Previously: Chapter 73: Dungeons and Dragons
The Dragon’s Hoard
As the dust settles and the party has a moment to gather themselves, they realize the impact of what has happened. Defeating an ancient dragon is not an everyday task, and one that is rewarded by a huge boon of absorbing some of the dragon’s dying lifeforce, granting them a new way to look at the world. Kal and Thistlethorn both decide to examine the dragon to see if there is anything of use on it, other than harvesting it for components, while Penny enters the tower itself, joining Relic who is already standing in the middle of a vast treasure trove of gold, platinum and magical items. As Penny opens the door, she sees what was once a symbol of Azuna on the floor, long since deteriorated to be barely recognizable. She ascends the staircase, joining Relic who has already begun sorting through the items to find anything of use. They both realize that this will take some time.
Kal casts a spell, spreading the murky water, giving her and Thistlethorn access to their fallen foe. A quick examination reveals a couple of coins stuck between the scales on the dragons feet, but no shard of power can be found on it. Thistlethorn takes a closer examination of the dragon, seeing what could be of use. Seeing all the potential useful body parts waiting for them, they both feel they have neither the time nor the expertise to extract it safely, especially not the dragon’s breath pouch. They decide instead to leave the body, as Kal uses a gentle repose on the dragon, placing two copper pieces on its eyes, preserving the body for whomever might come to deal with it. They then both turn towards the tower, as the unclean water claims the corpse once more. As they walk across the platform in front of the tower, they both hear shuffling in water below them, as well as a faint moaning. A group of undead stirs below, but for some reason has not yet emerged. They decide to take care of the treasure first, before ending the undead misery when they are ready to leave.
As they rejoin their companions they see that Relic and Penny are already hard at work. Relic has already spotted a few interesting boxes and delegates work for each companion to help. He has already moved an old crate to the center of the chamber, a makeshift table to sort through the loot. They find a few valuable art pieces, a box of various potions, a crate of spell scrolls, where a few of them have survived. They also find some useful boots, a nice ring, and another card from the deck of many things. They add it to the pile, wondering what effect it might have. Relic also finds a beautiful elven chain, which can grant him protection without having to use mage armor. They also estimate that there is about 550,000gp worth of coin within, just waiting to be reclaimed by the people of Elvenbridge. Having been promised 10 percent of the gold, as well as another 25,000 on top of that, this short venture has been quite lucrative. Notably, there seems to be little to no magical weapons inside, but Relic isn’t surprised, considering most of this is trade goods. They leave the items they have no use for, and emerge from the tower with what they can carry.
Before departing, they decide to sneak down the steps to face whatever is below, hopefully preventing another Phandalin, and clearing the area for the forces that inevitably will come to reclaim the wealth within. Having avoided notice, they see a group of eleven ghouls standing further in the chamber. Ancient corpses, reanimated, but grown stuck in the water, unable to move. Penny exclaims how sad it is, prompting the ghouls to spot them, and tries to approach, but is unable to do so.
Kal steps up, using her amulet of Udall to destroy the undead, managing to take down all but one. Relic and Penny both use a couple of cantrips on it, but it is persistent. Kal finishes it off by using Stormseeker to throw it at the ghoul, destroying it completely, before the spear fires back into her hand like a bolt of lightning. It finally being safe, they take a quick look through the corpses to see if anyone has anything of value, finding a magical ring of jumping on a detached finger. They take it with them, and return to the surface.
Before teleporting back to the city, Kal casts a sending to Thervan, asking him if he would like to harvest an ancient black dragon. He replies that he would very much like the opportunity to do so, and so scries on the party to get a look at the area. For the first time ever, the party can see the scrying itself, appearing as a small orb floating around them. Kal points to the lake, telling Thervan that it is submerged and under the effect of a gentle repose, giving him ten days to claim it before it begins to deteriorate. Kal only asks that she gets a prime cut of the meat to cook with, to which the scrying orb nods. As it disappears, they gather around Relic, who has already told Leshanna Lathalas that they are on their way, and they all disappear in a whirlwind of dust, muck and blood from the fallen dragon.
