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Chronicles of the Quest to Defeat the Cursed Cold

Celebrated as heroes in Voltara after providing crucial contributions to the defense of the city against Grumella’s Horde, the party basks in their new-found fame, enjoying the manor they are gifted by the Proconsul of Voltara, Anton Lavernia, in thanks for their aid. Once the legions arrive from the south to reinforce the city, though, the party turns to their next challenge: worries from Brelith’s parents back home in Zarkandur about dwarven cities succumbing to a cursed cold. The party makes their first long journey, east to the dwarven kingdom of Am’khazar, passing dangers and meeting the Deno’qai of Raha along the way. In the Sentinels above Am’khazar, they discover a hag, along with her frost giant allies, is behind the spreading cold. The party defeats the hag, realizing she is the very same one who traumatized Adrik as a child, and returns to Zarkandur as heroes.

Adventure 15: Meeting the Parents (Brelith Edition)

Session 38

The party spends a month in Voltara, and are the talk of the town. They are gifted a manor inside the walls by Anton Lavernia, and spend time training and enjoying the life of a hero in the city. Once the legions from the south arrive to protect to the city, they leave, heading east towards the mountains of Brelith’s home. As they head east, they first pass through the farmlands and pastures of the Voltara hinterlands, until they come to a small fort on a river crossing, beyond which is mostly wild. They are warned at the fort that people have gone missing heading east, especially a high ranking officer who was supposed to bring messages to the garrison camps to the east, and to watch for danger. The next day as they head across the plains, they are attacked by a band of 20 orcs. Despite a few challenges, the orcs are defeated.

Session 39

Continuing east, the party is ambushed at night by a smaller group of sneakier orcs, who are also killed. A few days later, they come to the garrison camp, where they meet the commander and tell her about the orcs. While they did not track down the orc’s camp, they give her enough information that her soldiers can take care of it. Deciding to travel quickly and avoid further engagement with Chardonian soldiers, they turn south before reaching the last border fort of the Chardonian Empire. Crossing the river on the border of the empire, they enter a light forest on the foothills of the Sentinels, where Samso notices people are following them. They call out, and a group of unusual humans – not Chardonians – steps from the trees. They are wearing armor and carrying brightly painted shields, most with unkempt blond or red hair, pale skin, and wicked looking spears and axes. The group leads them to their village along secret paths, where they met Hakar, the leader of the village. He questions them a bit, and seems to press them on whether they are working for Chardon and whether Chardon is preparing to attack, but is reassured by the news that the army buildup was to protect against Orcs. He also hints that something up north is driving things south, for their woods have recently been invaded by spiders. He says his scouts can lead them safely through the woods if the party deals with the spiders, which they agree to do.

Session 40

The party heads north where they encounter a spider ambush. Despite the webs and traps and difficult terrain they defeat the spiders. Aelar sneaks ahead and sees a spider nursery, which they reluctantly decide to sneak around. On the far side of the nursery, they see a cave covered in webs, and as they enter to explore an enormous spider queen emerges before them, ready to attack.

Session 41

The party engages in battle with the giant spider in her lair. Shortly into the battle, with Aelar wounded, Samso turns him into a giant ape, and Brelith creates a massive stone club for him to use. The giant ape makes quick work of the spider queen. As the battle ends, Samso notices claw marks and acid burns on the dead spider. After leaving the spider lair, the party returns to Raha, the Deno’qai village, where they participate in the pig wrestling games (involving grappling your opponent while riding a large pig, to see who gets knocked off first). The next morning they travel south with a scout to lead them to the entrance to the dwarven kingdoms. Along the way, they stop to investigate some elven ruins and are almost killed by banshees. The session ends as they arrive at the gates. 

