# Westgate Campaign (FINAL UPDATE 8/19/2005)



## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

Late last year, I started a new campaign based in and around the city of Westgate in the Forgotten Realms. The basic premise is that the PCs all work for the Harpers and are in Westgate to be the eyes and ears for them. I got the idea from The Selgaunt Campaign website that I stumbled across (and still go to regularly) last year.

So I have also been keeping a campaign journal using my Live Journal but thought that this might be a cool place to share my ongoing campaign.

So to begin here is the first page from the Campaign Primer I handed out before character creation:

"Campaign Details
Welcome to the Westgate Campaign. This campaign will be mostly city based though that does not mean there will not be forays into deep dangerous dungeons or to the outlying areas of the Dragon Coast. The campaign will start in 1372 DR, the first day of Marpenoth, the day after Highharvestide. 

All PCs will start at 1st level and use our normal character creation rules. All character classes from the PHB are acceptable as are the following:

From Complete Warrior
Hexblade
Swashbuckler

From Unearthed Arcana
Any of the variant classes presented.

If there is another class from a supplement that I do not have that you would like to play, feel free to let me borrow the book so I may read up on it and make a decision.

As you already know, the campaign will take place mostly in and around Westgate. However, I do not recommend that any PC actually be from Westgate, as that will make things more complicated. Pretty much any other area of the Realms will work as long as the following criteria are met:

1.	You have spent the last several months in the city of Elversult.
2.	And that for the last several months you have been trained in the ways of the Harpers.

There are no real alignment restrictions besides not being evil.

As for group dynamics, that will be solved by the fact that you all were recruited to join the Harpers and that you have all trained together for the last several months. You may have known each other before Elversult, but that is up to you.

I highly recommend (almost to the point of requiring) that each of you come up with a character idea and background story for your character. The more detail you include the more I can mine them for ideas for future adventures and happenings. This is important for the structure of the campaign.

The campaign will be outlined as follows. There will be one main story arc. This is what the campaign will be about in the end. Your PCs will not be aware of it at first though, but you will eventually learn of it. There are going to be 2 moderate story arcs. These arcs are not as big as the main one but will still be important to the story. And finally, my plan is to have one or more minor arcs for each PC; hence, the reason for the importance on the background information. That is not to say that a minor arc idea won’t occur to me from the events of the game that has nothing to do with a PC’s background.

And finally, because of your training by the Harpers, you will receive 8 extra skill points to devote to 2 Knowledge skills of your choice (4 points in each). Also, these 2 extra skills will always be class skills for you no matter what class you take.

Your main contact/trainer for the Harpers is Waevor Talaphin, a human male bard based in Elversult."

The rest of the Primer dealt with some background information taken from the old 2ed suppliment Cloak and Dagger. I modified some of it to fit my campaign.

So without further ado, here is a quick rundown of the heroes in no particular order:

Alexi Voroff, human male urban ranger from the city of Procampur. A former city guard that is now on the run for sticking his nose where it didn't belong.

Thanon Laminos, human male cleric of Tyr from the town of White Ford. His father, a paladin of Tyr, came to the city years ago when Thanon was but a boy, and disappeared. Thanon is searching for him to this day.

Nadari "Dari" Dardragon, female halfling rogue from the plains near Hluthvar. A former troublemaker who has trouble follow her wherever she goes, she is also on the run but for a very different reason.

Elric, human male warmage. He is in it for the wine, women, and well...battle of course.

Courynn Dulsaer, human male paladin of Tyr. A former Zhentil Keep guard, he has powerful enemies that would like to find him again...and he would like to face again as well.

I will begin the next post with the first adventure and the rest will follow.


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*The First Adventure – “The Color of Ambition”*

The adventure started with the three PCs – Alexi, Thanon, and Nadari – all arriving at the city of Westgate on 8 Marponeth, 1372 after having set out from their Harper training base in the city of Elversult.

They made their way to their apartment above the Bent Mermaid tavern and their found a greeting letter from Waevor Talaphin, their Harper contact.

The next day, they received their first assignment. They were to meet a woman named Thandie at Imryth Tower after eveningmeal.

