Session 1: Capture at Ironjaw's Mirth

Summary

During a stormy evening at Ironjaw's Mirth, a group of adventurers sought refuge, entering discreetly past the stables. Inside, they observed the local Rashemi and Mulan commoners discussing topics ranging from the Battle of Respite to the taste of kaf versus honey mead. Among the patrons were Lureene Amblecrown, a Vengeance Paladin; Soveliss Naïlo, a disinterested bard; and Vezim Sepret, a watchful Red Wizard. As the party mingled, discussed curses, and engaged in light entertainment, they failed to notice Red Wizards surrounding the tavern. A series of Sleep spells overcame them, leading to their capture.

The next day, the party woke in slave wagons, manacled and disarmed, under the watch of Vezim Sepret, who justified their capture as recompense for an attack by Rashemi witches. A failed escape attempt was followed by the execution of the innkeeper, Hulmarra Ironjaw, by Sepret. As they plotted their next move, a flying squirrel provided a Potion of Cloud Giant Strength, enabling Cove to break free and initiate an escape. Joined by a Rashemi druid and her animal companions, the group fought Red Wizards, a cleric of Bane, and their guards. Utilizing spells and brute force, they prevailed, secured their equipment, and executed Sepret, mimicking his method of killing the innkeeper.

The session concluded as they looted the bodies, with Octavius claiming a spellbook, a magic ring, and eyeing a sealed letter, leaving the party in anticipation of its contents.

XP Award

• 40 XP per player for surviving the Battle at the Wagons
  • 20 XP as a bonus for everyone showing creativity during the fight
• 20 XP per player for succeeding in various skill checks (XP for Skill Checks)
• Total: 80 XP

Things That Happened

Capture at Ironjaw's Mirth

• Date: 1st of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), 1372 DR
• The adventurers arrived at Ironjaw's Mirth in the evening, standing outside in a thunderstorm.
• They waited for the innkeeper, Hulmarra Ironjaw (human Rashemi woman), to let them in through a back entrance, past the stables and a sleeping stableboy.
  • The party succeeded in a check to realize she had moved their table away from other patrons due to their strangeness.
• The party noted a painting of Ulek Ironjaw, the tavern's namesake sporting a jaw made of iron, surrounded by twelve of his daughters.
  • The party succeeded in a check to realize that one of the youngest daughters being held is Hulmarra Ironjaw.
• The tavern was filled with local commoners (fishers of Lake Mulsantir, tanners, cobblers and dyers -- all human, Rashemi and Mulan ethnicities)
• Chatter among commoners that could be overheard included:
  • The Battle of Respite near The Spine of the World six months ago, the purported birth of the first hybrid dragons, and the Triumvirate that commands them: Vurt the Chainbreaker, Therai and Solal.
  • Whether kaf is a better beverage than honey mead. One commoner insists it tastes like black piss.
• Notable other patrons were:
  • Lureene Amblecrown (human Chondathan woman), the Vengeance Paladin of Hoar. She was at the bar, with a giant maul leaning against it.
  • Soveliss Naïlo (sun elf male), the Jaded Bard, sitting on the edge of a platform, strumming his harp half-heartedly.
  • Vezim Sepret, the Red Wizard Lieutenant. He sat in a wooden chair by the main entrance, watchful, holding an untouched mug of mead.
• There was light conversation among party members, including the description of Octavius's home, and Glenn asking if anyone could help him with a curse.
• Chai approached the bard on stage. During her approach, she failed a Charisma saving throw as he strummed his harp and felt seen.
  • Together, they both performed The Power -- Soveliss rolled a 1 and missed many notes, distracted by something. Three coppers were thrown on stage.
  • As Chai walked away, she succeeded in a skill check to overhear Soveliss say "Soks".
• Octavius approached the Red Wizard, introducing himself and expressing an interest in meeting with the Zulkir of Divination, who he mentioned by name.
  • Bemused at being approached, the Vezim listened and spoke little, other than to say that it wouldn't be possible.
  • To him, what Octavius was spouting was non-sense, since Zulkirs are not yet known publicly in this time period -- Thay's tharchs are publicly ruled by Tharcions. Zulkirs are the "real masters" pulling strings behind the scenes. (DM note: Perhaps Octavius stumbled upon some future knowledge unknowingly.)
• Over the thunderstorm and inside chatter, the party did not hear a squadron of Red Wizards and their guards surround the tavern.
• By the time they heard incantations coming from the warped glass windows, they had no time to react to the succession of Sleep spells.
  • Their last memories were of the elvish bard leaping up in surprise and the paladin slumping against the counter.

