D&D Hills of the Lost Campaign Episodes 23 to 33
~The intrepid travelers reconnected at the dawn of the lockdown (March 2020) to meet weekly for D&D.
A few players are returning to the game after decades, and some venturing to learn for the first time. These friends brought new ones to the game. Some with small children, some in college, some looking for a distraction, some miles apart in locale and views; however, this alliance has become family for one night a week.
Be patient; someday, this plan will work ~ Havocs for Hire
Episode 23
The Cards and The Dragon
Having rested from their return from the Fey Wild, the party took the morning to tie up some loose ends and explore some neighborhood shops. Dr Scot bragged about a Tattoo of protection he had recently gotten to upgrade his AC. Odettis, doubting hum, shot him with her crossbow over the table of waffles hitting him. “It seems overrated “ , she declared.
Afterwards, the group headed thru the north Ward on their way to Obaya temple and then the Dock Ward to investigate the Bronze Dragon recently having taken up residence in the Waterdeep Harbor dragon.
Passing the ruins of the Waterdeep Swordmaiden Statue, they noticed for the first time a door in the statues head with a sign over it for “Thorts Findings”. On entering they discovered a cavernous room crisscrossed with walkways and overstuffed bookshelves with every sort of Knick knack, flotsam and jetsam one could imagine, with a dash of oddities and strange ends.
Greeted by the eccentric owner, Thort, they rummage and explore finding a few items and a few suggestions from Thort. Odettis got a miniature statue of the honorable knight statue and had him identify an item she already had, a small raven statuette. He grinned and told her if she rubs it belly it will animate and flay about and she can also leave it in a room after doing this and it would record who comes and goes until she returns!
Dr Scot got an amulet that is a salamander sprit animal, it will animate and remain near him.
They then headed to the temple.
Obaya was pleased to see the whole group again and in one piece. Her friend Wilfred Tarhawk had arrived the day before from the mountains in the east and sat with Odettis to read the cards with her.
The short story of the reading boils down to this:
While not having made the original reading, he was able to get the essence of the two cards previously given to Odettis and after searching her soul, Wilfred was able to recreate it and give her some interpretation and wisdom.
That there are Three Crown cards present in their positions indicates that Odettis and the group ore on a path that is part of events larger than just them. The crowns tie the event together and that cards representing most of the group seems to signify their bond to each together.
The quest seems to be to counter the goals of a massive dark presence, represented by the Darklord Card. These dark plans reach over dozens of years and seem nearing their culmination. Each Card has yet to be played out, However The Raven and Executioner represent events already unfolding.
After the reading, Wilfred is exhausted and nods off where he sits. Odettis thanks Obdaya and gives her some fruit and a note. Obdaya clasps Odettis in her arms, “Fear not Child, this is a lot but with your friends with you, I sense great strength and support within you.
Reaching the docks, they meet with a Force Grey agent, who gives them each a 1-hour water breathing potion. They hire a boat to the center of the harbor and jump in. Sinking to the bottom and no sign of the dragon, the group sends one crew to the south and another a few hundred feet to the North.
Odettis spy’s movement at submerged ruin and headed towards it and combat began! The group had run across a scavenging team of Sahuagin. After a pitched battle where nearly, every adventurer scored at least one hash mark for The Chalkboard, Zelifarn The Young, A Bronze Dragon, appeared and finished the battle with a nice coup de gras of the last remaining Sahuagin.
Zellfran, a very over caffeinated and very enthusiastic young dragon, reassured the party that indeed, he is only interested in shiny gold bits and protecting the harbor (from anyone else who is after shiny gold bits to be totally honest).
Because the Havoc 4 Hire adventurers have a cool name and seem like swell folks, Zelifarn leads them to a submerged wreck that has magical protections that he could not get into, he’s too big, in exchange for a share of gold shiny bits. Thinking that there might be stuff of values in the wreck, the group went in to investigate.
Indeed, after searching the water-logged wreck and getting additional water breathing time from Dr Scot, the group were able to do a thorough search. They found enough coin to share 2000 gold each as well as some fine gems, fine art in sealed crates and a number of interesting magic items.
With help from Zelifarn they managed it all up to the docks and parted with him as friends.
Episode 24
WHO NEEDS A PLAN - aka - FIREBALL
MORNING TREASURE
Waking up the morning after the adventure underneath Waterdeep Harbor, the adventurers wake slowly in their rooms at TrollSkull alley with all the requisite aches and pains of having had a battle the previous day.
Converging for bacon and breakfast in the finished but as of yet not open for public business tavern at TrollSkull they greet each other. There is a pile of gold and assorted loot in the center of the main room, waiting to be divided up.
Mokon had spent the evening sorting and tallying. Each party member would get 2000 Gold Dragons plus an item or two from the magical items and other items of interest. After dividing the loot, this left 5000 GD worth in assorted gems, notably some 300gd diamonds, 4 large paintings and an ivory monkey statue to be put in the underground vault.
Several large paintings, originally headed to the Waterdeep Museum of Arts, had been recovered. Two oils of Waterdeep done in great detail, one showing the Swordmaiden before she was toppled. Also 3 large oils depicting scenes inside and outside large dwarven cities in the north, of which depicted a large underground mausoleum area. These were set to hang in the tavern and various adventurers’ rooms.
Mokon announced to the group that he had found a temple in the city to study his clerical arts at. He would be laying off of the adventurer’s road for a while. He would donate most of his recent share to the Tavern itself and volunteered to manage the Tavern while the others pursued their different paths.
FIREBALL!!!
As the group sat finishing their Breakfast there was a massive explosion and a flash of light directly out front of the Tavern!