~ The Sunless Citadel ~

 

Wherein our heroes explore the Sunless Citadel and are imprisoned by the Durbuluk goblin tribe, only to escape and wreak their revenge on the goblins and their master Belak.

 

During the middle of Ches (March), four brave adventurers -- Rhiva Oervek, Brodzag, Rodan, and Xaraina -- assemble in the walled city of Neverwinter before traveling to the small town of Longsaddle and then on to the Sunless Citadel.

 

The party spends the next two and half months underground within the Sunless Citadel. They meet Legron Silvershield, learn the secret of Longsaddle's magic apples, defeat the evil druid Belak, smash the Durbuluk goblin tribe, capture the white dragon wyrmling Calcryx, and convince the kobold queen Yusdrayl to enter into a treaty with Longsaddle.

 

Rhiva, Brodzag, Rodan, Xaraina, and Legron finally leave the darkness of the Sunless Citadel in Kythorn (June), the beginning of summer. While the winters in the North are brutally cold and blizzards are common, the summers are short, hot, and humid, with lightning storms and unpredictable weather. The party, however, is lucky to have emerged on a perfect early summer day... only to have it ruined within hours by an ambush! After the battle, the party learns that the thugs had been hired by Grenl, the Durbuluk cleric who escaped her tribe's fate, to exact revenge upon the party.

 

 

~ The Ivy Mansion ~

 

Wherein the heroes spend midsummer with the Harpell clan of wizards, meet Sheelba of the Eyeless Face, and arrive by magic on the storm-tossed deck of ship sailing the Moonsea.

 

Later that same day the party finally arrives in Longsaddle and decides upon the Gilded Horseshoe as their base of operations. After washing off the dirt of the road they visit Brven Timmdar and their other friends at Mielikki's Court. The party relates their adventures and arrange to have word of their accomplishments sent to Olan, the Ring of Swords, the rangers of Jalanthar (Rodan's village), and the Halls of Inspiration.

 

The following day, Xarina returns the signet rings that the party recovered from the Sunless Citadel to the Hucrele family and receives the promised reward of 250 GP. The party spends the next couple of days relaxing and restocking their equipment. While dining one evening, the party receives a message that their presence is requested at the Ivy Mansion -- the ancestral home of the Harpell clan of wizards!

 

Early the next morning, an agent of the Harpells guides the party to Harpell Hill (which is protected by a dome-shaped wall of force) and on to the Ivy Mansion itself. The Harpells extend an invitation to Rhiva to study with their friend Ashane Amblecrown, a cleric of Mystra. While Rhiva is studying, the party may stay at the Ivy Mansion -- an invitation the party gladly accepts, as the opportunity to visit with some of the most powerful mages in Faerun is a unique one!

 

The Harpells are very interested in the parties adventures, and agree to identify the party's magical items and allow access to part of their library in return for five black pearls (for the identify spell's material component), the gold trade bar (to cover any other magical-related expenses), the druidic tome, and the scroll fragment mentioning "Glitterhame". (Rhiva points out the the Harpells would normally charge hundreds or even thousands of GPs for these services.)

 

Legron discovers that the Sunless Citadel was founded by a splinter group of the Cult of the Dragon in 1150, the Year of the Scourge.

 

The party spends an enjoyable two weeks with the Harpells, including summer solstice celebrations complete with fireworks and displays of magic. Rhiva completes her studies with Ashane and is now a full-fledged cleric of Mystra.

 

At midsummer, Rhiva, Rodan, Xaraina, Brodzag, and Legron meet Sheelba of the Eyeless Face in a high tower at the Harpell's mansion in Longsaddle. Sheelba uses powerful magic to project the party to the deck of a tossing ship in the middle of the Moonsea. The plan was for the party to dock and the city of Melvaunt to meet with an acquaintance of Sheelba's -- the dwarven wizard Theodorus Stoneblood -- to get Brodzag's greataxe repaired.

 

 

~ The Moonsea ~

 

Wherein the heroes escape from the clutches of the hag Lykast and meet the dwarven wizard Theodorus Stoneblood, who dispatches them to the Watchtower of Vorbyx to recover an ancient hammer forged by ogres.

