Wardens of Heroes Gate

Scene Notes – C01.S03.07

Scene Notes – C01.S03.05

What happens in this scene?

Well I don’t exactly know… should we spent any more time in Fireshear? Probably not…. Should we spend a whole scene just getting to Tentowns? Probably… Maybe more than one scene? Not sure…

We have the certainty of random encounters along the Ten Trail. We also have news that Hundlestone is overrun by Duergars and is not safe to pass near. Question is… how far is not near? Should they circle around to Ironmaster? Or just go off-trail and give Hundlestone wide-berth? Or should they decide to risk following Ten Trail as it passes by the Hundlestone gates?

And who is they? Just Shent and Dawndra? Or would Shent recommend they travel with a caravan of others? Or… maybe there is alternate transportation… Griffons for example… that can get party straight to Tentowns?

The distance is approx 50 miles. In snow and ice, it is slow travel – between 3-4 days

Maybe bring in Dasharra? At 80ft speed, it is less than a day to get to Tentowns? But the cost… and can Griffons be rented? Some say no, but Dasharra may have her Griffons trained to accept guests?

What about a portal?

Or maybe there is an underground trail that only Spine Rangers have mapped well enough to travel?

Lets go underground. It should be fun for Dawndra… all that ducking and squeezing 🙂

Shent takes her North along the Ten Trail to the turnoff towards Ironmaster but then drops into an underground tunnel which cuts north and exits near the Ten Trail about ten miles beyond Hundlestone. It is potentially a dangerous route – but walking by Hundlestone is certainly dangerous. Gracklebacks will kill or enslave them on sight. And given their natural magic… they would not even know they were sighted until it was too late. Tunnels run throughout the underground of Icewind Dale – many are the result of extensive mining expeditions in the area, but many are seeminly natural or ancient pathways of long dead creatures. There are stories about Frost Landwyrms, dragon kin, which fed on miners foolish enough to delve in Icewind Dale. The clans of Ironmaster tell stories about great underground battles and annihliation of the wingless dragons.

What if… shortly after they begin the underground crawl, Shent feels a signal in the frozen ground. Marching boots, hundreds of them. Coming from the direction of Ironmaster. Are the Dwarves marching on Hundlestone? It would be the smart move… take out the threat of the Duergar while it is still a small nub. They threaten trade routes as well.

Question is, what will party do? Confirm the suspicion? Join in the assault on Hundlestone? Or just keep on the dangerous underground bypass?

Is time a factor?

We open on the morning of Merpenoth 25  and the games start Kythorn 20

The trek on Ten Trail from Fireshear to Bryn Shander is 4 days – the route to Ironmaster is five miles south of Hundlestone which is just about mid point on the journey – so by the end of day 2, they should be about 5 miles along The Iron Trail.

Oh… I need to dev Shents portal thingy

He has three gems which are connected to each other. One is woven into his beard. This is the control gem. The other two are endpoints for a portal. He leaves one of them in his boat and carries the other. He can place this one at any point within 100 miles of the other and use the control gem to open a portal between them. This allows him to sleep in his own bed aboard his boat every night and then portal back to where he placed other gem. He cannot take either endpoint gems through the portal – they stay where the portal opens

It can be tricky. Once the portal opened up inside the belly of a crag cat who had found and eaten the gem. The magic burst the creature to allow Shent to complete the portal, but he was miles from where he left the gem. He does a better job of hiding it now.

Where did it come from?

Shent might say it was “a gift” from a friend, and he would not be lying. It had belonged to his friend and fellow Spine Ranger, Faernina Farwatcher. She was his partner and companion for many years. He does not speak of her often because it is painful. Riandyl reminded him of Faernina, making the experience of being her guide for the Fray Game both pleasant and painful.

Farwatchers Portal Pendant.

It is the central gem with the power. If one or both of the other gems were lost, it has the ability to enchant two other gems (must be Blue Star Sapphires) with the same power.

Blue Star Sapphire

A translucent blue gem with a white star-shaped center. Worth around 1,000 gp. Black star sapphires are worth around the same as the blue variety.

Back to this scene…

Near the end of the second day of travel, Shent hears a thunder and surmises that the Dwarves of Ironmaster are marching on Hundlestone to take back the city for the miners and trade merchant who have lived and ruled there for centuries.

Choice – Observe (or join) the march on Hundlestone or continue through the underground tunnels. It seems to me, this even would be hard to pass up. Story wise I built up to this and to just let it happen in the background would be unfulfilling. It will be 400 Ironmaster Dwarves vs ~200 Duergar. It should be a clean mop-up but the duergar are tricky bastards.

Maybe… maybe Clan Grackleback knows the Ironmaster Dwarves are coming and realize they have no hope to hold Hundlestone so they resort to guerrilla tactics – pouring down into the mines and tunnels. Perhaps a group is heading towards where Shent and Dawndra entered the tunnels – combat encounter with a small group of 5 Gracks (but more are not far behind)

Perhaps that encounter is interupted by a monster … not a landwyrm, but maybe a frostspawn ambusher? (statblock) They have tremorsense and are probably attracted by the marching army?

Maybe… the large group of Gracks is about 50 in number… and they get attacked by a pack of ambushers – the sound of it echoing through the tunnels. 7 or so Gracks escape the ambushers and run into Shent and Dawndra. A single ambusher, maybe two, is chasing them down when the enounter happens.

Scene Notes – C01.S03.04

Cycle 01 Shield 03 – Scene 04 – Notes

What happens in this scene?

Fireshear

Up next – fireshear. Now we know that The Knout has some secret location along the coast somewhere north of Fireshear. I think The Knout needs one more mentioning of some sort while in Fireshear. Perhaps then we open the next cycle back in Fireshear with some goal to location and destroy The Knout. Perhaps someone whom Dawndra meets in the  next scene has, by the next cycle, gone missing. There are reports of her being kidnapped… maybe even Kleyt is somehow identified (If I do that… I probably need to back write something more distinctive about Kleyt besides his smell… a scar? An eyepatch? A missing hand? Maybe also… I give him a tremble and red eyes – make him a junkie of the dust. In fact… the drow punks report back that Kleyt met with a dealer of dust before sneaking into the sewers to travel the red road) Once back in Fireshear next cycle… Dawndra sees Kleyt and then finds her friend missing and puts 2 and 2 together. I could also close out this cycle with that scene… Routing the Knout… Kildar will be with her and Shent as well I expect. Closing out that story line in this cycle makes more sense than opening the next one with it… I think…

So then.. Who is the new friend?

