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Back Ye Olde Thunderpath, the party settles in for some well earned rest and relaxation. A moment to catch their breath after weeks away. As each reflects on the events that transpired and considers the ominous clouds gathering around Khorvaire, their hired innkeep, Mauriana Teskelyndros offers to provide the party with a reading into their future.

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Endira d’Deneith shows up with news that a mysterious group, calling itself the Feeders of Crows is searching for the Sentinel Marshal known as Drego d’Deneith. She suggests formally organizing and recruiting agents that can help them face larger foes…

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Determining to go their own independent path, the party officially forms a mercenary team with Endira there to guide them through the process of creating articles of incorporation and recruiting agents.

So many loose threads remain….

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… Join us next time for …

The Orrery of Vortuum: Landfall

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Aberrant dragonmarks begin to inflict pain and the party heads to Argonnessen following the lead from Jheamast the Sarlonan sailor.

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En route, the party found a gnoll druid, Kryx Bloodgnash, adrift at sea. Arriving at the shore, they met the lone survivor of a native village fighting with dracotaurs and save Daros Winterhammer of the White Walkers.

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Between these persons encountered, the party learns the following:

  • Kryx Bloodgnash belongs to a group called the Grim Accord that was hired by the Sons of Galifar to perform espionage and other duties.

  • Kryx was on a boat that was part of a convey of 4 ships traveling to Argonnessen.

  • The Sons of Galifar met with the White Walkers first and then with the Bringers of Flame to try to gain access to the Orrery of Vortuum to install their artifact therein.

  • The Bringers of Flame are part of the domain of a blue dragon named Khurystas.

  • The Vast is a large area of Argonnessen that is a proving ground where younger dragons are sent by the Conclave.

  • The White Walkers are originally from the Demon Wastes.

  • The Bringers of Fire are led by a dragonborn sorceror chieftain. They also are known for their fearsome twin brother axe hunters and an order of monks able to manipulate storms.

  • The White Walkers are in the domain of a white dragon named Icewing who was captured when the Bringers of Flame started warring against the White Walkers after meeting the Sons of Galifar

  • The Sons of Galifar use a five pointed insignia like the cult of the daughter of Khyber.

  • Daros knows how to access the Orrery of Vortuum and will show the way if the players help free Icewing.

At an occupied White Walker village, the party confronted the Chieftain of the Bringers of Flame and rescued the white dragon, Icewing.

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During this sessions’ intrigues Uta d’Medani cast Legend Lore to find out more about the quori…

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… Join us next time for …

The Orrery of Vortuum: Making an Entrance

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The party is offered the chance to receive one item from the hoard of the dragon Icewing from her hoard if they will attack the Orrery of Vortuum to retake it. In a tenday, there will be a conjunction of three of the moons of Eberron. On that day, as Sypheros, Vult, and Zarantyr align, the party conducts a raid together with the attack on the camp of the Bringers of Flame by the White Walkers.

During the intrigue leading up to the assault, the party discovers that the group hired by the Sons of Galifar to provide protection consists of four humanoids, a halfling sorcerer, a gnoll druid, a elvish shadow warrior and a half-orc ranger. They go by various names including, “The Feeders of Crows”.

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The White Walkers, led by Icewing, clear a way to the base of the Orrery and the party intrudes into the sanctum of the enemy. Inside they discover a Crystal Ball of Mind Reading among the hoard of Icewing. In the Hall of Terrestrial Offerings, they defeat the Axe Brothers and discover a book belonging to the Sons of Galifar, with a hymn and heavily marked map of Khorvaire.

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… Join us next time for …

The Orrery of Vortuum: Conjunction

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In the Hall of Celestial Offerings, a lightning cage of sorts, the party faced monks that could draw the electricity in the air into their attacks, a large blue storm drake and a warlock, whose patron awaited above. After ascending the ramp they found themselves in a familiar space where they had been before…

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Finally, atop the Orrery of Vortuum, they found an altar with a body left hanging above. Lightning flashed, revealing the mutilated face of Phileas, and unlocking memories trapped within Egon Marktaros, of the day his father was hanged by an angry mob. The memories he had blocked out for so long came into focus as he remembered the faces and names of the ones that stirred up the town and conducted the attack on his family. Nathaniel Krozen and Torazun Johira.

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Another flash of lightning, returned the focus to the present as the blue dragon Khurystas attacked! His lightning breath washed across the party and hit Bilge and Kalli who both took the brunt of the blow. Hammer smote the dragon mightily and it fell… just as the moons came into conjunction healing the threat of the aberrant dragonmarks and causing the dragon to transform. Drego embiggened himself and wrestled it to the edge, casting the monster down upon the magma ridden floor of Fang Crater.

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On the body of Phileas, El discovered a note…

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Uta d’Medani researched more Legend Lore… about “Il-Lashtavar”… the Great Darkness that Dreams.

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… Join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: TONGUES OF FLAME

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The curtain opens on the team in the lightning rail car deep in thought on their way from Salvation to Flamekeep…. The screen fades to black and then the text: “Two days earlier…” returning from their adventures in Argonessen, the adventurers reflect on what they learned. Then, El gathers the team together to share some of her thoughts….

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El’s Speech (Elivello persona)

Thank you for gathering together. I am sorry about my outburst during our last encounter. I want you to know, that as much as I am able, I trust you. There are things that have come to light which compel me to tell you more about myself and, about Phileas.

It must be clear to you that Phileas’ death shook me. On many levels actually. I know that many of you were not fond of Phileas. I, however, knew him better than most of you, and I can say now that Korvaire has lost a great hope. Im sure you realize that my nature allows me advantages for certain kinds of work. I was born of Cyre and it holds special meaning in my heart. Yet during the Mourning I was on mission with the Argentum, which you may recognize as a covert operations arm of the church of the Silver Flame for Thrane.