 

The party arrives in the Moonsea, teleported by Sheelba of the Eyeless Face onto the heaving deck of a ship being tossed around by a storm. The captain of the ship is reluctant to land, but agrees to lend the party a boat.

 

The party's boat beaches amongst many shipwrecks after being lead astray by a false lighthouse created by the hag Lykast. The party escapes from Lykast's clutches and makes their way to Melvaunt, where they visit Stoneblood in his cave of iron north of the city. Theodorus gives Brodzag a magical obelisk and tells the party to seek the Hammer of Vorbyx in the great gray waste of Thar. When the party returns with the hammer, Theodorus will repair Brodzag's axe.

 

 

~The Watchtower of Vorbyx ~

 

Wherein the heroes brave the wilderness of Thar and the dangers of the Watchtower, only to learn the Hammer of Vorbyx is in the possession of the mysterious Thrull.

 

Thar is a dismal reigion of cold, fog-cloaked moors and sweltering, insect-infested bogs separated by barren, broken hills. In general, as travelers move away from the road and into the moor, occasional outcroppings of rock become more common. Some of are natural pillars of rock that thrust up from the ground, while others are piles of massive boulders surrounded by hard, pebbly ground. All of them are covered with marsh lichen and stunted trees. The stench of rotting vegetation and a slight sulfurous odor fills the air.

 

The Watchtower of Vorbyx is a stone plateau located about 40 miles northeast of Melvaunt. It rises 60' above the surrounding marshlands. The land surrounding the plateau is relatively flat for 2 miles in all directions -- the plateau sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

The party does not find the hammer. However, atop the plateau they discover a magical pool which speaks to them, saying the hammer was now in the possesion of some creature known as "Thrull". An obelisk loaned to our heroes by Theodorus Stoneblood reveals a magical map of Thar, which Legron copies in painstaking detail.

 

 

~ Rescue of the Caravan ~

 

Wherein the heroes rescue a caravan from marauding orcs and learn Thrull is a warlord uniting the orc tribes of Thar for the purpose of ruling the lands of the Moonsea.

 

While travelling the Glister Road back to Melvaunt from the Watchtower of Vorbyx, the party rescues a caravan -- scout Graenor and guards Ulfgar, Gerard, and Feather -- from orc marauders from the Red Claw orc tribe. The party takes an orc wizard named Zrag captive. While interrogating Zrag, the party discoveres that Thrull is a warlord that will "unite the orcs and bring the gift of orc civilizaion to the cities of the Moonsea". The party spends 5 days adventuring in Thar:

- 1 day travelling out from the city of Melvaunt

- 1 day exploring the watchpost

- 1.5 days travelling until meeting Graenor and his caravan

- 1.5 days travelling to reach Melvaunt

 

 

~ The Missing Scions of Melvaunt ~

 

Wherein the heroes learn that the noble heirs of several of the great houses of Melvaunt are missing.

 

While waiting to enter Melvaunt, the city guards seem extra suspicious, but the party avoids being hassled too much because they're with Graenor, Ulfgar, Gerard, and Feather.

 

The moon elf Graenor, the shield dwarf Ulfgar, Gerard, and Feather note that the mood of the people milling around the city gate seems unusually subdued; people eye each other suspiciously and hurry into the city as soon as they are allowed to do so.

 

Ulfgar spots two well-armored gold dwarves and talks with them for a few minutes. When he returns, Ulfgar reports that scions of the great houses of Melvaunt are missing. Gangs allied with each house wander the streets searching for the scions and causing trouble.

 

It is now the end of Kythorn; Flamerule (July) is the next month. In the two weeks the party has been in the Moonsea, temperatures have gone from normal (daytime high of 60F) to about 10 degrees colder than normal. Weather is rarely pleasant in the Moonsea, but recently it has been more damp and foggy than usual.

 

 

~ The Melvaunt Investigation ~

 

Wherein the heroes are hired by Lord Nanther to find his son, Oreal. The party combs Melvaunt, searching for clues as to OrealÕs whereabouts, as well as the whereabouts of the other missing noble heirs.

 

Thanks to their heroism rescuing a caravan from a marauding band of Red Claw orcs, the party has met one of the most powerful men in Melvaunt, Lord Woarsten Nanther.