Upon arriving they were greeted by Lady Imryth, a statuesque woman that had an aura of power around her, as well as Thandie, a young and beautiful woman with a noble demeanor and her companion, a woman called Jamal who had a no-nonsense air about her.

Thandie asked the PCs if they could investigate the disappearance of two boys that were important to her. She gave the details of their disappearance as well as a description of the two boys and their names, Nedrind and Fareal.

The PCs began their investigation at the Purple Lady where the boys were last seen leaving in the company of a stunning red-haired woman dressed in fine silks. There they learned from their owner of the Purple Lady, Happy Gorender that this same scenario had played out for the last two months in an area of the city called The Shore, though the woman was never the same.

Using his tracking skills, Alexi, picked up the trail of the woman and the two boys. The PCs set out immediately.

The trail eventually crossed paths with another trail made by the woman alone leading out of the city to the west. The PCs continued following the trail of the three which led them to a non-descript two-storey warehouse down by the docks. There were four guards stationed outside. Nadari was able to ID them as Thayan.

The PCs planned their assault and were able to take out the guards fairly quickly and quietly. They then made their way through the warehouse and eventually came upon the Thayan slave leader, Mahzed, and the rest of his guards. After a vicious battle, where Nadari nearly lost her life if it were not for the healing powers of Thanon, the slavers were defeated and the boys rescued. They also found a journal that belonged to Mahzed. Unfortunately it was written in Thayan and none of the PCs could read it.

The PCs then split up. Nadari and Thanon took the boys back to Imryth Tower while Alexi followed the other trail out the city.

The trail eventually lead Alexi to the compound of the Red Wizards of Thay. Being that it was the middle of the night and he was alone, Alexi decided to wait a little while and see if anything happened.

Meanwhile, Thanon and Nadari recounted what happened to Lady Imryth, Thandie, and Jamal. They mentioned the journal which fortunately Lady Imryth could read. She translated the journal and it implicated one of the Red Wizards named Kizzaf as the one behind all the recent abductions. Lady Imryth also told Thanon and Nadari about the compound of the Red Wizards. They set out immediately.

Eventually the three PCs were reunited in front of the Red Wizard compound. As they approached they noticed the guards at the front seemed either asleep or incapacitated. After scouting around the compound, the PCs approached the gate which was slightly open. It was then they noticed that the guards were not asleep but dead with no apparent trauma.

The PCs continued slowly into the compound without encountering a single person. Everyone they did find was dead, also without trauma. They eventually found themselves in front of the back building of the compound. Nadari heard movement from the back of the building and the PCs decided to wait outside the front to ambush whoever was back there.

After a bit of time had passed, with no one exiting the building, the PCs finally examined the rest of the building. There they found everyone else dead and a secret door out the back standing open.

A thorough examination of the compound proved no one had lived the attack and that the guards and most of the wizards had been poisoned.

The PCs quickly made their way out of there and back to their apartment. A few days later they learned that all the guards and the Red Wizards, save one, had been killed. The only one unaccounted for was a mid level wizard called Kizzaf.

Unanswered Questions
Why were the boys targeted they way they were since every other abduction took place in The Shore with all the other victims were down on their luck sailors or vagrants?
Why would Kizzaf kill all the guards and Red Wizards the way she did so suddenly?


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*The Second Adventure – “The Crypt of St. Bethesda”*

On the 13th of Marponeth, the PCs received word via feather token from Waevor that they would be meeting with a Harper contact in an alleyway near Wagonwheel Ride and Sword Lane. The meeting would take place near midnight on the 15th of Marponeth.

As it was approaching midnight on the 15th, the PCs were in place awaiting the arrival of the Harper contact. They were told he was carrying vital information for the Harpers but they knew not what it was.

A scream of fear and then pain broke the silence of the night air. The scream came from just up ahead from where the PCs were stationed. They ran forward immediately only to find their contact dead in an alleyway. However, the biggest shock came from the nature of the man’s wounds. There were acidic burns surrounded by writhing lavender worms on the head and chest of the victim. They also noticed a slime trail leading to an almost covered over grating at the base of the building. The PCs immediately headed for the grate and went down into it.