….We were operating inside the edge of Cyre. The rest of my team at the time died around me as the gray mists expanded, I alone managed to outpace the mists. As I stood in shock looking back at the destruction, Philias found me claiming to have been led there by the Draconic Prophecy. I stayed with him for a short time. He pulled me back from the brink of my utter despair and began to train me in the way of the Ascendant dragon. I lost my family, my country, my everything that day. ..But Phileas …offered me some hope.

Before much training could occur, I had to return to Thrane. I wasn't ready though. Still processing the events in Cyre and the immense loss, I revealed the fact that I was acting as double agent to someone I trusted so that I could unload some of my hurt. They betrayed that trust. I was taken in for questioning and a great deal of torture…. I don't know what he had to do, or who he had to pay, but somehow, Phileas made arrangements to have me released. In many ways, I owe him my life. The Argentum does not take kindly to their secrets being passed along.

From that point on, Phileas became a mentor and a sort of father figure to me in the absence of other family. What I learned about him was that he was powerful, he was good, and he believed in the Draconic prophecy. Phileas put me in your path because he believed in you. At first, you were a means to an end. I did not know why, but Phileas had you on missions that would allow me access to certain artifacts.

When we found that map, I began to understand.

(DROP KEY)

You may recognize this. Im sorry Falco, but I was instructed to collect these whenever I came 1across them. I obtained this from you as a certain Lieutenant with “The Trust”. This one in particular holds special meaning to me because it bears markings from my homeland. I thought at first, Phileas wanted me to have something that reminded me of home and of why I fight.

But it was more than that. Please, come into my chambers. I have more to tell you, and to show you.

(show detective board)

If you recall, during our run in with Captain Ryger Ir Wynarn, you created an epic distraction which allowed me to obtain the map of Trebaz Sinara we were after. That was not the only thing I got.

(DROP KEY)

When we had our cards read, I realized that there must be 5 keys and that somehow fate has tasked me to find them. Mirianna spoke of five heads and five locks. I really don't know anything about the draconic prophecy, but I do know, that we few, have the pieces to stop something terrible from happening to our world. I do not really know that much about you, but I do know that you are resourceful. My trust in people has been shattered in the past. Phileas and you have begun to heal some of my many hurts, but, after seeing this map, the danger is immanent and cant wait. So I choose to trust you. Phileas final note confirmed to me my next mission.

I believe that what we saw in the chamber of Kirin was a vision of the past and a part of the ceremony that somehow brought the mourning. I also believe that it is the goal of this group or groups calling themselves, the Daughters of Khyber, and Sons of Galifar, to do the same thing to the whole of Khorvaire. I believe that this map indicates Thrane is next. While I am reluctant to return to the place I was last betrayed, I would never wish what happened in Cyre on any of the other people in this beautiful land. I believe that our next mission should be to locate and obtain the key before the Daughters of Khyber do something with another gate. No one else knows what we know. And without Phileas, who will hold back the grey?

There is more to my story, but that I think will suffice. I have perhaps spoken enough, please discuss amongst yourselves. My fate, and perhaps the fate of our world, are in your hands.

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Each member of the team shared their thoughts… it was decided to leave the keys in the ethereal tower at Ye Olde Thunderpath.

Returning to the “present” the characters each shared a moment of their thoughts on the train as they headed into the station at Flamekeep.

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They were bombarded with propaganda about joining the military campaign to come against Breland. Drego, back in his home town, led the party to meet his dear friend, Autumn, in the Safe Harbor inn. Autumn bonded with the party immediately and flirted a little with Drego, but also remarked about the current situation in Thrane. The kingdom is gearing up again for war but High Cardinal Krozen hides himself.

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The party found out the Grim accord is planning an ambush and may have visited Queen Diani before them. But before they gain access to the palace they need permission from the Cardinal of Protocol… Jaela meets them out of protocol and says, “this reminds me of a dream I once had” … and then looks across the group… to Kili and El she says, “I hope you find what you are looking for” … to Drego, “One day you’ll save me” … and to Egen… she gasps and a tear runs down her face and she says, “I’m so sorry….” and then she tells Torazun to write them a letter to visit Queen Diani.

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Diani really wants to be Queen regent and is overformal. She says a lot without saying a lot…. but the Grim Accord has also visited. The key is probably with her family estate in Silvercliff Castle … but she could give it if there was proof that the monarchy had no guilt regarding Shadukar… or you could try to intercept the key at Duskaran…

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Finally, the party decides to try to rob Slivercliff Castle. This is gonna be good!

… join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: THE SILVERCLIFF Job

The session begins with Drego’s dream of the Keeper of the Flame looking into his eye, saying “one day you’re going to save me.” The Silver Flame grows and fills his vision and then it is interrupted by crows, and Drego wakes in a sweat.

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Downstairs Egen interacts with Autumn with people asking about Falko ir’Kessler staying at the inn. Hammer reads the paper and El receives a report from Zee about Silvercliff Castle.

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As she shares the report, we hear that the Safe Harbor will be quarters for an Aerenal elven brigade being transferred from Arcanix to Flamekeep.

Egen scries on the members of the Grim Accord, Ump’kash Fik, and “the daughter”.

Before heading to Silvercliff, the party decides to confront the ambush. They capture the mysterious elven woman and discover another hymn of the Sons of Galifar.

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As Drego rests that night he has another dream of the Silver Flame… he hears the Keeper say “one day you’ll save me” and as the Silver Flame fills his view, he hears a song in the distance. Unable to make out the melody or harmony, he nonetheless is haunted by the rhythm of the Song of Silver Flame (Cry of the Couatl)….

By choosing to confront the ambush, and capture an Elven prisoner the party has given the Grim Accord time to muster forces for a larger scale attack on Silvercliff Castle.

