Dunmari Frontier - Session 108

Meeting Dragonets: in which the party discovers possible allies on the island

Featuring: Seeker, Delwath, Kenzo, Wellby
In Taelgar: May 18, 1749 DR to May 19, 1749 DR
On Earth: Friday Sep 27, 2024
Circular Island

The Dunmar Fellowship navigates alliances with Dragonets, explores ancient memorials, and seeks a way to address Ra’ghemdros and Apollyon’s threats.

Session Info

Summary

• Kenzo and Wellby identify the terrain of the island from a massive statue, spotting a ruined town.
• The party encounters dragonet creatures and learns of a powerful black dragon named Ra’ghemdros.
• Kenzo learns of a jade piece from a dragonet named Megren, who hints at possible alliances against Ra’ghemdros.
• The party explores a magical forest and discovers an elven memorial dedicated to the Downfall Wars.
• At a temple, they meet Dimitaur, an elder dragonet, and discuss Rai’s quest and the impending threat of Apollyon’s escape.

Timeline

• May 18, 1749 DR, later afternoon: Meet dragonets Ghesh, and then Megren. Learn about Ra’ghemdros, who has the Jade Piece of Rai’s Hand. Head inland looking for the eldest dragonet. Reach the memorial forest, pass an elven memorial to the dead of the Downfall Wars.
• May 18, 1749 DR, evening: Reach the summit of the central mountain; meet Dimitaur; discuss Rai and plans

Narrative

The session began with the Kenzo and Wellby ascending a massive statue of The Wanderer to get a comprehensive view of the surrounding island. From the vantage point at the top, Kenzo and Wellby were able to identify several other statues of the Eight Divines, evenly placed around the perimeter of the island, as well as the full expanse of the local terrain, and a ruined town to the north, surrounded by collapsed towers and estates. Exploring the statue complex, the party found the remnants of a ruined pier at the feet of The Wanderer. Although the party briefly considered using clairvoyance to scout ahead, they ultimately decided to explore the ruined town directly, hoping to uncover useful information.

The party made their way toward a ruined manor and tower, where they encountered small dragon-like creatures engaged in a dice game. Kenzo and Wellby moved ahead to scout while Delwath and Seeker stayed hidden, keeping watch for any threats. They discovered an elegant manor with a cracked tower and found four dragonet creatures playing dice near the base of the tower. Kenzo approached, introducing himself as a wandering monk collecting stories, offering to play and holding out coins. Although wary of strangers, the Dragonets let him join – one, in particular, seemed to be the leader of this group – and were quite happy when he lost the first few rounds.

During the game, Kenzo learned that the leader of the dragonets was named Ghesh; Ghesh revealed that the dragonets were under the authority of a powerful black dragon named Ra’ghemdros, who resided in a scarred region to the south. Ra’ghemdros was possessive and temperamental, especially about her hoard of treasures. From Ghesh, Kenzo also learned that another dragonet, Megren, had recently traveled to the mainland and found treasure, specifically a fragment of jade that Kenzo recognized as the last Jade Piece of Rai’s Hand. In exchange for an elaborate golden circlet from Grimbaskal’s Hoard, Ghesh offered to introduce Kenzo to Megren and keep his presence hidden, for now, from Ra’ghemdros.

Kenzo and Ghesh traveled to Megren’s tower, deliberately avoiding a nearby area that Ghesh described as haunted by bad dreams of a red mist, filled with visions of people dying and choking. During their flight to the tower, Kenzo took the opportunity to learn more about the social structure of the Dragonets. Ghesh explained that many dragonets were simply trying to survive, while others were “true believers” in Ra’ghemdros’s cause—those who were more dangerous and less likely to cooperate.

