Session 43 - The Council of Waterdeep (2025-08-31)

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Session 43 - The Council of Waterdeep

Date: August 31, 2025
DM: Wes
Campaign: Rise of Tiamat

The party is summoned to Waterdeep for an emergency meeting of the Council of Waterdeep, where the assembled lords and faction leaders debate the threat posed by the Cult of the Dragon and assign Deez Nuts critical missions to disrupt the Cult's plans to summon Tiamat.

Summary

After defeating Lord Valtheran at his coastal manor and discovering crucial intelligence about the Draakhorn and the Cult of the Dragon, Deez Nuts travels to Waterdeep for a command meeting of regional leaders. Leosin Erlanthar meets them at the city gates to brief them on the political landscape they're about to enter.

The Council of Waterdeep meeting proves contentious, with skeptics like King Melendrak doubting that the Cult could actually summon a god from Avernus, while supporters like the Harpers and Order of the Gauntlet argue for immediate action. The party shares their accumulated intelligence, including their encounter with an Erinyes devil, the resurrection of Rath Modar, and their alliance with the giants of Skyreach Castle.

Impressed by their deeds and the gravity of the threat, the Council formally deputizes Deez Nuts to act in their name, granting them resources and assigning two critical missions: finding Maccath the Crimson to learn about the Draakhorn, and tracking down Varram the White to recover the lost White Dragon Mask.

After the council session, the faction representatives promote several party members for their service, and the party sets out north toward Garmok's Mine - choosing to first address Xanphina's ancestral quest before tackling the Council's assignments.

On the road north, they discover the orc guard post massacred by Cult forces who tortured the captain for information about the party's plans. Shade uses her powers to commune with the dead captain's spirit, learning that the cultists extracted information about Garmok's mine and are now waiting there to ambush Deez Nuts.

At Castle Naerytar, the party finds the castle well-defended by Bernie's reinforcements - lizardfolk warriors and a guardian giant who have already repelled one Cult incursion through the portal. The lizardfolk share ominous tales of Garmok's Mine, warning of dwarves who disappeared centuries ago after uncovering "something evil, something horrible," and of a giant black lizard of death that moves with impossible speed throughout the Mere of Dead Men.

The party proceeds to the mine, battling kobolds and drakes along the way before discovering the Bronze Blades - Boomer and Sir Cedric - fleeing cultist pursuers. Deez Nuts rescues the Bronze Blades, then storms deeper into the mine to save the rest of their party: Sister Alira, Thistle, and Whisper.

After a fierce battle, the combined forces secure the immediate area. The Bronze Blades reveal they were sent by Marshal Older Ravenguard to investigate dragon activity and have confirmed a black dragon is nearby, though they haven't located it. While catching their breath, the party discovers a hidden treasure room containing magical armor, 6,400 gold pieces with an unusual red tint, a wand of protection from good, and the Eye of Gilbraxis - which Shade immediately has Alexios install, replacing one of her eyes to gain its powers.

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Quests Assigned

During their meeting with the Council, Deez Nuts was assigned the following quests and obligations:

XP Awards =

XP awarded for combat encounters and story progression (specific amounts not recorded in transcript).

Notable Characters

Council of Waterdeep Members:

Faction Representatives (Post-Council):

Bronze Blades Members:

  • Boomer - Spellcaster, uses Shatter and Entangle
  • Sir Cedric - Warrior/cleric with warhammer and smite abilities
  • Sister Alira - Cleric, uses Mass Healing Word and Revivify
  • Thistle - Bard, uses Faerie Fire
  • Whisper - Killed in combat, revived by Sister Alira

Other NPCs:

Locations

Factions

Items & Rewards

  • 6,400 gold pieces with unusual red tint
  • Full plate armor (magical, unidentified)
  • Wand of Protection from Good
  • Eye of Gilbraxis - Artifact installed in Shade's left eye, grants Detect Magic, Identify, See Invisibility, and Comprehend Languages
  • Standard supplies from Waterdeep: 1 healing potion, 1 greater healing potion per party member, 1 elixir of health (for the party), horses for travel

Faction Promotions:

  • Shade - Promoted to Viper (Rank 3) in the Zhentarim, received Zhentarim Guide to Poisoning Friends and Foes
  • Xanphina - Promoted to Defender (Rank 2) in the Order of the Gauntlet, gained Rally the Line ability
  • Karma - Promoted to Rivercaller (Rank 2) in the Scales of Eldath (Emerald Enclave), received mood-responsive amulet