…. join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: THE Siege of SILVERCLIFF

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The party begins by considering their questioning of Athlonia, “the Moon’s Eclipse” (a little pretentious don’t you think). She wore a locket with the faces of an adult human and adult half-elf man engraved inside that El took a rubbing of. She’s from the area no known as Valenar, but holds no ties to either it nor Cyre. She didn’t seem to know much about their employers… She seemed happy to leave that to Irae. “Kryx said you were gentle, if naïve with your prisoners… one can tell a lot about someone by how they treat a helpless person. Irae… don’t take this personal, but I don’t think she’s got a grudge on you… She’s a real professional killer, even if she enjoys her work too much, I don’t hold it against her. Her sorcery awakened more violently than most. Sometimes, it’s harder to tell if she’s in control or the flame in her blood is.”

Scrying on Irae, the halfling sorceress, they are on the road and catch Kryx returning from Thronehold with the news that they are no longer needed for the assault on Silvercliff, Commander Baunsen will lead the attack. They have a new contract in Sharn. Uldun will go get Athlonia and they will meet up again at the Diamond Theatre in Downstairs, Lower Menthis, Sharn.

The party catches a quick supply ship to Silvercliff and arrives before the enemy forces. While most of the party goes to chat with Captain Fauchard, Elivello takes a more subtle approach. And not a moment to soon. An army approaches.

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Falko “thrice hero of Thrane” ir’Kessler got off some wicked fireballs evening the odds while Hammer and Drego took care of their fiendish leaders including a newly upgraded more powerful Brother Baunsen. Using the siege as a distraction Elivello accessed the inner hidden chamber, picked the lock on a chest and retrieved the Thrane key, leaving behind a note.

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Key in hand, the party made their way to the boat and got away after the battle was decided but before the battle was complete.

… Join us next time for …

DDAL-EB-11: MY UNDYING HEART

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… Join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: ECHOES OF CAIRN HILL

The camera pans up on a lone man wandering along a road through the woods… his thoughts wander back to a letter received a few days earlier…

After an encounter with an unfortunate guard, the party meets up with Galleri before entering the ruins of the flying fortress Chydris. All signs show that the cultists were more worried about something escaping than about something getting in. It seems a cathedral has been built at the back of the flying fortress over the place where Kili gained sorcerer abilities. At the entrance to the flying fortress a tract is found by Belthazar.

CULTIST:

He’s actually watching for people running away... He’s supposed to kill anyone
He’s just finishing digging a grave..
Halt in the name of Thrane and of the Silver Flame
This area is off limits ... Unless ... Were you sent here to join us?... We had a bunch come in from Sharn just the other day...
Welcome brother... You should hurry along, the rite should be underway at the cathedral we built at the back of the flying fortress Chydris. If you get tired along the way I’ve been told there’s refreshment available at the rally point for you to help yourself to.

TRACT:

An End to War – After 100 years of war, the corruption of the elites of Khorvaire cannot be denied. Willing to sacrifice the common man at their whim without risking themselves. ... (*flip* artwork of scary shadowy forms reaching over the world on flames *flip*) ... We the people of Khorvaire are the true Sons of Galifar and we propose a new way. We come together and to create a paradise for the people, free from the shackles of so-called nobles and the influence of the wealthy elite. ... (*flip* artwork of varied humanoids standing arm in arm with a wheat field ready to harvest behind them *flip*) ... sharing and coming together to help one another. While alone we cannot hope affect change, by joining together, brothers and sisters, we can take hold of the power to make a difference. Join the Sons of Galifar and create FUTURE WITHOUT WAR, LIBERTY FOR THE COMMON MAN & TRUE PARADISE ON EBERRON.

Moving forwards through the flying fortress the party encounters a screaming man who tells them that Marthissa is performing a rite… a square with a cauldron of suggestion juice and cages hanging the corpses of heretics being eaten by crows. A man drunk and passed out that did not drink the kool aid. They came into the hoard of Philias, where in addition to finding some useful potions, Belthazar got coated in sprinkles by a Hoard Scarab …. and then they entered the cathedral where they faced Marthissa and discovered another hymn.

MARTHISSA:

You cannot stop us
Ump’Kash will unite Khorvaire in a reign of terror
Once we recovered the lost relics of Galifar not even a god could defy our power
You’ve gained his interest. Fik now has his eye on you... There’s nowhere you can hide from the coming wave of darkness
I will harvest souls as Kotharel did before me.
You may have bested me, but now you will face one of Fik’s champions!

Finally they faced off against a dracohydra!

The hoard of Philias consisted of:

2900 platinum, 2000 gp, 4 x 250gp worth of art (tapestries depicting the end of the war, portrait of Oargev ir’Wynarn, obsidian statues depicting a person aging, a helmet of a dwarf lord) 12 x 1000 gp gems, a potion of healing (supreme), a potion of speed, a spell scroll of Fizban’s Platinum Shield, a spell scroll of Power Word Stun, and a +1 holy symbol of the sovereign host.

KALLI’S REPORT ABOUT DASKARAN GATE

The ancient capital of Thrane is now a small countryside town by today’s standards that still draws history tourists to the older walls of the old city and the facing churches in the central plaza. The plaza features a large statue of the paladin Tira Miron holding her sword aloft that also functions as a sundial that covers the whole northern half. To the east and west of the plaza are facing churches one of the Silver Flame and one more ancient church of the sovereign host. The faith community of the sovereign host is small here but stronger than most cities in Thrane and local followers of the Flame are proud of the architecture of the church of the sovereign host representing as it does ancient Thranish design that is a symbol of Daskaran.

