Desktopstu krynn D&D - Shadow of the Dragonqueen, story so far...

Shadow of the Dragon Queen Campaign - Story so far...

Part one

Word comes to the city of Haven that Ispin Greenshield has sadly passed away and is due to be given a send off in the distant town of Vogler. Ispin was a good friend of Fowler Greyeyes, the captain of the watch at Haven, as such a delegation is to be sent to Vogler with Ispin's shield and the cities best wishes. Fowler picks a select team to make the long journey and represent Haven.

The journey takes weeks of travel in the distant lands of Solamnia, in the final few days the characters are aboard a river boat on the last leg of the journey when a mighty storm causes damage to the boat and delay their travel. The ships captain suggests the characters travel on horseback the rest of the way after the stom blows over as its only a few days travel this way.

The characters travel on horseback, looking forward to trying out the delights of Vogler, they stop to rest by an unusual stone spire which leads to some strange night encounters with ethreal figues, could these be the old gods looking for acolytes in the waking world? Offers are made, gifts given and the characters fates are tied with their chosen dieties though few would believe such a tale. The gods have been missing from the world for over 300 years and are all but forgotten.

Further along the trail the characters are approached by a young man in distress! Unknown assailants have attacked his masters. The characters rush to the rescue only to find strange creatures have slain a group of soldiers. The characters leap forward and take on the enemy, they are hooded reptilian humanoids with wings that turn to stone when slain, who are thesestrange creatures and what does their arrival in such a far flung place mean?

Approaching Vogler the characters come accross a Mercenary company, the Ironclad regiment. The characters meet with one of the leutenants, Jayev, who states that the captain of the company is in Vogler and they are here to train up the local militia and join in with a reinactment `battle` between the local militia and the company reinacting some long last battle between Istar and Solamnia.

The characters finally make their way to the fishing town of Vogler and meet with a local Knight of Solamnia, Becklin Uth Viharin with her squire, Darrett Highwater and the dwarven commander of the Ironclads, Cudgel Ironsmile at a fine inn called the Brass Crab. They also meet the local lords son and town bully, Bakaris the Younger and a mean half ogre from the ironclads, Gragonis.

The characters join in with the local festivities of the Kingfisher festival including the fishing contest where one of the characters actualy came close to catching theat mighty seamonster of the deep, Benebog the Line Breaker but alas it was not to be and Benebog was the one that got away...

Ispin is seen off in style, placed on a floating bier and set alight followed by stories of Ispins life. Bakaris the junior tries to start some trouble but other than that the evening passes smoothly.

Under the veneer of good times in Vogler though something is not right. The characters see Gragonis behaving mysteriously by the docks. He is seen having shady dealings with a hooded stranger and is seen paying the village healer to be away from the mock battle planned for the next day. But nothing can be done due to lack of evidence.

The following day the crowds gather for the great battle between the forces of Istar represented by Gragonis and the mercenaries and the triumphant knights of Solamnia represented by the brave young militia of Volger. The mock battle should have been quite a show, but for the betrayal of Gragonis who had changed the rules of the game and instead of coming with wooden weapons and blunted spears, came fully ready for war! the mock battle became a massacre, only stopped by the characters intervention. Gragonis fell to the characters, the mercenaries were scattered and fled or died. One was taken prisoner.

What led to such a dastardly betrayal? Are the rest of the ironclad mercenraries trustworthy? Who was the shadowy cloacked figure Gragonis met with and were they involved with the betrayal? Cudgel Ironsmile is beside herself with guilt for the attocity her men commited. The militia has been terribly mauled with only around 10 left standing, leaving the town defences reduced.

Part two should bring some much needed answers...

