s01e01-02 - My Ship Has a First Name

s01e01-02 - My Ship Has a First Name: Audio automatically transcribed by Sonix

s01e01-02 - My Ship Has a First Name: this wav audio file was automatically transcribed by Sonix with the best speech-to-text algorithms. This transcript may contain errors.

Russ:
Welcome to Dumbgeons and Dragons, where a D&D fifth edition, an actual play podcast. Thank you for being here with us. I'm your Dungeon Master, Russ More and with me today is Tom Laird.

Tom:
That's me. I play Flint Firebeard. He is a level eight dwarf champion fighter. Little background on Flint. He was a long serving member of a militia force called the Iron Fist of the Dawn. He slowly but surely rose up through their ranks. But then he made captain and some new leadership came in and his mentor left the company. And then these new guys pretty focused on greed and a lot of shady activities. So Flint bought his way out, got out of there and met up with a friendly druid and a ranger who I guess you'll meet next.

Russ:
Also with me, Amy More.

Amy:
Hey, that's me. I play Thia Amastasia, a high elf druid. She's part of the Circle of the Moon, and she's about 200 years old. Level 8. 5'9". Bright green eyes. Brilliant blue hair. She was a scribe for a while. I like to bring that up because, you know, books and writing and stuff. But in reality, she's actually kind of a bit of a drug dealer. The way that her and Flint found each other was she was supplying among the diesel fuel. But a weed for that. You know, mercenary PTSD he is going on there and Nulara and I found each other in a forest fighting an orc I do you believe. You'll also see me with one of my best animal buds, Guacamole, who's a jade serpentine owl that I keep with me? And can call out *poof* Giant Owl at any moment. It's super cool.

Russ:
CaCaw (mimicking bird)

Amy:
That's not what my owl sounds like. She's a snowy owl, by the way. Sorry.

Russ:
And last but not least, Carla Johnson.

Carla:
That is me. I play Nulara Moonbrook. She is an eighth level human ranger. She grew up pretty isolated, except for her huge family. She has six older brothers. She grew up near High Forest and she was kind of a loner, maybe because she was the only girl or because she was the youngest. But she really, like, learned everything she could from those big bro's. And then just like headed out to kind of, you know, be a ranger in the woods. Her and Thia met, that was an orc. They realized "Are we destined to become best friends? Maybe!" She has an animal best friend, though. He is a pseudo dragon and his name is Don E.

Russ:
Thank you for being here with us. We've been playing around the table for, I don't know, two, two years at this point.

Amy:
Yeah, sounds about right.

Russ:
Somewhere about there. We've got a little bit of history with these characters. We played through "Horde of the Dragon Queen". The first book in The Tyranny of Dragons Saga from Wizards of the Coast. And right now, we decided to hit record and continue playing this game here now for you. So that's what we have for you, you're jumping in midstream as we kick off - Rise of Tiamat. Thank you very much. And we'll talk to you soon.

Amy:
Any time I here midstream, I think someone's interrupting someone else peeing.

Russ:
I mean, that's kind of what they're doing, OK. Now, the episode!

Russ:
(Game starts) So, last time you went through a bunch of doors, which was super exciting and then you got back to Salazar there and he told you that you have been invited to a council meeting in Waterdeep. Invited by Leosin, your good friend from the previous adventures while you are in his office. He says,

Salazar Domine:
I think it's time that you guys are a little bit more involved in knowing what we do here.

Russ:
He says... And we're gonna retcon the name because I changed it a little bit...

Salazar Domine:
We are the Guild of the Nine Shadows fancy. We control the fate and the order among the nine planes of existence. Each of them have their controllers, I am the controller of the material planes and each other plane has its own controller who you may or may not meet in the future. But we are in charge of keeping order within the realms and the planes.

Thia Amastacia:
So if I "A B B UP UP", will you karate chop someone in the neck? (group laughs)

Carla:
Was Salazar already the controller of the material plane before he opened the fantasy costco? Or did he like... How did that work together? Cause it seems like it works really well together.

Tom:
Sure does.

Russ:
It sure does. It sure does seem like a plan that from the beginning doesn't it?

Tom:
It's all coming together!

Carla:
Knew you did.

Tom:
That's why he's our DM.

Russ:
He says...

Salazar Domine:
Yes and no. I had my own life before I became the controller where I did run Fantasy Costco and through various interactions with different creatures and beings. I have come into the position that I have now, and it is an excellent ploy. For me to get in and out of places and have a whole bunch of things that that nobody else has.

Thia Amastacia:
Unless you have a Fantasy Costco membership,

Nulara Moonbrook:
Unless you have a fantasy Costco member,

Flint Firebeard:
Lifetime.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Lifetime memberships.

Salazar Domine:
Yes, yes.

Tom:
Sidenote - The controller sounds like some sort of really bad rom com. With like Julia Roberts in it. Just an FYI.

Russ:
We'll work on the name of who controls... We'll, retcon that too.

Tom:
Kay

Russ:
Since you guys have been here, you have been working on a skill.

Carla:
I totally have been.

Russ:
You can pick a tool set and you have been working on gaining the skill associated with said tool set.

Amy:
Oh Thieves Tools. Done. We're always like, how are we going to open this locked door, smash it, smash and smash it?

Carla:
I feel like character-wise it would make sense for me to do Navigator's tools because that's like my whole thing is like maps and stuff like that. So that gets me see sea proficiency as well as forest proficiency.

Russ:
That is correct.

Carla:
So we're. Oh, and I have swamp proficiency. So I'm really good in nature.

Tom:
Alright, I think I will go with maybe disguise kit.

Carla:
It's just glasses and a nose.

Tom:
That way I'll be able to change our appearance.

Amy:
Oh yeah.

Russ:
The bitchin beard always stays though.

