Return of Drak'holla

The Return of Drak'holla
The current campaign being played by the party at level 6 based around the city of Waterdeep.

Meet the Party

 * Ahti - Cleric
 * Barrik - Druid
 * Beinion - Wizard/Warlock
 * Enzo - Monk
 * Geldrin Silverstrings - Bard
 * Johannes Sebastian - Sorcerer
 * Moosh - Barbarian
 * Thrasius - Paladin

House Rules

 * 1) When your character dies you have a chance to come back as a Doom Bringer only once and you may never be resurrected.
 * 2) No more than 1 inspiration token may be used on a die roll.
 * 3) OOC speaking as well as speaking while narration is happening is strongly discouraged. May result in a little bit of damage.

Background
Fires brew in the ides of December during the Dragon Festival in the town of Fira. Come one come all and witness the enchanting wonders of the Dragon festival. Arm yourselves and test your might against the undefeated champion Snapple Grapple, Steel your resolve against the Iron stomach of last years Ale champion, Grapple Snapple. After you've had your fill of fight and Ale witness the celebration of the Dragon in our annual choosing of the Fira Champion. Feast your eyes on flames during the "Dragon's challenge" ancient ceremony to celebrate the fall of Scales Deep!

PART 14 - The Night Before the Mare
The sky darkened then all was silent until slowly the panicked air returned to a thrumming fear. The patrons of the God Catcher ventured outside to see hundred of people seemingly possessed evidenced with black and glowing green corruption overwhelming their senses and body. Acting fast, Geldrin went full ape and the heroes jumped on to travel atop the tightly packed houses back to the high road. Some decided to retreat to the Crashing Beard while other remained at the Wizard Tower until they discovered one of the impact spots from the crashing thunder heard before. The body found inside the crater came to unlife and lunged at Ahti but her Magic circle protected the party from the advances as corrupted claws scratched viciously against the barrier. After some quick thinking they decided to imprison the undead creature in the Soul Trap Ahti had received from her church, handing it to Moosh for safekeeping.

Ahti, Enzo, and Moosh marched on toward the Wizard towers before witnessing the heart stopping explosions that rippled through the tower, descending level by level until the last explosion blew out the door only to be covered by the blackened corruption blocking the lower portion of the tower. Johannes and Beinion had made it to safety by the desperate doings of the High wizards conducting a secret meeting in the council room. Beneath the utter destruction of the tower an orb formed on the street some distance form the base where 50 or more wizards and other occupants suddenly appeared. Actions were quickly taken to tend to the wounded but Johannes and Beinion went searching for their friends. After a long journey to the High road through swarms of shambling possessed townsfolk both the magic users decided to return to the crashing beard to regroup and prepare for the worst.

PART 13 - The Impasse before the Auction
As the party left Victorious Secret, heading north on the High Road, a sickly green haze began to swirl on the edges of the city. Before long, tendrils of the verdant haze seeped into the alleyways of the city. The sky cast in ever roiling clouds with eerie green glowing coming from high above.Something sinister feel over the city as the fog choked the city from the crisp clean sea air.

While heading towards their separate destinations Geldrin noticed that there seemed to be a few followers still on their trail from Victorious Secret. Without skipping a beat several of the party burst into action causing the followers to quickly disperse down side streets. Beinion was the first to follow after disguising himself as a stranger and as he watched a cloaked figure dash down the street he had no choice but to take chase, even as Geldrin ignored Beinion's signals to help him. With the party hot on their tails they were able to capture one of the pursuers with overwhelming force but one with glowing red eyes and a broken face peered at Geldrin before vanishing in the encroaching fog. Beinion held no better luck as the cloaked figure got away from him before any helpful information could be drawn out. As he headed back to the party on the High Road he saw Enzo relaxing peacefully on a bench, then ushered him to join the party.

When the party had regrouped on the High Road they were met with a guard patrol drawn by the commotion and screaming voices. After a brief chat they decided to comply with the demands of the guard and make a report with the guard captain, George Jenkins. George was distracted by the reports of oddities happening around the city and decided that the situation had been taken care of and after learning they were members of the Zhentarim allowed them to go their own way.

Upon arriving at The God Catcher one poor sap drank heavily into his stein bemoaning the sorry state of his life. Moosh took pity on the man and cheered him up. Too well in fact, as the man quickly offered to join him for the rest of his life as an adventurer but Moosh got some weird vibes form the guy and promptly bid him farewell and left the table. The man who had drunkenly sworn his life to Moosh passed into unconsciousness directly onto the floor in a display of blood and beer. As the entire party arrived Geldrin heard a polite plucking of strings and leapt into a disrupting challenge with the fellow bard that started the Battle of the Bardies.