Escape from the Red Wizard Wagons

• Date: 2nd of Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms, April), 1372 DR
• The characters woke up inside of oversized, wooden and iron-banded slave wagons, manacled to the floor.
• A small window too high to see much would occasionally reveal a mounted Red Wizard or guard.
• They could hear more wagons ahead of them.
• They were missing their weapons and most items, although were still in their armor.
• Vezim Sepret patrolled the wagons, stating officially that the occupants of the region were being taken as slaves in recompense for a "cowardly attack on our researchers by the Rashemi witches".
• The party members tried to break their manacles to no avail.
• A spitting sound occurred outside, followed by cursing.
• Vezim Sepret, rubbing spit from his eyes, ordered the wagons stopped and doors opened so the occupants could bear witness.
• Hulmarra Ironjaw was knelt before him and executed by a ray of flame coming from his ring. (The command word was fete, the elvish word for fire.)
• The wagon doors closed and the party continued on, hatching a plot to escape.
• A brown streak appeared above them in the window -- a squirrel (Breezewhisker) with a vial of liquid around its neck. Nervous, it motioned the vial forward as if in offer.
  • Cove, passing a check to recognize the squirrel as a druid's familiar, accepted the vial and the squirrel carefully poured it into her mouth. It tasted like a cerulean sky after a light rain.
  • Her muscles bulged and she grew a foot taller as she became one of the strongest women in Faerûn. (Potion of Cloud Giant Strength)
  • The squirrel lept away gracefully, revealing a fold of skin attaching its limbs to its body, allowing it to glide effortlessly.
• Cove easily burst out of her manacles, ripped her party member's manacles off, and kicked the wagon door off its hinges, landing ten feet away in mud to a shocked Red Wizard guard on horseback.
• As the party exited the wagon, they noted a second group of wagons to the west simultaneously attacked by a Wychlaran Rashemi druid (Imzel Ulmokina) in a wooden mask. She rode a bear (Thunderpaw)) into combat alongside a panther (Shadowstripe) and raven (Nightfeather). Breezewhisker has glided safely to her shoulder.
  • The bear ripped the wagon's doors off its hinges.

Encounter 1: Red Wizard, a cleric of Bane, and Guards

• URL: https://www.dndbeyond.com/encounters/dbae33f3-c6d0-4c90-8b62-b81e71c44e66
• Highlights:
  • Glenn stealing a shortsword right out of a guard's scabbard mid-combat.
  • Glenn resisting a Command spell to throw his shortsword away.
  • Octavius telekinetically throwing manacles at an enemy and narrowly dodging a thrown spear.
  • Sleep spells being employed by both sides to great effect.
  • Cove's Fog Cloud spell preventing the Red Wizard from waking a mounted guard.
  • Chai's Charm Person spell earning the party an errand boy guard, who fetched their equipment from a rear wagon for them.
  • Cove throwing a 70 pound wood and iron door through the Cleric of Bane.
  • The fight ended with the Red Wizard, one guard, and the Cleric of Bane dead. The sleeping guard was manacled and the Charmed guard has not been dealt with yet.

After The Fight

• The party walked up to the second set of wagons -- it having been dealt with by the rescuing druid Imzel, the jaded bard Soveliss, and the paladin of vengeance Lureene.
• A defeated Vezim Sepret was kneeling on the ground.
• Lureene non-chalantly approached, crushed his hand with her maul, took his ring, and executed him in the same manner that he did the innkeeper Hulmarra.
• She dropped the ring on the ground, which Octavius scooped up shamelessly. (Ring of Ray of Flame)
• Starting to loot that body™, Octavius pocketed a spellbook and was about to reach for a sealed letter when the session ended.

Maps

• Green arrow: Start of session location
• Red arrow: The escape from the Red Wizard wagons

NPCs Encountered

• Hulmarra Ironjaw, The Tavern Keep
• Soveliss Naïlo, The Jaded Bard
• Lureene Amblecrown, The Vengeance Paladin
• Vezim Sepret, The Lieutenant Red Wizard
• Breezewhisker, The Flying Squirrel
• Thenn, The Charmed Guard
• Imzel Ulmokina, The Rescuing Druid

Loot

• The party is currently mid-looting.

Memes

• "When you were in the College of Lorehold, I studied the blade!"

DM Thoughts

• I was worried about not having prepared far enough in advance, but the party only got through 30% of my ready content. I understanding pacing more now.
• My notes were too detailed and long -- I overestimated how much time there would be for extended descriptions. Less is more.
  • This caused me to miss some texture-providing details. I'll move them to other scenes.
  • I need shorter notes for during sessions, with longer notes reserved for internal worldbuilding.
• I flipped the gender of one of the NPCs by accident and had to roll with it. :)
• The party started off a little anti-social with one another but their shared conflict should create some bonds soon.
• Non-scripted NPC interactions are something that caught me off guard and I'll be more ready next time.