Tom:
Oh yeah, that is a downside though. So...

Russ:
Could work for you.

Tom:
Could work. Let's go with Smiths tools. I am a dwarf after all.

Russ:
Okay, make note of those and then you will now have those skills thieves tools, navigator's tools and Smith's tools. He also says...

Salazar Domine:
You will be on your way to water deep. I would like you to swing by one of these shops in the guild here who you haven't been to see yet. He deals in extraordinary items and he will set you up with a couple of things that you might need on your adventure. His name is Ozark and he is down on the third floor. It's the only thing there. You can't miss.

Flint Firebeard:
So literally an entire floor devoted to this guy?

Salazar Domine:
Yes. Ozarks Bazaar is on the third floor.

Amy:
*chuckles* Ozark's Bazaar.

Tom:
Is he like the Q character from the James Bond series?

Russ:
He might be. It's a possibility.

Tom:
Okay, I'm looking forward to wearing a watch that does eight other things.

Russ:
And Salazar says...

Salazar Domine:
Unless there's anything else you need from me at this moment. I wish you a grand adventure. Tibby will unfortunately not be able to come with you as he is from another plane. And he would probably draw more attention to you at this time than you would want. But later on down your journey, he may be able to come and join you further.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Is there a robot plane?

Salazar Domine:
Yeah.

Nulara Moonbrook:
An angel robot plane.

Salazar Domine:
Well, I mean, this is like a mech plane.

Tom:
So Angel bots, yeah.

Carla:
OK.

Russ:
Yeah, Angel bots.

Flint Firebeard:
Out of curiosity, how are we on the same plane as Tibby last time?

Salazar Domine:
Tibby... We here are able to bring things to and from other planes. Tibby was brought here after the Guild helped him in his clan in a grand battle on their planet. He decided that he wanted to join the guild and after doing many, many training sessions and proving that he was able to undertake adventures of his own, he was brought into work with the Guild. And he was partnered with you to help you out picking locks and stuff.

Flint Firebeard:
Boy, did he ever. He was great.

Thia Amastacia:
Now, we don't need him anymore, guys. I've got thieves tools. He had a little bit of a knife on him. He was a little sarcastic.

Flint Firebeard:
A little sassy.

Thia Amastacia:
That damn (sassy) button.

Salazar Domine:
Unfortunately, the programming is hard coded. We can't change that.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Let's go to the Ozarks, get some mountain tools!

Flint Firebeard:
For sure.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Let's do this.

Russ:
All right. So you head down to Ozark's Bazaar and you walk in to this room and it is a dimly lit, incense-filled apothecary of sorts. As you walk through the entrance, a chime rings throughout the room and from a back storage room door, a little older man in a dark robe comes out and says,

Ozark:
Oh, I've been waiting for you. Thank you for coming down to my bazaar, Flint, Nulara and Thia right?

Flint Firebeard:
Yes, you must be Ozark.

Ozark:
Yes, I am. I've been waiting to meet you guys for so long. Come sit down.

Russ:
And he brings you to a table and he hands you a package each and you open it. And in it there is an extra healing kit. If you are to have a healing kit, its extra. Two healing potions and he hands you a key each. And he says,

Ozark:
With these keys, you walk over to the wall over there, big wall has a key. You put your key in and you will get something that should be beneficial to you. In your upcoming adventures.

Thia Amastacia:
What sort sorcery is this?

Ozark:
Magic sorcery.

Thia Amastacia:
OK.

Ozark:
SUPER Magic Sorcery.

Amy:
I go to the wall and trying to put my key in the key.

Russ:
(pause) You put your key in the key?

Russ:
Sorry key hole...

Amy:
(laughs) I put my key in the keyhole.

Russ:
Smart ass... (group laughs) Roll percentile Dice.

Amy:
OK. That's a ninety four.

Russ:
Ninety four. You hear some gears churning through the wall and a slot opens up. It's a small box comes out of this slot and when you open it there is a ring inside.

Amy:
Is it pretty.

Russ:
It is super pretty. Super pretty ring. And it goes with your whole ensemble.

Amy:
Oh yes!

Russ:
He snatches it from your hand and goes and gives it a quick look over. Says.

Ozark:
Yes, yes, this is the ring of spell's storing.

Thia Amastacia:
Whoo hoo hoo hoo. I just got a tingle. (laughs)

Carla:
Why are you a ghost right now?

Tom:
oooooooOOOOOo!

Amy:
That was like a whoo hoo hoo hoo.

Carla:
Yeah! A ghost laugh!

Amy:
That was a pleasure. That was. That was then. Ooo Hoo Hoo of pleasure.

Carla:
I see you're delighted by your spell ring.

Amy:
Yes, it's pretty and it does something that has to do a spells. I'm happy.

Russ:
The ring stores spells cast into it, holding them until the wearer uses them. The ring can store up to five levels worth of spells at a time. And when found right now, it contains three spells right now.

Amy:
So I have a question. Are these spells that aren't necessarily in my spell slots, but I could just choose any spells within my level?

Russ:
You have to ask them into your ring.

Amy:
And then keep them there? Not in my spell slot, so I could have different spells that aren't in my wheelhouse?

Russ:
Yes.

Amy:
They're in my ring house.

Russ:
Yes, exactly. So, these spells that are in your ring right now, Amy are healing word, guiding bolt...

Amy:
OK? ...he's just randomly picking spells right now, he's just like, he's closing his eyes. His fingers just kind of circling over the page.

Tom:
Russ at the Ouija board.

Russ:
Searing smite.

Carla:
Oh, that sounds vengeful. Which is right up Thia's Alley.

Tom:
It's true, She holds a grudge.

Carla:
Yeah. I like it.

Ozark:
Who's next?

Nulara Moonbrook:
I guess it is me.

Carla:
I put my key in a hole and turn it.

