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:
| Even | This scene |
| Odd | Next scene |
(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?
| Even | Yes |
| Odd | No |
(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