Game-Summaries:1/11/2020 Recollections

Recollections by Iago

It is 348-1-11. I received a tip through my network, that has been much thinned to enhance our knowledge of the Eternal Army (a.k.a. Dreadhorde). I must leave for the Winterlands to receive the tip in person, there is a value of great importance there.

We teleport to The Conventicle and then quickly move onto Old Town, near Tentown. Next time, we should let Avant lead, this type of travel isn't in my nature. I only cost us 8-hours of travel time. Once we arrive we are informed that the town has been renamed to it's ancient name, Bryn Shander.

I locate an inn, North Look, that I recognize as one of the "seedier" inns and we go there to start our search. It is already 11pm, so this should be a good time to seek out my contact. After being there for a while, a hooded humanoid enters the tavern and sits alone at a table for two. I attempt to Detect Thoughts on the creature, he resists and looks at me and takes his hood off. He reveals himself...Lord Dyrr!!

As I approach Lord Dyrr, someone in a red-hooded cloak sits front of Dyrr and gives him a box. I managed to sneak a look into the box...it looks to contain a necrotic hand gripping an angular metallic object. The red-cloaked figure gets up and moves to leave (changing his cloak to black and then blue)...shortly after he leaves a carriage crashes into the inn with mundane magical items causing complete havoc. In the chaos we lose sight of Dyrr and the cloaked figure. The only information we're able to get from the barkeep is an old theatre in Tentown that might be the residence of the cloaked figure.

While Avant and Dereth head to the theatre, Ford and I look for the Thieve's Guild, which Ford discovers doesn't exist. We simply fine a very thief friendly inn instead (Geldingstag's Rest). It is much quieter than the inn we were in previously and mostly full of people eating alone. Ford goes up to the barkeep to identify who our mark is and finds out that his name is Timber Manycloaks. I Suggest to the barkeep to come to our table and tell Ford where to locate Timber Manycloaks and he does exactly that. The same tip that we received at North Look - the old theatre in Tentown.

Since Dereth had cast a telepathic bond between all of us, I knew that the barkeep there would talk with Sarya, so I disgused myself to look like her, though I should've thought more about what to talk about upon arriving. My disguise fails and I get all of us kicked out. Thankfully, Ford was elsewhere and I looked nothing like myself, so all save for Dereth were able to get back in easily enough.

There is a play that is going to start fairly late at night and as I page through the Playbill I notice that all of them have a symbol of my network on the 3rd page. Ford inspects the page more closely and is able to detect a cypher within that gives us a location of a room within the theatre. We sneak upstairs to investigate. Once there, we find an office with a small false panel which has a cavity that is about the size of the box that was given to Dyrr. I cast Legend Lore to try to understand more about the item that Dyrr has.

In dreadhorde clutches a symbol does lie
A god of death this day un-dies
A promise broken, a pact attained
The dark gods rise in the shadows of House Payne
He. Comes.

We discuss this legend as I've learned it. The dreadhorde is likely the hand that was clutching the angular metallic object, which is some symbol. Dereth says that this is likely related to some old god of death.

We decide to watch the show to see if my contact will eventually reach out to me.

The show shines it's spotlight onto me to ask me to play something as the crowd would like that. I suppose they wanted something fun, so I give them my best to really get them going. Starting slow and finishing fast I found a way to get the crowd really riled up. Many acts of public fornication were to be seen by the end. I suppose I got them all excited.

Shortly after my contact sits behind me during the show. It is Timber Manycloaks! It's clear that he thought that Dyrr was in my network. We return to the Thieve's tavern to have him meet us there. He arrives shortly after and reveals himself as Jarlaxle! The Eternal Army is now being led by another general whom is likely under the control of Nerull! This general might be part of House Payne! Jarlaxle let us know that the hand that was in the box is the hand of a lieutenant in the Eternal Army and was clutching a symbol of Nerull! This is all a lot of news to take. However, we have no time to spare and must act immediately.

Scene: Dereth in silent conversation

Dereth (in his head): Lady of the Lake, how we can stop the god of death undying this day?

Lady of the Lake (to Dereth): You cannot.

Aside, Iago: Well shit.

Dereth (to Lord Dyrr): We cannot stop the god undying, let's plan together to avoid getting in each others way. Dyrr: Your flattery does not work on me. I am Mystra's last hope. Follow your pagan gods to the end of this world. Dereth: If the Eternal Army is in opposition to Mystra, then we must act and aid. Dyrr: You know so little Dereth of no house. You don't know what sport we're playing, much less which side to choose.

Jarlaxle lets us know that the last group of the Eternal Army they found was outside of Tentown. They were all killed and the leader of that group had the object that he tried to give to us.

We decide to go to Folcom Keep so that Dereth may rally the guard and we might rest before seeking out the House of Payne, which is located within the Keep.

As soon as we arrive there we see that there is a large fire fairly close to us, which is likely the House of Payne. When we get to the house, we see that it's completely engulfed in a Cold fire. I step in and it doesn't burn, but it chills and hurts within a few seconds. I cast Dispel Magic, which seemed to have made it stronger where I cast. Casting Fireball seemed to have dissipated the fire, so we ask all the mages in the area to cast fire spells, which caused the house to explode causing massive damage all around.

We decide to Dimensional Door into the Chapel area of the house. Upon arriving we see body parts strewn all over the ground in the shape of a skull and the eyes of the skull are glowing blue. As soon as we take a step forward, a lot of blue eyes open up all along the ceiling to look at us. The Eternal Army, a.k.a. Dreadhorde, is here.

Scene: Combat

We are completely overwhelmed and unprepared for this fight. These creatures are devastating and primarily deal necrotic damage to us via spells and physical touch. Physical damage secondarily, but really that's just a side effect (a powerful one) compare to the necrotic damage they throw around.

I make myself a target by blowing up a giant fireball eliminating some of the horde and enraging the rest of them. Shortly after, Dereth's sword starts glowing, somewhat like a flame, but not quite. It's radiant to my eyes. He attempts to run at the glowing eyes of the skull and is swarmed by all the skeletons that were waiting on the ceiling for us. They mange to drag him into one of the eyes, which is a portal into the abyss. On his way in, he manages to hit it with his glowing sword, which shuts down the portal. Dereth is lost to us.

The focus turns to Avant who is also running towards an eye and is immediately brought down. Ford, who was paralyzed earlier manages to revive me via a potion and we DD out to save our souls. We are unable to reach Avant. Avant is lost to us.

Ford and I head to the Magistery to warn them. I raise my voice and alert all to the situation, including some senior members of the Magistery. Shortly thereafter, the red close the portal to Folcom Keep.

Folcom Keep is lost to the Dreadhorde. The invasion has begun in full.

Post Mission Update: Dereth was able to save himself easily by means of magic (Word of Recall). Avant however had to be Truly Resurrected. He told me something that brought tears to my eyes, he is completely unable to hear my music, or even his own music.