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.

Map of Icewind Dale Map of Icewind Dale - West Map of the Sword Coast (5e) Expanded Map of Faerûn (3e) Harptos Calendar

Session Recap Menu

Session 53: Forty Pieces of Gold

March 12th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 16 of the campaign, 9 days until the new moon.

Anatol, Ziff, Ratimir, Ligs, Harvan, and Glik have returned to Icewind Dale from Porpherio's Garden and find things aren't as they left them.

There's So Much You Have to Know

As the Dawnbringers prepared to leave Porpherio's Garden, Luther took Harvan aside to have a word. The elder Stonebridge embraced the cleric.

"Harvan, I've missed you so. I wish I'd paid more attention to your needs. I understand why you left and I don't blame you. Don't worry about your mother and I. I'll figure out how to free her and how to fix the predicament we're in. Don't worry about us. Paul's going to show me some of the secrets of this place before he departs, and maybe the answers we seek are there. Tell your brothers that we love them and miss them, but I don't think you should discuss our situation with anyone outside the family. As far as that's concerned, we're still sick."

"I'm putting you in charge of the family business, and I know what you're going to say – you don't want it. I assumed as much. So, tell Conret that he's in charge. That'll ruffle Merser's feathers, but I've got an important job for him: I want Stonebridge's to develop a charity outreach. We need to give back to Ten Towns and give the people hope. And that's just the sort of innovative endeavor he'll excel at. Plus, he doesn't have to worry about turning a profit which...was never really his thing. Don't tell him I said that."

"We shouldn't have to worry about blackmail any longer since Maxildanaar is out of the picture. Stonebridge's hasn't dealt in stolen goods ever since I found out about the Zhentarim's involvement. Keep an eye on Prudence Tarkwold, Danneth's assistant. He doesn't know about her, but she was working with Maxildanaar and Skath."

"Please be careful. Serah may be dead, but her sisters survive, and with them a powerful thirst for vengeance. What really worries me is that Serah had access to an untold amount of children during her time as the town healer, and I've already told you what hags are capable of. You must find these children and get them to a cleric to be cleansed. Hags are dangerous alone and deadly in threes. If Serah corrupted them and they're allowed to mature into hags, her sisters will want to find them."

I Know I Have to Go

Once the party submerged themselves into the river, Paul transformed them into fish. The current pulled them rapidly downstream, and then under a cliff face and into darkness. They careened around the meandering underground river for a considerable time until they dropped from a tall waterfall into a wide shallow basin of water. As they fell, the water around them surged and a fresh torrent carried them beyond the cavern and into a dark, winding tunnel passage. The current accelerated and they felt stretched tight as if their heads were traveling faster than their tails. A wide, mud-covered room passed underneath and they were pushed into another narrow, winding tunnel passage. The water's force ebbed and the level dropped, exposing their gills to air. Their previous forms reasserted themselves as they skidded to a stop in the entrance cavern of The Crystal Cave.

Ratimir looked around in confusion, and soon the party realized he remembered nothing of his time in Porpherio’s Garden, a strange after-effect of returning from the Feywild.

Map of Easthaven, Ten Towns, Icewind Dale

They exited the cave and passed through the ruins of Caer-Bannog, though strangely they found no bodies of yetis or Chardalyn Berserkers. Neither did they find Moss and Glik with the Bone Machine stashed just beyond the old village. Harvan consulted his Mace of the Ephermeris and discovered that they had arrived back in Icewind Dale two days before they had entered the Crystal Cave.

Two yetis emerged from the gloom surrounding the ruins and Ratimir befriended them with offerings of food and music. He attempted to communicate to warn them about the Chardalyn Berserkers that would arrive in two days’ time.

Anatol summoned Violet, his dire wolf, and Ligs transformed into his bear hybrid form. Ratimir rode with Anatol while Ziff and Harvan climbed aboard Ligs as they departed Caer-Bannog at a run for Easthaven.

There's So Much You Have to Go Through

After an hour of travel, they came upon a dried corpse tied to a saddle jutting from the snowy landscape. When they approached closer, the ground erupted and a gargantuan ancient white dragon rose up from the snow.

The dragon – Arveiturace – was almost completely blind and spoke to "Melathrond", the dead wizard strapped to the saddle on her back as if he were alive. She smelled the scales of Icingdeath on Ligs’ armor and asked how he came to possess them. She seemed impressed with his story and bade the Dawnbringers to visit her at the Dark Duchess on the Sea of Moving Ice when they believed they were ready to take on the undead Icingdeath. She recommended that the party direct their efforts at the one who raised the dragon from the dead – Hedrun Arnsfirth, the Ice Witch.

Ligs had dropped his werebear form to talk with Arveiturace, and so after the dragon departed the party proceeded slowly on foot to Easthaven, stopping when they caught sight of the town as they approached from the southeast.

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Session 55: The Company We Keep

April 1st, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 16 of the campaign, 9 days until the new moon.

After their return from the Feywild, the Dawnbringers found themselves thrown back in time a few days and attempted to rescue a Red Wizard of Thay condemned to death by the Children of Auril. See Sessions 34, 35, and 36 for background on these events.

DM's Note: The Session 54 one-shot "Samaritan Snare" occurs narratively after the events of Sessions 55 and 56 and serves as an epilogue to this chapter of the story. The recap of that session appears below.

March of the Red Wizard

The party split into two groups: Anatol and Ligs departed to stake out the Town Hall and attack the Coldwinds of Auril they had previously battled as they made their escape. Harvan, an invisible Ziff, and a disguised Ratimir headed for the town square to wait for Dzaan to be brought in for his execution.

At the town square, Ratimir, Ziff, and Harvan found a huge crowd of townsfolk waiting to get a peek at the storied Red Wizard of Thay.

The three positioned themselves near the pile of wood piled near the center of the square. There, several town guards and a few Blades of Auril were stationed to keep the crowd at bay. Another town guard pushed his way into the center and informed the guards that the Eastway guard gate had just been breached by a “runner” and that they needed help searching the streets on that side of town. Several departed, leaving only two town guards and one Blade. Harvan recognized one of the guards as a daughter of the Wyngrande family.

Town Guard Wyngrande appeared to be keeping the wood pile between herself and the rest of the guards. Harvan cast Detect Magic and saw an Illusion aura around her. A cloaked individual in manacles was led in by a four town guards and a pair of Blades. Harvan’s Detect Magic revealed strong Abjuration magic around the manacles affixed to the prisoner's wrists.

Underneath the cloak, the party could see the pale, tattooed face and high-collared red robes of Dzaan. Several individuals from the crowd pushed in toward Dzaan while one shouted “Death to the Red Wizard!” and began throwing rocks. Dzaan collapsed to the ground as the guards beat back the crowd.

As the prisoner regained his feet and kept walking toward the pyre, Harvan and Ziff noticed that Wyngrande had vanished. Ziff sent up his new familiar Frank to have a look from the sky. Frank noticed a cloaked individual the same height and shape as Dzaan was leaving the town square flanked by two short humanoids. Ziff climbed aboard Ratimir and the three left the town square to follow.