As tourist landmarks, Kalli was able to gain access to both churches, and on a tour guided by the priest of the sovereign host through the crypts that extend from under the church to under the plaza, at a point under the large statue above, the first king of Thrane, Thrane I, (for at the time it was conquered by Galifar the country was named after its capital Daskaran) lies at rest in a stone tomb carved to match his face. King Thrane’s tomb is in a small alcove, the rear wall of which has been worked by stone workers to appear like a large door. The priest tells Kalli that the first ir’Wynarns all built tombs like this and he is told that the door symbolizes their ascension in death. While the souls of most of those who die go to Dolurrh, the ir’Wynarns thought they could experience a different afterlife.

BILGE’S REPORT ABOUT SKY’S FATHER

Bilge uses his contacts from the Big Company in Vathirond to pull up the military service records of Sky's father, Jara Blue. Jara Blue was a decorated officer in the 12th Brelish Infantry, who fell from fame when he was court-martialed for desertion. Bilge was able to chat in a more casual setting with one of his ol' buddies who fought in the 12th and heard a little more of the story: Jara was unjustly convicted: in fact, his teenage daughter Sky had smuggled herself onto the front lines to be with her father, forcing him to desert the infantry to take her home. After his charge of desertion was handed down Jara was sentenced to join the vanguard of his regiment and was later presumed dead on a battlefield near Eston in 988, but his body was not recovered.

… Join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: The Merchant of Korth

We join the party on the deck of a ship sailing Scion’s sound. Hammer and El having a fishing competition, Egen considering the words of the angel and a letter from Zed Bergenhind, and below decks, Drego inviting Galleri to join the party. (Galleri already had a letter to that effect from Armundus.)

Arriving in Korth, Drego and Falko go to meet Naeberos Sarris while the other three check out the cathedral across the street. Sarris would like to hire the team to collect a prototype he and his business partner, Dalan Osserak, were researching under direct contract from Queen Dannel at the end of the war. Dannel was interested in victory at all costs and gave them a very large budget to develop a “Final Solution to the Undead Problem”. The lab, located in Metrol, was assumed lost completely in the Mourning, but recently a beacon reactivated. In return for collecting the prototype Telluric Synapses he will give 10,000gp, help Falko rank up among the Aurum, and find some information about the gate/key they are looking for. He has an airship ready to take them to Metrol and back.

In the crypts their skeletal guide tells them the history of the kings of Karrnath, and El discovers that the “gate” carved into the wall behind the stone coffin of King Karrn was shattered and has been rebuilt.

They fly into Metrol noting the Vermishards, sitting warforged Colossus, S.A.M. walking lonely down the street, and past the Cathedral of the Sovereign Host before approaching the armory district.

Inside Bastion Steel Works, it is immediately apparent that the experiments that were going on inside this research facility tower were on living things and vivisected warfoged … and as they progress there are various things out of sync with what they know. There seems to be a close copy of this facility in Mabar and they are interacting with echoes that cross the planes.

1, A chill down your spine.

2, The door opens and closes.

3, “The shepherds have a new delivery, Karrn was out in force last night... Go downstairs and help.”

4, Thudding, and wet slapping sounds on the stairs

6, Kitchen … the gloop…

8, A view out of a window where you can see one of the Vermishards toppled, cathedral statues in a different configuration, warforged Colossus in a different position, a damaged portion of the city.

9, Poster: Dannel is watching published in 998 by order of Queen Dannel

10, A small piece of stiff paper bearing a House Sivis seal to prevent forgery. “1 Ration: Redeem for one Serving of Ghallanda Ragout at any Ration Depot. THE QUEEN WILL SAVE US”

11, Poster: Do your duty

12, Smell of rot

13, “a new arrival … “

14, “news of the Unbroken has reached Dannel”

15, Interrogation … “where is Dalen Osserak”

16, There’s a struggle on the other side

17, Blood spray appears

18, A dead wererat … badge of the Queen’s Vigilant Wardens

19, “What did you tell the rats … “

20, “For the sake of the Unbroken … you know what needs to be done … do it to me Vesile …”

The party recovers the artifact and returns it to Naeberros after damaging it. He gives them information about a Karrnathi facility in Frostfell, Fort Frostbite, that was all the information he could gather about a key and planar gate.

AGENT ACTIONS:

Falko: Jovi (looking into the ir'kesslers 12)
The ir'Kesslers have holdings in both Breland and Thrane and suffered major losses during the war as the battle front moved back and forth across their lands with armies regularly commandeering livestock, horses, lodgings and other supplies. They are wary of the mustering forces in Thrane and would like to use their influence somehow to stop the breakout of new hostilities.

Hammer: Qiao watching Naeberos
Business is good for Mister Sarris. He's meeting regularly with representatives from all Five Kingdoms. It seems he's taking in supplies and expertise from the dwarves of the Mror Holds.

El: Kalli finding out about Fort Frostbite (12)
Looking up war archives, Fort Frostbite was a fallback shelter for the nobles of Karrnath in case Korth fell during the Last War. There's not much more information about it than the announcement of its initial construction some 30 years ago, the records did include a map of its precise location.

Drego: Sky Blue heads to Sharn to dig up information about Lord Kor (14)
Sky Blue messages Drego with a recorded message.

