Session 0026 - Long Journey to Karrnath

Roster

List of characters who's player was in attendance

Player characters who's player is attending the game start with 1 Hero Point, and can get more during the session.

Absent

List of characters who's player was absent

Player characters for missing players do not start the session with a hero point, and can not get any more during the session.

Session Log

The party were introduced to Leodegar Kraal but they realized that without Rocinante they would be lacking the skills of an intelligent wizard in their group. They asked if the professor and Lady Elaydren knew of anyone who could fit that role in their group.
It was not long before they were introduced to Harbek, a dwarf with shocking silver-black hair and a pleasant demeanor.
They would be leaving the following morning, and later that afternoon each member of the party is given 150gp to cover their travel costs for the round trip. The party is given 100gp as an advance with a promise of 200gp when they return with information about their findings.
Both Leodegar and Harbek know where the the tomb is in the mountains, and are confident they can find it so they will be the guides and lend their unique skills to aid the party in their effort. Both of their new members suggested that they acquire cold weather clothing as they will be heading up into the mountains during winter and will need the added protection.
The rest of the day is spent getting the clothing and preparing for their journey. On the next morning of Vult 14th the group board a lightning rail train and head out of Sharn.
The first leg of their journey would take them from Sharn to Thaliost. Major stops along the way include Wroat, Nowhere, Hatheril, Marketplace, Passage, and Fairhaven. The trip takes a full four days of travel and they end up covering over 2,000 miles - far enough east of Sharn to see a sunrise that arrives 1.5 hours earlier.
During the journey they learn a bit about their two new recruits. Ferdinand was trying to surreptitiously trying to figure out a bit about using lockpicking tools and increasing his deceptive skills. This did not go unnoticed by Harbek, who approached him with a smile and offers, "Hi there laddie, I couldn't help but notice you struggling a little bit there. I'd be happy to help, if you are interested?" He then spends some time with Ferdinand, clearly displaying some skill that hints of a less than law-abiding life.
As they get to know each other a bit, Harbek tells them a bit about his past. He claims not to have spent time with the best crowd, and during his youthful misadventures came into contact with something he describes "must have been" a piece of the silver flame. It burned him and he almost died, and ended up both blessed and cursed afterwards. Magic manifested in him uncontrollably, and ultimately he was driven to seek help. He ended up at Morgrave University where he has since leaned to harness and control this power.
On the surface, Leodegar appeared to like solitude, and kept to himself. He liked to wear fancy clothes, and showed a leaning towards fastidious cleanliness, always sweeping the area he would sit clean and organizing all his belongings neatly. When someone engaged him in conversation they quickly learned he would be quite verbose and use big words seldom used in typical conversation. He is clearly very intelligent, but not the most skilled socially. Harbek is for easier to socialize with, and also enjoyed a few drinks and some laughs, finding a welcome distraction to whatever it is that haunts him. Sarroxtíoð shares some salasta wine with him, and he is happy to accept the drink.
Leodegar does try a bit to socialize with the party, awkwardly wondering why Eriana does not to be well equipped for the journey. In response, Eriana silently pulls out her runic kukri from nowhere and puts it on the table with a menacing grin to illustrate she is not so helpless. Afterwards, Leodegar more or less keeps to himself.
After spending the evening in Thaliost, the party board an elemental galleon that takes them to Rekkenmark in Karrnath. From here they board the lightning rail to their next destination.
This leg of the journey takes them from Thaliost to Fort Deepdark. Major stops along the way include Korth, Atur, Vedykar, Vulyar, Vorn and Fort Deepdark. The trip takes a full three days of travel and they end up covering another 1,500 miles, now far enough east of Sharn to see a sunrise that arrives ~3 hours earlier.
During this part of the journey several party members can't help but notice that Leodegar gets very agitated and visibly uncomfortable. When asked what is upsetting him, he opens up and explains. He claims to have grown up in Vulyar and that this leg of the journey along the lightning rail marks the boundary between Karrnath and the Talenta Plains. He claims to have been traumatized in his youth here. Apparently he was recruited to help defend the region from the Halfling barbarians of the plains and ended up "behind enemy lines." He claims it was only his keen wit that helped him survive.
It was clear he was not cut out to be a soldier, and to keep him safe a kind aunt of his made arrangements for him to be sent to the Morgrave University in Sharn where he could put his brilliant mind to work. That is how he ended up there, and really did not want to come back here. It raises the question as to what the professor and Lady Elaydren managed to convince him was worth coming back, but nobody pries further.
Fort Deepdark is their last stop before needing to find alternate means of travel. They stay in an inn overnight and rent six horses to take them on the next leg of their journey. This is a three day journey with daily stops along the way at Lhaz, Brek, and finally Lakeside. The plan is to travel by foot from Lakeside into the Icetop Mountains to the tomb.
There is one problem: two creatures menace the the hills between Fort Deepdark and the mountains. Locals have been called to retreat to the safety of the Fort until a posse of soldiers can be mustered to get rid of the menace. The creatures likely come from the marshy shores of Lake Dark and seem intent on nesting to the north of the Fort, menacing locals living in the area. They are referred to as "wyrmlings", witnessed as man-sized creatures that can fly very quickly.
When the party arrive they learn of the threat, but there is no posse ready yet. A bounty of 20gp is being offered to kill the creatures. The party inquire about handling the job, which generates some eager support in the Fort. There are two soldiers willing to join them, so the party are confident they could handle the job.
In the morning the party head out early, actively searching the area for the menacing creatures. After a few hours of searching, Harbek suddenly swivels to stare at a small rock outcropping ahead and to the left of the party a little over 100 feet away. He yells out a warning as two flying blue-skinned drakes fly up into view skimming the rocks.