Knight Beckin Uth Viharin

Cudgel Ironsmile

Gragonis

Bakaris the younger

Darrett Highwater

Part two

As Vogler comes to turn with the betrayal at High Hill, those in positions of power meet to discuss the ramifications of the act and what should be done. Knight Becklin wants to send for help from the city of Kalaman but Mayor Raven does not want to panic the populace of Vogler. Cudgel Ironsmile desperately wants to uncover the truth behind what happened, and why. And wishes to return to her regiment to uncover how deep the rot has set in. One of the treacherous mercenaries was captured and is to be interrogated. The characters join Becklin and Cudgel to question the prisoner. The following is uncovered:

Gragonis planned to kill Cudgel and take control of the Ironclad Regiment.
Several days ago, Gragonis headed into the woods west of the mercenary camp, then returned with a considerable amount of gold.
Afterward, Gragonis hired his most loyal mercenaries to attack the Vogler militia during the reenactment. He planned to then raid Vogler.
The mercenary doesn't know who gave Gragonis the gold he used to pay off the mercenaries.
A few mercenaries remained at their camp, including Jeyev, Cudgel's other lieutenant. The mercenary thinks the others at the camp are loyal to Cudgel—the ones Gragonis paid accompanied him to the reenactment.

The characters are tasked with scouting the woods where Gragonis apparently acquired the gold while Cudgel returns to her regiment of mercenaries.

Scouting the woods uncovers clawed footprints, following these the characters come to view an armed encampment of around a thousand warriors

of unknown alignment. The characters report back to Becklin as Cudgel also returned with her lieutenant, Jayev. There has been conflict amongst the mercenaries but Cudgel has `sorted` the situation. A meeting is held to coordinate the Vogler response, again Becklin wants to send for help but Mayor Raven is paralysed by indecision. The people of Vogler are incredulous at the thought of of such an army so close to the village. A bang on the castle hall door from a panicked Darrett Highwater stops the meeting - strangers have arrived at the gate with a message for the Mayor.

The strangers are three heavily armed and armoured warriors on horseback who give an ultimatum to the Mayor that reads `People of Vogler, By the orders of Belephaion, the Voice of Takhisis, you will quarter the soldiers of the invincible Red Dragon Army this night. Refuse and die. No one is to leave the village without permission This is the Dragon Queen's will.`

The riders retreat to a rise where they can observe anyone attempting to leave the village and where they cannot be approached without those approaching being seen. Becklin, Raven, Cudgel and the characters discuss a way forward. Becklin wants to evacuate the village by boat but cannot do so while those riders watch. Raven reluctantly agrees, Darret has an idea on how the riders could be surprised... the gnomeflinger! A gnome high speed travel device known as the gnomeflinger is located on one top of the castle. A very excited gnome explains how it works. The gnome flinger is essentially na giant catapult that hurls people who should wear a device called a Narycrash that acts like a parachute. It’s a mostly safe way to travel. There’s been no complaints so far (as those who might complain are usually very flat and dead).

Sooo an attack is made using the Gnomeflinger. And it sort of works. By sort of I mean two of the three gnomeanaughts narycrash devices work perfectly while the third one fails to open and one of the characters is hurled to screaming ruin and barely survives! Which is at least more survival than the poor soul they landed on.

A fierce battle entails! The characters are, after a very hard-fought fight, victorious.

With the watchers neutralised Becklin and Raven initiate the evacuation of the village by boat while she, Cudgel and the Ironclad regiment make a fighting retreat to buy time for the villagers to escape. Becklin has a request of the characters though. They must make sure Darrett gets on a boat, even against his will. And a crate in Becklins room that also must be on a boat. Becklin bids them good luck, and tells them to save who they can if she doesn’t make it back.

The characters manage to get Darrett on a boat along with the crate from Becklins room, soon after they are called to the main gate as someone is coming. Returning to the gate the characters spot Jayev fallen 100 yards from the gate. The characters rush to his aid only to be ambushed by strange dragonlike humanoids. A fierce battle ensues which the characters narrowly win. They rescue Jayev and retreat to the gates. Jayev gives them the terrible news that Becklin is slain (he holds her helm in his hands) as is Cudgel and the ironclads. A terrible dragon is coming, all is lost! With that a mighty roar and explosion of flame heralds the arrival of a huge fire breathing shape. Jayev flees in terror, the characters fall back unsure on how to stop such an opponent. A strange elven princess arrives out of the smoke healing the characters with a touch and suggesting how to defeat the monstrous mechanical opponent, known as a Boilerdrak, using a nearby watertower. The kender gets the boilerdraks attention while the other characters attempt to push the water tower over to quench the flames of the monstrous gnomic device. Only the two pushing the tower fail again and again. As the flames bear down on the poor Kender all looks lost, then a mighty heave pushes the tower over and a whoosh of steam is followed by an explosion as the boilerdrak disintegrates.

