On the morning of July 27, the Daring Friends took off on owls flown by elven riders.
On the night of July 28, the Daring Friends reached Vraath Keep. Early in the day of July 29, the Daring Friends reached an outpost in the Wyrmrest Mountains and Balthasar made contact with his clan, returning the drakkenwhyte eggs. After learning what he could, they set out on foot at noon and headed to the outpost the Red Hand took over and was holding Rezyrius. In the morning of August 1, Dameron awoke and shared his Premonition: “Do not delve too deep into the maw of the dragon.” That night, the sky was lit by Kaxtros’ red light as the Daring Friends reached the outpost. A winding path led over a bridge to a ledge with an entrance into a sheer cliff face with a gigantic five-headed dragon carved into the cliff face itself. Hiding around the corner, Camwise cast Arcane Eye and saw a huge blue dragon perched in a cave thirty feet over the path, overlooking the entrance to the outpost. It seemed to be having a conversation with someone. Gruffudd cast Pass Without Trace and they snuck below the cave toward the entrance. They could hear the dragon’s breathing above. Camwise could detect magic coming from the large double doors of the entrance. As his companions skulked back to the far side of the blue dragon’s cave, Balthasar quaffed his Potion of Gaseous Form and slipped beyond the doors. Outside, the companions heard the sound of travelers approaching from the trail to the path. Using his Arcane Eye, Camwise saw they were a squad of hobgoblins led by a priest. Dameron drank Gruffudd’s Potion of Climbing and they scaled the cliff to hide from the newcomers. The hobgoblins were rowdy as they passed and reached the doors. As they approached, they shouted in Infernal and the doors opened. The companions scrambled up the cliff face and snuck passed the cave—the dragon snorted as they passed—and through the doors. The doors closed of their own accord once they were through. The forty-foot corridor beyond was divided by ten feet of stairs leading up. On the far side was another set of double doors. Camwise used his Arcane Eye to see beyond the doors. In the large room beyond was a Warmonger flanked by two wyverns. Gruffudd cast Faerie Fire, lighting up the Warmonger and the wyvern to the left. Camwise cast Hypnotic Pattern, to no effect. Dameron entered the room and hit the Warmonger and the wyvern to the right with a Lightning Bolt. The Wyvern to the left engaged Dameron and the other engaged Balthasar. Calling out, “Glory in Takhisis’ name,” the Warmonger engaged Dameron. Casting Shield to avoid a wyvern’s claws, Balthasar flanked the Warmonger and slashed into her with his shortsword, rattling her, and used his Gaze of Conviction on the wyvern engaging Dameron. Jaervellios launched his saber on the wyvern engaging Balthasar and hit it with two arrows. Gruffudd cast Blight on the Warmonger. Camwise cast Slow, slowing the wyvern engaging Balthasar. Dameron hit all three enemies with a Lightning Bolt. Both wyverns engaged Balthasar. The Warmonger slashed into Dameron with her flaming sword. Balthasar disarmed the Warmonger and slashed into her, her body bursting into flames as she fell. Jaervellios struck a wyvern with his arrows and saber. Gruffudd hit a wyvern with Fire Bolt. Camwise hit a wyvern with Fire Bolt. Hearing the rattling of chains from a nearby door, Dameron took a wild shot at a wyvern as he crossed the room. A Chain Devil entered from the door and struck out at Balthasar, who redirected its attack at a wyvern. A Wyvern struck Balthasar with its Stinger. Balthasar slashed into a wyvern. Jaervellios struck both wyverns with arrows, dropping one. Camwise hit the wyvern with Fire Bolt. Dameron flanked the wyvern and struck with his morningstar. The Chain Devil commanded a chain to fly at Balthasar. The Wyvern stung Balthasar with his stinger. Balthasar struck down the last wyvern and engaged the Chain Devil. Entering the room, Jaervellios struck the Chain Devil with his saber and an arrow. Gruffudd cast Heat Metal on the devil’s chains to no effect. Camwise entered the room. Dameron engaged the Chain Devil, missing with a Crushing Haymaker. The Chain Devil was struck by Balthasar and Dameron as it moved toward the wyvern’s perch. Balthasar used his Grasp of the Storm to pull it down, landing prone. Jaervellios climbed up the wyvern’s perch and struck it with his saber. A flock of imps swarmed around Camwise. Gruffudd and Dameron hit the imps and the devil with Lightning Bolts. Using Shield to avoid the Chain Devil’s strike, Balthasar struck it down and saw a Bearded Devil approaching from a far corridor. Jaervellios struck down the last of the imps. Gruffudd poured a Greater Healing Potion down Blathasar’s throat. Camwise