Chapter 1: New Beginnings
The story began at the King's Arms tavern in the craftsmen district of the city of Arlenport, in the Kingdom of Sydonia in the year 1778 AD. A group of adventurers had gathered there and were telling stories of their exploits. Their name was "The Fabulous Few" and their members are listed here:
Victavia Stralham/Charles Vandlebridge/Zelphar Glyndan: A changeling wizard and master of illusions. His specialty was deception and infiltration. He acted as the de facto "leader" of the party insofar as he had the best people skills and could navigate the intricacies of polite society.
Jólköttr: A northman druid and master of healing magic. He was deeply in touch with the natural world, and often preferred it over the world of people. Though dirty, unkempt and wholly without social skills, he found acceptance in the Fabulous Few and could live as he wished so long as he served a purpose among them. He also acted as the party's personal chef, cooking meals for them while on adventures in the wilds. He kept a black feline familiar named Skugge and could conjure spirit animals to provide various benefits to the party in battle.
Jawhara: An earth Genasi barbarian cursed or gifted with spontaneous magical abilities tied to her emotional state (usually while angry). She is the toughest and strongest in the party. Originally from the Sadim desert where she acted as a guide to archeologist and treasure hunters in the desert, she traveled west with fellow FF member Kelthar. Some of her crystalline features glow while raging, and she fights with a massive magical crystalline axe.
Kelthar: A blue dragonborn monk of the ascendent dragon order (a temple of Bahamut in the Sadim Desert) and master of martial arts. He was born to a wealthy merchant family in Al-Raheem, but studied anthropology and left to join the temple as part of his studies. After attaining monkhood, he traveled west with Jawhara (whom he met in Al-Raheem where she worked as a guide) to study Dwarven societies in the world's end mountains.
The Fabulous Few continued to tell stories of their exploits, but when they told the tale of how they had mediated a conflict with a traditionalist clan of Vikingr (by killing most of them), one of the clansmen stood up and challenged them to Holmgang (a duel to the death) to restore the honor of his clan. Jawhara acted as the group's champion, and they went outside to duel. As she raged, Jawhara's magic conjured a small spectral pixie that exploded around the Northman as exchanged blows. Though he managed to connect with a few swings of his axe, Jawhara quickly turned the tide with powerful swings of her axe. Filled with anger, the northman suddenly transformed into a massive upright bear (a werebear). Despite this unfair advantage, Jawhara was the victor and beheaded the werebear in one fell stroke. Having won the duel, witnesses began chanting "Berserker" in her honor.
The group returned to the tavern and enjoyed a meal, drinks and the adoration of the patrons. Victavia played a game of Hnefatafl against one of patrons and defeated him resoundly. Some of the female patrons offered Kelthar a dance, but he refused and returned to his room upstairs. Victavia began dancing and convinced most of the room to join her, including Jólköttr (who danced about like a strange cat creature). The patrons mentioned the lakewood was experiencing strange environmental effects, and that several people had gone missing there. The group decided to investigate, and retired early for the night.
The next day, they gathered supplies and left for the Lakewood. They reached the forest after a few hours, and after entering the dark wood they found it filled with a strange mist and overgrown vegetation. They felt as though they were being watched, and several small animals followed them through the woods. Thickets and undergrowth seemed to grow around them, guiding them towards something. Jólköttr spoke with a few squirrels, who revealed that a green "wizard" had invaded the wood and recently been visited by several white "wizards" and a large man riding them. Though somewhat lost in translation, it became clear the squirrels meant "lizard" and the group was able to deduce they meant "dragons." Jawhara used her natural magic to obscure the group's passage through the forest.
Deep in the wood, the group was attacked by a pack of werewolves. The monsters proved no great challenge, and were soon dispatched by the group. Jólköttr was bitten by one of them and risked contracting lycanthropy, but he used his magic to cure himself of it before it took root. Jólköttr healed the group's wounds, bolstered by his magical spirit totem. They ventured deeper into the forest, and eventually came to a clearing and the green dragon's lair (built into the hollow husk of an elven great tree) where the air felt colder and they heard booming voices arguing. The voices belonged to a frost giant riding a massive white dragon, accompanied by a smaller white dragon. They argued with a large green dragon, who seemed to be refusing to fight for them. The giant, seeing that the green would not join them, ordered his dragons to kill it. The massive white clamped its jaws onto the green's neck, snapped it and tore its head free before launching it aside. The mist dissipated, revealing the party. The giant ordered his other dragon to "deal with them" before flying away.
The white dragon charged at the group, who launched into battle against it. Jawhara raged and leapt into melee range (as blinding multi-colored light starting shining from her crystalline features), while Jólköttr conjured a giant elk to fight beside her. Kelthar joined the fray, while the changeling known as "them" pummeled the beast with magical energy. The dragon fought back with claw and fang, then flew straight up into the air to ready a breath attack against them. Kelthar then conjured spectral dragon wings and flew up to it, smashing it with several quarterstaff attacks and stunning the dragon. He returned to the ground as the dragon began falling and crashed down into the earth. With the beast prone, Jawhara and the giant elk unleashed their fury upon it and wounded it gravely. The changeling also unleashed a magical shattering spell against it, while Jólköttr tossed magical stones at it and Kelthar pummeled the somewhat defenseless creature. It was able to rise one final time, unleashing its frigid breath against the elk (slaying it), Jawhara and Jólköttr. Though badly wounded, Jawhara retaliated with two swings of her axe that felled the beast, cleaving its skull in twain.
With the dragon dead, Jólköttr began healing the group's wounds while the changeling explored the green dragon's lair and discovered its treasure hoard...
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