Russ:
You want to roll your percentile dice?

Carla:
I don't know what you mean.

Tom:
So that's a lot like the number and the zero on it, like this one.

Carla:
Ahh I already put that away.

Tom:
I know, you only has four goats.

Carla:
I know I literally did! (laughs) Sorry. My percentile die and that's it. So that is a forty nine. Forty nine under the oh. Forty nine.

Russ:
You hear the same churning of gears and out from the slot. Another small box pops and you open it up and another ring is inside and he does the same thing. Gives it a look over and he says,

Ozark:
This is an alchemist's ring.

Russ:
When the wearer of this ring imbibes a healing potion, they receive one d six additional healing.

Carla:
Sweet I guess I shouldn't say me... Gives the wearer. If one of my comrades is hurt, I can just slip it on their finger.

Tom:
Lord of the Rings style, throw that ray over there and have it.

Carla:
Yeah.

Tom:
Just get on it. All right. I got a 30.

Amy:
You got a scarf.

Tom:
Sweet!

Carla:
You get a cute pair of pumps.

Tom:
Is it some sort of awesome scarf?

Amy:
It is chilly outside. You get a scarf.

Russ:
Out from the slot, pops a larger bag. And from the bag, you pull a dwarven plated belt. He tells you that.

Ozark:
This is the belt of dwarven kind.

Tom:
FYI I totally wrote a belt of door king. And then quickly corrected it. Clearly, I am just a grade schooler.

Russ:
You are the king now. (laughs)

Tom:
Yeah.

Russ:
While wearing this belt, you gain the following benefits. Your Constitution score increases by two to a maximum of 20. You have advantage on charisma and persuasion checks made to interact with dwarves.

Amy:
You're like, look at my sweet belt, Now do what I want.

Tom:
But that's only on charisma checks involving dwarves.

Russ:
Yes. If you weren't a dwarf, it would also allow you to grow a beard by the day's end.

Tom:
(laughs) Ahh Son of a bitch!

Carla:
Doesn't need that, got talent natural.

Tom:
Yup.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Thank you Ozark?

Ozark:
Oh,

Thia Amastacia:
yeah, thanks, buddy.

Ozark:
You're most welcome. Please, please come back as soon as you can. I have lots of things that you will might maybe need.

Flint Firebeard:
Sure.

Nulara Moonbrook:
That sounds great.

Ozark:
Maybe some things you don't, who knows!

Nulara Moonbrook:
Certainly are ubiquitous comrade.

Ozark:
Well be on your way. Go catch the train.

Nulara Moonbrook:
What's a train?

Flint Firebeard:
Well, we didn't have airplanes last time so, I don't know if we have trains.

Nulara Moonbrook:
We have flying castles.

Flint Firebeard:
This is true.

Carla:
Do we know what trains are?

Russ:
Yes, because you've written the train before.

Amy:
Did we?

Tom:
Have we?

Russ:
When you went to fight the volcano giant.

Tom:
Oh, that's true. We did ride the train.

Russ:
Yeah. As the train that took you out. And then just kind of showed up...

Carla:
OK, just forget everything I just said. I didn't know if that was canon or not.

Russ:
It's all part of it.

Carla:
I was just kidding, I'd just forgotten...

Nulara Moonbrook:
To the train.

Russ:
So you guys go hit the train and it drops you just outside of Waterdeep. And it goes off and as you turn to look towards Waterdeep and look back, the train tracks are gone.

Amy:
OOoo

Tom:
Ghost train.

Carla:
Polar Express. (group laughs)

Amy:
Hey, Look at that Ghost Train.. Polar Express. (laughs)

Tom:
Spirit of vengeance, c'mon give us something here.

Carla:
Back to the Future three. Any of these. (laughs)

Russ:
And as the as the train pulls away, the conductor leans out and it's it's Doc Brown.

Amy:
*gasp*

Russ:
You walk towards Waterdeep, I assume?

Carla:
Yes.

Russ:
You come in near the south end of Waterdeep, which is the south and dock wards. And when you arrive in Waterdeep, you sense a sudden shift in the wind. And with it brings a strange sense of unease. The feeling is akin to the drop in air pressure before the approach of a deadly storm or faint tremors felt from a landslide or earthquake far away. And you look around and you notice you're not the only ones who have noticed this. The city around you goes unnaturally quiet. No dogs are barking, no birds squawk, even a lot of the street vendors have all gone silent.

Russ:
The silence lasts only a moment before the normal sounds of Waterdeep begin to pick back up again. And you hear just the normal commotion of the city.

Thia Amastacia:
Well, that's weird.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yeah, that really gave me the all heebie jeebies.

Flint Firebeard:
mmhmhmhmhmhm

Russ:
Leosin's note told you to meet at the Lord's Palace.

Carla:
I would say we go see our homeboy Leosin?

Tom:
Yes, probably good idea. I mean, we just got hooked up with some equipment, so we're good as far as that's concerned. We should probably just head on in there to see what's what.

Carla:
Yeah,

Amy:
I agree.

Russ:
As you travel through the city, you notice that a lot of the animals throughout the city, the horses, the dogs, the cats all seem a bit, unusually nervous and on edge. More so than you would have normally expected, walking through just any random city.

Tom:
Sure. But we did just experience that weird weather phenomenon, so that's probably playing along in there.

Russ:
You pull in to the Lord's Palace and as you walk through the main entrance, you are greeted by Leosin. And he says,

Leosin Erlanthar:
I'm so glad you are here, friends. There's been some things going on and I feel we need your help. The council meetings are about to begin. And I've got you into them, let me lead you this way. Is there anything you require from me before I send you in there? They they will likely ask you about your dealings with the cult to this point. So be prepared to give your accounts of your adventures so far.