After a careful and circuitous pursuit down streets and alleys, the party temporarily lost sight of the three on a deserted street on the far east side of town. By luck, they picked up the trail again and decided it was time to confront the trio.

Ratimir cast Shatter just ahead of their quarry. The tall cloaked individual hunched over in pain. The two, short, flanking humanoids contorted into unnatural positions, and then turned to face the group. Wyngrande appeared just as she cast the spell Hold Person on Ratimir. Harvan attacked Wyngrande with his Spiritual Weapon, but she was able to maintain her hold on the bard.

Ziff nocked an arrow with a chardalyn crystal charged with Anatol’s Hold Person and fired it at Dzaan. The tall, cloaked wizard froze when the arrow struck.

The two short humanoids approached closer and Ziff was able to get a good look at their faces. He recognized them as Blalock and Gurna, two red kobolds from Ithlis’ inner circle. Their faces were burned and haggard, the flesh hanging off their skulls, their eyes gray and lifeless.

The illusion of Wyngrande dropped and standing across the alley from Ziff was his old friend and mentor, Vellyne Harpell. She called out, "I'd rather you not destroy them, Ziff – they’re very expensive and difficult to create.”

Coldwind Stakeout

Back at the Town Hall, Anatol and Ligs watched from their hidden position as "previous Ratimir" – disguised as Leyton Falck, the Blade of Auril they had killed – and "previous Anatol" entered the jail as part of their ruse to draw out Isdrøm Teagan. Minutes later, Ligs heard the Horn of Silent Alarm and knew that the "previous Ratimir" had just alerted "previous Ligs" to drive the Bone Machine into town and attack the Town Hall. After the Bone Machine arrived and the "previous Dawnbringers" were engaged in battle with Isdrøm Teagan, Anatol and Ligs moved into position outside the hall’s windows, waiting for the two Coldwinds to Misty Step away from the fight and escape.

Seconds later one appeared and Ligs quickly turned her into a red paste with his warhammers.

They stole around the back of the hall and found "previous Harvan" firing Guiding Bolts at a second Coldwind. As had happened before, this Coldwind got the better of the recently-resurrected cleric and left "previous Harvan" incased in a block of ice. Anatol and Ligs gave a discrete chase as the Coldwind retreated down the town streets. She met up with a second Coldwind and called out, “Teagan has fallen! We must get to Davris and flee!”

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Session 56: No Half Measures

April 8th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 16 of the campaign, the 7th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 9 days remain until the new moon.

Ligs and Anatol pursued Isdrøm Davris Fain across the tundra as Ratimir, Harvan, and Ziff squared off with Ziff's former mentor, Vellyne Harpell.

An Isdrøm Flees

Ligs and Anatol attempted to discretely keep pace with the two Coldwinds of Auril they pursued through the streets of Easthaven. After several blocks, The Coldwinds caught sight of them and split up; Anatol and Ligs followed the apparent leader.

Making her believe she had given them the slip, the Coldwind approached a house and knocked on the door. As the door opened, Ligs shot her with an arrow and Anatol unleashed a salvo of Eldritch Blasts. As Ligs finished her off with his hammers, the unseen person inside the door bolted and appeared seconds later outside a window in the alley. Anatol got a better look at her: she was wearing more intricate robes, very similar to those that Isdrøm Teagan wore. The paladin attempted to blast her but missed. She ran around to the back of the house, mounted a Winter Wolf that had been waiting, and took off across the tundra.

Ligs transformed into his hybrid werebear form, Anatol climbed aboard his shoulders, and the pair set out for the fugitive. They caught up and traded blows until the Isdrøm Banished Ligs to the Astral Plane, sending Anatol tumbling into the snow.

Anatol’s response wasn’t enough to stop the Isdrøm and she cast Ice Block, embedding him in a huge block of ice as she escaped to the south.

No Half Measures

Back in town, the standoff between Ziff, Ratimir, Harvan, and Vellyne Harpell reached a conclusion. She led them to her safehouse and ordered everyone inside while she gave her undead kobolds instructions to keep watch. Ratimir and Harvan shoved Dzaan inside, but as Ziff turned to enter, she grabbed his elbow. Ratimir, Harvan, and Dzaan stepped onto the rug covering the room’s floor and it gave way, dropping them into a 10 foot by 10 foot cylindrical pit. Looking up from the hole, they saw Vellyne peer down briefly before she grabbed the edge of the opening and jerked it off the floor. The margin of the hole slackened into a piece of black silk and their view of the outside world disappeared.

Vellyne Harpell

Vellyne gathered up the cloth and folded it into an impossibly small package. She slipped into her pocket, turned to Ziff and said,

“No prevarication, no half measures. Tell me now: do you trust these people?”

Ziff replied “Yes, for the most part.” After a short exchange and once she was satisfied, she tossed the swatch of black fabric onto the ceiling. It unfurled and straightened itself back into the 10 foot circle. Inside the Portable Hole, Harvan, Ratimir, and Dzaan saw the floor of the safehouse appear above them an instant before they felt the pull of gravity upend and dropped them onto the plank floor.

Vellyne ordered Dzaan to strip off all of his clothes and provided a fresh set for him to wear. She told the party that those tracking Dzaan could do so through his unique Thayan robes. After replacing the Portable Hole onto the floor, she tossed the bundled robes inside.

Dreams of the Red Wizard

Ratimir cast Detect Thoughts on Dzaan, searching for answers:

"Who is coming to rescue you?" - Images of Akmus Skath and an unknown, large undead creature.
"Who are you working for?" - Two images appeared: the withered visage of the lich Szass Tam, despot of the Thayan magocracy; and a demon in a frozen prison.
"What do you seek?" - Ratimir was presented with an image of an enormous flying city crashing to the ground. Pieces flew off as it fell and spread themselves over a wide area, but the bulk of the city struck and embedded itself deep with the Reghed Glacier.
"What is special about the city?" - He found in Dzaan’s mind that there were two very powerful objects in that city that Dzaan’s bosses and Auril wanted.

Ratimir related his findings to the group, and Vellyne confirmed that Dzaan had allied himself with a group calling themselves The Sanguine Court under the demon Levistus. This demon had been imprisoned by Asmodeus on Stygia, the frozen 5th layer of the Nine Hells. The city Dzaan sought – and that Auril was guarding for herself – was the ancient Netherese city of Ythryn.

Just then, they heard a “tonk, tonk, tonk” sound, as if someone were gently striking a pair of hard, hollow sticks together. Vellyne became alarmed and explained that her undead kobolds had detected something walking up the street. The party decided to make for the abandoned ferry and would attempt to lose whatever was tracking them as they passed through the city.

Vellyne ordered Dzaan inside the Portable Hole while Ratimir used Disguise Self to look like Dzaan as he had been led to the execution pyre: wearing the Thayan robes under a gray cloak.

The party split into two groups: Ratimir and Harvan took a westerly track through Easthaven, while Vellyne and Ziff made an easterly path. The pair of kobold minions followed far behind.

Just after they separated, Ziff noticed the large undead seen in Dzaan’s thoughts was following Ratimir and Harvan. He used Message to warn them.