With sickening riffs and gentle throngings the two battled fiercely until by the luck of the gods Geldrin seemed to get the upper hand as most of the people in attendance cheered for the other guy. It wasn't until a fateful cheap shot was thrown to hypnotize the entire tavern on his side that Geldrin finally won. No sooner had he plucked the string of his final note there was a resounding peel of lightning that shook the timbers of The God Catcher. The peel repeated, each time growing more malevolent with each strike until the fifth bolt dropped and then sudden silence. All manor of lights went out all at once and not just natural but magical lights were seemingly snuffed out of existence.

.....

PART 12 - Before the Storm Begins
Fitful sleep greeted the party last night, with visions of a black sun illuminating the landscape turned ice and a sickening green haze creepily overtaking the city of Waterdeep. With the haze came the skeletons in a wave of swirling death that swallows the towers and homes of all before a detonation causes the city to implode into the void. Along with these visions the party, save for Moosh, seem to see through the eyes of another in an unknown part of the universe talking about plans to release a tragedy. The voices seem to know each other and call upon themselves by odd names of varying origin but all speak to the thing frozen in a crystal as a crack is seen in the blurred opaqueness of the crystalline structure.

The party all wake to the sound of a crow in a cold sweat just before what would have been dawn had it not been for a curious haze that was creeping over the city beneath the roiling clouds. The sun shone scarcely through the air and lit the land only until a perpetual dusk no matter the time of day. As whatever light could be seen through the silent storm brewing in the sky Moosh woke sitting on the edge of a mysterious bed. The bed was not known to Moosh and neither were the bodies strewn about the floor, bloodying the walls and Moosh's hands. Moosh had no memory of the carnage or if he was the cause or consequence to the unknown peoples death. Although gore filled the room the rest of the house seemed to be more or less undisturbed and no prying eyes were investigating at the time Moosh slipped from the house and wandered his way through the troubled streets scarcely travelled by the frightened citizens. Moosh happened upon a compassionate guard who mistook him for a simpleton that had been in some kind of accident and got hurt. Luckily for Moosh and the guard the sense of satisfaction that emanated from the necklace around Moosh's neck gave no outward display to alert any of it's menace. After the exchange this aloof guard gave no mind to the blood splattered on Moosh's hands and guided him to a medical house nearby enough for Moosh to recognize the Crashing Beard and promptly walk to his room to wash up.

Today was the day the party met the Tailor for the event the party had been invited to by the Loremaster and had been given obscure instructions as to the location until a woman in a robe with a rising sun crest arrived at the Crashing Beard to deliver the exact address and time they would need to arrive. As the Party set out Beinion's Raven flew off his shoulder, becoming corporeal, to fly in a westerly direction through no command of its master. Johannes had been experimenting in the Wizard school and found out the hard what would happen if a failed experiment were done with the mysterious black powder left behind during the animation of the black sludge substance when the voice in the sky threatened the city the night before. One of his spells backfired when applied to the residue powder causing Johannes to become delirious and see a world devoid of solidity where light belied the eyes. After wandering the city for an unknown eternity Johannes finally drifted back to the material plane just outside the Victorious Secret where his fellow adventurers rounded the corner.

The party ventured to the Victorious Secret, the name of the tailor shop, on Simple Street where they met a clerk named Bob. After Bob heard the correct code word spoken he allowed the party an audience with an oddly dressed man who called himself the Loremaster. The Loremaster informed them more on the special event happening the next day called Bracchus Night where the factions of Waterdeep and the august elite gather to flaunt their wealth and power as well as honor a long standing tradition since the founding of the factions. The Loremaster wanted the party to gather information and schmooze with the attendees to find out about what the unknown item might be that a foreign guest was to bring and make sure that the Zhentarim made it out on top after the auction.

After the outfits had been chosen the party returned to the streets as night had finally fallen casting an eerie weight of impending doom. With the remaining hours of the night before the auction Johannes and Beinion decided to venture to the Wizard school for more research while the rest of the party decided to cool off at a well known tavern called "The God Catcher".

