The heroes take flight in a newly acquired airship and head for Waterdeep, but they are challenged by a green dragon for mastery of the vessel. After narrowly defeating the creature, they safely arrive in the city and set out to perform various quests.
Player Characters: Adrik, Gregory, Kane, Namyr, Sister Mary, Strong Palm Ian, Tarancha
At the funeral for Naxene Drathkala and Oren Yogilvy, Adrik sang a sorrowful dirge for his departed friend. Shortly thereafter, the heroes christened their newfound airship the Red Zeppelin. Taking to the sky, they named themselves the Albatross Company and charted a course to Waterdeep.
Zi Liang had thanked Strong Palm Ian and his friends for their bravery in the Battle of Goldenfields. She gave Ian a black pearl pendant and told him to give it to the head butler of House Thann in Waterdeep, where he would give them a gift in exchange.
Upon hearing that the heroes were headed to the city, Miros had asked Sister Mary to give his regards to an old friend named Arleosa Starhenge who was an innkeeper in Amphail, a town not far from Waterdeep.
On the way to the city, the heroes avoided the perils of the road, but they soon learned that the skies held dangers as well. For a dark wind heralded the arrival of a young green dragon.
2.
The dragon was a spawn of Claugiyliamatar, an ancient green dragon. She had set out to make her mark upon the world by starting her own horde.
The young dragon coveted the airship but saw that it was crawling with adventurers. In an effort to fumigate her newfound treasure, she swooped up from the port side of the vessel and breathed a cone of poisonous gas. Gregory merely coughed, his dwarven resilience protecting from the noxious cloud. But Sister Mary and Namyr both succumbed to the poison and collapsed on the deck.
The dragon was dismayed to see that several adventurers were still standing. One of them even attempted to parley with her and, perhaps, seduce her with his fiendish charms. She briefly stayed her attack and demanded that the heroes hand over the vessel or meet a gruesome death.
“I am a scion of Claugiyliamatar the ancient wyrm of the North. Bequeath to me this vessel and I shall consider letting you live. Refuse, and I will devour your flesh and gnaw upon your bones!”
The heroes were of no mind to relinquish their airship. The heroes used the brief pause in the battle to heal their wounded and launched a full frontal attack!
Adrik manned the harpoon at the bow. Gregory and Namyr took aim with his crossbow. Kane and Sister Mary launched a volley of spells. Tarancha threw her twin javelins with all her might. And Strong Palm Ian leaped into the air with his sword and fist.
The dragon was caught off guard by the fierce reprisal. She was struck by bolts and javelins, burned by fiery magic, and pierced by a harpoon. As she clawed at the harpoon, she realized that she had gotten in over her head and began to withdraw. But the half orc monk that had leaped into the air had struck a pressure point connected to her wings, paralyzing her. As the dragon began to plummet, a final bolt from Namyr’s crossbow pierced the wyrm’s eye, spelling her doom.
3.
After arriving safely in Waterdeep, Strong Palm Ian went in search of House Thann. Having heard that the Thanns of Waterdeep were famous vintners, Gregory and Adrik went with him in the hopes of sampling their fine wines. The three companions found the Thann estate on the outskirts of the city. It was a large, stately mansion on a high hill, overlooking the countryside. Just outside the city, the vineyards of the Thann family extended for miles. If the harvests of Goldenfields provided supper for the city, then the grapes of House Thann provided the drink to go with it.
The head butler of House Thann was a longtime servant of the family. He greeted Strong Palm Ian and his friends with great courtesy, but he was elderly and forgetful. However, he remembered with perfect clarity that Zi Liang’s family were allies of House Thann.
When the heroes presented the black pendant, the Butler understood it to mean that Zi Liang had bequeathed her inheritance to these adventurers. He spent the next three days scouring the attic of the mansion for a chest that helded Zi Liang’s inheritance. The heroes spent that time sipping the wine that the Butler had set out for them, a rather mediocre vintage labelled Purple Grapemash No. 18.
Meanwhile, Captain Mo plotted a course for Amphail so that Sister Mary could call on Miros’ friend Arleosa. With Sister Mary went Kane, Tarancha and Namyr. Kane wanted to keep Sister Mary safe and took it upon himself to serve as her bodyguard. Tarancha simply wanted some R&R in a countryside tavern, away from the big city.
