ATG Mission 8.6 The eyes of the Dragon

Previously on Liters of Tomorrow-

As Eulatris and Baji investigated the strange demon incursion in Tellenor they uncovered clues leading to the man known as Stullius Stirge. The two headed to the Stirge's sting distillery on the north side of Tellenor. Inside they uncovered clues that Stirge's business had been destroyed by the popular Blizzard Hops tavern that had opened last year. Looking for vengeance Stirge was sold a strange stone by the wandering merchant known as Brannock Isseldorf. Isseldorf was a strange man who showed up during festivals and sold strange trinkets. So far you have encountered his handywork a few times. There was a book of demon summoning disguised as a children's book that accidentally possessed some scarecrows out on a farm. Also the teen team dealt with some cursed candles that sickened their friends and summoned undead creatures. Ultimately it was the teens who tracked down and slayed Isseldorf. They discovered that he was really a demon named Polybius who wandered the land sewing chaos and feasting on the fear and suffering.
As Eula and Baji searched the Stirge house they were attacked by Stullius himself who raved like a madman, claiming he was not responsible. As the pair subdued the man the were beset by spindly alien looking demons. The fight turned deadly as one of the demon claws tore at Baji's throat and severing his jugular. Baji continued the fight ferociously despite his mortal wound. Fortunately at that moment with a blinding flash of light Akuma and Blizzard Hops returned to their home timeline. Hops quickly healed Baji's wound and Akuma leapt into battle. As Eula, echo, and their hound of ill omen took care of one of the demons the other two were dispatched by you three.
After a well earned rest and some breakfast all of you met with the Duke and discussed the aftermath of the Void Omen's destruction and removal of the Knight of Aventador. It was decided that you all would take over the abandoned Owl Bear's egg tavern as a temporary headquarters and as the new franchise of the Blizzard Hops Tavern.
As you moved through town Hops felt a strange vibration coming from his pack. Pulling out the strange piece of Viendall's dimensional control rod it suddenly flared to life emitting a half circle of holographic energy complete with runic language that cascaded down the display. Sparks of arcane energy exploded around you surrounding you with light. Next you all found yourselves standing in hip deep snow in the middle of a blizzard. As you fumbled for protective gear and clothing you found yourselves attacked by two dire owlbears. Despite the biting cold and snowstorm the owlbears were easily dispatched but your real enemy was the environment. Marching North through the snow following the direction of the piece of control rod your limbs numb and your faces raw from the cold winds you finally saw a light off in the distance. As you drew closer you could see a castle surrounded by huge spires of ice. The doors opened and servants rushed out to help you despite your wariness. They immediately gave you guest quarters in the Eastern wing of the castle. You spent the night resting and meditating in your normal fashion but to no avail. Your tiredness continued your wounds look better your bruises faded yet your Hit Points remain the same. Now you breakfast with the owner of the castle one Professor Marius Domalus, as he regales you with his new studies and findings...

Plot points/Scenes

You all sit in the main dining hall of Kalevoor Castle the table in front of you replete with the finest bread, bacon, and eggs you have seen in months. Hops you and your manservant, the addled but functional Jaji the Harengon, sit before Marius Domalus as he tells you of his hopes for the future of Ornithology. Eula hovers around the room invisible having cast the spell only a few minutes prior. Akuma you are there at the table as well but the choice of visible or invisible is up to you, I can't remember what you decided at the end of last game.
All around you there are a few other tables with guests at them who all seem to be in lively discussions as servants of the castle bring in new courses or refresh coffee and tea. You have met two of the servants so far, a half orc woman named Sersi Kharr, and a human man named Bolly Wort. Both of whom seem to wander in the background bringing in trays of food and drink. The room itself has three tall ornate windows that look upon the snow covered hillside beyond and the beautiful sunrise in the east. The storm is no longer raging and the large pine trees are laden with thick snow.
Marius continues to speak with Blizzard Hops and Jaji in a pleasant and cheerful tone. "So master Hops what brings you to our castle of research and study? An experienced adventurer like you has no need to answer me, of course, you could be chasing some creature of ill repute or be on a grand quest the like of which I can only guess."

Once more though he brings up the rest of Blizzard Hops' old teammates. "I see you now travel with a different group. I hope nothing nefarious or tragic has happened to your old compatriots. What of the mechanical wonder known as Cog? The shaper of nature known as Karnac and the beautiful but deadly rogue known as Princess Mewtoolian Moon?"
He continues the discussion for awhile fishing for answers but if Hops and Jaji are unwilling he finishes the meal and invites them to luncheon he is holding in a few hours in the Main House study. "We are having a social gathering to discuss the effect of shard falls on local bird populations and their evolution versus mutations. It is quite a fascinating field and we have the good professor Jora Opteris Evecta from Lamborginus here to lead the talk. Isn't that right Professor Evecta?" He raises his voice to grab the attention of an elven man at the next table. The Elven man raises his head and looks [DM Note: allow a perception check here. A DC 15, on a success the player can notice that the man moves a bit slowly for an elf, not as graceful as if he is really sleepy.]