PART 11 - Waking Terror
During their investigation they found that the room had enchantments that Ahti dispelled, revealing the zombie hulk, and also a doorway in the wall. Refusing Riverwind's request to continue on the party decided to take a respite back at the Crashing Beard. The party made their way back to the Crashing beard after the harrowing surprise from the hidden zombie hulk in the broken house. When Ahti and Enzo returned to their rooms to recuperate they found an enchanted letter placed on the bed that transmuted into a bag holding 200 gold pieces after they read it. The others spent their time carousing in the tavern, some eating rats, and some getting drunk.

Ahti visited the Bishop of the battle clerics church, Bishop Getterix, who offered her a necklace from his fighting days that warned of undead when they are near. Getterix promised that he would assign some of his loyal clerics to investigate the broken home and attempt to discover why the undead were suddenly so active.

Once the party had rested and returned to the broken house they investigated the doorway they had marked in chalk from before. What they found was an illusory wall that lead into a tunnel connected to the cemetery. After Moosh had promptly acquired rats he too helped with the investigation by bludgeoning Thrasius with the rats, decimating it, and covering Thrasius in blood to compliment his magically glowing breastplate.

The tunnel looking natural with roots growing from the ceiling and burrows throughout the walls the party rushed through to the exit and found a trail of children's clothes leading up to a mount deeper into the cemetery. At the base of the mound lay a pile of rocks and on top they found a large figure with green glowing eyes holding the 2 missing children next to him. With a raspy voice he told them about his master coming and that he would be taking the children whether they liked it or not.

Then an overpowering presence entered their minds and spoke to them about his hatred towards the living and his plans to rid the world of life as the aspect of death. Where one terror ended another began as reality seemed to wax and wane causing a black sludge to animate and collect into an elemental of black crystal. The figure on top of the mound, Loudon, jumped to the elemental with the children and teleported away after releasing 2 flame skulls and bone snakes.

The Party fought valiantly and managed to survive, for the most part, as the ground and sky began to quake and roil with green-yellow energy. They didn't wait too long before high-tailing it back to the Crashing Beard where everyone but Moosh read their enchanted letters found on the bed and received the 200 gold.

PART 10 - Pursue the Nightmare
While resting in the Crashing Beard Inn the party had a strange dream showing themselves, through the eyes of another. They were putting children to bed and fighting some unknown shadow. Moosh was able to see the visions, but not experience them. He also heard an immeasurable but powerful voice say, "I see you" from the abyss.

They gathered in the tavern and met Constable Pennyworth. He exchanged pointed words with Beinion as they rebuked his attempt to extort their gold from them. He left with a threat and bumped into a tall and strong barbarian man named Riverwind, wearing the emblem of the Zhentarim as he squeezed his girth through the doorway. Riverwind found the party drinking their morning brew and introduced himself. After a lengthy introduction to the structure of the Zhentarim they set out on their first assignment, a burgled home in the poor district of the Trade Ward near the cemetery.

On their way Geldrin had a brief encounter with a young wizard who had been following a floating cloak and devil's mask down the street. Geldrin was left with no bruises externally.

When they found the house it looked like it had been on fire, but was still intact. Inside they found a woman on the floor rousing from her unconsciousness. After questioning her they found she had 3 children but only the babe had been accounted for. The children's room was found to be immaculate and oddly dark, absent of sunlight despite the windows. An eerie feeling overcame any who entered and the longer they stayed the more clear the rushing wind and whispering voices became. Ahti reacted to this oddity with speculation and began casting detect magic. Discerning the magic to be at least in part necromantic she dispelled the aura that encompassed the entire room. The success of the dispelled magic turned out to be a surprise as a giant zombie with long limbs was hiding in the shadows pressed against the wall. As it curled its' rotten arms and clicked its' chest cavity together it let loose a dreadful roar of terror on Ahti, Johannes and Enzo. The fight commenced henceforth post haste.

Ahit was in close quarters with the monstrous zombie, with no formidable opponent to stop it. It thus unleashed its' strength and eternal hate of holy warriors upon Ahti. Several bone crunching blows rained down on Ahti, eventually dropping her unconscious only to be brought back again to the rain of hay-makers. The zombie was not alone against so many enemies, with him were 4 shadows that emerged from the walls to assail the living. Ahti, never to be thwarted so easily, turned several of the shadows to give enough time for Moosh, Geldrin, and Beinion to join the fight. Soon the fear began to set in, as the towering zombie relentlessly broke its way through the bodies of Moosh and Ahti before Barrik summoned his pack of Alpha Wolves, giving the two most ragged members a small respite. Several poor rolls for the party later, and the Zombie was finally brought down. It remained moving with the endless snapping open and shut of the chest cavity until even that had been destroyed.

