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Post date: Feb 06, 2017 7:2:52 PM
DM - JosiahKaemon playing Drathe, male human black fist investigator (lord's alliance)
David playing Fiddler, male half-moon elven harper agent (harpers)
Elizabeth playing Arakain, female human outlander (emerald enclave)
Michael playing Red, female human mercenary (order of the gauntlet)
Rachel playing Icestorm, female water genasi pirate (zhentarim)
The Maimed Virulence has come. The future of the Cinnabar Throne and the lives of the denizens of Phlan are in jeopardy. The Cult of the Dragon rejoices, and the Black Fist is powerless to stop them. How will the factions of the city respond to this threat? Can Phlan be saved this time? [Part One of Under Emerald Claws]
NPCs
Laughing Goblin
Imizael - humand bartender and owner of the Laughing Goblin.
Fat Mar - obese server at the Laughing Goblin tavern.
Black Fist - city guard, much of it corrupt and subject to bribery.
Knight Commander Ector Brahms - Lord Regent of Phlan and commander of the Black Fist
Knight Aleyd Burral - Black Fist Sergeant, dedicated to helping the people of Phlan.
Wylan Burral - Aleyd's only remaining family, a cleric of Tymora who lives in Mulmaster
Welcomers - local thieves' guild and freedom fighters
Glevith - chondathan head of the Welcomers
Allar "Blockjaw" - Welcomer Turmish bouncer
Dark Linsa - half-drow Welcomer, mercenary and greedy
Trunkey Lighttouch - halfling Welcomer, softspot for orphans
Cult of the Dragon
Vorgansharax the Maimed Virulence - huge green dragon occupying Phlan and leading the cult.
Rorreth - Red Wizard necromancer leading the Cult forces in Phlan hunting for the heroes.
Farvnik the Venomous - green robed cultist of Talona, in charge of gathering tribute for Vorgansharax.
Spernick - prisoner awaiting judgement for breaking into Mantor's Library, cult spymaster, in charge of determining who to sacrifice to the dragon and who to serve as slaves.
Surasiel - cambion, leader of the Tears of Virulence (Black Fist traitors and bane worshipers)
Aya Glenmiir - moon elven arcane tutor and sage.
Cassyt - young human Kelemvorite acolyte, friends with Aleyd.
Elisande - young odd girl with a strange blind black goat.
Ellison - Scroll Thief, assisted the heroes in fighting Rorrath in the Bog.
Eunice Thundershield - dwarven mercenary freed from the cultists.
Locations
Scholar's Square - district of Phlan outside of Mantor's Library, many scholars work here.
Cracked Crown - tavern in Scholar's Square. Welcomer's base.
Valhingen Graveyard - the priests of Kelemvor called this home.
Valjevo Castle - home to the Lord Regent, where the city nobles were assembled.
Stojanow Gate - Black Fist garrison and prison, entrance through Valjevo Castle courtyard.
Pool of Radiance - a ancient wellspring of magical energy rumored to lay dormant beneath Valjevo Castle.
Docks
The Laughing Goblin - a old ramshackle tavern on the docks, famous for it's cabbage soup and a statue of a laughing goblin
Gilded Trophy - a Lord's Alliance galley, burned and destroyed by Rorrath.
Enter the Maimed Virulence
The heroes gather once again in the city of Phlan at the tavern "The Laughing Goblin", at the request of Knight Aleyd Burral (Black Fist Sergeant). Fat Mar (server) takes their order and serves the famous cabbage soup as Imizael (bartender) gets their drinks. Soon enough, Aleyd enters and shares her concern with the growing corruption within the Black Fists (city guard). She suspects a rogue named Spernick (prisoner awaiting judgement) is behind it, and wants the characters to investigate it. Unfortunately, the meeting is abruptly interrupted, when an adult green dragon (Vorgansharax the Maimed Virulence) attacks Valjevo Castle - where the city nobles are assembled - tearing holes in the castle and breathing a deadly gas within. The Maimed Virulence has arrived!
As the heroes stare in shock, several hobgoblins with a drake, led by a green robed priest (Farvnik the Venomous), were seen roaming the city streets, capturing people, and dumping them in a carriage pulled by a green-skinned ettin. Icestorm and Arakain leapt through the second floor window in a shattering of glass to engage the cultists, as Red and Drathe ran for the stairs, leaving Fiddler to sing spells from the broken window. Fat Mar ran from the inn and slew one of the hobgoblins, but then the two-headed giant turned and sent him hurtling through the tavern wall in a spray of blood from the swing of a giant axe. Despite the priest's deadly spirits, and the Ettins foul poison breath weapon, the heroes managed to slay all of their foes and free the surviving captives, which included Aya Glenmiir (moon elven arcane tutor) and Eunice Thundershield (dwarf). As the heroes rested up, they spoke with the survivors as new stragglers from the streets sought refuge in the inn. Drathe spotted Ellison (Scroll Thief) watching them from a rooftop, but chose not to mention it.
