Session 36 - Elturel (recap)

The Order of the Guantlet

• Aegar asked about the Order of the Gauntlet
  • Leosin looked around, like he was going to share something secret but just wanted to make sure there was noone to overhear. “You’re a paladin right? Where the Harpers want balance and to understand and interact from the shadows, the Order of the Gauntlet are more… forthright in what they want. They take on evil directly and want to do good in the world.” He started to wax poetically:
    • Faith is a member’s most potent weapon against evil.
    • Great challenges require heroic demonstrations of both strength and valor.
    • It is justified to punish an act of evil, not a thought or feeling.
  • “They don’t punish people for thinking bad things, they punish them for doing bad things. They don’t intervene just because people disagree with them, they intervene to fight evil. And so they can be a rather loud and boisterous and gregarious bunch, and Frume chief among them.”
    
  • “He’s a bit of a loud man, but I think he’s a good one.”
  • “He’s my next point to follow up on the lead you gave me and see if he knows what’s going on with Verram the White, anything more about these raids, especially the raid on Greenest, and what else the Order of the Gauntlet might know about their raising of Dracoliches and other mischief.”
  • “And talking to him and deciding what’s next seemed better than trying to catch up to the carts without knowing more about their plans, where they were going, or what was next. Plus, if they are going to Baldur’s Gate, its faster to go this way and get ahead of them than to follow behind and have the trail go cold when they get to the city and then disappear into the masses.”

Wylder’s message & what the party knows

• The party discussed Wylder’s message about Verram the White. Wylder’s patron shared the message:
  • Thank your friend for Gwendolyn. Tell him he’s too trusting…
  • Have your friend tell Leosin to seek Varram the White in the Serpent Hills.
  • Give him this. He’ll know when to use it.
  • Tell them to follow the white rabbit.
• Leosin prompted them to review what they knew:
  • The Cult of the Dragon is dedicated to raising dracoliches (like crazy people)
  • The Cult in Phlan were clealy doing something related to dracoliches, and had brews concocted.
  • Then they started attacking towns like Greenest
  • The party had passed the message to Leosin that Varram the White is in the Serpent Hills.
    • Where Rezmir is the leader of the black dragon faction, Varram is the leader of the white.
  • Dragon Eggs in Greenest - rumor was true, but no word about where they came from or what the plan might have been.
  • The party considered Leosin an expert and one to follow
  • The cult were heading North, and according to the notes through Baldur’s Gate
    • They weren’t likely to catch up before Baldur’s Gate, so going through Elturel got them possible insight from Ontharr Frume and should get them ahead of the Cult to Baldur’s Gate, even if finding the Cult and their loot may still be hard.
  • Rezmir was planning to take the treasure to Castle Naerytar in the Mere of the Dead Men, and the Mere is north of Waterdeep. Waterdeep is weeks of travel north of Baldur’s Gate.
    • There was a note to watch out for the bullywug and lizardmen tribes that roam the area, as well as Voaraghamantha, who is not fond of unannounced visitors.
    • Carnath Roadhouse marks the safest point of entry.
  • Don’t know why the blue dragon flew away from Greenest. Might know where it is: Voaraghamantha was said to be in the Mere of the Dead Men.
    • Leosin thought the name Voaraghamantha rung a bell in his head, but he couldn’t quite place it.
  • The Well. The Well of Dragons?
  • Skyreach. Skyreach didn’t ring a bell for anyone.
  • There are so many things going on in the world that among the Harpers, no one else cares.

Bonding with Leosin and together

• On the road, the party got to know Leosin better
  • Pliny and Leosin spoke of the Harpers
  • Leosin tried to give space to Zoyana so she could warm up to him. Trying the cat-string theory.
  • Leosin became more formal when talking to Aegar, giving him the respect of a formal noble and matching his demeanor. Aegar didn’t notice.
• Aegar pulled Zoyana aside to tell her that he valued traveling with her, but was honestly curious why she was there with them.
  • Aegar & Pliny are the first people who Zoyana connected with and have started to trust since she was a little girl.
  • She wants to be one way, but her nature draws her another, and Pliny and Aegar make her want to be better and feel like family.
  • And fate keeps drawing her back toward home.
  • She flipped it on him. It’s clear that he could have another life. He replied with platitudes about the opportunity to do good and the wish to try and the hope he can succeed. Aegar did not know what he was doing here.
  • Zoyana shared what happened with Pliny and Widow Swift, and heckled Aegar for his time under the water.
• While Aegar and Zoyana bonded, Pliny, Leosin & Nesim had their own heart-to-heart over music around the campfire
  • They talked of the Harpers and what it means to wear the pin

Making their way towards Elturel

• As they grew closer on the 6-day trek, Leosin shared more about Elturel:
  • The nation north of the Greenfields is Elturguard, and is a relatively new nation.
    • Their guards and patrols are known as the Hellriders, after a famous excursion into the 9th level of Hell itself.
      
