The Sunless Six

To The City of Splendors

The adventurers decide to make their way to Waterdeep to trade items they have found. They load their cart up with a few casks of Ardabad’s Ale to sell to the Brewer’s Guild in Waterdeep.
They make their way back to Red Larch and connect up to the Long Road, heading South towards Waterdeep.
After a few days of travel they reach their destination, and enter the city through the River Gate.
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Upon approach to the gate, the city guard stop them and enquire about their business in the city. He points them to the Brewer’s guild in the South District as the place to go to sell their ale. They get a good price for the ale from the guild, whom seem impressed by the quality of the brew.
The group then head towards the Castle District to try to sell their gems. They find a respectable shop run by a half-orc woman named Sutheina and her appraiser, which is a chicken. After a bit of bartering, the group leave happy with their take away from their gems.
The group then head towards an armorer. Grisduin is able to sell his shield, and Quin purchases some new leather armor.
Anakis then decides to head to the city of the dead to consult with the Emerald Enclave.

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Finding the Chronicler

After gaining some valuable information on the location of the Chronicler by the towns people, Xanath decides to seek out the barrow in the golden plains. Grisduin and Ash decide to accompany the dragonborn on this quest.
The group head up the north road through a dense dark forest. Late in the evening, Ash notices a fire ahead in the road. The group approach the fire, and see 3 malnourished men gathered around the hearth. The men notice Grisduin approaching and invite him and his friends to take camp with them for the night. They are travelling from their village of Ossington in search of supplies. The village has been under hard time as the men explain that the village is under siege by a group of ‘forest giants.’
Seeing the starving look on the men’s faces, Ash decides to go hunt for supper. Strangely, Ashes hunt comes up unsuccessful, which is very odd for the great hunter. The forest is dead quiet, no birds chirping or rustling leaves from crawling critter is to be heard.
Screenshot_2019-05-18_at_8.17.45_PM.png As the night progresses Ash notices something moving towards them up the road. He wakes the party. A faintly glowing knight aggressively rushes towards them on horseback. The adventurers attempt to turn the horseman, but he continues towards them, cutting down the three commoners as he rides past the fire and continues on down the road until he disappears in the darkness. The group investigate their fallen comrades, but notice no bodies, only their clothes remained.
Ash, Gris and Xanath continue down the road in the morning. The forest breaks and reveals the golden plains. They head towards a hill in the field which they believe to be the barrow. Xanath uncovers the entrance to the barrow, which was hidden by magical means.
The group enter and notice an elf sitting with his back to them reading a tome. The elf introduces himself as The Chronicler. He answers Xanath’s questions. He also relays information about Gulthias and Ashardalon the Ancient Red Dragon.
The trio then leave the barrow and teleport back to Wilderem’s Wonderous Workshop.

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New Allies

After harvesting from the dragon, the group leave Halwreck and Wilderem to learn of the power in the dwarven halls.
Upon returning to Woopedu, Quin is encouraged by the others to try planting another magical bean. Cautiously she plans the bean, but the effects are not as drastic as the last on. A small nest appears from the group containing unnatural eggs. The group take the eggs to Sir Miles, who agrees to have his man servant keep an eye on the eggs for hatchlings.
The group head back out to the field near the temple and decide to plant the last seed. A fruit tree sprouts from the ground and Ash quickly picks a fruit and eats it. The fruit is delicious and he encourages the rest of the group to try one. As group eats the fruit, the group begin to notice a change in Gris’ appearance. Deep purple and blue tattoos appear all over his body in vein like patterns.
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The group pick the rest of the fruit and save them for later.
They head to the Unseen Protector to plan their next course of action. Grisduin and Ash decide that they are going to head towards Waterdeep in the morning to try to deal with the bounty on Grisduin’s head. Ash also wants to learn more about Eilistraee, the drow diety that resurrected him.
Later in the night, Xanath decides to go talk to someone in the tavern he thinks might be another dragonborn. He quickly discovers that the creature is a tortle. The tortle is named Trusk and he is the adventuring partner of Dartagoss Selk, a human articifier. As the dragonborn and the tortle converse, Dartagoss interjects, telling Xanath’s he’s not likely going to get much direct answers from the tortle. Dartagoss explains the two are in Woopedu looking for a friend and trading partner, Wilderem.
He also questions Xanath on the nature of the large newly erected temple just adjacent to town.
Xanath explains what the temple is and that they intend to investigate it. Dartagoss seems interested in joining his and his party in this endeavour. Xanath propositions to Anakis and Quin to having the new pair join the party. After sleeping on it, she decides to let the new pair tag along.
The next day, Xanath visits the temple of Palarandusk. He gains valuable information on his own origin from the temple priestess Sister Alonsa, whom suggests to him to seek out the Chronicler for more information.