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Chapter 1 Epilogue: Samaritan Snare

March 25th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

The 7th and 8th days of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 8 days remain until the new moon.

Southwell's second string team escorts the serial killer Sephek Kaltro to the prison Revel's End.

DM's Note: The session "Samaritan Snare" occurs simultaneously with Sessions 55 and 56 of the main campaign.

The Cold Hearted Killer On Ice

With his resources stretched thin protecting both Bryn Shander and Targos, Sheriff Markham Southwell hired a small band of adventurers to escort the serial killer Sephek Kaltro across the tundra to the prison Revel's End on the Sea of Moving Ice.

Hootkins the Loxodon Druid, Marykay the Goliath Rogue, Kanin the Gnome Druid, CW the Dragonborn Fighter, and two town guards – Baelnor and Makaela – departed Bryn Shander in a covered wagon pulled by four axe beaks. Kaltro was secured in the back and wearing a dwarf-crafted collar that inhibited his magical abilities. The party traveled north through Ten Towns via Targos, Termalaine, and ultimately Lonelywood where they stayed the night in the Harv-Inn and set out into the Lonelywood Forest early the next morning.

In that quiet forest, the party overtook Copper Knobberknocker and Gullivan "Gully" Pilwicken, two gnomes on an errand to the north end of the Lonelywood Forest with Gully's automaton Gully II, a walking, fighting barrel of ale. A supply caravan on its way to Revel's End had departed Bryn Shander the day before but had forgotten to pick up the supply of ale carried by Gully II, so the gnomes were attempting to catch up. With only two axe beaks pulling their cart, they were gaining no ground and so they asked the prisoner escort to take Gully II ahead. After the gnomes stopped at the Black Cabin to collect the personal effects of their deceased friend Macreadus, they would continue north and meet the escort on their way back from the prison.

The party left the gnomes at the Black Cabin and ascended the winding frozen ravine from Maer Dualdon until it reached the tundra plateau. From there, the path turned north, following a low swale that tracked all the way to the coast. After a few hours on the swale, they encountered the remains of the destroyed supply caravan on the tundra. Food stores and bodies were strewn about the ice, though the party found no sign of footprints entering or leaving the scene. Among the destruction they found two survivors, one of them unconscious.

Once both survivors responsive, the party asked what happened. They reported that they had been attacked by an unseen assailant, then began complaining about how wasting valuable supplies on prisoners was a waste. "Why not just kill the prisoners," suggested the bolder of the two, "and save this food for those that need it in the Dale?"

Mysteriously, this idea took hold of CW and Marykay who began to attack Sephek Kaltro. Hootkins felt a similar feeling creep over his mind, but was able to resist it. The Loxodon realized something was amiss and seized the talkative survivor and attempted to toss him out of the wagon. As he did, the stranger's form shifted in front of him, the image of the injured human delivery driver fading to reveal a tall, red tiefling. The tiefling conjured a longsword into his right hand and ran it through Hootkins as he growled:

"I was hoping for the halfling brat, but I suppose that will have to wait."

Hootkins pulled himself free and unleashed a salvo of lightning bolts into the tiefling and his savage-looking companion. Kanin cast Entangle and caught the companion as the lightning set the wagon on fire. The tiefling, CW, and Marykay wore down Sephek Kaltro and finally beheaded the serial killer. As the wagon burned, the two guards worked feverishly to unhitch the axe beaks as the entangled companion succumbed to the flames.

CW, Marykay, and the tiefling stepped from the wagon as it burned and the goliath rogue allowed the tiefling to bite her neck and drink deeply from the wound. As Hootkins caught up to deliver another salvo of lightning, the tielfing dissolved into a cloud of black mist and wafted away on the breeze. Hootkins fled from the cart back toward the Lonelywood Forest as the charm on CW and Marykay faded.

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Session 57: The Two Happiest Days of Ligs' Life

April 22nd, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 16 of the campaign, the 7th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 8 days remain until the new moon.

The Dawnbringers bought a boat to help protect themselves from vampires.

About a Boat

Harvan and Ratimir took Ziff’s warning and made an effort to shake their stalker. Ratimir turned a corner and dropped his Dzaan disguise in favor of a generic-looking Battlehammer Dwarf and Harvan stuck to the shadows of the alleyways. After zigging and zagging across several streets, they felt reasonably secure that they had slipped away from whatever was following them.

Once everyone was at the Easthaven Ferry, Vellyne convinced them that they should purchase the ship from its owner in order to forbid vampires from the Sanguine Court from boarding the vessel. Harvan, Ziff, and Ligs rushed over to the Wet Trout Tavern and bought the frozen ferry from Scython, the drunk tiefling owner after Ziff challenged him to (and won) a drinking contest. The tielfing signed the ship over to Ligs.

After setting a defense plan into motion, the party settled in for a long rest on the frozen, creaking ship. Ziff chatted with Vellyne, who explained that Dzaan's undead wight bodyguard Krintaas was searching for him and the Red Wizards had allied themselves with Levistus to find the buried Netherese city of Ythryn. Harvan reminded the group that Levistus' lieutenants Xanth had negotiated with him for his resurrection after his death.

Vellyne and Dzaan were contemporaries at the Arcane Brotherhood in Luskan, and she was very careful to keep Ziff well-hidden from the Thayan mage. In his free time, Ziff made an effort to pour through Vellyne's books and learn all he could about the Thayans. He filled the party in on what he knew about the Red Wizards of Thay.

Dreams of the Red Wizards

Thay is a gray and dismal magocracy ruled by a group of eight powerful wizards in east Faerûn, bordering the Aglarond Peninsula to the west. The lich Szass Tam assumed control as its leader, his power supported by legions of undead under the command of lich and vampire generals. He has spread his influence across Faerûn through an intricate network of undercover spies and mind-controlled minions. He has mentored a series of powerful wizards who craved the everlasting life and abilities that lichdom promises and employed them as agents across Toril.

Tam's rise to power was attributed to his use of a powerful magical artifact called the Death Moon Orb, a sphere created in the ancient Netherese Empire. The Orb had the power to charm and dominate the minds of others, to spy on faraway points, to raise the dead, and to summon and compel fiends. Tam gained possession of the orb and used its powers to control the other wizards at the top of the Thayan government and install himself as its despot.

Using the Death Moon Orb in conjunction with another item – Thakorsil's Seat – Tam once imprisoned the demon lord Eltab underneath the capital city in Thay for centuries. However because of a flaw in the magic, Tam was never able to control the demon and eventually released it, touching off a series of earthquakes and volcanoes across that country.

With that, the Dawnbringers hauled Dzaan out of the Portable Hole and made sure he was secure to sleep for the night. Ratimir cast Leomund's Tiny Hut as a shelter and watches were set. Quite surprisingly, the night passed without incident.

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Session 58: Blood in the Water

April 29th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 17 of the campaign, the 8th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 7 days remain until the new moon.

The Dawnbringers repelled Krintaas' zombie attack on the Easthaven Ferry and negotiated with Dzaan.

