Dungeons & Drogans: Session IX
Session IX Summary
Coltaine reunites with his mentor, Douven Staul, who explains that a group of men accosted him at the burial site and forced him to help them search for an ancient relic that was supposed to help the enigmatic Kalarel complete a ritual to collapse a seal.
After XP is awarded, Zacsarrd, Rekoj, and Coltaine level up.
The Drogans return to Winterhaven to find the small fields around the town strangely empty. Within the walls, villagers appear nervous.
Coltaine asks if anyone can shed light on the situation and is redirected to Valthrun the Prescient, a local sage who lives in a tower in the middle of town.
The Drogans meet with Valthrun, and he tells them of the keep north of the town. It was built over a rift in the Shadowfell, a rift that connects to an unholy sanctuary of Orcus, Demonlord of the Undead.
The Drogans make ready to investigate the keep.
Session IX - Part 1 Summary
During the recap of last session, John points out how the new party member is more useful than the senile old Jacques, but gripes that Douven Staul is another old man. A happy reunion ensues between Coltaine and his mentor, Douven.
With Stephen absent, Autumn is put on autopilot.
Session IX - Part 2 Summary
The Drogans feed and water Douven Staul as the man explains that he was exploring the wondrous dragon burial site when a group of men arrived and tied him up. The gnome, Agrid, then forced Douven to help scour the site for an ancient relic. Douven gives the Drogans the relic: an ancient mirror that was supposed to help the enigmatic Kalarel complete a ritual to collapse a seal.
Douven rewards Coltaine with a magic amulet as the corpses are looted.
Zacsarrd regains consciousness, and Rekoj decapitates the corpses.
Session IX - Part 3 Summary
The Drogans divide the loot, and after XP is awarded, Zacsarrd, Rekoj, and Coltaine level up.
A quick discussion ensues, regarding 4th edition multiclassing.
Session IX - Part 4 Summary
The Drogans return to Winterhaven to find the small fields around the town strangely empty. Within the walls, villagers appear nervous.
John theorizes everyone is on edge because Jacques escaped.
The Drogans head to Wrafton's to find out what's going on. After rolling a pair of 1s on Wisdom checks to recall the names of NPCs, Coltaine mistakenly calls the innkeeper "Pana" instead of Salvana and falsely remembers Elian the Old's name to be "Evan the Ugly."
Session IX - Part 5 Summary
Elian and Douven Staul begin to converse. Elian says that something has changed in the air, that, somewhere, a door has opened into darkness. That's the dream he had, and he still feels unsettled by it. The two old men then go off to chat together at a table.
Coltaine approaches a villager in the tavern and asks if he's had any strange dreams. The man replies that although he has not, he does feel strange and out of sorts, strange. He recognizes the Drogans as the Heroes of Winterhaven and expresses his gratitude.
Coltaine returns to the bar to ask Salvana a question, but and once again forgets her name. He quietly asks Zacsarrd for the name, and the dragonborn replies, out loud, "Her name is Wrafton," ensuring she hears.
Salvana looks further annoyed and offers a sarcastic response to Coltaine's question. She then directs the Drogans to Valthrun the Prescient, who lives in a tower in the middle of town.
Session IX - Part 6 Summary
The Drogans meet with Valthrun in his tower. After becoming acquainted, the Drogans inform Valthrun of what they've learned thus far.
Session IX - Part 7 Summary
Valthrun tells the Drogans of the keep north of the town. It was built over a rift in the Shadowfell, a rift that connects to an unholy sanctuary of Orcus, Demonlord of the Undead.
The Drogans decide to investigate the keep, which is only a couple miles away. Valthrun marks its location on Coltaine's map.
The party inquires about the mirror. Valthrun does not believe it to be magical, but that it was used as an implement to conduct a ritual.
Session IX - Part 8 Summary
They party leaves Valthrun's. Rekoj goes shopping for rations and a longsword, and finds himself having to once again face his arch-nemesis, the blacksmith.
Coltaine accompanies Rekoj to the smithy, who, at the sight of Rekoj, immediately frowns.
The warlord asks to purchase a longsword. The smith gives him his sales pitch on the sword, ranting about how dwarven smithing is superior. Coltaine humors the dwarf patiently.
Rekoj shows off his arsenal of weapons, hoping to impress the dwarf. But it has the opposite effect, as the dwarf becomes outraged by the terrible craftsmanship of Rekoj's weapons.
Session IX - Part 9 Summary
The dwarf agrees to sell Rekoj the sword only because it would be a sin to let the goliath go on using the terrible weapons he has.
The Drogans then head to bed, with plans to march to the keep on the morrow. Dave realizes for the first time that the keep is the ruins that Rekoj was hired to map.