Hey Cap’n, it’s me, Sky. Slumming it up with my gal Carla in Cogsgate... woooo... so anyway, I went to Sharn to check out that Kor guy for you. You remember, right? I was there with you on the train. Like. I know the truth... like that the attack was not warforged or something... like, I saw the Swords of Liberty doing it for myself. So I went to talk to my friend Buck at the griffon stables in Hollow Tower. He’s helped me in the past, and despite the other bridges I burnt when I skipped town, I made sure to pay off that debt. Plus, he told me before that one of the riders in the Race of the Eight Winds who has this really cute mare-griffon called Windsome with white plumage, it always has a little ribbon tied around it’s claw, don’t you follow the race? It’s only Sharn’s biggest event... anyway, the rider, what was his name again... oh it ends with an “o” or something... anyway, one day he, like, comes into the stable, like, and starts chatting with other riders about what they did in the war and how awesome it was to ride into battle and not just for show... and he was saying to the other riders that if they wanted to join, there was going to be this meeting at some place called The Gold & White in Daggerwatch. And it’s Daggerwatch, right and there are people who know my face among the watch, right, so I sent Stormflower, and he like, shows up with his new lute which is really sweet, and is like showing them his latest song, it’s bonkers, really... It’s got this sweet hook... *singing* something something nanana until the feather falls... Anyway, it’s great and they said they could use a song writer for recruitment and stuff. That’s when Earl came back to meet me at Carla’s from our old place under Skyway and told me there’s been people looking around for me to come, and that he thinks someone’s after me and ... hey who are you ... get your hands off of me... let me go...

The recorded message stops.

… Join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: Finding Lord Kor

The party heads to Sharn, to rescue Sky Blue and to follow up on the Swords of Liberty. On the airship from Korth to Sharn, Falko scries and discovers that Sky Blue is in a warehouse, and that Earl is watching a warehouse from the outside in what appears to be a middle class semi-residential neighborhood in the middle layer of Sharn. After arriving, their first stop is Sky’s old hideout. Not much was found except to note that the place was being monitored… by the Sharn Deneith twins!

Next, the Cogsgate refugee camp. As they wander through the camp, a gaunt shifter catches their attention.

Hey... Hey you... You were here that day... I got a good memory... The day Sky Blue came down here and some jerks on soar sleds tried to blow up the place with alchemist’s fire. Don’t ‘spose you could help out a veteran who’s down on his luck ...

Don’t have much left in me worth calling by a name... Call me “Underfoot.” That’s all I am, and all I got left in me.

Dreamily helps with my shudders and takes away the nightmares... Some things no one ought to see...

Carla ... Hmmm I don’t know a Carla, and most of us around here don’t see bad things going down if you know what I mean... But I’ll keep my eyes open...

Falko gave him 300g and invited him to make a change in his life by coming to Salvation. He asked around and said a girl who was with Sky Blue when she was taken headed to Khyber’s Gate.

Then on to the stables of Team Vadalis where they met with Buck. His rider for Team Vadalis that was recruiting for the Swords of Liberty was a certain Alonzo ir’Kessler. We learn that Galleri is actually a fan of the Race of the Eight Winds.

Coming out of the stables, Elivello notices a woman across the street in front of a fruit stand who was watching them go in and come out. She’s working for the Boromars. She provides information about a warehouse in residential Stormhold, two districts over.

In Stormhold they locate the warehouse, and Earl. Inside they find Flamewind who demands the Oracle of War and has Sky Blue hostage. A fight breaks out and in the midst of it a warlock breaks in and demands they surrender the keys for Ump’kash Fik. Finally, they are joined by the Deneith twins who thought their house members would need a hand but then stood back and watched as the party cleared up the enemies, although Flamewind teleported away.

AGENT ACTIONS

Blue and her mostly warforged patronage at the Red Hammer can’t provide much information on Ump’kash Fik, but she did manage to find newspaper articles outlining how Fik was once on the council of the Gatekeeper orc druids of the Shadow Marches, but then was declared a heretic and exiled. He tried to make some kind of power play by summoning a massive hydra to threaten Zarash’ak but the hydra was defeated by a team led by Duragak Aashta of House Tharashk. He went into hiding and showed up once with a similar plot to perform some kind of ritual at a druidic site in the Eldeen Reaches which was also foiled. Since then, there’s only been rumors, but some people think it’s possible that he might try to strike at Sharn one day.

… Join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: The Hunt Must Go On

The party recovered from the battle against the Ump’kash Fik warlock and Flamewind’s assassins… The next morning, Sky Blue asks about how they found her so fast and suggests they try the same approach for finding whatever they are looking for. She also vows to go looking for Carla. Egen scries the key and discovers a mysterious man in a well furnished apartment overlooking a part of Sharn with a good view of the racers of the Eight Winds. Using the mind reading abilities of the crystal ball he uncovers that he’s worried about “Mercutia”.

A man stands in a well furnished room, staring out a window facing a wide gap between towers that seem to stretch a long distance both upwards and downwards. The key sits on a fancy desk made of exotic wood and finely inlaid with precious metal. ... How long do you watch him ... A white plumed griffon wearing a red ribbon on its foreclaw and ridden by a rider dressed in green dives past the front of the window, and the man follows it with his gaze, pulling out a spyglass to watch its flight. ...

Mercutia ir’Gontali was a spy they met before that was saved by Narcy of Xandra using Time Stop… Scrying on Mercutia, they see her in the Gold & White in Daggerwatch, and reading her thoughts, discover she’s trying to find out how to get Stormflower out of there, while concerned about three persons looking at her from across the room.

The party arrives at Daggerwatch and Egen discovers that Galleri was dishonorably discharged from Brelish forces during the war. They arrive in front of the Gold & White as Mercutia and Stormflower exit the building and split up, followed closely by three strange agents. A chase ensues across Upper and Middle Dura, ending as all the factions collide in Broken Arch.

After defeating the fiendishly empowered forces of the Sons of Galifar, uncovering a new hymn and gaining a few interesting magical items, Mercutia brings them to a safehouse where they meet the mysterious man, who introduces himself as Lord Kor ir’Wynarn.

After hearing their story, Kor trusts the party, shares what he knows and pledges to give them access to the key that he holds if they prove themselves. Some of what he shares is:

This key is an heirloom in my family. I cannot entrust it to others. However, if what you are saying is true, then my brother and the whole kingdom is in danger, from the Swords of Liberty and these Sons of Galifar. My survival of the train crash has afforded me some room to breathe. Time to plan and then to act.

