Storms to the North and Death to the South

(Following: 9. Ancient Dragon)

Returning to Leilon with news of the possession of Claugiyliamatar, the party must help the town ready to defend itself.

• Request aid from Neverwinter (Dagult Neverember)
  • The party sailed up the coast on a pair of ships from Luskan's Ship Kurth: the Icingdeath and Twinkle.
  • h'Rothgar, the traveling companion of Yeet Longshade, Tallon the Tall, and Mon-Kei, having escaped intrigue in Waterdeep (see: Cheating!) seems overcome by a divine vision aboard the Twinkle as it passes the "floating islands" (earthmotes) called Pirate's Skyhold and Fisher's Float just north and south of the harbor.
  • Furthering his escape from the trouble in Waterdeep, h'Rothgar heads into the city, seeking refuge in places unknown, escorted by one of the Twinkle's officers, Zaknalimar (see: Rime of the Frostmaiden, the start of the Sewer-side Squad campaign).
  • The captains of the ships and the party made their case to the Open Lord Neverember.
  • He agreed to help, but with a hefty fee - saying he had already invested considerably in the town, including providing a garrison.
  • On the return trip, there were three assaults on Our Party:
    1. An attack on the ship captains by Invisible Stalkers.
    2. A hurricane hurled by the Cult of Talos, truly the fury of the God of Storms. Events include:
       • numerous rescues of crew knocked overboard by waves,
       • Yeet Longshade leaping through wind and rain to catch and secure loose ropes in the rigging,
       • Tallon the Tall and the bosun directing in-storm repairs of rigging ties and bracing the mast,
       • Mon-Kei running atop the surfaces of the undulating waves,
       • Willow overboard as a dolphin (making an alliance with a whale upset at some pirates),
       • Ujio assisting the quartermaster steering the ship, and
       • Belcoria making a rare appearance out of her armor.
    3. A sea battle against a war priest in a longboat and a (pirate) warship identified as one of Ship Rethnor's.
       • Exchanges of long-range missile fire from ballistae and mangonels.
       • Willow's longbow igniting the deck of the warship with Hail of Fire.
       • The longboat seeking to board the Icingdeath but meeting instead an all-to-eager counter-boarding by Mon-Kei icing the already hazardous deck, followed by a Thunderwave courtesy of Tallon, depositing many in the sea.
       • The longboat was sunk, with help from the whale seeking to free her calf from being enslaved as a propeller.
       • Alorrik scooping seawater onto the warship with an Arcane Portal, from the joining Twinkle.
       • Twinkle using a device that created a field of anti-magic, dropping the heavily-armored war priest into the sea.
       • The Rethnor warship turning and retreating, outdone and cutting its losses when the longboat (who had hired them) was sunk, along with its leader.
• (Meanwhile...)
  • The Leilon garrison successfully received a weapon from Gnomengarde - a "gnenade" to be hurled at a large group of attackers. This has been stored in a secret location and warned to be used only in dire circumstance.)
  • Scouts are reporting massing of Anchorites of Talos, pirate ships off the coast, and (via the allied Lizardfolk) groups of undead migrating through the Mere of Dead Men toward Leilon.
• Seek defenders from the Ethereal
  • As the town readies for its siege, the party is approached once more by the Tower of Thalivar's mage Gallio Elibro.
  • Gallio has completed repair of Thalivar's "planar beacon" and already successfully used it to trap beings from other planes, he intends to use in the town's defense.
  • Gallio needs a more capable and courageous group to assist him in getting an even stronger defender, one that might even deter the dragon.

Video:

(Next: A. The Battle of Leilon)