Key Story Threads Act II

Summary of the Major Plot Points Episodes 14 Through 25

• Everything in the character backstories and opening scenes is woven into the story at all times-don't forget!
• Don't forget relationship your characters have, i.e. who knows whom, how did you meet, who else in the world do you know.
• The party finds themselves in famed Shadowdale, where they heal up at the Temple of Chauntea (Earthmother), resupply and purchase a boat to flee the town, as an invading army is on the way. Most villagers also flee down the river; the party uses magic to evade the townsfolk and flee ahead.
• Large amounts of smoke in the distance indicate Shadowdale has fallen as you reach the neighboring town of Ashabenford.
• The party sails on to Scardale Town at the Dragon Reach Sea.
• After a large battle Zirkin is turned to stone by Chimera-like creatures.
• In Scardale, Rapid Shadow and Karl disguise themselves and seek help in healing Zirkin inside the infamous Thayan Enclave. They purchase a scroll to save Zirkin, but do not enlist the direct help of the Thayans. Rapid Shadow is thanked by name by a wizard as they leave the building.
• A passing mage is "convinced" to help Zirkin by casting the scroll, and he notes to Zirkin there was something amiss with the scroll; some additional dweomer may be present.
• The party sends their ship north as a decoy, and book passage on a ship bound for Tsurlagol, a port city on the southern edge of Impiltur.
• Upon reaching their destination they book passage aboard a merchant caravel bound for Sultrim, on the eastern tip of the Sea of Fallen Stars.
• Upon the seas they are assulted by a dragon and rider, who devastate the ship prior to being charmed by Noah, and sent away.
• Without a crew, Zirkin once again calls upon the skills of his youth, and sails the ship to Spandeliyon, capitol city of Altumbel.
• They meet a trader named Miletus, also a follower of Chauntea, who helps them sell the damages ship and cargo for a hefty sum.
• They purchase a smaller sailing cog and crew, and resume their journey to Sultrim, via the southern shores of Altumbel and the island chain of the Thousand Swords, where they are intercepted by another vessel. A mighty battle ensues, and the party is victorius, with a wyvern and its rider escaping in the end.
• It has become apparent the party is being tracked somehow.
• They stage bodies on their cog, and ram it into a nearby island. Taking control of the larger ship, they scour the captains quarters finding notes showing they were indeed being hunted. "The Party of the Dead" is mentioned, along with Rapid Shadow and Zirkin by name.
• They learn their mysterious enemy has "Ophelia under control, and we are watching her at the Moonstone Mask." There is also mention of a woman named Yaphyll, a powerful diviner and Wizard of Thay.
• The party changes course to the ancient city-state of Cimbar
• Zirkin discovers the party if being tracked with a key they discovered in the Underdark below Waterdeep; it is destroyed by Limp Dick.
• Resupplied at Cimbar, the party sets sail once again for Sultrim, on their way to distant Winterkeep. The encounter a massive hurricane, seemingly magical in nature, along with dozens of mounted Wyverns. The ship is harbored in a small bay off of Mount Thulbane, on the north coast of Threskel.
• Reaching the shore, the party encounters undead and races up the mountain in hopes of finding safety from the storm. A large tower stands atop the mountain. There are many great battles with giants and xorns, and the party meets two mysterious drow elves along the way, who also claim to be "guests of Ilghast."
• Following a strange homonculus, the party finds there way into a dungeon below the Tower of Ilghast.
• Here they encounter Elora, a mysterious and beautiful drow elf, who has the ability to charm others just upon making eye contact. She has two "pets," torturously contorted shapes of half men-half dogs, Kael and Dannon. Elora's lair appears to be set up to aid in her dark magic: she apparently eats the soul of a chained man, dismembers him and feeds him to her dogs, before throwing his head through a magical portal to an awaiting Beast Lord.
• The party destroys the magical portal with a brilliantly hatched plan between Karl and Zirkin. Elora flees with her pets, and the party escapes into Ilghast's Tower, where they find a host of illusionary traps and tricks. Finally reaching the top of the Tower, Ilghast is soundly defeated by Cairn, using his superior mental will, and a brilliantly executed "mace to the face."
• Ilghast is revealed to be a gnome. He pleads with the party and offers up his Death Moon Orb, a powerful magical device, which just happens to contain a trapped prophetess named Yaphyll, who produces her first vision upon being freed, "The black queen is troubled but can't say why, her black moon hidden, the Northern King has fallen, his son will fall next. The white queen clothes the assassin, his plan remains hidden. The roots of the world shake-eaten from within, they shall burst forth, the cities will burn, the world ready the Gods will come…the worlds collide."
