Sessions (Rise of the Dragon)

Rise of the Dragon

This is a list of Rise of the Dragon sessions.

Session 1

A New Land

Year of the Voyage in the month of Ches (1398-03 DR)

The caravan left Cormyr through the High Horn pass for the west. It was led by Sir Tyrion Crownsilver who was acting on the King’s order to reclaim the Tunlands for the Crown. He was accompanied by Sir Wulfgar Ironcrown, Sir Eberhardt Stierheim, Sir Isidore Weiss and Lady Isobel Wolfe. They brought with them men-at-arms, servants, wagons, livestock, spare mounts, tools, and everything else that is needed to establish a new settlement.

At Eagle Peak, they met the boisterous Brandon Ironwolf who was also on a mission from the King to tame the western lands. He had only a small retinue, and hope to cross the plains to the Darkhold. The knights wished him luck, but Lady Isobel urged caution since she knew that the fort had been occupied by Zenthil Keep in recent years.

The swamp was home to trolls and bandits, so the Knights decided that it was better to travel to Maloren's Rest on the High Road instead of braving the Farsea Swamp. They stopped at Skull Crag where they heard rumors of Endyr Winter, an ambitious courtier better known for guile than glory.

At Old Axe, they learned that wagons sometimes came from Maloren’s Rest on the other side of the river, so the Tun should be fordable. The spring flood made made the crossing difficult, and it took a full day to ferry wagons, people, horses and livestock across the river. They continued to Maloren's Rest and presented the people with the royal writ and claimed the town for Cormyr. Tyrion arranged a feast for the town the next day, and held a speech where he proclaimed amnesty for all past crimes and a new beginning under the protection of the Crown. Powys the innkeeper was literate, so he was given a seat on the privy council to speak for the people.

Note: This established a new domain which is managed using the rules in the Kingmaker Adventure Path.

Date: 2012-04-04
Character Level: 4
Players: Urban, Texas, Abbe, Peter, Boris

Session 2

Rot Hill

Year of the Voyage in the month of Ches (1398-03 DR)

People from the surrounding countryside flocked to Maloren's Rest to trade, pray at the new shrine and spend their coins at the new brothel. The knights heard rumors of goblin raiders who had stolen sheep, and traveled south to investigate.

One of the sheep farmers knew that goblins lived in a nearby hill fort. At the fort, the knights found the goblin chief and braves dead. They had been torn apart by fang and claw or impaled on spikes. The killer was a chimera who ambushed the knights, but it was no match for their skill at arms. The goblin chief had warpaint meant to ward off evil, but they found no shaman. The only survivors were a few goblin whelps who ran away. Most of the stolen sheep were still alive.

Lady Isobel's raven spied a door in a small hill some distance away. This turned out to be the lair of the goblin shaman. Sir Eberhardt spoke Goblin, and talked to the goblin shaman, Wurrzog. He was given a demon bane longsword which the shaman had taken from a place of evil where creatures from the Abyss sometimes entered the world. He had slain several lesser demons who had come to destroy the sword.

They returned the sheep to the farm. The farmer gave them directions to Rot Hill. It was surrounded by sickly grass and had a palpable aura of evil which spooked the horses. On it, a hole filled with bubbling sulfurous mud marked the opening to the Abyss. The knights rolled a small boulder over it.

Loot: demon bane longsword +1, ring of protection +1, small handaxe +1.

A Few Good Men

Year of the Voyage in the month of Tarsakh (1398-04 DR)

An uneventful month passed. The members of the council corresponded with Cormyr. Sir Wulfgar traveled to Old Axe, and managed to recruit Hektor, a veteran soldier. It is hoped that he can lead the patrols that protect the countryside. Sir Eberhardt met a trapper named Osward in the swamp who said that the trolls were eating the animals caught in the traps. Sir Isidore visited the resident wizardess and learned that her name is Sindra.

Sir Tyrion, Sir Isidore and Lady Isobel spent several weeks on horseback and reconnoitered the countryside.

Note: Add report from the gamemaster!

Date: 2012-04-11
Character Level: 4 (5 at end of session)
Players: Urban, Texas, Abbe, Peter, Boris

Session 3

Year of the Voyage in the month of Mirtuk (1398-05 DR)

Across the Border

The knights decided to visit Lord Brandon Ironwolf to the north. They made a detour to a mine they knew as located to the west near the mountains.