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The Unbound Forge

After gathering their plunder from the dragon, the group decide they would like to harvest the dragon scales, but the dragon is now in 40 feet of water, at the bottom of the murky lake.
The adventurers decide to head back to Woopedu. The halflings run off ahead of the rest of the group, and are captured by Redglian, the new War Chief of the orc tribe.
Redglian stops the adventurers in the dwarven hall. He threatens the groups lives if they do no forfeit their plunder.
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The group refuse and the orcs attack. Redglian, miscalculating the power of his former associates is easily slain, along with the remnants of his orc clan.
the adventurers find their way back to Woopedu. Ash resupplies at Tolm’s Outfitters before they head to Wilderem‘s shop.
The group present Wilderem with a longsword baring the mark of Durgeddin, and the gnome is pleased, but senses the group is holding back on him. Reluctantly, the group show the wizard the weapons of the four season. Wilderem is impressed by the quality of the weapons. He tells the group that these weapons are best held in the hands of warriors capable to welding the power and offers to buy the weapons should they ever want to sell them.
Wilderem also senses more magical items that the group is withholding.
Xanath presents the broom. Wilderem uncovers the glyphs and teaches the Dragonborn how to use the broom for flying and attacking.
Quin also presents the magical beans found in the hags cabin. Wilderem explains what the beans are and is excited to show the group their power. Quin plants a bean in the middle of a field and waters it. Within seconds the ground below starts to quake and a foreign temple nearly 60 feet wide and 40 feet high appears from the ground.
The group decide to leave the temple alone for the time and head back to Wilderem’s shop. Wilderem propositions the group. He will give them amulets of teleportation, that will allow the group to teleport back into his shop at anytime should they work together with the gnome.
The adventurers agree.
Finally, they lead Wilderem back into the forge. Wilderem is pleased to finally be able to enter into Khundrakar unthreatened, to be able to unlock the secrets of Durgeddin and his mage Anduril.
Halwreck, and accomplished blacksmith, heads into see the forge, and helps the group harvest what he can from the remains of the black dragon.

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What Lies in the Black Lake

After defeating the succubus, the adventurers further explore the library. They find a connecting bed chamber, and upon further investigation, they see a large figure lying in the bed, asleep. Xanath uses mage hand to gently pull the blanket off the slumbering entity, to discover it isn’t one, but 3 small humanoids fast asleep.
Xanath quickly recognises their friend Stubbs and his familiar Innis lying in the bed with Sir Miles Tarkelbee, mayor of Woopedu and adventurer extraordinaire.
They wake the halflings and Stubbs retells his story of him and Sir Miles drinking at the Unseen Protector, then in a drunken stupor decide to make their way back into Khundrukar in search of their allies. They luckily stumbled their way to the library, but were succumb by the charm of the succubus. Once the adventurers defeated the succubus the spell on the halflings was broken.
The group decide to rest within security of the library before they delve down into the chasm. As they rest, Ash and Grisduin hear a rustling in the chamber outside, the two investigate and find another familiar face in the sole surviving duergar.
He presents to the group the newly repaired sword. Although the workmanship is quite poor, Xanath accepts the sword and pays the duergar a small sum and sends him on his way.
Feeling refreshed, the adventurers head forth to the chasm. They begin climbing down the chain ladder. Ash perhaps feeling overconfident slips, but Quin, acting quickly, is able to grab the tabaxi before he can fall.
The group now stealthily venture forth in the depths of the cave system. They finally come upon a large underground lake. Grisduin’s drow eyes spot a large black dragon asleep atop her hoard of treasure on a island in the center of the lake. The group back off and discuss a plan.
Finally they approach the lake. Ash throws a rock embued with light towards the dragon, and as the image of the huge beast comes into view Anakis binds the great wyrm to the ground with a spell.
The dragon eventually breaks free of the magical restraints and dives into the water. The group relentlessly attack the dragon with magic and ranged weapons. The dragon then retreats to the back of it’s island and the fight turns into a stalemate, but with one final push the dragon beats it’s wings and flies towards the attackers. Submerged in the lake, Stubbs breaches his mug out of the water enough to deliver a powerful eldritch blast toward the black dragon. As Innis rides the magic towards the dragon. The quickling with dagger pointed outward pierces clean through the throat of the great black wyrm, killing the beast. The dragon falls from the air hitting the water hard creating a large wake outwards before finally sinking to the rocky bed of the lake floor.

