Post by hubertbartels on Jan 20, 2024 14:41:49 GMT -5
Auril’s Fall
With the ritual to weaken Auril’s divine presence completed, we set out from Bryn Shander in our Spelljammer, bound for Grimskalle – the island and the Fortress of Sorrows. This was Auril’s seat of power in the North. As we closed in on our destination, we flew into a blizzard with white out conditions – only by staying near the ground could Inga navigate to the Fortress. A group of Frost Druids tried to ambush the ship by jumping on board – Inga sped up the craft, leaving the druids behind.
Last time, we had entered the Fortress through the roof. Anticipating an armed force waiting there, we decided to break into the Fortress through the front gate instead. Melandrian cast Knock to unbar the gate, Inga pushed her way inside. The courtyard had several cultists and five Giant Skeletons waiting for us. After Melandrian and Rinaldo cast Fireball into their midst, we brushed them aside and entered the keep.
In the hall of the keep, a white and blue ice devil was waiting for us. It hit us hard, but like the Giant Skeletons, fell under our attacks. Clearing the Fest Hall of the ten or so cultists, we started climbing the stairs to the floor above. In the Throne Room, a giant woman of ice was waiting for us. She was one of the avatars of Auril, known as the “The Brittle Woman”.
As we charged in to attack, the avatar threw ice darts at us. Melandrian enclosed her in a Wall of Fire. When she tried to break though it, she got hit by our attacks. Inga slammed her hard with her shield, knocking her in the Wall of Fire. She never came out again.
Climbing onto the roof, we killed the Frost Druids waiting for our Spelljammer. Then we descended down to the ground floor and started down the steps below. In a hallway, an adult dragon was guarding the entrance to a chamber. After a half-hearted attempt to persuade it to leave, we attacked. Again, Melandrian encircled it with a Wall of Fire but Inga was unable to slam it back inside. We finally overwhelmed it with our attacks and killed it.
Entering the chamber, we found the third and last of Auril’s avatars on Toril. It was a crystalline diamond made of ice, about four feet across and floating about four feet from the chamber’s floor. As it broke into a monologue, Melandrian cast Fireball. We hit again and again while it took damage from the flames. Finally, Melandrian hit it with a charge from his Ring of the Ram, driving it back into the center of the Wall of Fire. The avatar didn’t come out again.
All was silent. We left the Fortress to find the cloud cover breaking and for the first time in years, the sun shining. Auril’s power over the winter had been broken.
Back at Bryn Shander and across the Ten Towns, we were feted as heroes. Inga never had to pay for drinks again.
[Plot points that were unanswered: Bryn Shander now contains a Mythlar. What good – or evil will come from that. Inga was never able to close the book on the death of her twin sister Sigurd. Will her ghost continue to haunt her? Rinaldo was shown to be the true heir of Neverwinter – will he take the throne and when will assassins stop plaguing him… Was Melandrian ever able to discover all the secrets of his Mage Tower? ]
With the ritual to weaken Auril’s divine presence completed, we set out from Bryn Shander in our Spelljammer, bound for Grimskalle – the island and the Fortress of Sorrows. This was Auril’s seat of power in the North. As we closed in on our destination, we flew into a blizzard with white out conditions – only by staying near the ground could Inga navigate to the Fortress. A group of Frost Druids tried to ambush the ship by jumping on board – Inga sped up the craft, leaving the druids behind.
Last time, we had entered the Fortress through the roof. Anticipating an armed force waiting there, we decided to break into the Fortress through the front gate instead. Melandrian cast Knock to unbar the gate, Inga pushed her way inside. The courtyard had several cultists and five Giant Skeletons waiting for us. After Melandrian and Rinaldo cast Fireball into their midst, we brushed them aside and entered the keep.
In the hall of the keep, a white and blue ice devil was waiting for us. It hit us hard, but like the Giant Skeletons, fell under our attacks. Clearing the Fest Hall of the ten or so cultists, we started climbing the stairs to the floor above. In the Throne Room, a giant woman of ice was waiting for us. She was one of the avatars of Auril, known as the “The Brittle Woman”.
As we charged in to attack, the avatar threw ice darts at us. Melandrian enclosed her in a Wall of Fire. When she tried to break though it, she got hit by our attacks. Inga slammed her hard with her shield, knocking her in the Wall of Fire. She never came out again.
Climbing onto the roof, we killed the Frost Druids waiting for our Spelljammer. Then we descended down to the ground floor and started down the steps below. In a hallway, an adult dragon was guarding the entrance to a chamber. After a half-hearted attempt to persuade it to leave, we attacked. Again, Melandrian encircled it with a Wall of Fire but Inga was unable to slam it back inside. We finally overwhelmed it with our attacks and killed it.
Entering the chamber, we found the third and last of Auril’s avatars on Toril. It was a crystalline diamond made of ice, about four feet across and floating about four feet from the chamber’s floor. As it broke into a monologue, Melandrian cast Fireball. We hit again and again while it took damage from the flames. Finally, Melandrian hit it with a charge from his Ring of the Ram, driving it back into the center of the Wall of Fire. The avatar didn’t come out again.
All was silent. We left the Fortress to find the cloud cover breaking and for the first time in years, the sun shining. Auril’s power over the winter had been broken.
Back at Bryn Shander and across the Ten Towns, we were feted as heroes. Inga never had to pay for drinks again.
[Plot points that were unanswered: Bryn Shander now contains a Mythlar. What good – or evil will come from that. Inga was never able to close the book on the death of her twin sister Sigurd. Will her ghost continue to haunt her? Rinaldo was shown to be the true heir of Neverwinter – will he take the throne and when will assassins stop plaguing him… Was Melandrian ever able to discover all the secrets of his Mage Tower? ]