Namyr recalled that the town of Rassalantar, on the way to Amphail, was home to a dwarf named Yondral Horn who was a member of the Black Network. In truth, Namyr was on a mission to track down a slippery, never-say-die drow named Draac Xorlarrin. He believed that Yondral Horn had information that could aid him in his search. Hoping to meet the dwarf, he convinced his companions to make a stop at Rassalantar on their way to Amphail.
Rassalantar was an unremarkable village with a small tavern called the Sleeping Dragon and the ruins of an old keep. But when the heroes passed by the fields next to the town, they were startled to see a large crater with a dead green dragon inside.
Tarancha was still more startled to meet Vajra Blackstaff in the town. The Blackstaff had used a nearby teleportation circle to arrive here after hearing that a dragon had fallen from the sky. She was not pleased to learn of Tarancha’s involvement in this incident. For the dragon that was slain was a spawn of Claugiyliamatar, an ancient green dragon nicknamed the Old Gnawbone who possessed a large collection of crystal balls. When Claugiyliamatar discovers that her spawn had been skewered by adventurers, she would not be pleased. The Blackstaff advised Tarancha and her friends to hasten from this place and keep a low profile.
While Tarancha spoke with the Blackstaff, Namyr had found the dwarf Yondral Horn in the crowd. Reminding him of a debt to Namyr’s master, the drow convinced the dwarf to reveal what he knew about the whereabouts of his target, Draac Xorlarrin.
“So, is it revenge you seek? Or perhaps retribution for a slight against your own house by the Xorlarrin clan? No matter, it is probably better that I do not know. Draac Xorlarrin is headed to the dwarven citadel of Gauntlgrym. I believe your people had been squatting in those halls until they were ousted by our brethren led by Bruenor Battlehammer. Go to Gauntlgrym if you wish to find the dark elf that you seek.”
Soon after, the heroes hastened from the scene, even as the villagers began to change the sign of the local tavern from the Sleeping Dragon to the Skewered Dragon.
It was evening when the heroes arrived at last in Amphail. The quiet countryside town seemed to be gearing up for a festival. The party visited the local tavern, a small but well furnished locale that would not be out of place in one of the upscale neighborhoods of Waterdeep. In fact, Sister Mary recalled that several noble families from Waterdeep lived in Amphail. She dreaded the possibility that someone from her past might recognize her as Marie Moonstar.
Mary met the local innkeeper, a kindly old woman named Arleosa, and gave her news from Goldenfields. The woman thanked her and gave her a ring in gratitude for taking the trouble to bring her this message.
Soon after their conversation had ended, Mary’s fear was realized. Several haughty and bombastic gentlemen strutted into the tavern. One of them recognized Sister Mary. He was lord Tylandar Roaringhorn, an old acquaintance of Mary’s father.
“Marie? Is that Marie Moonstar? Why, how have you been? Don’t you remember me? It’s Uncle Tylandar! It has been ages since you left Waterdeep after that sordid scandal, if I recall correctly. Terrible business about your mother. My condolences still. But look how you’ve grown!”
Mary looked around for someone to rescue her, but Namyr was nowhere to be seen, Tarancha was quietly snoring after several pints of beer, and Kane was regaling another local gentleman with tales of how he had recently slain a dragon.
Mary, having no other recourse, interrupted Lord Roaringhorn just as he was inviting her to attend his birthday banquet on the following day.
“I’m sorry, umm, Uncle Tylandar. But my companions and I are on a special mission from the Blackstaff. We must be going.”
After hearing that Mary was an agent of the Blackstaff, Lord Roarington cut the conversation short himself.
Elsewhere in the tavern, Kane had begun to drawn unwanted attention to himself. In an effort to convince his listeners that he really did kill a dragon, he summoned a magical sword and a ball of flame in his hand. The other taverngoers began to rise up in fear, and several of them drew their swords, intent on apprehending the warlock.
Were it not for the intervention of the Blackstaff, who had been keeping a closer eye on Tarancha and her party, the scene might have turned violent. As it were, all the taverngoers save for the adventurers froze in mid motion, as if they had been paralyzed or time simply ceased for them.