The characters have held the enemy as long as they can. Soldiers of the dragon queen swarm into the village and those left head to the harbour and the last of the boats. One boat holds out for the characters and they flee into the night for Kalaman.

The Gnomeflinger device (fast travel, no insurance)

The Narycrash device (usually works)

The mysterious elven princess Leedara

The devestating Gnomic Boilerdrak

The final escape from Vogler as the village burns...

Part Three

Kalaman.

The bedragled survivors from Vogler have made it to the safety of the great walled city of Kalaman. Here the characters meet up with Darrett and Jayev only to find that lord Bakaris has gone agead of them to tell his version of events to the govenors of the city. The characters make their way towards the castle in the centre of the city only to realise they are being watched by a dark stranger, a sorceress named Wyhan who gives the half goblin wizard, Weird Al Yanowich, in the group a scroll for the white wizard in the castle with a warning not to open or read its content.

The characters rush on towards the castle to find their way barred by Bakaris the younger who tries to divert them away from the castle. The characters push on through to the castle and confront Lord Bakaris who has been spinning a tale about the defence of Vogler where he was the one fighting a dragon on the battlements. This is soon put right when the characters explain the truth of the matter however.

The lords of Kalaman agree to care for the Vogler villagers in return for the characters aiding Kalaman as `special advisors`.

Weird Al Yanowich meets with the white wizard of the castle who reads the scroll and hands another back to Al Yanowich to take back to Wyhan, this includes another warning not to read or open the scroll. Upon returning to Wyhan at her magical apothecary they find this was all a test to find out whether Al Yanowich should become a Black, Red or White wizard.

The characters are given their first mission: to travel to a nearby workshop where the Gnomic inventor, Tatina Rookledust, lives.

Making their way to Rookledusts workshop they find it is under attack by Goblins led by a mean looking Hobgoblin.Rookledust is not taking this attack lying down however, and is retaliating using some of her inventions such nas clockwork flying chickens, mechanical chomping teeth and other peculiar devices. The characters brave the storm of inventor mayhem and goblinoids to fight off the attackers and save Rookledust. Here they find that Rookledust was responsible for the mechanical dragon that attacked Vogler, though she is horrified that it was used in such a fashion (it was designed as a weed burner!).

Second mission the characters head to a Dwarven farmstead that has not returned to Kalaman only to find a trap set by Draconians. The ensueing battles proves fatal for one of our brave adventurers... Weird Al Yanowich fought bravely but alas fell to her wounds delivered by an escaping Dragonel. This was a sad day indeed. How could the Draconians have known of the characters approach?

Third mission is to uncovedr the fate of two missing scouts some twenty miles from Kalaman. The characters once more go forth, picking up unlikely company in the form of the Hobgoblin leader from the assault of Rookledust who has decided to fight against the Dragonqueens army.

The scouts are found - they have been captured by Draconians! The characters waste no time in attacking to save the one surviving scout and in doing so discover that some of those from Vogler thought fallen are in fact held at Wheelwatch outpost, an old abandoned fort. A force of twenty knights are dispatched with the characters and Darret to save the Vogler captives...

Gorgonort the Hobgoblin and the cat known as Becklyn.

Wyhan the black sorceress of Kalaman

Lord Bakaris, would be saviour of Vogler

The defence of Tatina Rookledust's Workshop

Part 4

The assault of Wheelwatch outpost!