What we know: (a) the swords of liberty are plotting to overthrow the monarchy (b) the Sons of Galifar seem to have someone close to my brother (c) the sons of Galifar have mustered forces somewhere in western Breland (d) the defenses in Wroat should hold, so they will probably wait until an opportunity presents itself...

Mercutia and I will work with people we can trust in the Kings’ Dark Lanterns, to monitor their plans, when the time is right, can I count on you? In return for your loyalty during this upcoming confrontation I will grant you use of the key and access to this gate at the Tomb of King Brey.

AGENT ACTIONS

Drego, Falko and Hammer send Korky, Tetzel and Qiao to find the Sons of Galifar base in western Breland.

Qiao Kung consulted the bones and felt to follow the Dagger River northward. Along the way some clever questioning of townsfolk revealed that a group of four, one of whom is a gnoll, led by a halfling with “fire in her eyes” passed this way heading upstream.

Reaching the smallish logging town of Woodhelm in the Dragonwood, the town was unusually busy as the local “river folk” halflings came to town. Nurse Tetzel was able to hear from them about their local feud with a band of goblins over access to a highland swamp in the forest which has ancient orc-druidic ruins. Meanwhile, around the town there are stacks of religious tracts similar to those you found at Cairn Hill.

Korky using her connection with the spirits of nature communed with the Dragonwood and confirmed with local avian life that many humanoids have gathered in the swamp on the plateau deep in the Dragonwood and have cut down many trees to create an encampment of some kind.

Galleri recruits a Ex-Special Forces Karrnathi Swordsmaster, Alyusha Frolov.

El recruits a Darguuni Hobgoblin Conjurer, Patrycja Kollataj, who served as a camp entertainer during the war.

Before heading off on your next adventure, Falko did manage to get a few minutes in with Zed Plinled Burgenhind. This is what you learned: Zed’s regulatory issue is first that they’ve replaced the nurse on King Boranel’s staff, changing out the Jorasco halfling Zed had placed there with some Brelish woman, but before they so viciously plucked out his eyes and tore off his ears from the inner workings of the Brelish crown he did learn that as Breland gears up for war again and having suffered the loss of the Argonth, they’re planning to repossess the Golden Dragon simply by eminent domain. They wouldn’t try that with a noble from a named house... So, to spite the crown Zed wants to sell it to your operation before they take it for the heavily discounted price of 500,000 gold.

… Join us next time for …

DDAL-EB-12 THE WAITING GAME

After a long time of trying, the code was finally cracked and the party could make sense of the dossier they obtained on the train.

Aphira came with some news about the interrogation of Widmund, a letter from Sulring Mroranon, and an invitation from the Keeper of the Flame.

• Under interrogation, Widmund confirmed that the Order of the Emerald Claw used an artifact called the Crystal Skull to bind the spirits of the dead to the Oracle of Bones.

• As payment, the Lord of Blades gave the Emerald Claw a map to the Creeping Nave, an ancient daelkyr sanctuary buried deep underneath Metrol. This sanctuary supposedly contains a cache of symbiont weaponry.

• Widmund has sent an expedition into the Mournland to excavate the sanctuary and loot the weapons. They’re led by Trez Zul, a high-ranking Emerald Claw agent.

• In addition to this, Widmund has been tracking the movements of the Cairdal Knot, a pair of Undying paladins from Aerenal, who are searching for the Oracle of War using a secret sleeper agent program code-named “Stonefire.” The Emerald Claw doesn’t know the paladins’ current whereabouts.

Avoiding flying over the Thrane-Breland border, Aphira took a route through Aundair. Passing near the town of Arcanix, a storm arose, a bolt of lightning struck from the clouds and then the elemental ring collapsed causing an explosion… the released elementals attacked the falling passengers but they managed to find a way to safely land.

Searching for survivors, Narcy of Xandrar arrives on a flying broomstick. After confirming their safety she suggests transport to the Arcane Congress nearby for a safe place to rest. Investigation of the wreckage reveals tampering with the elemental ring.

At the Arcane Congress, another familiar face greets them. Meena shares about the political situation in Aundair with Elivello.

The arcane congress itself is focused on four towers plus the Starpeaks Observatory. I’ll have to give you a full tour someday.

The Arcane Congress devotes two of the towers, Glarehold and Amberwall, to training the next generation of magewrights and wizards. Nocturnas and Skyreach, the other two towers, are the residences, libraries, and laboratories of Arcane Congress members. The White Arch, the Library of Robideur, the Gate of Xabra...

The Arcane Congress is led by the Mosaic Committee.. But few know the true membership. One member everyone is sure of is Lord Adal ir’Wynarn, Aundairs First Warlord and Minister of Magic, brother of Queen Aurala.

Things were looking pretty bad for Aundair later in the war. Aurala became queen in 980 and immediately sought a ceasefire... It takes a lot more time to replenish lost wizards and griffon riders than to raise the dead... And while the pace of war slowed through extended negotiations, she went looking for mercenaries from all neutral nations, Talenta halflings, Valenar elves, and Lhazaar pirates... Some say she paid the Lhazaar in something more valuable than gold... Rygar supplied troops and ships in return for legitimacy as a true ir’Wynarn.

Arcanix was part of Thrane and Thaliost was part of Aundair...

The people of Thaliost have lost so much...

So here we are ... Aundair is technically ruled by Aurala, but in practical terms it is a triumvirate. Lord Adal ir’Wynarn wants to invade Thrane, Lord Darro ir’Wynarn wants to take back western Aundair (the so called “Eldeen Reaches”), and Queen Aurala ir’Wynarn wants all of it... So nothing really gets done.

