Tobin’s Revenge finds themselves on the long journey back to Waterdeep via Skyreach Castle. Along the way they take the time to rest and grow. Many members choose to enhance or hone their skills during this downtime. The party also partakes in an offer by the giants to help free the hoard from its icy prison for half the coin and any equipment found. The giants insist that they retain any precious stones completely. Walking away with plenty of coin and several items distributed throughout the party. On several occasions Sariel reaches out via the sending ring to check on Tethren. She learns that Rhogar had returned with Tethren in a tentative state through the sending stone. About 10 days out from Waterdeep, the Griffon Calvary pays the castle a visit. Letting the giants know that the castle must not approach closer than a three day travel and interrogating the party as to their business in Waterdeep. Arriving at the designated point, the party is allowed use of Blagothkus’ pet griffon to reach the ground given there are no other means of reaching the ground.
Spending the first two days of the trek towards Waterdeep, the party members get to know each other (particularly the newest additions) a little better. Sariel receives a message from Meramin, or ‘Mer’ as she says Tethren calls her, followed by one from Tethren himself. He claims to be on the mend and hoping to reunite in a short time. At Breakfast on their last day of travel the group is met with another ‘messenger raven’, this time from Leosin. He reports that Lady Haventree’s husband has been murdered and Haventree has used his death to call about a council to deal with the cult of the dragon at the highest levels. He informs them that both Lady Haventree and Lord Neverember have requested their presence at a council meeting in several days’ time. Making their way through the farmland of the Undercliff, the party is distracted when Fionne and Sariel bolt into a nearby field.
Fionne, chasing after a cat that she swears is Samson, and a pursuing Sariel stumble upon a small halfling child holding the cat. Sariel quickly notices that the child bears an uncanny twinlike resemblance to Fionne. Fionne quickly questions the child about the cat whom she is now determined is her Samson. The child pointedly shows them that the cat is a girl and named Delilah. As the rest of the party approaches, a voice calls out from the front door of the homestead calling for ‘Apple’. The woman stops cold in her tracks as she locks eyes with Fionne and calls out for her husband Lyle. White as ghosts the couple invites the group in for some tea. Trying to understand the connection between Callie, Lyle, and Apple Heartlight and now extremely quiet Fionne, the party begins to ask a plethora of questions. According to Callie and Lyle, they had to give up Fionne 16 years ago after losing their farm and not being able to care for her. Not understanding the full extent of the contract they made to give their daughter a better life, the Heartlights feared the worst when they stopped receiving updates on Fionne two years later. As fortune later showed on them, they began to rebuild their lives. It was a recent contact by one Mr. Goodbarrel that brought them hope as he inquired about Fionne and his lost gnomish friend maybe seen with her in the Field Ward. Fionne admits to placing Roscoe, Mr. Goodbarrel’s good name, on a note in the wall for her guild to maybe investigate for Seebo. Fionne, also learning that Samson is truly gone after living a good rest of his life, leaves quietly. She does not know how to exactly begin to process this ‘found’ self.
The party continues on into the city and takes rest in Trollskull Manor. Starting to build a name for itself, the party is reluctantly reunited with Volo and introduced to the staff (two humans, Tom and Mary, and a dwarf, Jewel) of the tavern. They are informed that the upstairs has been left unoccupied as their private quarters. They spend their couple of free days exploring the local area of Trollskull Alley, and do a little shopping with their new found wealth. On the morning of the meeting, the party gets an early start towards the Lord’s Palace. On the way they experience an odd feeling like that of the drop in pressure before a massive storm while all sounds, both city and nature, cease for several moments. It seems that everyone around has experienced the same thing. On arrival at the Lord’s Palace they are quickly admitted and find Leosin with little effort. He explains that the sound of the Draakhorn has put everyone further on edge. He then promptly escorts them to the council chamber doors before stepping aside, regretfully stating that he has not been asked to attend.
Inside the chambers the party catches the tail end of Lady Haventree’s plea to directly confront and stop the dealings of the cult. Seeing her guests entering, she promptly turns the meeting’s attention onto the members of Tobin’s Revenge to provide more color of the cult’s activities. Through interruptions and questioning, the party is able to give a fairly precise synopsis of their journey thus far. The various members of the council, including those known by the group (Lord Neverember, Lady Haventree, and Ontharr Frume) argue throughout. Most displeased is Ambassador Brawnanvil, representing the great dwarven strongholds of the North, over the cloud giant retaining control of the sky castle. He sees it as a threat to his people and a loss of a valuable asset to the council’s efforts. He is in the minority though given the party’s report that Blagothkus is returning home to attempt to rally the other giants. The party’s report on the involvement of the Thayans is met with surprise and displeasure. The party particularly notices Lord Neverember’s silent consultation with two cloaked figures behind him on the topic.
As the council members begin to deliberate, essentially turning them into tolerated spectators, an all-present voice communicates with Sariel. Calling her the ‘fey friend’, she quickly deduces that it is Rhogar speaking to her. Seeking a meeting with her and her friends they settle on Trollskull Manor at sunset this same day. The deliberations begin to wind down with most of the council members not convinced to commit the full power of the Lords’ Alliance. In their hesitation they are able to agree on two courses of action to better understand Lady Haventree’s claims against the cult. One, discover more about the Draakhorn (explained to be a mythical device used by the Cult of the Dragon to call the dragons of the realm into action) and potentially stop it from being used. The second, based on information gathered by the Harpers, is to seek out and stop the cult’s White Wyrmspeaker Varram (a name known to the group in relation to Talis). In order to facilitate the efforts of Tobin’s Revenge, Lord Neverember suspends the issued edict against them, and the council as a whole deputizes them with emergency investigational powers.
