Our new band of Adventurers, Sugarfingers the Tiefling Cleric, Audra the Air Genasi Sorcerer, Tarn the Moon-Elf Fighter, and Kayla the Half-Elf Monk were on the return trip during a merchant guard contract. They were well paid, and to the delight of our party it was a boring job. When their destination of Greenest was finally in view, the pendulum of eventfulness took a hard swing in the opposite direction. Greenest was under attack by bandits with the aid of a Blue Dragon! In a quick debate amongst our party and merchants of how to proceed, an agreement was made. The merchants parted ways with our party, paying them for their work thus far, and our party attempted to turn the tide of battle by rushing to the defense of Greenest. Their first battle was sudden and traumatic. A woman on her last stand against a gang of kobolds in attempt to save her wounded husband and three children were occupying the street. Our party got there just in time to watch the woman fall in battle, and during this her husband was slain as well. It was not without its heroics however! Our party was able to slay the kobolds and save all three children. Out of respect for the family, the parent's bodies were brought to an empty house out of the streets, and our party took shelter in a neighboring empty house with the three children and their fallen, unconscious member Sugarfingers. After gathering their senses and hearing outcries amongst the city "Get to the keep! Hurry, before they close the gates!" our party made haste, carrying Sugarfingers and guiding the children. In a failed attempt to sneak to the keep they were caught! Two bandits stopped our party in their tracks. Too bloodied, tired, and suffering from the recent trauma, our party pleaded to be let through for they had no valuables. The bandits, feeling "generous" agreed to do so, on the condition they hand over their coin purses. Swallowing their pride and recognizing the severity of the situation, our party agreed. At last, the keep! Our party was thanked for their deeds and the children were guided to families they know and our party was directed to the keep healers. While they were being seen to, they were approached by Governor Nighthill, an older human man. He thanked our party for their heroics and timely arrival, and begged for their continued assistance to his city. He needs our party to save the Mill, for the scouts have reported it is being set ablaze and this would be a terrible loss to the city. Castellan Escobert the Red, a shield dwarf with knotted, tangled, bright red hair serving as master of the keep approached. He added that "We also need a prisoner. While you are out , it is paramount that you capture a member of this raid and bring them back for questioning!" Castellan also noted that our party could take the secret gate that led under the keep in a tunnel access that allowed them fresh water in case of a siege. Accepting this plea, our party left through said tunnel. Battling through the tunnel with swarms of rats, alerted bandits and kobolds, our party was able to leave the keep. Standing over the cleaved, skewered, burned, electrified and necrotized corpses of their enemies, our party decided on how to go about dividing the two gold pieces found amongst the bodies. Sneaking through the river to get to the mill, our party were noticed as they approached the mill! A fight ensued. Battling an Acolyte with his bandit allies, our party gave chase into the mill. Unbeknownst to our party, this is exactly what the bandits wanted. They heard there was an adventuring group that found its way into the city during the raid, and set up a trap to lure them in! A large force was waiting in the mill to attack our party. Audra bravely chased the bandits into the mill, only to see 10 men waiting on the upper floor of the mill with javelins in hand. Surviving a near fatal volley, Audra was able to back out of the mill. In retaliation, Audra channeled her magic into a desperate attack. Wild Magic! While casting her spell, her unstable nature of spell use caused an unforeseen pull on the weave, causing every creature in the entire area to turn invisible, allies and enemies alike! Taking advantage of this saving grace, our party decided to grab the unconscious Acolyte and run for it! Kayla, taking advantage of her quiet steps and new found invisibility snuck to the second floor of the mill, grabbed the Acolyte, and jumped out of the window. Audra cast levitation on the body to create ease of travel and our party snuck back through the river into the keep. Castellan was eager to start interrogation, and Tarn opted to sit in to acquire any useful information. Our party learned that these weren't any normal bandits! The Acolyte revealed most of them are members of the "The Cult of the Dragon" and they are here to "Collect valuables for the great hoard that will usher in the reign of the Queen of Dragons: Tiamat, all hail!" and that in a nearby camp they have "a clutch of black dragon eggs under heavy guard in a cave". After this interrogation, the dragon attacked! It swooped by the castle with its lightning breath, injuring soldiers and blowing apart stone walls. Nighthill assured our party that his soldiers could protect the keep for now, and encouraged them rest and he will collect them should anything truly need their immediate attention. Hopeful to get rest, our party laid down. Rest was short lived, however, as they were awoken only an hour after. A challenger approached the keep. A half-dragon named Langderosa, accomapnied by 16 kobolds and 3 prisoners called up to the keep. " Defenders of Greenest! This has been a successful night, and I am feeling generous. Do you see these three pitiful, useless prisoners? We have no need for them, so I will trade them back to you. Send out your best warrior to fight me, and you can have these four in exchange." Against his better judgement, and pleading from Nighthill, Tarn stepped up to the task. Our tired and injured Tarn gave it all he could, and while managing to draw blood from Langderosa, was no match in single combat. As Tarn fell, Langderosa honored his duel, and swept Tarn's eyes closed and released his prisoners. The raid was over, but the time for heroes has just begun. Our party was finally able to get real rest. In the morning, Nighthill once again approached our party. With many thanks , and a sullen look, Nighthill has more to ask. He offers to pay our party a sum of 250gp if they can track the cultists. He wants to know where the camp is sited, how many raiders are there, who their leaders are, what's motivating these attacks, and where they plan to strike next. Any stolen goods returned to the city would also be appreciated. While setting up to leave, our party was approached by a young man. "I hear that you intend to follow the raiders and see where they've gone. I'd like nothing better than to come with you, but in this condition, I'd slow you down. In the midst of all this tragedy, there's no reason you would have heard about the fate of my master, Leosin Erlanthar, but it's important you know. He is a monk from Berdusk. He disappeared last night, after we fought a particularly savage battle against raiders. A few others and I fought our way to the keep, barely. Leosin didn't make it at all. We went back this morning to look for him, but all we found was his broken staff and this choker, which he always wore. Leosin has been investigating these raiders for months. I fear that he might have tried to infiltrate their group when they retreated, or worse, was captured and carried away as a prisoner. No one understands these bandits better than he does, and his knowledge will be invaluable against them. When you find their camp, please look for any sign that Leosin is there. One of my brothers has already departed for Berdusk to bring back help, but it will be many days before help arrives. Anything you can do before then would be a godsend." Our party set off on their tracking mission avoiding most battles from stragglers and smaller cultist camps except one. There was a hard-fought battle with the stationed rear guard, but they were no match for the growing prowess of our party. All 4 members receive: Level 3 1 Inspiration Renown Title: "Hero of Greenest"