You are Welcome… to leave the city
Drathe received a secret mission for the Lord's Alliance from a orphan girl. Drathe would need to liberate the Gilded Trophy (a Lord's Alliance galley) from the cultists that have chained her to the docks. Unfortunately, due to later circumstances, this was never accomplished.
Eunice reported having seen a cambion (evil guy with red skin, horns, and demonic wings) leading the cultists, near Stojanow Gate. Rumors say the castle guards had been imprisoned by the rebelling inmates and that Knight Commander Ector Brahms (Lord Regent of Phlan) may have been captured there. Aleyd is determined to free him, if the rumors are true and leaves to find any loyal Black Fist she can.
Aya advised that the best thing to do would be to evacuate the population, but with the streets full of cultists, she suggested they contact Glevith of the Welcomers (local thieves’ guild). Fiddler mentioned he knew the man and was confident they could get his help. The heroes contacted Glevith, after Allar "Blockjaw" (Welcomer Turmish bouncer) recognized Fiddler and let them past. After sharing notes, Glevith said he would help them navigate their way through the maze of sewers under Phlan to escape art nightfall. He wanted to gather as much intelligence as he could before leaving Phlan. Deciding they needed some scouts for Stojanow Gate, Fiddler paid Dark Linsa (half-drow Welcomer) 50 gold to help them scout. Icestorm managed to convince Trunkey Lighttouch (halfling Welcomer) to help as well, using their mutual interest in orphans. Fiddler received a letter from the Harpers, containing a secret mission. If Fiddler wanted to rise in the Harpers’ ranks, the rogue Spernick (the one behind the rebelling guards) must die.
The Gates of Hell & A Necessary Evil
Just before arriving at Stojanow Gate, Aleyd catches up to them, commanding the few loyal Black Fist guards she has managed to assemble. Cassyt (young human Kelemvorite acolyte) has joined Aleyd, and is determined to help Phlan against the cultists. After scouting out the area, they realize there is a force of several dozen Tears of Virulence (Black Fist traitors and bane worshipers), along with a trio of heavily armored Cult Prison Guards, and Surasiel (cambion) guarding the area and barricading the entrance. They spotted the Knight Commander, missing his signature red cloak, tied up with almost a hundred prisoners within Stojanow Gate. They overhear the guards speaking in draconic about the prisoners being sent to Spernick (apparently in charge of Stojanow Gate) in groups, to decide which are to be fed to the dragon and which to be used as slave labor to dig beneath Valjevo Castle for the Pool of Radiance. Red also spots Elisande (young odd girl with a strange blind black goat) perched in a tree in the courtyard of the Stojanow Gate with blood covering her arms to her elbows, but doesn't bring attention to her when she gestures for her to be silent.
Knight Aleyd decides to do an assault on the gates, hoping to create a diversion that draws most of the guards away from the gate. While she circles through the city to position, the group decides to have Fiddler invisibly scout the Gate's forces, while Icestorm sneaks up to a good vantage spot, Red secures a retreat position, and Drathe and 2 loyal Black Fists pretend to be Tears of Virulence, having captured Arakain as a offering to Surasiel. Fiddler manages to locate the Knight Commander and frees him, pressing a handaxe into his hands as a weapon. Drathe successfully bluffs to be a traitor, titlehough he is forced to kill a loyal black fist prisoner in cold blood to prove his loytitley. One of the Tears, roughly fondles Arakain, and she narrowly keeps her temper, marking him for later retribution. Surasiel emerged from a Gur wagon to inspect Drathes gift, just as Knight Aleyd launched her diversion attack.
Shouts of “For the Lord Regent!” and “For Phlan!” ring out as Knight Aleyd Burral and her escort rush the nearest barricade on the western side of the square. Their brazen attack takes their foes by surprise, and three of them are quickly cut down as the knights hurtle over the barricade. Unfortunately, their success is short-lived. Between a hail of crossbow bolts and an onslaught of blades, one of the knights accompanying Aleyd falls, and her small contingent begins to withdraw. Aleyd herself moves to cover their retreat but she is struck down by a pair of crossbow bolts. Two corrupt knights stab her repeatedly with their swords as she lies prostrate on the ground. Despite this, however, Aleyd’s plan is working. The corrupt knights abandon their post in pursuit. A small group of guards stay behind, however.
Arakain leapt at Surasiel, slashing him before he could react, only to discover that her blade barely hurt the supernatural being. Drathe attacked as well, and the blows of his magical weapon stunned the cambion with its effectiveness. Wounded, Surasiel flew through the battlefield, dodging attacks as he fled. Surasiel attempted to magically compel Arakain, Drathe, and others, all to no avail.. resulting in him fleeing from the battlefield after a few hellish blasts from his spear against Red. Meanwhile, chaos erupted as the Knight Commander, freed by Fiddler, leapt to the attack. Fiddler, still invisible, continued to free prisoners who were willing to fight against the Cult guards. The rest of the group engaged the heavily armored guards, who breathed bolts of lightning against the heroes. A furious and dangerous battle later, resulted in the heroes triumphant, titlehough bereft of resources and magic. Arakain took her revenge on the Tear who had manhandled her. Elisande helped to bandage the wounded heroes before departing with a quick cryptic warning of baby dragons seen in the city. Knight Commander Ector Brahms thanked the heroes for coming to his rescue, and lifted Knight Aleyd's body in his arms to carry her to the inn. Red and the surviving Black Fist guard agreed to help escort the freed prisoners to the Laughing Goblin, while the rest of the group headed into the upper levels of Stonjanow Gate prison to find Spernick.
