RotDQ: Episode 23

Day One Hundred And Five (Highharvestide, 1489)
The party are in row boats in the Mere of Dead Men. They are rowing up stream and have just run into 3 other canoes full of 9 lizardfolk.

Maven Mirkana casts a bonfire on one of the canoes. The two groups exchange ranged attacks. Some lizardfolk jump into the water to attack the party's canoes. As they come close Korbal Tallfort and his Squires hit the lizardfolk.

Trior Hizon, wearing his armor, falls into the water. Croak throws a rope to Trior. Solania and Korbal's canoe gets tipped over and they are then thrown into the river, but the armored Korbal gets to shore easily and continues fighting. Trior climbs back on his boat, then kills the Lizardfolk leader.

Where there are only 3 lizardfolk left, they say they surrender. The party accept the surrender. After some confusion, Trior admits the party isn't part of the Cult of the Dragon. The lizardfolk ask of the party are after the Hoard of Voaragamanthar, and adult black dragon who claims the Mere of Dead Men as it's territory. Maven is able to translate Voaragamanthar as "the black death" and is a sorcerer.

One of the lizardfolk goes to talk to Trior & Maven on his own. He says that they can help fight against the cult, but Castle Naerytar is heavily defended. The lizardfolk doesn't trust the other lizardfolk to go against the cult, but since their common is poor, he can lie to his fellow lizardfolk. What the lizardfolk wants is revenge on the bullywogs and the cultists who are abusing his people. Rezmnir has established a three way alliance between the Cult of the Dragon, the bullywugs, and the lizardfolk at Castle Naerytar. All lizardfolk are against the bullywugs, but only a few are against the cult.

Maven wonders after killing 6 lizardfolk in the river if the alive lizardfolk will trust them. The lizardfolk respect strength so hold no grudge against the party.

The party camp at the edge of the river as the lizardfolk bury their dead. Croak talks with the lizardfolk about their grudge with the bullywugs. The Bullywugs and Rezmir killed the lizardmen shaman. The bullywugs are lead by the shaman Pharblex Spattergoo. Croak suggests that the Cult of the Dragon will have a method of controlling Voaragamanthar somehow and it is in the black dragon's interest to turn against the cult. The lizardfolk says that Rezmir is the real problem. Croak suggests luring Rezmir out of Castle Naerytar but the lizardfolk say that won't work.

During Trior's watch he sees the full moon and realises he has control over his wererat transformation, so doesn't cast "Remove Curse".

Day One Hundred And Six (1st Marpenoth 1489)
The party wake up in their camp on the river with the lizardfolk. They then follow the lizardfolk towards Castle Naerytar.

While paddling on the river, a shambling mound attacks the party, and it starts to eat Knight Shart. The lizardfolk retreat from the fight, throwing spears at the shambling mound as they leave. Two crocodiles then come up from behind them, hitting Solania's boat. Solania and Navi leave their boat and get to shore.

Croak puts a piton in the swampy ground and tries to tangle the shambling mound with a rope, but get hit hard by the monstrosity. Trior kills one of the 2 crocodiles and Solania takes out the other crocodile.

Korbal finishes off the Shambling Mound and Knight Shart's broken and dead body falls to the ground. Korbal holds the dead body and bids him farewell.