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The Dead Mage of Khundrukar

The adventurers regroup and decide to head forth into the dwarven quarters. Fin enters into a room with a large well in the center and hears a low distance voice mumbling curse. As he glances, he sees a faint apparition, and turns from the room. Xanath then decides to enter and talk to the ghost, but the parley quickly turns sour.
Ash rushes up to the ghost, swiping his claws at the phantom, until the entity overpowers his will and possesses the tabaxi. Ash, now possesses turns and starts attacking his allies. Using a tongues spell, Xanath is able to converse with the dwarven ghost, but is unable to convince the entity that they are not just looters.dwarf_ghost.png
Gris then decides to present his new weapon, ’winter’s chill’ to the ghost. Baring the mark of Durrgedin, the ghost’s interest is peaked. He asks Xanath where they found the weapon.
Unknowingly, Anakis enters into the room and decides to attack the possessed Ash. The possessed tabaxi’s turns and fights Anakis. Quin then rushes to the ghost and follows suit and lays 2 other weapons baring Durrgedin’s mark at the feat of the possessed Ash. The group finally persuade the ghost that they mean no harm and are not looters, as Anakis shows the ghost her trophy necklace of orc penises.
They convey to the ghost that they have broken the curse over Durgeddin, by defeating an orc wight guarding over his soul. The ghost then relays that he was Durgeddin’s high mage, named Anduril. He was the one responsible for the enchantment on the weapons. The group then lead Anduril to Durgeddin’s remains. Satisfied, Anduril’s ghost can now finally pass over. He thanks the group, and tells them that the threats he has put up in the halls are now gone. He does however warn the group of a succubus he had summoned that overpowered him that he thinks still lurks within the foundry. Anduril also explains that one weapon in the 4 season’s enchantment remains called Summer’s Rage.
The group then venture forth in the dwarven halls, clearing rooms and finding many traps that Anduril has disabled. They finally come upon a large open room with 3 doors leading off them. Quin investigates and finds a secret door. Behind the door is a narrow hallway that Ash and Quin head down to investigate. The hallway ends, but they can hear rushing water behind the door. They find another secret door in the wall and they are led to a great opening at the top of the waterfall. They find the chain ladder that leads down the side of the wall deep into the chasm.
SmjhPGd.jpgQuin and Ash return to the group. Quin then enters into a room which looks like a library. A young, beautiful dark haired woman is sitting with her back to Quin, weaping. Quin leaves the room and relays to the group that she may hae found the succubus Andril warned them of. Xanath then decides to enter to room, but is quickly charmed by the succubus. She tells them that she is trapped here by a wizard that dwells deep below. She encourages the group to defeat the wizard, but pleas that Xanath stay with her, ‘to protect’ her. The group, except Xanath, see though this ruse and the succubus changes form and attacks the group in desperation. The group defeat the fiend, and decide to investigate the remaining chambers before heading down into the chasm.