Megren’s tower was well-kept and well-maintained, with extensive grounds and a small village among the ruins. Megren greeted Kenzo and Ghesh warmly, showing no signs of hostility. As a gesture of goodwill, Kenzo gifted her an elvish coin, and also passed along small carved likenesses of both Megren and Ghesh, although Megren seemed to have no need for more coin. Megren revealed that Ra’ghemdros rarely left her lair, which was located in an acidic swamp and guarded by various creatures. Even the dragonets had to negotiate their way in whenever they sought an audience with her.

Megren went on to share that her recent journey to the mainland had resulted in acquiring a significant treasure—a large green gem that Ra’ghemdros highly valued, and as a reward she was gifted possession of her tower outright. During their conversation, Kenzo learned that Megren held no great loyalty to Ra’ghemdros and hinted that there were others like her—individuals who might be willing to change their allegiances if an opportunity arose to challenge the black dragon’s dominance. She spoke of the eldest dragonet – a rumor, no more – who lived in the forests and might have more information.

After speaking with the dragonets, the party regrouped, and decided to travel to the forest, hoping to find the eldest dragonet spoken of by Megren. Moving invisibly, they carefully avoided detection by a pair of dragonets flying overhead, reaching the forest by late afternoon. The terrain they passed through was dry and arid, dotted with occasional springs and scrubby grasses, with little sign of life apart from small lizards and insects. Upon reaching the forest, the atmosphere changed drastically—the landscape opened up to reveal tall trees, vibrant flowers, and sunlight filtering through the canopy, creating a serene and almost magical setting.

The group began walking along a pilgrim’s path that seemed to lead deeper into the forest. They noticed that the path was well-kept, with no signs of plant growth disrupting the paved road, and passed by several open clearings. As the sun began to set, they heard the sound of running water and came across a mysterious pool, where reflections of people with hollow eyes seemed to be staring at them from the water’s surface. Kenzo inspected the pool but sensed no immediate threat, though the unsettling reflections left the group uneasy.

Choosing to continue onward, they discussed their next steps, including the possibility of sending a message to the eldest dragonet they sought, who Kenzo senses ahead with his aura sense. During a short rest, Delwath sent a lynx messenger to announce their approach, requesting an audience with the elder dragonet. He also used scrying to locate the dragonet, seeing him inside a temple setting up a trap.

On the journey through the forest, the party came upon a clearing where two unusually tall trees stood, with a curving piece of pale gray stone growing between them. The stone bore hundreds of names inscribed in Elvish script, the letters appearing to drift through the stone like a living memorial. When Delwath touched the stone, one of the names drifted towards his hand, and he experienced a vivid vision of an elven warrior in battle, offering a glimpse into the Downfall Wars.

Kenzo then spoke to the trees, learning that there had been no pilgrims for many, many years, since the fall of Drankor. The trees remembered those who died in battle and offered glimpses into their past lives. The party learned that the memorial had been created by elves who were once part of the Drankorian society, a society that welcomed many different species before its decline. Kenzo spoke to the trees further, gaining their trust and receiving a memory of a time when the island was vibrant, filled with pilgrims of different species visiting this memorial dedicated to the ancient Hkar and the dead of the Downfall Wars. The trees spoke as one organism, telling of their arrival when the island stopping being a refuge and became a memorial.

Continuing up the mountain, The party arrived at the summit clearing where eight temples stood in a circle, each dedicated to a different deity. The temples were arranged around a central courtyard, with a bell tower that had a lighthouse-like top and several administrative buildings nearby. They found a large hostel where pilgrims would stay, along with a mess hall featuring stone benches and arcane circles for communal meals, suggesting the area once supported up to 100 people.

Identifying the Temple of the Sibyl, dedicated to the deity of magic, knowledge, song, and love, the party noted that each temple had a single entrance facing the courtyard. Wellby carefully investigated the entrance to the Temple of The Sibyl and discovered a tripwire trap connected to a massive stone block that would swing down if triggered. Using a rope to maintain tension, the group successfully disarmed the trap, allowing them to enter the temple safely.