About a Boat

In the low light of the false dawn on the horizon, Ratimir and Ziff spent time patching holes in the railing of the ship to prevent or slow down possible intruders.

Anatol kept watch from the crow’s nest, but visibility soon dropped as the wind picked up across the lake and launched clouds of dry snow into the air. The ship began to rock in the gusts, breaking it free of the ice. Within an hour, the swaying ship had pulverized the lake ice around it into a ten-foot margin of slush.

Ziff cast Invisibility on Ligs and then went invisible himself as he stealthily made his way onto the dock. Vellyne tossed Dzaan back into the Portable Hole and ordered the two undead kobolds back onto the ship, careful to keep them as far as possible from Harvan, who had stationed himself on the ladder connecting the top deck with the cargo hold.

Another hour passed as the ship rocked in the gusting wind. Soon, undead hands reached out of the water and a dozen zombies climbed up the sides of the ship. Most of them slipped off because of the oil the party had applied to the ropes and railings the night before. Harvan used his ability to Destroy Undead to eliminate many of the attackers while the rest of the party turned the shambling attackers into piles of bones.

Forging an Alliance

In the stillness that followed, Vellyne released Dzaan from the Portable Hole and Ratimir negotiated with the Thayan mage, suggesting that they pool their resources against Auril to find the buried Netherese city of Ythryn. As a show of good faith, Dzaan ordered his bodyguard Krintaas out of hiding. The hands of the huge Thayan wight reached out of the slush-filled water and it hauled itself out onto the dock right next to Ziff.

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Session 59: The Fateweaver's Foil

May 6th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 17 of the campaign, the 8th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 7 days remain until the new moon.

The Dawnbringers debated the merits of an alliance with the Red Wizards while Ratimir slipped away to visit Yinric Devant at the White Lady Inn.

Decisions and Uncertainty

Out of earshot of their prisoner, the party continued to debate the pros and cons of an alliance with Dzaan and the Red Wizards against Auril and the Sanguine Court. Ligs decided to intimidate Dzaan into making his wight bodyguard stand down by whacking him in the forehead with the pointy end of his warhammer. Dzaan – already in rough shape from his ordeal in prison and then being repeatedly dropped from Vellyne's portable hole – was knocked unconscious.

Sensing that its master was in danger, Krintaas attacked and fired a volley of arrows at Ziff, then strode across the dock to the gangplank where Ratimir’s Glyph of Warding exploded. The gangplank was incinerated, depositing the burning wight into the icy water below.

You Seem Familiar

Ratimir – still under the effect of his Blink spell – disappeared and walked to shore, where he visited the White Lady Inn. He found the aged bard Yinric Devant playing his lute at the bar.

Ratimir struck up a conversation and learned that Yinric had visited Damara and had played a private concert for the Damaran king Yarin Frostmantle. Then Ratimir plied him with questions.

About the Netherese: "Ah, yes, the Netherese. The height of their power sounds like what the Thayans hope to achieve one day. Let us hope that never happens. The Anauroch Desert used to be the heart of their empire before they took to the skies. Whatever misstep they made that brought their cities crashing to the ground benefited us all."
About the Seasons of Man: "I don't need to tell you of the importance of music. Some say music is what created the universe and binds it together. To know music is to know the world. If you’re looking for this song, I recommend a visit to the Reghed tribes, particularly the Tribe of the Elk."

The Fateweaver's Foil

Yinric pulled out a deck of Tarot cards, similar in appearance to the ones Ratimir recovered from Serahthil's Tree in the Feywild. The older bard shuffled the deck and asked Ratimir to cut the cards. Then, Yinric drew five cards and arranged them in a cross pattern. Ratimir saw that as he dealt, the appearance of the cards changed. Yinric explained the arrangement to Ratimir.

Yinric Devant's Reading for Ratimir

"The middle card is the focus, the subject of the reading. The left card represents the Past, the top card the Present, the right card the Future, and the bottom card the Path Ahead. Let us see what the cards say to you."
The Focus is The Bishop: zealotry, true believers, perhaps the ones you seek to thwart?

The Past is The Trader: a person of commerce, or perhaps a smuggler from the past.

The Future is The Raven: something important has been taken and hidden away, and it will elude your grasp.

The Present is The Seer: Ah, I see...it will elude you unless you perform an act of great intelligence and strategy.

The Path Ahead is that of The Broken One: One of you faces a road of redemption, a struggle to regain what was once yours, without which leaves you incomplete.

Ratimir then presented Serahthil's tarot deck to Yinric. The older bard was fascinated with the deck and as he handled them, the cards shifted in appearance from that of a standard tarot deck to the variety Yinric had just dealt.

Tarot decks are a dime a dozen, but if you know the magic behind it you can harness the power of divination and get a peek at what lies a ahead. This is a powerful deck, indeed. This is the Fateweaver's Foil, and if you spend time meditating on it, you may draw five cards as I have done and cast a reading for yourself.

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Session 60: Friends and Enemies

May 17th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 17 of the campaign, the 8th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 7 days remain until the new moon.

The Dawnbringers received a letter from Davris Fain's house and Ratimir recovered more memories than he'd anticipated.

A Sister's Anguish

Capt. Imdra Arlaggath briefly interrogated Dzaan but didn't receive much useful information. Soon after, a pair of Easthaven town guards brought a note written in Giant from Davris Fain’s house. Ratimir cast Comprehend Languages to read the message.

"The druid is being held by Levistus' people and the sister demands that we attempt a rescue. However, the Frost Mother forbids any unnecessary forays as our Children are spread too thin as it is. I fear Ravisin will take matters into her own hands." Kalla Vindar

The Dawnbringers recalled seeing via the Manifold Mirror a female druid – assumedly Vernis – being held captive in a cell beneath the keep at Caer-Dineval. Apparently, Ravisin's patience with her sister's incarceration was growing short.

The guards also handed off a list of names of children delivered by Aunt Serah over the years. Aside from Aunt Serah, there were two other midwives in town – Shenea Dronsch and Gracen Hoth – who assisted in deliveries. In sum, Serah assisted in the minority of deliveries for the past 25 years. Over that span of time, 67 births were recorded in Easthaven, 35 of which were female. Of that set, 17 were attended by Shenea Dronsch, 13 by Gracen Hoth, and 7 by Aunt Serah. The seven female births delivered by Serah were all within the last sixteen years.

Radelia Erharice
Shenarah Duskvale
Zilyana Cairona
Willowsinger
Amedee Virgella
Radelia Neridove
Trisbanise

Decision Fatigue

The Dawnbringers debated their next step – should they venture onto the dangerous streets of Caer-Dineval, or bide their time and build their power before taking on such an enemy? Was there a way to repair the Summer Star they'd taken from Macreadus' Black Cabin north of the Lonelywood Forest and use its sunlight to defeat the vampires? Imdra suggested that her cousin Jasra Catogeirr – former Caer-Dineval town guard captain turned ranger – could guide the group into the undead-controlled town, but the party was divided about whether they were ready for that fight. When they asked Dzaan if they could count on his help, he replied that he required more material evidence of their abilities before he was ready to pledge himself to a new alliance.