Quests

Assigned by Council of Waterdeep:

Active Party Quests:

Key Events

The Council of Waterdeep:

  • Deez Nuts shares intelligence with the Council about their victories and discoveries
  • Party reveals information about: the Erinyes summoning, Rath Modar's resurrection, alliance with giants, Lord Valtheran's defeat, the Draakhorn's location at Well of Dragons
  • Debate between skeptics (King Melendrak, Ambassador Conrad) and believers (Harpers, Order of the Gauntlet, Lady Dalla) about the reality of the threat
  • Lord Dagult Neverember formally deputizes the party to act in the Council's name
  • Shade attempts to get "kill on sight" authorization for the Bronze Blades - denied by Marshal Older Ravenguard
  • Party receives resources (horses, potions, supplies) and two mission assignments

Faction Promotions:

Journey North:

  • Discovery of massacred orc guard post
  • Shade communes with the dead guard captain's spirit
  • Captain reveals: cultists tortured him for information, he broke and told them about Garmok's mine and Xanphina's ancestors
  • Cultists are heading to the mine to ambush the party

Castle Naerytar:

  • Bernie sent reinforcements: guardian giant and elite lizardfolk
  • Forces already repelled one portal incursion
  • Shade investigates the giant's magical nipple rings (results: embarrassment)
  • Lizardfolk geomancer shares stories of the mine's dark history
  • Party learns about the "giant black lizard of death" that moves impossibly fast

Garmok's Mine:

Important Lore & Information

The Draakhorn:

  • Located at the Well of Dragons
  • Being sounded around the clock to call chromatic dragons to the Cult
  • Maccath the Crimson was researching it before she disappeared
  • Even knowing its location, the party needs intelligence on how to destroy or neutralize it

The Dragon Masks:

  • Varram the White has lost the White Dragon Mask
  • He's searching for it covertly, trying to hide the loss from the Cult
  • The Council doesn't know how many masks are needed for the summoning ritual
  • Recovering the White Dragon Mask would disrupt the Cult's plans

Garmok's Mine:

  • Ancient dwarven mine in the Mere of Dead Men
  • Dwarves uncovered "something evil, something horrible" centuries ago
  • Original miners disappeared completely
  • Second expedition of dwarves also vanished
  • Area around mine is dark, tangled, and dangerous
  • Connected to Xanphina's ancestor Garmok the Chainbearer

The Black Dragon:

  • Confirmed present within a few miles of the mine
  • Known locally as the "giant black lizard of death"
  • Appears to move with impossible speed across the Mere of Dead Men
  • May be two dragons (party speculation) or one very fast dragon (lizardfolk belief)
  • Territory-defending behavior typical of adult black dragons
  • Not yet encountered by party or Bronze Blades

The Cult's Knowledge:

  • Cult forces knew to ambush Deez Nuts at Garmok's Mine
  • They extracted information about Xanphina's ancestral quest through torture
  • Cultists are actively tracking and targeting the party
  • Presence of multiple high-level cultists (Dragon Claws, Dragon Fangs, Dragon Soul, Dragon Wings) suggests organized military operation

Relationships & Dynamics

Combat Encounters

Encounter 1: Kobolds and Drakes in the Clearing

  • Kobold Dragon Shields
  • Kobold Scale Sorcerers
  • Kobold Warriors
  • Guard Drakes
  • Quick victory with area damage from Shade (Erupt Earth) and Karma (Cone of Cold)

Encounter 2: Cultist Pursuers

Encounter 3: Main Mine Battle

  • Multiple Dragonclaws
  • Multiple Dragonwings
  • Dragon Fangs
  • Dragon Soul
  • Supported by Bronze Blades members fighting alongside Deez Nuts
  • Thistle went down but was revived by Sister Alira's Mass Healing Word
  • Victory achieved through combined efforts

Session Notes

  • This session featured heavy roleplay and faction politics
  • Multiple NPCs with distinct voices and agendas during the Council scene
  • Party chose to pursue Xanphina's personal quest before Council assignments
  • Discovery of cultist ambush sets up tense dynamic for mine exploration
  • Shade's eye replacement creates permanent character modification
  • Session ended mid-exploration of Garmok's Mine

Next Session Hooks

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