The mine was a small affair operated by half a dozen miners. The gold they had mined would make for a welcome boost to the local economy, and Lord Tyrion offered them armed guards to Maloren's Rest. The miners would sometimes trade with the orcs in mountains. In lean years, the orcs would sometimes resort to eating each other or races, but they were usually good neighbors.

They continued northwest to meet with Lord Brandon Ironwolf. They eventually encountered his coat of arms by the road and finally came to a village he had renamed Wolfshome. Lord Brandon was happy to see them, and he and Lord Tyrion soon agreed on a border between their domains. They learned that the sinister Lennox Truesilver has settled in the Darkhold and that Endyr Winter has settled in Aris

Trouble in the Swamp

On the way home, they rode past a group of yokels from the swamp. They were on their way to Maloren's Rest to ask the lords to investigate sinister events in the swamp. They had seen pillars of flame in the swamp, and the Wise Old Man knew that this could not be natural.

The yokels guided them to Tunburg, a small settlement in the swamp, and home to a dozen or so families. They talked to the Wise Man who told them of a strange rock on an island in the swamp. The knights traveled to the island in flat-bottomed boat with the help of two locals.

Two charred bodies in robes were found in runic circle on top of rock. This was clearly a demonic summoning gone wrong. They found some paths and signs of habitation such as a small vegetable garden, but no buildings. Further investigation of the island led them to a trapdoor. This led down to a series of room carved from the rock. In one of them, a large pentagram held a large hound headed demon.

Date: 2012-04-18
Character Level: 5
Players: Urban, Texas, Abbe, Peter, Boris

Session 4

Year of the Voyage in the month of Mirtul (1398-05 DR)

Dungeons & Demons

Demon was slain by the knights, and the final blow was struck with Sir Eberhardt's demon bane sword. They proceeded to investigate the rest of the dungeon which was guarded by traps and undead.

The found several prison cells. Most were empty, but in one they found a dead knight who appeared to have starved to death. He had managed to write a farewell letter which told his story. His name was Emrys, and he and his sister Tuviol had been captured by evil cultists. He asked that whoever found the letter let Alaric, his sister's betrothed, know of their fate and avenge them by slaying the evil demonologist Sith. Arrangements were made to move his body to Maloren's Rest for proper burial. In another cell, Tuviol had written a farewell message to Alaric which said they would meet in the afterlife. Her body was not there, so she had probably been sacrificed.

The lower level was a series of natural caves in which a troll had made its lair. Isobel was able to bribe him with a fish while the rest slew a demonspawn in the water. They left the lower levels to the troll, and proceeded to loot the lair. This proved to be a major undertaking, for there was bulky furniture and many books which required assistance by the people of Tunburg and several trips by boat.

From documents found in the lair, this was probably a cult of Arik of the Many Eyes, an obscure dead or possibly imprisoned god. His cultists had been active in Cormyr some twenty years ago when they had aided the Cult of the Dragon.

Loot: Hundreds of books, enough to start a proper library; evil tomes of forbidden lore; Coins, gems, and objects of art valued at 8,950 gp, including a statue of a naked succubus (100 gp), and a basalt statue of Arik of the Many Eyes with eight ruby eyes, valued at 100 gp each; Flaming greatsword +2.

Administration

There was a palpable sense of peace in the region after the demons had been slain in the swamp. (Event: natural blessing). Lord Tyrion wrote to the family (name?) of the dead knight and let them knew that Sir Emrys' body was in Maloren's Rest.

Loot: Ring of counterspells (from the shrine, so probably donated by an adventurer).

Date: 2012-04-27
Character Level: 5 (6 at end of session)
Players: Urban, Texas, Abbe, Peter, Boris

Session 5

Year of the Voyage in the month of Kythorn (1398-06 DR)

Journey to the South

At a council meeting, Sir Wulfgar reported that there are druids who worshiped Malar in the swamp. Worship of Malar is tolerated in Cormyr, but is rare. It was decided the the knights would travel south to Proskur and Fort helm and reconnoiter the southern border of the realm.

They passed Rot Hill where clerics and paladins of Torm were attempting to exorcise the evil from the hill. Further south, they met a caravan headed to Maloren’s Rest on their way south. The leader of the caravan had heard rumors of Maloren’s Rest, and decided to try his luck there.

