#56 - River Voyage

As told by Magnus of the Island of Seren.

Like an airship, but on the water. Simpler, too, the elemental power of this gnomish boat was nowhere to be seen, but neither oar nor sail was in sight either. Only a steady hum beneath it. We got on board finally. Cypher wanted one last look at the markets to see if there was anything for any of his empty pouches. I reminded him that we had been days in town with plenty of time to browse. I was really ready to get out of the city and breathe some clean air.

The two Stormwalkers walked up toward the gangplank. We said a small hello and Eshka gave me a gift she had made of the purple worm tail barb, the one that holed my armor. Now its length had been oven and fused with a wooden club, sharpened on the narrow end like a stake. She said I could study it to bond with its power, that it would protect against all forms of poison. It could even absorb, once each day, venom delivered by injection, then store it for my own use. Knowing that the green dragon breathed poison the way a red blows flame, I was happy to have the gift. Indeed, its name in the language of this land would be translated as "poison-shield," or more correctly, "shield against the breath of the green wyrm."

We agree to meet in Wroat, the capital of this kingdom, in a few days and to continue searching for a path to a cure for Seren. They suggested that if I happen to see any dragons, I should ask about the fate of Seren and the dragons we know by name. I took the idea, I would not have thought of that.  How are they so informed about our secret mission?  I know only that fate guides me.

After a little chatter we got on board and the trip was easy, fast and safe. The cabins had decent bunks, too. Not many bugs and quiet on the river. I slept the dragon sleep every night. Also, the food was plentiful. I think I will get fat as I get older. Sleeping in leaves and eating dried meat is no way to live.

On the trip we passed a great old castle and heard some tales. Glyphstone, it is called? Anyway, it was older than this "Last War" even, older than all the human nations on this continent, but now it was a ruin. We'll probably see it on the way back too. The story the chatty gnome captain told of it involved angels who once led great armies from one of these Khorvairian nations. The land of Thrane serves a force called the Silver Flame which is like, yet not like, a god. It sounds more like a misunderstanding of the collective might of dragonkind, or maybe a great silver wyrm was its founder. Well, after these angels' time in the war, there is now a legend told that one of them did not return to the heavens but went into Glyphstone Keep instead and never came back out. This land is full of stories. 

Cypher spent time learning about my new purple worm club and he explained its use to me better.  I spend time becoming attuned to it. I am ready to use it.

We also heard an interesting version of an old shaman’s parable about what dragons thought of the humanoid races when we showed up ages ago. It is a tale that also shows what each dragon is like, how each color is different from the others. These mainlanders need to study up on their dragon lore, though; they get a lot wrong and maybe even oversimplify things. Here is the mainland version:

Metallic dragons

Dragon Parable

Long ago, ten children of Eberron gathered on a beach beneath the Sentinel Moon, there to discuss the fate of mortals.

Red and Gold agreed: "These lesser, softskin creatures are meant to be serve, be commanded, or kept aloof. Those who defy us or lack respect declare themselves unfit and become food."

Green disagreed. "Mortals should be manipulated, for their wits are dim. We need not roar, but merely whisper, to command them, and they will think their ideas are their own. We will reap the rewards, as our mother intended."

Copper concurred, to a point. "Men are for sport, for recreation if not for food. Befriend them or trick them as you will. Or let them walk where they please as long as it isn’t our lairs. Slaughter is needless. Interaction is useful."

"Leave them alone," White said. "But freeze them if they leave us not alone."

"Melt them," Black rejoined. "Whenever it pleases, for they are beneath us. We are Eberron's children, they are her castoff toys. Dissolve their forms so she can remake them."

Then another spoke. "The world would be enriched by gathering the dreams of mortals and dragons alike.” Silver was concerned always with dreams. "Slay only those who would slay in turn."

Chromatic dragons

Brass joined in. "Men have words to share and ears to hear. Dissemination is for demons, not mortals. Their lives are brief enough, let them burn brightly before."

“Yes,” Red said again. "Let them burn.”

"I would hear them as well," Gold added, swayed by Brass’s words. And that is where Red and Gold did not agreed.

"Mortals live but a moment," Blue said, seldom speaking. "Let them be industrious, to craft treasures and gift them to us. It is surely our mother's design."

Bronze, who had been silent, raised his wings. "I would hear more about them first. What do they think is their destiny?" 