I wonder if I should bring Saarvin into the fray games? It sounds like his kind of thing. Perhaps he and Shent have history… (Good? Bad? Hey Dice… do they have Good history? 4 = 4 even = Yes)

If so… Shent should probably encouner Saarvin in Fireshear.

Maybe… Saarvin took a prize the last few Fray games… including the year Riandyl was in competition. Since they have Good history, the dragonborn is not the reason Riandyl did not win the competition.

IN fact… Saarvin has returned to Fireshear from Waterdeep with his daughter Arva (Roller). After the games, Shent invites Saarvin (or the other way) to journey back to Fireshear together. (its about 50 miles of slow and dangerous travel – just over 3 days) Saarvin discovers his daughter has been kidnapped… Dawndra sees Kleyt in Fireshear and assumes the worst – Roller has been kidnapped like she had been.

The four (Dawndra, Kildar, Shent and Saarvin) Stage an attack on The Knout and Rout them out. They discover an entrance to the Underdark within the cavern base. But all that is 10 or more scenes away…

The question is… do I want scene four to be spent entirely in Fireshear? I need some time with Saarvin and Roller… I need the PC to invest some time with Roller so that the rescue feels dire.

Do I open in Fireshear? Or does something happen along the way? And how long is the way? About 50 miles – a days travel by sea. They arrive in Fireshear at night… is it a quiet night or is something happening? A dragon attack? Maybe I could borrow this encounter and combat mephits (although the other party just did…). Maybe there is another giant attack on Fireshear? We did not have any combat the last scene, so we need one either getting to Fireshear, in the town itself, or on the 3 day trek between Fireshear and Tentowns. Certainly there are encounters on the trek…  so then… Fireshear is only social encounters? I do not want to Fireshear to be much more than a passerthru… with the exception of Saarvin and his daughter Roller… so then instead of “do I add a random encounter?” the question is … “how does Shent and Dawndra encounter Saarvin?” This is where there is combat. Saarvin does not need rescuing… that would diminish the character… but both parties are engaged in combat… and Shent recognizes Saarvin.

Who or what is attacking Saarvin? Or attacking Fireshear? Hey Dice… is something attacking Fireshear town? 3 No. So then someone or something is attacking only Saarvin, or a group Saarvin is in. A bar brawl? Nah… My mind keeps going back to the dragon. I like the idea of floating into the docks and seeing a dragon attacking the town… but even a Young dragon can wipe out a level 3 character with a single successful attack. What else?

Under Dwarves…

The Grackletack Clan  (?) are Deurgar from Grackelstugh who were either slaves or outcasts from that society. They managed, with only 250 warriors, to invade and take over Hundelstone a few months ago and ever since they have been growing in power and wealth. They send raiding parties out to the surrounding towns and villages. Mostly their reasons are just to terrorize, but they also destroy any forges or blacksmith they can find. The blacksmiths themselves often go missing. Others are sometimes take as well. This is all now common knowledge among most of the towns and villages of the Frozenfar. If the Gracklebacks are planning invasions of other towns, it is not apparent. Only Ironmaster has reason to fear – or so say some locals. It’s the only logical target of Duergar they say. Ironmaster is way ahead of them however… it is impossible to even get close to the Dwarfhold and all mining crews now has armed guard units watching over their activity.

Many, if not all of the Tentowns have seen minor incursions of the “Gracks” (or “gak-sacks” as some have begun to refer to them). There has also been a rise in accounts of things going missing – especially metal-made weapons so everyone sleeps with their swords these days.

So the whole region is in turmoil… but what is new about that. How big would a raiding party be? 10? 15? Or maybe less since stealth and surprise is their objective

Scene Notes – C01.S03.03

Cycle 01 Shield 03 – Scene 03 – Notes

What happens in this scene?

Dawndra comes down from her room in The Cutlass.

Shent is there having a breakfast ale (which The Cutlass is becoming famous for)

He had to dock in Whitesails Harbor when he returned from this latest job this morning – seeing how Dragon Beach docks have been mostly destroyed.  He came to The Cutlass to see if he could learn something about what happened. Rumors are already traveling about the white-haired giant at the scene. No one knows the actual story but everyone is assuming she had something to do with it.

Dawndra hires Shent – and can afford to with more than generous payment. She asks him to not only guide her to Tentowns but to stay with her during the competitions and then return her back to Luskan . His normal rate is 15gp /day and Dawndra is asking to retain him for a long-term – up to ~50 days (750gp)

Shent recalls working with Teacher Riandyl and offers a discount (where is he going to go anyway… until Dragon Beach is rebuilt…)

Riandyl gave Dawndra a Star sapphire (1k gp) to give to Shent for his services- (she feels she underpaid him previously) – backwrite this some… also – there seems to be more the story here… what happened between Riandyl and Shent? I probably need to develop an NCP sheet for both of them in order to tell this story

How does a trust work in D&D?

Maybe I need a magic item? Yet another magic pouch?

Actually – Nim already created something like this to transport goods. Only the recipient could open the bag safely. Anyone else who tried would lose fingers

Or maybe it is a pocket dimension with a temporary hold? What if Dawndra dies – does Shent still get full payment?

magical Escrow

Payment price and conditions are agreed upon

the coins or gems are placed in small box

on the top of the box are four slots to fit a coin

both sides of the escrow place one coin into a slot to signify the agrrrment is cast

the magic marks the identity of each

the box cannot open again until both parties place a second coin into the centrr slots

the coin itself does not really matter, any coin works… it is the person placing thr coin which seals or opens the escrow box

dawndra can place payment into the box, seal the agreement and allow Shent to keep the box until such time as she g feels he has held the agreement – then she simply places another coin on the second slot and Shent can open the box at any time by doing the same.

If Shent renegs… she (and only she) can remove the first coin to open the box one.

Shent has a stake because the box itself cost him, or would cost him to replace it.

From there… what?

Kleyt

While Dawndra and Shent are negotiating… Kleyt walks in and sits at the bar. It takes him some time to recognize that Dawndra is there but when he does, he hurries to the door.

Dawndra wants to find out where Kleyt keeps himself… She has no time right now to deal with him, and probably no idea on what that actually means… but she knows the truth is that he will continue to kidnap others for the Knout (build an LGFL for the Knout)

Perhaps Dawndra might hire the ruffian Drow she kicked ass on the day before to be sneaks and ferret out where the scoundal sleeps… Yes… that is what might happen…

But the rest of the day…

Shent gives Dawndra a list of provisions… it’s a market day!

