Highlights
Immediately upon opening the door - sliding pocket doors! - the party was made aware of:
The dragon Hyperion help captive in a magic shell powered by flickering rubies stationed at the points of a mystical pentagram.
Two fifteen foot tall, fire creatures with long swords that were poised to fight but held - one to a corner - behind separate runic diagrams drawn on the floor.
Cappen Varra immediately poking his head inside to try to be the first to get a good view.
The party then took the following actions:
Corliss crossed the runic line of one fire creature, provoking a attack.
Ser Shadow attempted to assassinate Cappen Varra, causing the Fey Magic surrounding the deal between Cappen and Corliss to strike Corliss down and render him incapacitated.
Yornan - attempting to save Corliss from the attacks of the fire creature, dragged Corliss from the circle, disturbing the delicate runic patterns that had kept the fire creature at bay.
Cappen - who had been prevented from summoning the Dark Asher as part of the deal that had been broken - immediately summoned him.
Things went poorly.
Corliss, Yornan, and Rhagal were all knocked unconscious by the Dark Asher as Cappen fled.
Ser Shadow was almost down.
But, Ser Shadow followed the suggestion of Kal and attacked the rubies holding the dragon in stasis. His lack of success with slashing weapons convinced Kal that bludgeoning weapons would be more effective and Kal and Hurodash eventually broke enough rubies to break the spell and free Hyperion.
Hyperion ended the fight and banished all the fire-aspected creatures that had been associated with his imprisonment.
Then, Cappen reappeared and he, Corliss, and Yornan - each having been made Blessed by the powers of Earth - were given the opportunity to make the case why Hyperion should agree to be their chaperone.
Cappen gave an impassioned speech about his qualifications.
Corliss explained his best attributes, particularly the quality of his character as compared to Cappen.
Yornan, deferred to Corliss.
Hyperion chose Corliss. Once again, Cappen left.
As part of reward for saving him:
Hyperion explained that the convergence was only months away and that Corliss should follow the ley lines and find the site, although Hyperion would try to ensure that he and Corliss were there on time.
Hyperion told Yornan that he too should be prepared to fight as the Powers of Earth would need his help also, but that he understood that Yornan had additional business to conclude before moving ahead.
Each of the scions of Earth - Corliss, Yornan, and Rhagal - were given a boon. Once they could choose to roll the maximum on all their damage dice.
Ser Shadow was thanked but told that no help would be forthcoming as he was associated with the Powers of Air.
Hurodash asked for information about other dragons and Hyperion - for uncertain reasons - gave him aid even though he is a Blessed of Fire.
The party was teleported by Hyperion to the Blasted Lands on the far side of the Badcrag Mountains to the general vicinity of a dragon that might serve as Hurodash’s chaperone.
HIghlights
The party peeks around the corner and sees a grand room. Two mechanical fire guns are placed on turrets in the middle of the room. Crossbowmen and shamans are positioned on long platform at the end of the room holding an altar. A huge set of magical doors is behind the altar on the far side of the room.
A Wall of Fire causes most of the party to pause for a few seconds, but Ser Shadow and Hurodash have entered the room immediately. An invisible Ser Shadow focuses on the guards surrounding one turret while Hurodash charges across the room.
Let’s just say that the fight wasn’t a tactical masterpiece. Hurodash Nymaria and Corliss were knocked unconscious at least once and only after the remainder of the party charged through the flames and into the main room did the tide turn.
An extremely injured party finally prevailed, only to have Cappen Varra wander in and look to make a deal.
Numerous party members considered attacking Cappen immediately - perhaps it was Rhagal that took a swing? - but, considering their ill health and lack of spell slots, the party instead chose to make a deal.
Corliss made a deal - sealed by a pulse of Fey magic - that he and Cappen would work together to open the door, free the dragon within, and then make their respective cases to be selected for Initiatehood.
Highlights
The party tries to open the gates again, this time with a solid plan relying upon the playing of Corliss, the Dimension Door of Nymaria , and careful guarding of the gates by the remainder of the party in order to prevent entry to Cappen Varra .
The plan is a partial success, the gate opens, the party enters, and the Dark Asher doesn’t kill Corliss and is denied entrance. But, the party surmises that Cappen has entered.
The prison complex - which turns out to be built in the remnant’s of the dragon’s lair - has a guard room near the entrance. The guard room has alarms and a special gas trap, but the party arrives to find the guards - orcs dressed in the gear of the Ancient Dominion of the Unending Lands - already dead and bleeding out their eyes and ears. The alarm and trap have not been triggered.
A roving group of sentries arrives, sets off the alarm and gas trap, and the few survivors then run deeper into the complex, pursued by the party.
On multiple occasions, the party encounters orc assassins waiting behind corners and in the shadows, pit traps defended by orcish crossbowman, and orc shamans rounding corners and casting Fireball. The party charges forward without a pause or a plan - led by Kal - as fast as Dawngreeter Yornan Hawklight can follow, healing the party members as they fall by the wayside.
The session ends with the party rounding the corner and catching a glimpse of the final guard room.
Highlights
The Elven Ambassador /wiki/spaces/CAM/pages/610402359 has summoned the party - as part of the fifth age treaty between Hold Erenlune and Hold Rendalia (also known as Castle Rend ).
On the night before a momentous wedding between some of the last few inhabitants of the declining ancient city of Erenlune murder, mayhem, and missing participants threaten disaster.
A handful of characters are present:
Atha, the ambassador
Puck, his faithful servant
Philostrate, an ex-soldier that has been appointed Master of Revelers by Atha
Hermia, the flighty, wounded romantic of a elven maiden that is to be married to Demetrius
Demetrius, a stoic warrior that hasn’t been behaving like his typical self and wants very much to meet Hermia’s grandfather, Egeus.
Lysander, a poet that is also in love with Hermia.
Helena, a powerful elven wizard sporting dark hair, a black cloak, a pierced nose, big clunky boots, and a little too much eyeliner. She’s an old flame of Demetrius and Hermia’s best friend.
Egeus. An ancient, tired child of Lathander that knows much about the history of the city, including details about the huge gate leading down into what is rumoured to have been the lair of a dragon.
The big motivating factor turns out to be:
Cappen Varra has learned how to summon a Dark Asher and has used it to kill off a number of the elves of Erenlune, including Demetrius. Cappen has taken his place.
Cappen’s goal is to convince Egeus the Last to emerge from his protective orb and reveal his secrets about how to get through the magic gate, either by charm or by threat.
Ultimately the party causes the fake Demetrius to reveal himself as Cappen.
The party learns that Corliss can play his mother’s song to the statue of Lathander in the glade and open the magic gate in the forest approximately one thousand feet away.
Upon doing so, Cappen attempts to kill Corliss with the Dark Asher and sneak between the gates.
A fight ensures, Corliss closes the gates, and Cappen is driven off. For now.