After recovering from the ambush, you prepared for the Second Council of Waterdeep. Some… interesting… new clothing and fashion was acquired, and Donald circulated an interesting internal memo regarding potential exploitation of your growing fame.

Now very well dressed, Leosin summoned you to make your way to the chambers, confident that the progress you had made would stir the councillors into action.

Silver haired woman in dark formal dress

Lady Laeral Silverhand

You were surprised to find that Lord Neverember had been replaced as Open Lord of Waterdeep by Lady Laeral Silverhand, a human wizard. A brief whispered explanation from Leosin confirmed that the Masked Lords had replaced Neverember for reasons unknown. During the introductions, Neverember made clear he was unhappy about this turn of events, stony faced but nothing if not professional.

Silver haired woman looking out from a dark hood

Elia

Also present is a new face, Elia, who represented the metallic dragons. You quickly discovered Elia was in fact a silver dragon, and some tense moments were had as she looked pointedly at the polished dragon bone shoulder guards you wore proudly.

You were advised that following your rescue of Maccath the Crimson, the Arcane Brotherhood had joined the alliance against the rise of the dragon cult. Powerful allies, though Ontharr Frume and the Order of the Gauntlet were somewhat concerned by the lawless nature of the Brotherhood’s magic. News of Arauthator’s withdrawal to lick his wounds was celebrated by all, even Elia.

The council were impressed by your capture of Varram the White, and advised that ‘questioning’ was ongoing. He has already delivered some valuable intel, though alas confirmed that the White Dragon Mask has been returned to the cult. Only King Melandrach of the Misty Forest expressed some doubt, believing capture only complicated things.

All were also horrified at the slaughter at Boareskyr Bridge, and that Stormwatch were now marked by the cult. Further raids on settlements and towns throughout the Sword Coast were detailed.

At this point Delaan Winterhound spoke up, reporting how the Emerald Enclave has been investigating a particularly devastating dragon attack on the Misty Forest, with the assistance of Melandrach’s son Prince Alagarthas.

He spoke of thousands killed, and of sightings of a Green Dragon wreaking havoc throughout the forest. King Melandrach waved away the concerns, but Winterhound insisted that aid was required. His agents were spread thin, and he request the assistance of Stormwatch to investigate the enclave of Altand, which had born the brunt of an attack before the attackers suddenly withdrew.

Stormwatch, of course, and despite the King’s somewhat arrogant stance, agreed. Elia also spoke to you and requested your presence at a Council of Metallic Dragons, and gave you a summoning stone to call her when your investigations were complete.

The council was adjourned, but not before your achievements were applauded and honoured. Most now seemed ready to commit more to the fight, having seen your success, though you could see the politics still had some playing out to do.

Altand

Venturing to the Misty Forest, you entered Altand to find a community destroyed by death and battle. The settlement was in ruins and the survivors were going about the grim task of reconstruction and recovery. Of three hundred residents, only a little more than half survived the attack. You talked to several guards and citizens, and determined the rough course of events on the night of the attack.

The attack came suddenly, despite warnings from elsewhere in the forest. The poison breath of the Green Dragon killed many, as did the destruction of the tree level walkways and bridges, while humans in Cult regalia fought from the ground. Many reported seeing a cultist rider on the dragon, though whether he was human or elf was disputed.

The defense was led the by Galin, Warden of Altand. The fighting was short but fierce, with Galin commanding from the towering central tree of the enclave. You discovered that not long into the fight Galin’s wife was killed, and despite being stricken he fought on. He was seen to withdraw higher up the tree for a more tactical view, commanding his guards to protect the entrance. The fighting continued, and just when all seemed lost, the attackers suddenly withdrew.

You met with Galin next, and found him a polite but obviously shell-shocked host. He answered your questions, but wouldn’t elaborate on details or why he thought the attack had stopped. You sense he was withholding something, and pressed. He admitted eventually that his failure to save his wife had left him empty and wracked with guilt. But that’s all he would give you.

Everyone but Ash withdrew at this point to continue investigations on the ground. Ash however wouldn’t leave Galin, and sat cross legged on his desk waiting. Galin paced and protested, and eventually Ash’s silence drove Galin from the room.

Marko followed Galin to his quarters, and begged entrance, which was reluctantly granted. Taking a more measured approach, Marko slowly drew Galin into his confidence, commiserating over the loss of his wife and the horror of the attack. Galin eventually cracked, wracked with grief and tears, and explained that he found himself face to face with the Elvish wyrmspeaker who rode the dragon. He begged for his life — and that of his village — offering anything in return. The wyrmspeaker agreed to depart Altand in exchange for details on other settlements that would become targets for the cult’s next round of raids.

He has since met several times with the dragon rider, providing details he knows meant the death of many elves. He claimed not to know the identity of the wyrmspeaker, nor the location of the the dragon’s lair, but he reported they left to the South East from the meeting place, and noted the riders clothes and hair were often wet…

Session played: 28 June 2017