Ziff gave the Crystal Dragon Staff to Harvan since the cleric had gained some ability with arcane magic after his return from death. Once Harvan attuned to it, he cast the spell Scrying to find the gnome tinkerer Copper Knobberknocker, Macreadus' friend and collaborator on the Summer Star.

As the spell took hold, Harvan saw an expanse of tundra and a low swale snaking its way north toward the Sea of Moving Ice. In the swale, the wreck of a wagon caravan was splayed across the ice, bodies and blood littering the wreckage. A pair of town guards were yelling at a female goliath and a silver dragonborn as they stood over the decapitated corpse of the serial killer Sephek Kaltro. Copper and Gully Pilwicken trundled up to this scene in their own axe beak-pulled wagon. Harvan heard the guards say that they were closer to Revel's End than they were to Lonelywood, so if they wanted to survive they were better off heading for the prison.

An Ease to Suffering

With the list of Aunt Serah's baby deliveries in hand, the party left the ferry and walked to the temple of Ilmater, the House of the Bleeding Rose. They were greeted by Painbearer Calliano who was all too happy to assist the adventurers with their investigation of Serahthil's midwifery.

Calliano recognized most of the family names on the list, but there were two that were unfamiliar to him: Willowsinger and Trisbanise. He mentioned that Easthaven received a lot of carvan traffic and that it's possible these two families were passing through when they found themselves in need of medical attention. He promised to get to work immediately.

Before departing, Ratimir mentioned his apparent memory loss after returning from Porpherio's Garden. Painbearer Calliano cast Greater Restoration on the him and the lost memories of the Feywild came rushing back. Strangely, other memories resurfaced. Ratimir had flashes of traveling with Sven Hjor Gunnaldsson – the bard he previously thought he'd met in Luskan – for far longer, reaching back to when Ratimir crossed the great Anauroch Desert. He remembered performing his original songs for Sven who, by laying his hand on Ratimir's shoulder, would steal the memories of those songs from Ratimir's mind.

One previously hidden memory stood out from the rest. Ratimir was back at Herald's Holdfast in Silverymoon, deep in the stacks reading through old tomes of the Frozenfar. He was pouring through a book titled Oral Traditions of the Frozenfar Nomads by Sigur Jónsiand Rós. Among other traditional songs, this Reghed songbook contained the true story of Kresselack and the Solensäng. Just as Ratimir had begun to translate the text, the familiar hand on his shoulder appeared followed by, "What have you found now, my friend?"

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Session 61: Connections and Reconnections

May 20th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 17-18 of the campaign, the 8th and 9th days of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning half and 6-7 days remain until the new moon.

A visit to the Stonebridge Mansion reveals the true story of Kresselack, and Anatol reunites with his former militia captain.

A Tight Five

The Dawnbringers left Vellyne behind to watch Dzaan on the Easthaven Ferry while they paid a visit to the Stonebridge Mansion. The family's longtime butler, Norman, was mildly surprised to see the party return to the house so soon after departing that morning for Caer-Bannog and the Crystal Cave.

Norman told them that Harvan's brothers had not yet returned home, so the party decided to search Luther's study for the sheaths that matched the pair of scrimshaw daggers that portrayed the Betrayal of Kresselack. Ratimir had glimpsed the sheaths when he probed Luther's mind for information about Serahthil.

Harvan cast Detect Magic and a cacophony of low-level magical auras sprung into view. The auras emanated largely from a collection of slightly magical curiosities: animated paintings, perpetual motion decorations, and light effects. But a few interesting items turned up inside Luther's storage closet and underneath a hidden floor panel.

Alchemist’s Ring – adds a little someting extra (1d6) anytime the wearer is magically healed.
Antigravity Sphere – a small, fist-sized glass ball filled with a silvery smoke. When the sphere is destroyed, it disables the effect of gravity of everything within a 30ft cube for 30 seconds.
Heward's Handy Spice Pouch – speak the name of any nonmagical food seasoning (such as salt, pepper, saffron, or cilantro), and remove a pinch of the desired seasoning from the pouch. A pinch is enough to season a single meal.
Brooch of Number Numbing – anyone looking at this brooch cannot hold numbers in their mind.
Mystery Key – has a 5% chance of opening any lock. Once it opens a lock, the key vanishes.

The Betrayal of Kresselack

Inside a box in the closet, they found the sheaths Ratimir had seen in Luther's mind. They were an exact match to the daggers they retrieved from Gawain Dramercy's collection in Targos.

The sheaths were expertly carved from the same knucklehead trout bone as the handles of the daggers, and scrimshaw art filled their surfaces. The tips of the sheaths ended in tassels of braided black fur.

The left sheath began with a stylized depiction of Kresselack and Lysan leading his army against a sea of aberrant-looking monsters, lead by a cloaked, flying wizard. The tableau continued with the defeat of the monster army, and a celebration among the Reghed barbarians and other Dalefolk.

Then, Kresselack traveled to the Jotunlands in the Spine and attended his ailing mother, the Frost Giant Queen Vassavicken. His half-sister Geluvicken is shown poisoning Kresselack's tea, which killed the half-giant. Geluvicken carried his body back to his fortress in the Vale of Shadows where a mournful Lysan prepared his body for burial.

Geluvicken then poisoned Lysan, paralyzing her, then cast a spell causing clouds of smoke to billow from her hands. The smoke killed Kresselack's men in the Vale and subsequently raised them and Kresselack from the dead. He looked on as Geluvicken flew from the Vale with a paralyzed Lysan in tow.

A search of Luther's desk turned up mainly what one would expect of a successful merchant: paperwork, invoices, and bills. Aside from these documents, they found a claim check for a piece of tailored clothing from a shop named The Waterdhavian.

The Dawnbringers went upstairs to Harvan’s parents' room and found the bodies of Luther and Rosalee Stonebridge there, alive but emaciated. A discrete search revealed nothing hidden on their bodies relating to Serahthil or Porpherio’s Garden.

Harvan sent a servant to fetch Conret, Merser, and Jomin from the store. Once they arrived, he told them all about Porpherio’s Garden and the condition of their parents.

Band on the Run

After dinner, Harvan used the Crystal Dragon Staff to scry on Sven. Using a polar bear tooth that Anatol had asked the bard to autograph, the spell connected and Harvan saw Sven high in the snowy mountains accompanied by six individuals pulling axe beaks laden with gear.

Later that evening, Harvan was visited in his dreams by Ithlis. The kobold shaman warned him that Vellyne Harpell was chardalyn-mad and could not be trusted. Ithlis then burrowed into Harvan’s mind and saw the alternative reality copy of the Daoinalu Haera in Ziff’s Netherese Doorknob closet. He also saw the location of Damien Morienus’ laboratory from the map the party obtained from Tolben's Grove in the Feywild.

In the morning, Harvan described his encounter with Ithlis. The party agreed to relocate Ziff’s copy of the Daoinalu Haera using a method that insured no one in the party knew exactly in which closet it was stored. And, after allowing a safe amount of time to pass so that their previous selves would have departed for the Crystal Cave, they used the sending stones to summon Moss and Glik back to Easthaven.