The rest of the voyage was easy. Rendar started up a card game involving dragons. It was quaint but was no real test of skill and strength. Clarion wanted to play a different sort of strategy game; he spent a lot of time carving wooden pieces, too. I even managed to engage the pseudodragon, Matheu, when he wasn't invisible. He likes to listen, not so much talk. He is a curious one.

We also spoke about battle strategies, as a company. And I realized, strangely, for the first time, that I truly was more powerful in the company of these new friends. They were nothing like my kin and my tribesman, and maybe we were not equal to a true warband of Firebrings, but we are a force to be reckoned with. As they say back home, our hoard is more than the sum of its coins, and I am greater with them than I am alone.

It was on the third day that the captain told us that we were getting close to the town at the mouth of the river. Woodhelm. Suddenly, everyone remembered that they forgot to really listen as to where the map started, the one Three had given us. I had something about the first sight of town, but not much else. Luckily Mattheu reminded us about a wyvern skull in the thickets on the west side of the river.

That evening, we saw the lights of town and soon spied the skull—and Matheu perched nearby—as predicted. A gnome rowed us to shore and dropped us off. I was so happy to be in the trees, small as they were. It had been a while since I’d really been out in the woods, I am looking forward to an above ground adventure and I am very curious about seeing a green dragon. I could hardly sleep in the nook I found in the branches.

In the morning, Clarion and Cypher put their heads together over the map and made a plan. Cypher and he would each mark the trail with the map, Cypher was to use spells to help his efforts. I was going to dribble hunter’s markings on the trail as we passed, to allow us a way out if we got lost. On the first night, some wolves stalked us. We didn’t get lost, and the wolves soon ran off.

On the second day, we almost got lost—and found a place on the map where the splitting trail didn't match up. We reasoned it out and I think we made the right choice, and only lost a few hours backtracking.

The path led us to a deep gorge, where a bridge reached across a gorge that led to a ledge with a cave at the back and a big chest spilling coins all over the ground. The lair and the offering, as we had been told. A stream emptied out into the gorge and we noticed a second ledge about twenty feet down from the lip. All around the lower ledge were spider webs. Big ones. Clarion noticed a couple of human-sized bundles at the right hand side, wrapped up in cocoons. One of the bodies wiggled a bit; still alive. We all agree that rescue was our first priority. I like these people because we hardly have to mention that sort of decision, we all agree.

Matheu appeared on a tree on our side of the bridge and said, “There is a door here.” He indicated the very tree trunk he was perched on. Indeed, as he says it, I could make out a door, always there, just hard to see. The door led into the tree and down a ladder to the ledge below. Curious. Who would make that?

We climbed down the stairs around the end of the little chasm, lots of webs. Under the bridge, Aleae uses fire to burn the webs, clearing a path. She should use fire more. The ledge passed under the waterfall and below us is another, smaller cave opening, also concealed by the waterfall.

We reach the wrapped figure and we cut her loose. It is a she-elf in woodsman’s clothes, she had been spider-stung in the belly. Perhaps she was from the first party sent to investigate the dragon’s lair. Too groggy to speak, we hoisted her up as Matheu announced us in our minds: “Spiders are coming."

True. There were lots of spiders, some of them very big, and they start pouring out of the webs at the far end, where we had walked by already, and some over the top of the rim. Even some spider-ish-looking men appear at the rim.  Bad news.

I had my new poison-shield that should help if I get bitten, but the rest of the party had no protection, and there were a LOT of spiders, more than I could ever imagine.

We have to get out of here.

#55 - Recreation and Royalty (Part 2)

The special dinner event with Three and Princess Haydith continued.

Soon some of the PCs were approached by a hobgoblin woman who introduced herself as Irakas. She was part of the Darguun delegation, whose presence the PCs were not informed of. Her attire was vaguely shamanistic, but clearly Dhakaani in design. She called herself a dirgesinger—an oral storyteller and historian of the Dhakaani culutre—and expressed an interested in hearing more about their involvement with Governor Trazzen.

Through this conversation, Cypher and Rendar provided a fairly thorough, if incomplete, account of their involvement with Trazzen. Irakas said she couldn't believe this was the Governor Trazzen—the traitorous ruler of Paluur Draal from thousands of years ago—for he was defeated and presumed dead, sealed in the mountain behind gates "that only the Emperor himself could open."