Over dinner the party learns some information about the Gate of Xabra. Drego is drinking too much, and then the Oracle of War warns, “Local Threat Level Increased: Stonefire Activated” before suddenly the Aerenal elvish undying servants in the room have their eyes roll back in their heads… they repeat “Stonefire… Stonefire…” a few times in elvish and then randomly attack the people in the room. Narcy goes away to see what’s going on and there seems to have been an attack on the Command Center. An undying paladin is trying to bring down the towers, yelling, “I’ll destroy you all and the Oracle with you. No one should have such power!!!”

AGENT ACTIONS

Galleri recruits Meena. While at the Arcane Congress he also visits the shrine devoted to Aureon.

As a cleric of Aureon, the local chaplain welcomes you to join him for a time of fellowship and communing together. The shrine does have a minor relic, the Gavel of Justice. The chaplain is willing to part with the relic for a suitable donation for the upkeep of the chapel.

You have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic warhammer. It also counts as a spellcasting focus for a cleric of a lawful alignment. Additionally, it gives access to the Mind Sliver cantrip. It can be cast normally and also applies automatically when hitting an appropriate target. The Mind Sliver granted by the Gavel can only target a creature that breaks the natural order such as an aberration or undead, or a target obviously in the process of breaking the law.

Falko recruits a gnomish ambassador. Grigo Grammarwrit Harlian is from Trolanport, Zilargo and has strong business ties related to shipping and trade around the port. His clan is among the prominent extended families in Zilargo with significant holdings in banks across Khorvaire.

El asks Patty to look into information about Mabar and whether Queen Dannel could be trapped there.

Mabar is a plane of utter darkness and entropy, antithesis of all life. There, no light shines, its starless night sky persisting for eternity. Mabar is a well of negative energy, fueling decay and empowering the undead, and necromancers from Karrnath and Aerenal have learned to use its power for their own gain. Yugoloths, cruel angels, and creatures of shadow claim Mabar as their home—if they can resist the life-draining darkness. When Mabar is coterminous with the Material Plane, shadows grow darker and the nights are long and cold. In the deepest blackness, a hapless mortal might accidentally stumble into Mabar itself.
It is said that within these planes, there are “fragments” resembling locations in the material plane where life is trapped and slowly drained. The Mourning had many effects on the people trapped in the mists. Most died, some were warped by incomprehensible forces, some remain as ghosts and shadows to this day. It is possible that any number of the people of Cyre and possibly even whole cities or regions became shifted to the plane of darkness. If that’s the case, I can’t imagine that any are still alive today as the dark planar forces must have drained all life from a fragment after all this time.

Drego asks Bilge to find out information about the “lost forge” referred to by the Oracle, in particular with Merrix d’Cannith if possible.

Even with his contacts, Merrix doesn’t just meet with anybody. Bilge found more luck with his contacts in Vathirond. The local Cannith enclave did a lot of interaction with the other House Cannith facilities in the Mournland before the Mourning. In a sense, all of them are now lost, but the biggest blows to House Cannith’s production of warforged were the creation forges at Whitehearth (where the first warforged were created by Aaren), Eston (seat of then house baron, Starrin d’Cannith), and Making (home to the largest production facilities). Perhaps one of these is the forge you are looking for?

Hammer asks Blue to find out information about the Lord of Blades.

Recruiters for the Lord of Blades have been coming through the Red Hammer fairly regularly and Blue’s business partner Crucible keeps having to chase them out. But the warforged population in the Cogs of Sharn is divided between those that have a positive, or at least neutral opinion of their current circumstances in Breland, and those that have unfortunately faced the darker side of the purely organic races.
At the same time, some political warforged refugees have been sneaking into Sharn from the Mournland. A hidden movement, calling itself the Parliament of Gears, does have growing support, but any that question the methods and authoritarianism of the Lord of Blades that is exposed faces brutal public torture and then execution. Blue and Crucible have been looking for places to hide these escapees, as even in Sharn, there have been killings and the Sharn watch, not reliable at the best of times, doesn’t seem particularly interested in this internecine violence in the local warforged community.

… Join us next time for …

DDAL-EB-13 Stonefire

The party arrives in Flamekeep and meets with Jaela. She asks a lot of questions trying to figure out whether she will use her influence to try to stop Thrane from going to war with Breland and to help if there is a coalition against the Lord of Blades.

Hammer gets along well with her guardian, and gets early warning that Stonefire agents are activating! It turns out, Cardinal Torizun was a sleeper agent!

The party saves some civilians but not all in a thrilling sequence of events including a falling airship! They make their way to the Keeper’s mansion and escape through a secret tunnel. Then, rather than heading to safety, Jaela starts walking towards the port.

People are running past you towards the garrison now behind you. From up ahead in the city, flames rise and smoke billows. As you walk forwards hand in hand with the Keeper of the Flame towards the danger, people run past, but all you hear Drego is the growing sound of that rhythm... The cry of the couatl... As you reach a turn in the street, ahead of you a highly arcing stone bridge. Jaela suddenly stops, looks up at you and nods that you should go on. She slowly reaches up and holds the hand of the nearest person, Hammer, and stands still watching you advance.

As you climb the bridge from one direction, a figure comes over the peak on the other side.

“Drego d’Deneith... I challenge you to a duel. You have what I want, and have taken from me what cannot be replaced. I will kill you for Immeral, and then I will take the Oracle for the undying court.” She tosses onto the bridge a gem encrusted eyepatch.

The musical accompaniment to the cry of the couatl comes a little into focus... In addition to the rhythm you now hear the harmony or chords part of the song but cannot make out the melody...

You arrive at the Safe Harbor, to find Autumn, alive but having bled a lot.