Flint Firebeard:
I was not told we would need to study for any sort of exam. (group laughs)

Nulara Moonbrook:
This is just like a town council meeting.

Leosin Erlanthar:
This is a council meeting of all of the Lords and leaders...

Nulara Moonbrook:
OK.

Leosin Erlanthar:
Across Faerun.

Flint Firebeard:
Oh right, okay.

Nulara Moonbrook:
But not a guild council meeting.

Leosin Erlanthar:
No.

Carla:
Great. I mean, still not great. Yes. Our memory is pretty poor.

Amy:
We'll do our best.

Tom:
We didn't remember taking a train. So. Hold on people. This could get real rough.

Carla:
Sure. Sure. Why not.

Tom:
I'm sure we can do it.

Carla:
We're nice people. We can answer some questions.

Amy:
We generally know what happened.

Carla:
Except when it comes to means of transportation.

Russ:
He leads you to a large chamber and opens the door. And council is currently going on.

Flint Firebeard:
Whoa.

Russ:
You enter and you see the man at the head of the table who's doing the talking right now. And they are talking about actually the sound that you heard when you came into Waterdeep. He is asking if anybody knows anything about this sound.

Russ:
One woman stands up and she says,

Lady Silmerhelve:
The disturbance that's been sensed across the sword coast is the Draakhorn, an ancient device whose sounding alerts dragons across Faerun that great events are unfolding. It's impossible to say what the sounding means, but all dragons hear it clearly and will eventually answer its call.

Russ:
The guy at the beginning of the table says,

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Lady Silmerhelve, Where did you get this information from? Why do you know so much about dealings of dragons?

Russ:
And she refuses to say where she knows from. Just that a family benefactor has told her stories of such a device. At that time they look to you as you enter the room and Onthar Frume stands up and says,

Onthar Frume:
Our good friends who have saved us many, many times are here to tell us their tales and shed us light on some of the dealings that they have had with the cult and hopefully bring a little more information to what we have. Flint, Nulara, Thia... If you could begin to tell your tale as to what you have experienced?

Flint Firebeard:
Where to? Well, the main thing to know is that the Dragon cult is collecting a horde of treasure at the moment to try and awaken Tiamat, The Queen of the Dragons.

Thia Amastacia:
We curbed that a little bats, got a giant on our side, kind of smashed his castle, floating flying castle...

Russ:
As you mentioned, that you smash the castle a couple of the delegates kind of whispered to each other and they have displeased look on their face.

Thia Amastacia:
Would you like to share with the class?

Lord #1:
No, continue. It was unavoidable.

Flint Firebeard:
It's fair. It's fair.

Thia Amastacia:
Yes. It was like we were working together.

Flint Firebeard:
Yes. We had teamed up with him to try and curb the assault of the. And as we were in the process of doing so and battling a dragon, unfortunately, we did a little bit of a face plant into a mountain with the castle.

Thia Amastacia:
We certainly did. What's her face? That awful lady.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Rezmir.

Thia Amastacia:
Thank you. So, Rezmir was involved as well. There is there's dissent in the ranks. So there are higher up people of the Dragon cult that would prefer Tiamat doesn't arise.

Nulara Moonbrook:
There's five leaders of the driving cult and they weren't exactly agreed on what direction they want the Dragon cult to take. Some wanted to raise Tiamat, some did not want to raise Tiamat. So... We killed one of them.

Flint Firebeard:
Yep.

Thia Amastacia:
So now there's four.

Nulara Moonbrook:
We were in this horrible castle accident and some of our memories are a bit foggy.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
That is that is entirely understandable. Having crashed in a castle.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yes. Yes,

Flint Firebeard:
It was not pleasant.

Nulara Moonbrook:
The take away, though, is that I think we could maybe find common enemies with some of the higher ups in the dragon cult to completely destroy the dragon cult, it seems like not everyone is on the same page over there.

Flint Firebeard:
And if not destroy it, then at least alter its course of actions.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Interesting.

Thia Amastacia:
And there's. Do we ever we didn't ever end up getting back to help the lizard people.

Flint Firebeard:
Uhh, no... We did not signal them with a giant owl in the sky.

Thia Amastacia:
See, it's now filled with guilt.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yeah.

Thia Amastacia:
Because we said we get back there to help them and instead we crashed a castle and never ended up getting back there.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Hmm.

Thia Amastacia:
So there's a whole group of lizard folk are working for the dragon called against their will because a dragon called have stolen their land.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Well, it seems we should send someone to help them, especially if a promise was made.

Flint Firebeard:
Yeah, maybe they're still just like waiting for that signal. I mean, I don't know how long it's been.

Thia Amastacia:
I really hope they haven't done anything.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Well, we killed Rezmir, though, who was running that compound, right? So she never went back, obviously.

Flint Firebeard:
But there was an old black dragon.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yes.

Flint Firebeard:
In the area that was also running things.

Nulara Moonbrook:
That they had previously been allegiant to. So.. But, still if you could send some people to help them out that would be great. Because we feel very bad.

Thia Amastacia:
Very responsible for them, too. We kind of. We we stirred the pot there. We kicked the bees nest. And we don't want them to suffer for that.

Russ:
Onthar speaks up and he says,

Onthar Frume:
We will get the information from you and send a group of our Paladin's to go and make sure that things are taken care of in that region.

Thia Amastacia:
Oh, and they have like a butt load of treasure there.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yes.

Onthar Frume:
Delightful. We'll make sure that's taken care of as well. Taken... care of.

Russ:
Oh, the Treasurer was gone, guys.

Tom:
Haha, oops!

Russ:
The lord at the top of the table says,

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Have you come across any hatcheries, any dragon eggs, anything that could be used from that side?

Thia Amastacia:
Absolutely.

Amy:
I reach into my satchel, my bag, and I produce a shell, a black dragon eggshell. Remember, I kept one of those. We destroyed a bunch of them in a cave.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
You destroyed the eggs?

