Mother's Day

The Rookery, Session 12

“Most mortals tend to focus on the Raven Queen’s association with death and the disposition of souls. Much less appreciated is the fact that she embodies all the other attributes we associate with ravens as well. She is curious. She is obsessed with ‘shiny things’ (although what she regards as ‘shiny’ is the subject of much discussion and debate amongst those who study her.) She has a sense of humor, and will play pranks on the unwary. Finally, she is cunning—so much so that even the Lord of the Nine Hells will bargain with her only if his need is very great.”

—Dorian the Sagacious

Observations and Insights on the Nature of Mortal's Interactions with the Gods: Volume II. Aspects of the Gods”

In the morning, the party rose to find that it had rained overnight. The morning was cool and indeterminately gray—as if Silvanus could not decide whether to allow the rain to restart, or let the sun burn through instead.

As the party took breakfast, Hed checked in with the party to remind them of their promise the previous night that whatever action they took at the Halls of the Hunting Axe would not cause repercussions for Beliard. He also let them know that there had been no further sign of Andra, or the horse she had taken.

As they rode out, the weather remained gloomy, but the rain did not return. After riding for a few hours, the party heard the sounds of rustling along with the hushed, arguing voices of dust mephits from the bushes to one side of the trail. Using her raven as “eyes in the sky,” Andira spotted three dust mephits watching them from the bushes, and was able to successfully pin one of the mephits to the ground using her Mage Hand, while the other 2 mephits fled in terror.

The mephit spoke only terran—the language of the earth elementals. It turns out that Obsidian spoke terran, so he offered to question the mephit. As Obsidian began questioning it, his demeanor changed from what the party had experienced up to that point, as Obsidian took on an air of command and self confidence.

On questioning, the mephit told Obsidian that the mephits had been ordered to watch for the party’s approach, and report back. When asked who gave them the command, the mephit tried to refuse to answer, but after Obsidian barked a command at in terran, it told him that it was taking orders from “the Shard,” who both “spoke for and followed the master.”

Deciding that their presence was now known, the party hurried on to the Halls of the Hunting Axe. Near the entrance to the Halls of the Hunting Axe complex, they discovered a horse with a saddle and bridle on, its legs and belly muddy as if they had been ridden hard through the night. The horse was not tethered or hobbled, just wandering free and grazing. After catching the horse, they headed to the main entrance of the Halls.

Near the gates to the complex, they found Andra’s body. It was lying face down at the end of a several foot long trail of blood. When the party turned her body over, they found that her throat was torn out. In addition, she had lost multiple teeth; it appeared that had been violently pulled out.

When they reached the main hall where they had found Quilana and the other petrified beings, they found that a stone wall that had not been there before—ten feet tall and seemingly of a single piece—enclosed all of those who had been petrified. Scouting by Andira’s raven and Owlowicious above the wall showed all of the petrified beings were still in the same locations as when they had visited previously. On each of the four sides of the wall was posted a parchment with the following written on each:

By the order of HIS magnificence, Marlos Urnrayle—Prophet of the Black Earth, Grand Duke of Mesember, Heir to the power of Ogremoch—you are ordered to leave this place and never return. All that lies within these walls is the property of HIS most August Personage. Those who would trespass and disturb HIS masterful creations will suffer a fate most horrific, and will ultimately be denied the liberation of death to serve HIS will.

Caelynn climbed to the top of the wall, to assess how feasible it would be to use a rope for the others to scale the wall. The party also asked Obsidian if he could create an opening in the wall; saying “Anything that can be done may be undone.” Obsidian magically removed a section of wall.

Once the party entered area within the wall, all of the petrified beings—except Quilana— animated and attacked the party. Long claws emerged from each of their fingers, dripping a sludge that could paralyze. A frantic battle ensued, and even with the aid of Zook and Obsidian, the party was hard pressed. The party did succeed in destroying all five of the Stone Cursed, but at the end of the fight, Nazz, Caelynn, and Andira were all down, petrified, and near death.

