Session Four

• Erisorn heard a grinding sound behind the wall on last shift of night watch
• Then everyone wakes up in the room at the foot of the stairs
  • Draifen was a bit drained; suspicion leapt to the new 13 headed vase
• (Up to preserve the books? Or was that later?)
• We packed up and headed up the stairs to Black Dragon room
  • He wasn't there; the fire was burned out, no one home
  • We go through the secret door and head down the stairs, ready for an ambush
    • There are foot steps leading down the dusty stairs
  • We come upon a burial complex room
    • We skip the effigies, find a secret door to the room beyond
• The room is alive! But the people inside aren't, not really...
  • Wake first guy by smacking wall w/ shock sword
    • Room appears sympathetically connected to hibernating people
  • Long chat with first guy to wake: he was a "Royal Mage" from the portal mage era
    • He was also evil and tried to mentally hitch a ride
    • He told us that 7 mages are required to get into the library above
    • Tales of division among their ranks makes them sound less than noble
  • Erisorn decided that their trying to evade death would piss off Kelmvor, so he took matters into his own hands
    • Death to the talker
    • Which resulted in a banshee wail that drove Kogor and Draifen from the room
    • Leaving Erisorn and Ludwig to crack open the other caskets and end the unlife of the others
    • Plus extensive loot, as they were powerful men in their own right
• Finished, we regroup, explore the dead end, then head up the stairs to Black Dragon's room
  • ?? Back down to the basement?
  • Then up the stairs, to try to figure out if the library's protections are already broken...
• END SESSION FOUR

Session Five

• We debate resting, to recoup our strength, but decide that it's not necessary for the library
  • So we go up the stairs and find the proper level
  • Some exploration: there's a pit trap that we skirt.
  • There's a cave in the back and a magically concealed door
    • Kogor heads into the cave and scouts
    • The rest of the group approaches, while Erisorn keeps an eye on the stairway behind us
  • We see daylight coming into the cave... and hear the beating of wings
    • It's a pair of black dragons! One is familiar... is the other his mate?
    • Big black dragon is our "friend"
      • We banter with him, but it's clear he's looking for a snack
      • He sicks his "date" on us, we retaliate massively
    • Fight; Ludwig holds off big black solo, while Kogor takes on the female, with artillery support and buffing from Draifen and Erisorn
      • Erisorn's elementals help distract the dragons slightly
      • Kogor, already weakened earlier that day, is killed by the female
    • Who expires on the next blow dealt...
      • Erisorn dashes into danger and heals Ludwig
      • While Draifen protects them with a Fire Shield
    • Ludwig smashes big black, who teeters on the edge of life...
      • But dies as his tail swipes a fire shielded elemental
  • Victorious, they debate resurrection, but realize that they don't have the right tools on hand.
    • They hear goblins pass and decide to explore the level above
    • They soon realize that Kogor's trap finding would be awfully handy for exploring those tunnels
    • They stuff Kogor in a bag of holding, gather the few items the dragons had, and teleport back to town
  • The arrive in Erisorn's temple
    • They present the heads of their two dragons to the temple
    • They cough up gold and platinum to get Kogor restored to them
    • He returns from the dead, a bit weakened...
• END SESSION. Characters level to 15.

Session Six

• We're in the temple, where Kogor has just been raised from the dead.
  • He adds his donation to the other gifts in thanks
  • He then heads into Kelmvor's sanctum and quietly thanks Kelmvor.
  • Once that's all taken care of, we set out for the coronation
    • The coronation? Yeah, a King has been picked.
      • By unfair means, we all suspect
    • We watch the speech. The king is Stanis, the former king's cousin.
      • Ludwig catches sight of a Red Wizard in the room behind the balcony.
      • Stanis is mildly enchanted w/ charisma enhancers, but doesn't seem to be evil or suffering from mind control.
      • Erisorn notices several powerful evil and magical auras through the curtain as the King returns through the curtain.
    • We're joined by Steel Dragon mid speech.
  • When the speech is done, we head to an inn for a private talk.
    • Just as we're getting relaxed and ready to speak, a runner comes from the guild.
    • Scuttlebutt says that Kostrick, Maerbourne, and Jendra were the council's votes for Stannis.
      • Which doesn't make much sense, given Jendra's opposition...
    • We follow the guild runner and have a private talk w/ the Captain.
      • Draifen shows off with her Secure Shelter.
      • The Captain's unhappy with the situation, wants us to represent the guild at the coronation two days hence.
      • We agree, and hint that there may be some investigating before then.
  • We're dismissed. We return to the Steel Dragon and share our concerns.
  • We split up
    • Erisorn teleports north to Jendra's castle.
      • The Viscount is away, negotiating with the elves. His oldest son is holding the castle. (He's surprised at the vote, since he should have cast his family's vote!)
    • Draifen goes to Jendra and gets the run around from the butler.
      • She blinks through the house and notices extensive dust...
      • She also notices the butler reporting in... to someone who isn't in the room
    • Ludwig goes to Yurlada and arranges a meeting with their representative over the butler's objection.
      • After some hinting, it's clear that Jendra was the family the voted very against type.
      • Kogor talks with Lorens and doesn't learn a whole bunch new.
  • Erisorn teleports back with Jendra's son.
  • We regroup and plan.
  • The Dragon's Talons hit the Jendra house from both ends.
    • We pursue and catch the butler just before he makes it to the stables. (Via his hidden passage.)
    • The butler's no normal butler-- caustic blood flows from his pores. (Chaosian anyone?)
    • Stabby stabby and he's soon knocked out by Kogor's sap.
  • We head back to the butler's room and look for clues.
    • Someone checks in (via the mirror), but we don't know the password, tipping them off. They shut down the conversation.
• General planning: do we want to infiltrate the castle? Some discussion about crowning the guy elected king vs. the crowned king. We know it's bad PR either way...

Post Session 6 Planning

• Couple of ideas to think about...first Kogor (and Draifen?) use disguise and pop in at various inn's, meeting halls etc to spread the word that the whole thing is a fraud, get rumors running rampant about Thayans/Chaosians and the Kostrick and Maebourne are up to no good. Not standing on a soap box yelling it but just joining the conversations and 'I heard ....' While appearing as just normal towns folk, NOT recognizable as themselves.
  • Meanwhile I'll be spending some time in the Temple of Kelmevor, scrying for the elder Jendra, and for the other head of house...Yurlada I think, try to get them all teleported back to the capital in time.
  • From there, I'm not sure if a stealth strike into the castle to try to kill the Thayans and Chaosians before the coronation, or just walking in in force just before the coronation and denounce it for the fraud that it is. I'm thinking the Dragons Talons walking in with the heads of three households and their council reps saying "we never voted for this" might throw a kink into the plans.... but it really puts us on the spot, have to be ready for a knockdown drag out fight if they resist. --- Kev

• That sounds pretty good so far; I'd add that Ludwig makes an excellent bodyguard / diplomat to the various heads of household that Erisorn rustles up. (Starting with the Jendra we've already got.)
  • I particularly like the "go out as not the dragon's talons" and spread rumors plan. I don't think it's going to do a whole bunch before the fight, but it might help set expectations for the derailed coronation.
  • I also like the "walk in with the three heads of household" part of the plan. I fully expect things to go crazy if we do...
  • Do we want to investigate the castle before hand? I'm guessing we'll need to sneak the three heads of household in-- otherwise they might be killed at the front gate as impostors. (Though, alternately, we could have the confrontation on the doorstep, which prevents us from being completely inside the Castle and under the false king's power when they announce the lie.) -- Scott