Thia Amastacia:
Yes, most of them.

Russ:
It seems to be split among all of the delegates. There seems to be split feelings as to that. He says,

Lord Dagult Neverember:
The eggs could have been used to negotiate with the Dragons. But what's done is done.

Thia Amastacia:
There's someone out there. It was a situation. We had to make a call. They were going to hatch them to unleash all holy hell on everything.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
And you said you have killed mayor. Yes.

Thia Amastacia:
Yeah.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
And have you come to learn any alliances they have within other groups? There's been rumors that they've been working with the Red Wizards of Thay. Have you heard anything of that?

Flint Firebeard:
Yes, they definitely are.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Do you know the reason behind that?

Flint Firebeard:
No. That was something we were never really privy to.

Russ:
He needs speaks up and says,

Lord Dagult Neverember:
The rumors we have heard is that they're using the Wizards to conjure Tiamat. So, once they have adequate hordes of treasure, adequate number of recruits and people in order to support their cause, they are using the red wizards in order to actually summon Tiamat is what we have heard.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yes, that is... Our high ranking source in the cult of the Dragon said much the same. The Red Wizards are pawns to help with the rise of Tiamat.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Excellent. I'm glad that checks out as far as you are concerned.

Russ:
The man you've been mainly speaking to continues and he says,

Lord Dagult Neverember:
I am Lord Dagult Neverember, and we wish to recruit you to help us gain more information and to help fight against the cult and the rise of Tiamat. We are willing to deputize you and your troupe in order to gain information, give you investigative powers, which will allow you access to places where you would otherwise be unable to go. If you're willing to help us, we would be willing to do that and support you in any way that we can. As far as each of our individual clans and organizations go,

Thia Amastacia:
Yeah. It sounds like we're pretty much on the same page. What do you guys think?

Nulara Moonbrook:
Agreed. It sounds like our interests are definitely aligned.

Flint Firebeard:
Yeah the cult attacks on us have been pretty personal. So, we're on board for this.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
Excellent. We will have that paperwork written up at the end of this session. There is one other thing that we have to discuss. The assassination of Arthagast Ulbrinter, he was a masked lord of Waterdeep. The husband to Remi Haventree.

Russ:
And she speaks up and she says,

Remi Haventree:
We through the Harpers after this assassination, have sworn to destroy the cult and the threat it presents to the Sword Coast. So far, we have been instrumental in bringing the factions together for this council of Waterdeep and we wish to set up further alliances with you and with others throughout Faerun. If through your journeys you find you are able to create alliances with any other groups you come across. Please tell them of what we are doing and how they can help our cause.

Flint Firebeard:
Sure, yeah. That makes sense.

Thia Amastacia:
So, so sorry to hear of your husband.

Remi Haventree:
Thank you. A great loss.

Lord Dagult Neverember:
That is all we have right now. Leosin told me that he has some more information regarding the whereabouts of one of the wyrm speakers. One of the leaders of the Dragon cult. So if you please see him on your way out. That would be marvelous.

Russ:
Everybody kind of stands up and makes their way to the door. And the lady who was talking about the Draakhorn, Dala Silmerhelve comes over to you guys as everybody leaving, and she says,

Lady Silmerhelve:
I know I didn't say much more, but I may know where the Draakhorn is. And if we know where it is, we can control it. And if we can control it, we might be able to sway the dragons to not work towards bringing Tiamat back.

Amy:
I leaned over to Nulara.

Thia Amastacia:
(aside) Thank God she came forward because I was gonna beat the information out of her (group laughs) she sounded like she knew more, but she didn't give any more information. (to Lady Silmerhelve) Oh, that's awesome! Yeah, we should totally find the Draakhorn.

Flint Firebeard:
Whereabouts is it? Or do you think it is?

Lady Silmerhelve:
The Sea of Moving Ice was the last known location of the Draakhorn. No one has ever been able to pinpoint its present location from the sound or even verify with certainty that the relic is still in the Northern Sea. But the search, I feel, must start there as that is the last known place. There is one person who could tell us more. She's a Tiefling sorcerer called Maccath the Crimson. No one alive knows more about the Draakhorn than her, but the Arcane Brotherhood of which she is also a member, hasn't seen her for three years. She was investigating the Sean of Moving Ice when she disappeared as well. If you wish to go to the Sea of Moving Ice, we can have a ship readied for you to deliver you up there.

Flint Firebeard:
Are we on good terms with this Arcane Brotherhood?

Lady Silmerhelve:
The Arcane Brotherhood is not an enemy of any of our causes. They haven't directly worked with us, but we have no reason that they would present a problem to you in finding more information about what is happening.

Flint Firebeard:
We can even get them on our side.

Lady Silmerhelve:
That is a possibility. If you are able to find Maccath, if she is still living. As she's been up there, unheard of for a few years. if you are able to find her, find more information, Yes, the Arcane Brotherhood would be a great resource for knowing more about dragons and knowing more about Tiamat.

Flint Firebeard:
All right. Thanks for the heads up.

Thia Amastacia:
Should we go there.

Carla:
Can we... Don E. is a pseudo dragon, so really, he's just a tiny dragon. So, Donny, I'm assuming we're alone now. All the other council members have left.

Russ:
Everybody's kind of filtered out

Nulara Moonbrook:
Don E. when we first got here, did you hear something?

Flint Firebeard:
What did it say?

Nulara Moonbrook:
When when it felt like the air pressure dropped? Or did you... tell us what do you experience?

Carla:
And by tell us, I mean, psychically tell us in our brains,

Don E.:
Well, guys, I did hear the noise... and it was a noise, It wasn't just a pressure drop to me. It was coming coming from far from the mountains up towards the north. So, this is what she's saying is possible. So, it seems like a likely place to start.

