it possible? Of course...but was it likely? Danneth met with me privately when it happened, and though I'm not proud of it, I paid for it to go away. They drew another name, poor bastard. That will stay with me for a while.
"I knew...I KNEW that Maxildanaar and Skath had done it somehow, so one
night I used a little magic to break into Waylen's office and used the
"I told Waylen about all of this in secret, but it was getting to the point we didn't know who we could trust. To Tarkwold's displeasure, Waylen insisted on drawing the lottery from then on. Without the lottery to use as cover, we hoped that Maxildanaar wouldn't openly come after us.
"And then as time passed, I felt myself slipping away...day by day, things just got a little bit darker. I thought, "it's just age, responsibility, and the situation weighing on me," but it was more than that. And then – praise Yondallah's golden locks – Maxildanaar and Skath were killed in that nasty business in Targos. I felt a great weight lift and I sent Danneth a letter resigning from the Town Elders, hoping that if I focused on my family and the business, I'd enjoy some relief. But, it didn't work. Soon, there were days I just couldn't haul myself out of bed and Rosalee brought Serah in for one of her cures. She gave me potions, cast incantations, but nothing seemed to work.
"The last thing I remember before showing up here was Aunt Serah standing over me in our bedroom. She poured some foul-tasting, syrupy-sweet concoction down my throat and the pendant around her neck flashed. She whispered in my ear, "Don't worry dear, it will all be over soon," and as she pulled back, the look on her face was one of amused malice. I felt a thrill of fear shoot up my spine as a I blacked out.
"And then, everything was like a dream. I felt myself walking through a cave with shining, sparkling walls. A waterfall frozen in time poured from the far end. My hand raised and a hole opened in the wall of water. As I passed through the hole, I felt a horrible rending sensation, as if I were being torn apart. I screamed, but it wasn't my voice. And then, the scream peeled away from me and was shut out by the wall of water. I stumbled forward and collapsed onto the floor.
"After that, my memory is spotty. I awoke in a ring of toadstools, I walked through a beautiful forest toward the setting sun, around an idyllic lake and playful otters, saw a ghost town. Along the way, I took a drink from an alluring fountain that cleared my mind, but made me feel very tired. I strolled through hallways made of thorn-covered hedges and blacked out again.
"When I awoke, I was here and as naked as the day I was born, so I put on these robes I found upstairs. Well, almost naked, except for these."
Luther pulled out a silver necklace with four charms hanging from it. The charms depicted an oak leaf, a dog rose, a shamrock, and a sprig of mistletoe. They were the exact same leaves required to activate the sundial in the maze.
"It's odd these were the only belongings to come with me. I came across them these years ago while running that magic shop for Pumab. They barely register as magical, and Pumab didn't think anyone would buy them, so he let me take 'em. There was a pair, so I gave one set to Rosalee and I kept the other. We were poor back then, so that was the first time I'd ever given her jewelry. We've rarely taken them off in all our years together.
"I was here alone for weeks," Luther continued, "with no one but these unnerving talking statue-servants for company. They believe I'm someone named 'Porpherio' returned from the dead. So then, just a few days ago, I had this intense urge to return to the fairy ring, and so for the first time since I arrived, I left the palace and made my way back across the meadows and into the forest. There, in the middle of the ring was your mother, unconscious! I scooped her up, which was strangely easy to do – she felt light as a feather – and took her as fast as I could to the Fountain. I gave her a draught of water from the basin and she awoke immediately. We've been in this wonderful place ever since."
The Green Man had listened to Luther's account in silence, growing visibly alarmed as the story developed. Once Luther had finished, the Green Man expressed his concern that Serahthil may already be back in the garden. He left to investigate, telling the party that he would contact them if he needed assistance.
Porpherio Profundus and Caerwyn
Luther escorted the Dawnbringers upstairs into the bedroom he and Rosalee had been using during their stay. Inside, they found a comfortable bedroom, the floor decorated with four rectangular mosaics which depicted the four seasons. Hanging on one of the walls was a tapestry showing two charismatic figures (one male elf and one female human) standing in a woodland glade surrounded by creatures both mundane and fantastical.
The tapestry was enchanted, and the two figures moved slightly, as if posing for the image. A gentle breeze moved their hair about, and the long meadow grass waved. The male – lithe and, pale, and possessing pointed ears like most elves – was unusally tall and willowy. Luther watched Harvan's face as the latter took in the scene.
