The gang set off from Beldabar’s Rest.
Looking around, they see the city in a different light; there is a sense of renewal. Stalls are rigged up in the streets, merchants wear loud clothes, and carts laden with food are pulled up from the river. Something has definitely shifted and some of the gang are feeling buoyed.
Gunther has Skek, a.k.a. Greg, the fairly angry octopus. Skek and the baby dragon are introduced to each other and Miss Moss gives the octopus a bit of a pat. Skek’s water sits nearby.
Heading to Yartar
Leshanna teleports the gang to Yartar. As they wander through the streets, others clearly recognise them.
After a while, they see Cowan, a tall woman with white robes hobbling towards them, looking a them with warmth and recognition. She greets them and shakes each of their hands and then ushers them through to her office.
The little space has exposed wooden beams and furniture and the room is completely open, with an open, guardrail-less balcony that sits peering across the city of Yartar. They walk through the magic shield and chairs appear. Cowan seats the gang before offering them a drink.
“Garan had become convinced that something awful had happened to you – you’ve been missing!”
There has been rumours swirling about mischief befalling them.
The gang fill her in on their journey to find the King and admit they are looking for help to find him. They know roughly where he is and need some help to get there – in the northern islands in the trackless sea.
She has a serious think and can only think of a small number of ways she can help that she would trust. She speaks of the City of Sails – Luskan and someone named Jarlaxl, an ally of Drizt. Jarlaxl is a drow who has been long separated from the Underdark – there are rumours of him as a strong ally and a fearsome foe.
“The world is dark, there are tales of destruction wrought by the Giants throughout the lands. Keeping them at bay may not even be possible. The smallfolk kingdoms are less unified than they have been for years.
“The reach of the Lords Alliance is fraying. Lord Sundabar has left. Many towns are beginning to shake. It seems that the links that bind us when we need them most are beginning to disappear. There are communities and towns turning inwards and the Giants are roaming unchecked. There are places where the sky has turned to soot.
“The IronSlagg forge is now fully operational. There are paths cut through and fire giants marching together. Almost daily we are having reports of raids and homes destroyed by giant-kind. We are not giving up but we are suffering a Symphony of Ruin.
“Stone Giant sightings are now commonplace as they tear through the ruins and destroy everything in their path. Some harpers report things and some have just gone dark.
“Our latest report from Fire shire was a frost giant great ship anchored in the harbour with white dragon wings for sails. No less than 20 frost giants wading through the water towards the town. Then the communications stopped.”
She understands that Luskan still stands. They will need to travel from Neverwinter.
There is a little bit of confusion when they realise that Lia’s sister and Keanaareeves are both at Ironslagg and in fact Gunther and Miss Moss saw a room of slaves at the time. After they restore the ordering they will go get her.
The gang bids Cowan farewell and heads back to the teleportation sigil to NeverWinter. Rillix the Tressym is flying around with all the other Tressyms on the way, having a great time.
Arriving in Neverwinter
They arrive in an attic in a house, and a woman greets them – she is Esmerelda. She leads them into a room with a staircase going down, where they emerge in the bustling centre of Neverwinter, a place worthy of exploration. There are books and games made about this place, it’s a very important, big place.
The gang organise a carriage for the next day to take the coastal road – the high road – and get a recommendation to Gareth’s hotel, a humble hotel with bunk beds, where they can rest.
Luskan is built on an ancient ruins and is associated with the arcane brotherhood.
Leaving Neverwinter for Luskan
It cost 600g for the group to hire a carriage and driver, which is particularly expensive, but now they realise why: they have two guards and a driver with them – also unusual.
In the morning the trek begins, but as they make their way to the exit, the doors to the north are closed – unusual.
Londer sees a lot of people who seem down on their luck or displaced, and near the exit, there is a sense of fear, determination. It’s different on this side of town.
They head out on the road, passing ruins and empty hamlets and roadside stops. Inland in the forest, the tops of the trees move with the force of the huge giants moving beneath. They pass two stone giants destroying a rune.
The sun sets on the gang
As the sun starts to set, the carriage comes to a halt. A deathly silence and stillness puts them all on high alert.
They get out of the back of the wagon and see, in the centre of the road in front of them, a stone giant in rags. He appears to be a shaman. The giant’s legs, arms and torso seem to have frozen, screaming faces protruding from them. In his chest there are two legs and an anchor appears embedded.
Is he absorbing things into his body? What is going on here, they wonder. They’ve never seen anything like it. The giant carries a club.
Lia moves forward slowly and says strong, clear, “Who goes there?”
The giant continues to stare, mouth agape and silently screams at them.
Thoradin takes out an apple and throws it at him, asking if he is hungry. The giant looks down, then looks back up and begins to move towards the carriage.
Thoradin casts banishment. The giant dashes towards them. They all begin to feel lightheaded. Londer shakes it off and attacks the giant with his axe, hitting multiple times, hurting the giant.
The giants mouth closes and he winces. There is stone giant blood coming out; this huge beast is quickly in trouble.