Thia Amastacia:
Do you feel like a draw? Is it calling you? Do you want to go?

Don E.:
I mean, I, I, I don't really want to because, you know, it's I know what's going on. You know, I mean, this dragon is trying to bring back badder dragons, and I'm a good dragon. I don't like to fight the dragons.

Thia Amastacia:
Fair enough.

Don E.:
Making fun of badder?

Flint Firebeard:
We all were.

Nulara Moonbrook:
This is good, though, because if it sounds again, he can hear it, right? Like, I just wanted a little confirmation that old Dala there, wasn't sellin' us a bill of goods.

Flint Firebeard:
Not yanking our chain.

Russ:
(mocking voice) Yeah, it's the Draakhorn it's a dragon..horn. (group laughs) It's not just a guy with a loud siren, man.

Nulara Moonbrook:
So what do you think guys? Sea of Moving Ice? That sounds like a good spot to go.

Thia Amastacia:
I think we should go.

Flint Firebeard:
Sounds like we should go see those Ozark's again and see if he has any like parkas or anything for us. (laughs)

Nulara Moonbrook:
Or just ask them if they're going to like it. They're arranging our our travel on the boat. Right.

Flint Firebeard:
That would work too, yeah.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Are they arranging us some appropriately warm clothes and if so, let's go.

Flint Firebeard:
Some oilskins of some sort.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Yeah.

Russ:
As you head back out, Leosin is standing out on the other side of the chamber that you were in.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Hey buddy.

Leosin Erlanthar:
How did it go in there, guys?

Flint Firebeard:
It was tough to remember some of it, but I think we got the point across.

Leosin Erlanthar:
Well, they did say that your brain damage was extensive from the crash.

Flint Firebeard:
And I'm not surprised.

Thia Amastacia:
I've lost my sense of smell.

Leosin Erlanthar:
Well, that is going to be deadly to you coming up here... I mean...

Thia Amastacia:
I'm just kidding

Tom:
It's a smell based campaign. NOOOOO!

Leosin Erlanthar:
Is there anything that you gathered from that? I do have some information to tell you regarding one of the wyrm speakers.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Great.

Leosin Erlanthar:
We have heard that Varram, The White, who is a close ally and confidant of Severin, is rumored to have lost their dragon mask. He was the holder of the White Dragon mask and he is currently last spotted, rumored to have been spotted out near the Serpent Hills.

Tom:
Severin yis the head dude, right? Out of character.

Russ:
Yeah. Yeah.

Carla:
Other out of character question. So when we met that woman in the white scale male at that weird house that we went through the portal, that was not Varram the White? That was just some other person wearing white?

Russ:
Yes. She wanted to have the white mask,

Carla:
OK.

Russ:
But but Varram was the holder of marks.

Carla:
I couldn't remember. And I just saw a woman wearing a white in my notes, and then a list of all the people and thought that that's who that was. So, OK, perfect. She was just like his underling that wanted to take over.

Russ:
Exactly.

Carla:
Great.

Russ:
The cult leaders generally have other followers of the dragon type that they wear the mask of, So if something happens to them, another person is able to step into their place.

Carla:
Great. And sorry. I think we cut you off with Varram the White has lost their Dragon Mask, he was...

Leosin Erlanthar:
He was rumored to have been seen around the serpent hills. Word came from a trade way encampment called the Boareskyr Bridge that he had passed through there.

Russ:
Varram the White is for character Information is a dwarf. And he as other leaders in the cult, generally wear the purple robe set... Likely he would have kept that as is his status. So when you're asking about him, if you are asking about him, you can ask about that.

Tom:
I hope he enjoys plus to the dwarf charisma interactions because he's going to get it.

Carla:
Russ where are the Serpent Hills on the map? (map - https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/map-faer%C3%BCn) I see the Sea of Moving ice. Oh, over here. I do see them. Sorry. They are to the east. Like the south-east of where we are.

Russ:
Yes.

Tom:
Oh yeah, there you go.

Russ:
And then you have the Boareskyr Bridge is slightly south of the Serpent Hills there.

Tom:
Yes it is.

Amy:
So we have like a north option and south.

Tom:
Ok. So we'll send Thia up north. Nulara south, and I'll just chill in Waterdeep! (group laughs). I like the idea of going to the Sea of Moving Ice if this lady's alive, because that seems like we'd get a little more information. But then again, a former white mask holder in the dragon cult might be able to tell us a whole lot of stuff, too.

Carla:
Yeah, if he's there, I guess all we get from him is information and then murder?

Tom:
Yep. But she has information and possible allies.

Amy:
And maybe the Draakhorn.

Tom:
And possible dragon control. Yeah.

Carla:
Cause if we can get to that horn..

Amy:
That would be a huge plus for our side to be able to convince the Dragons not to be all into the dragon cult people.

Carla:
Indeed, just doing something high tech mapping here. Serpant Hills is like five hundred miles away.

Tom:
Yeah. Oh yeah. It's not close.

Carla:
They're both very far away according to the scale.

Amy:
I say we go north because it sounds like more fun as well. And that's how I based a lot of my decisions to adventure. We've decided.

Russ:
OK,

Amy:
Oh, you want to know? (laughs).

Russ:
Well it helps for which page I flip to?

Leosin Erlanthar:
So where do you guys need to go in order to further your investigation?

Thia Amastacia:
Well, I believe our first stop should be the Sea of Moving Ice.

Leosin Erlanthar:
You will need a ship then?

Thia Amastacia:
We will.

Leosin Erlanthar:
I will procure you passage. The Sea of Moving Ice is dreadfully cold. We will make sure that you have winter clothes in order to survive. It's probably a good thing. And if there's anything else you think you might need, we will get it for you. But you seem fairly well equipped.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Leosin, in the council meeting they said they would send some people to help the lizard folk that we kind of maybe left a little hangin' near the Mere of Deadmen. Can we count on them to be good to their word, or should we go and finish our own promise that we made?

