| Epic Adventures

War of the Burning Sky Session 17

After filling the wagon with the two human bandits and their belongings, we decided the ogres wouldn’t fit, so we just took their heads.

As I was settling down and reflecting on the day, my head still spinning at having found a handkerchief that may have belonged to my father, who we all presumed to have died in the War of the Silver Marches, I realized that Moradin had just granted me the ability to speak with dead.

Once Cyrus returned with Torrent’s glaive, we agreed to take the stairs up, heading northeast.

As Kazyk hoisted its glaive to bring down on Crystin, Haddin ran into the village from the stream, screaming, “No!” The old man knocked Crystin out of the way and plunged a stone dagger into the bearded devil before being cleaved in two.

We returned to the Seela village and conferred with Papuvin and Tiljann, explaining what we learned from our visits with Timbre and Gwenvere.

As we were headed west, skirting the edge of the forest to the north, we heard a familiar bellowing sound as an ice troll burst out of the woods and charged toward us.

We were about halfway from Caer-Dineval to Good Mead when Oosi said, “I want to go to Termalaine.”

Erling lit a torch and threw it into the dark hall above the well, communicating with the rest of us telepathically.

The four fey, Seela rebels, charged forward, daggers drawn, the first two stabbing into the Seela woman, who stumbled into Eyvindr’s arms.

One of the ghasts raked its claws into Cyrus, who pulled himself free and avoided a bite from the other. Uttering an infernal curse, Cyrus’ sword burst into a green flame blade and sliced into the second ghast, the flame then jumping to the first.

Examining the bridge, it was apparent that the bridge had been formed by magic.

Pointing its glaive at us, it addressed the two small flying creatures with a command, “Kill that one!”

Though magic protected our skin against burn, we could still feel the intense, withering heat carried in terrible blasts from the trees, and we smelled the acrid smoke as we entered and it enveloped us, arms of black and orange embracing us all.

Trovus, the dragonborn town speaker of Caer-Konig, partakes of a drink as he guards the Northern Light

When we arrived in Easthaven and sold off some of our treasure and my hunting trap, I paid Bran back the 100 gold coins that he had lent me.

We departed for Dougan’s Hole.

The group decided to spend the rest of the day and that night in the valley where they had left the wagon, Dynamo, and Happy tied to a tree.

As the group was being bombarded by arrows from the south, Prynhawn suggested to Valeria that they engage their attackers head on.

As we rowed the two boats back to Easthaven, we were attacked by a flock of blood hawks. Mendel and Bran put many of them to sleep, but they might have killed Erling and me if we hadn’t been given potions of healing. Bran cast healing word many times. Mendel killed the remaining blood hawks with magic missiles.

As Vernim approached the group, the disappointment was evident in his expression.

After searching the duergar and Dinev's Rest, and telling Rourke about the Duergar, we decided to return to Easthaven, where Erling wanted to help find the missing fisherman.

The group returned to the keep loaded with treasure and two extra suits of half-plate armor. They took turns carrying Arpad as they escorted the five prisoners they had rescued from Tarlech’s cells.

Human female necromancer

Arpad, daughter of Asham the Cooper and his wife Naramis, was born and raised in the keep along with her younger siblings: Anrod, Atli, Parwin, Durifern, Barthony, and Blasco, as well as Asham's brother, Hobbin the carpenter.

She was kidnapped several months ago by Mendel the Slaver in order to ensure her father’s continued cooperation in providing the barrels Mendel uses to smuggle victims in.

Arpad in the library of Tarlech the necromancer

As the group peered around the desk at Yanliz’s victim, Jess cried, “You killed Arpad! Why did you do that? What’s wrong with you?”

Caer-Dineval is built on the rocky shore of Lac Dinneshere, with Kelvin's Cairn looming behind it

It took us five more hours to reach Caer-Dineval. It was a small town of about one hundred residents, dominated by a castle on the hill.

Once the group was gathered together in the secret corridor with the bodies of the wizard, the cat, and Chantel, they made sure the two humans were bound, gagged, and blindfolded.

As the group headed from the gatehouse to the One-Eyed Cat, a crowd gathered around them, eager to hear their tale of victory.

While Yanliz and Jess engaged the archer on the upper rim of the valley, the rest of the group stood by the cave entrance.