"Well, you know what he is, don't you? He's astar elf . I read stories about his people to you when you were a child. They left this world a long, long time ago."
The group then ascended to the top of the palace via a secret stairway from Luther and Rosalee's bedroom. There, among flower beds overlooking Porpherio's Garden, was the tomb of Porpherio and Caerwyn. Sculptures of the supine pair lay on top of the sarcophagus, embracing each other as if asleep. Written around the edges of the lid was this poem:
O stranger, whom fate hath brought nigh,
Leave those within in peace to lie.
If thou wouldst deign grant our request,
Then fate will move at thy behest.
This gift from the contented dead,
We swear to grant by heart and head.
The group noticed that the full moon seemed higher than it had before, and Ligs took great care to avoid looking directly at it as he examined the topography surrounding the palace, filing away details for later recall.
Porpherio's Garden, as seen from the top of the Palace of Spires
Hamish and Argus
The group departed the roof and descended down a second spiral staircase, which
took them to another bedroom, across the hallway from the Stonebridge's
quarters. Inside were two immaculately preserved corpses lying on the bed: a
warrior and a mage. Ratimir cast
The pair had persisted longer than other transplants to the "ghost town" Glimmerward of the lake and attributed their long lives to the magic of the Fountain and finding purpose in serving as the garden's caretakers.
Keys to Doors Unseen
As the party prepared to exit the palace to find Tolben's grove in the Shimmerward
swamp, Ziff experimented with the
The door opened, and inside Ziff was presented with the expected closet space, this one tailored to someone with more arcane interests: there were book shelves, potion racks, and cubbyholes for spell reagents and components. The closet was bare save for two books (in an undecipherable language), and a pair of keys – one wooden, the other jade – lying on the shelf directly ahead.
Session 46: Missing Pieces
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
Congratulations on Your Purchase
Ziff scooped up the two keys: one made of wood, the other jade. He then pulled the two books down from the shelf and opened one of them. Immediately, an illusion of an elegantly dressed wizard appeared in front of him. The illusion spoke in an unintelligible language, but he was clearly demonstrating the use and function of the doorknob.
Once the apparition faded, Ratimir cast
Ziff tried both keys in the doorknob, but neither opened a doorway.
The Long Game
Ratimir convinced Luther and Rosalee to allow him to probe their minds in hopes of learning more about Serahthil. As he reviewed their memories, he saw the human healer Aunt Serah at various points of their lives. She was present and served as midwife for the births of all four boys and had visited many times over the years to treat illnesses and injuries.
But most interesting was the method she used on both of Harvan’s parents to extract their life essence: each time, she administered the same syrupy-sweet potion, uttered an incantation, and the green gem in her necklace flashed. In both of those isolated instances, the essences of the elder Stonebridges rose up above their bodies and attached themselves to Aunt Serah like a protective skin. Wearing them as a shield, she made her way to the Crystal Cave and attempted to cross the waterfall. Each time she was rebuffed and the life energy of the Stonebridges was ripped from her and allowed into the garden.
Ratimir saw the events unfold through their eyes, including Luther’s fugue state march across the garden to the Fountain, and then his rescue of Rosalee’s transparent form after her arrival. Ratimir deduced that the magic of the Fountain All Heal is what gave their nearly-formless energies substance in the Garden.
While in Luther’s mind, Ratimir saw that Luther had been using some sort of wand since his arrival in the Garden. When he asked Luther about it, he replied that he’s wary of trusting people he’s just met with powerful objects. Honoring his promise of discretion to Luther, Ratimir elected to keep that information to himself.
The Red Rose Arbor
After a quick long-rest in the entrance bower of the Palace of Spires, the party set out for Tolben’s Grove. After Luther guided them through the changing maze configuration, they approached the Red Rose Arbor Shimmerward of the Maze.
Ziff and Ratimir entered and the bard was quickly overcome by the intoxicating
aroma of the flowers. Once they had extracted Ratimir, Ligs entered with a rope
tied around his waist and holding his breath. The dwarf was immediately set upon
by grasping vines, which restrained him. Thinking quickly, Ziff threw his
With two attempts to enter the arbor gone wrong, the party decided to leave the arbor for now and proceed to Tolben’s Grove.