I actually don’t much care for market runs… not sure why. Up until now, I have just thrown the event into the recap… “you went and purchased the supplies you need” and when something comes up the player can say “I bought this on the market run” and I call it good. Rarely will there be anything but ordinary supplies… nothing exotic or magical. And Dawndra has already been equiped with some magical things. Her Ice Pike being the big item – some pun intended.

So if the market holds no exciting items, how to make this scene interesting?

No. Never mind all the random ideas for now… Introduce a bad guy … another contestant in the Fray Games (but not known as such until the first round begins)

Perhaps a Half-Orc with a temper and a chip on his shoulder (her shoulder?)

Yazga

“This is my campaigns Mage/shaman of tribe Manyarrow tribe. Her name is Yazga and she is Chieftains “Mother of his sons” since wife is to plain for tribal society”

Rebrand a bit… maybe?

Yazga is a great name though… and so add this to credits

Maybe lower challenge level a bit… No sense pitting a lvl 3 PC one on one against a lvl 7 vNPC…

Stones Throwdown is no magic and no weapons and no armor… but Yazga has a +2 strength

Actually… that reminds me… create some throwdown rules

Strictly unarmed and unarmored

Everyone can strike with fist or foot

Attack with Proficiency

1 Blugeoning + Strength (unless Monk or fighter with unarmed style)

The rest of the combat is shoves and grapples

If you can get a critical hit with unarmed strike – the shove or grapple happens with advantage

Resist a shove or grapple with either Athletics or Acrobatics

So most attacks in Stone Throwndown will be competition checks… Ath vs Ath or Ath vs Acr

There may be other opportunities… perhaps a charging shove can be redirected to throw the charger out of bounds. Seems foolish, but the rage of battle and so on…

What else?

I thought about giving the audience bags of oil to throw into the arena but how would that work? Would they target a favorite – making them harder to grapple and shove if oily?

What besides oil? How could the audience increase the likelyhood of a particular contestant to be omitted? To give them disadvantage on the shove or grapple contest?

Perhaps this idea is just too complicated for mechanics? I will put it aside unless something bright appears.

Back to Yazga

I’m not sure she is a mage… a barbarian?

She is connected to Many-Arrows – obviously then, she is from Silver Marches.

She is most at home with full-blooded orcs

Or is she a member of the Red Tiger?

Suspicious of the unknown, Red Tigers fought unarmed. Their favored weapons were tiger claws, which consisted of short wooden handles embedded with three sharp stone daggers. The hunter held the blades between their fingers like claws.

Like their snow cat totem beast, the tribe acted aggressive and solitary.

Maybe it would be fun to tie Yagza to Daelan from NWN. How does a half-orc become a Red Tiger tribe member? Daelan would have to have been Yagza’s Grandfather. Maybe Yagza is trying to gain acceptance into the Red Tiger and the Fray Games are the way she intends to prove herself and to honor her forefathers (Daelan was exiled by the tribe)

She carries Daelans Double-axe – as her father did

Amulet too? Amulet of the Red Tiger Tribe +1.

Daelan_Red_Tiger

Featured in: Neverwinter Nights, Hordes of the Underdark

Race: half-orc

Alignment: chaotic good

Class: barbarian

Description: This Uthgardt barbarian remains tight-lipped about his reasons for being in Neverwinter. His services as a mercenary are for hire, but only for someone with the right coin and temperament suitable to this honorable half-orc.

In the original campaign, Dealan tells the story of his banishment from the Uthgardt tribe, leading to special item-recovery quests, as all henchmen in original campaign do.

Daelan was one of many adventurers to later answer the call to Waterdeep during the drow attacks in the Hordes of the Underdark campaign.

He is notable for his use of power attack and knockdown feats.

Location: Trade of Blades

Chapter One Quest: Daelan wants you to seek out a particular brooch, which you’ll find on one of the boats in the Docks District. As a reward for finding it, Daelan will give you the Amulet of the Red Tiger Tribe +1.

Chapter Two Quest: When you enter the Mutamin’s Challenge at the Green Griffon Inn on the North Road you will eventually meet up with a dwarf called Gorkan down to Level 3. He will attack you there and after you defeat him, he will drop a strange notched great axe. The axe was the one that the murdered Gorkan used to kill Daelan’s mother and giving the axe to him is enough proof that the murderer is no more. Daelan will upgrade his item to the Amulet of the Red Tiger Tribe +3.

Chapter Three Quest: Daelan will tell you another tale at Chapter 3, the story of the Uthgardt Ceremonial Spear. When Daelan finishes his tale he will let you know that he is in search for that Spear. The Uthgardt Ceremonial Spear will be given to you by Zokan Thunderer, the leader of the Elk Tribe, at the Elk Tribe Keep located near Fort Ilkard Homesteads.

So Yazga will go by Yazga the Red Tiger – even though she is considered an outcast from the tribe

She paints herself red with battle coloring – daily…

She is obsessed with her rights to be accepted by the Red Tiger Tribe in Silver Marches (although she probably never will)

She is technically a barbarian – level 3 – find a subclass to complete her

Now… in the market place… Yazga is there – also provisioning for the trip to Tentowns just as Dawndra is doing. Perhaps Dawndra selects a nice ice pick from a merchant and while inspecting it Yazga comes along and rips it from her hands “I need this” She is equally rude to merchants and anyone else.

I need some bigger event… like maybe one of the other customers takes offense to the point of a tussle and Yazga kicks his ass in a big way – showing Dawndra she is a force to be reckoned

Maybe Dawndra does not fight at all this scene… just rp and discovery and some foreshadowing of Yazga – who will probably try to steal her troll head on the last day of the Fray Games.

Frick and Frack – or something like that… Axe and Pax?

Yazga has two slaves which she bought from somewhere. Kobolds?

They run around behind her, carrying the things she says she wants and paying the merchants with coin.