The warforged and half-orc exchanged glances, and finally Rendar revealed the presence of the Emperor's Key. This conversation occurred mostly in the Goblin tongue, with Aleae present—it is one of the few languages she didn't know. She glimpsed the medallion that he wore around his neck but didn't properly understand all that was said in front of her. To her deep consternation.

Lesh Haruuc, hobgoblin
ruler of Darguun

With the Emperor's Key revealed—and the manner of their acquiring it kept vague—Irakas became politely insistent that the artifact be returned to the heirs of Dhakaani. More specifically, to Lesh Haruuc, the chief warlord and nominal ruler of Darguun itself. She said she and her three companions would be able to escort the PCs to Darguun and to the capital city of Rhukaan Draal safely, so they could return the Emperor's Key to the lesh. Irakas was clear about this: that the Key did not belong to them, but rather to Darguun, and it should be given back. She said she would not try to take it from them. Their choice was: give it to them or carry it directly to Darguun's ruler.

The coveted
Emperor's Key

Once this was imparted to the others, both Magnus and Aleae distrusted the Darguun delegates the most. They said they expected the hobgoblins would inevitably try to take the Emperor's Key by force. Perhaps killing them would be the solution. But the others, especially Cypher and Rendar, disagreed that that was a wise option. Then again, they all liked the idea of being rid of the Emperor's Key, for it had brought—and perhaps still would bring—many enemies after them. In the end, it was decided that they needed more time to figure this out, especially now that they had a new quest—seeking the green dragon Sorethyress, on behalf of Three and the Brelish crown. Toward that end, Cypher spoke to Three directly about the situation, keeping specifics vague. The King's Protector agreed to talk to the Darguun hobgoblins and request that they allow the PCs to carry out their errand for him before they pursued other inquiries.

Soon after, the dinner was concluded and the PCs went and watched the performance of "Boranel's Triumph," a dramatic play performed by House Phiarlan and a local actor's guild in Galethspyre. This was the production's debut, which they intended to bring to Wroat next, then Sharn, if all went well. The show depicted the events up to and including the Battle of Brey's Crossing in 976 YK, often considered a seminel event in the history of the warforged, wherein King Boranel's was so impressed with the loyalty and stamina of his warforged guards, it inspired him to declare the Warforged Decree several years later. At the battle, King Boranel and only a handful of his warforged bodyguards managed to hold the bridge that spanned the Brey River against overwhelming Thrane forces. It was acknowledged, by Three himself and by this production—if not official historians—that that numbers were manageable due to the efforts (and numerous traps) laid down by a unit from the Brelish Engineers Brigade.

Of which Cypher had been a part.

Since returning to Galethspyre from their Seren islander sojourn and dalliance with bulettes and a purple worm, Kard was no where to be seen. But the Carnival Master, Mussfinch, did remark to them that their cleric companion had returned earlier that evening to Davenn's Arbor of Abominations, where the PCs had previously visited. Kard had agreed to return to "The Mourning Twins," one of (or a couple of) his former countrymen to speak in private. That is the last they'd heard of him.

The next morning the PCs returned to speak with Three and with Princess Haydith. Three gave them a map of sorts, a gleaming ruby, and some instructions for their secret mission:

• They are not to touch the tribute left in front of Sorethyress's cave, once found. In addition to incurring her wrath, Brelish mages always ward the offering with spells to protect it. It would be unwise.
• Once Soretheyress is found, show her the ruby—which cames from Queen Wroann's very scepter—as proof that they are the crown's emissaries.
• They are not to provoke Sorethyress, merely determine the reason for her silence. She is a very old and very cantankerous green wyrm but has always been true to her word. 

Aleae spoke in private with Haydith, for the eladrin had seen the girl looking troubled the night before, had seen her reading and rereading a letter in her possession. They had an agreement: Aleae would allow her to look into the crystal orb she carred—an Eye of Thelanis, which could pierce the veil between Eberron and her home plane—if Haydith would tell her what troubled her. There was girl talk, and Haydith did seem deeply fascinated with what she saw in the eladrin's orb. Their meeting included with Aleae giving the girl some curious and risky advice on how to deal with her brother, whose letter it had been. Haydith's older brother being King Kaius III, the ruler of Karrnath.

The PCs had been given a choice of transportation methods for their journey to the Dragonwood. They could either take horses provided by the King's Citadel and follow the river to its source, or they could take a journey by riverboat upstream. They opted for the latter, and so that morning they went down to the docks to board the vessel in question.