I Am the Keymaster

After observing the party using the Netherese Doorknob to store their items, Vellyne asked to examine it and the keys. She determined that the “blank” keys actually needed to be activated, or charged up, with a second level spell. She cast a spell into the jade key and used it in the knob. The door swung open onto a beach looking out onto a tropical sea. Harvan briefly stepped through and stood on warm white sand. To his right, carved stone steps descended from a set of columns and arches to a dock where several outrigger canoes gently bobbed in the surf.

When Vellyne attempted the same method with the wooden key, nothing happened. She surmised that something must be blocking the connection.

Jasra Catogeirr or Kat Jasranell?

The party visited town hall and found former militia captain and current wilderness guide Jasra Catogeirr asleep on a cot in her cousin Imdra Arlaggath’s office. She recognized Anatol and addressed him as Corporal Mrazdan. Ziff – with memories of Blades of Lust fresh in his mind – noticed that she had multiple locks of hair braided in with her own, including a blonde bundle that matched Anatol’s.

The party explained to Jasra that they wanted to stealthily infiltrate Caer-Dineval, extract a prisoner being held in the keep, and get their hands on Akmus Skath. Jasra seemed concerned with the party’s abilities, but the Dawnbringers assured her they were capable. She also bristled at the mention of Skath's name and reminded Anatol that Skath was one of the militia guards killed by Winter Wolves a few years ago when she and Anatol lead a prisoner escort caravan across the tundra to Revel's End.

Once supplies had been loaded into the Bone Machine, the party – including Vellyne, Dzaan, Moss, Glik, and Jasra – trundled their way north to Caer-Dineval.

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Session 62: Take My Bless Away

June 3rd, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 18 of the campaign, the 9th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning quarter and 6 days remain until the new moon.

The party encounters a pack of black dire wolves and finds a secret refuge in Caer-Dineval.

What Does a Wizard Never Leave Home Without?

Jasra suggested approaching Caer-Dineval from the frozen surface of Lac Dinneshere to avoid detection, so Ligs directed the axe beaks off the road and eastward. He found a safe descent from the shoreline and dropped the Bone Machine onto the solid ice.

The jagged, uneven surface slowed their progress, but did keep them off traveled paths. Ziff buttonholed Vellyne and beckoned her to the watch on top of the Bone Machine. There, he asked her about dark chardalyn and Dzaan. After answering his questions, Vellyne asked Ziff, "What will you never find a wizard without?"

"A spellbook?" ventured Ziff.

"Exactly. Before we bagged Dzaan, I lifted his gear bag from inside the Easthaven jail. There was a standard amount of traveling kit but amazingly no spellbook. A Red Wizard always knows the location of their spellbook."

Black Dire Wolves? At This Hour?

Anatol and Moss were riding the paladin's steed Violet alongside the Bone Machine, their heads on swivels, constantly scanning the surface of the ice for threats. Anatol saw it just as Moss smelled it: a pack of Dire Wolves, trailing the Bone Machine by around 60 feet. They signaled the Bone Machine and took up a defensive position.

Caer-Dineval

Ratimir played his Mizwad of the Verdant Glades to summon a Cloudburst over the closest group of four Dire Wolves. Two of the wolves fell prone on the slippery ice. The rest of the wolves were taken down in quick succession by a combination of Ziff's bolts, Anatol's Eldtrich Blasts, Moss' arrows, and Harvan's Spiritual Anvil.

Jasra and Anatol examined the wolf corpses afterward and determined that these black wolves had come from south of the Spine mountains. Why they had come to the Dale was puzzling, but Harvan recalled from his clerical training that such animals were often drawn to the lairs of vampires.

Fearing that driving the Bone Machine closer would attract attention, Jasra recommended stashing the vehicle and axe beaks in a stand of trees outside of town. They located a suitable location among a copse of hemlocks that looked shriveled and lifeless.

Promising his aid and swearing that he wouldn't betray them, Dzaan convinced the party to bring him along.

Dinev's Rest

The Dawnbringers inched within sight of town near the ruined watchtower on the south end of the harbor. Ziff scouted ahead invisibly and cleared the crumbled building of threats. He climbed the remnants of the interior spiral staircase and peered through one of the remaining windows. Far across the rooftops of the still town, Ziff could pick out the head of one of the undead frost giants plodding its patrol route.

Once the rest of the party caught up to him, he padded across the street to Dinev's Rest, an inn that had closed at the start of Auril's Rime and had been boarded up. Ziff investigated the exterior and found that the rear door had been modified to appear boarded and sealed, but in reality it opened easily. Ziff slipped inside and again cleared the building of threats before signaling his comrades.

Ratimir walked the interior wearing the Concession of the Cunning Kobold and discovered a hidden panel inside a guest room closet. Ziff examined and opened it, revealing five tightly-packed, malnourished townspeople hiding from agents of the Sanguine Court.

Quadina Redrook - 30, half-elf female carpenter
Megard Frunthwill - 35, human female artisan, netmaker
Jaq Le’quet - 42, half-orc male fisherman
Ayla Umekas - 25, human female barmaid
Beidan Binossol - 28, halfling male cook

The party broke out some rations and questioned the townsfolk about the vampires living in the keep on the hill. They learned that the Sanguine Court provided food and supplies to the families of those that willingly gave their blood to the vampires. Every two days at the 8:00pm curfew, the patrols would announce the need for volunteers. The next morning, people in good enough condition to give their blood to the vampires lined up in front of the keep. The Court's leader Lornus Kadroth would select four individuals in good enough health to be bitten and turn the rest away. Tomorrow night would be the next call for volunteers.

Ratimir looked at his compatriots and declared, "And on the following morning, We should be in that line."

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Session 63: The Suckening

June 10th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 18 of the campaign, the 9th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning quarter and 6 days remain until the new moon.

The party spoke with the refugess at Dinev's Rest and formed a plan to take on the Sanguine Court.

Laying Plans

After speaking with the refugees they discovered inside Dinev's Rest, the Dawnbringers began forming a plan to take on the Sanguine Court.

In phase one, the party would wait until after the curfew check and then would use the Netherese Doorknob to open a door to the Termalaine Mine in a few safe locations across town. Then, they would secretly shepherd townspeople from their homes to these safe locations and send them through to Termalaine. This would deprive the vampires in the caer of a food source.

With the townspeople safely evacuated, phase two of the plan involved using the Jade Key and doorknob once more to open a portal to the sunny tropical island they'd discovered. Then, the Dawnbringers would lure the vampires through the portal or simply use the island as a safe haven for escape.

The party learned from half-orc fisherman Jaq Le'quet that the curfew patrols check every house at curfew to make sure the citizenry is accounted for. On the outside of each house, there's a chalk diagram that lists the number of inhabitants. If a house is missing people, the remaining occupants are arrested and taken to the Caer. They do not return.

Fisherman Jaq Le’quet

Those that volunteer and are selected as donors line up in front of the Caer the following morning. Sanguine Court leader Lornus Kadroth then comes out and hand picks those that will be used. Blood donors are then escorted into the Caer and return about an hour later with no memory of what transpired.