"Oh, yes that is quite correct, I have many hypotheses on this matter!" Jora responds. Then a bit robotically he returns to his meal and looks a bit expressionless. Marius Continues "So with that I will leave you to your repast and return to my books. You have the run of the castle so feel free to explore and relax as you enjoy your stay here as you recover!" He smooths his robes as he gets up out of his chair and heads to his study.
At this point make a nature check, your call. [DM Note: on an 8-14 a player feels a slight tremor, like a mild earthquake. 15-18 the player feels the tremor and a bit of motion. on an 18 or higher the player feels a tremor and a slight drop in their stomach like riding an elevator.]

Castle Rising

[DM Note: The castle has risen into the air and has now reached the height of 1000 feet above the icy cold Blade Driven Sea. Any player who heads out to the grounds to investigate will reach the edge of the floating island just beyond the hills on any side. "As you crunch through the snow through the heavy snow covered boughs of the mighty fir trees around you, you catch yourself as you see a sheer drop off in front of you. You see a vista before you of the icy ocean strewn with large ice bergs. The morning sun gleams brightly and the warmth competes with the icy chill of the wind around you. The sea below looks deadly cold and black with tinges of turquoise blue as it nears the large ice bergs below."
Anyone Traveling outside will also face a Abyssal Guardian Ice like the ones used in the Abyssal Knife boss battle. They patrol the outer grounds but never are allowed in the castle. A PC can always return to the castle for relative safety. 
If Eula or anyone else attempts to travel the castle corridors using invisibility they will be found by Yathan Kevel - a half elven man wearing a brown vest over a tan tunic, he claims to be from Lamborginus but his accent is very flat. Yathan will stop in the hallway and then turn. His head tilts oddly like a horror movie monster. Roll a wisdom saving throw [DC 18] On a fail the PC will lose all concentration for one round and take 2d12 Psychic damage.
"Ahead of you is a half elven man with shoulder length brown hair he carries a leather satchel and some parchment. He is wearing a brown vest over a tan tunic and dark brown leather pants. As you follow him a few steps he stops in his tracks. He turns and stares for a moment and then tilts his head slightly like Michael Myers. Roll a Wisdom saving throw!"
Books and items to be found while searching the castle:

• A theorem on Lost and rumored magical devices and their possible locations - Main House Study
• Dragons and their Locations - most rooms, DM call
• Icthiadore the robust's Journal - Main House Study

Themes

Monsters Polymorphed into guests and servants

Note that Detect Magic and Truesight will detect the Polymorph spell. Polymorph is a 4th level transmutation.
Yathan Kevel - a half elven man wearing a brown vest over a tan tunic, he claims to be from Lamborginus but his accent is very flat. He is one of the guests of Marius and says he is a professor of history from Urraco College. [In reality he is A nothic transformed and monitors the PC's quite often.]
Galeda Klaus - a human woman in her sixties is one of the maids for the main house. She claims to be from Penthos. [A Mind witness polymorphed into a human woman.]
Kelgos Anvus - A dwarven man in his 70's who repairs things. He looks like a mountain dwarf from the Urgolos Hold, clan Anvus. [He is A Duergar who disguises himself to be a mountain dwarf. If Karnac is there none of this guys information holds up under scrutiny.]
Yisma Polo - A human woman in her 40's who look much like Sandra Oh. She has black hair and is dressed in dark blue vestments with gold embroidery. She looks every part the rich merchant from Serpico that she says she is. She claims to be the heir to a shipping fortune from ferry's that go between Serpico and Cobra Lah, Listamonte's Shipping. [She is a Nothic that is in service of Malavoor Polymorphed to look like an attractive wealthy woman]

GUESTS / PRISONERS

Jora Opteris Evecta - An elven man who says he is a Ornithologist from the Forest Realms of Oraheim. In Reality he is a member of the Verdant Sigil and a powerful druid. [Once again if Karnac is here he will sense the druidic energies and might even know this man with a good history check!] His mind has been tampered with by Malavoor as his latent psionic power is being siphoned off.
Dorthus Malliball - An attractive Elven woman who has quite a fortune in Lamborginus. Her family owns several linen companies and they manufacture expensive silks. She claims to be here to discuss upholstery samples with Marius. She has quite a deep scar running up the right side of her head. [DM Note: In reality she is a former Talon of the Rook who survived the battle of the flotilla. ATG left her for dead and she was thrown into the Wyvern sea. She was rescued by an agent of Malavoor and taken to Kalevoor not long after.]
Madeleine Quail - A low level member of house Quail in Penthos. Madeleine has been tasked with running a haberdashery to keep her out of politics. [She was abducted last year after Malavoor tore open her carriage on the Eastern Road. The original players have met her once before on one of their earliest adventures escorting the sarcophagus up to Lamborginus by carriage. She oddly enough remembers none of this despite it being a traumatic event.]