Once inside, they heard a booming voice emanating from the statue of the Sibyl, demanding proof of their allegiance to Rai before they could proceed. Delwath and Seeker exchanged glances, suspecting that the voice might be more mundane in origin than divine. Seeker used his tremorsense to locate movement below and discovered a dragonet hiding in a tunnel beneath the statue. With this knowledge, Kenzo addressed the booming voice, recognizing the dragonet as Dimitaur—an elder who had once been in the presence of Rai. Kenzo spoke of his connection to Rai and presented a piece of jade, revealing their shared purpose.

Meeting Dimitaur

Dimitaur: (speaking in a booming voice from inside the statue of the Sibyl) “Halt, or the gods will punish you!”

Kenzo: (addressing Dimitaur) “Elder dragon, I’ve seen you before in the presence of Rai. I remember a vision with you—Rai as a statue, being visited by monks of my order. I’ve carried a piece of jade my entire life, given to me by my parents when I was born. I think you know what that is. Over the past year and a half, my companions and I have found more of these pieces, which we believe are connected to Rai’s quest.”

Dimitaur: (booming voice) “The gods demand proof that you are friends and allies of this great wizard before they will speak to you.”

Delwath: (gesturing) “Didn’t we just prove ourselves by coming here?”

Dimitaur: “You might be thieves.”

Seeker: (quietly to the group) “I mean, we might be. Should I just dispel this thing with magic?”

Delwath: “Sure, go ahead.”

Kenzo: (to the group) “It’s just Dimitaur behind all this, but it’s fine. We share Rai’s purpose—to keep Apollyon captive.”

Seeker: (putting hands to the stone floor) “Let me use Tremorsense… There’s something moving about ten feet below us, in a tunnel.”

Wellby: “We’re friends..”

Delwath: “What proof would you accept if what we’ve done isn’t enough?”

Dimitaur: (pauses, considering, still speaking in a booming voice) “The gods are thinking for a moment.”

Seeker: “Wait, can you see us right now? Can you see the staff? We have four pieces of jade.”

Delwath: “Can you see it?”

Dimitaur: (pausing) “The gods can only hear.”

Seeker: (dramatically) “Walk forward into our presence.”

Wellby: (gestures subtly) “There’s a peephole at the base of the statue… See it?”

Kenzo: (laughing) “That would have been a much more dramatic reveal if we’d noticed earlier.”

Dimitaur: “The gods do not appreciate your sense of timing.”

Seeker: “Forgive us, almighty gods, for our poor timing.”

(They hear scraping from behind the altar—someone moving a stone tile, and then climbing up. An ancient, elderly dragonet appears, grayish with age, carrying a short staff in one hand and a wand in the other. He walks slowly, blinking a little.)

Dimitaur: (in a softer voice now) “I would know the story of where you got those.”

After some tense back and forth, the party eventually befriended Dimitaur, who emerged from the hidden tunnel. He was an ancient dragonet, gray with age, carrying a short staff in one hand and a wand in the other. Initially defensive, Dimitaur warmed to the party when they showed their genuine connection to Rai and shared their purpose. He spoke of Rai, the island, and the dragonets, and Drankor, as the party told stories of the jade pieces they had found. They also discussed Apollyon’s impending escape, which was expected to occur in just 10 days, and Dimitaur revealed that Ra’ghemdros, the daughter of Cha’mutte, was tasked with guarding something important on the island.

The conversation turned to their options—whether to negotiate with or fight Ra’ghemdros to obtain the final jade piece. They also debated consulting a hobgoblin wizard trapped in a mirror as a potential ally. The party stayed up late into the night speaking with Dimitaur about Drankor, Rai’s quest to break Isingue free from the Seeds of Chaos caused by Cha’mutte’s death, and the consequences of Rai’s failure. Dimitaur also spoke of Apollyon and Cha’mutte’s deep hatred for each other, offering more context for the challenges ahead.

