Chapter 41: Back to the Bay

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About the Saga

Timeframe

Cast of Characters

Along for the journey, but not active in this story:

  • Baerdis (Lance), a dwarf cleric of Clangeddin Silverbeard in search of lost memories.
  • Zaphrym (Tom), a male gnome sorcerer obsessed with magical tomes

Notable Quotes

"I'm not that kind of gnome" (Burgell) "Well, not any more. Now you're that kind of Dwarf (Finn)

What Has Come Before

The long, exhausting journey to Blue and its environs is finally nearing its end. Our heroes succeeded in recovering the adventure journal of Hegil Tfinnan, Flan scholar and would-be adventurer. This journal -- now haunted by Hegil's ghost -- details the final resting place of the Tomb of Telan, the legendary Flan hero who stood against an undead horde. The Ghostbane Scrolls of Ryda -- which recount Telan's heroics -- are rumored to be held within the tomb.

The Blue expedition also saw Darogan Ferventfire secure the release of his mentor, Gremorly, from his indentured service to the wizard Xalbador Mathis.

The trip was not without its transformations. The gnome Burgell Nackle died on the journey but was reincarnated as a mountain dwarf thanks to the divine will of Norebo.

The heroes are now on their way back to Obsidian Bay.

The Saga

Readying 27, CY 516

Half a day's journey from Blue the heroes came across evidence of a large scale battle between an orcish warband and heavily armed and armored warriors, some on horseback. Careful investigation led the heroes to learn that the armored warriors -- who clearly routed the orcs -- were part of General Kor's Wyvern Empire.

Late in the day, as the road turned south they encountered a fire giant apparently hunting for something -- perhaps wyvern, like the ones they'd seen earlier -- along with two hell hounds. The heroes tried to hide behind a small hill but the hell hounds caught their scent and moved to engage. They were soon joined by the fire giant.

Hawkwind charged the fire giant, hitting him once and taunting the creature to chase him. Rather than give into the temptation, the fire giant sent one of the hellhounds to chase the barbarian down.

The other hellhound nearly closed with the heroes, but was entangled by Finn's ensnaring strike spell and was then killed by Burgell's eldritch blast.

The gnome-turned dwarf then cast faire fire on the giant, making it far easier for everyone in the group to hit it. The heroes brought all their weapons to bear on the fire giant, killing it while Hawkind dealt with the hell hound that had been chasing him.

They found a small haul of treasure in the giant's backpack:

  • 270 Silver
  • 70 Gold
  • 7 wheel(s) of cheese (7 gp)
  • Two harpoons (oversized)
  • 500 feet of light rope
  • One javalin of Lightning
  • An exceedingly large and sturdy net (60 feet diameter) reinforced with metal.

Readying 28, CY 516

After the fight with the giants, the heroes decided to press on through the night. In the early morning hours they arrived at Finn's house outside of Waterton and still a half-day's journey from Obsidian Bay. They happily slept in, then partook in food from halfling ranger's pantry, pudding shack, and smoke house.

They then rested for the night, eager to regain their strength before arriving in Obsidian Bay.

The Matterhorn estate=

Near noon the heroes arrived in Obsidian Bay. Daragon, Rinn, and Zaph immediately sought out the founders of the Obsidian Bay Library Company at the Matterhorn Estate, accompanied by the scholar Gremorly and the ghost Hegil (the later safely secured in his bag of holding, which led to the quote "For this campaign, a haunted bag of holding is the perfect item to have."

They met with Master Edumond Pagewright, Lady Holder Matilda Matterhorn, and Librarian Eldrid and explained they had secured the entirety of the Tfinnan library, an array of exciting archeological finds ... and the ghost of Hegil Tfinnan himself!

Lady Matterhorn was astounded, and quickly proposed throwing a "small" party to celebrate the find. "Ill keep it small, I'll keep it small", she promised.

They spent the afternoon reacquainting themselves with the city while Burgell bought a three-piece suit tailered to his new dwarven form. They returned to the Matterhorn Estate to find that the "small party" had 200 people in attendence.