SERVANTS -

Sersi Kharr - A half orc woman by the name of Sersi Kharr and a human man by the name of Bolly Wort. Sersi Kharr formerly lived in the city of Serpico in Ventenheim. She was a courier for the ETC and had developing psionic powers. Now though she only remembers her old job and then accepting the job here.
Bolly Wort used to live in Morden's Bridge and was there when Adventure Team Grimm made their way through. On a trip to Lamborginus he was abducted by a winged horror, Malavoor was on his way home from Vellen Falls and felt his psionic presence.
The Wine Cellar - The Sommelier and the wine maker are both halflings. An attractive female halfling named Erstinda Harbung and a shaggy older halfling man by the name of Gurstin Glinling. Both of these halflings grew up in the Uleris Valley. Their community was terrified of their power and sent them off to Helletowne to find a cure.
Room 3 - This room is staffed by a human servant by the name of Gawyn Harsdale of Helletowne. He grew up in Helletowne and was a successful psionic rogue with the Hare's Catch before being abducted by Malavoor. He attempted to pick Marius' pockets after a class at the university there.
Room 4/5/6- There are two servants assigned to this room. A human named Estelle Loganus and a green elven man named Okalon Oakalus. Okalon grew up in the forest pact of Oraheim, he was travelling to Helletowne when he was abducted by some of Malavoor's thralls and brought to Kalevoor. Estelle Loganus was wealthy woman who had just married a minor baron of House Nuxhall. They had just bought a house in Westinox. She lashed out at a would be suitor who didn't believe she was married with her telekenisis breaking his ribs. She fainted and when she awoke she was a maid in Kalevoor Castle and believes she accepted a position. The chef is a Firbolg man named Felo Chambers. Chambers was a former cook in the Inorh Region of Oraheim in service of the Inorh family. A Halfling man by the name of Geddleton Lang catalogues the room and watches for insects and vermin. Lang hails from the Arrow. He was a busy artificer when his psionic powers manifested. He was traveling to Helletowne to find a cure for his condition when he was taken. The warehouse - is staffed with a human man named Inglehoff Miller. [DM Note: A former nobleman from Lamborginus he was heavily feted by the Talons of the Rook to be part of their psionic vampire group. It is possible on a DC 17 history check for an member of ATG to recognize him from the party.]

Structure

Exposition

Dealing with Blizzard Hops-

To keep Hops busy or to try to capture him Malavoor will release a brain washed Elven man who is really a disguised Bronze dragon.  Bronze Dragons are normally neutral good so this man is being controlled by Malavoor. Currently he is inside one of the cells. He claims to be Misticus Ver’ tragen the second, he of the flame son of Misticus Ver'Tragen, A bronze dragon who is said to live in the Uleris Valley of the Eigerlands. If freed he has the stats of a young brass dragon. To attack Hops he will retain his elven form to hide his true identity.  He will however use all of his dragon stats including his prodigious strength and spells.  
Hops you see a large elven man rushing towards you, he is bulky and looks like a body builder.  Clearly the largest elf you have ever seen.  He has blind hatred in his eyes and looks to be enraged.  He screams as he pulls back his fist to strike "You're mine Cleric!"
Marius stands to the side and says "Mr. Hops you are far too dangerous to leave to your own devices.  My guest Mr. Ver'Tragen will keep you busy for the next hour.  Enjoy!"

Conflict

Traps -

Down some of the hallways in the Inner Sanctum of Malavoor Doh' Malis there are deadly and dangerous traps.
Mirror Trap -  Investigating the Mirror or painting creates a magical hypnotizing effect.
Effect- Failing to save will transport a creature into one of the castle's cells. This mirror can teleport a victim into one of the castle's cells.  A creature inside a cell does not age, and does not need food or sleep. A successful DC 20 Perception check reveals a faint hint of a face of a trapped creature.

