User blog:ATK1734/The Intrepid Tales of Brazen Storm - Volume 1: The Curse of Umbrygal, Chapters 2 & 3

Session 2: Having returned to town, Fenrir engages in a friendly romp with Tommy (in contest for his magical fortress); however, a keen eyed Dilista and Luna discover that Tommy is merely a disguise…for Cadmus! Hathonier is able to shoot the Dragonborn with an arrow and Fenrir able to wrench away his bag, but the party fails to prevent him from escaping.

Rifling through his things (Fenrir taking ownership of Cadmus’ Magically Shrinking Fortress), they find a handwritten letter to Cadmus, however, the letter is written in Abyssal, which none of the party understand.

The party decide to visit some Temples for answers; first visiting the Temple of Sarenrae, where Luna learns that the crystal she touched was, in fact, a sacrificial altar that stole away her soul when she touched it. However, wherever it is, the head of the Temple did not know.

Heading to the Temple of the Kord (Hathonier’s Patron God), the Paladin communes with the Storm Lord, where he learns that the one who now holds Luna’s soul is an ancient God whose name is no longer remembered. However, he assures his Paladin that his comrade’s soul can either be bought back or won through combat.

He inquires from his God about Cadmus’ letter, the Storm Lord reveals that Cadmus betrayed the Pieces of the Board when he slew a king (whether this was a politician or Arkaam, the Black King, Hathonier could only speculate), and that he has since been marketing Children to Mind Flayers with a cryptic instruction to: Deliver the Hearts, revealing much to the Paladin’s horror, that Cadmus is behind the disappearances of Byroden’s children. However, to his rage: he learns that Cadmus framed Arkaam and is the true mastermind behind the death of Hathonier’s son, Hayanth.

Armed with this new information, the party makes their preparations and departs for the glass waters.

Upon arrival, the party finds a macabre tree, decorated with hanged bodies; however, the bodies have strange wounds: as if their chests had exploded outwardly. Upon further investigation into a nearby, abandoned town, Luna triggered the wrath of a de Rolo machination: A Colossus!

The party defeats the creature in combat but learn that it too has been tampered with, leaving them with more questions than answers…

Session 3: As the party rested from their battle with the Colossus, they found themselves approached, peacefully (if apprehensively), by several humanoid plants. They beckon the party forward, leading them to follow. Cautious and with their weapons at the ready, the group follows. The plants lead the party into one of the destroyed buildings revealing a hall of plant figures and a corpse nailed to a throne.

Much to our adventurers terror and surprise: the corpse then spoke to them, revealing herself to be an Elven Queen named Alanis. Though the question of how begins to arise in their minds, it is Dilista who recognizes a curse.

Alanis tells them that Cadmus set the Colossi on her people, having struck a bargain with a mysterious figure known as: The Father of Machines. As her people fell, Cadmus struck her with a cursed weapon that turned her and her court into their current forms. Hathonier inquires of the Dragon Hatchlings; however, Alanis admits that she knows nothing of Dragons, but warns them that Cadmus and his army intend to march on Byroden.

Startled by the news, the party departs immediately, vowing to avenge the queen and her people, and set forth back towards Byroden, cutting down those who set upon them in an ambush.