Plot Notes:
After outrunning the massive troll and climbing to safety aboard the “Queen’s Gambit”, the heroes notice a small army of orcs and hobgoblin. Two banners rise up from their ranks. The first is a orcish clan standard with a roughly drawn shattered skull and the other is a ornate military standard with hobgoblin writing. Bran was able to decipher the name Markov off the hobgoblin standard.

The journey back to Fairhaven was quiet giving the heroes much needed rest and respite. Upon nearing the southern farmsteads of Fairhaven, The Queen’s Gambit sets them down quietly relaying the message to head for the old manor house they were given by Morthaine. Before heading to the manor house Navi insists upon opening the book to see what is inside. Garren and Navi move away from the group, Garren with his bow trained at Navi’s head as a precaution. Navi takes hold of the metal bound book now seeing for the first time it is actually locked with a solid metal clasp. The only noticeable mechanism on the tome is a strange central symbol with three finger size holes. Without a second thought or moment of hesitation Navi stuck his fingers in the holes.

After a momentary flash of pain from his fingers, the blood ran along the metal clasps causing the metal to bend and pull away in an otherworldly fashion. Inside were pages of strange thin metal that felt almost like paper to the touch covered in rust like lettering. The portions Navi could make out talked about the how to use the building blocks of reality to manipulate the world around you. Shortly after he began to hear voices that first tell him to keep the book for himself but another stronger voice demands the book be given to Layton Stark as requested cryptically saying it is part of the plan. Navi hastily closed the book and insisted they deliver the book as promised.

PCs:
Garren continues to grumble about getting the damn book and getting back to Fairhaven to clear their name.

“Gritty Determination”
Once per long rest, when attacked by an enemy you, as a reaction, can gain temporary hit points equal to your wisdom modifier plus proficiency.

Urzhad realized the creature is not something that the party can handle and wisely opted to retreat.

“We’ve got to Go!”
Once per long rest, as a free action you can inspire allies to move more quickly granting a character other than you the ability to use dash as a bonus action.

Navi gleaned some useful information off of the Arcanum Spellstone Shard.

“Knowledge Arcanum”
Once per long rest, when you roll an Arcana(Intelligence) check before knowing the result of the check you can reroll the result and take the higher of the two.

Bran’s senses seem to be much more acute than even he realized.

“Attuned Senses”
Once per long rest, Before the result is determined you can reroll a single perception check and take the higher of the two.

Galahallt was able to steel himself with the sudden appearance of the displacer beasts.

“Mentor’s Words”

Once per long rest, when you roll a save vs fear, you gain advantage on the roll.

Npcs:
Shade of Magister Arran, A friendly ghost of a Valnari Mage. Knows a fair amount of knowledge on the ancient world.

Viktor Ivanovich, Necromancer and Alchemist studying the mystery behind the undead in Cael’Dor. Status is currently Unknown.

Mysterious Hobgoblin, Seen entering the Orc encampment in the Southern portion of Cael’dor it is not clear why.

Monster Knowledge:
Caryatid Columns when struck can destroy weapons.
Displacer Beasts are notoriously hard to hit due to the magical displacement inherent to the creatures.

Loot:
Shard of Arcanum Spellstone (ring of spell storing)
Beorund, Axe of the Mathan Mor
Libram Vecordia, mysterious tome

Inspiration:

From the last session Navi and Garren both gain a point of inspiration.

Plot Notes:

Returned from the Citadel to find four days had passed with a shard of the Arcanum Spellstone.
While catching their breath at the former location of Viktor’s Workshop the shade of Magister Arran appears before them and bestows a gift upon Urzhad.
The party notices some vibrations and investigates to find a massive creature eating a few of the Displacer Beasts from the Bleak Wood, at its side the Metal Bound book known as the Libram Vecordia.
With careful planning the party was able to snatch the book but another displacer beast put a small hitch in their plans.
The creature grabs the displacer beast that woke him from Navi’s Hypnotic Pattern and bites him in half. The Chase is on.

PCs:
Garren continues to grumble about getting the damn book and getting back to Fairhaven to clear their name.

-New Ability: “Gritty Determination”
Once per long rest, when attacked by an enemy you, as a reaction, can gain temporary hit points equal to your wisdom modifier plus proficiency.

Urzhad realized the creature is not something that the party can handle and wisely opted to retreat.

-New Ability: “We’ve got to Go!”
Once per long rest, as a free action you can inspire allies to move more quickly granting a character other than you the ability to use dash as a bonus action.

Navi gleaned some useful information off of the Arcanum Spellstone Shard.

-New Ability: “Knowledge Arcanum”
Once per long rest, when you roll an Arcana(Intelligence) check before knowing the result of the check you can reroll the result and take the higher of the two.