Riverwind returned to the room to investigate a mysterious portal Beinion discovered that only he could see on the wall. With no magic of his own Riverwind decided that this would need to be looked into and asked that the party to conduct the search.

Battered, Beaten, but Victorious. The party took their short rest back at the Crashing Beard Inn, taking the better part of valor that day to return again, lest something dangerous show its face... or skull.

PART 9 - The Zhentarim Trials
The party gathered in the tavern of the Crashing Beard waiting on the constable and the escort to join the Zhentarim. 3 cloaked figures entered the Crashing Beard before the Constable arrived but shortly after the smelly Constable sauntered in an demanded the party pay a tax, double for the dwarf, for not being citizens. The party paid and the Constable moved on to come back the next day.

The cloaked figures shackled the party and walked them through the streets to a hidden door along the wall to the cemetery. There one of the cloaked figures revealed that the trials would start once they entered the cemetery and the next stage would begin when they were found by the Cleric of the Zhentarim. They were given sending stones attuned to each of them that would help guide them to the proper meeting place. Moosh had accidentally lost his before the party found the arena where the trials would happen. For the trials each member of the party could only take part in one without being told what each trial was.

The Trial of Courage, first of 3 trials, started with Moosh running to the black stone in the middle of the sandy area. Geldrin and Johannes barely made it inside the area before the trial began. Moosh, who had touched the black stone first, was greeted by cowled man with grey old featureless skin known as a Bodak. The Bodak first reached out his hand to help Moosh and as their hands met the Bodak picked up Moosh and threw him to the arena wall. Then Geldrin touched the black stone and similarly was assaulted and managed to crawl away on his back as Johannes touched the stone. The Bodak also punched Johannes and cackled gleefully as all believed him at first to be a friend. The Bodak attempted to submit Geldrin and Moosh to his Death Gaze but both of them managed to resist the deathly temptation. The three rallied and swiftly slew the Bodak before he could transform from skittering runes flashing up the black stone. They regained awareness on the arena floor and were attuned to their sending stones marking the success of their trial of courage.

The Trial of Will, second of 3 trials, started after the Cleric of the Zhentarim could fully explain the process of the trial. Barrik and Thrasius rose to the challenge and were sent to the frozen land of the Giants. They found themselves in the center of a similar arena faced with a large group of diverse giants where they were to move a great obelisk towering above both combatants. After failing to find a solution and realizing they couldn't speak giant they gave puppy eyes to the Giants to which a Storm Giant reached into his pocket and pulled out a large pouch of rotten meat. With nothing else to do Barrik and Thrasius began eating it and submitting themselves to the severe intestinal issues that came along with it. However, Barrik began to grow in strength and size but it still wasn't enough. Barrik then ate more and more until he could move the obelisk and return to the trails. They both regained awareness and attuned to their sending stones to mark their success at the trial of Will.

The Trial of Loyalty, last of the 3 trials, started with a drink of simple water and included the rest of the party Ahti, Beinion, and Enzo and as they touched the stone the world went black. The Cleric of the Zhentarim ushered them inside a small workshop where many vials and flasks of multi-colored liquid lined the shelves. He explained the usefulness of potion to the Zhentarim and offered them the simple challenge, the three of the are poisoned and only one antidote is available. With that the Cleric vanished and left them inside the workshop. Ahti had been chosen to drink the antidote over the others and when the vial left her lips she began to turn to stone and sink into the ground. After she vanished Beinion decided to create a cocktail of mysterious potions just as a mob began to form outside the workshop and upon drinking it began to turn to stone and sink into the ground. Enzo was left alone and also took some of the potions but only resulted in her slowly turning to stone form the feet up. After finishing the remaining potions she had found she too began to sink into the ground. They all regained awareness in the arena and were attuned to their sending stones marking the success of the trial of Loyalty.

Later the party went deeper into the city looking for contacts and information before retiring at the Crashing Beard.

PART 8 - Welcome to Waterdeep - No admittance allowed
After an interesting night underground, courtesy of Geldrin, the party finally see the North gate of Waterdeep. Upon approaching they find the gates are crowded with sickly refugees trying to get inside the city. One such sickly dwarf grabs the Dwarf Barrik trying to get the food he offered. As Barrik shakes off the grasp the dwarf cries out in pain from the touch of Barrik. After discovering how sick the dwarf is Barrik decides to leave the dwarf and continue to the gates.