Before they rested, Seeker used clairvoyance to observe Ra’ghemdros’ lair, noting the presence of chimeras guarding the area—massive creatures that posed a significant threat.

Detailed Notes

The View from the Wanderer

The party climbs a statue to gain a better view of the surrounding island, discovering several key features.
- Kenzo and Wellby climb a massive statue to get a better vantage point.
- They notice the remains of a ruined pier nestled between the statue’s legs.
- The party sees other statues in the distance, identifying two as the Night Queen and The Mother.
- Discussions reveal more about the local religious beliefs, including the nature of the gods worshipped on the island.
- The group spots a ruined town to the north, surrounded by destroyed towers and estates.
- They consider using clairvoyance to scout ahead but decide to explore the ruined town first.

Dragonets and Dice

The party approaches a ruined manor and tower, encountering small dragon-like creatures playing a dice game.
- The group splits up, with Kenzo and Wellby sneaking ahead while Delwath and Seeker stay hidden in the forest.
- They find a Victorian-style manor with a cracked tower and spot four dragonet creatures playing dice near the tower.
- Kenzo uses Soul Sight, and guesses that one of the creatures is probably cheating at the game.
- Kenzo approaches peacefully, offering to join the dice game and using shiny coins as a way to gain trust.
- During the conversation, Kenzo learns that the dragonet he is speaking with is named Ghesh. Ghesh is intrigued by the shiny coins and is eager to win more, but remains wary of Kenzo’s motives.
- Kenzo offers some coins to play. Fortunately, Kenzo’s luck is poor in his first few rolls, and he loses his initial rolls, earning Ghesh’s favor. Kenzo inquires about the dragonet’s leader, eventually learning that the dragonets serve a larger black dragon named Ra’ghemdros, who lives in a scarred region to the south.
- Ghesh reveals that Ra’ghemdros is powerful and possesses all the shiny objects found on the island, making her temperamental when she feels her hoard is lacking.
- Kenzo negotiates with Ghesh, promising valuable items in exchange for keeping their presence hidden and arranging a meeting with Megren, another dragonet who recently returned from the mainland.
- Ghesh mentions that Megren now has her own tower, having brought back many treasures from the mainland, including the last piece of Rai’s jade hand, and Kenzo senses Ghesh’s desire to gain similar status.
- To secure Ghesh’s cooperation, Kenzo gives him a valuable golden circlet set with four green alexandrite gems (from Grimbaskal’s hoard, although Ghesh pretends it is from a hidden ruin in the Awakened Jungle), promising more rewards in the future if Ghesh helps them meet Megren and keeps their presence hidden.

Megren and the Jade

The party meets Megren at her tower, seeking information and alliances to further their mission.
- Kenzo and Ghesh travel to Megren’s tower, avoiding a nearby area that Ghesh describes as haunted by bad dreams of a red mist, and people dying and choking. 
- During the flight to Megren’s tower, Kenzo learns more about the dragonets’ social structure. Ghesh reveals that many dragonets are simply trying to get by, while some are “true believers” in Ra’ghemdros’s cause, who are more dangerous and less likely to cooperate.
- Upon reaching Megren’s tower, which is well-kept with a small village-like setup around it, Megren welcomes the party. Kenzo gifts Megren an elvish coin as a gesture of goodwill, and also presents small carved likenesses to Megren and Ghesh, further solidifying their alliance.
- Megren shares that Ra’ghemdros rarely leaves her lair, which is located in an acidic swamp, guarded by other creatures. The dragonets must negotiate their way in whenever they need an audience with her.
- Megren reveals that her recent trip to the mainland yielded a significant treasure, a large green gem, which Ra’ghemdros highly values and Kenzo recognizes as a jade piece of Rai’s hand, the treasure the party is seeking on the island.
- Megren explains that the acidic swamp where Ra’ghemdros resides is filled with dark, shadowy tendrils that make the environment treacherous and dangerous for intruders.
- Kenzo learns that Megren has no great loyalty to Ra’ghemdros and hints that there are others like her who may be willing to switch allegiances if an opportunity arises to challenge the black dragon’s dominance.