 

He had a proposal for them: find his son, Oreal Nanther, one of the missing heirs of Melvaunt's noble families. He offered the party a 1000 platinum piece reward if they are successful. The party agreed to the challenge....

 

Alas, Legron -- the cleric of Oghma the party met during the adventures in the Sunless Citadel -- departs because of church business. However, he will still be within Melvaunt, staying at the Purple Portals (the Temple of Gond) until his own church has established a temple. Luckily Graenor, one of the scouts of the caravan they rescued, joins the party in Legron's stead.

 

After meeting with Lord Nanther, the party spends the day learning all they can about the different factions in Melvaunt that might be involved in the disappearance of Oreal and the other heirs... House Bruil... House Leiyraghon... House Marsk... House Caluadra... Halmuth Bruil, the Lord of Keys... Elaint Marsk's connection with the Purple Portals and rumors of orc ruins a two day ride N/NE of Melvaunt... Dorn Crownshield... the Frothy Beard... Old Tom the con artist... the Rusty Bucket, a dive bar in the run-down northwestern part of Melvaunt.

 

~ Ambush at the Rusty Bucket ~

 

Wherein the heroes learn of a fake treasure map and experience an attempted assassination, resulting in serious injury to Rodan and Xaraina. The heroes befriend House Natali mercenaries. Brodzag, Graenor, Legron, and Rhiva meet with House Caluadra and, through the use of magic, discover the missing heirs have followed the false map into the moors of Thar.

 

That night Rodan, Brodzag, and Graenor travel to the Rusty Bucket to learn what they can... and they learn a lot. Kalman Leiyraghon was not only a frequent visitor, he also met with renowned dwarf mercenary Dorn Crownshield there several times. Rodan bribes the Rusty Bucket's bartender and finds out that Kalman had recently purchased a map -- probably fake -- from Old Tom detailing the location of a treasure trove a two day ride from of the city.

 

Meanwhile, Rhiva and Xaraina receive a suspicious summons from an alleged representative of Lord Nanther and end up outside the Rusty Bucket just as Rodan, Brodzag, and Graenor leave.

 

As the heroes walk though the decrepit courtyard outside of the Rusty Bucket they are ambushed by assassins! The fight starts off poorly for the party, but luckily two gold dwarves happen upon the melee and decide to throw their lot in with the underdogs. The fight is very close and at one point it seemed the rogues might destroy our heroes until the timely arrival of the city guard.

 

The party's rescuers are Glynt Axefist and Gwendar Dolmenward, mercenaries working for the House Natali. They allow the party to show their thanks through a late-night feast thrown in their honor at The Breakwater, the inn serving as the party's base of operations. While at The Breakwater, Glynt and Gwendar identify the bravos that jumped the party as employees of House Leiyraghon.

 

While celebrating their narrow escape from House Leiyraghon's thugs, Rodan and Xaraina become more and more quiet. Concerned that their injuries were more significant than originally thought, the party sends a message to the Purple Portals asking Legron to join them at the Breakwater as soon as possible. Within the hour, Legron is in their suite and confirms that Rodan and Xaraina will need   several days of bed rest.

 

Rhiva, Graenor, and Brodzag fill Legron in on what they have discovered over the course of the previous day. He agrees that what they have discovered thus far should be investigated and states he will help out in any way he can -- no use building a temple to Oghma in Melvaunt if the city erupts in civil war or is sacked by orcs...

 

Rhiva, Graenor, and Brodzag followed up on the treasure map -- almost certainly a forgery -- by trying to locate Old Tom, the con artist who sold the map to the missing heirs. They had hoped to find out where the map pointed by questioning Tom, but discovered he had already skipped town...

 

The party leaves Melvaunt briefly to return the obelisk to Theodorus Stoneblood. While at Theodorus' odd iron cave, Rhiva had the idea that House Caluadra might be able to locate the trail on the treasure map through divination magic. The party rides back to Melvaunt, where they stay as guests of House Calaudra for the night as the proper spell is cast and the needed information obtained.

 

 

~ On the Trail of the Missing Scions ~

 

Wherein the heroes travel into wastelands of Thar, slay many orcs, and learn of the fortress Xul-Jarak.

 

Early the next morning, the party travels into Thar and locate the orc ruins. The weather is cold and foggy, making travel slow and dangerous.