Her skin is white and waxy... Her left side from shoulder down soaked with blood. She sits still, leaning against the wall with a tourniquet around the stump that is left of her right arm that she was unable to hold tight enough with her left arm. She’s alive... She looks at you and it must be the voice of someone in shock... She looks and says weakly, “Oh good, your all there... And now I’ve lost something so we match... But your eye is back... I really must have lost a lot of blood ”... “is this what it takes a modern gal to get a ring... If I knew sooner I’d have done it myself ... *cough*”

See “The Golden Dragon” for more information.

AGENT ACTIONS

Underfoot goes to the Dragonwood disrupt supply lines (14)

Underfoot fits right in with the kinds of people drawn to the cult and infiltrated their outer camp in a large swamp. There’s plenty of local food and water, but he intercepts some 500gp worth gold donations and gets out of there before too many people recognize him. Underfoot wants to pay Falko back the gold you gave him in the Cogs. He’s thankful for the new start in life you’ve given him and wants to be able to one day hold his head high again by paying off as many of his debts as he can.

Patty goes to sabotage (21)

Patty visits the goblins of Dragonwood and finds that they are under the thumb of the cultists. Their chief was killed and one of their number was assigned as the new leader. As a smart hobgoblin, she represented a natural threat to their ability to control the tribe. She thinks she may be able to turn the goblins against the cult, given a little more time to assert herself and undermine the new pro-cult leadership.

Meena researches Gate of Xabra and Uli (4)

Meena found out that Uli Blackthatch knows there is a spell that can be cast only by the most powerful of magic users to reach a specific point in another plane using a forked, metal rod of some value attuned to a vibrations of the particular plane of existence, while inscribing the correct sigil sequence in a circle. He thinks the Gate of Xabra can be used to create the effect of such a spell without the requirement of the "tuning fork" since it seems already attuned to many planes, but he doesn't have the sigil sequence of a place on another plane yet, even though he thinks he has figured out the activation procedure.

Bilge asks around Woodhelm (20)

The town seems a little spooked from a great uptick in the travelers passing through. Woodhelm has always had some traffic in those headed to the Twin Lakes, Gloam and Gleam that sit upstream. The lakes are both fed by streams that come from an ancient obelisk called the Eruunstone and one of the lakes helps your wishes to come true while the other twists your wishes into something awful. Desperate people have often come to try their luck.

But the woods have their dangers. Besides the river folk halfling natives and their rivals the goblins, there are also clever kobolds that make up for their small frame with mechanical traps and weapons, and they are said to serve a moonstone dragon from which the forest got its name long before the town of Woodhelm was settled.

This new uptick in traffic, was first a small group (Bilge identifies them by description as the Grim Accord) that was followed by people arriving in groups of tens or more, all heading deep into the woods and handing out pamphlets about the new movement they are a part of. As they passed through town they were also asking for donations of gold, precious feathers, furs and fish scales. Kept going on about a massive acorn or something. Bilge wonders if that means anything to you.

Also, with Bilge’s connections (and that great roll) I think one other concrete piece of information he could gather is that someone in town is actually secretly an intelligence agent of the King’s Dark Lanterns.

Blue tries to find out the whereabouts of the Lord of Blades (19)

One of the most recent Parliament of Gears refugees to sneak out of the Mournland tells her they have shifted southwards towards a feature now known now as the Glass Plateau.

… Join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: WOODHELM

The party shows up in Woodhelm, meets the locals and learns some things:

Golden acorns are material components for druids to summon beasts

The River Folk halflings (Sarai Whispermouse) feud with the goblins is long and ancient… the halflings took their idol as a prank… they like a good joke

The Toadwhelm goblins have the best knowledge of access to the Eruunstone

The Moontosser kobolds sometimes come to trade, they’ve said their master has a great horde of treasure… and it’s probably true because they are dirty thieves.

About the river is haunted by nixies … and worse … warped creatures that invade your dreams…

About the Grim Accord: they seemed to be having an internal dispute...

About the stone at the center of this forest: it is covered with texts unreadable to even magic. People say it has been there from the beginning of the world

Galleri has been court marshalled

Galleri was an orphan at the orphanage of Father Eustace … there’s another one of the orphans in town.

The ir’Kesslers own the lumber yard (specifically Resham), but no one’s been by recently. The lumber yard makes good business. There’s a warforged ranger, Snare, that manages for the ir’Kesslers. Resham offered them a living wage.

The next morning, after a tour of the Forestry Company, the party head upstream to find the River Folk halflings. They found the source of the dispute and negotiated a new state of affairs that is a win-win-win: the halflings got a great new prank, the goblin Chonka got the idol back and became a “mighty Chonka”, and the party got a goblin guide to the cultist party deep in the forest.

Upon arrival they made their way into the crowd, but at one point they were recognized and mobbed. After defeating some stronger cultists, they saw some that had been merged with dragons! …

… join us next time for …

CYRE IS NOT BEYOND SALVATION: UMP’KASH FIK

After facing down the dragonflesh aberrants, the party advanced deeper into the center of the swamp leaving cultists fleeing for their lives.

Encountering the Grim Accord, they agreed to let each other go on to other things.

Arriving at a clearing with a waterfall, they engaged a fey dragon in a game of riddles.

Finally, they confronted Ump’kash Fik. The vile altar set up at the center of the swamp offered a hint at the name of the Daughter of Khyber, inscribed in Infernal, “Ravilvost”. Fik died claiming to be merely a pawn and threatening the wrath of even higher authorities, and then his massive hydra materialized.

Making short work of the hydra… El saw in her mind’s eye the Seal of Power from the temple in Xen’drik and could almost hear Phileas saying:

On the way out, Galleri solved the riddle for the dragon and was granted an item from its horde. He also recruited Margaret Fisher as an agent.

… with the Stonefire project unraveled and the link between the Emerald Claw and the Lord of Blades coming into focus…

… and with the defeat of Ump’kash Fik and the destruction of his cult following …

our story continues in

Arc 5: ENGINES OF WAR