Episode 04 - Cultists at Caer Dineval

We pick up our story with our band of adventurers heading south towards Bryn Shander in possession of a sled full of dwarven iron ingots dutifully reclaimed from a gang of opportunistic goblins. 

The sled with the ingots was successfully delivered to Garn the Hammer at black iron blades. A payment of 33GP along with a lifetime store discount of 10% was made in payment for the missing shipment. 

The dogs and sleds were stabled and our heroes set off for the Northlook where they still have rooms. Aldrick and Shayde needing a long rest to bring their exhaustion level back down to 1. Upon arrival at the Inn, our party was met with a bustling common room. All the talk apparently of the most recent murder that had happened in town the night before. Among the many patrons were Torrga Icevein and her unusual bodyguard Sephek Kaltro. Requiring rest, Aldrick and Shayde made for their rooms after eating while Grom and Tor remained in the common room keeping an eye on their suspects and listening to the rumours and opinions of the locals. 

As part of his rest Aldrick was able to copy a couple of spells from Astrix's spell book to his own (Scorching Ray and Alter Self), while Shayde polished and sharpened her blades. They both then settled down sleeping right through til morning (all the while lookout kept watch from the rooftop above the Inn's door). During this time Grom and Tor noticed Torrga and Sephek leave the inn. Grom decided to follow them out into the streets of Bryn Shander. Grom was able to learn that they were leaving the next day and heading to Easthaven. Maybe our party will catch up with them there ????

The following day our group took the time to visit the town speaker Duvessa Shane. Questioning her on the recent murders and also the towns decision to offer humanoid sacrifices to Auril. Unable to offer much on these issues Speaker Shane did inform our party that a seemingly evil wizard had been apprehended in Easthaven and that he was currently on trial for his crimes. Something that proved to be most interesting to Aldrick.

Determined to follow up on their investigations into possible Arcane Brotherhood members our team set off on their sleds to Caer Dineval arriving mid afternoon just as the dim light faded and the darkness fell once more. Upon arrival they headed for the docks and the local Inn of Dinev's Rest only to find it closed and boarded up (most likely having been this way for a couple of months). Some of the boards looked loose but with no lights from within little was made of this and with little other choices our party of adventurers made for the Tavern on the North side of town known as The Uphill Climb.

The Proprietor of the Uphill Climb was a man called Roark. Despite his generally good nature he seemed somewhat downbeat. Unable to offer rooms Roark advised our group to seek lodgings at the Caer with Speaker Crannoc Siever. Whilst enjoying bowls of steaming chowder Shayde overhead a group whispering in Infernal. Noticing that they all wore black sword shaped amulets, she approached and engaged with them also speaking Infernal. Umwanting to engage in conversation the group of 3 quickly got up and left the Tavern. Lookout was able to follow them and in doing so allowed Aldrick to see that they headed for the Caer and were admitted by the guards. 

Having finished their meal our party, on the advice of Roark made their way up towards the Caer. At the gate they were met by 2 guards. Enquiring as to the availability of lodgings they were told that there were none and that they should seek somewhere in town. Initially put out by this, our party then enquired as to whether it was possible to have an audience with Town speaker Crannoc Siever. Alas, again they were denied. "He is unwell and not receiving visitors". The offer of medical/healing assistance appeared to invoke further disdain from the guards. 

The guards reactions at this point, coupled with the group from the tavern had led our party of heroes to the conclusion that something was definitely amiss at the Caer and that a more direct course of action would be required. Taking the opportunity to investigate the outer perimeter of the Caer they put into action a plan to gain entry into the Caer. Using her acrobatic ability, helped by Tor's height and strength, Shayde was easily able to ascend the 20ft heigh outer wall. She then looped her rope around the castellation and drop enough down allowing the rest of the party to scale the wall with ease. Stealthily they made their way towards the North West tower. Aldrick cast Invisibility on Shayde who then unseen and undetected made her way down to the ground level. Here she found 3 humanoid figures seemingly at rest in long hooded robes. Reporting this to the rest of the group it was decided to act first and ask questions later. Using her Invisibility, Shayde descended the stairs first and took up a position to cover the door incase anyone tried to escape.

Grom descended the stairs first running in to cleave at one of the cultists with his great axe. Tor moving down the stairs to engage next whilst Aldrick sent Firebolts from the staircase. One of the cultists made a dash for the door but was cut down by Shayde before they could get there. Their decapitated body instantly starting to freeze into ice. The other 2 were dispatched in quick succession. The room also contained a trap door (leading down to an underground river) and a hidden door revealing a short passageway into the main interior of the Caer.

Exploring the hidden passage lead the group to an office of some sort and a well dressed Teifling. With some high initiative rolls our adventurers struck first. Shayde using her newly acquired Rogue Level 3 assassinate skill to gain advantage and sneak attack on the first round of the turn!! During the flurry of exchanges we came to learn this Teifling's name was Kardoth. In retaliation against Shayde Kardoth cast "Inflict Wounds" dealing a heavy blow but it was his only action as the rest of the group overpowered him and sent him to his master Levistus.