The three Head Liberains introduced Rinn, Darogan, Gremorly, Telthanas, and Burgill to the party-goers. The party then went silent as the heroes held a "seance" to summon the ghost of Hegil Tfinnan.

The spectre appeared and was immediately alarmed to find that the heroes had not immediately taken him to the Drachensgrab Mountains, where his research said the Tomb of Telan was located. Lady Matterhorn and Darogan explained that the city was building a library and would have dedicate a wing to his collection ... and name it in his honor.

The ghost was entranced by the idea of being a librarian for all time ... assuming he did not transend the mortal realm once reconnected with his corpse.

After the party wound down, the heroes retired to discuss their finds with the Head Librarians. The founders agreed to pay them 3,000 gold for the collection, the treatise on wyvren capturing, the relics of the Ironbound Warriors, and the Flan artifiacts.

With the day done, the heroes retired to the Griffin's Roost to retire and plan.

Back to the Griffins Guild

As the party was unfolding, Burgell headed back to the Griffins Guild to explain his transformation from gnome to dwarf. Telthanas, the gnome/dwarf's occasional adventuring companion and full-time scribe at the guild, explained he needed to fill out a transracial transformation form to document the change.

The half-elf was mostly pleased to see his friend, but became increasingly apprehensive as Burgell explained what he'd been up to ... and the new heroes who had joined the group. "I can't help but feel you've kicked me out of the group", Telthanas said glumly. Burgell assured him, somewhat convincingly, that he was still in.

Coldeven 1-7, CY 516

A Week out on the Town

As the more scholarly members of the group rubbed elbows with the city's elite, the others decided to see what the burgeoning city of Obsidian Bay had to offer.

Finn, Hawkwind, and Jack Greymane headed out carousing. Hawkwind made two new allied contacts -- Flanphiles of the low-class -- while Jack Greymane found one new allied contact. Unfortunately for him, Finn earned the ire of one of the people he encountered (a hostile contact)

During that week Burgell decided to rub elbows with the upper class, spending 500 gold pieces to mingle with the upper class of the dwarven community. He made an allied contact of his own, a dwarven tailor of some repute.

Reporting Out

As the week unfolded, the heroes eventually headed to the Griffins Guild Hall, where they told Telthanas of their travels including:

  • The fire giant big game hunters
  • The Wyvern Nation's actions in the central Pomarj
  • Hobgoblin follower of the beholder Zalshox
  • The goings-on in Blue, specifically the tenuous nature of Xalbador Mathis' hold on the Circle of Blue

Meanwhile, Telthanas caught them up on happenings in and around the city.

  • The Baroness Estrada was preparing to take Strandkeep Castle
  • The high-ranking Griffins are still strying to deal with the aboleth situtation in Purple Squid Bay.
  • The Wyvern Empire is growing more powerful, with Hextorite recruits arriving regularly from the Great Kingdom. They are also trying to establish themselves as a force on the Great Southern Highway
  • Fire giants are hunting the roc, and stirring up the hill giants, who are flying their larger, more militant cousins

Together the group of Griffins Guilders and librarians debated what to do next. Seek out the final resting place of the Scorpion Prince in the Bright Desert? Confront the threat posed by the beholder Zalshox? Continue their quest for the Tomb of Telan and the Ghostbane Scrolls within?

They finally settled on the Tomb of Telan. Gremorly declared that he would stay in the city and continue his research into the mythical Fading Land of Necros. The old man was downright excited when it was revealed that the Ghostbane Scrolls of Ryda might contain information about Necros and its one-time guardian, the demilich Charax.

Experience

Player Characters

Non-player Characters

  • None

Treasure

Coins

  • 270 Silver
  • 3070 Gold

Art objects

  • None

Magic items

  • A javelin of Lightning

Other

  • 7 wheel(s) of cheese (7 gp)
  • Two harpoons (oversized)
  • 500 feet of light rope
  • An exceedingly large and sturdy net (60 feet diameter) reinforced with metal.

Resources

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