Now for the other “party” – I don’t need to build them out much but maybe find a level 1 party and some random names. Who is going to take offense at Yazga to the point of blows? Probably another female… perhaps another Half-Orc

Mara Hornraven

Half-Orc Fighter

AC 16 HP 40

+4 1d6 +2 or 6 (*1)

+1 +3 +1 +0 +2 +0

Sentane

Human Rogue Male

AC 15 HP 30

+4 1d6 +2 or 6 (*1)

+2 +3 +0 +0 +2 +0

Vari Arenth

Hill Dwarf Ranger Female

AC 13 HP 20

+4 1d6 +2 or 6 (*1)

+1 +3 +2 +0 +2 +0

Henri Fiddlewright

Halfing Wizard Male

+4 1d4+2

Magic Missle 3d4

+0 +2 +2 +3 +1 +2

Penko

Tiefling Cleric Male

+3 1d6 +1

+1 +0 +2 +0 +3 +2

Bless, Cure Wounds, Bane, Healing Word

There… not a bad random party.

Where are they headed?

The Crags of Mirabar

They are on a quest to locate the lost kingdom of Grimmantle – which, they have been led to believe, still contains an unbreached treasure room.

Scene Notes – C01.S02.14

Cycle 01 Shield 02 – Scene 14 – Notes

What happens in this scene?

The party discovered the presence of the Red Wizard, Hamun Kost, from a surprising source… Agatha, the banshee of Neverwinter Wood. Kost came to her seeking the location of Bowgentles Spellbook. Whether she was actually honoring the aggreement with Garaelle, or she just loves playing games with mortals, she lead Kost on a wild goose chase, telling him that Bowgentles Spellbook is nearby, in a secret underground location that is only accessible by climbing down the well at Old Owl Well.

The spellbook is indeed far underground… but nowhere nearby. It is in a sunken citadel that once held a lofty seat in the Sunset Mountains, overlooking what is today, Asbravn and Iriaebor.  The mountain shifted one day, now one knows exactly how, and swallowed the ancient monument of a long lost dragon cult. Very few even know of the once famous citadel, and fewer know its location. But Tsernoth did. He used it to hide secrets, and himself when the need arose.

The citadel was also discovered by a tribe of goblin vampires  (The Crookbite Tribe) who had developed a taste for “stinkmeat”… that is… specifically… the blood of Troglodytes. The underground caverns around where the citadel sunk was full of Troglodytes… still is to this day – mostly because the vampires farm them. Kobolds are forced to serve as their “farmers”… they venture into the caverns and trap troglodytes and bring them back to the table for the vampires. They also, and I don’t know how, work to keep the population of food strong and growing. (This way I can run Sunless Citadel almost as is… with some embellishment rather than a rebuild)

But… what is under Old Owl Well?

Lore says nothing… but Agatha says otherwise. What is the truth?

Party arrives at Old Owl Well and first does a little reconn

They see the Red Wizard and 3 orcs (undead ones). The wizard has a tent set up near the well itself and is securing a rope to lower down into the well. They watch as he climbs into the well and begins to descend.

Kill the orcs and cut the rope – easy!

There is a splash from the dark depths. They drop some large rocks to ensure.

Investigate the tent and its contents – as per LMoP

They hear a scratching sound from the well. It echoes and gets louder. Suddenly there is a stench unlike any.

Troglodytes begin pouring out of the well… undead ones – bones and scales without meat

Beneath the waters of the well there was an escape. A cavern had been sealed off but Hamun Kost found a way through and found an ancient Troglodyte battlefield

He raises as many as he can before he runs out of spell slots (???)

Above ground, the battle against the worst smelling undead continues.

Troglodytes used reptilian dogs of war – like a Durzog… throw one or two of these in the mix

Leely will eventually use the Moonglare (double dmg against undead)

At some point, I should dive in and explore all things undead in D&D. The fact is, however, that I dislike zombie movies and vampire movies and most of how the culture defines and describes undead monsters… it is really just a bit too much. However it is, in my imagined possible Sword Coast, a real threat against the living. Not only the incidents of an undead killing the living, but on a  much larger scale, like global warming… several criminal slash evil organizations are ramping up their efforts to control the living by controling the dead and having too many undead in play is also killing the ecosystem.

But there are lots of things I run into… like how to make a bad guy like Hamun Kost powerful enough to raise a dozen or more corpses, how far can they roam from his presence, it is possible to  scry thru undead eyes? Many don’t even have eyes…  What is the difference between sentient and non-sentient undead? A vampire is undead and possesses a will, a skeleton is undead but does not possess a will.. It has a programs, orders, or perhaps just some instinct to destroy the living. I have lots of questions and need to dive in to learn more if I am going to make the undead a central theme of the Iron Aegis shield (which I am)

The Roven’Ris sisters were raised with a deep hatred of necromancy by their monastery. They are to become the Vandor Aegis – the protectors of the forest – but what Mieliki means by the forest is life itself… so they are protectors of life itself and undeath is the greatest looming threat against the forest.

Deynn started with a brief encounter with two corpses. These were members of the Dawnguard – vampire hunters from another dimension – killed and their bodies kicked through a portal like a trash shute.. The Insight emblem he found on their bodies, and now wears, gives him not only the aware of the undead, but a growing conviction that undeath is evil and threatens the thing he holds most dear – goodness.

Roonoo does not have a specific connection to the undead except maybe for the fact that he spent a tenday dead and floating in the sea of swords after the spellplauge shipwrecked him and spellscarred him. He can’t explain what happened, and I don’t think I need to.

Tanala Solo – I keep making plans for how to introduce her… latest thought is that the party finds her in the domains of dread somehow. She is Aasimar. “Aasimar bear within their souls the light of the heavens. They are descended from humans with a touch of the power of Mount Celestia, the divine realm of many lawful good deities. Aasimar are born to serve as champions of the gods, their births hailed as blessed events. They are a people of otherworldly visages, with luminous features that reveal their celestial heritage.” Perhaps she was in Raveloft for a reason – to rescue someone, perhaps an Aasimar who had turned evil… I’ve got time to figure that out.

I plan three cycles leading up to the guild. Iron Aegis is now just two scenes away from cycle two… which is the Sunless Citadel. I am thinking that the end of that cycle  – the gulthias tree – somehow transports them into the domains of dread. Replace Belak the Outcast with a Hobgoblin Vampire. When he fears defeat, he, with the spellbook of Bowgentle, runs into the gulthias tree which transports him to one of the domains of dread… I could probably make up my own domain… the mists seem to make that a distinct possibility… but maybe the vampire masquerade thingy… maybe that is a domain of dread? Or just blend the masquerade domain from ravenloft book with something more vampirey… or use the same, just populate it with vampires? Or maybe not… maybe Tanala is locked away somewhere and prevented from dancing rather than being forced to? At any rate, cycle three – recover Bowgentles Spellbook from one of the domains of dread (hey… maybe it is here that the vampire pirate thing can happen? Maybe… Tanala is somehow forced to become a living figurehead on the prow of a pirate ship. First the party gets the book back and then try to get home. They are told a ship can take them – a specific ship.