On searching Kardoth's remains we found 2 daggers and a set of keys to the Caer. Locking the door on their way out the party proceeded to search the interior of the Caer for Speaker Crannoc Siever. Interrupted by another cultist who managed to flee and alert the Caer's defenders our party of heroes now had a tough decision to face as the cultists swarmed out from every tower.

Our heroes made their way through the great hall coming first upon the kitchens where a visibly frightened cook informed them that Speaker Crannoc was kept under house arrest in his quarters on the upper floor. 

With the Cultists in reach of the Great Hall Tor took hold of her Druids Staff and cast "Spike Growth" with the ground in a 20ft radius circle erupting in sharp spikes and thorns capturing a number of the cultists within. Unable to perceive the danger, a number of them died as they tried to move out of the spells area of affect.

Meanwhile, outside, the cultists couldn't find a way through the tangle of spikes and thorns that blocked entry to the great hall. Another cultist failed his perception check and not realising the magical deadly terrain impaled themselves as they moved. The surviving cultists headed towards the North West tower. 

Aldrick, Shayde and Grom proceeded to head upstairs, Grom taking the Western gallery and Shayde and Aldrick the East. Using the keys they had recovered from Kardoth Aldrick unlocked the door which lead to Speaker Crannoc. Speaker Crannoc advised that his household staff had been imprisoned in the lower levels and that a cultist named Kardoth was incharge. He also told Aldrick and Shayde about an ancient dwarf soothsayer named Hethyl was somewhere in the Caer. Aldrick let Speaker Crannoc know that Kardoth was dead but that the remaining cultists were heading this way and that he should stay in his room and wait for them to return.

Using her cunning action to bonus action dash Shayde took the keys from Aldrick and dashed across to Grom on the opposite gallery. The door here lead to a short corridor with 2 opposing doors at the far end. Opening the door on the northern side Grom and Shayde came face to face with Hethyl. Looking up from her chair, the ancient one legged dwarf drew a deep breath and explained that she'd been waiting for this moment.

Hethyl then proceeded to impart the following information.

Xardorok Sunblight, a duergar warlord plans to conquer Icewind Dale. And that he has a fortress hidden in the Spine of the World Mountains. It contains a forge powered by the still-beating heart of a red dragon.

Xardorok has a plan to destroy Ten-Towns and that the characters will die if they face Xardorok too soon. They must test themselves against the Perils of Icewind Dale before they can hope to survive Xardorok’s fortress.

After these words Hethyl took her final breath.

Hammering sounds could be heard echoing up from the rooms below and it was obvious that the remaining cultists were now breaking down the door that lead from the office where Kardoth's body lay. Shayde and Aldrick proceeded back down the stairs to rendezvous with Tor and make a stand against them. Grom meanwhile had moved into the room on the other side of the corridor and using his crossbow took a shot at a lone cultist who had remained in the courtyard but missed. 

The cultists where through the door and rushing into the great hall to confront our heroes. Fighting erupted, Aldrick sending Firebolts from across the great hall, Tor transformed into a ferocious brown bear and rushed in to attack. Shayde also jumped in, short sword blades flashing lightning fast in the torch light. Hits landed on both sides but the cultists seemed preoccupied with the marauding bear form of the druid and so both Aldrick and Shayde remained fairly unscaythed.

At this point a mysterious new combatant entered the fray. An albino Teifling with a pet raven emerged from the Northwest tower into the snow covered courtyard. Looking up to the window from which Grom had taken his crossbow shot, she raised her hand and unleashed "Magic Missile" at 5th level. As each dart struck, Grom cried out in pain as he was reduced to just 5 hit points. Hurt and now pissed off Grom invoked his "Orc Stone" summoning forth the spirit of an Orc Warlord to attack this mysterious mage before heading out of the room towards the gallery above the great hall. 

Taken aback by the sudden appearance of the Orc Warlord the stranger cast banishment on the creature and dispelled it to another plain of existence. The fighting in the Great hall continued with wounds being inflicted on both sides, albeit the cultists seemed preoccupied with the ferocious bear form of the druid allowing Shayde to get in behind and cut down a number of them. Taking his great axe in hand Grom leaped over the top of the gallery balcony landing on the table below and with axe in hand was able to cleave through another cultist. 

Our Teifling mage knowing that the Caer was lost (or rather taken back) cast "Fly" and made a hasty exit over the gatehouse. The Spirit of the Orc Warlord had returned and with its "aggressive" movement caught the last remaining cultist in the courtyard and felled him in one clean swipe of it's axe.

Taking a final hit Tor transformed back into her Goliath self before the last cultist was put to the sword. Aldrick having been alerted by his faithful owl Familiar Lookout closed his eyes and watched through those of the owl as this unknown powerful Spellcaster flew off into the dark night accompanied by two gargoyles and a raven. 

To be continued.............

Well, what can we say. That was a great session. Full of intrigue, combat, mysteries and plot developments. Who is this powerful mage and what is she doing with the knights of the black sword? What else maybe lurking in the depths of the Caer yet to be explored? What does Hethyl's prophecies mean for our heroes and who is Xardorook Sunblight? Will our heroes catch up with their murder suspect Saphek Kaltro in Easthaven? 

This was a really good session and Pete is doing a great job as DM keeping it both challenging and entertaining. Hopefully in the next session we will be able to start to answer some of these questions and more. 

Until next time.