RotDQ: Episode 28

Day 108 (3rd Marpenoth 1489 Cont'd)
The party have teleported somewhere. There is a Hunting Lodge a distance away. Croak sneaks ahead into the building and opens the ajar front door. He finds himself in a Guard Post. Croak then opens the door to the central hall inside. Croak goes to explore the room, but walks over a glyph, and is frozen solid like a statue. Maven tries firebolts to melt to unfreeze him, which melts some of the ice.

Trior suggest using a lasso, and Korbal lassos Croak and drags him back outside. 30 seconds later the spell wears off and Croak is unfrozen.

The party decide to get inside by another way. Croak breaks into a window and they go inside to find the White Stag Parlor. The room has dead animal trophies and nice leather chairs. On a table set with smoked sausages and candles. Croak eats 3 sausages.

The party decide to go around to investigate. They find 2 empty guest rooms, then they end up in a busy kitchen. Trior uses the Cult's code phrase to make the cooks relax. The cook says that Talis is upstairs.

The party head upstairs and find Talis's Hall and head inside. Talis greets the party and welcomes them as guests. It turns out Talis is Talis Winterleaf, Solania's missing friend. Talis the White turns out to be a high-ranking member of the Cult. Rezmir has already been there, and asked Talis to take care of the party. Talis has other plans.

Talis says the rise of Tiamat is inevitable, but she wants more power herself. She asks the party to kill Rezmir and Varram. They have both gone to the town of Parnast with the gold shipments to the north. The next destination is the flying castle, Skyreach Castle. The whole party accept the deal. Solania points out how the others treated her about the Dragon Egg, but they were now making a deal with the cult. Solania says she just wants to talk with Talis and be done with the party.

Talis offers the party guest rooms to sleep in before they leave on their quest. The party rest overnight. Croak and Trior take one room. Maven & Korbal in another room.

Day 109 (4th Marpenoth 1489)
After 8 hrs everyone wakes up early in the morning. Maven heads to meet up with the others and runs into a member of the cult, Ushbear, guarding Talis's room. Maven starts talking with Ushbear. Croak and Trior use the distraction to go look around the building to loot the place.

Croak and Trior end up in the basement. In the basement are 3 prisoners, Craggnor (Male Dwarf), Miresella (Human Female), Brother Caemon (Human Male). Croaks feeds the prisoners an apple each. Miresella is a civilian who overheard the cult's plans, and now gets beaten by Talis. Brother Caemon is a priest of Amaunator who was capture while travelling on a pilgrimage, but has been treated more kindly than the other prisoners. Brother Caemon tells the party about a magical tapestry, and warns against Trepsin the Troll in the shed outside. The party don't question the last prisoner, Craggnor the dwarf, and leave. Craggnor warns as they leave that Talis will betray them.

Trior and Croak keep snooping around. Kobolds are cleaning up the two Parlours. Croak goes to suit of plate armor and puts it in the bag of holding, but it turns out to be a Helmed Horror who attacks Croaks. Croak screams out in panic. Trior, Korbal and Maven rush to help Croak. Croak, badly wounded, escapes out a window and climbs up the side of the building.

The party attack the Helmed Horror, and it casts Evard's black tentacles. Maven is knocked unconscious.

Croak gets to Talis's window and asks for help. Talis agrees to help and heads downstairs to join the fight. Croak goes to loot Talis's room and finds a magical set of chainmail & magic scroll in a chest.

Tiror and Korbal finish off the Helmed Horror before Talis gets into the Three Hounds Parlor. Korbal heals Maven up.

Talis says the party need to do something in order to get to the flying castle. She gives the party a multicolored flag, and explains the party need to bear this flag in the village of Parnast to get into the flying castle. There is also a code phrase Her power is hidden and is great.

Talis also reveals that Solania has left. She wasn't happy with Talis's choices.

The party head out north from the lodge towards the village of Parnast.

The party arrive near the Parnast and see a small village and a Giant Ice Castle in a misty ravine.

Level Up
Party level up to level 7. HP isn't rolled for.