 

While camping on the trail to the ruins, the party is attacked by a band of orcs and their dire wolf "pet". The battle is extremely difficult, but luckily for the party a mysterious person out in the moor distracts the orcs long enough for Rhiva to cast some healing magic and continue the battle.

 

On the second day of travel, Rhiva, Graenor, and Brodzag reach the orc ruins and the site of a recent battle. After defeating an ownbear that was devouring the remains of the dead, the party discovered the corpse of Dorn Crownshield and many humanoid (orc?) footprints dragging something behind them north into Thar... After spending a couple of hours searching the ruins and burying Dorn's body, the party decides to follow the tracks and continued riding north into Thar until nightfall.

 

The next morning the party is greeted with more cold weather. This day was even worse than the last, as it was raining as well. Because of the rain, it was nearly impossible to follow the tracks through the moors and soon the party lost them altogether. However, they did notice smoke rising in the distance, and decided to investigate: Graenor scouted ahead, communicating magically with Rhiva through her message spell.

 

Graenor discovered an orc camp used as a meet point for orc scouts. The camp consisted of two wooden lean-tos and a stone hut (the source of the smoke) surrounding a central area where the stunted trees and thorny bushes of the moors had been cleared. A large cage made from large logs stood in the middle of the cleared area... could the missing heirs be inside?

 

The orcs guarding the camp were more interested in gossiping and complaining about the cold and rain than in keeping watch. Graenor was able to creep close enough to the guards to overhear them discussing the repair of "Xul-Jarak" by Thrull. Using the weather to their advantage, the party was able to get close enough to the camp to surprise the guards and enable Rhiva slay the nearest with magic before they could alert their companions. However, as stealthy as the party tried to be, the guards at the far end of the camp heard the unmistakable sounds of combat over the falling rain. As the orcs rushed into battle, one stopped to open the cage door... and the party very quickly discovered that the missing hiers were not being kept inside, but a massive dire boar was...

 

A heated battle ensued. The party slew the orcs and the boar. After looting the orcs of their gold and silver -- as well as a pair of magical ivory bracers carved to resemble snarling boar heads -- Brodzag, Graenor, Legron, and Rhiva decided to camp in the stone hut to avoid the worsening rain.

 

 

~ Haravak and Grunhawr ~

 

Wherein the heroes meet the half-orc ranger Haravak and his wolf Grunhawr, who agrees to guide the party to Xul-Jarak.

 

Rhiva took the last watch that began just before daybreak. While guarding her sleeping companions, she realized that she was being watched by a cloaked figure standing near the log cage a mere twenty feet away.

 

The figured was Haravak, a half-orc ranger, and his animal companion Grunhawr. Haravak introduced himself to the party as the mysterious person on the moors who had intervened when the party was battling the orc scouts and their dire wolf pet. The party offered Haravak a generous amount of gold to lead them to Xul Jarak, an ancient ruined orc citadel where Haravak thought the orcs would take any captives.

 

With Haravak's aid, Brodzag, Graenor, Legron, and Rhiva travel the rest of the day without incident. Their luck held until the next morning, when the weather turned nasty and a thick fog blanketed the moors. With Haravak and Graenor carefully scouting ahead, the heroes were able to avoid the dangerous monsters roaming Thar until their emerged from the fog at the top of a tall hill and were attacked by two manticores who had just devoured a small orc patrol and were still hungry for more flesh...

 

Through the combined use of weapons and magic, the party weakened the manticores enough for Haravak to use his handaxe "Snack" to slice one beast open and sink an arrow into the other before it could fly off. After the manticores had been defeated, the party investigated the scene of the battle between the monsters and the partially eaten orc patrol. One of the orcs was dressed from head to toe in back leather and possessed a number of potions, a wand of silence, and a gold circlet that allows the user to cast disguise self.

 

The party continued their ride through the twisted vegetation and rock formations of Thar. The next day, Haravak led them through an area of Thar he referred to as "the Still Moors". Beyond was the orc fortress of Xul-Jarak.

 

 

~ Xul-Jarak ~

 

Wherein the heroes meet Alyanna Galanodel, infiltrate the Xul-Jarak, rescue the scions, and defeat Thrull. The mighty dwarven barbarian Brodzag falls while battling the orc hordes.