Bran’s senses seem to be much more acute than even he realized.

-New Ability: “Attuned Senses”
Once per long rest, Before the result is determined you can reroll a single perception check and take the higher of the two.

Galahallt was able to steel himself with the sudden appearance of the displacer beasts.

-New Ability: “Mentor’s Words”
Once per long rest, when you roll a save vs fear, you gain advantage on the roll.

Npcs:
Shade of Magister Arran, A friendly ghost of a Valnari Mage. Knows a fair amount of knowledge on the ancient world.

Viktor Ivanovich, Necromancer and Alchemist studying the mystery behind the undead in Cael’Dor. Status is currently Unknown.

Mysterious Hobgoblin, Seen entering the Orc encampment in the Southern portion of Cael’dor it is not clear why.

Monster Knowledge:
Caryatid Columns when struck can destroy weapons.
Displacer Beasts are notoriously hard to hit due to the magical displacement inherent to the creatures.

Loot:
Shard of Arcanum Spellstone (ring of spell storing)
Axe of the Mathan Mor (Name Pending)

After accepting the job from the Brass Dragon Alerath and makings its way into the Stronghold of Lord Kothar, said to be a fire giant. The party had a brief encounter with a group of kobolds that had taken up residence in the cavern leading to the outside world. The party made its way into the stronghold encountering only a small patrol of Azers. Alpha quickly blocked off the way they went with one of his robes patches which erected a door blocking the path back to the main hallway. After placing a window on the large dragon emblazoned door and peering in on the occupants, a strange dragon-man and two large drakes, Manov switched masks from Alpha to Chance.

Chance unclear as to the situation is quickly brought up to speed by the rest of the party. The group decides to head down the stairs deeper into Lord Kothar’s stronghold. On this second floor the party finds an area cordoned off with a strange metallic portcullis, later identified as Adamantine. They fail to open the gate and narrowly avoid two duergar guards thanks to the combined efforts of the group and a well timed illusion from Willem. A bit down the hall from this gate they noticed an iron door with a small barred window leading to what looked like a darkened jail. Inside the jail the party finds the only prisoner a Dwarf from Last Hope named Haedrig Stonehammer. As they are speaking to the dwarf another patrol exits from a door back in the main hallway. A two headed hell hound and an Azer patrolling the area walk past the door the characters just entered, the hell hound alerting the Azer to the intruders. The party quickly dispatches the patrol but learned hell hounds breath fire and Azers radiate immense heat when struck.

Proceeding into an inner hallway next to the small jail where they find several doors. Reacting quickly to Dolph’s apparent want for a fight, Chance intercedes placing the immovable rod in the path of his hand preventing him from knocking on the door. Which Chance then points at the other door and places the immovable rod a shin height blocking the other door. Dolph resumes the well practiced scheme of drawing out the inhabitants of the room by simply knocking and readying themselves for a full on assault. A few moments pass after the knock and a duergar exits the room a bit of gravy still in his beard but warpick in hand unsure of what was going on. After a brutal stab and slash combo from Chance and a lethal firebolt to the face from Aust, Dolph slams the door shut hurling the now dead duergar back into the room.

With no signs of anything going on for a few moments Aust takes the initiative to enter the room to which he moves to the center of the room and lets off a thunderwave uncovering the invisible duergar and hurling him backwards. Recovering from the blow the duergar stands and enlarges nearly tripling in size. Chance darts into the room with a grin on his face and quickly cuts through the duergars armor severing its spine causing it to fall to the floor dead. After some quick healing from Willem the party moves to the other door. Behind the door they can hear the duergar struggling against the blocked door. Another seemingly well practiced maneuver Chance releases the immovable rod and out stumbles a duergar with three others directly behind him into the suddenly lightning bolt produced by Aust. This impressive display of raw magic dispatches all four of the duergar in a sudden flash followed by Dolph slamming the door shut again and Chance placing the immovable rod back.

They hold for a few moments to see the reaction of the remaining duergar after a few attempts to lure or provoke them out of the room they reenter the room to find the remaining two duergar enlarged and ready to strike. Chance fires off his hand crossbow and flings a dagger to little avail. Dolph rushes in taking a powerful blow from the enlarged duergar on his right. Willem directs him to attack the right duergar with his commander’s strike. Dolph decapitates the duergar in one fell swoop. He then swings low to trip the remaining duergar. Another well placed firebolt from aust connects just as Dolph literally cuts the legs out from under the duergar finishing off the last of the duergar in the area.

Dolph and willem head back to release Haedrig and disguise haedrig as a duergar after a little persuading. Aust and Chance in the mean time loot a recently discovered treasure hold.

To be continued…