Planning the Dragon Encounter

The party reunites to discuss their options for dealing with Ra’ghemdros, weighing the risks of different approaches.
- The party considers four main strategies: sneaking into Ra’ghemdros’s lair, fighting her directly, trading for the jade, or ignoring the dragon for now and gathering more information.
- The idea of sneaking in and using magic, such as clairvoyance or dimension door, to bypass the dangers is debated, but concerns about the treacherous acidic environment and shadowy tendrils make it risky.
- They discuss the potential of offering a large quantity of treasure to trade for the jade, though they fear Ra’ghemdros may simply kill them and take the treasure instead.
- Kenzo proposes a plan to lure Ra’ghemdros out of her lair by flaunting the jade pieces they already possess, but the group is wary of the dragon’s power and the risk of her sending dragonettes after them.
- The party also talks about the possibility of forming alliances with other dragonets to help mitigate Ra’ghemdros’s forces during an encounter, focusing on winning over those dissatisfied with her leadership.
- Ultimately, the group decides to head into the elvish forest to gather more information about the nature of Ra’ghemdros’s entrapment and to see if they can learn more about the mysterious Elder who may hold important knowledge.

Journey to the Elvish Forest

The party travels invisibly to the elvish forest, facing new challenges and making key observations.
- They move across the landscape, making their way to the edge of the forest while invisible, avoiding detection by a pair of dragonettes flying overhead.
- The terrain they pass through is dry and arid, with occasional springs, scrubby grasses, and little sign of life apart from small lizards and insects.
- Upon reaching the forest, the group finds it open and airy, with tall trees, flowers, and sunlight filtering through the canopy, creating an almost serene atmosphere.
- They begin walking along a pilgrim’s path that seems to lead deeper into the forest, passing by open clearings and noticing that the path is well-kept with no sign of plant growth disrupting the paved road.
- As the sun sets, they hear the sound of running water and come across a mysterious pool, where reflections of people with hollow eyes appear to be staring at them from the water’s surface.
- Kenzo inspects the pool but senses no immediate threat, although the unsettling reflections give the group pause.
- The party decides to continue onward, avoiding potential dangers and discussing their next steps, including the possibility of sending a message to the Elder dragonette they seek.
- During a short rest, Delwath sends a lynx messenger to announce their approach to Dimitaur, requesting an audience with the Elder dragonette.
- Delwath also uses scrying to locate Dimitaur, seeing him inside a temple setting up a trap.

Elven Memorial and Memories

The party encounters an ancient memorial at the edge of the forest, gaining insight into the island’s history and making a significant connection.
- They find a clearing where two unusually tall trees stand, with a curving piece of pale gray stone growing between them. The stone bears hundreds of names of elves in Elvish script that seems to drift through the stone like a living memorial.
- When Delwath touches the stone, a name drifts toward his hand, and he experiences a vision of an elf in battle, providing a glimpse of the Downfall Wars.
- The trees speak to Kenzo, revealing that there have been no pilgrims for many years, dating back to the Fall of Drankor. The trees remember those who died in battle and offer glimpses into their past lives.
- The party learns that the memorial was created by elves who were once part of the Drankorian society, which welcomed many different species before its decline.
- Kenzo speaks to the trees, gaining their trust and receiving a memory of a time when the island was vibrant, filled with people of different species traveling as pilgrims to visit this memorial to ancient Hkar and the dead of the Downfall Wars.
- They decide to continue their journey, now more aware of the island’s deep history and the lingering sorrow that still haunts its ancient places.