 

After camping, the Brodzag, Graenor, Legron, Rhiva, and Haravak continued riding toward Xul Jarak, the Gray Citadel of the orcs. A heavy rain began to fall, and once again a think fog blanketed the landscape.

 

An hour before sunset, the party reached Xul Jarak, a bleak citadel atop a great mound of black rock. No light issued from the forlorn edifice. Somewhere to the north and east of the citadel, perhaps a quarter mile distant, the party could hear thousands of orcs...

 

Using stealth and magic, Rhiva, Alyanna, Graenor, Brodzag, and Legron entered the Gray Citadel of the orcs, Xul-Jarak, through a section of the southwest wall that had collapsed.

 

Within the Xul-Jarak, the party encountered a wyvern, emissaries of the Broken Fang, emissaries of the Roving Eye, and two mysterious humans, Livikus and Xeldar. Using Legron's Locate Object spell to find a starcase leading into the depths of the citadel, and a combination of Alyanna's druidic magic and Brodzag's dwarven strength to create a hole in the floor to access the stairs, the party penetrated deeper in the the depths...

 

Fighting their way past orcs and a worg, Rhiva, Alyanna, Graenor, Brodzag, and Legron made their way to the third level of Xul-Jarak. They opened a wide set of double doors set into the east wall of the octagonal level to discover an orc forge...

 

Alyanna relates...

 

"Rhiva convinced/bribed the two orcs that were in the room with the captives to join us to overthrow Thrull. She used an enlarge spell to make one of them big, and they rushed into the room where Thrull awaited. Alyanna cast soften earth and stone, which allowed the prisoners to pull their chains out of the ground.

 

The heirs were escorted back to a room where there were bodies of orcs (and our poor dear Brodzag). They grabbed the orc crossbows, and we split up to enter Thrull's chamber from two different entrances.

 

The battle with Thrull was not as difficult as the party expected. We had managed to catch him before he had fully armored up, so he was vulnerable. He did not have many other orcs in the room with him. He did kill both of the ÔfriendlyÕ orcs that had agreed to join us. But soon the party managed to gain the upper hand - helped by powerful offensive spells from Alyanna and a surprising critical hit from the crossbow of one of the heirs!

 

With Thrull defeated, the party looted his throne room. A few weapons and other trophies of past Thrull victories were found. The heirs found their clothing and armor in a barrel and were able to get dressed. The party encountered an old pet monster of Thrull's, but after seeing how old it was they decided not to kill it. It did not pursue them.

 

The party now had to escape the citadel. They had Thrull's mighty weapon, the Hammer of Vorbyx, and Thrull's head on a spear. Upon arriving at Brodzag's body, they debated carrying him out to potentially be resurrected. Unfortunately, no one in the party was strong enough to carry the stocky dwarf. So Legron the cleric performed a brief ceremony, and the party wrapped Brodzag's body in the pelt of a dire bear from the throne room and sank his body in the deep pool in the citadel so the orcs could not defile him.

 

They did encounter some resistance on the way out, but thanks to Rhiva's pyrotechnics as a distraction, the party escaped the citadel. They traveled twelve relatively uneventful days back to the town of Melvaunt, where they were greeted with a heroes welcome."

 

 

~ Return to Melvaunt and a Hero's Welcome ~

 

Wherein the heroes return to Melvaunt with the missing heirs and are richly rewarded. The heroes learn of the treachery of Bremen Leiyraghon. Rodan and Xaraina depart for the Silver Marches.

 

Alyanna describes the conclusion of the party's adventures in the Moonsea...

 

"We rested and received their rewards for rescuing the heirs. The rewards were handsome indeed -- several thousand gold pieces each, plus other items and favors.

 

The party spent a few days resting, training, shopping (and for the devout, praying). They decided to accept an invitation from House Leiyraghon for a feast in their honor.