Events

  • Nov 10, 1747 DR: Aglath, Adrik, Aelar, Brelith, and Samso leave Voltara to head east to investigate what is happening in Brelith’s homeland, after a month of rest, trusting their new manor to a well paid steward.
  • Nov 15, 1747 DR: Party crosses Snake River at a small Chardonian fort, entering the frontier.
  • Nov 16, 1747 DR: Party attacked by remnant of Grumella’s Horde, and defeats them. Ambushed that night by survivors, but they are also defeated.
  • Nov 18, 1747 DR: Party passes Chardonian garrison camp and gives ~Voltara Garrison 2 Commander~, their commander, information about the orc attack.
  • Nov 21, 1747 DR: Party passes south of the ~Voltara East Border Fort~, and leaves the Chardonian Empire. Meet Deno’qai and go to their village, Raha. Agree to deal with spider threat in exchange for scouts leading them safely through the woods to the Dwarven kingdom of Am’khazar.
  • Nov 22, 1747 DR: Travel to spider lair. Defeat spider queen, who has acid scars on her body.
  • Nov 23, 1747 DR: Return to Raha.
  • Nov 24, 1747 DR: Set out on journey to Zarkandur, the City of Gems, and Brelith’s home.
  • Nov 30, 1747 DR: Pass elven ruins, nearly killed by banshees.
  • Dec 03, 1747 DR: Arrive at the the gates to Am’khazar.

Adventure 16: Why Is Everything So Cold?

Session 42

Entering the city of gems, Zarkandur, the party meets Brelith’s parents and enjoys a feast. Afterward, they learn about the mystery of the freezing dwarven cities, and decide to go south to investigate. Coming to the now frozen and abandoned city of Tumukhar, they encounter and fight a small group of ice mephits. 

Session 43

Continuing to explore the frozen city of Tumukhar, the party passes through a warren of frozen homes and encounters the undead remains of a frozen dwarf. Continuing towards the exit to the mountains, and possible information in the Stoneborn villages of the high mountain peaks in the Sentinels, they encounter an ice troll and a number of ice mephits. Managing to kill all the ice mephits and the troll before any escape, they continue out the door, narrowly avoiding an avalanche trap. The session ends with the party looking across the freezing wastelands of the high tundra. 

Session 44

The party struggles with the extreme cold of the mountains, but manages to find a place for a rest in a safe cave, hiding from a passing frost giant riding a mammoth. The next morning they set out, following the track to the stoneborn village. The terrain is difficult and slow going, so eventually they decide to ride giant eagles summoned by Samso. Along the way, they see a group of seemingly frozen humanoids following the same trail, and stop to investigate. They discover these are some kind of frost-cursed creatures who immediately attack, occasionally chanting odd things about how the ice will save everyone. After the battle, Adrik picks up a frozen ring from one of their fingers, and as the ring melts the party is teleported to the entrance to an ice cave. Here, they find two snowy owlbears that they befriend with bribes of food. The session ends with the party exploring the trash room in the cave complex.

Session 45

The party continues to explore the cave complex, encountering another beserk humanoid who seemingly cannot die. They run around for a while, confused, trying to avoid him. Eventually they discover a passage leading to the bedroom complex, which crosses a crevasse of ice on a wooden plank. Finally they manage to trap the beserker at the bottom of the crevasse, and explore. They find a room with a stone floor, and a stone chalice in which a cold blue flame burns. 

Session 46

Eventually realize that putting out the flame stops the beserkers endless life feature, Brelith uses stone shape to melt away the stone chalice, which extinguishes the fire, and allows the berserker to be quickly killed. Heading into the snow, the party decides to travel across the glacier towards the location where the Stoneborn village seems to be. On the way, they are attacked by a group of ice humanoids using druid-like powers. While they manage to drive them off, one gets away. The party continues to the Stoneborn village, where they see a lone Stoneborn meditating.

Session 47

The party meets Moondweller, the Stoneborn. From him, they learn that while the frost giants once were valued trading partners, some have turned to the side of evil and are working for a hag, Morgana Frostclaw. The hag has taken control of the ice magic buried at the heart of the glacier and is using it to freeze everything. To stop it, they must kill the hag, or at least free the ice magic. 

The party sleeps, and departs in the morning to Vangebekkr, the frost giant castle. They approach with moderate stealth, and decide to sneak around the back and climb up to the roof. Adrik and Aelar reach the top first, and comes face to face with a giant frost giant skeleton. After some fast attacking and a well-timed stun from Aelar, the giant dies before it can sound the alarm.