Scene Notes – C01.S02.13

Cycle 01 Shield 02 – Scene 13 – Notes

What happens in this scene?

Party plans to split at the Triboar – Deynn, Roonoo, Khi-khi and Dayni will turn West to go have a conversation with the Cragmaw goblins about the location of Gundren (Khi-khi has a language spell for translating) while Leely, Ileel and Garaelle will turn East towards Conyberry to complete the mission of getting information on Bowgentles Spellbook from Agatha the Banshee.

As they near the Triboar Trail, however, they encounter Gundren Rockseeker walking towards Phandalin.Or maybe… maybe much closer to Phandalin… else what? They leave Gundren to walk the rest of the way? They send Khi-khi back with him? No… they would escort him to safety… it makes more sense to discover Gundren walking into town – perhaps as they climb up towards Darkwood Hill, Gundren is just exiting the wood…

Gundren tells his story.

Taken to a decaying castle just a few miles into the wood from the cave.

King Grol the bugbear was trying to read Gundrens maps to the Wave Echo Cave and forced Gundren to detail things.

A drow woman arrived, argued with King Grol about something (in Goblinspeak), and then killed him brutally. She was turning to kill Gundren as well but another drow woman (possibly half-drow?) arrived, intent on killing the first, and nearly succeeded… but she was outwitted. After several rounds of conflict, the second drow was snared somehow, by magic presumably, and the first drow woman grabbed the maps and ran out of the castle.

The half-drow woman freed Gundren and told him his friends are likely on their way to rescue him. She directed him the way towards the Triboar Trial before running off into the wilderness after the first drow woman. He spent all night walking towards Phandalin.

Plans change… Khi-khi stays in town with Sildar. Deynn and Roonoo – their mission completed – agree to help Leely and Ileel complete theirs. Dayni follows Deynn even though her friends are planning a memorial for Wahler.

The five reach the Conyberry ruins well after Last Shadow. They see a forest fire burning to the North of Conyberry, about a mile away.

They see two torch lights moving about the ruins and, as they get closer, hear the name “Grimhorn” being called for.

As refresher…

] Last Shadow is near as you help get Andlen and Nekari strapped to the back of their horses and they depart. The Dragonborn has fallen to the ground and cannot be awoken, even with swifts kicks… the blind Dwarf has agreed to sit with him until he revives.

Stitch took the two wounded to the nearby Butterskull Ranch for help and they remain there in recovery. Stitch returned to find Brin searching for Grimhorn the Dragonborn – and they have been for the past several hours.

Bringing back the Essentials Kit pre-made heroes

Brin Axetooth

Hill Dwarf Fighter (2)

Grimhorn

Dragonborn Fighter (2)

Stitch in a Sock (Stitch)

Tabaxi Bard (College of Swords) (3)

Nekari (The Gale-Hand) (At Butterskull Ranch)

Half Elf Monk (2)

Andlen Roedatch (Grandson of Ransor Roedatch) (At Butterskull Ranch)

Human Fighter (2)

Our party greets them. Brin recognizes Leely as the one who blinded her and gets riled up. Stitch then reminds Brin that they could have killed her and chose not to – even healed the wounds of Andlen and Nekari enough to save their lives.

Party was planning on staying in town ruins until First Shadow passes in the morning – a wise one does not seek out a famous banshee in the midst of dark… they join the search for Grimhorn. At some point, a dryad appears to them… Lysasra. “You are looking for someonr?”

Grimhorn had quite a trial. Brin, who was watching over him, fell asleep herself due to drunkeness. Grimhorn awoke and wandered into the forest where Agatha confronted him. He was feared and began to run wildly away from the ghost. Brin awoke to the horrifying echo of the banshees Wail somewhere in the distance. Grimhorn lays dying there. But Lysasra found him and did what she could to keep him alive.

Lysasra is a Dryad… A Watcher – but also a hunter of sorts in that she actively hunts down dryads who turn destructive … like…

Pyrisis – the Cinder Dryad

Cinder Dryads are a twisted form of nature which feeds on itself like cancer… they have developed an addiction to the cinder of burned tree bark and branch and rather than being a guardian of the forest like all healthy Dryads, the Cinder Dryad actively destroys the forest with destruction through fire. She calls to herself fire Mephits to burn the trees for her. Since her preference is for fresh cinder, she does not burn down more than an acre or two at a time

Lysasra has been hunting Pyrisis for some time now… as both are from another world (Amalao? In the  World_of_Indines – that is really all that is needed) As Lysasra is highly vulnerable to the fire mephits – she asks for help to apprenhend Pyrisis. In exchange for telling the party where they will find Grimhorn.

Notes on Dayni & Deynn

Dayni seems to follow Deynn anywhere at this point, not even realizing she looks like a lost puppy doing so. (I need to find time to bolster this relationship… to endear Dayni to Deynn… am I going to get tired of them having nearly the same name? I thought it would be a fun way to draw a thick-bold-line between them… as if to say, these two were destined to be together… and I want both characters to eventually feel that about each other… but for now, Dayni was recently traumatized and Deynn was her rescuer (at least she sees it that way – of course Roonoo was also there). I also do not want to rush the relationship… let them learn to depend on each other… show that Deynn allows Dayni to heal from her trauma before making any overtures… knowing she is vulnerable and unwilling to do anything but protect her (Protection is an unlying theme of the whole thing).

Also – her past and recent trauma’s may have caused her to have a dodgy perspective on goodness… her rage is just under the surface – Deynn has already seen it a couple of times now. Dayni will become a challenge to Deynn in this way. Deynn is seeking Good but falls in love with someone who, he fears, may not be Good. In truth, she is scarred – and such scars will hide Goodness, distort it… perhaps even, eventually… destroy it. Here is the reason I brought Dayni into the story – to create tension between Goodness and Love.

Travel Notes

I really need to create a travel distance reference somewhere… I spend too much time trying figure things out which I feel like I have already figured out…

From the Triboar Trail it is about 12 miles.

https://lazytravelcalculator.com/ is a nice tool, it is also a nice rule reference – bookmark it somewhere handy

So lets say that the party has rented or purchased mounts – Riding Horses (Except of course Leely and Ileely)

Lets say they all have a travel speed of 50 ft (Normal Pace) – that is just over 5.5 miles per hour

Which means, mounted…. It will take about two hours to reach Triboar Trail

I just realized… my maps of the area around Neverwinter have some conflicting information… One shows 10 miles per hex and another shows 5.

