18 July 2014

D&D 5E: Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle: Session Two (16 July 2014)

~From the private journal of Belgareth of Waterdeep~

(translated from the Infernal)



Mounted on horses from the town, we set out for Cromm's Hold. Shortly after leaving Daggerford, we came across a hooded, dusky-skinned being of some undetermined type who spoke in commanding stentorian tones. Probably a cleric of some sort as he said that it was fated for him to travel with us or somesuch other nonsense. We continued onward and, after a couple of hours in the drizzling mist, we arrived that the keep.



Apparently there had been more than a dragon involved. There were dead lizardmen piled around the ramparts and some even within the keep. A stern-faced woman that we would learn to be Baroness Wynn, was barking orders at the soldiers and restoring some little order to the aftermath of the attack. One of her underofficers had been poisoned and the place was stirring like an anthill after a child pokes a stick in it. The dragon called off its attack in exchange for a ransom--Lord Floshin's family altar?!! Odd, this; why is the connection between the elf and the dragon? After the dragon left, the lizardmen attacked from the marsh.



We spent the afternoon searching for clues--with the exception of the knight Corrwynn who inexplicably volunteered for burial detail. Apparently the lizardmen are infected with some mind-rotting plague that makes them even more bestial and violent than is their common want. I can make nothing of the symbols on the altar as described by the baroness, although I must say that clouds and lightning seem like odd iconography for an Elvish altar. We spent the night at the keep and set out for the appropriately named Lizard Marsh.

Incidentally, we also picked up a trio of militia for our foray. There's an elf ranger, a halfling archer, and a battle-scarred female veteran. the woman is our guide and supposed knows the marsh like the back of her hand. I just hope she knows how to treat leeches. As we meandered through the marsh, we were attacked by a pair of maddened lizardmen who we quickly dispatched with little effort. I think the dragon-elf was attempting to parley with them as she was shouting in Common about being their god. I actually put one to sleep and he slipped into the water and drowned. Apparently, lizardmen cannot breathe underwater while asleep; who knew?


As we meandered through the bayou we came across an upside down ship! Apparently a typhoon or hurricane sent it inland and capsized it where it has remained to this day. I would have loved to have stayed and explored it for a bit, but the rest of the party , especially our insolent guide, were in a hurry to get...somewhere in this gods-forsaken wilderness. Oh, and did I mention that there were frogs, giant frogs? I shall have to reevaluate the prowess of the knight as he was almost eaten by one!


As night feel we finally arrived at our apparent destination. However there was a fire ahead. To make a long story short, suspected treachery on the part of the guide, we sent the Hobbit ahead to scout and he returned with a report of orcs, half-orcs, and a stolen dragon egg! We had meanwhile discovered that tour guide was actually the Elflord Floshin in a magical disguise! He wanted to parley with the beasts to gain the egg as a bargaining chip. Of course, negotiations did not go smoothly....

{At this point, gentle reader, your eyelids droop and you fall into a light sleep.}

[End of the night's session}

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