Justice is Served
Entering Stojanow Gate, the heroes made their way through the prison until they tracked down a locked door to a interrogation chamber. A few bored looking mercenaries played at cards beyond, while another dragged Vollonah Leadstop (a young gnomish girl who often gets herself into trouble with the guard) from a cage and pushed her into a adjacent office with Spernick before shutting the door and returning to a card game. The mercenaries chuckled as they heard the girls cries and struggles. The heroes, imagining what Spernick was about to do to the young girl, did not hesitate. Icestorm grabbed a guard through the barred window and knocked him unconscious as Fiddler quickly picked the lock on the door. Charging within, Drathe managed to rip the office door open, splintering the locking bar to reveal Spernick about to plunder the young girl. As Spernick turned his head with a sneer, demanding that they not interrupt him in his pleasure, Arakain took his head off with a powerful slash of her blade.
Still as a Statue
Dodging cult patrols, the group reunited at the Laughing Goblin, where Cassyt was devastated to hear of her friend Aleyd's death. Controlling her anguish, she left to go to the Valhingen Graveyard to get supplies for the refugees. Led by the Knight Commander, carrying Aleyd's body, the survivors of the cult's attack followed the heroes in a tattered mob to the Welcomers hideout in Sage's Square. After some quick-talking by the heroes, as Dark Linsa and Trunkey Lighttouch balked at the idea of smuggling the large crowd through the sewers unseen, the group agreed to pay Linsa 200 gold to try the feat. As the group made their way through the sewers, they encountered a basilisk, being ridden by a kobold cult fanatic. Icestorm pulled the kobold down with a quick lash of her water whip and Drathe finished the Basilisk off, but not before Icestorm was turned to stone by the basilisks glare!! The noise of the fight attracted cult patrols, which Dark Linsa and Trunkey led off into the sewers in a effort to save the refugees. Carrying the stone statue with them, the group continued until they saw the exit to the spillway before them.
Glevith hails you forward. “This is it. This tunnel leads to an old spillway that drains into the river. We’re more than a bowshot from the town walls, and now that night has fallen, you should be able to make your way out of the town from here without anyone bein’ the wiser.”
The Lord Regent approaches Glevith with a grim look on his face and, after a silent and tense moment, extends a gauntleted hand to the rogue.
“Not now, your highness,” Glevith says with a mocking smile. “We’ll discuss the terms of your surrender later.”
He smacks the Lord Regent playfully on the shoulder and disappears into the darkness, whistling tunelessly.
A Red Wizards Fury
Emerging from the spillway, the Lord Regent commanded Aya to stay with the refugees and protect them while he and his new friends, the heroes, scouted out the dock to make sure no surprises await them.
A roar shatters the night’s silence as a huge leather-winged beast swoops down from the black curtain of night. A male human in rune-enscribed red robes rides astride the creature that, in turn, clutches a large construct of stone, metal, and wood in its talons. The beast releases its grip, and the construct crashes into the dock with a splintering crash. The red-robed human leaps from the beast's back and floats to land aboard one of the docked ships. Before the spray of water and broken boards can settle, the wyvern has wheeled around to alight on the ground beside the construct. Without warning or comment, they attack!
Though the Lord Regent and heroes were able to destroy the large construct, the pitched battle left burning wrecks of most of the docked ships, including the Gilded Trophy, and the torn body of the Lord Regent in a pool of blood. Rorreth, with a curse, escaped the battle after leaping onto the back of the wyvern as it swooped past.
The last echoes of the din of battle fade into silence as a pair of refugees emerge, cradling the body of Knight Aleyd Burral in their arms—still swathed in the velvet-and-silk cloak of the Cinnabar Throne. Behind them, the tired and bedraggled refugees of the once-proud town emerge from the darkness, first by ones and twos and then by the score.
They gently lay their burden beside the now-still form of the Lord Regent, the lips of his once-stern face turned up in a smile. “For the Lord Regent! For Phlan!” they cry out, and soon others join in the cheer.
The shouts of celebrations are cut short as a two-horse wagon tears around the corner, driven by a young girl in ill-fitting leather armor emblazoned with the holy symbol of Kelemvor.
“Enough grandstanding,” Cassyt says, “Get on the boat!”
The heroes join the refugees of Phlan as they board one of the last surviving ships and make their way, under the cover of night, across the Moonsea to Mulmaster. As they disembark, Aya's parting request for the heroes is that they return to Phlan and assist the Welcomers and the factions left behind to ready the town for the return of Knight Aleyd Burral.
Aleyd’s body is returned to her brother, Wylan Burral (her only remaining family and a cleric of Tymora), who lives in Mulmaster.
The Tyranny of Dragons has arrived.
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