When Leely and Ileel went from Conyberry to Phandalin – I was working with about 100 mile distance… but looking at the map now, it is half that. Researching… it seems I am not alone in my confusion. I am going to go forward with the 5mile per hex map from here (however, this means I might want to go back and adjust the travel time from two days down to one… change the month-day… but then… who besides me is going to notice?)

Another confusion… some maps have Conyberry directly on the Triboar Trail (you have to pass through the ruins) whereas other maps show a 2-3 mile side road leading North from Triboar Trail to reach Conyberry. I have decided to go with the later.

Scene Notes – C01.S02.12

Cycle 01 Shield 02 – Scene 12 – Notes

Our party has Tresendar Manor in their sights.

Deynn and Roonoo have just encountered Leely and Ileel – though there has been no time for introductions.

Dayni joins them. She is a little out of control… the anger and trauma from being abused by Klarg is  with her still, and her time in the Nightmasks had trained a certain ruthlessness into her combat tactics

L’Khyfrey will join the party to the manor.. But will Sildar? He is locking up Redbrands in the town cell. Perhaps he will also hope to gather more numbers to stand against the Redbrands

So our party is 6 strong. HP restored and ready to fight

What will that look like?

I removed the skeletons from the hideout… they have no explanation. I removed the Nothic as well… Unless Iarno was truly evil, the Nothic would have found him out long before now… or maybe he had?

The Iarno the party will face in the hideout is not truly L’Khifreys father… but the Doppleganger Vhalak. Vhalak found out that Glasstaff was plotting to kill The Black Spider – perhaps it was indeed the Nothic that brokered that knowledge? Maybe the Nothic stays hidden… interacts with some of the party telepathically? He is no challenge for a party of 6… he might not even get a turn… but if he stays hidden or negotiates a bargain… which he would I think…

Scene Notes – C01.S02.10

Cycle 01 Shield 02

Scene 10 – Notes

Daine and Roonoo in Phandalin

What happens in this scene? (Forenight of Day 07)

– Deynn and party meet up with Darsley and Colt where the ambush occurred on Triboar Trail

– They travel to Phandalin

– They enter The Darkwood Hill and encounter a baby Owlbear who follows them – and are soon attacked by Mama Owlbear

– They find the necklace of Garaelle – Darsley will surely recognize it and those three will hurry to the temple of Tymora

– Deynn and Roonoo go to the inn to locate L’Khifrey – they discover what she has learned of Iarno

– They have a Redbrand encounter (but save Tresendar for another scene)

Question:

The party meets each other on Day 08… should that happen in this scene or the next?

Dice say:

(1d20) Decision Roll 5 – Next Scene

After turning off of the Triboar Trail towards Phandalin – the remainder of the journey from where the party was ambushed to the town is about 20 miles. (20 / 3 = 6 hours) Along this stretch, just before one reaches Phandalin, there is a dark wood which the cartway travels through – it is in fact called The Darkwood Hill. Within it feels like perpetual dusk for nearly 2 miles. Also within the Darkwood, near the Phandalin side, is a bridge that traverses a dry river bed that leads up into the foothills of the Sword Mountains.

Tracking time and daylight can get tedious… but I feel it is important in some scenes. Here… I am trying to join two parties who have never met and have no reason to meet unless I give them one… and that reason has everything to do with timing. Our last scene with Deynn and Roonoo opened in the early part of Day 07. The Cragmaw Hideout encounter took probably an hour (ish) so to be general… I’d say they were back on the Triboar Trail before the noon hour with 6+ hours walking to reach Phandalin. It is Mirtul (Month 5) so the days are getting pretty long so they have ~8 hours of daylight to get into Phandalin.

Leely and Ileel leave Conyberry at Last Shadow of Day 06. It is just over a hundred miles between Conyberry and Phandalin (100/3 = 33 hours average or 50 hours slowly) Since they are traveling by night – some travel will be slow… but for the sake of just calling the thing… Leely and Ileel will arrive in Phandalin late in the Forenoon of Day 08. Deynn and Roonoo will have arrived just the night prior… Sister Garaelle would have been on her way out of town long before this. To meet Adalissi in Conyberry on the Forenoon of Day 06, she would have left early on Day 04. This means my original plan of having Deynn and Roonoo see the Sister and then, moments later, hear her abduction, will not work. But they will pass through The Darkwood Hill after she is nabbed from there. Perhaps one of the party steps on a brooch or something while in the Darkwood… something which obviously belongs to Sister Garaelle  (at least obvious to towns folk). Perhaps a carved stone on a necklace with a symbol of Tymora – like this.  Perhaps the leather strap, as luck would have it, wraps itself around Roonoo’s staff as he is walking through The Darkwood Hill and is tossed forward to grab his attention. This happens right before crossing the bridge so it is easy to say where it was found.

There should also be an encounter in The Darkwood Hill… something random… without plot significance. What kinds of creatures lurk in The Darkwood? I would think Owlbears would find this place comfortable… Perhaps I use the scary scenario where hikers happen across a playful bear cub but the encounter strikes fear because they know Mama Bear is not far and will be fierce in the protecting of her young.

This Mama Owlbear will be hunting while Baby Owlbear plays…. And wanders into the cartway which our party will be traveling. Perhaps…. Before entering the forest, while climbing the base of The Darkwood Hill, they will hear the screech of the hunting Mama Owlbear. It will be some distance off so the party will not be too alarmed by it. Nature or Survival check to identify the sound as the hunting cry of an Owlbear.

Well the playful Baby Owlbear will, of course, be curious about the party and begin to follow them. Before long, Mama will show up and attack.