The Shimmer Swamp
The lake drained into two streams: one that curved Nightward into a shallow limestone ravine and another that meandered Shimmerward into a broad swamp where tall cypress trees sheltered tea-colored water. Epiphytic vines blooming with tiny red and white flowers dotted the treetops while bromeliads of various sizes clung to the trunks. A raised pathway tracked the stream as it entered the swamp, then gave way to a series of meticulously-placed stepping stones that were just barely comfortable to traverse by the shortest of the party.
Ligs led the group and was able to evade the first snare trap he triggered. He
then proceeded more cautiously, using his five-foot-pole to probe the ground
ahead. Despite this, he triggered two more snare traps, eventually falling
victim to the third. As he dangled upside down, a Shambling Mound that had been
quietly shadowing the party charged out of the water and attacked. Ratimir
quickly put it under the influence of his
The path continued through the swamp for about a quarter of a mile until it reached a mound of earth that climbed above the waters. A large cypress tree dominated the center of the grove and a staircase made of natural driftwood planks spiraled around the circumference of the trunk and climbed to a broad wooden platform that supported a basic, but comfortable-looking shelter.
Scrimshaw art pieces were visible everywhere, and in the center of the grove on a wooden easel was a large skull adorned with the acorn motif.
Session 47: Tolben's Grove
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
The Writing on the Skull
Harvan used
The light of Sylvanus, verdant glory, insult to the Winter God
The light of Hope, slain by ice, by three the children abscond
The light of Dawn, the children reunited, by five they did ascend
The light of Rebirth, thus rekindled, by four the Winter's end
While Harvan was reading these words, Ligs stepped on the first step of the staircase leading up to the large treehouse overhead and sprang a trap. Simultaneously, the area around the stone platform erupted with entangling vines that grasped Harvan's arms and legs, restraining him while a ten-foot high, five-foot thick hedge wall of heavy thorns sprang up in the middle of the grove, separating Harvan and Gary from Anatol, Ligs, and Ziff.
As the others began to react to Harvan's cries for help, two large trees
uprooted themselves and began striding toward Anatol and Ligs. Invisible Ziff
nocked a dark chardalyn-tipped arrow and fired it at the larger of the two
The battle went back and forth for a bit, with Ligs taking many blows from the
Treants thick branches and Anatol soaking up damage from their hurled boulders.
Ultimately, they took the trees down while Harvan broke free of the
entangling vines and a pair of attacking
A massive treant responds to the party's arrival in Tolben's Grove
After pulling themselves together and healing up where needed, the Dawnbringers ascended the stairs to the treehouse in the massive cypress tree that dominated the grove.
The stairs climbed to a height of 20 feet above the ground, where the lowest branches emerged from the trunk. There, the stairs emptied out onto a broad open veranda that completely encircled the tree. The wood seemed to have been coaxed into growing into this shape naturally or through magical means.
Two doors accessed the interior of the tree, a grand space that had been hollowed out in a way to not compromise the internal structure. Inside there was a central room with grass mats on the floor, a simple wooden table, and two chairs. There was a piece of parchment on the table. To one side against the wall there was a six-foot wide limestone hearth and above it the shell of a giant mollusk, silky smooth and pearl-like. Etched into the shell was a map of Porpherio's Garden.
Updated map of Porpherio's Garden taken from Tolben's mollusk shell
Harvan, still under the effect of
Tolben's Letter to Arundel
Arundel,I've not heard from you for some time, and I assume you've traveled deep with your myconids. I trust that your eyes have found this account, and that you arrived here after following the clues I've left behind in the usual places. If you have, then things are worse than we expected and it is up to you to finish the task I have undertaken.
After a long investigation of rumors and legends of Ten Towns, I stumbled upon the legendary Crystal Cave. I passed through it's time-slowed waterfall and found myself in a most remarkable place, where you are now: an approximation of my home, the Feywild, contained in a small, self-sustaining pocket dimension. I've met the caretaker of this realm, a being of the wilds who calls himself The Green Man. He inherited the job when the creator of this land – a mage named Porpherio – passed away. Porpherio made the Garden as a retreat for he and his wife, Caerwyn. The Green Man's master – Oberon himself – was so impressed with the garden that he entrusted Porpherio with the guardianship of the Fountain All Heal, a source of magic so powerful that he felt it needed to be protected from the Feywild and Shadowfell.