• Ilghast also offers up a vision spell, further clarifying the vision and the assassin, "His plan is to redeem himself, under the tutelage of Laece, once Ash. He has seen the error of his ways and seeks redemption."
• He then sends the group to the plane of Concordant Opposition, to meet Chauntea/The Earthmother. They are successful and Noah is given a powerful artifact from the Goddess, a ritual bowl and bronze sickle. She then offers the following advice to the party: to Noah, "never lose the necklace from your father, you will need it." To Thondar she offers, "stand and fight, even when hope is lost," referring to the encounter in Ilghast's spell. To the party she offers, "You are known as The Company of the Dead, have you ever considered why?" With that she offers to send the party anywhere or time they wish. They choose Winterkeep, one year prior to today's date.
• The party encounters the first elves they've seen in a very long time. They are were-creatures known as Lythari. They claim to be distant relatives to Limp D's tribe, and offer him a mighty sword, known as "Craywynn," if he would be willing to hold off the advancing barbarian horde, allowing the Lythari to escape across the icy sea. He accepts.
• The mighty Battle of Winterkeep unfolds, the party successfully holds off the attack, and the power of Craywynn is unleashed by Limp D for the first time, as it sends him into a bloodlust so powerful, he loses control over his actions and wades into the oncoming horde of barbarians, slaughtering them by the dozens, nearly dying himself before killing the barbarian general in a mighty battle.
• The party retreats to the inner keep and is magically transported by Noah all the way back to The Savage Frontier, on the Black Raven River.
• The party tracks the river north, skillfully avoiding Limp D's tribe, and well-himself, as the party is now back in time. They come to the Black Raven Monastary, where the have an uncomfortable meeting with the younger Branwynn, who recognized Gorgar instantly. Gorgar then defeats Vurdu Istorgo of Amn in single hand to hand combat to gain the title of Red Master of Dragons.
• Rapid Shadow learns of a nearby cave, which the party travels to, encountering a strange black figure cloaked in heavy clothing who continually whips his back with a spiky cat o nine tails.  The figure is given a wide berth by the party, and his identity remains a mystery...well to most of you.
• There are two mighty dragons encountered at the cave.  The first is slain before it can even react by the skillful arrows of Alecdora and Karl.  The second kills Rapid Shadow, who finds himself alone, crafting a bolt of slaying on a mysterious altar of ice and silver.  The bolt is crafted, but not before aging Rapid Shadow many years in the process; the bolts magic absorbing his life force upon creation.  Cairn is able to revive Rapid Shadow form death using his powerful new abilities.
• The party takes a long rest in Luskan, until their current timeline meets up with their old, with The Shieldmeet of 321 NR (1352 DR) imminent the party magically travels back to Cormyr, in search of another fragment of the Hammer of Tyr, apparently in the hands of the Queen of Cormyr.
• Stopping along the road to Suzail, the party meets a seedy group in the hamlet of Hilp.  Learning of a nearby "Tomb of Dragons" dedicated to the dragon god Null, the party takes off in search of some quick treasure.
• They discover the Tomb, and battle through many perilous creatures.  They meet a sentinel of some kind guarding the actual tomb of mummified dragons.  He appears to be an ancient cleric or paladin of Tyr.  They also encounter Elora, The Soul-Eater once again, and battle her once more.  Her "pets" are slain, but she escapes into the darkness.
• The party uses their Bracers of the Planes to travel somewhere "safer" to rest.  They are found in this strange place by both the sentinel of the Crypt and Capt Weaver in his skyship, who offers to bring them back to their own plane.
• The party returns to the Crypt, and finds themselves battling another portal set up to summon the Beast Lord.  They are victorious, and Yaphyll delivers another divination: "Harbingers of The Goat and the Goose; they set you free and will again, See them once more and his spell shatters; remember your plan, Branwynn’s fate.  The mixture she swallowed to trap his mind; back in a different time ahead, The Illithid terror cannot be killed, until you come back.  You must return to see her fate; this time you’ll kill him, his mind now sedate"
• The party continues on to Suzail, in hopes of meeting Queen Filfaeril Selazair Obarskyr of Cormyr.  They are actually confronted on the road by the Queen's emissary, who claims she wishes to meet at a brothel on the outskirts of town.  The party accepts and meets the Queen.  She offers the Hammer fragment, and requests the party bring a wooden box to the neighboring city of Westgate, as a diplomatic mission on behalf of Suzail.  The party agrees.