The Eldest Dragonet

The party arrives at a mountaintop clearing where eight temples stand in a circle, each dedicated to a different deity, and they investigate the area.
- The temples are arranged around a central courtyard, with a bell tower that has a lighthouse-like top and several administrative buildings nearby.
- They find a large hostel where pilgrims would stay, along with a mess hall featuring stone benches and arcane circles for communal meals, suggesting the area once supported up to 100 people.
- The party identifies the Temple of the Sibyl, dedicated to the deity of magic, knowledge, song, and love, and note that each temple has a single entrance facing the courtyard.
- Wellby investigates the temple entrance and discovers a tripwire trap connected to a massive stone block that would swing down if triggered.
- The group disarms the trap using a rope to maintain tension, allowing them to safely enter the temple.
- Inside, they hear a booming voice speaking from the statue of the Sibyl, demanding proof of their allegiance to Rai, challenging the party before they can proceed.

Meeting Dimitaur the Dragonet

The party encounters the elderly dragonet Dimitaur, who tests their intentions and demands proof of their allegiance to Rai before sharing valuable information about their quest.
- The party discusses the locations of the jade pieces: Elderwood, with merfolk, and in Ursk in the far north.
- Dimitaur reveals he has limited knowledge of Rai’s current state, but implies Rai is likely alive.
- The party explains that they receive visions when finding jade pieces, revealing how Rai’s hand shattered.
- They discuss Apollyon’s impending escape, which is expected to occur in 10 days.
- Dimitaur reveals that Ra’ghemdros, Cha’mutte’s daughter, is tasked with guarding something important on the island.
- They debate whether to negotiate with or fight Ra’ghemdros to obtain the final jade piece, and whether to consult a hobgoblin wizard trapped in a mirror as a potential ally.
- The party stays up into the night talking to Dimitaur about Drankor, Rai’s quest to break Isingue free of the Seeds of Chaos caused by Cha’mutte’s death, his failure and disappearance, and Apollyon’s growing strength. They also discuss Apollyon and Cha’mutte’s hatred of each other.
- Before they rest, Seeker uses clairvoyance to observe the dragon’s lair, finding chimeras guarding the area.

Raw Notes

• Explored statue of the Wanderer: View from the top, as well as found docks at the feet.
• Walked to nearest dragonet tower.
• Met Ghesh and his friends, gambling: Kenzo approached alone under the story of being a wandering monk collecting tales; loses a few rounds of dice.
• Learned about Ra’ghemdros.
• Negotiated for secrecy, trading a golden crown from Grimbaskal’s hoard.
• Learned some dragonets — not Ghesh’s friends — are true believers in Ra’ghemdros as the queen of the island; also learned of a rumored “elder dragonet” somewhere hiding on the island.
• Sensed and avoided plague echoes.
• Walked to meet Megren: She was the one who found the jade and was rewarded with her own tower for it (everyone invisible except Kenzo).
• Decided to travel towards the elven forest and look for the rumored elder; traveled invisibly until reaching the edge of the forest, arriving around 5 pm (in-world).
• Followed pilgrim’s path towards mountain peak:
• Found a damaged memory pool; Kenzo looked but avoided triggering it; passed by a second memory pool.
• Passed an elven memorial, resembling branches grown into stone between two trees on the side of the path; Delwath touched it and received a short memory and vision of an elven warrior — a quartermaster who had become a soldier and died in the Downfall Wars.
• Kenzo spoke to the tree, which communicated that the forest was one organism that had come to the island when it turned from a refuge to a memorial.
• Kenzo sensed a dragonet at the summit; Delwath sent a lynx to bring a message (no response). Delwath then scried and saw the dragonet making a trap in the temple of the Sibyl; short rest.
• Reached the temple: Avoided the trap carefully (Wellby), then encountered Dimitaur, who was hiding in a tunnel that Seeker sensed (using tremorsense/stone sense) and using a cantrip to project a booming voice pretending to be the god statue speaking.
• After some conversation, made friends with Dimitaur, who spoke more about Rai, the island, and the dragonets.
• Before bed: Used clairvoyance to see the basic layout of Ra’ghemdros’ lair, noting chimeras sleeping.
• Long rest.