Tolben's map to the laboratory of Damien MorienusI've studied the Fountain, and spent many hours meditating near it to sense the source of its magic, but it eluded my efforts. Interviews with inhabitants of the Garden suggest that it can restore health to the sick, prolong the lifespan of mortals, and even reverse death in some, but judging from the temperament of its users I believe that there's a somewhat intoxicating effect that, over time, forces one to forget their previous life. Its seductive power inspired three dryad sisters to make a bargain with forces from the Shadowfell to aid them in taking the fountain for themselves. The Green Man and I were barely able to stop them.
The creation of the Garden was beyond the abilities of any magic users that we’ve encountered, and so I examined Porpherio's creation in detail. The Green Man said that Porpherio "came from the sky" and that he was sent here to retrieve something, and my studies suggest that is correct. His appearance in the art and statues of the Palace resemble that of the renowned Star Elves, and so naturally it occurred to me that he could have been searching for the
Daoinalu Haera , the last of the codices left behind by their kind. He pursued this goal for a time, but at some point succumbed to the influence of the Fountain. He eventually abandoned his mission in favor of a life of domestic bliss with Caerwyn.Before Lysan was taken by Auril, she told me she'd learned the location of Morienus' hidden laboratory: a solitary spire jutting from the Reghed Glacier, reachable only by the air. I go now to search for that laboratory. Morienus commanded powers and abilities heretofore unknown or long forgotten. If Morienus did possess the Daoinalu Haera, that would certainly explain it.
Inside Porpherio's palace I located a diadem that I suspect is the companion to the book. Without it, the book is indecipherable. I will take this on my journey to confirm my suspicions.
With Lysan and Anga missing, the weight of this task falls to you. May Sylvanus guide your path.
-Tolben
Looking out from the veranda and its panoramic view of the Shimmer Swamp, the party noticed that the sky had grown noticeably darker. They began to worry about Serahthil's return and wonder if they should search for The Green Man.
These concerns weighed on their minds as they settled in for a brief rest.
Session 48: The Gloaming Weald
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
Pieces of the Whole
Who was Damien Morienus and why would he have such a powerful artifact? Why had
Porpherio failed in his mission to find the
Harvan told them how Luther used to tell him and his brothers bedtime stories that were pulled directly from tales of the heroes and villains of the Dale, as well as the arcane lore he learned working at Pumab's Emporium. Several of those tales involved a legendary book left behind by the elves, the Daoinalu Haera, alternatively translated as "Center of the Astral Sea" or "Codex of the Astral Plane" in ancient Elvish. Many bands of adventurers scourged the Dale in search of this book. In these stories, no one ever succeeded and most found only their own deaths.
For Ziff, Tolben's description of Morienus' laboratory as "a solitary spire
jutting from the Reghed Glacier, reachable only by the air" triggered a memory
from his days with Vellyne at the
On one such outing, she tasked him with standing watch while she explored the
The North Tower had gone unused ever since that wizard left a long time ago, but Vellyne was certain secrets overlooked by "the more picayune of the Brotherhood" remained inside.
As Ziff stood guard, hidden as best as could be expected in the courtyard, Vellyne lifted off from the ground and elegantly flew to the North Tower. She entered through a window and disappeared.
Minutes passed like hours as Ziff waited and watched. As he squatted there, pressed in between a worn marble statue and a low knee wall surrounding the tower, he noticed for the first time a series of words chiseled into one of the large flagstones near the base of the North Tower.
After making a careful scan of your surroundings to make sure the way was clear, he lightly padded over to the words and brushed away decades of accumulated soil and leaf matter, revealing the carved text:
Morienus Spire
Sanctum of the Master of the Host Tower Arcane
Dedicated 1269 DR
Emotional Support Kobold
The Dawnbringers left the Shimmer Swamp under a steadily darkening sky and set out to find the Green Man. They did not find him in his home, but Ratimir did encounter the mat of fungi that had previously cleaned Ligs’ armor. Mimicking the Green Man’s music almost perfectly, Ratimir attracted the attention of the fungi which followed him out of the cave and across the meadow. On his way out, Ratimir blew the Horn of Silent Alarm with an image of Dardyn, the lead sprite, firmly fixed in his mind.
The full moon had risen high on the Nightward horizon, but was currently obscured by clouds. To protect against Ligs suddenly transforming into a werebear, he put on a blindfold and Ziff led him on a short length of rope.
