Book Two, Chapter 2.1 (session 44, 22 nd March 2018) In frustration Mads the eagle, turned and left, gliding silently through the night to Naergon and the rest. In order to regain his glaive the party will need to brave the depths of the dragon’s lair – and almost certainly it will be expecting them. Disappointed they turned around and marched through the frosty, cold night back to Altund. Naergon, supported the whole way by Mads and Augustus – clearly he needs more rest than this after his recent ordeal. Arriving back at Altund (c07:00), Naergon collapsed onto a bed, only semi-conscious whilst everyone else gathered briefly to discuss events. There was a brief argument about whether to return to Waterdeep and take up the Council’s objective of chasing down the fallen Skycastle (Franz – doing it in Drax’s name apparently), or to finish the job here and kill Chuth (Jamna – treasure may have been a motivator here), or the need to get the glaive (Mads – I . . . just . . . have . . .NO choice. . .). Augustus had little to say so wondered off to climb a tree and watch the dawn through the mist (he saw a strange corona around the rising sun, which he took to be a message and sign to him to do something). In the end tired and fractious all decided to take a short rest and regroup in an hour or so. Making their way to one of the communal breakfast areas (c08:00) and enjoying fresh warm bread, assorted mueslis and yoghurts washed down by weak hot spiced cider, they again discussed what to do next. This involved much reviewing of ‘the story so far’ and where individual goals were leading, Franz again insisted that the best course of action would be to pursue the dragon masks as requested by Waterdeep, consideration was given to returning to Waterdeep and using the teleportation pads to get close – that would end up at Franz’s Hunting Lodge. However when it became clear that getting to Castle Naergon would take 16 days flying and from the Hunting Lodge to ‘somewhere’ in the desert another 14 (if they could get hippogriffs through the teleports) and if they could instantly find Skycastle). Or to fly direct some 32 days the whole idea became somewhat less attractive. During this discourse Mads was getting more and more agitated and fidgety, his arguments against Franz more and more pointed in his insistence that he had no choice – he needed to get his glaive. He even opened up some of his past in an attempt to convince Franz of his sincerity, something about how that glaive had been the weapon he used to execute someone/some people in the past when ordered to do so before he left the military, how it had special significance. In the end as he earnestly pleaded his case to Franz, his eyes became wholly black, non-reflective orbs and he slowly and methodically began to slice his hand and arm, letting the blood flow as he insisted “ you don’t understand, I need to get her back” . Augustus sat at the table, rather bemusedly listening to all this and attempting to juggle is hammers (not very well to be sure) whilst eating and drinking. Just as everyone was coming round to the fact that it may just be easier/safer to accede to Mad’s wishes, there was a commotion at the far end of the village and an elven straggler/survivor stumbled in (c09:00). One of the survivors of another village, who with a small group of others had been sheltering in a makeshift camp to avoid the dragon’s ravages , Aegerion, told a tale of being attacked by dark spirits and shambling undead in the depth of the night – creatures that would not normally dare enter the Misty Forest but now with the disruptions caused by marauding dragons and the cult all manner of dark things were creeping back into the light. Without a second thought (other than this was probably safer than further argument with Mads) the party immediately agreed to depart and deal with this menace. Ensuring that Naergon would be well cared for as he rested, they set forth through the ever present mist, deep into the forest in the direction indicated by Aegerion. After several hours of backtracking, the party arrived on the fringe of the huddle of tents (c15:00), a low fire still burning – more embers than fire to be honest. Mads made out the shape of several shadowy forms in the mist, Franz moved to flank the tents, Augustus bellowed “ Bupomatupum ” or something similar and leaped and bounded past Mads whirling his hammers. Through the mist emerged wraiths, their incorporeal forms bleeding and trailing into the very mist itself, immediately behind them a number of wights came creeping and leaping through the undergrowth. In the distant a much larger number of humanoid shapes lumbered through the mist around the tents. As Augustus and Mads engaged the wraiths and wights, (amidst cries of “ Wapum ” from Augustus) a fireball erupted behind them, then another a few seconds later ,as Jamna and Franz engaged with missiles from the rear and flank. Franz moved up and using his staff lightninged the row of wights and the wraith bearing down on Mads. From the mist to his right a string of green, mystical force darts shaped like dragon teeth slammed into him for his trouble. All the while the vast number of looming shapes shambled closer and closer . . . And there we left it, tune in next week for more of the exciting adventures of “whoever the hell this bunch of wackos are” [we need a catchier name] No levels were gained this session: Naergon 10 th level Mads 9 th level Franz 9 th level Jamna 9 th level Augustus 9 th level XP earnt is now irrelevant as the rest of TOD is based on milestone XP In-Game the session ended at 15:00 on 12 th Chess 1485 DR