Session Preface

  Parathrax, looking out the window of the Dancing Stallion, you can't help but notice how beautiful Neverwinter is this time of year. Just on the brink of winter, leaves of orange and scarlet fall and float in the crisp morning air. Individuals are already well into their morning routines and responsibilities, but work with a brighter spirit, enjoying the cool but not yet cold morning with rays of sunlight warming the cobblestone streets.   How long has it been since you've had a moment to actually see life unfolding around you? More than a year, how the days pass here. But how long has it been, for you? In Avraathe everything felt so distant and disjointed. The new police force, your father's false duplicate, keeping your identity a secret. There was no time to really see the city. To see the people. Were they faring well in the wake of an entire war that unfolded in your absence? Was their spirit as resilient as you remember, as you dare to hope it could be? For perhaps you yourself will need to borrow that resilience for the days ahead.   This thought turns your gaze back to Vorothruun. He sits at the table opposite you, one hand mindlessly stirring porridge, the other holding open a book. From just over the top of the binding, the new black gem eye paces back and forth, twitching as if it were actually following the lines of the tome between you. The darkness outlining his features from your dream - it was a dream, wasn't it? - flickers ever so slightly in and out of sight for a moment. Whether this shroud actually appeared or just triggered a memory of its existence, you cannot be sure.   But it takes only this brief reminder to entirely forget about Neverwinter on a beautiful autumn morning. For now your thoughts turn towards what lies ahead. Waterdeep, another strange relic, and your brother's descent into madness.  

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  Endriel, as you step out of the small, unassuming office, having provided your report to the proper channels, the cool breeze catches your cloak and you instinctively pull it closer to you. A young couple passes by arm in arm, carrying goods from the market. The scent of their fresh bread a reminder you have yet again not eaten yet this morning.   It is a lovely day, one that could be well spent in the market and city streets learning more of the recent power shifts in Neverwinter and what the implications will mean for the Sword Coast as a whole. Or finally exploring their library of which you've only heard spoken of with the highest regard. There is a great deal of knowledge to be gained in this City of Skilled Hands, but alas, these tasks will need be filled by a different Harp.   Your purpose continues to lead you towards the two dragonborn brothers and their perplexing quest. Strange in their differences and stranger still in their similarities, you still yet know not what to make of them. You find yourself in a way between the two. For Parathrax's experience as a solider and life as part of a hierarchy is all too familiar to your own past and present. And Vorothruun's desire to know and learn and grow is also familiar to your own training and research, if not taken out of context and without proper boundaries in place.   "It is quite the strange journey the three of us have been on so far. May only grow stranger still." you think to yourself as you turn the corner back towards the Dancing Stallion.  

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  Vorothruun, as your eyes skim over the Advanced Potions tome you found in the library of Loviatar's followers, completely unaware of Endriel's entrance behind you, your mind races ahead towards the next step in your journey towards recognition. While your newly forged chains weigh heavy across your shoulders and the spiraling cuts across your arm still burn with sharp searing pain with each motion, you have never felt your feet on sturdier ground than the path set before you.   For truth is now pushing away the fog in the mirror of your mind. You see yourself as you truly are. As you truly will be. The chosen and destined follower of Ragnalla, from whom you will beseech power incarnate and she will answer your cries. She will embrace your seeking, for she herself is the Seeker of the Skies. You are but following in her character and will, as all most deserving disciples do.   Two more, you think to yourself for not the first time since waking in your familiar room. Two more gems. The Maw and the Feather. Two more. Waterdeep and wherever the coward Malus is hiding the final piece. Two more. Two more devotions. Two more and then the resplendent Ragnalla's gaze will turn to meet mine and she will know that she has chosen correctly. Two more.

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Session Summary

  Following a simple breakfast at the Dancing Stallion, the party returned to the Harper's teleportation circle and departed for Waterdeep. They then found themselves in an excavated tomb, where a young arcane student by the name of Thestryl Mellardin who activated the shield guardian statue outside of the sarcophagus to open it and allow their exit.  

Waterdeep

  Making their way through the City of the Dead, the party passed through the gates into the Trades Ward. Here the party stopped into Riven's Shield, where they met Riven himself. The party spent a few moments discussing where to find magical artifacts in the city as well as showing interest in a dream project of Riven's - a shield that is able to absorb arcane energy. Parathrax put down a generous deposit towards this project, currently limited by legislation and availability of quality materials, as well as ordering 12 shields for the guards of Durindale depicting the colors and beacon on the front.   Following this exchange, the party made their way to the Prestige, the store Riven described as the most prominent place to procure magical items.  