Who will be in the party at this time? Deynn and Roonoo, of course. Sildar whom they just rescued from Cragmaw Hideout. Deyni the Half Elf Rogue is also with them. What of her sister Darsley and her husband Colt? I feel I already have too many missing people to find… and I’ve already determined there is plenty of daylight to reach Phandalin… so either the party finds them dead or they are traveling together. Darsley is a low-level cleric… could be a good NPC to have around later. Colt is a Ranger (?) and knows the area well having spent the last year living in Phandalin. He and Darsley moved to Phandalin shortly after they married – the frontier life appealed to Colt and Darsley… well maybe Darsley is the connection to Sister Garaelle. A Cleric of Tymora and a dear friend of Garaelle. Maybe… Garaelle and Darsley and Deyni were traveling to Phandalin together… Deyni, if I recall, got mixed up with a theives guild. Darsley had been searching for Deyni ever since she was taken from their home in Selgaunt – another victim of the slave trade which has been plauging the area. She escaped into the arms of a thief  – and not just a thief, but a high-ranking member of a Thieves Guild – and not just that either… but secretly a daywalker vampire. The trauma of being shipped across The Sea of Fallen Stars made her vulnerable to the thief and she fell in love and joined the Nightmasks in Westgate to be with him. She spent a year developing the skills and mindset of a Nightmask and was excelling in the art of the Rogue. Her family and lost life was a blank space in her mind, but Darsley had not given up on finding her. Find her she did, and she barely recognized her – so changed in appearance and personality – so hardened by the pursuit of a criminal career… Darsley could not convince Deyni to return home but kept trying. After witnessing her lover feed on a local child, the horror of the revelation that she was to be bound to a vampire, she awoke from the spell of trauma and begged Darsley to help get her away from him and the Nightmasks. Rather than head back to Selguant, they fled to the West.

Wounded and exhausted, they sought shelter at the Temple to Tymora in Easting. Here they met both Sister Garaelle and Colt Twono. Colt was a young ranger from Iriaebor who had been mauled by a Wereboar (he mistook it for merely a strangely shaped boar and treated it as potential dinner) and left dying in a vast field. Sister Garaelle, as luck would have it, was in that field seeking herbs. Colt was still recovering within the Easting Temple of Tymore when Darsley and Deyni showed up. The four of them have been together in friendship ever since. Garaelle performed the ceremony which married Colt and Darsley. Their life in Easting was near idylic for a time. But then vampire boy (need to name this guy?) tracked Deyni to Easting. They had to flee. Garaelle had secretly been a member of the Harpers and kept this even from her dearest friends. She knew they were seeking someone to be a presence in a newly reformed mining town in the foothills of the Sword Mountains. Using the resources of the Harpers, Garaelle helped Deyni and Darsley escape and relocate to Phandalin. She founded the Temple of Luck there and had built two homes for them. That was nearly two years ago.

Whew…

That ties things together nicely. Deynn and Roonoo will be caught up in the affairs of Sister Garaelle because of Deyni and Darsley and that connect to Leely and Ileel. I think there needs to be  a love interest between Deynn and Deyni (I even made their names similar for this reason). This will tie Deynn to the whole Vampire theme I started at the beginning when he found the Dawnguard bodies and the items they had on them.

On a larger scale of note… I had plans for the Iron Aegis to go through LMoP and portions of Icespire Peak  during this cycle but now I am questioning exactly how long a cycle should be. Cycle One for the Everwelte was based on a one-shot adventure, and Cycle Two as well… Cycle Three I intend to tackle Hoard of the Dragon Queen – which by original plan, would start them at level 5 (one level per cycle). Level 5 I was going to draw out for all PCs. My thought was to run each group through a larger official module for two levels and then at Level 6 they are each, somehow, introduced to the Emberjaws and the Wardens Guild of Heroes Gate. It seems a long road and a long time… But Heroes Gate only accepts famous heroes… that means reknown… (and it means more money)… the guild only accepts high caliber heroes, with high ethics and high visibility among the reams. (although… perhaps there is room for a schooling guild of protectors? )

The first contract for Iron Aegis? Calim Desert and the storyline I had been working on there.

The first for The Everwelte? Why not Raven’s Bluff and the Darkling Kings Warenne?

The first for The Northern Towers? (???)

Back to my question… how long should a cycle be? Do I need to even them out? Perhaps I go back to The Everwelte and include Midnight Revelry in Cycle One rather than use it for Cycle Two? It is currently 12 scenes… and Iron Aegis already at scene 10 with many to go. If I put a goal or a cap on the number – it will be arbitrary… why not just let the story decide, or the dice? The only rules are the ones I invent… so…

Should I include Midnight Revelry in Cycle One of The Everwelte?

(1d20) Decision Roll 4 [Yes]

That leaves Cycle Two open for them…  Waterdeep? Yisi has a possible contact there to learn more about enchanted script. While not a bard in any formal sense, Yisi will gain spells which are accessible to Bards by way of enchanted script. Reading one of his poems directly and verbally from the enchanted script is what casts the spell. He will gain from Nallanemys a scroll case of holding – it appears to hold only a few scrolls but actually can hold hundreds and may not actually have a limit. They could get caught up on the Heist module while in Waterdeep, or delve into the mad dungeon for a bit or I could find another adventure entirely and set it in Waterdeep. This is a long ways off so no need to decide… but I do want Cycle Two to give Yisi his enchanted poetry.

What is Deynn’s thing then? I gave Yisi and Valea special skills to pursue (and Valea actually gained the beginning of hers from Dawndra) What shall I give Deynn and Roonoo? Well… Roonoo has the spellscar and backstory to discover… Leely and Ileel have a few things as well – Firesilk being a thing to accomplish before they join the guild. What is Deynn developing? His key search is for Goodness and his long term goal is to build an Abbey Ironwall. He will develop, like Leely and Ileel, a profound hatred of the undead – especially Vampires. Part of this will be magical – the Dawnguard emblem around his neck is steeped in a hatred for Vampires… but also… Dayni has a history with Vampires that will catch up to her. Deynn needs to develop an overwhelming love for Dayni then…

Dawndra will have Kildar for a mate. It will be a heated but comfortable relationship for them both… fitting of northern giants. (Should Kildar be half-giant? Of course he should… Class is technically Monk… but give him a subclass that mimics the Barbarian somewhat). Yisi seeks to improve his skill with words… Deynn his skill with love… what of Dawndra? She seeks Truth and she seeks her mother (Shavisala)… is there a particular skill I should set before her? (???)

Okay… away from the ramble about future plans and back to the scene at hand…

What is pending in the minds of Deynn and Roonoo?

– Gundren, if alive, remains captive somewhere

– Koza remains a mystery – but there is nothing to do here

– Khi Khi needs to find her father Iarno (as does Sildar)

– Dayni and Darsley (and Colt) need to somehow recover the stolen crates in the Cragmaw Hideout – (but how? They would need a cart to transport them down the mountain to the Triboar. A cart will not traverse the narrow footpath to the cave… One might assume that they have many Hobgoblin hands do the carrying from the trail to the hideout.)