The rescued scout has informed Kalaman that some Vogler prisoners are being held at the old Wheelwatch outpost. Darret and 20 knights join you to attempt to retake the fort. A direct assault would be costly, and there is a risk the Dragonqueens forces may kill the prisoners. The scout draws a sketch of Wheelwatch outpost and explains the layout, he also explains how to operate the gates and that the enemy commander of the outpost holds the keys to both the prisoners and the gates.

The Hobgoblin will act the role of Dragonqueen soldier while the elf and kender will act as prisoners. They will enter and arrange to be seen by the comander, theere the plan gets a little hazy but somehow they will get the keys, free the prisoners and send a signal to the knights as they open the gates. What could go wrong with a plan like that?

They manage to convince the dragon army soldiers to let them in... they go to the comanders office and speak to commander Ardlic.

Speaking to the comander to get him off his guard the hobgoblin seizes the moment to attack! However, the comander manages to shout out for help making the guards outside suspicious. The kender leaps on the comanders back and silences his shouts of alarm while the Hobgoblin attempts to bury his axe into the flailing comander, meanwhile the Elf holds the door shut to prevent the guards entering. In the ensueing battle the camander loses his head - literally. The Elf uses magic to convince the guards that everything is ok, that `he` the comander just...er... stubbed his toe. And that there is an attack due at the south gate.

The characters have the keys!

The Hobgoblin goes top open the north gate only to find two Draconians remain on the tower, so the Kender goes to distract them while the gate is opened and the Elf frees the prisoners.

The Draconians pursue the Kender, more guards return to stop the gate being opened as the game is most certainly up. The gates must be held for precious seconds while the knights charge forward, a vicious battle ensues, the gates are held and victory goes to Kalaman!

Among the prisoners is a very sick dwarf, none other than Cudgel Ironsmile, long thought dead, and she has a warning that Vogler was betrayed by Jayev as he poisoned the mercenaries guarding the road to Vogler and slew Becklin. The traitor has been providing information to the enemy which led to the ambush that led to the death of one of their companions, Weird Al Yanowich, was slain.

The characters rush back to Kalaman to confront the traitor, only to hear that knights of Solomania have come to Kalaman and Jayev has taken them to the lords meeting room in the castle. The characters rush forward to find the meaning of this, with a growing sense of dread. Within the meeting chamber the lords of Kalaman have been slain, Jayev is there, alive and well, as is what appears to be a smiling Solamnic knight who introduces himself as Caradoc.

The traitor, Jayev

Caradoc, knight of Solamnia... or is he?

Part 5, terror in the depths of Kalaman

The mysterious Elven princess, Leedara, warns the characters that they must hurry and stop the evil Lord Soth from taking a mysterious secret.

Caradoc bars the characters way and after a fierce battle he is defeated, but what appears to be his spirit escapes leaving the possessed body behind.

The characters follow Lord Soth into the catacombes to thwart him if they can. They find that mysterious purple energy displays stories of the past linked to Lord Soths downfall in the time of the cataclysm. Catacombs and burial vaults long forgotten are restless and the characters needed their wits about them to navigate its treacherous depths.

Eventually the characters catch up with that which Soth has sought but its too late, he has a powerful elemental magic, but for what purpose? he leaves behind a long dead knight, Sarlamir, who is haunted by his past treachery to defeat the characters. However the characters win through and as Sarlamir is freed from his undeath he tells his destroyers where Soth his going so that they might still thwart him, and in doing so is forgiven by the true gods at last.

Soth is going to the City of Lost Names.

Once the characters return to the city to take stock of the situation the true extent of the disaster unfolds, all the great leaders of Kalaman are dead or incapacitated. Young Darret, now in knightly armour, takes command and discusses the next move with the characters. It is agreed that the City of Lost Names must be found and what ever power Soth and the Dragon Queens armies may find there must be destroyed.

Sarlamir, the accursed undead knight

Part 6, Into the Northern Wastes

The characters head a small force of troops into the Northern Wastes to find any clues of where or what this city of lost names is.