Icehammer Dwarves confront Cryovain at Icespire Hold

Before we could stop him, Boaromyr charged Brakkis, knocking the old man down and leaving him gasping in pain.

Easthaven residents bask in the warmth of an evil wizard being burned at the stake

Walking into Easthaven was like stepping into Icewind Dale's past—the place was a living example of the boomtown way of life that gripped all of Ten Towns centuries ago.

Icehammer Dwarves Approaching Icespire Hold

Berreck and I entered Adabra's house to prepare for our trip to Icespire Hold.

“Warroc, you’ve fell in with the wrong crowd,” Eyvindir called out. “I was happy to never see you again, but now you will pay the price.”

Icehammer Dwarves battle the terror of the Dragon Barrow

A thirty-foot-high hill rose ahead of us, its top too flat to be a natural occurrence. Jutting from the grassy hilltop was a row of ten-foot-tall, bone-white rocks that arced toward the stormy sky like outstretched talons.

The snow-covered tusks of a mammoth mark the entrance to the verbeeg lair

We decided we would visit Good Mead, and reached the town late the next morning.

When we woke we agreed to try and open the case. I took it outside and tried with all my might, but it wouldn’t budge, and Cyrus was reluctant to try more extreme measures, so I relented.

While Eyvindir questioned the remaining elf, I searched the area, Cyrus guarded the lower level, Ulfgar guarded the stairs, and Xireas kept an eye out from across the room.

The Icehammer Dwarves at the Circle of Thunder

As we were preparing to head down the hill, I looked up and noticed vultures circling above.

On the way back to the safe house, we were ambushed by thugs dressed up as guards, who said they were taking us in because we had a wizard in our midst. As we were beating down the thugs, we were joined by a handsome human with a greatsword, who introduced himself as Rantle.

The Icehammer Dwarves face Gorthok the Thunderboar

The two of us stood together, while Xanth and Falcon waited 150 feet back.

In the center of the district and surrounded by a fenced compound, we found the Depository Tower. Torrent gave one of the guards a password and we were escorted to the tower entrance.

Icehammer Dwarves emerging from the Woodland Manse to confront the anchorites

We drew our weapons to prepare for combat with the half-orcs and boars.

In Termalaine, we encountered kobolds, who had been brought into town from the gem mines, skulking through town. We followed them briefly, but found no indication of mayhem.

Icehammer Dwarves enter the Woodland Manse

We immediately charged the dancing half-orc, who didn’t seem to have noticed us.

After reaching the surface, Erling and his companions soon met with Frizzt. After burying their dead companions, they left for Lonelywood.

Icehammer dwarves fight off ankhegs at the Logger's Camp

We departed Axeholm, leaving the portcullis closed behind us, and traveled back to Phandalin.

Elongated tongues dropped from the mouths of the rasping dwarven zombies as they dropped their bones and turned their attention toward us. We charged at them.

Drow male ranger

Frizzt J'ffa is a 166 years old drow from Menzoberranzan; a large drow city in the Northdark. He served as the First Prime of House Zapophis.

Chosen because it means "free spirit" in Undercommon, Frizzt was named by his father, Friz'ac. He was born in a Menzoberranzan district under the control of the drow noble Vronus, where his father served as Vronus' First Prime. After failing to win an unwinnable battle, Vronus killed Friz'ac in a prolonged and agonizing death. Vronus also exiled young Frizzt—along with Frizzt's mother—to the surface where he grew up.

My nightmares of being hunted by powerful enemies and their agents everywhere I went were abruptly ended by Erling jumping on my bed and shouting, "Wake, up, wake up! Sephek's here! Wake up!"

By Andrea Kamander

Dungeons and Dragons, or D&D, is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Each player usually runs one character within an adventuring party. The game is run by a Dungeon Master, or DM, who controls the environment and any non-player characters. Playing D&D consists of three aspects: exploration, social interaction, and combat. Personally, I like the combat and intraparty interaction most.

Icehammer Dwarves in Mountain's Toe Goldmine

Once we arrived at the mine, we searched the bodies of our dead enemies. Then, the three of us took a short rest in a room to the northwest, which was filled with food and drink.

Erling lit a torch and we continued further into the gem mine.

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