Session 40 - Unknown

Session 40 - Unknown

Date: 6/22/2025

DM: Wes

Summary

General Summary Return to Phandalin After detouring through lava, specters, tombs, and temples, the party regrouped in Phandalin—because apparently, you can only go so long without letting Halia whisper sweet schemes into your ear.

Quick Recap Rundown:

The party traveled from Neverwinter to Phandalin, via ship and some mildly cursed road stops. Along the way, they learned that a black dragon named Vargazorith claimed to have seen Resmir in the North recently. They also picked up word of a copper dragon near Thundertree and a string of murdered Zhentarim agents. Halia revealed her trade outposts had been attacked. One in the north (checked) and one in the south (missing). Several potential leads loomed: investigate murder sites, track dragon cultists, chase copper dragons, and recover magical bagpipes. Shopping at the Bright Forge The party met with Thurman and Nundro at their new shop: The Bright Forge, operating out of the old smithy in Phandalin. Thurman invited them to browse wares before inviting them to a more secure location for deeper discussion.

Items Offered:

Gauntlet of the Gem-Forged Will (Good alignment required) Amulet of Proof Against Detection Pearl of Power Sentinel Shield (advantage on initiative & perception) Bracers of Defense (+2 AC) Gem of Seeing (Truesight 120 ft.) Circlet of Commanding Presence (Sets Charisma to 16) Glaive of Reprisal (Reaction attack + gives target disadvantage) Elixirs of Health (x4) Purchases/Plans:

Alexios buys the Sentinel Shield. Gootcha receives the Circlet of Commanding Presence (via group funds). Keyleth and Karma scoop all four Elixirs of Health. Some items (like the Gauntlet and Glaive) are put on hold pending finance director approval (aka Ashley math). The Temple of Lathander – Secrets Beneath the Sun Thurman leads the group to the newly established Temple of Lathander, also known as the Dawn Vault, constructed over Wave Echo Cave. It's a clever ruse: a glowing temple hides a magic forge, shielded from scrying eyes and dragon cultist greed.

But Something is Stirring... As the group approaches, an unnatural stillness falls over the forest. Venomfang—the very green dragon you may remember from Thundertree—is not okay. He's agitated and clearly hearing something none of you can: a horn.

A deep, primal call—heard only by dragons—is pulling him southeast. He believes it’s both a summons and a warning. The party convinces him not to pursue it (for now), and Thurman magically helps settle his nerves.

Shade’s Pact of Silence Thurman reveals the temple's real purpose and the sacred duty of protecting the Forge of Spells—referred to affectionately as the spell stove. He shares this information only after Shade agrees to a magical pact using the spell Promise, which prevents her from revealing the spell stove’s existence. If she breaks the vow, both she and Thurman suffer intense psychic damage. High-stakes NDA, baby.

Consolation Prize:

In exchange, Thurman agrees to let Halia move goods through the forge’s creations—satisfying Zhentarim trade interests without giving up the forge’s location. Venomfang also gifts a Staff of Defense from his hoard to Zanfina, in thanks for calling him beautiful. Weapons Upgraded, Items Improved With access to the spell stove, the group spends several days upgrading their gear. Highlights include:

Plus 1 enhancements to dozens of weapons and armor. Javelins upgraded en masse (Zan is now the hedge fund of javelin enhancement). A “returning trident” from the Tower of Madness reveals hidden potential—linked to Zanfina’s orc ancestors. The trident can be made more powerful, but only through ritual and guidance from her ancestral spirits. Karma's Staff of Iskrilthrax is infused with the power of a white dragon horn and transformed into a Staff of Frost. Alexios upgrades his Pipes of the Sewers, pending final DM scheming. (Ferret symphony? TBD.) The Forge could not enhance the Bracers of Archery or items already magical, but the mithral plate was upgraded to +1. Zhentarim Outpost Massacre – Clawprints in the Dirt Following a lead from Halia, the group investigates a silent outpost in the south near the Mere of Dead Men. The scene is grim:

Homesteads abandoned or ransacked. A symbol of Tiamat seared into the earth. A corpse pinned by a ritual dagger etched with “Gift to the Horde.” Cultist signature: indigo silk snagged on a nail—mark of the Sighing Masks, a Resmir-aligned splinter cell. Through clever use of Speak with Dead, the group learns that:

The magic items Halia was waiting on are hidden under a nearby boulder. The corpse (Caldris) was ambushed by the dragon cult. The attackers came through the Mere of Dead Men and missed the stash entirely. The group retrieves:

Cap of Water Breathing Folding Boat Oil of Sharpness Robe of Eyes Sending Stones Dust of Sneezing and Choking Ioun Stone of Sustenance These are then turned in to Halia’s contact for resale (the Robe of Eyes kept).

Return to Castle Neratar – Again The group sneaks past dragon cultist guards at the Carnath Roadhouse using Pass Without Trace and some classic "hail mother worm" subterfuge. They return to the old castle via a secret tunnel.

Inside the swampy halls of Castle Neratar, bullywugs are back. Apparently, Resmir briefly returned, kicked out the lizardfolk, and reinstalled froggo minions and a weak spellcaster.

The group lays waste to several bullywugs. It's fast. It's brutal. It's deeply satisfying.

XP Awards

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Notable Characters

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Locations

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Factions Involved

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Items Found

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