Tarancha felt a familiar migrane and heard her boss’s voice in her mind.
“If you are quite finished, get out of there. Report to me at once.”
4.
By the time Sister Mary and her friends returned to Waterdeep and reunited with the others, the head butler had found what he was looking for. It was a large wooden chest that contained an weathered map.
“This is an old map that Zi Liang’s father received as a gift” the Butler explained. “I am most certain that it is a treasure map. X marks the spot!”
“But there are a lot of Xs on this map,” said Strong Palm Ian curiously.
The heroes recognized major cities and landmarks, but the numerous locations marked by Xs were a riddle to them. Flint Rock, Raven Rock, Morgur’s Mound… What did these cryptic names mean?
Adrik recognized at least one of the names. Morgur was the name of an ancient hero who had fought giants.
“That’s right,” said Tarancha. “He was the brother of Uthgardt. Morgur’s Mound is his grave.”
“Tarancha, do you know what this map is showing?”
“Yes,” the orc barbarian replied. For the first time since they had met, Tarancha seemed deeply troubled.
“These Xs mark the locations of Uthgardt ancestral mounds. The mounds are sacred to the Uthgardt Tribe. This place, Flint Rock, belongs to the Elk Tribe. Raven Rock is shared by the Black Raven Tribe and my own adoptive people, the Gray Wolf Tribe.”
“What is buried in these mounds?”
“The relics of giantkind,” said Tarancha. “They are trophies won from the foes defeated by the Uthgardt ancestors.”
“Perhaps we are meant to find these relics first, to prevent their plunder by ambitious giants.”
“You are welcome to pillage the holy sites of my enemies, but do not touch the sacred mounds of the Gray Wolf Tribe, or you will face my wrath.”
The decision was made. The Albatross company headed to Flint Rock, the uthgardt mound of the Elk Tribe.
5.
The Red Zeppelin encountered strong winds that pushed the airship north, bringing the party to Flint Rock in just four days. The heroes found a tall cliff of rock with several menhirs around a large slab of stone. The site seemed to be abandoned but for a mated pair of elks that watched the adventurers curiously.
Sister Mary detected a faint magical presence beneath the stone slab. The seven companions pushed altogether upon the immense slab. Incredibly, the slab was pushed aside! Beneath it, the heroes found a giant spear head. It was 5 feet long and made entirely of mithral!
The heroes debated what to do with this wondrous relic.
“We should use it to make a mighty harpoon that can slay dragons and giants alike!”
“Where would we find a smith with the skill to craft such a weapon?”
“The dwarves of Gauntlgrym surely have smiths among them who could make such a thing.”
However, Tarancha was loathe to set foot in the realm of dwarves who hated her people. She parted ways with the company for a brief while to pursue her own mission elsewhere.
Gregory also left the company for a time. Although he much desired to see the fabled halls of Gauntlgrym, he felt in his heart that he was needed at his hometown. Setting off alone, he headed north to defend his home against the depredations of giants.
Meanwhile, Captain Mo plotted a new course and the remainder of the company headed to the dwarven citadel of Gauntlgrym.
6.
Along the way, they picked up a band of travelers from the town of Triboar. They were also seeking the dwarven citadel, but they had lost their way on the road. The adventurers assured their new passengers of the safety and efficacy of their vessel.
“Fear not! The Albatross Company will deliver you to your destination.”
But this time, the Red Zeppelin encountered more than mere winds. The airship experienced turbulence far worse than anything the heroes had felt thus far. Soon they saw that the source of the violent wind was an air elemental summoned by a group of aaracokras.
Sister Mary tried to reason with them, but to little avail. When the aaracokras saw the crew aboard the airship, they readied their spears. The heroes hardly had time to wonder what might have enraged the otherwise peacefup winged folk before they began to dive like birds of prey.
To be continued…
Adventure Name
Storm King’s Thunder
Chapter 2. Rumblings
Session #4
Rewards
4 Achievement Points
4 Treasure Points
10 Downtime Days
1 Renown
Level-Up Gold
Level gained: 2nd-4th – 75 gp
Level gained: 5th-10th – 150 gp