Most of the party is armed with ranged weapons, ready to shoot as soon as they spotted the creatures. A volley of crossbow bolts are fired at one of the two creatures, a couple of bolts finding their mark.
The two creatures fly up and over the rock outcropping picking up alarming speed, covering the 100-foot gap very quickly. They fly above the party roughly 50-feet up and both of them release vile spittle that splashes over a 10-foot area. The first blast hits Sarroxtíoð and the two soldiers. One of the soldiers and Sarroxtíoð are covered with acidic goo that burns.
The second blast came a little latter after some party members scatter so they are not clumped together. This blast hits both Alicia and Ferdinand. Both of them manage to avoid getting too much of the acidic goo on them, but take some damage from the blast.
With the creatures above them, the party unleash all the ranged weapons they can. The two soldiers, Alicia, Ferdinand, and Sarroxtíoð all have crossbows they fire at the first creature they targeted. It takes numerous hits, including an excellent shot from one of the soldiers that sinks deep in its chest (a critical hit dealing over 20 hit points of damage and causing a persistent bleeding wound). Leodegar uses a hand crossbow that he pours some liquid the bolt before firing it. It hits the creature, but it is not clear what the liquid was for.
Harbek was almost directly underneath the creature, and he unleashes magic in the form of a strong beam of light that misses.
Enraged from the crossbow shot to its chest, the creature descends on the soldier that shot him and bits into him nearly tearing him apart. It then slaps at the dead soldier with its powerful tail twice.
The drake had to swoop down to attack, and once it is within range Eriana runs in to attack it with her runic kukri. The creature retaliates and bites her savagely. The creature is brought down shortly afterwards. This enrages the second drake that swoops down to attack Eriana with its powerful bite and tail, landing one blow of its tail on her.
Reeling from her wounds, the party all focus on the last drake with Sarroxtíoð running in to attack with his runic greatsword. The last drake is killed shortly afterwards, before it could cause Eriana any further harm.
After the battle they examine the fallen soldier and realize he is quite dead and beyond help.
Alicia heals Eriana with her magic, followed by Harbek who uses a spell over a large area to heal everyone. His fist attempt does not help very much (heals 1 hp each), but the second attempt is much more effectively (heals everyone 5 hp).
Sarroxtíoð starts pulling teeth out of the creatures to keep as souvenirs while Eriana skins the creatures in the hopes they might be worth something. Once they are done and have had a rest they aim to return to Fort Deepdark to claim their reward then get on with their journey into the mountains.