Tyranny of Dragons - Session 8

And we're back to your regularly scheduled programming with Episode 3 of Hoard of the Dragon Queen. Apologies for the long hiatus, work picked up for me and we had two more sessions of The Ashen Gates that we'll try to get you a blog post of as soon as we can. But we're back and I've got Episode 3 totally ready to run so we should be rolling through it pretty regularly barring holiday interruptions.

When last we left our heroes, they had just returned to Greenest after rescuing Leosin Erlanthar from the Cult of the Dragon's camp and discovering an ancient elvish cave full of Menhirite and undead protectors. The part returned Leosin to his compatriots, gave the information which the Governor had requested to him, and gave some Menhirite that they'd harvested to Eadyan Falconmoon. Eadyan also identified the writing on the stone tablet inside the elvish cave as Druidic and referred them to Gleriel Moonbringer, a priestess of Eldath who tended a small glade on the western outskirts of town.

Deciding that it would be prudent to sleep first since they had been up all night for the second day in a row, the party secured modest lodgings at the Prairie Hen Inn and retired for the morning. After his restorative meditation, Thamior went to ask Leosin if the party could do anything else to help him. Leosin revealed that he had sent Nessim to keep an eye on the camp and expected a him to come back that evening with a report. But once his scout returned, Leosin expects to give Thamior and his party information that may help them make one last incursion into the camp. Leosin really wanted to find out what was in the cave at the camp and find out if the cult really did have dragon eggs. He also explained that he'd likely go back up to Elturel once he was feeling better so the party could meet him there to report their findings and receive a nice reward of 150gp each.

Thamior then set to work on making a quarterstaff while the rest of the party remained asleep. Once everyone was awake, they headed off to see Gleriel Moonbringer at her glade. They found a female moon elf with pale skin and dark hair and eyes. She was dressed in a simple blue tunic with emerald colored leggings tucked into worn leather boots. She confirmed that Lou's rubbings were druidic and translated it into "Speak the name of the Green Goddess and pass through," which she instantly knew to be the name of her deity, Eldath.

After saying their farewells, the group returned to Greenest where the ladies proceeded to go out on the town and get drunk. Lou cast find familiar and summoned an ermine named Wiley from the Feywild, Thamior kept working on his quarterstaff, and Adolphus held court by himself in his room at the Prairie Hen Inn.

When Nessim returned, he revealed that the raider camp had quickly emptied. The raiders had all but left the camp when he arrived and the last of them were trickling out in all directions. Leosin intimated that his offer still stood: 150gp each for investigating the cave at the back of the camp. The party agreed to go check it out the following day and slept the rest of the night.

On their way to the raider camp, the party stopped off at the elvish cave and tried their new trick with saying, "Eldath." Everyone except Duckie stood on the platform and everyone except Duckie were suddenly transported to a beautiful forest.

The sound of the waterfall in the cave you just left is replaced by the heavier, yet more distant booming sound of falling water. Nearby, about 10 feet from you, is a small stream interrupted by small waterfalls as it travels downhill. Directly in front of you is a clear pool about 10 feet in diameter.

Trying to cross the pool, in the direction of an old path that the group spotted (with a natural 20 perception check), a huge constrictor snake leapt out of the pool and wrapped itself around Moki, squeezing her to within 1 hitpoint of her life. The party quickly fought the snake, except for Gwen, recognizing that if this forest was under the protection of Eldath, the goddess of peace, they probably shouldn't be violent. It was that realization that saved the party. Four clerics of Eldath entered the clearing and magically forced the beast back into the pool and asked the party to follow them.

Meanwhile, back in the cave, the rod descended to the stone circle base and the runes stopped glowing. The ghouls walked back to take their places. Duckie repeated the action that Thamior had taken, saying, "Eldath," when the staff was placed in the center of the circle and the runes began to glow. She teleported to the forest in the middle of the fight and followed the clerics.

They were led to Duskwood Dell, and met Most Exalted Fallskeeper Alatoasz Berendim, an elderly moon elf with calm blue eyes, wearing deep blue robes with an emerald green cloak and a stag's head brooch.

He filled them in on the history of Duskwood Dell, that it was a sacred place of the Eldathyn, a secret place that only the priests and priestesses of Eldath were allowed to know about. Since he didn't know the group, he decided that one way to trust them was for one of them to join the Emerald Enclave. Specifically, if Lou would join. He had picked up that Lou was a bit hermetic and seemed most at home in the wilderness. Berendim described the Enclave's beliefs:

• The natural order must be respected and preserved.
• Forces that seek to upset the natural balance must be destroyed.
• The wilderness can be harsh. Not everyone can survive in it without assistance.

and Lou, inspired both by the Enclave's mission and Eldath's principle of peace, accepted the offer, being made a Springwarden.

Berendim, upon hearing about the party's mission to investigate and stop the Cult of the Dragon, mournfully remembered the burning of the forests of Shantel Othreier by the ancient red wyrms during the Second Crown War. He mentioned how Ringreemeralxoth, a young adult green dragon, has his lair in the northeastern hills, and how Berendim worried about him gaining power from this conflict. As further help to the characters, Berendim offered several magic items for the group before they returned to the Greenfields:

Boots of the Wild (requires attunement) -- These are special boots of deer skin, each dotted with a tiny gem on the sole. The boots lace up to the knee. While wearing the boots, add 5 feet to your walking speed and ignore difficult terrain in forests.

Tethir's Bite (longsword, Dragon Slayer) -- This slender longsword still sparkles with ancient craftsmanship. Once belonging to Tethir, "the Dragonslayer", who single-handedly slew two ancient red wyrms during the Second Crown War more than 10 thousand years ago, it's half the weight of a normal longsword and has the likeness of a platinum dragon for a hilt. +1 weapon, and 3d6 extra vs Dragons.

Elven Chain -- This chain shirt is lighter and moves more easily than normal chain you've handled before. It has elegant pauldrons with stylized flames formed into the metal. It acts as a +1 chain shirt and the wearer is automatically proficient in wearing it.

x4 Potion of Greater Healing -- Familiar red, sparkly liquid, but a bit redder than you've seen before. 4d4+4 healing for each.

3 doses of Viper Venom -- Translucent yellow liquid. DC 16, 2d6 DEX dmg when it contacts with blood.

Spell Scrolls -- Web, Erupting Earth, Magic Circle, Wall of Water, Control Water, Watery Sphere

And that's where we left off for the session. Next time, the party investigates the cult's cave. Also, as it's Thanksgiving week here in the US, we'll be taking this week off, so expect a boring week next week, but we hope to be back the week after!