They found Forth Helm in disrepair but inhabited as evidenced by farm animals and a small vegetable garden. They found no-one there, but a wall with graffiti of messages of thanks (as well as some illegible signs) probably meant that travelers visited the fort from time to time.

Isobe had been forbidden by her father to visit Proskur, so she and Lord Tyrion took traveled north through the hills by an unused road. They found a valley with some abandoned houses and fallow fields. It could probably be resettled in the future. They made camp on the riverbank where they scouted a possible site for a new city.

Wulfgar, Isidore and Eberhardt continued to the hive of scum and villainy that was Proskur. It was the early in the caravan season, and the town was surrounded by tents, horses and people. They stayed in the town for a few day to buy supplies and some enchanted items, before returning north to rejoin Lord Tyrion and Isobel.

A messenger arrived at the riverside camp with grave news. The orcs had come from the mountains in force and surrounded the mining camp. The wagons and servants were sent north, and the knights and Isobel rode to the west.

Orcs in the Hills

The mining camp was surrounded by several hundred orcs under five banners. The orc war chief was a fearsome warrior called Zarg, and he demanded that the humans answered for their crimes and pay were-geld for slain females and cubs. A group of adventurers had ventured into the mountains and attacked an orc village. Negotiations were mediated by Nerk, a half-orc cleric of Helm who resided in Fort Helm. She was not happy to see the peace she had forged between humans and orcs come undone.

The orcs demanded gold, sheep, bolts of colorful cloth, and full plate armor. This would put a great deal of strain on the realm’s finances (10 BP). The knights discussed the matter and decided that they must ransom the adventurers. The situation was further complicated by the fact that one of the imprisoned adventurers was Martyn Crownsilver, a cousin of Lord Tyrion. They eventually agreed to the orcs’ demands, and Lord Tyrion rode to Suzail.

He sought an audience with the King Azoun V and asked for his royal support. The next day, the King announced his decision. The crown would pay half the ransom, but Lord Tyrion must establish a military strongpoint in his domain so the might of Cormyr can reach the frontier. From his family, Tyrion managed to requisition more resources than was required, and so profit from the debacle.

The sheep and valuables were transported to the orc lands, and the prisoners were brought to Maloren's Rest and handed over to the authorities. Sir Martyn Crownsilver and a noble from Waterdeep did not think they had done anything wrong. The rest of the party was a wizard, a ranger, a rogue and a fighter. All were released with the exception of the noble from Waterdeep who will be held for ransom.

Session 6

Savage Strangers

Year of the Voyage in the month of Kythorn (1398-06 DR)

The king had ordered a forification to be built, so the council decided to repair the ruined watchtower near the mine. A sign proclaiming that the Sunset Mountains are part of Cormyr and that there is peace with the orc mountain tribes was placed on The Rock, Fort Helm, Maloren's Rest and other places where they are likely to be seen by adventurers. This will hopefully prevent further trouble with the Orks in the mountains.

What to do with the adventurers? The have a debt that needs to be paid... Punishment is to serve the realm for one year in the swamp. They are free to keep any loot they find. They are given some assistance, such as arms, armor and a spellbook for the wizard. The fighter (Str 17) is appointed headsman.

Sindra has been approached by Isidore to act as Magister on the Council. She is a summoner who is forbidden to cast spells in Cormyr. It is however possible to for the local lord to grant her permission to use magic in his domain. Powys is skeptical, so Sindra will be on probation for one year, and during this time any member of the council can revoke her magic priviligies.

The library was finished, and Isobel spent much of her time catloguing the books from the lair in the swamp.

Administration: Sindra (Int 16) appointed as Magister. Vernon Brask (Str 17) appointed as Executioner (Royal Assassin).

Death in the Swamp

Year of the Voyage in the month of Flamerule (1398-07 DR)

Wulfgar has pent some time with the adventurers in the swamp. They have seen tracks of goblins. The spot several trolls who are suspiciously non-aggressive.encounter with a Malar Druid. He says that co-operation is not always good and that danger is coming. They must not shame themselves in the eyes of the gods.

While Wulfgar is away, Eberhardt gets report form the city watch. ”Wild strangers have arrived.” Two female barbarians have come looking for Wulfgar. These are Adwif, a druid, and Hellebore, her bodyguard.