 

The family - patriarch Dornig and two sons, the younger of whom (Kalman) was among the five rescued from the citadel - hosted a grand dinner in their manor. About halfway through the dinner, the older brother (Bremen) excused himself. A few minutes later, doors to the room burst open and in marched ten orcs and orogs. The orc archers immediately let fly a slew of arrows into the father, gravely wounding him. A heated battle ensued around, above, and below the dinner table, and all along the balcony that lined the walls of the room. Several of the party were hurt pretty badly, and it was really dicey for a while there. Alyanna used her new Nature Spells feat, which allowed her to turn into an eagle using her wild shape ability and still be able to cast spells. The orcs made lots of good reflex saves and a couple of them were pretty tough. The party learned the orcs had locked the doors to the room, and unlocked the doors so two house guards could assist in the battle. The battle lasted WAY too long, but eventually the orcs were all killed, and although several of us were hurt pretty badly, no one was dead." It does not take Dornig and Kalman long to realize that Bremen was in league with the Daazlag, one of Thrull's commanders at Xul-Jarak.

 

Rhiva, Legron, Alyanna, and Graenor spend another tenday in Melvaunt before taking passage aboard a ship owned by House Bruil and take passage to Harrowdale Town.

 

 

~ The Dales ~

 

Wherein Alyanna, Graenor, Legron, and Rhiva sail from Melvaunt to the port city of Harrowdale Town.

 

The party sailed for a tenday from Melvaunt, over the Moonsea and Dragon Reach, to Harrowdale Town. It is now mid Eleint (September) in the Year of the Unstrung Harp. The autumn equinox is a week away.

 

While in Harrowdale Town, the party stays at Fall of Stars, an inn catering to adventurers. Fall of Stars is owned by Sheera Goldenleaf and Gunderman Brewmaster, two of the town's burghers. Fall of Stars is located at the crossroads near the temples of Oghma and Mystra.

 

 

~ The Citadel ~

 

Wherein the heroes are approached by harper Valmaxian Greestone, Priestess Llewan Aspenwold, Learned Father Teredic Alton, and the Reverend Sister Seresha Auric and asked to infiltrate an ancient citadel and rid it of drow.

 

The party stealthily enters Cormanthor. Within the citadel the party defeats drow belonging to House Jaelre, a Draegloth, and force the deep dragon Jhanilmexa to retreat back into the depths of the Underdark...

 

 

~ Swords ~

 

Wherein Legron believes the heroes have discovered the mighty elven weapons "Dragonsbane" and "The Stalker's Blade".

 

During the journey from the citadel back to Harrowdale Town, Legron becomes convinced that the swords the party found in the citadel, forged long ago in Cormanthor, have powers that the party has yet to discover... Back at Fall of Stars, Legron shows his friends at the Temples of Oghma and Mystra the blades and asks for permission to borrow several old tomes, convinced he can discover more.

 

In the days before the party travels to Tangled Trees to celebrate their victory over the drow and their draegloth and dragon allies, Legron spends much of his time at the temples of Oghma and Mystra, pouring over ancient tomes.

 

He announces Graenor's thinblade is one of the weapons known as a "stalker's blade", created by the followers of the elven diety Sethanine Moonbow during the Year of the Unkind Weapons. Some of the other scholars at the temples disagree. While the elves are impressed by Legron's ability to pursue some very old and obscure elvish texts -- and they agree Legron is probably correct in dating the sword as over 1200 years old, predating even the founding of Myth Drannor -- they think his excitement over the find has clouded his judgement. The scholars's opinion is that Graenor's thinblade is an excellent specimen of elven weaponsmithing, but that it is not a stalker's blade. Legron politely insists he has not misinterpretted his sources, and that further research at the Leaves of Learning in Highmoon will prove him correct and reveal the key to unlocking the weapon's secrets.

 

Legron believes his longsword was forged by the elves of Cormanthyr during the Year of the Dracorage to protect the forest communities from marauding dragons. This announcement is greeted with far less skepticism, and he is encouraged to present his research and the blade to the elders of Tangled Trees.

 

 

~ Journey to the Tangled Trees ~

 

It is the first week of Marpenoth, also known as Leaffall (October). The fall weather has been unusually warm and beautiful. Sometimes it's hard to believe that, just a tenday ago, the party was battling the drow of Cormanthor under oppressive, gloomy skies.

 

Rhiva, Alyanna, Graenor, and Legron make ready for their trip to the Tangled Trees and the ruathar ceremony. Valmaxian Greenstone, who was originally planning on accompanying the party, announces he will be unable to make the journey with them. Fortunantly, Alyanna has spent many years in Cormanthor and will be able to act as the party's guide.