The party passed by the red rose arbor and noticed no activity, so they continued Glimmerward to the Yellow Rose Arbor. Along the way, they spotted a pair of unicorns grazing by the lakeside. Ratimir approached respectfully and beautifully recreated the rain song he’d heard from the Green Man, producing a small, intense rain cloud just over the lake beyond the unicorns. The pair of magical creatures allowed his approached, but quickly teleported away when Ziff blurted out an introduction.
Yellow Rose, Amber Gem
They arrived at the Yellow Rose Arbor and found that the floral scent there had a similar intoxicating effect as the other garden, so they tied a rope to Anatol who entered holding his breath. As an extra precaution, Ratimir once again summoned a rain cloud with the Green Man’s song, which washed the flowers’ scent out of the air and pinned the vines to the ground.
With the resistance neutralized, Anatol searched the fountain and uncovered an amber gem containing the silhouette of a humanoid inside.
Menhir Circle in the Sprites' Woods
From there, they traversed to the Fountain All Heal to determine if Serahthil was making a play for it. Finding it unoccupied, Ziff took a drink and fell under its influence.
They went looking for Dardyn, his sprites, and their dragonfly mounts in the Sprites’ Woods, Duskward of the Maze. They located the menhir circle Ligs spotted from the top of the Palace of Spires, but otherwise found the forest empty.
As they travelled, Ratimir continued working with the mat of fungi that was following him. He experimented with the music and coaxed the fungi into a rough approximation of a humanoid. Over time, the form refined itself until a 10 foot tall Ratimir made of of fungus was trailing the party.
They hiked across the meadow Nightward on the Glimmer side of the lake, passing through the abandoned town of Gorffwys-Bannog. As they walked, Ziff looked across the lake and noticed the witchlights – the mysterious orbs had led them to the Midsummer’s Dance – had returned and were hovering near the treeline of the Dryads’ Woods. After a brief stop at the Endless River to consult with the yu lung Paul, they decided to enter the woods and follow the witchlights.
The Gloaming Weald
They followed the witchlights deep into the darkening forest and soon came upon trees that were draped with black, knotted vines and covered with unnaturally large yellow flowers. Drawing close to the flowers caused them to emit a cloud of spores that inflicted necrotic damage.
Proceeding as carefully as possible to avoid the flowers, the Dawnbringers plunged deep into the gloaming weald. After a time, they saw a flickering light through the trees and stepped into a large clearing underneath a canopy of towering trees. The same black vines draped across their trunks, but the flowers here were much larger than before. In the center of the clearing burned a large bonfire, behind which stood Aunt Serah. She was soon joined by a group of wooden forest creatures that stood tall in green armor and sharp wooden weapons. They handed her an amber gem as she addressed the Dawnbringers.
"Harvan, my boy, it's so good to see you again."
Session 49: Petal and Blade
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
A Final Appeal
Serahthil pocketed the amber gem given to her by the imposing, wooden forest warriors that entered the grove and then continued her conversation with Harvan.
"Why do you care about this theme park the star elf built? It belongs back in the Feywild. Give me the gem and I'll not only give you information that will help you defeat Auril, I'll save your parents.
"Without frequent drafts from the Fountain, they will not survive. Their life energy will simply dissipate. That's it -- no afterlife with Yondalla, just oblivion. Only I know how to save them.
"I'll sweeten the deal: I can even tell you how to clear their minds, make them capable of leaving this place after I save them. Just give me the gem and walk away.
Serahthil's Forest Warriors -- the Dendroids
“Where is the Green Man?” Harvan demanded.
Aunt Serah smiled and looked down into the bonfire. There turning to charred ash
were the remains of the Green Man. As they spoke, Ratimir secretly worked with
The Dawnbringers quickly engaged in a vicious battle with the Dendroids,
Serahthil’s minions. Ligs attacked Aunt Serah and landed a pair of blows before
she cast
Misdirection
The illusory bonfire faded and the party noticed that Luther
had disappeared. A gust of wind blew away the clouds obscuring the full moon and
triggered Ligs’ transformation into his savage werebear form. Ratimir used the
Gary had noticed movement when the clouds dissipated and cast
Serahthil slipped inside the front door, quickly followed by Anatol, Mushamir,
and Ziff (under the influence of a
Session 50: Rules Are Made to Be
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in
Stolen Identity
As Serahthil’s home filled with sand, Ziff threw his arms around Anatol and
crushed the light chardalyn crystal given to him by Vellyne years ago. The pair
vanished into a purple portal as the spell
Ratimir reached the door and cast
A series of paintings on the wall depicted landscapes: a stormy ocean, a tropical jungle, and a frozen winter valley. The painting that had once depicted a sandy desert was empty.