Zook had sufficient materials to restore two of the three, and revived Nazz and Caelynn. Unexpectedly, after a few moments Andira also revived, seemingly without action by Zook or any other member of the party. When this happened, Zook approached Andira with tears in his eyes, saying: “I’m sorry my child. I’m so, so, sorry. But I had been given my instructions, and could not disobey.”

After healing the most seriously injured party members, and verifying that there seemed to be no other threats in the area, the party performed the restoration ritual to attempt to bring Quilana back. Everything worked as hoped, and Quilana’s stone form was gone, and the flesh and blood Quilana—unconscious but very much alive—lay before them; wearing a gem Nazz had never seen before on a chain around her neck, and holding an oak leaf in one hand, and a raven feather in the other.

After awakening Quilana and giving her a little sustenance, she was strong enough to mount a horse. Thinking it prudent, the party rode back toward Beliard until near sundown, when they stopped and camped for the night. After camp was arranged, Quilana told them the tale of her capture, and what transpired after.

During Nazz’s watch, she heard someone obviously skilled in woodcraft quietly approaching their campsite. Nazz concealed herself outside the campsite, and when the person passed beyond her position, Nazz stepped out behind them with her bow drawn and ordered them to halt. The person slowly raised their hands and turned around, then said: “Hello Nazz, is that how you greet your favorite uncle?”

The Players

Andira—Female tiefling warlock. Andira is an orphan, left anonymously at the temple of the Raven Queen in Neverwinter when still a baby. The priests at the temple named her Andira, and raised and educated her. When she had reached her late teens, Andira was told by Vassyma—the head priestess of the temple—that she was to be initiated as a warlock of the Raven Queen. Soon after Andira completed her initial training as a warlock, Vassyma commanded Andira to travel to the town of Red Larch, and investigate any unusual happenings there.

Caelynn Xiloescient—Elven monk. Born into a family of glass artisans in Silverymoon, Caelynn grew up having little interest in the family business. Instead Caelynn dreamed of travel and adventure. With her parents grudging permission, Caelynn became a student at the Sun Soul Monastery in Silverymoon. There she trained for about 50 years (not that long for an elf.) Then, her master—Siora Quidithas—tasked her with her first quest; to travel to Summit Hall in the Summer Hills. There, Caelynn was to contact Ushien Stormbanner—the commander of the Knights of Samular at Summit Hall—who would give her further instructions. Ushien told Caelynn to travel to Red Larch, take a room at the Swinging Sword Inn, and “keep her ears open.”

Nazz Syldaran—Elven ranger. Nazz grew up in the elven enclave of Tangled Trees; her mother was a ranger and her father a Boyer. When Nazz was still relatively young, her mother disappeared—seemingly without a trace—while patrolling near the Sumber Hills. Nazz’s uncle Badgerlock—Quilana’s brother—completed Nazz’s training as a ranger. After fifty years (again, not long for , Nazz set off to try and find any clues to what might have happened to her mother. Badger lock suggested that she start her search in Red Larch.

Sariyas Theyne—Eladrin Rogue. Sarıyas grew up in the Feywild city of Elrodon, raised by his mother. Sariyas never knew his father, and his mother would never speak of him. When he got old enough, Sariyas joined a quasi-mercenary organization, and started working different—often unsavory—jobs as a result. While doing a job for an unknown client—who had paid up front—Sariyas broke into the house of an old and solitary merchant, with instructions to recover an amulet from the merchant. When he touched the amulet, he fell unconscious, and woke up in Faerun, with the amulet around his neck. Sariyas found he was unable to remove the amulet or step back to the Feywild. A note in his hand instructed him that if he wanted have the amulet removed, to travel to the town of Red Larch, and investigate unusual events in the. The note also instructed Sariyas to periodically return to an ancient rock cairn near where he woke up. There he was to leave written reports of what he had observed, and to check for further instructions.

NPCs

Andra—human wererat, leader of a small cell of Carrion Eaters in Beliard.

Hed—human former adventurer, currently the Magistrate in the town of Beliard.

Obsidian—human wizard, proprietor of Obsidian Magical Services in Waterdeep.

Quilana Syldaran—elven ranger, mother of Nazz Syldaran.

Zook Timbers—gnome priest of the Raven Queen, from the temple in Waterdeep.