Wardens of Heroes Gate

Leely and Ileel on the Evermoor Way

] You have been heading South from Silverymoon on the Evermoor way for just over a day with Abbiree – High Priestess of Selune. You are currently along the Northern side of The High Forest – your only home for the past 30 years since your birth. The Lost Peaks rise up before you, but appear strange to you from this side. You expect to reach Calling Horns by end of day and from there Conyberry is another 2 days travel.

] Abbiree has briefed you on the mission you are helping her with. She is carrying a very important artifact which must be delivered to a little town along the Triboar Trail called Conyberry. You will be meeting Sister Garaelle from the temple of luck and then escorting her and the artifact to a critical meeting not far from Conyberry. Without revealing a lot of details, Abbiree tells you she hopes to learn the location of another artifact – a very powerful spellbook, one she has been searching for over several years now. The mission has become urgent because she needs to keep this spellbook out of the hands of the Red Wizards. Much hope in Faerun would be lost should they gain the artifact first.

Ileel] “Tell us, Abbiree, of the Red Wizards? You mentioned them as if we should know them. We know very little of the world outside High Forest – but we need to learn.”

] Abbiree says “Your Lady Aeri, and certainly your Wild Queen, as you call her, knows of the Red Wizards. There were originally the ruling class of a land called Thay – far to the East of here. As they have gained more and more power – life in all of our lands is under threat. At the head of their group is a powerful Lich – as evil as an Lich ever was… maybe more…”

Leely] “A lich? As in undead? Are all of the Red Wizards undead?” I ask Abbiree.

] “No, not all of them. Many of them are necromancers however and share the Lich’s goals in Faerun.” Abbiree says

Ileel] “We were taught that necromancers unbalance the whole of life and poison the forests. That the dead must be dead for the sake of the living and that the undead are an evil blight upon all life on Toril. We fucking hate necromancers.”

] Abbiree smiles at your choice of words… “And well you should – they torture both the living and the dead. The Red Wizards are a terrifying force in Faerun, but too many sit by idle while they continue grasping more and more power. This is why our quest is so dire. The artifact we seek will aid the stand against the Red Wizards. But should they acquire it first… well… let’s just say much hope will be lost among the living.”

Leely] “See Ileel! This assignment is so much more important than merely being bodyguards!”

] “Indeed it is Leely. Sister Garaelle has been in negotiations with the last known owner of the artifact. I should warn you early… we will be meeting with a powerful Banshee – and an unpredictable one at that. So far, Sister Garaelle has not suffered any violence when meeting with the banshee – but we must be prepared for… shh!” Abbiree breaks off the discussion with a sudden panic’d look to the skies… “Quick, gain cover!” she whispers and directs her mount into the trees on your left.

Ileel] I guide Nalya to follow Abbriee. Looking up, do I see anything? [Perception check]

Result Table

Ileel]

() 1d20 Perception check 8 +6 = 14

] As you search the skies you can clearly hear the slow movement of large flapping wings. You can tell the direction it is coming from and heading by observing the small birds escaping from what they see coming.

Leely] I whisper… “Dragon?” as I follow Ileel and Abbiree.

] The three of you hurry into a densely wooded area of the High Forest. Leely being the last in line entering the trees as the beast fly overhead, [Stealth check]

Result Table

Leely]

() 1d20 Stealth 2 +4 = 6

] You fail to reach cover in time and you hear a roar that sounds like a scream escaping from a molten pit.

[()] (Does the dragon stop to investigate the wood elf it saw on the roadway? No)

] The sound of the wings begins to fade  – it sounds like what ever it is decided keep flying and not to eat you… right now at least. As the flapping sound grows faint you notice another sound, from deeper in the forest, the sound of a young girl struggling and in despair.

Leely] “Do you hear that? Someone needs help. This way!” and I race Aylan towards where I hear the girl.

Ileel] I look to Abbiree and shrug “This is how she is…” then I follow after Leely.