Underneath the bed were a pair of drawers containing a
Set into one wall was a hearth with a cauldron suspended over a large chunk of what appeared to be an amethyst geode. In the cauldron was a syrupy, honey-like remnant of a potion that pulsed with a soft light at around the same rate as a heartbeat. Above the hearth on a mantelpiece was the shriveled, preserved head of a dryad, her mouth covered with a a poultice of matted leaves and bound in place by lake reeds.
Ratimir had Mushamir place the head on the table and remove the reeds securing the mouth. Immediately, the eyes opened with a dead stare and the mouth began moving, uttering almost unintelligible words. Ratimir moved closer to hear the whispered phrases.
From the land of shadow...sent by Baba Yaga...mirror can stop magic...fountain...Porpherio...
Outside, the
Use and Usefulness
Inside the house, Ratimir continued his search but was interrupted by the
appearance of Serahthil. She offered the bard a deal: she would give him the
song he’d long searched for – the
The party asked about Luther’s whereabouts and Serahthil responded, “He’s doing me a favor right now. You can have him back once he’s done.”
The amber gem acquired from the Yellow Rose Arbor
Ratimir and Anatol threatened the hag with the destruction of the amber gem
they’d recovered from the Yellow Rose Arbor by throwing it into the
Feeling tapped out from their battle, the party barricaded themselves inside Serahthil’s house and took a short rest. Gary grabbed one of the masks worn by the Dendroids and studied the Druidic and Sylvan words inscribed on the surface. Once she’d deciphered their meaning, she walked out into the grove and placed the mask on a tree. She played a new tune on her flute and a Dendroid sprang to life from the tree, wearing the mask. It stood next to her, apparently waiting for orders.
Seconds later, a loud crack of thunder resounded throughout the garden, coming
from the direction of the Endless River. Realizing that time was growing short,
the Dawnbringers gathered themselves and made their way out of the forest. At
the treeline they were met by Dardyn and his sprites on a half-dozen giant
dragonfly mounts. He explained that Serahthil had released a number of
The party climbed aboard the giant dragonflies and flew with the sprites Glimmerward toward the Endless River. As they rose above the tree canopy, they saw the full moon – obscured by clouds – was almost directly overhead. Far to Nightward, on the horizon beyond the forest, was an eerie purple light.
The growing threat Nightward
This Isn’t Even My Final Form
The dragonflies spiraled in and landed near Paul’s pond, finding it empty. Instead, the party saw a sinuous, metallic, pastel-colored blur flying laps above the surface of the river. After a few moments, the blur came to a rest and greeted the sprites and Dawnbringers.
“So, this is me,” said Paul, now a
Breaking the Rules
The dragonflies took flight once again, accompanied by Paul carrying Ligs. It was a short flight across the lake to the Maze, but this time the party flew directly to the center and placed a set of silver leaf keys on the sundial, activating the reflecting pool portal. Once everyone was through, they darted directly for the top of the palace.
There, among the garden plots, Anatol saw Serahthil conducting a ritual with Rosalee Stonebridge.
Rosalee stood frozen as Serahthil pointed a silver hand mirror at the amber gem the Dendroids retrieved from the Red Rose Arbor. The gem flashed and second hag appeared before Serahthil, looking surprised. Grasping her emerald amulet, Serahthil barked at the newly-appeared hag, uttered a short incantation, and then black, arcane smoke reached out to engulf both the second hag and Rosalee. When the smoke abated, Rosalee’s appearance was altered to look like the hag. The second hag stepped back and Serahthil lowered the hand mirror. As she did the amber gem flashed and Rosalee Stonebridge vanished into the gem.