Due Rewards
Emerging from the teleport circle, the group decides not to linger too long, as Leshanna probably is quite busy with her work. When they exit the chamber and reach the staircase, Pippet is lurking at the top of the stairs, looking quite scared and meek, even more so than the last time they saw him. They give him a polite wave, which only prompts him to scuttle away, terrified. Thistlethorn thinks it’s horrible that Leashanna treats him as she does, but Relic points out their life forces are connected, so she can do with him what she pleases. She still doesn’t like it.
Outside it is pouring down, just like in the swamp. The group make their way through the crowds, finding Jarvis and Thanos where they left them. Jarvis happily greets the party, making sure to avoid the rain by staying below cover, asking if the party were successful. When they confirm, he claps his paws together, thanking them for their assistance. He then asks to borrow Kal’s bag of holding, mentioning that he couldn’t help notice that not all of them had a bag of holding. He opens it, takes out a small box from below the desk, taking out three small bags which he puts into the bag of holding, telling them to leave them in the bag for at least an hour, and when they take them out they should be able to access the bag of holding from the connected pouches, as long as they are within 60 feet of Kal.
The party happily thanks both the tabaxi for their gift, with Thistlethorn giving them each a rock she has collected on their journeys, explaining where each rock came from. Thanos is less than impressed, but happy to be able to move on to Port Emerald the next morning, when the weather should clear, looking for a ship to take them south. They also tell Penny that she reminds them of their mother, another tiefling called Karen. She apparently was very kind and loved by them, but the brothers hated that they weren’t allowed to leave the house, so when they got old enough, they ran away.
After this, they continue to make their way through the crowd, reaching the castle. Within, Paton Dutari is waiting for them, and is overjoyed from hearing of their success. He profusely thanks the party, and after hearing of how much gold they estimate could be recovered and how to find the lair, he leaves the office to fetch their rewards. They look on the various paintings on the wall, all previous rulers and dukes of Elvenbridge, everyone with a close family resemblance to Paton himself. Thistlethorn takes the opportunity to hide a small rock on one of his bookshelves, before the duke returns, flanked by a couple of guards holding a large chest filled with platinum.
As he sits down in his chair, Paton comments that he was happy that the recommendation was not misplaced, and that he spent some time asking around about their exploits before reaching out. Kal asks who recommended them, and he says that it was the weirdest thing. A woman in a cloak, who neglected showing her face suddenly came into his office one day, suggesting that he should seek them out. She was wearing gloves, but she could clearly tell that her hair was pale white. The party all share a look, thinking that it must be Malice, or at least someone close to her. They tell Paton that this woman was most likely trying to lure them into a trap, something Paton clearly is disturbed by, suggesting that he knew nothing of the plot.
Before leaving, Kal asks if the duke knows of any shrines needing assistance in the area, or places acting abnormally. He thinks for a bit, telling them that the coast to the west has become quite unruly lately, but is unsure what the cause is. The party has already heard rumors about this, and decides that it is time to fix it before it goes too far, but first they have to protect their families. They say their goodbyes and thanks the duke for the gold, before exiting the castle.
Before heading out, Kal returns to the tabaxi brothers, asking if they have any feather tokens for sale. They look at their stock which is currently being carried onto a cart behind their tent, pointing out that they mostly deal in potions, but any magic shops should have what they need, or be able to make it quickly. She thanks them again, and returns to the others, who are waiting near one of the trees that overlook the main road. Thistlethorn asks where they should go first, to the Sanctuary or if they should go find Kal’s family. Kal seems hesitant to speak of her family, but thinks she could manage to face them in time, saying:
“I’ve faced dragons, I’m sure I can face my family.”
They decide to give her some time, and opens a portal to The Emerald Earth Sanctuary first, getting Penny’s family to safety.
Emptying the Emerald
Stepping out of the portal, they find themselves in a much finer weather, with the sun shining through the clouds, being met by both Leyla and Elmwood who comes running over to greet Penny. The group looks around, finding that most inhabitants seem prepared to leave, with rucksacks and bags sitting outside their homes, ready to leave on a moment’s notice. Leyla says that they are ready to leave, but is unsure how to do it. Thistlethorn says they will have to be quick, as the portal they plan to use is only open for a few seconds.