] As you are racing into the forest on your mounts, your direction is confirmed by a nearby scream. Seconds later, you arrive the source – a young Wood-Elf is caught in a Giant Spiders web. The monsterous orb is climbing down towards its fresh breakfast.

Ileel] I draw my bow and fire while still riding Nalya, hopefully distracting the spider from its course.

() 2d20a Attack 16 +8 = 22 [Hit] Dmg

] The black-laced arrow flies true and plunges into the body of the giant spider. It jerks in its web and lets out a terrifying screech-like sound and then turns its attention to the oncoming attackers.

[()] The Giant Spider sprays Abbiree and her mount with restraining webs. [()] Abbiree struggles to break free of the webbing and succeeds enough to free her arms but is still effectively glued to her horse, which is effectively glued to the ground.

Leely] I draw my sword and race in for an attack. As I do, my silk robes draw to my body, becoming as my skin – ready for action.

() 1d20 Attack 12 +7 = 19 [Hit]

] Just as the Giant Spider has stepped down out of its web to confront its attackers, you strike with a piercing blow into the giant body. Green gel spurts as your blade sinks into the creature.

Ileel] I search for a nearby blind I can use to fire arrows from.

Result Table

() 1d20 Perception 19 +6 = 25

] You quickly spot a large branch that is reachable with some effort and ideal as a hidden blind from which to fire arrows into the combat field.

Ileel]  I use my Dark Mantle to obscure my actions and intent. I guide Nayla towards the tree I want to fire from. I ready to jump as she leaps into the air at my prompt. I jump from her back into the tree.

Result Table

() 1d20 Acrobatics 17 +7 = 24

] You leap with graceful agility into the tree and land confidently on the large branch – your right hand already reaching for an arrow

Ileel] As soon as I find my footing in the tree, I turn an fire another arrow into the Giant Spider.

() 1d20 Attack 19 +8 = 27 [Hit] Dmg 9

] The Giant Spider is skewered in the side – two of its legs appear to go limp. It turns its attention to Leely who is standing immediately in front of it, attacking with a bite.

[()]

] Thick Spider fangs sink onto Leely’s shoulder, injecting venom into the flowing wound.

Leely] “Arrgghh!”

() 1d20 Constitution Save 5 +0 = 5 [Fail! – 9 Poison Dmg]

] Abbiree begins casting a spell with her hands freed. The monster spider shrieks in pain as a result of the attacking spell, but seems to remain focused on digging it’s fangs deeper into Leely

Leely] I attack again with my sword, stabbing into the throat area of the spider.

() 1d20 Attack 8 +7 = 15 [Hit] Dmg 04

] Your sword disrupts the spiders bite and it you are covered with green slime from the entry point of your blade.

Ileel] I fire another arrow.

() 1d20 Attack 20 + 8 [Critical Hit!] Dmg 21

] Your arrow strikes deep into the creatures brain and it drops, right down on top of Leely, knocking her Prone and Restrained by the crushing weight of the spider corpse. Abbiree hears Leely grunt as she receives the extra damage and rushes to help her with a spell of Healing Word.

Ileel] “Shit! Shit! I didn’t see that happening! We need to free Leely now! Hoist the spider somehow!” I search for a branch that is strong and positioned well so I can get a rope over it and tied to the spider.

] Abbiree quickly frees her mount of the webbing so she can use his strength to pull the spider up once Ileel has her rope in place. Leely groans again from underneath the many-legged beast. Aylan is circling around Leely, wanting desperately to help but he cannot actually affect the spider corpse physically because he is essentially non-corporeal without Leely.