    • In the prior century, the High Rider was discovered to be a vampire, and the city infested with undead.
    • During the ensuing struggle, one night, a second sun appeared in the sky, turning night into day and clearing the city of undead.
  • Thavius Kreeg took credit for the appearance of the Companion, and when the new leader, now called the High Observer, died, he took the title of High Observer himself.
    • In the process he founded Elturgard as a nation, and things have been mostly calm and prosperous since.
    • The Companion continues to shine above the city, night and day for the past 50 years, causing pain and injury to all undead who bask in its presence.
  • Elturel itself is a nice town. There are two levels to it:
    • The dock ward down by the river is for the lower and working classes and built of wood. It’s safe, although not particularly nice.
    • Up on the hill sits the High District, made of stone and housing knights and nobles.
    • It’s a well-run lawful town, where one could prosper.
• Leosin also shared more about his friend Ontharr Frume:
  • Where Governor Nighthill liked stories of “daring-do”, Ontharr Frume is more responsive to the kind of people who do bold things.
  • He doesn’t need flourish in the telling, but he also would not appreciate false-modesty or under-appreciation of the fighting of evil that the party has done.
  • At one point, Leosin brought out the conversation with Aegar: “You know you’ve done good, right? The attack on Greenest was not ok.”
    • Aegar turned that around into a conversation about the Cult of the Dragon

The Cult of the Dragon

• Leosin shared what he knew of the Cult of the Dragon
  • Way back when, Sammaster was a crazy necromancer wizard who had some connection to Mystara, the goddess of Magic. He somehow found out or developed the concoction and ritual that allowed dragons to become liches, and recorded it in a tome.
  • Before Sammaster, dragons did not become liches. They would grow old and die. Humans became liches. Humanoids became liches. But dragons didn’t. And can’t. They require a humanoid wizard to facilitate the ritual and recipe to turn them into liches to live forever.
  • Sammaster’s book became a sort of a religion in trying to get dragons to turn. And this was tied to a prophecy of Sammaster’s that undead dragons would rule the world.
  • They have this crazy idea that if they convince the dragons to become liches, then they’ll be the chosen when the undead dragons take over.
• Zoyana asked about Rath Modar.
  • Leosin hadn’t heard that name
  • Zoyana shared that all the high ranking officials in the meeting she observed recognized him as having even more power than them.
    • Including Rezmir (“that half-dragon bitch”)
    • That Rath Modar would consider Greenest falling a success and would be happy with how things were going (up to the point where the party brok the dragon eggs)
  • Leosin turned to Pliny, clearly referencing their earlier conversation about the Harpers: “I don’t know, but finding out is the kind of thing that we do”
• Zoyana interrogated Leosin about what the Harpers do once they get the information.
  • “Well, we don’t like wars. So we intervene quietly, and with the lives of the innocent in mind.”
  • They take the perspective that going in full-tilt ends with people dying
  • For example, if they had taken the dragon eggs, and one of the dragons comes looking for them, they would have choices. Without the eggs, a danger is removed, but lots of options were eliminated too. “If a dragon comes to find us now, what are you going to do?”
• The heckling drove Aegar to want to find the paladins in Elturel: “maybe finally I’ll find people of honor”

Rokstasha’s note

• On the 25th day, Pliny woke with a hunch about his latest dreams and dug Rokstasha’s journal out of his pack.
• Upon opening the book, a note fluttered to the ground:

My friends,

I trust this letter finds you well. My efforts to gather those of the Five-Leaf Clover that remain and those who loved Ragvala continue apace. As do my efforts to understand what happened on that final day.

If all goes to plan, I hope we can celebrate and remember the Coinmaker with a Coin Festival on Greengrass next, and I hope to have more information by then.

I will send word as the day grows closer. And if you find anything more about purple mist or great monstrosities appearing where they should not be, please contact me. Just leave word in this notebook, and I will get the message.