Leosin Erlanthar:
Yes. Who was it that told you?

Thia Amastacia:
Onthar Frume?

Leosin Erlanthar:
If Onthar or Lord Neverember told you, I will pass that information onto them and they will send someone to take care of that.

Thia Amastacia:
Okay.

Leosin Erlanthar:
That is something that yes, they are of their word and they will make sure, especially the Lord Neverember as that is in his area of jurisdiction.

Thia Amastacia:
So that's a problem under his own roof. Is that what you're saying?

Leosin Erlanthar:
Exactly.

Thia Amastacia:
Okay, good.

Leosin Erlanthar:
So he will want to have that taken care of. If it's still an issue going on.

Flint Firebeard:
All right.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Feel like there's still maybe one witch running around up there too... Maybe warn them about that.

Flint Firebeard:
Definitely know those witches were down by Greenest. They were further down.

Nulara Moonbrook:
I thought they were in this wood?

Flint Firebeard:
No.

Nulara Moonbrook:
OK, or this wood?. Never mind. There's no witches. They're fine.

Flint Firebeard:
Maybe the misty forest... is that where it was? It was further south.

Thia Amastacia:
To the boat,

Leosin Erlanthar:
The captain who we will likely proquire... err... Procure.

Russ:
I can't think of good words.

Amy:
That's not a word.

Russ:
It's not a word. It is now... Anyways.

Leosin Erlanthar:
The captain who we will hire is Captain Lerustah Half-Face.

Carla:
Really?

Tom:
You gotta make these things easier on yourself Russ. (laughs)

Amy:
Half-Face?

Russ:
HALF-FACE.

Amy:
Does he have like... half of faith.

Carla:
Captain, what Half-Face?

Russ:
Lerustah...

Carla:
Larry... Half-Face (amy laughs).

Russ:
Captain Larry Half-Face.

Carla:
Perfect (chuckles)

Amy:
Larry Half-Face, OK.

Carla:
Sounds handsome.

Leosin Erlanthar:
We have worked with him in the past. And he is he is a good man who will get you to where you need to go. And we will send all the clothing you require down to his ship and have that ready for you when you are ready to go.

Thia Amastacia:
Fantastic.

Nulara Moonbrook:
TO THE SHIP!

Russ:
You guys head down to the docks and there are plenty of ships down there. There are a bunch of large ships, some really small ones...

Amy:
And some that climb on rocks. (group laughs)

Russ:
And some that climb on rocks. But as you walk through the docks, you see a couple individuals who you recognize wearing order of the gauntlet regalia coming from a...

Amy:
Hey do we get like badges or anything? We've been deputized, right?

Russ:
As you leave Leosin the hands you a writ for your deputization. So you have on your person written letter from.

Amy:
Just a letter like, you know, badge, or?

Russ:
And a badge. And a sweet, sweet badge.

Carla:
Perfect.

Amy:
I'm going to whip that out... interrogate some mother fuckers.

Russ:
All right. So you've got you've got badges. You get writs.

Carla:
We got rings.

Tom:
Yep.

Carla:
And a Snazzy Belt.

I have a follow up question about the ships. You said that there's ones that climb on rocks, but to our ships have a first name or perhaps a last name. (carla laughs)

Russ:
*sighs* Yep, I do this to myself.

Carla:
What boat are we going on.

Tom:
If you could spell out the letters one at a time to, that would be great.

Russ:
All right. I will do that.

Amy:
*sings* My boat, it has a first name. It's...

Russ:
You are down to the docks and you see a couple of people from the Orders of the Gauntlet coming from a ship. And as you walk in that direction a rough sounding fellow yells out to you and says,

Captain Larry Half-Face:
You guys are the ones going up north aren't sharp.

Thia Amastacia:
Who wants to know how? I mean.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
I'm. I'm Larry Half face.

Flint Firebeard:
(laughs) Ahh! Half-Face. How are you today?

Nulara Moonbrook:
Hail and well met, good sir.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
That to you too. This is the F.R.O.S.T.S.K.I.M.M.R.

Thia Amastacia:
Oh, the Frostskimmr.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
Yeah.

Tom:
*laughing* Thank you for playing my game.

Russ:
Oh, you're welcome.

Thia Amastacia:
That's a fine looking, fine looking craft.

Nulara Moonbrook:
A fine looking ship!

Russ:
You are looking at this ship...

Thia Amastacia:
...She Looks sea worthy!

Captain Larry Half-Face:
Oh, the Frostskimmr has seen many battles and going up north, it's the finest ship you can get on.

Russ:
You look it over and it is a much smaller ship than most of the ships around.

Amy:
I start knocking on the wood like I'm looking for something like I know a lot about boats.

Russ:
It is a single mast ship about 60 feet long and about 20 feet across. So it is considerably smaller than all the other ships around.

Thia Amastacia:
It's okay, it's not the size of the ship that matters.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Is there a genie on this boat? (looking at a battlemap)

Captain Larry Half-Face:
No, there's no genies on the boat.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Who is this fine fellow in the turquoise with the sabre?

Flint Firebeard:
He looks rather genie like.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
He's one of the crewmen.

Nulara Moonbrook:
Old no name. (chuckles).

Amy:
You know, they're going to die young. He didn't bother to name them.

Russ:
I didn't even give each of them a character. So, you know, it's funny, isn't it?

Carla:
His name is Gene E .... djin. (laughs) Tom and I decided we think it's really funny (laughing),

Captain Larry Half-Face:
As a matter of fact, there is one guy named Gene, who doesn't have a last name. So we'll just give that to him.