Oh… and

Center Well shrine…

Make it as the roadside shrine outside Treyvigg Monastery… The town does not drink from this well – there is another well behind Barthens which is for regular use… The Center Well Shrine is dedicated to Tymora… when Sister Garaelle answered a call from her order to take residence in Phandalin, it was because of stories of the particular blessings of this well. She was selected to attend the shrine.

They move on to the Alderleaf farm

They need to find someone who speaks Goblin to help them translate a conversatoin with the Cragmaw – to locate where Gundren was taken. Toblen tells them there is a local Druid – Reidoth – who might be able and willing to help. Last seen with Qelline Alderleaf the night before, he may still be in town.

He is not far… Qelline is upset about the Redbrands and about Arlonel leaving the farm to join them. She expressed her anger while Reidoth was visiting and he started asking questions like “Where are these Redbrands when not in town harassing people? How many are they? Who is leading them?” essentially the same questions which Deynn and Roonoo have…

He left in the night, as an alleycat (being a druid) and followed them around. After drinking and rousing much of the night, they went up to the manor on the hill. Reidoth followed them far enough to realize they have taken the cellars as a hideout.

Three possibles

• Reidoth continues to watch the secret entrance hoping to catch sight of a leader
• Reidoth entered the Redbrand Hideout as a cat, found the captives and became one himself
• Reidoth identied the manor as the Redbrand Hideout, discovered the secret entrance and then went back to Qelline to tell her he would help. He left to gather other members of the Emerald Enclave to assist with the raid on the Redbrands.

Unless I choose the third… How am I going to point the party to Tresendar Manor?

I kind of like the first option… he remains near the secret entrance even now… but how will the party know to go to the manor? Carp of course…

Next question about Reidoth… when he sees the party enter – will he reveal himself? He does not know them but they are obviously not Redbrands. Also… there is the question of his stats… an old druid and member of the Emerable Enclave  – this is no low-level NPC… Like Adalissi, he should be at least 9th level

Perhaps he is also a member of this Watcher Society I’ve been thinking about… or maybe I just publish his letters to the Emerald Enclave leaders… I’ve got to spend more time with these backstory things – like Grifo’s Gazette… find regular opportunity to write from the point of view of an NPC remembering back on a thing

Tresendar Manor

Deynn and Roonoo join the combat to help Leely and Ileel

More rebrands show up.

Syrinx and Dayni show up. Dayni fights with dual daggers, like Yisi

They question one about Sister Garaelle – in the cellars

Dayni is dressed to kill – literally

Syrinx stays behind but Dayni joins party to the manor… Her anger is raging hit… Trauma finding release

Inside, scratch the undead… They feel out of place… But add something more than Redbrands… The Nothic also feels awkward… Not sure why tho

But what then?

Minions of a powerful wizard, an undercover wizard… He brought minions of his own in case his cover was blown… But what kind? Golems?

Iarno is a powerful wizard… A summoner

https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Summoner_(5e_Class)

https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/5e_Elemental_Monsters

Pick one, or a type…

Iarno is not here as in module… But he left behind guardians… Party tells Khi-khi about the experience and she knows that her father conjured those monsters

Where is Iarno?

Perhaps he was finally granted an audience with Nezznar the Black spider

Wave echo cave will be a grand showdown… Koza is there, Iarno and perhaps his daughter… Dayni just may tag along wherever Deynn goes after this session

Besides the elementals and the Redbrands…. I need a minor boss kind of encounter within the hideout.

But what?

The Nothic does not fit story if Iarno is not actually evil … But one of the Redbrands may actually be something else… Someone suspicious of Iarno… A doppelganger – the other one… The one which actually killed L’Khifeys husband, not the one which Koza is bent on destroying

This session

Clear manor.

Next session

What?

It has been only a day since Koza left… Gundren will take at least 4-5 days to appear in phandalin

So Deynn and Roonoo will help with Agatha…? Perhaps Garaelle speaks goblin? Or agrees to cast a spell? No.. that is Khi-khi… Should I split the party again? Maybe yes

Next session, Leely and Ileel join Garaelle back to Conyberry

Deynn and Roonoo and Khi-khi join Dayni and Co to Cragmaw cave a spell allows comms…

How far is Cragmaw castle?

Perhaps I get to have say

It is only 3hour walk north from cave.

Party gets directions and arrives to find corpses… Gundren is digging thru the castle to find his maps…

Koza freed him and killed King Grol along with many goblins. Gundren saw the the doppelganger change… It mocked Koza and fled. She raced after it

They return to phandalin

Hardly a day has passed… While Leely and Ileel are probably going to be a total of 5-6 days  getting to Conyberry and back. Or maybe longer… maybe they fall into another quest..  shine of savros maybe. So we need another quest for Deynn, Roonoo and Khi-khi and Dayni…

Make something up? Or use essential kit quest?

If essentials… Maybe Dragon Barrow?

If I made up something…

Something in phandalin

They return to a mess of undead maybe? Or?

Perhaps Colt and Darsley never made it back and Dayni insists they search… More goblins?

No…

Something connected to Nezznar?

Something from essentials…

Umbrage hill

Adabra Gywn is a friend to Qelline. But how would she know she is in trouble?

Perhaps Qelline is more than she seems? Or just a dream?

What are priorities for Deynn and Roonoo after rescuing Gundren?

The brothers of Gundren… That is where they will follow… One is in wave echo cave… But the other? Maybe taken with Adabra and trapped with her..

Next session

Party plans to split, when they reach the triboar trail..but meet Gundren on the way out, so all six go to Agatha

Cinder Dryad and her mephitis

Perhaps another section of forest is on fire and they cannot go thru? Encounter dryad

Vhalak is in hideout…

Iarno was found out and the doppelganger took the role of glass staff until another leader is found for the Redbrands

Vhalak does not actually work for Nezznar however… But for the Twisted Rune

So then… Khi khi needs to join the party to tresendar… She will see her father as glass staff, creating conflict and a dramatic question

But she knows her father and her father’s magic

The doppelganger will have the staff, but not Iarnos magic… Maybe she will see thru this?

Wave echo cave

Cold iron ionu stones

The artifact which caused the undead in the docks If scarlet city was created in a location like wave echo cave using the technique Bowgentle write of in spell book

Twisted Rune was behind that… And the threat to calimport

The magicologists , which included Khi-khi were sent to investigate a forge like wave echo cave near calimport