The Prestige

  One of these display cases in particular draws your attention, Vorothruun. For within, sitting on a deep red velvet cushioned pedestal sits a dark emerald gem. It seems to soak up the various colors refracting against each cut of the stone, bending the light into darkness and casting it back out as forest green. As it bends each band of color towards its will, you feel its power work in the same way against your mind, making it difficult to focus on anything else.   Upon entering the unassuming shop, the heroes initially meet a young human girl with bright brown eyes and auburn hair by the name of Elya. She takes much joy in showing Parathrax a magic trick she refers to as "making a dragon disappear." While Vorothruun finds her distraction quite offputting, Parathrax kindly steps aside with her, allowing his brother to focus on the matter at hand. Discussing the gem with Kelnelis, the finely dressed half-elven enchanter and store owner, Vorothruun agrees to fulfill a favor for Kelnelis in exchange for the gem.   "Word around town is that a dungeon-delver managed to make it into a ruined keep on the eastern side of Ardeep Forest, part of the old Phalorm kingdom. The thief uncovered a number of items of historical interest, but unfortunately they weren't able to make it out with everything. Notably, rumors of Lathlaeril's Mirror, a focus of True Scrying, have resurfaced for the first time after his death in 612 DR.   Now, it's my understanding - though this unfounded, but also quite likely truth - the Eldreth Velluthra who guard the ruins are in a frenzy and have increased their defensive measures. The City Watch have also caught wind of this news and have sent a band of Zhentarim mercenaries, non-human obviously, out to inspect the area and attempt to return Lathlaeril's Mirror to High Commander (Derek) Windfire.   I need not detail why the City Watch having an object of True Scrying would be ... less than ideal for the business of magical item procurement and distribution in such a city as this. Thus, since I am clearly in no such shape to make a visit to the Eldreth's camp myself, if you go on my behalf and thwart the Watches hired swords, I reckon the business you'd be saving me would be worth a discount on this magical gem to the weight of say, 5000 dragons? But if you managed to bring the relic back here, I would say we could make an even trade. What do you say?" - Kelnelis   Following this conversation, Endriel and Parathrax took several moments to not only entertain Elya, but to purchase several items as well. As a whole, the party purchased:

• Javelin of Lightning, 1250g (deals lightning damage to all within 5 foot line between wielder and target)
• Arrow of Giant Slaying, 150g (6d10 piercing damage based on CON 15 S/T)
• Arrow of Dragon Slaying, 150g
• Arrow of Demon Slaying, 150g
• Silver Ring of Shadows, 450g (+2 stealth when taking hide action)
• 3 Potions of Greater Healing 225g
• Speak with Dead Scroll, 700g

  After coming to terms with Kelnelis, Vorothruun provides an additional deposit for Kelnelis to hire additional security to ensure the Maw's ongoing safekeeping.   Taking the next two days of travel to rest and regain their strength, the party approaches the edge of Ardeep forest at midday, navigating their way through the underbrush along the river until they arrive at the marshland ruins described to them.  

Eldreth Veluuthra Base

  As you approach still following the river northward, the forest gradually begins to clear and the ground grows softer with each step as you move into an environment more akin to a marsh or swamp than the thick and overgrown woods up to this point. Knotted roots rise forth, threatening to knock you off balance as the path thins and winds through the wetlands, but you keep your footing. Your boots sink deeper and deeper into the muck, sloshing and gurgling with each footfall.   Eventually, through the trees and tall grasses, you see ruins of what once must have been fine stonework before you. Vines grow through the grout and around stones in haphazard directions. On each corner of the keep's now dilapidated wall is a sentry tower, though one has long since collapsed in on itself.   Along the three enduring posts, there are indeed sentries keeping their watchful elven eyes on the treeline. Once you take note of them, you're able to discern other signs of life walking the walls, bows in hand. One in particular takes heavy steps in a large stride, pacing back and forth, an arrow nocked with his bow before him as she shifts his gaze to and fro looking for any threat or perhaps scapegoat for his foul mood.   Seeing the obviously disturbed and alert guards along the ruined keeps walls, the heroes look on, trying to determine whether they have beaten the Zhentarim here, whether they are still within the keep, or how the day might have unfolded or if the events are yet to take place. Through the use of Clairvoyance, Vorothruun is able to determine the thief had indeed arrived and managed to steal the mirror from the ruins.   While looking for further clues, Endriel carefully examines the perimeter of the camp and finds a set of foot prints climbing a series of vines along the wall as well as a hole in the wall in which a small individual might have been able to crawl out from a tower of the keep.   Using these observations, the party determines the direction the Zhentarim have snuck away in the night and follow the trail accordingly, eventually arriving at a smaller set of ruins where a camp has been made for the evening.  

Zhentarim Camp

  Following the footsteps and other disturbances of the forest, your tracking leads you towards another set of smaller, much further eroded ruins of what was once the kingdom of Phalorm. From what you can make out from a distance, five black tents have been pitched. Smoke rises from a small fire, stones placed around to keep the light itself from drawing undue attention. Though the camp is quiet, you can hear muffled coughs coming from one of the far tents.   Upon discovering the camp, the three heroes agree to create a diversion so as to allow Endriel to sneak into the tent of the thief, remove the mirror, and allow for their escape. The plan initially goes off well and Vorothruun is able to sneak around the campsite and alert those keeping watch in the direction opposite of Endriel's task. However, this unexpected noise also alerted the elven hunting party, bringing them uncomfortably close to Vorothruun as well. While he works to sneak away, using further distractions to split the hunting party into different groups, Endriel successfully finds a small chest with the mirror contained within next to the sleeping thief. With incredible perception, Endriel manages to detect a magical alarm set around the chest using silver wire and a small bell. Using this insight, he just manages to remove the chest, keeping the alarm silent. He then swiftly kicks the thief in the head and teleports back to the group.   Between Vorothruun's distractions and Endriel's waking of the thief, the hunting party and Zhentarim discover one another and begin feuding and fighting amidst the confusion. In this chaos, a pair of red tieflings run off into the night. While his companions run onward back towards the river, Vorothruun takes a moment to sow further chaos using a pair of spells and the party manages to escape with the ancient relic and one step closer towards their final destination.