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Previously on Rime of the Frostmaiden
Due to technical difficulties, this week’s session was split into two videos!
Starring:
Valravn, level 10 Eladrin Bard of Eloquence
Fray, level 10 Halfling Barbarian of the Beast
Celeste, level 10 Half-orc Sun Soul Monk
Edmond, Level 10 Human Alchemist Artificer
Thimbleweed, level 10 Gnome Swarmkeeper Ranger
Before leaving the Lost Spire of Netheril, the Marshals still have to deal with the last remaining Dzaan (or at least, the last one here).
This Dzaan was a victim as much as a perpetrator, having had his legs eaten by his own mutant clones. No one is even sure if he’s the original or an early clone. Plus, he technically saved their lives after they saved his, helping defeat the flesh mound of Dzaan clones that nearly ended the party’s entire career.
Yet the Marshals haven’t forgotten how Dzaan callously got an entire adventuring party killed (and murdered at least one of them himself) just to find this location. And he’s still obsessed with finding the ancient Netherese city, buried beneath Icewind Dale.
Ultimately they decide to not only grant him mercy, but to let him join the party.
Naturally they gave him strict instructions: “don’t fuck with us, or we’ll gut you,” punctuated by Fray pressing a knife to his back. No casting spells without their permission, and they plan on keeping him shackled at all times.
Dzaan doesn’t have a leg to stand on (literally!) so he agrees to the terms, and the party makes their way out of the spire. On the way out they stop to interact with an ancient shrine. Edmond and Valravn try to pull secrets from it but are unable to succeed.
Back on the nautiloid the party enjoys a long rest while Dzaan freaks out that his saviors are flying around in a mindflayer airship.
Welcome to the party, Dzaan!
The only location left on their quest log, and on the map, is Revel’s End. The maximum security prison lies in a remote corner of Icewind Dale, on the shore of the Sea of Moving Ice.
Revel’s End houses Vaelish Gant, a former wizard of the Arcane Brotherhood who is at least partially responsible for the everlasting night currently affecting the Dale.
After Gant was arrested, his work in tracking chardalyn was picked up by his apprentice and lover, Nass Lantomir. Nass stole a Divination Orb from the Brotherhood and located the source of the chardalyn shards: an ancient flying Netherese city, now buried underneath the Reghed Glacier.
In the Lost Spire, Dzaan confirmed the existence of the city, and discovered its name: Ythryn.
When the Marshals went to the dig site, they inadvertently found Lantomir, now a powerful ghost. The ghostly wraith possessed Vellyne, ripped out Thimbleweed’s gestating insectoid creature, and teleported out. Her only clue: she was off to free Gant from Revel’s End.
Now, several days later, the party is finally tackling this main quest.
But when they arrive at Revel’s End, they don’t see a single guard in sight.
They approach the large, 140-ft central tower in their massive airship. No warning shots, not guards, no anything. Valravn summons his magical flying pegasus, lands on the tower, and lowers the drawbridge so the nautiloid can dock.
The rest of the party shuffles off, including, surprisingly, Dzaan, who Thimbleweed insists joins them. Edmond summons a mount so he can move around easier, pulling a goat out of his Bag of Tricks.
Ah well, they can’t all be polar bears!
The door at the top of the tower is magically sealed. Valravn uses Dispel magic, and the party clambers inside the tight stairwell, lit by continual flame sconces with blinking red lights.
After 20 feet they come to another magically sealed door. Another Dispel Magic lets them explore the top floor, which is distressingly empty.
At this point Valravn lets Dzaan cast Dispel Magic to open two more doors, finding the warden’s bedroom, and the office. The bedroom includes some nice loot (hundreds of gold, and a wand of binding), while the office has some important notes on Gant as a prisoner, as well as a recent visitor who showed up a few days ago. Vellyne, still possessed by Nass Lantomir!
Further down, another tower level revealed the barracks, now full of empty, disheveled bunk beds.
Celeste goes to town cleaning and straightening every single bed, a funny move that would earn her Inspiration as well as the MVPC at the end.
With concerns mounting, the party descends down another 100 feet into the prison itself. The central command center is a grisly scene of rubble, scratch marks, holes in the floor, and several dead bodies.
One of the dead bodies began to stir. Remembering the incident with the Goliaths on the mountain the party readies their weapons.
But this body was still alive — barely. Identifying herself as Warden Marta Marthannis, the warden spoke of how the prison was brutally invaded by insectoid monstrosities. They’re capable of infecting their victims with eggs, transforming their victims into more of their brood as they burst forth.
Right on cue, her body began to convulse, and a horrific creature burst out of her chest, finishing her off.
Welcome to Revel’s End!
MVPC – Celeste
Live post-session discussion:
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