]] Leely] I can hear Aylan trying to get to me, whimpering like a little puppy. A memory arrives. Ileel and I were still only crawlers when Aylan and Nalya first appeared to us. They too were babies in appearance. I could not yet speak, but somehow I knew his name the moment he first licked my face. We did not know, nor did Lady Aeri or any of the teachers, that they were magical beings brought forth from the circlets embedded into our crowns by Meilikki. Mine was formed of beautiful frost diamond and Ileel’s from deep black obsidian. No one in the temple knew what the circlets meant nor what they were capable of. For a time, they later told us, there were efforts to have them removed because there was a strong fear that as our heads grew in size, the circlets might just kill us both. They soon discovered that trying to remove them without killing us was impossible . They rightly assumed that there was magic in play and it became clear that the circlets were actually growing with us, not only in size, but also in power.

Aylan and Nalya were the first powers demonstrated … my white circlet brought Aylan forth, a white dire wolf, and Ileels black circlet brought Nalya – a black dire panther. Most of the time only we can see and feel them, and they seem to us as real to us as any creature. For a long time, no one else could see them and they thought them the mere imaginary playthings of little children. One day a giant rat attacked us and several other children as we were playing together. Both Aylan and Nalya defended us – appearing to the rat as fearsome predators – but also seen by the other children and several teachers who were rushing to save us. Besides Ileel and myself, no one has ever felt them however – their hands just pass right through them like a ghost… but we can feel them as warm living friends, and we can hear them. After several years together growing up in the temple, we learned we could ride on them like mounts. They are somehow able to draw from our physical touch and become corporeal – but only while in contact with us… if we are not touching them, they cannot affect material reality. The power of our circlets continues to grow so I assume will Aylan and Nalya.

] With the rope secured on both ends, Abbiree guides her horse to start pulling. The rope strains and Ileel looks to see if she chose a strong enough branch [Survival]

Result Table

() 1d20 Survival 12 +6 = 18 [Success]

] The weight of the dead giant spider is displaced enough to pull Leely to safety. At first, she appears dazed as if in some other world but the light returns to her eyes

Leely] “The wood-elf girl! Is she ok?” I look to the spider’s web which had trapped the girl

] She is hanging limp and no longer struggling to free herself. She appears as though dead

Leely] I grab up my sword and scabbard and rush to the girl. I touch her and cast Radiant Cure, using power from my sword’s scabbard.

] The young wood-elf begins to awaken and after just a half-second of consciousness, she returns to her frenzy of struggle and panic.

Ileel] “Calm down girl, you are safe now. Let us free you.” I use a small blade from my pack to cut away the webbing and free the girl.

] After several minutes, the girl calms down enough to recognize her plight is ended. She introduces herself as Ryliatha Cannowbrook and tries to explain what happened. “I heard a dragon flying overhead and I panic’d!” she says. “I began running, looking to the skies and ran right into that monsters web. I cannot possibly thank you enough for saving me!” She asks you for your names. Abbiree introduces herself by name only and does not mention her title as High Priestess.

Leely] “I am Leely and this is my sister Ileel. We are glad we could reach you in time. We also heard the dragon and took cover in the forest – that is how we discovered you struggling in the web.”

] Ryliatha insists that you come with her back to her nearby village so her father might properly reward you.

Ileel] “No reward necessary, and we have other matters which will not wait.”

] “I understand” she says. “Here – at least let me offer you this.” She pulls a necklace from around her head and gives it to you Ileel. It has a round silver emblem on it which appears like a moon with a raven crossing. “My father calls it a Moonglare and told me to never lose it. He said it is very powerful when I was older he would teach me to use it. But were I in the belly of a spider, it would never have done any good… so I use it now to reward my new friends to saved me. I must hurry home and let my tribe know of the dragon crossing our part of the forest. Please be safe friends, and I hope to see you again.”

Ileel] “My thanks, but this seems too much. Surely your father would prefer you kept it.”

] Ryaliatha has already turned and started into the forest.

Leely] “Thanks new friend!” I yell after her

] Abbiree “We should be on our way if we want to find a safe place to sleep tonight.”

Appreciation & Collaboration