Flint Firebeard:
Good, old Half-Face. Always played along with our shenanigans.

Russ:
Lerustah or Larry is a is a human and he wears a mask over his face or covering on his face. You see massive scarring over the eye of his on the right side of his face.

Thia Amastacia:
How long is our trip going to be here, Larry?

Captain Larry Half-Face:
Well, it's several days trip. We have to go up The Sword Coast could take us anywhere from five to five to eight days to find what we're looking for.

Flint Firebeard:
What are we looking for?

Thia Amastacia:
I think we're the ones who tell him that. (laughs) Sorry Tom

Tom:
No, that's fine. I thought he was taking us to a destination, and then we were branching out from there.

Carla:
He must be going to take us to the last known sighting of Tiefling Maccath. Right?

Tom:
I would assume?

Captain Larry Half-Face:
Well, the information that I was given from Lady Silmerhelve was that the Tiefling you're looking for, Maccath reported her progress to the Host Tower of the Arcane Brotherhood by way of sending spells, and her last report spoke of seeing ice hunters paddling their sealskin boats towards a huge iceberg, flattened like a plateau across its surface. But ringed by icy peaks. And she had intended to follow the ice hunters and investigate the iceberg. After that, no more reports came. Attempts to find Maccath by the Brotherhood using scrying and other magical means only located her ship adrift and heavily damaged. Some of the ship's crew have been seen dead, but no signs of the Tiefling Sorcerer were ever found, which is why they believe she might still might still be alive. However, there is the lair of a dragon who is very powerful. His name is Arauthator and he has been known to control through fear, control different clans up there. He himself has, he knows magic is what I'm trying to say here. And he is a very powerful dragon and no doubt has protected his location of his lair. And if Maccath is alive, in addition to the lore that she can share regarding the drek corn, the Arcane Brotherhood would be most grateful to get her back. And any other information she has gained where she is being held.

Thia Amastacia:
Would be a bonus if we kind of took Arauthator the Dragon ended the equation?

Captain Larry Half-Face:
I mean, you guys are fighting dragons, right?

Nulara Moonbrook:
You betcha.

Thia Amastacia:
Yeah, well, yeah. I mean, if we get the Draakhorn though...

Flint Firebeard:
Ultimately we kind of want to sway them to our side.

Thia Amastacia:
We could, like, bridge the divide and all come together. It doesn't sound like he's that kind of guy. Rules through fear and what not.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
From what I've heard of Arauthator. He's a mean...

Thia Amastacia:
Motherfucker. Can we get on this boat? Let's do this thing.

Russ:
Yes. You guys climb aboard and he hands you all the clothes that you would require. Winter garb.

Thia Amastacia:
I call Top Bunk!

Amy:
And I run down into the...

Tom:
It turns out it's all just single cots. So, there are no bunks.

Carla:
Hammocks? What are we working with?

Russ:
There's bunks.

Tom:
Oh, of course!

Russ:
As Lerustah is describing his ship. He says there are 40 crew aboard. We do have room for you in the bunks.

Amy:
I already have my entire room area set up, there's scented candles...(laughing) I don't light them. It's a wooden boat. I'm not stupid. It's just for just for the fun.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
yes, please don't use fire on my boat. That would be great.

Thia Amastacia:
Done. OR... Not done. I'll put this one out right now. I apologize.

Tom:
No. Whispering Muy Caliente to your sword either.

Carla:
Jeez,

Russ:
It takes you about five days travel up to the Sea of Moving Ice. You are told Lerustah, Larry, you were told by Larry I'm just going to call him that.

Carla:
It's probably easier.

Russ:
Yeah. You're told by Larry as the site of more and more icebergs become more frequently, that you are, in fact, now in the Sea of Moving Ice and that his ship is the best ship because it is light and easily built.

Captain Larry Half-Face:
So at night, if we choose or if we get stuck, we can all get off and lift the boat onto the ice floe.

Flint Firebeard:
A portage.

Russ:
It is about night time. Now, as you guys are pulling into the area of the sea of moving ice, he says,

Captain Larry Half-Face:
It makes no difference to me or my crew. But if it makes a difference to you, whether we stay on the water or on the ice at night, there are creatures in the area, both in water and on the surface. But, whichever you guys prefer, we would just keep going until we find something or we can pull on and rest for the night.

Flint Firebeard:
You've done this before. What's your best guess for how we should proceed?

Thia Amastacia:
Yeah, Lare-Bear. What's your professional opinion?

Captain Larry Half-Face:
Likely. If it were just me and my crew, we would just stay in the boat.

Flint Firebeard:
Okay. Sounds great.

Thia Amastacia:
We'll stay in the boat.

Amy:
I like you didn't object to me calling you Larry Bear, though, so I feel like we've really.

Russ:
Well, you guys, I've been traveling for a few days, so you guys are developing...

Amy:
I feel like we've made out a couple of times in the brig.

Russ:
Yeah. There's no brig, but there's a broom closet, I'm sure.

Amy:
Yeah there is.

Russ:
Yeah. It's the same thing a brig and a broom closet when there none. It is getting to be nightfall now. Where are you guys? On deck, underneath. What's going on?

Tom:
I'm going to be on deck taking in the sites.

Carla:
Me too.

Amy:
Same here.

Russ:
You hear a lot splash come from the bow of the ship.

Carla:
I ran right over to look.

Amy:
I look for dolphins.

Russ:
There are no dolphins,

Carla:
Merfolk?

Russ:
Looking off the starboard side, you see thrashing in the water and the heads of two crewmen disappear beneath the waves surrounding the boat. Surrounging the boat, you see the scaly heads and bodies of multiple Merrow. They begin to rock the ship back and forth. As the ship hits a large wave you have to hold onto the railing and you hear more crewman scream from portside as people and cargo are dumped into the water. (End Music)

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