Penny’s mother tells the people of the sanctuary what is to happen, preparing a group who converges near the tree, ready to run. Perry and Raindrop are among the first, along with a mix of people, both young and elderly. Kal sends a sending to Brónach, telling him that they are sending the first group now. The portal opens, and the people run though. Thistlethorn sees that they should be able to send everyone the next day when she has managed to regain some of her spell slots, so they decide to sleep in the sanctuary for the night.
While waiting, they go about their business, preparing for the path ahead. Kal and Thistlethorn head into the forest to find some more Underroot Mushrooms. With Kal’s help pointing out what to look for, they are able to acquire enough for at least a single meal which can feed the whole group. Meanwhile, Relic spends less than half an hour transcribing the scrolls they found into his spellbook, something that would have taken anyone else hours at the very least.
Penny, taking some time to herself, wanders into the forest to return to her tree, where she used to speak to Gleamshroud. She finds it to be the same as when she left it, nothing has been disturbed, so she sits down in it, reminiscing of simpler times. She suddenly realizes that something is wrong, and feels watched. Nearby she senses another scrying orb peering at her. She does her best to pretend like she doesn’t notice it, and after a few minutes it disappears.
She tells this to the rest of the party, as they meet in the evening to eat. Kal has taken it upon herself to feed the community, and manages to do a great job at it, with everyone quite happy with her cooking. She is also much more disciplined, cleaning up after herself and taking great care of maintaining her tools. As they sit and eat, they notice another orb appearing, this time closer to Thistlethorn. They all once again pretend not to notice it, but Thistlethorn isn’t the most subtle person in the world. It too disappears after a few minutes.
Wondering who it might be, and considering it scried on Thistle, who is quite strong of will, and not easy to scry on, they think that it has to either be someone who knows them quite well, or someone who is extremely powerful. Kal decides to do a commune, asking Udall if he can shed some light(ning) on the mystery. What he can tell them is disappointingly little, as he does not know if it someone with ill intentions, an entity they know of, but most disturbingly, Udall seems unclear about who or what is actually doing it.
As no more scrying orbs appear for the rest of their evening, they decide to have a good night's sleep. Penny makes sure to warn her parents about her condition when she sleeps, promising them that she is alive. Elmwood, seeing his daughters unconscious, dead looking body, panics, and feels for a pulse, claiming to find one, but if he says this to comfort himself or not is unclear.
Asking For Help
The next morning, Thistlethorn wastes no time, sending the remaining people through a couple of more portals onwards to the Grove of Eternal Whispers. Penny looks around, finding that the sanctuary feels hollow without people. Not wanting to linger too long, they debate whether they should head onwards to Eilian to get some more feather tokens, or if they should go straight to the corrupted shrine to fix it. Kal says that she would like to protect her family now, saying they need to get to Centahelm, but they have no way of getting there.
Penny, knowing that Morgan has a ring of teleportation and that he has been to Centahelm, decides to contact him through the sending stone, asking if he can help them. She gets a reply that he certainly can help, and will be there shortly, along with Trixie. A whirlwind of dust springs up next to them, with Morgan and Trixie appearing in the magical effect. Trixie runs to meet her friend, tackling her to the ground, prompting laughs from Morgan.
The party explains the situation to the pair, telling them that they would very much like them too to go to the grove if they can, as the group cannot be sure that Morgan and Trixie are safe in the current situation. They look at each other grimly, and agree to go, but first they have to help Kal’s family. Morgan gathers everyone around him, and casts a spell from his ring. No mishaps later, and they emerge in the streets of Centahelm. Both Kal and Penny immediately recognize the smell of the ocean and fishing, and sees a sign of a tavern called the Belching Beholder. Kal tells them all to wait there, as she goes to face her family.
Facing the Folks
Kal wanders through the streets, knowing exactly where her family lives. Turning a corner, she spots the familiar facade of the house she grew up in, almost the same as when she left it, bar a new coat of paint on the outside. She stands outside the front door, building up the courage, eventually finding just enough to knock. She hears movement inside, and sees the door creak open. The elderly woman meets her eyes, and her welcoming smile vanishes. She stares at her daughter, who has returned after all these years.