When looked into by a creature, that creature must make a DC 15 CHA save or be sucked into a cell. Breaking the mirror or casting a spell such as Dispel Magic or an Antimagic Field release all held creatures.
Receding Air Gas Trap: If a PC searches for traps and rolls well on their perception they can see a series of tiny holes amongst the walls and ceiling of this hallway. Each is hexagonal and less than one millimeter wide. Tiny symbols can just be made out in between the holes. As you study the walls and try to determine if this is just a porous stone or something more sinister Roll a Constitution Saving throw.
DC 14 on the first round. Your head swims as you try to catch your breath. As you rush to make your way back to the previous room you slam into an invisible wall of force. If the PC stays another round then the DC goes up to 18 and levels of exhaustion creep in. The breathable air begins to leech out of this area and walls of invisible force seal off the ends of the hallway.
If a PC goes unconscious they will awake in one of the force cages in 15. the Vestible for Live Exhibits.
Magnetic Hallway - Some of the hallways in Malavoor inner sanctum were formed using lodestone enriched mineral rock. Utilising a series of spells and runes these can be activated and enhanced to suspend anyone made of metal or wearing metal in place by using reversed polarities. DC 18 Strength saving throw to leave the space. This check must be made every five feet of movement.
Trap Name: Prismatic Doom -
Trigger: 10 seconds after an unauthorized humanoid enters the room

Effect(s): The first person enters the room and trigger the trap which starts counting down, the delay is in place so the rest of the party will go in the room as well. When the timer ends, a Glyph containing a Prismatic Wall is cast on the ceiling of the room and another Glyph casts Reverse Gravity on the floor while all exits close.

Description: As the party enters the cylindrical room, the team leader looks up and sees a beautiful flowing prismatic sheet of colors, a deep hum is heard and a sickly green rune glows to life at their feet as they feel themselves leave the ground and begin falling towards the sheet of pure beauty above them.
Teleportation Stones - Beautiful stones can be found amongst the treasures and art of Kalevoor Castle.  Some of these are laden with a teleportation spell which sends creatures to the Force cages in 15. Wisdom Save DC 18

Rising Action

Princess Mewtoolian Moon and Vom Fass - 

After attending yet another council meeting to negotiate new shipping rates with the East Tellenheim company your head swims with numbers and red tape.  A young tabaxi man approaches you, one of your mother's paige's hands you yet another of her requests for this afternoon. "Daughter please attend the foreign policy meeting at 2pm.  I will be heading to the farm council to deal with a new type of potential blight."
Instead you take the afternoon off and meet Vom Fass down at the Moka Java coffee house that sits in the city square.  Vom Fass sits at the table with a straw hat shading his eyes from the sun.  On the circular table next to him sits a copy of Magician's Quarterly and cup of iced coffee.  
What have the two of you been up to over the last few months in the Kingdom of Crossing Sun and Stars?
Mew as you order your coffee and relax in your chair in the warm sun you see a shadowy figure form out of black smoke behind Vom Fass, before you can react it it's arm forms into a black blade and strikes Vom Fass.  [DM Note: surprise attack on Vom Fass!]
The summons-  If Hops or anyone else does not send a mental summons to Mew then Malavoor himself will.
"Ah, there you are my Star Kitty!  I see you once more.  Come join me at Kalevoor castle, I am having a social function with your friends.  Blizzard Hops is here with me now

Climax

Karnac -

You stand in the midst of the Great Teloton Forest North of the Tellenor Mountains. Towering conifers and massive oak trees surround a small grassy clearing. In the soft tall grasses are a dozen children hitting each other with sticks. They are of many different races and backgrounds, a green elven boy hits a kobold who whacks a squat little bugbear kid who knocks into the cutest little minotaur. Your class has devolved into chaos. Teaching eight year olds the ways of the leaf and staff has turned into a hitting contest. What would you like to do?
The stout roly poly Pandaren man appears besides you "Are you sure you don't want to head back out on some grand adventure?" As the two of you dismiss the class to lunch and hopefully nap time you see the kids file out towards camp guided by Borgullus Cro and an earth genasi woman. You and Sun Paw Kong stroll up into one of the tall oaks that has a spiral staircase woodshaped into the side of it and a huge walkway that goes to several other trees hundreds of feet above the ground. A banner woven from waxy leaves shows the symbol of the Verdant Sigil.
Sun Paw Kong congratulates you on your methods despite the class devolving into chaos "You have brought a lot of good ideas into this rag tag group of nature warriors. I think this could be the building blocks of a much stronger organization in the future. Bringing younglings in for training at this age is, though chaotic, a great way to begin to grasp their power."
"You are very observant, I believe our lack of community when we started down this path, you and I, led both of us to seek out adventurers and danger when we might not have been ready. I grew up an orphan in Cobrah'Lah and endured more bullying than I care to remember. Though that gave us both strength it also made us reckless and possibly quick to anger. These students will do more to protect and serve nature than any of us have. You honor us Karnac."
Sun Paw Kong also admires your Woodland Staff, now fully imbued with the full set of power.  "I believe I am needed for a wild shape class with the new recruits.  We will speak tonight and share more stories!"
As Sun Paw Kong walks into the woods you stand their alone with your thoughts for a bit. Roll a perception check DC 15
Then a figure begins to emerge of black and purple smoke and strikes!

Plot type

Main Story

Related Characters

• Malavoor Doh’ Malis the dark one

Related Organizations

• Adventuring Team Grimm

Related Locations

• Kalevoor Castle