With Le'quet’s help, the party identified a handful of houses that could be trusted to host the portal to the Termalaine mine. Pouring over a map provided by Jasra, Le'quet acknowledged that the houses of the Borrowsils, the Sunkinds, and old man Omajeon Gostronn would be good candidates. He warned against using one of the other houses suggested by Ratimir, saying, “That’s the old Willowsinger place. No one lives there anymore and I don’t think anyone else ever will.”

Ziff used the Netherese Doorknob and traveled to the mine to warn the kobolds that approximately 200 refugees would be arriving from Caer-Dineval at any time. Karl, the new leader of the brood, said that they'd do everything they could to welcome the refugees. He then told Ziff that they’ve discovered a rich vein of anthracite coal in the mine.

Ziff asked Neve to return with him to Caer-Dineval to assist with the plan, but the kobold rogue politely refused, saying that without Moss and Glik, she is the only defense against threats that come up from the Underdark.

Everybody Knows a Little Place Like...

Harvan charged the Jade Key with a 2nd level spell and Ziff opened the Netherese Door to the tropical island. He stepped through the door once more and immediately narrowed his kobold eyes against the bright overhead sunlight. The time of day seemed roughly similar to Icewind Dale.

Outrigger canoes tied to a wooden dock bobbed in the ocean waves as a warm offshore breeze carried the pungent smell of dung. He peered through the cut stone collonade behind him into the treeline of a dark, tangled jungle, but resisted investigating further.

And He Didn't Even Have to Cast "Skathing"

The party settled in for a long rest early that afternoon and planned to wake during the curfew patrol that evening. All the watch shifts passed uneventfully save for Harvan’s. He identified a window with a gap that allowed a limited view to the northwest. There, he spotted a blue-skinned individual walk down the main street and turn west through town.

When they woke later that evening, the party sent for Moss and Glik and left the guarding of the Bone Machine and axe beaks to Anatol’s steed Violet.

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Session 64: High on Hags

June 24th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 18 of the campaign, the 9th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning quarter and 6 days remain until the new moon.

The party took an early long rest in preparation to launch their evacuation plan at the start of the evening curfew in Caer-Dineval.

An Uneasy Alliance

Harvan, Ligs, Ziff, and Jasra departed Dinev's Rest and steathily made their way across town to visit the old Willowsinger house.
Outside they discovered a thick, hip-level fog had enveloped the town, and both the fog and shadows seemed to reach out with incorporeal, clawed hands to grab them.
A crow alighted on a nearby rooftop and Ziff used his Message cantrip to speak with it. The crow had been sent by Ravisin to scout the town.
The crow warned Ziff, "We've been tracking you. Ravisin warns that if you interfere, the bard's luck will not save you."
Ziff improvised a very convincing speech in which he called Ravisin's bluff and offered to rescue her sister Vernis. He backed it up with a pair of natural twenties on his Persuasion roll (with advantage). The druid instructed him via the crow to send her a signal when the Dawnbringers were ready.

Ziff rolled a pair of Natural 20s on his Persuasion check, with advantage

A Family's Tragic End

Team Fun Size investigated the Willowsinger House while Jasra told them what she knew of the incident:

"I wasn't in town that night. I was out on the tundra with Anatol doing a prisoner escort to the End, but I read the reports.

"The neighbors sent for guards a little after midnight, saying they'd heard horrible screams coming from the house. When the guards arrived minutes later, they found the street quiet and the door ajar. The inside looked like an abattoir. There was blood everywhere – the floor was slick with it. They found the remains of the parents in their bedroom and the three girls in their bed near the wood stove. Their bodies had been shredded, each showing signs of having been eviscerated by claws. There wasn't much left to identify."

"The shift commander found claw marks on the door and declared the deaths wildlife predation, and aside from setting a bounty for the creature that allegedly killed them, nothing else was done."
"It was the talk of the town for months. They tried again and again to clean this place up, but they never could get all the blood out."

Harvan cast Detect Magic and discovered an amulet hidden behind a false brick in the hearth.
Team Fun Size got close looks at both undead Frost Giants patroling town: the skeleton was accompanied by three cultists, the zombie by two.
They departed the Willowsinger house and made their way north to the first house selected to host a portal to the Termalaine Mine.

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Session 65: Straight to Plan D

June 28th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 18 of the campaign, the 9th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning quarter and 6 days remain until the new moon.

The party took an early long rest in preparation to launch their evacuation plan at the start of the evening curfew in Caer-Dineval.

It's Not Her Fault

Before Team Fun Size departed for the Willowsinger house, Jasra Catogeirr took Anatol aside for a brief word.

"Stonebridge says he saw Skath on the street during his watch. Does it bother you that he's still alive? He was killed by those Winter Wolves that attacked us on the tundra. I buried him myself in a rock pile on the trail to Revel's End. You really don’t remember him?”

"I know there's more going on behind that vacant stare of yours. When this is all over, you and I are gonna have a long talk about that book.”

Once Team Fun Size had established the first portal house, the Dawnbringers set out to quietly knock on doors and funnel townspeople into the Termalaine Mine. Ratimir canvassed the streets with Ayla, one of the townspeople hiding in Dinev’s Rest. Harvan teamed up with Jaq Le’quet the half-orc fisherman. Ligs and Anatol remained in each portal house to ensure swift passage through the Netherese Door while Ziff kept watch over the surrounding area from a high window in each house.

As townspeople were passing through, Anatol caught sight of a little girl with white hair and light, glowing blue eyes. As her mother carried her toward the portal, the girl looked at Anatol and reached out to caress his cheek, saying:

“Don’t be sad. It’s not her fault.”

Anatol briefly stepped through to Termalaine and spoke to Oarus Matthew, asking him to make sure the girl and her mother were well cared-for.

One By One

The first two sectors were evacuated without incident, and the Dawnbringers were careful to time their efforts to put the maximum distance between them and the undead frost giant patrols. After they’d begun knocking on doors in the third and final sector of the town, Ayla complimented Ratimir on the effectiveness of the Dawnbringers and said, “If only someone as capable as yourself would work for me.”

With that, Ratimir was charmed. Ayla asked him to walk to Skath’s house as she followed. Ziff — keeping a careful eye from the portal house — noticed Ratimir veer off from his task and alerted the others, then he bolted from the house and onto the streets in pursuit. He arrived to find Ratimir nearing the door to Skath’s, and the kobold rogue sunk a crossbow bolt and his poison dagger into Ayla. She turned to look at Ziff, baring her vampire fangs and retaliated with a pair of slashes from her katana, opening wounds on Ziff that refused to close.

She ordered Ratimir to continue to the house and a red demonic mask materialized over her visage as she waved a hand over her face. Anatol arrived in a nearby alley and unleashed a salvo of Eldritch Blasts while Ligs skewered the vampire through the rib cage with an arrow from his longbow. Ziff disengaged and answered the attack with a chardalyn-tipped arrow that missed the mark.