They are introduced to the council by Wulfgar. He had written to his homeland and asked for spiritual help. He hopes that Adwif will be useful as Marshal and oversee the land. Hellebore is barren, so she is permitted to be a warrior. The tribes of Felsenmark do not risk fertile women in battle. She is mostly quiet and lets Adwif do the talking.

At the end of the month the adventures return. They have found a dead dragon. There are large bite marks, so something big enough to hunt dragons lurks in the swamp! Perhaps this the challenge the Malar druid told Wulfgar about...

Into the swamp in flat-bottomed boats. Hot, insects and terrible smell. Rotting dragon corpse. Sticks with goblin gri-gris. Several trolls lurk nearby. Something huge has come from the water and slain the dragon.

Investigation of corpse. Not one but two creatures attacked it. Some sort of huge lizards with large head,

Warning cries from Hellebore and Adwif. Trolls were on the move! Hellebore clearly wanted to fight them, but was stopped by Adwif. The huge troll chieftain wore home-made half plate and was careful to put his minions between himself and the heroes.

Isobel talked to the trolls. They told her that death lurks in the swamp. It has brown scaly skin and two heads, and the trolls can not regenerate wounds caused by its attacks. Isobel concluded that this must be a huge brown linnorm.

While Isobel talked to the troll boss, one of the trolls pounced a commoners near the boats. Combat ensued. Troll easily slain by Eberhardt flaming sword. Troll chieftain told his underlings ”This is why you listen to me!” He was far to cunning and cautious, and clearly more interested in observing the knights rahter than fighting them.

The trolls left after feasting on the dragon carcass. Isobek extracted nodules and vital fluids from the dead troll and dragon, as well as some usable pieces of dragon skin. They return home with some loot and disturbing news about the death in swamp and a far too intelligents troll chieftain... This will make it difficult to claim the swamp.

Administration: The Church of Sune sent a cleric, Desdemona. Villa was finished, and Lord Tyrion moves in. He makes plans to invite Bradon Ironwolf and Nerk of Fort Helm. Isobel presented Tyrion with an embroided cloak of resitance.

Date: 2012-05-09
Level: 6 (7 at end of session)

Session 7

Year of the Voyage in the month of Eleasis (1398-08 DR)

False Flag

Adventurers on patrol. They have met dispatch rider from Lord Brandon Ironwolf. Two small villages on each side of the border have been laid to waste by orcs. The knights make haste to the village on their side of the border.

They arrived at the sacked village and examined the corpses. Most ha been felled by arrows or bolts, with cuts by melee weapons made after death. It was clear that this attack was made to look like the work of irks, but was probably made by humans.

Their suspicions was soon confirmed, for the knights war attacked from ambush. Crossbow bolts flew, and humans dressed as orcs charged them. A fireball fizzled thanks to a ring go counter spells, but they were unable to prevent the wizard form launching another fireball at their followers. The "orcs" were led by a fearsome barbarian warrior who was defeated by Eberhardt. The wizard stayed out of sight, and when the tide of battle turned, he pulled out his troops and retreated to the mountains.

The knights went into the mountains to capture the fleeing mercenaries and were soon intercepted by the orcs. They allowed Isidore to accompany them and told the rest to wait. Zarg and his warriors ambushed the mercenaries along with Isidore. The wizard was taken prisoner by Isidore, while the rest of the mercenaries were left to the orcs.

Half a dozen soldiers and the wizard were taken prisoner. These were mercenaries from the Sword Coast. The wizard was named Marios. In exchange for the lives of his men and himself, he told the knights that he had been hired in Waterdeep to cause unrest in the the domains of Lord Tyrion Crownsilver and Lord Brandon Ironwolf. He did not know who hired him, but was able to describe a signet ring. They were escorted to the border and exiled from Cormyr for life. Lord Winter is a likely suspect, but there is no proof yet.

Loot: Greataxe +1 from merc lieutenant. Wand of Fireballs (15 charges), potion of invisibility (2).

Administration: Watchtower was finished, and construction of Wolfe mansion was begun. An envoy arrived from Waterdeep to ransom the imprisoned noble (7 BP). Rumors of a visiting celebrity caused many to flock to Maloren's Rest and provided the local economy with a much needed boost (10 BP).

Date: 2012-05-23
Level: 7