The adventurers are taken through to a large map room, the walls lit by the soft glow of torches. The parchment that blankets the table showcases the expanse of the Sword Coast and beyond.
Around the table stands Queen Tithal, King Morin, Jarlaxl, Bruner Battlehammer and Cowan. There are a few people they haven’t met; they are introduced. A green-gowned female human, Maris Pharlow, a Winterstalker and senior member of the Emerald Enclave. Another is Duvessa Shane, from Brinshander in Icewingdale.
Bruner makes it clear that all here are trusted, completely. Given the times, this is a precious thing. It becomes clear Bruner and Cowan know each other well.
Bruner begins, “The lands we hold dear are under siege.” He explains the situation is dire and they all realise it’s been a long time since they travelled to these far lands.
“Water Deep and Baldur’s Gate are bracing against siege and their fate is holding by a thread. Roads that were once safe are now so perilous that only certain people can travel them. The risk of giants in the south is very real. Messengers simply don’t travel, news is conveyed by magic. We are seeing the cultish activity, dark rituals and mischievous schemes. Yartar fell under the Reach. Tentacles are reaching across the Sword Coast.”
Thoradin pulls out the dagger with the mark of the Kraken society and explains what he knows.
He was a member of a group of adventurers called the Companions of the Hall from ages ago. Another character, Drisd is also a drow and an iconic hero of the time. He’s been dead a long time, but he fought alongside Bruner in many adventures.
The group hear many more concerning things about how the Frost Giants have decimated the lands and completely taken over.
The Arcane Brotherhood and the host tower may also be under some influence. Luskan, always a safe harbour for ships and people from all over, but now appear to have men with translucent skin arriving – the men seem like monsters. The fact they are welcome is strange, it is only due to the willingness of someone powerful, and he knows it is not coming from Luskan. He thinks the host tower has been managing it. He has so far managed to make them unwelcome on the streets but he doesn’t know how long that will work. The things are gathering and they come and go – Jarlaxll is very concerned about it.
He has been working to bring Luskan into the Lords Alliance but has been unsuccessful.
The translucent skin reminds Miss Moss of some other things, mostly when they first found the boy in the cocoon in the water in Yartar, and had to keep putting water on his skin or he was in pain. The water soaked skin seemed similar.
Thoradin mentions the monster they encountered in the chamber and then Bruner tells a story of slaying an Abelith by himself. They talk of a grey liquid that transforms air breathing people into people who need to be in contact with the sea and who end up being mindless slaves, Abelith Serviteurs that as far as she knows lives forever.
Jarlaxl is convinced that this is the work of the Kraken society, someone or many people have infiltrated the Arcane Brotherhood.
The Arcane Brotherhood is a Wizards Guild, like the Zentarum – organised crime version of Wizards and they tend towards evil, a mercenary group with a long history like the Harpers. A secretive group. Their base of operations is in the scary tower in Luskan that looks like something between a giant dead tree and an arm sticking up.
Hill Giants are attacking
Something is being constructed in Ironslagg but it’s being built day and night.
There was a doppelgänger, which has been slain and is much diminished – Citadel Felbar must not be trusted.
The Cloud giants are castles in the sky that emerge from the mists above and lay siege. Triboar is a ruin, as is Nightstone. They never know when they castles are going to appear.
Cowan goes and picks out a scroll, which is lavishly decorated with bows and is very large. She takes the scroll outside and undoes it all and opens it, a spell begins. A huge mouth appears, it is Zethros, a recorded message attached to the scroll.
“My old friend Felgalos the Bronze Dragon has been kidnapped by my people and is being held by the Countess Sansoury in her castle. I’m prepared to do something to see him released, he’s been good to me and all small folk but I’m a scholar and not much of a fighter.” He gives a fond farewell and the mouth gives big kisses.
They return to the room, Cowan believes the largest cloud castle is hovering high above the ever moors.
They discuss the various situations, considering the challenges of resources and the dwindling pathways.
- Cloud giants attacking the valley
- The possibility of evacuating some vulnerable folk to safer areas and brave the roads to get to somewhere more secure
- Pool resources to try to seek out people with aerial resources to attack in the sky?
- Communicate with the cloud giants to come to a truce?
- Lead a strike force to the largest sky castle and try to disrupt the operations from there?
- Hill giants stealing food
- Fortify the towns
- Small mobile units to harass and weaken the giants
- Sttempt to follow them and try to understand where they are taking the food
- Move supplies and rations and food to less accessible locations