Session 48

The party attempts to sneak down into the castle, where hijinx ensue. While searching the throne room, they are attacked by piercers that look like icicles. Although the giant eagles Samso summoned to fly to the roof keep most of the party from taking damage, the noise is enough to attract the attention of the giants having dinner below. After a bit of a mad scramble, attempting to hide, the giant who comes to investigate finds Adrik and Brelith hiding under the bed. While trying to pull Adrik out, Brelith banishes him. In the minute they have before he returns, Aelar uses minor illusion to sound like the voice of the giant yelling that he found dwarves, the party first thinks about hiding again, and then decides to sneak down the stairs to the dining room, hoping to be missed in the chaos as the rest of the giants rush up the stairs.

Despite magical aid in hiding, this fails, and as they reach the bottom of the stairs the giant king sees Adrik and yells. While the rest of the party dodges under the table and into the corridor, Adrik jumps out the window and dodges boulders in the snow. Eventually the party regroups at the front entrance, but not before all five giants in the castle are alerted to their presence and chasing after them. Fortunately, the party manages to mount and coax the mammoths to run into the snow, losing the giants in the process.

Despite the cold, Samso is able to find a safe place for them to pass an uneventful night, before waking up to plot their return to the castle.

Session 49

Regrouping, the party approaches the castle by stealth, again. Climbing has mixed success, but a well-placed silence spell keeps the door from making noise, and allows them to kill the ice mephits and the frost giant guard without the alarm being sounded. Aided by magic (Pass without Trace), they sneak to the top of the stairs, that lead down to an ice cave. Kill two more ice mephits in a cone of silence, preventing them from sounding the alarm.

At the bottom of the stairs, two frost giant skeletons wait. Kill one, and Brelith banishes the other. In the minute they have before the giant returns, free an imprisoned frost giant, who refused to work with Morgana. When the giant skeleton returns, it is immediately dispatched. The rest of the imprisoned giants are freed, who proceed upstairs to retake their castle while the party heads into the ice caves to find and kill Morgana.

Session 50

Proceed through the freezing ice caves which make up Morgana’s lair. Convince a chained frost giant guard to go help the rest of his kin retake the castle. Avoid a fight with a frost giant zombie. Trigger a glyph of warding trap, and then get attacked by a were-polar bear, one of Morgana’s allies. Eventually find Morgana, and kill her, with Adrik getting the final blow and taking revenge for his childhood trauma, but not before he is cursed with lycanthropy.

Session 51, part 1

Return to the Dwarven city of Zarkandur, now freed from its winter curse. Big celebration, and Brelith’s parents throw a feast. Adrik and Aelar spent time competing in the fighting pits, while Samso and Brelith do some research.

Events

  • Dec 05, 1747 DR: Arrive in Zarkandur. Meet Brelith’s parents. Feast. Learn about unnatural cold spreading from the south. Agree to investigate.
  • Dec 06, 1747 DR: Learn more from people in Zarkandur.
  • Dec 07, 1747 DR: Leave, heading south, with an armed escort. Aiming for the now-abandoned and frozen city of Tumukhar.
  • Dec 13, 1747 DR: Arrive in Tumukhar, explore. Fight ice mephits, snow golems, and an ice troll. Exit the city to the barren snowy wasteland of the Sentinels. Find a sheltered place to camp.
  • Dec 14, 1747 DR: Head towards Stoneborn village to learn more. Struggle with the snow. Fight some frost-cursed creatures chanting about ice. Adrik picks up a ring and the party is teleported to an icy cave complex. Explore for a while, fighting a berserker human who cannot die. Trap him, and eventually extinguish icy blue flame, which allows berserker to be killed.
  • Dec 15, 1747 DR: Leave for Vangebekkr, an old frost giant castle. Attempt a stealthy assault, which goes poorly. Flee on mammoths. Find safe camp.
  • Dec 16, 1747 DR: Return to castle, this time using magic to ensure a more stealthy approach. Free imprisoned giants who head to retake castle. Party enters Morgana.’s lair. Kill a frost giant zombie, then attacked by a polar wereboar and Morgana herself. Kill Morgana, but not before Adrik is cursed with lycanthropy. Rest.
  • Dec 24, 1747 DR: Party returns to Zarkandur, victorious. Celebrate.