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The Desecrated Shrine
Session 17

The adventurers find themselves in what they can think is Durgeddin’s Forge. They follow the river and see that it ends in a large crevasse, with the water falling deep into the darkness below.
Xanath decides to swim upstream through an underwater river. He comes out in a large cavern to which he much later discerns to be the liar of the roper they defeated not long ago.
The group decides to head back into the main hall. Quin ventures down a set of stairs and discovers the kitchens of the dwarf tribe. As she investigates the room, she is assaulted by an animated table. The group rushes to Quin’s aid, and Gris and Ash hack and scratch the table to pieces.table.jpg
The group then decide to investigate other rooms off of the main chamber. They enter into a shrine to the dwarven gods, a place of worship for Durgeddin’s clan. The chamber has been desecrated by the orcs. They notice the decomposing body of a dwarf in fine plate armor lying upon the alter. The dead body of an orc lies directly in front of the alter, and their is a large scattering of bones around the alter. As Grisduin approaches the alter, the orc corpse animates into a wight. The large remains reconstruct into skeletal forms of ogres. The group does battle with the undead, and eventually quell the threat. They find the orc wight’s longsword to bare the mark of the smith, as well as the dwarf’s plate armor.
They also discover the bodies of 2 adventurers that have fallen to the wight, and quickly loot them.
Feeling beaten, the group decide to barricade themselves in the shrine. Hours pass, but eventually Quin notices a duergar materialising in the corner of the room. He starts questioning the group.
The duergar tells the group that the body of the dwarf is Durgeddin’s, as this room was the place of his final stand. The duergar also tells the group of a dragon that lives underneath the Foundry, and guides them to his leader. The duergar quickly discovers that the adventurers have done away with the rest of his clan. The group then threatens the duergar to tell them how to best get to the dragon. He tells them of a way to get to the other side of the chasm, where a chain ladder will take you to the bottom of the hole. He warns the group that the halls are haunted by the ghost of the mage of Durgeddin’s clan.

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Entering the Foundry
Session 16

The adventurers decide to open the dwarven door at the end of the Glitterhame. They try the key they found in the prison and the door opens to a hallway that leads to a flight of stairs. Upon climbing the stairs, the group find an octagonal room with 3 large statues of dwarves and 2 doors. Cautiously they investigate the room and find a secret door behind one of the statues. They open the door and Grisduin heads up the stairs, but triggers a Magic Mouth Alarm.
forge.jpgThe group decide to press on and come into a great dwarven hall lined with intricately carved pillars, but the beauty if lost by the graffiti of the raiding orcs. Upon entering the room they see a cooking fire surrounded by bedrolls, as a threatening voice tells them to turn back.
Ash tries to reason with the voice, but the invisible assailants attack.
The group are now in combat with duergar that have established themselves in Durgeddin’s halls. They quickly take care of the threat, and decide to explore, starting with a chamber that is behind the Dias.
The chambers behind contain more duergar, that the group does battle with. They come upon what they assume to be Durgeddin’s personal chamber, but find nothing of value there.
The group returns to the great hall and decide to investigate the sound of metal work coming from the southern chambers. They enter the chambers and discover 3 duergar working on forges. They surprise attack the workers and easily dispose of the group.

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Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust
Session 15