There they found a curious river craft, aptly named the Sweet Scrag, for it was a gnomish elemental steamboat from Trolanport (Zilargo) with a carved, grinning, bow-and-ribboned female sea-troll as its figurehead. Its captain was a white-haired, topknotted matronly gnome woman who introduced herself as Deelera Dela Raladaran. She worked often with the Carnival of Shadows, had ferried them on the water before, and knew both the Master and Mistress of the Carnival. She came highly recommended.

#54 - Recreation and Royalty (Part 1)

Amidst the constant drizzle of rain, the PCs arrived by boat back at Galethspyre. When they were identified by the people at the docks, small pockets of crowd gathered to watch them. Not only were the known from the Korrangberg Chronicle, they’d earned a reputation from both the Carnival of Shadows and the elemental battle at the warehouse. Children continued to follow Clarion, for he alone had earned a reputation as a dispenser of sweets.

Cypher’s confused condition as “Claviger” seemed to fade away as they arrived as well. It was a matter of continued discussion, especially for Cypher himself. He seemed to retain some memories that were not his own. Notably, he cited the object of Claviger’s quest: a byeshk scimitar of great renown, at least from long ago. Known as Vaarza’Gresh (“Razor of Giants” in Goblin), it once wielded by Governor Trazzen, the greatest ruler of the Dhakaani city of Palurr Draal. It was said to be able to deliver devastating wounds to both aberrations and giant-kind.

The PCs had only a short time before the special dinner event with Three, the King’s Protector. Concerned about Cypher’s state, they inquired at the Brelish garrison. Lieutenant Terrek listened to their concerns but said he could only request that the artificer who’d examined him come speak with them again. He was not to be found at this time.

Then the PCs brought their tickets to the Carnival and were escorted by the elves, invisibly, around the city to the outdoor Arcadium, the temple of the Host and apparently the venue for the dinner event. A wide courtyard encircled the primary chapel, a nonagon-shaped building with shrines to each of the nine gods of the Sovereign Host. This is where Clarion, Aleae, and Kard had visited before. The rain had stopped and now the clear night played host to countless stars and several moons.

Tables were arrayed with food. Servants came and went. Phiarlan minstrels played music. Many guards of the King’s Citadel stood watchful. A House Vadalis handler was there with a massive, white-flecked dire bear, presumably some form of entertainment. Various and unusual guests, many of whom who’d clearly won enough shadow pieces, were in attendance. There was a quartet of hobgoblins—three males and one female—in Darguun armor, a lone Silver Flame knight, a table of Brelish veterans, and a pair of unusually-clothed foreigners who some guessed came from the continent of Sarlona.

Eventually, the PCs approached the head table, where Three, the King’s Protector, sat beside his charge and the other special guest of honor: the young Princess Haydith, sister of King Kaius III. She was part of the foreign exchange of royals. While she now lived in King Boranel’s court in Breland, two of Boranel’s children now lived in Kaius’s court. She was dressed darkly in aristocratic Karrnathi styles but also wore a scarf of Brelish blue. She looked and was a brooding teenager, but she seemed fond of her Brelish hosts. Also sitting with Three and Haydith were Mussfinch and Lady Amaryllis, Master and Mistress of the Carnival of Shadows.

Three, the King's Protector

Introductions were made, and Three—himself a paladin of Dol Arrah, like Clarion—was both polite and only mildly authoritative in his role as the King’s Protector. Cypher mentioned his having been part of the Battle of Brey’s Crossing, the event that cemented Three’s role as personal protector and friend of King Boranel. Three remembered that a unit of artificers and trapsmiths had been especially helpful that day, in 976 YK, and it was their cunning traps that made manageable the Thrane forces that King Boranel and his warforged guards staved off at the bridge. Three thanked Cypher for his service, though he downplayed his own military role, and also thanked the rest of the PCs for their involvement in the earth elemental attack. He said he might have a job for them, given their great skill, their spiritual affiliations, and their growing reputation for opposing malicious agencies.

Three asked if they would be interested, but provided this caveat: The mission involves imparting a state secret of sorts, and he would have to have their agreement in advance that they would accept it—or else he would say no more of it. The only thing he could offer before the decision was made was that it concerned the Dragon Wood—the sizable forest up the river northeast of Galethspyre.