Anatol stepped toe-to-toe with Ayla and whacked Ratimir with the flat of his sword, casting Booming Blade on the charmed bard. Not realizing what Anatol had done, Ayla commanded Ratimir to continue to Skath’s house. Ratimir took a step and Anatol’s spell struck the bard with a crackling blast, breaking the vampire’s charm.

Realizing she was outnumbered, Ayla vanished into a black mist and scattered on the wind. Harvan and Ziff entered Skath’s house and found it empty and identical in style to the house they’d seen in Targos: staged and un-lived in.

Harvan proceeded upstairs to continue the investigation. Behind him, droplets of red blood seemed to ooze from the floorboards and combine. They coalesced into a dark figure wearing a shimmering red cloak.

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Session 66: Bob Blood Blob's Blood Blog

July 15th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 18 of the campaign, the 9th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning quarter and 6 days remain until the new moon.

The party accidentally set the town ablaze as they evaded a cadre of Blood Hosts and defeated both undead Frost Giants on the streets of Caer-Dineval.

It's a Trap

The shimmering red entity attempted to envelope Harvan but the halfling cleric quickly sidestepped the attack. Then the front door slammed shut, alerting Ratimir and Anatol (both still standing in the street outside) to the situation.

Ratimir quickly cast Knock to bypass the sealed door and the two dashed inside. Just before Anatol crossed the threshold, he heard Dawnbringer Mishann's voice in his mind:

"Sephek Kaltro killed by unknown red tiefling on road to Revel's End. Markham believes assailant is hunting Stonebridge. Watch your back, may Amaunator protect you." - Dawnbringer Mishann

Harvan cast Burning Hands and critically damaged the red entity, but also set the house on fire. Ratimir attempted to control the blaze by summoning a rain cloud with his Mizwad of the Verdant Glades, but could not maintain the spell as he Blinked in and out of the ethereal plane.

Two more shimmering blood entities appeared and attempted to engulf the others. After a brief fight, the party made their escape. Anatol and Ziff hurriedly searched the basement and found Skath's collection of blood vials, arranged on the shelves carved into the tundra ice of the basement walls. Ziff scooped the entire lot into his bag before the pair dashed back upstairs to flee the burning house.

Out of the Frying Pan

On the street once more with Skath's burning house behind them, the party was met with the deep thumping sound of the approaching undead frost giant patrols. An immense Frost Giant Skeleton emerged from the fog at the end of the street, flanked by three Sanguine Court Cultists. Harvan used his Wand of Fireballs and killed two of the cultists outright and set more buildings on fire. A round or two later, the Frost Giant Zombie joined the fight with its cultist escorts. Hearing the din of battle, Jasra Catogeirr located the Dawnbringers and lent her bow to the combat.

As the party felled the two undead minions and the battle came to an end, a pair of blue arms seized Jasra from behind and ran a knife across her throat, spilling her blood across the snow-covered street. Akmus Skath caught Anatol's eye and smiled as he collected some of Jasra's blood into a glass vial. He quickly withdrew and transformed into a black mist to make his escape as the fire from Harvan's Fireball began to spread down the street.

The party decided to regroup at Dinev's Rest and quickly made their way back to the abandoned inn. As they entered the back door, they heard a sounds of a struggle and Glik shouting. They raced into the main room and found a trio of the blood entities surrounding Glik, Vellyne, her two undead kobold minions, and a smug-looking Dzaan. Glik slashed at one of the entities while another disgorged a shriveled and withered Moss onto the inn floor.

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Session 67: Let He Who is Without Fireballs Cast the First Fireball

July 30th, 2023

Campaign Almanac

Day 18 of the campaign, the 9th day of the month of Hammer, 1492 DR. The moon is waning quarter and 6 days remain until the new moon.

The party welcomed an uneasy ally to Caer-Dineval as they fortified Dinev's Rest in anticipation of a coming battle.

Would You Like a Grommet Sandwich?

The Dawnbringers quickly joined the fray, standing side-by-side with their kobold friends against the Blood Hosts that had just drained Moss and deposited him on the floor. Vellyne turned to Dzaan and commanded him to call off the attack, but the bound mage claimed innocense, reminding her that he had advised leaving the inn hours before.

Soon, the glutinous entities were defeated and the party turned on the Thayan wizard, demanding information. He only chided them for not accompanying him to Skath's house earlier, saying that the blue tiefling and former captain of the Targos town guard had a plan for dealing with Kadroth, the lead vampire. The party intimidated the wizard into summoning Skath to the inn so that they could deal with him directly.

Meanwhile, Ziff reached into the Bag of Holding and extracted the glass vials that he and Anatol had gathered from Skath's burning house. A quick examination revealed seven vials, some of which were partially filled with a dark, red liquid. Each vial was labeled with a name.

Esther Tarsenal
Arkalis Skath
Vincent Shanks
Lorelai Tam
Eandro Dodd
Jasra Catogeirr (empty)
Ratimir of Damara (empty)

Ravisin, Mother of Crows and Druid of Auril

And Old Flame, Extinguished

Ratimir cast Speak with Dead on the body of Jasra Catogeirr in hopes of shedding some light on Skath's plan. He learned the following:

Arkalis Skath was Akmus Skath’s father
As his commanding officer, she was ultimately responsible for Akmus Skath’s death on the road to Revel’s End.
She buried Skath's body under a rock cairn near the cave complex 5 miles from Revel's End.
She wanted to ask Anatol why he wrote the book Blades of Lust: The Paladin's Passion.

Fearing that charmed vampire minions may have made it through the Netherese Door to Termalaine, Moss and Glik returned through the portal to screen the Caer-Dineval refugees.

Ziff's New Girlfriend

Ratimir and Anatol stayed behind with Vellyne at Dinev's Rest while Team Fun Size ventured onto the streets to meet Ravisin at the disused Temple of Silvanus a few streets away. Immediately, they noticed that the inferno caused by Harvan's Wand of Fireballs was rapidly spreading through town.

After a few minutes, the trio made it to the ring of standing stones and ancient yew tree that had once been a verdant druid temple in the old town. They heard the flapping of wings in the air above as the tree split open and an enormous flock of thousands of crows poured forth. The flock swirled in a column before them and soon scattered, leaving behind the druid Ravisin, whom they'd last faced in the Lonelywood Forest. Team Fun Size escorted her to Dinev's Rest.

Bait and Bewitch

Now with both Ravisin and Dzaan in their midst at Dinev's Rest, the Dawnbringers grew uneasy waiting for Skath to answer Dzaan's summons. As it neared sunrise, Ratimir rushed into the airlock entrance of the inn and called out, "Skath? We're here!" The bard's cry was answered almost immediately as a hand fell upon his shoulder and the form of Skath became visible at his side. Just out of Ravisin's line of sight, the tiefling pressed a finger against Ratimir's lips and said, "Shhh. Don't let her know." Skath pulled a dagger from his belt and asked, "I need your help. Will you help me?"

The warm wave of Skath's charm passed over Ratimir as Skath's blade dug into his throat, loosing a thin stream of blood that the vampire collected in an unlabeled glass vial.

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