The adventurers do battle with an ooze hidden within the rotting supplies of the Dwarf stronghold. They quell the threat, and Anakis takes a few samples of the ooze.
A search of the storerooms finds nothing of value and Quin decides to adventure forth through a small cave. The cave opens up to a greater cave which houses a fast moving river.
Quin discovers more storerooms, but these are submerged in 5 feet of stagnant water. She wades through the water and discovers a corpse in a far corner. Lying near the corpse is a potion of water breathing and a potion of invisibility.
As Quin reports back, Ash decides to take point and crosses the river via a rough stairway in a cave that passes over the river. On the other side, Ash is distracted by a fish flopping on the shore of a small alcove across the river. Peeking his interest, Ash decides to lasso a rope around one of the larger stalagmites to create a crossing.
As he does, a single large eye opens in the center of the stalagmite, and a whip like appendage grapples the Tabaxi and pulls him across the river. The rest of the group rush in to do battle with what the group assume to be a Roper Monster. As the tendrils of the monster grab and throw the adventures about the cave and into the river, Ash finds himself in great peril as the Roper reveals it’s maw, full of jagged teeth.
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The group struggle to free Ash from the Roper, and Ash is eventually consumed inside the the gullet of the monstrosity. The despair of loosing their friend angers the group, as they hack, slash and throw any and all magic they have at the enemy, until the Roper is eventually motionless, as it’s mouth sags and it’s single eye closes.
Grisduin, now distrait with grief, cuts through the stone-like skin of the roper, pulling out the limp, lifeless body of his compatriot. Ash lies, dead on the cold, wet cavern floor. Sadness sinks deep into the gut of the adventurers.
Grisduin sits cross legged in front of the body of the tabaxi, and enters a trance, searching his mind for what to do next. Suddenly, the familiar voice of his Goddess, Eilistraee speaks two words.
“Heal him.”
Gris snaps back into the present, and notices his chrysalis is now a caterpillar, glowing a vivid, but pale blue colour. Grisduin places the caterpillar on the corpse of his friend. Instantly, the caterpillar starts entombing the tabaxi in a silvery silk thread. The group sits back and watches in amazement as the body of Ashes of the Moon is eventually completely cocooned.
The group spend the next few hours standing vigil over cocoon, without much words spoken, or sleep taken. Until, Grisduin, notices a warm blue glow from within the cocoon. Then movement within, then a claw, cutting through the silken threads, as Ashes, clean and naked emerges from the cocoon, his eyes no longer dark and starry, but pale and blue, yet as lively as ever before.
The group retell the story of the fight to their resurrected friend, and ask questions to the Tabaxi.
With the events behind them, the group decide to push on, finding the key to the Dwarven Door on the corpse of a dwarf locked away in a prison cell.
They return to the Glitterhame, but decide to check a cave that they had missed previously before unlocking the door.
Quin enters a fungus filled room, and discovers 2 corpse riddled with fungus. Anakis identifies the fungus as highly toxic.
Xanath then enters the room, and unleashes a fiery fury onto the fungus, scorching the cave clelan. Quin then picks up 2 daggers that one of the corpse was gripping, The daggers are decorated with intricately carved vines, one of a rusty orange and the other a lively green. As Quin picks up the dagger, Grisduin notices his sword, Winter’s Chill, start to glow a cold blue on the back edge of the blade. The dagger’s are marked with Durgeddin’s Rune, the same mark as on Gris’ sword, the same mark given to them by Wilderem and the same mark emblazoned on the dwarven door in the Glitterhame.

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Restrained Grick
Session 14

The adventurers are confronted by a pair of gricks hidden in a rockfall. Xanath quickly casts entangle, keeping the gricks immobile. The group then proceeds to hack, slash and thorn whip the gricks to death. The commotion garners the attention of 4 troglodytes that aggressively rush in to do battle with the adventurers. grick.png
The group take down the threat, but Ash is poisoned in the process. Anakis discovers she has an app for that, and rids Ash’s ailment with a jar of Melf’s Acid Arrow.
The group then investigate the Glitterhame and find a sturdy iron door with Durregedin’s Rune on it. They notice that there is a lock on the door and decide to see if they can recover the key. They explore toward a small cavern of rushing water. Ash investigates the cavern and notices the rushing river ends in a waterfall, that falls 60’ in to a pool below. Ash decides to dive into the pool, and Grisduin follows by repelling himself down with his rope. Grisduin’s grip fails and he falls into the pool. Both are starting to be swept away, but are able to recover and pull themselves out onto the river bank as the rest of the group meet them, using the much easier stairs they found.
Quin investigates some old storerooms of the dwarves that the orcs did not raid. Any supplies in these rooms have expired long ago. Just as Quin and Ash investigate the furthest room, the rest of the party start to notice movement in the center of the room they occupy.

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