Your wish…

Rokstasha of the Five-Leaf Clover

• When he opened the journal, Pliny saw that the first page was not the saga of the 5 Leaf Clover. Instead, it was the Saga of the Looting Luters.
  • It told the tale of our heroes going about their lives in Phlan, and then glowing circles appearing behind them. Skeletons attacking, Zoyana doing backflips and Pliny taking a nap.
  • It told the tale of them meeting an ancient gold dragon and flying to an enchanted forest to return a lost lute
  • Of the death of the dragon and rewards
  • Of a fight with goblins, and old friend with a message, and discovery of agents of the Cult of the Dragon attempting to raise dracoliches.
  • Of travel to Greenest, new friends, preparations, attack, a dragon, investigations, prison break, escape, cracking some eggs, black pudding omlets, special spring time, a goodbye to Widow Swift, and of travel up to the present moment.
• Rokshasa’s letter jogged Zoyana’s memory, and she inquired whether Leosin knew anything about a purple mist.
  • Leosin didn’t know, and Zoyana didn’t share any details
  • Leosin shared a little more about Rezmir: she’s evil, she carries an evil sword, she wants credit for the success in Greenest, and she’s a micromanager.

Elturel and Tournament

• While stopped for lunch at an inn a day or two out from Elturel. A group of Hellriders stopped at the same inn. Leosin visited them to do some scouting, and came back with word that they were headed into Elturel on the day of a tournament, hosted by Ontharr Frume’s Order of the Gauntlet.
• As they approached, Leosin filled in more about Elturel, it’s history and geography, and the Companion.
• The party arrived at the city to find it buzzing in preparation for the tournament.
• When they arrived at the tournament, Leosin volunteered Aegar for the joust and the melee.
  • Pliny eyed the drinking and eating contests
  • Zoyana waffled between staying quite and joining the drinking contest.

Archery Contest

• A line had been whitewashed into the grass, with targets made of bundles of straw set at regular intervals 50, 100, 150, and 200 feet in front of the line. A moderate crowd has gathered against the cordon behind the line as Hellriders stood guard to keep passers-by out of the potential line of fire.
• At the entrance to the Archery Contest, the party was greeted by a surly dwarf. “No magic, just the bows.”
  • Most of the people lined up had longbows, but there were some shortbows and crossbows, even a boy with a slingshot.
  • “Each contestant must hit targets at 50, 100, and 150 feet. All who hit all 3 make it into the contest.” He looked at Pliny, “Well, the other people will get in the contest.” And he pointed at the line.
  • “The Order of the Guantlet have put up…” he looked at his notes “Ubar the Smith, a magical quiver, to the winner of the contest”
• Pliny stepped up to the line and hit the 50 foot target dead center, hit the 100 foot target in the middle (Aegar: “I wish he could shoot this good when there are monsters around.”). People started paying attention. Pliny raised his crossbow high, and arc’d a bolt into the top of the 150 foot target.
  • The dwarf grunted and showed Pliny to the holding pen with the other contestants, which included
    • A female human with blond hair, white fox pelts over her armor and an antler bow on her back and a thick accent.
    • A gray-bearded human man wearing the faded uniform of a Hellrider crossbowman. He proudly carried a shield on his back with the double-sun crest of Elturgard, even though it is of no use at this event.
    • A little halfling lady in bright orange glowing silks and gold chains. She carried a shortbow of osage orange wood. Her arrows are fletched in the same bright orange color of her clothes and her bow.
• Zoyana snuck closer and tried to secretly cast Dispel Magic on the halfling. It had no discernable effect.
• While Zoyana was spellcasting, Pliny heard the ka-thunk of a giant bow release, and saw a huge arrow hit the first target. Then huge arrows hit the 100 and 150 foot targets. The arrows were shot by a male goliath wearing only leather breeches and a baldric holding a quiver and enormous yew bow. The brindled pattern of his skin was crisscrossed by old scars.
• A frilly elf addressed the crowd: “My Lords, My Ladies, everyone else. It is time for the archery contest. We will have rounds. The contestants shall draw lots before the first round. Anyone who misses the target is disqualified. If everyone hits the target, the farthest from the center is disqualified. Then we clear the arrows and we shoot again. If a contestant pierces another contestant’s arrow within the bulls-eye, they will eliminate the author of the target arrow.”
  • “And so, my friends, let us draw straws.”
• Pliny, being Pliny, pulled the long straw and went last.
  • In the first round, the grey-bearded man misfired and sent his crossbow bolt about 5 feet, eliminating himself with a “fuckety fuck fuck fuck”.
  • In the second round, the halfling fired just short and eliminated herself.
  • In the third round, the female human pulled her shot to the right, missing wildly.
  • In the final round, Thrump overshot by 400 feet. Unfortunately, Pliny misfired short, hitting the 100 foot target. The judges called for another round.
    • In the repeat round, Thrump hit the bullseye dead center, and Pliny sent his bolt just slightly wide of Thrump’s arrow. And Thrump took the contest.
• Pliny led the crowd in a chant of “Thrump! Thrump! Thrump!” and sent them off to the bars drinking…
  • And then turned to Aegar “I think we go rid of my biggest competition in the pie eating contest. Let’s go…”