Upon reaching the gate the guard captain is astonished to see the writ signed by the Loremaster. Following procedure the party are given passage inside for 3 days to stay at the Crashing Beard inn, if no one in the city of note offers to harbor the party after 3 days they will be thrown out of the city. Messengers from the Loremaster, a dwarf and high elf wearing the robes of Mystra, arrive at the Crashing Beard and escort the party to the Temple of Wonders where the Loremaster resides. After a grating meeting with the Loremaster he offers to extend an invitation to join the Zhentarim, one of the 5 factions of Waterdeep, if they pass the Trials. The party agree and are whisked away by magic back to the Crashing Beard where they take their rest and prepare to present themselves to the constable to be able to stay in the city during the 3 days.

PART 7 - Long Dark Night
The group collected themselves and took a much needed rest but their night was interrupted by a chance meeting with an undead commander. After an arduous fight the party was left scarred and with a message, "death comes for you". The next morning the party set out heading southward toward Waterdeep. On the road they found a snow pile that contained the frozen body of Janma Gleamweaver, the gnome who had been part of the caravan before the Yaunti attacked. They found a writ of passage to Waterdeep on Zhentarim business and a letter to the Lore-master. Further down the road they hear screams from near the forest's edge but choose to let the ill-favored family to die from the Undead.

PART 6 - Skyfall
After venturing into the Mere of dead men the sky darkened as a green and yellow comet plummeted to the surface. Sending the party into a panic as the ground erupted into unholy undead before a wave of death trampled thousand year old trees like blades of grass. Skeletons blocked their escape and cut off Brondir, Brolaff and Beinion. Scarcely surviving the glowing skeletons onslaught Brondir and gang make it safely to the road beyond the Mere.

PART 5 - The Unrest of Dead Men
The party, under the darkness of night, visited the tap house and lit it up. As the plumes of smoke choked the occupants scrambling to escape the blaze many screams were heard as Redbrands and anyone else unlucky enough to enjoy the sleeping giant. The wizard named Glasstaff appeared to investigate and subdue the instigators. Just as the party lay with bands of light and darkness holding them to the ground a Kor named Ahti interrupted Glasstaff before he could take the party back to his manor house. The Kor, Ahti, later revealed to the party of her quest to catch a well known criminal of her homeland who had been seeking eternal life by deplorable means. Ahti dealt with the wizard and led the party south of Phandalin towards the Mere of Dead Men, a place known for enchanted swamps and unrest with the dead; where an important object belonging to Ahti's mark is said to be located.

PART 4 - Phandalin Phire Phighter Auditors, Inc.
With Klarg dead and Sildar rescued the party learned that Cragmaw Castle was where Gundren Rockseeker was taken to, deep in the Neverwinter forest. Ultimately the party decided to deliver Barthen's mining provisions while turning in Lionshield supplies found in Klarg's lair. Once they reached the town of Phandalin at dusk they delivered the provisions to Barthen and returned the Lionshield supplies. People in the town had complaints about a group of hooligans calling themselves "Redbrands" that had moved in and began hitting up the townsfolk for protection money. The Redbrands were known to frequent a tap house named 'The Sleeping Giant' so the party made there way there to start a party that would heat up the night.

PART 3 - Phiery Phandalin
Having courage to explore the Cragmaw Hideout, the adventurers faced the minions of Klarg, the bug bear, chief of the Cragmaw goblins. Deep in the cave Satoshi and his rat friend found Sildar Hallwinter, Gundren Rockseeker's warrior escort, beaten and bloodied. After freeing Sildar the party headed deeper yet into the cave to face Klarg. After exchanging blows with Klarg's guards the end seems near as Brolaff lands a crushing blow, bringing Klarg to his knees. Will the adventurers show mercy? Will they show strength?

PART 2 - Phandalin Phinality
The party, comprised of ~10 mighty heroes, successfully murdered a farmstead just south of Fira and made their way towards Phandalin on the High Road. After taking Triboar Trail on their last stretch of travel towards Phandalin the party encountered a Goblin Ambush. Making quick work of the fragile creatures and painting the freshly fallen snow a blackish ichor they close in on the remainder of the goblin ambushers who have thrown their weapons down and surrendered.

PART 1 - Goblin Ambush
This years Dragon Festival was like none other in recent memory. The embers burn hot from the fallen townsmen and cultist after the Dragon disappeared.The sounds of battle cease as the Large form fled and the enemies were cut down only silence remains for a moment. Then the survivors begin to scream, crawling around the ashen dead to search for life. This feels like no ordinary day, a dragon has been seen this far north again and it seems to get colder by the minute. Something long forgotten has stirred once more.