prepared Shocking Grasp. Dameron blocked the entrance with Spirit Guardians, catching the Bearded Devil as it entered. Balthasar struck it down. Gruffudd cast Locate Creature, detecting it to the northwest. They headed down a wide corridor north and investigated doors to the west. They entered a large common room, alerting a hobgoblin war priest, a chain devil, and some bearded devils. Balthasar rushed into the large room toward the enemy. Jaervellios struck the War Priest. Camwise hit the War Priest with a Fire Bolt. The Bearded Devil struck Balthasar. Stepping onto a table, Dameron hit the hobgoblin war priest, the chain devil, and a bearded devil with a Lightning Bolt. Gruffudd dropped a Bearded Devil with Magic Missiles from his wand. Balthasar struck at the last Bearded Devil. The Chain Devil struck Balthasar, who redirected the attack on the Bearded Devil. Jaervellios struck the Chain Devil with an arrow. Opening the door to the north, Camwise saw Rezyrius surrounded by a Lemure Band and a bone creature, Terilanyx. He cast Slow, catching the Lemure Band. Moving next to Balthasar, Dameron hit the Bearded Devil with a Sacred Flame. The War Priest tried to cast a spell, but Camwise cast Counter Spell. Terilanyx entered the room and clawed Camwise. Gruffudd transformed into a mammoth and flanked Terilanyx. Balthasar dropped the last Bearded Devil and caught Terilanyx in his Gaze of Conviction. The Chain Devil slashed Dameron with chains, restraining him. Jaervellios hit the Chain Devil with an arrow and launched his saber at it. Camwise hit Terilanyx with a Shocking Grasp. Restrained, Dameron hit the Chain Devil with a Sacred Flame. As Terilanyx rushed toward Balthasar, it cast Shield to avoid the mammoth’s trunk. Gruffudd stomped the Lemure Band and struck it with his trunk. Balthasar slashed into Terilanyx. The Chain Devil struck Dameron. Jaervellios climbed atop the mammoth and shot arrows from his bow. Camwise hit the Lemure Band with a Fire Bolt to no effect. Dameron hit the Chain Devil with his Spiritual Weapon and a Sacred Flame. The Lemure Band hit the mammoth. Terilanyx stung Balthasar. Gruffudd stomped the Lemure Band to bits and charged toward Terilanyx. Balthasar slashed into Terilanyx. The Chain Devil struck Dameron, who used his Force of Will to ignore some pain. Jaervellios struck the Chain Devil with arrows and his saber. Camwise prepared his Fire Bolt. Dameron dropped the Chain Devil with his Spiritual Weapon and a Sacred Flame. The War Priest was hit by Camwise’s Fire Bolt as it stepped briefly into the open. Balthasar slashed brutally into Terilanyx and Jaervellios hit it with an arrow. Dameron hit Terilanyx with his Spiritual Weapon and engaged the War Priest, the two of them trading wild blows. Balthasar cut down Terilanyx. As the War Priest tried to flee, they were struck by Dameron and shot down by Jaervellios. To the north, they found a torture chamber, where Rezyrius lay unconscious. “Rezyrius, are you still with me?” Balthasar asked. “Quickly to your feet brother, we aren't leaving you behind, we fight together or not at all.” Reviving Rezyrius with a Potion of Healing, Balthasar carried him and propped him up on his flying broom to carry him out. Gruffudd cast Mass Cure Wounds and Dameren cast Transfer Exhaustion on Rezyrius to alleviate some of his fatigue and continued to do so for the next four days. As they made their way out of the Fane of Takhisis, Balthasar asked, “Rezryrius, there was a time for our kind, before the land was torn asunder, that we fought side by side by Aurelios’ light. We will get you back to Brindol and there we can break the hold this false prophet has over you.” “We took your intel and broke the Red Hand's hold on the Ghostlord,” Balthasar continued. “You may have not succeeded in your mission to assassinate the head of the dragon, but you still have a breath, you still have fight in you, and you can still lend aid.” Rezyrius told them that Azarr Kul was occupied with major sorcery within the Fane of Takhisis. Balthasar asked Rezyrius to tell him who his "partner" was that turned on him, wanting to be prepared in the event they see them in the coming days. He also asked if Rezyrius knew of the Harrows that were at work in Wychross disrupting the city and the church of St George. As they departed, Gruffudd cast Locate Creature but could not find the blue dragon. They escaped into the night of the mountains. Navigating through the familiar mountains, Balthasar found a safe place to sleep. Having communicated via Sending, the Daring Friends were picked up by the elves on August 3 and began the flight back toward Brindol. They also learned that the halflings of Hillwatch had evacuated to Chords Break.
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