The party is led out of the chamber by Lady Haventree and quickly joined by Leosin. Concurrent to Fionne’s attempt to ‘investigate’ Lady Haventree over her husband’s death, the pair congratulate the group on their accomplishments thus far and quietly inform Sariel that she has been raised in the Harper’s ranks to that of a Harpshadow. It doesn’t take long for Fionne to ‘chase off’ Lady Haventree by her questioning, but she is quickly replaced by the boisterous Frume. Frume also congratulates the party, though focusing heavily on Lucius, and announces his elevation to Marcheon within the Order. With one last look of pride towards Lucius, he finally gives attention to the party as a whole and introduces the gentleman with him from a supporting group. He felt that a little help wouldn’t hurt hearing about the losses suffered and knowing what they were about to set out to do. Without offering a name, the gentleman ostentatiously introduces himself as a devout healer and fighter for Amaunator. From a family of wealth and life long devotion to his temple, he ‘humbly’ offers his services. Only after being asked does he offer his good name, the ‘Sir Reverend Father Divad’ requesting the full use every time.
As the Sir Reverend Father finishes his introduction, Sariel notices the falling sun and polymorphing into a horse takes off to the north. Taking various modes of transport (both self magic’ed and public) the rest of the party follows. Upon reaching Trollskull manor, Sariel, quickly followed by Oogway and Dennis, finds the tavern to be vacated by all but two figures. The staff stands nervously by the bar hesitant to interact with the strangers. As the first three join the figures waiting at the center table and the remainder of the party slowly filters in, the two visitors are easily identified by their cloaks as the ones Lord Neverember was consulting during the council meeting. Removing their hoods after all have settled in, the group is presented with a dragonborn of large stature and ominous presence and a halfling in heavy armor. Both easily identified by race but of strange lineages and features never before encountered by any members of Tobin’s Revenge. The darkened scrolling and markings on the halfling’s armor are also foreign to all. The dragonborn finally speaks (in the voice Sariel heard during the meeting) and introduces himself as Rhogar mentions how pleased he is to finally be meeting those he’s heard so much about. The halfling nervously just says ‘hi’, but Sariel quickly recognizes the timid voice from the other side of the sending ring during Tethren’s absence. Pleasantries are exchanged and some explanations made, particularly that they can’t be involved in the affairs of the realm unless the most dire circumstances arise. Rhogar confirms he knows Sildar and the help in Phandalin was provided as a favor to him. As talks continue, Rhogar grows unexpectedly agitated with Belgwyn, egging her into a verbal confrontation over the use of her despicable sword.
Not backing down, Rhogar pushes Belgwyn physically and verbally until she gives into an altercation. The party quickly gauges that Belgwyn is outclassed in this one sided fight and attempts to assist their companion. Mer rolls her eyes in response to the outbreak of the fight, and a quick message from Sariel to Tethren is only acknowledged with the word ‘barbarians’. Magical aid from Sariel and Oogway are dissipated as they make their attempts. Other means of assistance are quickly turned away as a small birdlike reptilian creature jumps onto the table and holds those around at bay. Meramin shifts from annoyance to worry at seeing Rhogar’s apparent lack of control over the punishment being dealt to the poor dwarf. The back and forth continues for a few seconds more until Belgwyn takes a massive blow, knocking her to one knee. Rhogar, in his blind frenzy, starts to draw a darkening misty breath as he towers over the barely standing dwarf. Meramin finally springs to action yelling ‘That’s enough! Syl!’
A bolt of blue light flashes from the corner of the tavern nearest to the door, hitting Rhogar with an electric like rippling over his body before he disappears. He quickly appears in the same corner of the tavern next to another hooded figure. As he falls out of his rage he watches Belgwyn being helped up off the floor by Meramin. Belgwyn feels a warmth flow from Meramin and pass throughout her body as the pain of the fight fades to nothing. Rhogar snorts, the final wisps of smoke subsiding from his nostrils, and storms outside. The third figure removes her cloak’s hood, revealing a female human in her late 20s to early 30s. She leans on an elegant longbow and smiles at Belgwyn and Sariel. ‘Just as I remember you all.’ After a small hesitation, ‘I should probably go check on him. Come on Creep,’ she says followed by a small whistle. The creature on the table quickly scampers to between her legs as, now recognized by Belgwyn and Sariel by her voice, Sylla Viveron walks out the tavern door just as quickly as she appeared.
Taking stock of their battered friend, the confused members are startled one last time as a fourth and final figure has silently taken a spot at the end of the table. ‘That was something,’ said from under the hood. Sariel and Belgwyn stare in disbelief while the rest of the party is still attempting to understand what is going on and what else is going to materialize in their tavern. Two branches of deerlike antlers manifest like ethereal flames as the hood is pulled back. Eyes no longer pure black but phasing between red and orange under an ominous black cloudiness. Light blue skin oddly textured at the base of the neck. ‘We have a lot to talk about I think,’ states their old companion Tethren Torment with a smirk.
Session Date – 5 September 2025
Roster
- Belgwyn
- Sariel
- Oogway
- Fionne ‘The Ankle Biter’
- Lucius
- Dennis Johnson
- Hupp
- Sir Reverend Father Divad