• They travel to Westgate, and present the gift to the royal court.  As the crate is opened a horde of Shadow Demons burst forth, slaying all but the Queen of Westgate, who is protected by Zirkin's magic.  The court wizard, near death and upset by this treachery, breaks a powerful magic wand, unleashing its magic upon the room.  The party is teleported to a far away place, finding themselves in a massive sand filled arena, with no trace of their equipment, armor or clothing.
• The party battles in the arena without spellbooks or weapons of thier own.  They are victorious, and even manage to assassinate the Emperor Claudius overseeing the event.  The are gassed, and awaken in a dark room filled with other gladiators.  
• The party finds they are able to speak with everyone present, and meet a very ill gladiator, who exclaims, "You bear the Mark of the Laece," pointing to Noah and Zirkin's tattoos. He continues, "Tyr is leaving my world for yours. Take this, and do not fail in your mission." He unfolds a dirty cloth to reveal a piece of the Hammer of Tyr. He struggles through, saying "The time of the Æsir and Vanir is over in this place, it is the Autumn of the Gods. This world shall be godless, until Baldur returns from the dead. The Ginnungagap has returned to the sky….the spark of this world shall be added to yours, and forever vanish from this place." He then falls into a deep sleep from which he never recovers, despite attempts at healing from Noah and Cairn.
• Something, perhaps in a local tongue is carved into the bench, "Πάρτι νεκρών" A servant from the kitchen later reveals it is pronounced "Párti nekrón," and she has the same markings tattooed on her arm, obscured by rags. It is an old language and means, "Party of the Dead." The party claims to be said Party of the Dead, which is greeted with laughter by the servant and all within earshot. "You are the Party of the Dead...those who lead an entire army of undead to save the world? I don't think so."
• Laece is also there, awaiting the party.  He tells Thondar he "is in the home world of his sword, a pity he didn’t have it with, it is quite powerful here. Someday, you will return the sword to this world. In fact it was made just a few hundred miles from here. A pity none of you have anything from home, your tattoos could take you there if you did." It is revealed they are in the land of Avalon.
• The party agrees to fight in the "Night Arena."  When they emerge into the arena, an otherworldly sight awaits them. The sky was dark, like that of a total solar eclipse, it must be near dusk...only a few stars are visible in the sky. Visible is a plain silvery near full moon, but far more ominous in the sky, the party can see their world, Abeir-toril, with their familiar moon, Sylune with its shimmering tail of silver up in the northern sky. It is impossible to tell the scale, but Abeir-Toril is much, much larger than a typical moon would be in the sky. Laece, now dressed in a full suit of plate armor looks up to the sky in awe and speaks, "Would you look at that-it’s your homeworld, and majestic Sylune."
• The Emperor Claudius has returned, though already killed by Rapid Shadow in the larger coliseum. This time he appears almost propped up unnaturally, his face blackened with yellowed eyes. He moves slowly and unnaturally, and his flesh droops down from his bones. He breaks the sounds of the crowd, which has been partially obscured by a dense fog, "Those before you have shown the fool’s spirit…that of Valor. Of course,” he pauses to laugh in a creaky unnerving voice. He bellows, “they know they are but the walking dead...To párti ton nekrón!" He pauses for the roar now coming from the crowd. “Simpleton clowns; there will be no glory, our laws forbid it. The punishment for breaking our laws is the same for us all…death!" The crowd's roar picks up again, "mors omnibus viventibus!" he draws in a sucking breath, "death, to all who live!” The crowd erupts into a frenzy as horns blast around the firelit ring.
• Laece, unimpressed, or uninterested looks up at the planet in the sky and mutters, “I think I can see the Beast Lord’s ship from here.” With the sickening pop of a punctured can, a spear from the fog flies forth, suddenly sunk into his gut and out his back. “Gods damn this place,” he yells as an arrow hits his head, right in the eye. He falls to the ground dead. 
• Noah can see and sense a massive unnatural storm, with constant lightning eruptions, approaching from the Northeast.
• Suddenly, as the chanting from the crowd reaches a crescendo, booming over the storm, the deep horns again break out with their call. A sphere of blinding light, lightning and thunder slowly sets down in the ring. The fog blows away from it, clearing most of the arena. A single tall warrior emerges from the blinding light, wielding a might sword in his left hand. He is clearly so powerful it radiates from his presence, and the party are awed by his presence. His right hand is gone, the stump covered by a silver bracer. He steps toward the emperor, and as his mouth opens, the arena falls silent. "This battle is neither 'just' or a 'battle.' He points to the group with his bracered stump of an arm, "These creatures are not of this world Claudius! I will be returning them to their world, and you will be bestowing upon them 'oppskytningen' as an apology for your foul deeds Claudius!"

Parent Plot

Master Plot