Meanwhile, Magnus asked Lady Amaryllis about his dragonbone mace, since they had talked about this before and the red-eyed eladrin had told him to find her again later. She said there were principally two ways to "unlock" the hidden powers of this weapon—which Magnus himself had recently admitted to his companions was named the Defiler's Dread: (1) She could give him a map to one of two manifest zones where Risia, the Plane of Ice, overlaps with Eberron. One site was in the Graywall Mountains, while the other was in the Starpeaks in Aundair. Alternatively, (2) she could have the weapon sent to her cousin, Lord Syraen of the Winter Citadel—the eladrin feyspire that is stuck within the north woods of Karrnath. A powerful spellcaster and the lord of the feyspire, if anyone on Eberron could coax the magic from the weapon, it would be him. However, Amaryllis warned Magnust that this would require him to agree in advance to pay Lord Syraen whatever it was he required in turn. "It will not," she said, "be gold. It will likely be a service of some kind, and it will not be an option to refuse it." (Aleae shook her head, understanding more than anyone just how risky it is to owe a fey lord any debt.) Even so, Magnus agreed to this and he gave the Defiler's Dread over into the lady's care.

During their conversations, Princess Haydith asked the PCs challenging questions that strayed into uncomfortable political grounds. Three tried to quiet her, but she persisted. In order to distract her from this, Aleae offered to show the young human a glimpse of her homeland in Thelanis. Intrigued, the young princess followed her.

Green dragons typically lair in woodlands.

The PCs briefly discussed Three's offer and finally agreed to it. Three explained the situation.

"The Brelish Crown has an agreement with a dragon named Sorethyress the Viridescent. She is an old green wyrm who has laired in the Dragon Wood since well before the Last War. In the early days, she fed on livestock, and sometimes even farmers and explorers when they crossed paths with her. But Queen Wroann—the first ruler of Breland and King Boranel’s own great-grandmother—negotiated with the green dragon and the two formed a pact.

"The conditions were:

• Sorethyress was not harm the Brelish people. Invaders, of course, were fair game—and during the course of the Last War, various Brelish military leaders were able to lure enemies into her domain where she presumably slew and devoured them.
• In turn, loggers were not to cull from the forest any more than was necessary. They could not cut down more trees than they planted. In addition, tribute was given to her once each year: a sum of gold or a magical treasure—often both—which were delivered to the mouth of her cave.

“But Sorethyress has not been heard from in over a year. Last year's tribute remains where it was placed, untouched. The King has become concerned. He asked me to send a small company to investigate the matter. This I did more than a week ago. They have not returned. I am...concerned. Before I request a larger military force approach—which if all is well, the dragon will not respond well to—I am more inclined to send a smaller, professional reconnaissance team."

"The mission is merely one of information. Find out why Sorethyress has not been heard from, why she did not collect her tribute. It is possible she is merely sleeping and all is well, but King Boranel feels uneasy about it. He wishes to investigate the matter."

The pseudodragon that the PCs had spotted more than once also made an appearance at the table. Perching like a cat on the furniture, he appeared and disappeared on a whim. The Carnival Mistress introduced him as Matheurixivilum. Matheu for short. He was known to them and often came and went when the Carnival of Shadows traveled.

Matheu spoke telepathically—and with appropriate arrogance, given his nature—to the PCs. He said he was a sage and a scholar from Argonnessen, and that he insisted on accompanying the PCs on their journey to the Dragon Wood. At this, the Carnival Master and Mistress only shrugged. Matheu was a mysterious friend of theirs, but also a free agent. In truth, no one would know more about dragons than one who is kin to dragons—though it also seemed like he might be a selective sort of sage.

Finally, Lady Amaryllis made an offer to Aleae concerning her own quest. She said that after the 7th of Zaranytr (two days hence), the Carnival would be moving on and would travel next to Wroat, the capital of Breland. There, on behalf of her cousin, the aforementioned Lord Syraen, she would be meeting with emmisaries from Pylas Pyrial (the feyspire in Zilargo) and Shae Jordial (the feyspire under siege in Darguun). It was Amaryllis's understanding that the two feyspires have a plan to test their theories concerning the nature of the grounding of all the feyspires. Amaryllis told Aleae that she would be willing to sponsor her attendance at this meeting—and thereby represent the Rose Queen of Shae Loralyndar—if indeed the PCs carried out the task Three had asked of them.