“Hi mom.”
Smack. Her mother, Ilvasaria, slaps Kal across the face, who takes it in stride. She then suddenly grabs her by the shoulders, dragging her into a hug, embracing a daughter she never thought she would see again. She tearfully asks where she has been, with Kal also feeling a few tears falling down her own cheeks as well. Before Kal gets a chance to answer, her mother takes a closer look at her daughter, saying that she looks all wrong. Her skin is all pale, and her lovely golden hair is now bone white. Her eyes even are not the beautiful blue she remembers, but she recognizes her daughter still. She takes Kal inside, yelling to the rest of the family, Kal’s father, Ylder, and one of her brothers, Indrel, who cannot believe that she has returned.
They sit together in the kitchen, with her mother preparing to eat, taking out whatever she can find, clearly stressing, as if Kal will just disappear once more. Kal helps her, calming her down. They all ask what has happened to her. She simply responds that she went to war, and didn’t return as she left. She says she did horrible things, but her mother says that her Kalyssandra would never do something bad. Her brother looks at her in disbelief, clearly having come to terms with his sister never coming back.
Kal turns morose again, saying she believes she should have died in the war on account of her actions, and that she didn’t deserve this. She feels she doesn’t deserve to see her family again. They ask what has happened in more detail, and so Kal explains the broad strokes, saying she and her companions took down an ancient dragon yesterday. She also tells them of her journey, having learned to cook in the army, and continuing honing her craft in Jasperset. Her mother starts rambling, saying that’s not far from where her other brother, Valerion, has been, maybe she saw him, but she tells him that they didn’t meet. Her mother tells her that he is currently in Port Emerald. Kal says they have to go get him.
Kal then reveals that the reason she looks so different is that she isn’t entirely human. Both her father and brother seem confused by this, but her mother gives a knowing look to her father, before saying she always suspected, considering that she was always a bit different growing up. In addition, while pregnant, she had a dream of a beautiful pale woman coming to her, telling her to raise her as “theirs”, referring to herself and Kal’s birth mother. Kal says that she has a suspicion of who it might be, but tells her mother to promise never to tell that to Penny.
Kal says that she always knew that she was different, as she had a voice in her head telling her what to do, and guiding her in her life. Kal’s mother suggests it might have been her other mother, but Kal refuses to believe this, because she just left her, and she doesn’t understand why she would do that if she truly loved her. She reveals to them that what she is is known as an aasimar. Indrel have heard of them, seeming astounded that his sister is a half celestial, and begins to wonder if he himself is an aasimar, but she assures him that he is not, otherwise he would have known by now.
She explains the situation in more detail, saying that she is a cleric of Udall, and that they are currently in conflict with an ancient god who wishes to do them harm, and so she wants her family to relocate temporarily to a safe place where the evil god cannot get to them. Ilvasaria says that they can be ready quite quick, they just have to get “Philip” to look after the house, and make a few preparations, but a few hours should suffice.
As this happens, the rest of the party is sitting in the tavern, waiting for Kal to return, hopefully with her family. Suddenly, just as Thistlethorn has gotten her warm milk with honey, they see a small orb appear around them, looking around for something or someone, before disappearing. Sensing danger, they begin to move into the street.
Back in the house, Kal senses a scrying orb behind her. Panicking, she summons a fog cloud to obfuscate her family, telling them to get out quick. They make their way out, while Kal faces down the orb who has moved up to her face now. Her family clear and waiting outside, she summons her necrotic shroud, warning it that she won’t let it hurt her family, clearly making an impact on whomever is behind the scrying, as the orb recoils. It then vanishes. Kal drops the fog cloud, retreating her wings, and joins the rest of her family who is standing outside on the streets, confused.
Before she gets a chance to say anything more, she hears the telltale sound of a teleport from within. Through the window, she can see the face of Lord Falric, the death knight who murdered the king, smiling back at her. She yells to her family to flee.