Session 51: Flight of the Dawnbringers
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in an extra-dimensional pocket of the Feywild known as
A Small Favor
The Dawnbringers rode the sprites’ fleet of giant dragonflies to the top of the
Palace of Spires, where they found all three hags –
Melathil responded by tossing out a handful of small objects that rapidly grew into eight giant wasps, while Gyrnathil briefly put Ligs to sleep. Harvan dropped down to the rooftop garden and immediately Serahthil flashed her silver hand mirror at him, temporarily disabling his spellcasting ability and magic items.
The battle raged for long seconds as the Dawnbringers slowly started to gain
ground. Melathil was so severely injured that she polymoprhed into a triceratops
in desperation. Soon after, Ligs disarmed Serahthil of her hand mirror,
pulverized her head with his pair of massive warhammers, and tossed her body over
the ledge. Shocked at the death of their sister, Grynathil and Melathil both
cast
Only after the din had settled did the party spy the outline of Luther Stonebridge inside the crypt, his halfling form silhouetted by purple arcane light.
Session 52: Just Before Sunset
Campaign Almanac
The Dawnbringers are in an extra-dimensional pocket of the Feywild known as
Paterfamilias
Harvan rushed over and attempted to pick up Serahthil’s silver hand mirror, but
grabbing it triggered a trap left by the hag. The mirror shattered and erupted
into an extremely lethal version of
Affixed to Luther’s head was a dark metal diadem, and the halfling’s eyes were full white. His face was contorted in a combination of anger and fear. Shockwaves of energy spilled from the crypt as he screamed “Let them go, Serah! I will not allow you to hurt them!” and launched another lightning bolt.
Harvan tackled his father while Ziff attempted to wrest the diadem from his head, but
it was stuck fast. Ligs strode in and, with his werebear strength, plucked the
metal band from his head. The band was also trapped and the air around the four
seemed to momentarily solidify and then explode with the spell
- Earlier, while the party and Luther were still in the Palace of Spires, Serahthil and the Dendroids engaged the Green Man in the Yellow Rose Arbor and used her trick with the hand mirror and amulet to swap him into the gem for her sister, Melathil.
- From there, Serahthil dispatched the Dendroids to retrieve the other amber gem from the Red Rose Arbor and bring it to her in the Dryads' Woods.
- Both Serahthil and Melathil had been present during the battle with the Dawnbringers, but Melathil remained invisible or very well hidden during the fight. Once the party was distracted, Melathil moved in and put Luther to sleep, then carried him away to the Palace.
Luther had caused considerable damage to the crypt, so he asked all of the magic
users in the party to channel their power into it. Under Serahthil’s control,
Luther had forged a deeper connection with
Normally, the crypt would provide a wish to anyone that had respected the Garden and its inhabitants. But with its diminished power, only three wishes remained. The party carefully discussed possible wishes and their exact phrasing. They settled on:
"Bring back The Green Man." The gem Anatol had tossed into theSphere of Annihilation appeared on the top of the crypt plinth, in between the statues of Porpherio and Caerwyn."Remove the Fountain All Heal’s charm from anyone currently in the room." The charm affecting Luther, Ziff, and Ratimir that prevented them from leaving the Garden faded."Grant the party a boon that would help them and Kresselack in their fight against Auril." Mushamir separated himself from his fungal mizwad and gave it to Ratimir, a powerful bard instrument known as theMizwad of the Verdant Glades .
Materfamilias
Outside the crypt, the party searched the remains of Serahthil and found a
"At least she'll be well protected. Without the mirror or Serahthil's amulet, I don't know how we're going to save her. This is a powerful druid spell calledGilded Cage – quite similar to the arcane spellImprisonment . The effect can be permanent, or the caster may specify certain conditions which must be met to drop the spell – proximity to an object or location, a time limit, or a password. Finding the druid that cast this spell would be my first choice, but I'm afraid outside of that we'll need to find Serahthil's sisters...or worst case scenario we're going to need the eye of a beholder and its anti-magic field."
The group took a long rest in the Palace bowers for the last time. As they slept, Paul left to determine the viability of an alternate method of leaving the Garden.
The Cave of the Frogs
When they awoke, Paul had returned and told them of his plan to turn them into
fish and swim downstream from the
Dardyn’s sprites and their dragonfly mounts flew the Dawnbringers, Luther, and
Gary to the Cave of the Frogs. There, they noticed a considerable amount of
debris that had washed down from the lake. A thorough search of the flotsam
revealed a fine leather belt adorned with a number of pockets, a pair of purple
leather boots, and a scroll containing the spell