There they found themselves in what proved to be the crypts of the long forgotten shrine to St. Bethesda, a demi-god serving Deneir. The PCs eventually came upon a library and learned the history of the crypts. During the years following the Templeban Edict in 927 DR, the shrine to St. Bethesda was abandoned and eventually forgotten. The shrine eventually fell into ruin and was then demolished during the Rage of Dragons in the year 1018 DR. The area was rebuilt into housing and market districts. The original shrine was all but forgotten. However, the crypts underneath were never touched and eventually found by all manner of unsavory characters and creatures.

After coming across several of the creatures lairing in the crypt, including a large centipede, some skeletons, a cadre of ghouls, and a bad-tempered otyugh, the PCs came upon a lair of bandits. Before the PCs confronted the bandits they overheard the following conversation:

Gunge: “I tells you what I seen is true!”
Bandit: “Sure, Gunge, a man made o’worms!”
Bandits: chuckling and laughter
Half-Orc: “Yeah, is this likes that twin-pronged flying dagger you’s seen th’ other night?”
Gunge: “Yeah- wait, no but…yeah! I swears it. I seen a man, but ‘e wasn’ no man likes I’s ever seen. ‘e had this cloak on and ‘e looked like a man but ‘ad worms comin’ out ‘is mouth and such. He killed the guy I lifted the pouch with the scroll tube in it. I seen it wit’ me own eyes. I swears it!!”
Bandits: hard laughter

The PCs then tried to parley with the bandits but were unsuccessful. It came to blows and the PCs triumphed.

However, during the battle, Dari ran off to try and flank the bandits from another direction. On her way to the other entrance to the bandit’s lair she ran afoul of the wormwraith. It attacked her and she began to fight back.

Eventually, Thanon and Alexi joined Dari in fighting off the wormwraith and in the end, they defeated, but not before nearly losing Thanon.

When all was said and done, the PCs searched the lair of the bandits and the wormwraith. In the bandit’s lair they found some gold and jewels and the missing Harper scroll with the information they were to receive from the dead contact. The also found a brooch belonging to the Guldar family. And in the lair of the wormwraith they found an odd sarcophagus, which was destroyed by Thanon and a plain, grey dagger. The dagger, though showing no signs of enchantment, still had a mysterious quality to it. The PCs have kept it for further study.

The PCs sent the scroll with the information as well as a detailed account of their adventure to Waevor the following day.

Unanswered Questions
What was the information on the scroll?
Is there something to the plain, grey dagger?
What else can be learned from the remaining books in the library in the crypt of St. Bethesda?


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*The Third Adventure – “The Ice Caves of Azinth Tower”*

On the 2nd of Uktar, the three Harper agents – Alexi, Thanon, and Nadari – received an invitation to Imryth Tower for eveningmeal. Lady Audara Imryth wanted to thank them for their help with the two missing boys last month. When the heroes arrive at the tower Aleisa, one of Lady Imryth’s apprentices, greets them. She and Alexi had already met several days ago when we was doing some investigations on his own and she especially greets him warmly.

The three agents were then taken to the tower’s dining hall and were shortly joined by two other apprentices – Terrick, a dour faced human, and Nagrath, a halfling. Finally Lady Imryth herself arrived.

The meal got underway with the host talking to each of the three and personally thanking them again. Aleisa was the epitome of grace, talking with each of the heroes as well but seeming to linger more with Alexi. Nagrath spoke mostly with Nadari and seems very interested in her background. Terrick, on the other hand, barely spoke and only answered direct questions with short, terse answers.

After the meal, Lady Imryth invited the three heroes to her study, as she wanted to discuss a personal matter with them. The three apprentices retired for the evening.

Lady Imryth asked the heroes to journey to Azinth Tower and deliver an important magic item to her friend, the wizard Kavon Deralia. The item is called an efreet orb and has an interesting power. The orb can instantly warm and light an area in a 10-foot radius when the command word “fire” is spoken.

Azinth Tower was located several days journey south of Westgate in the Gulthmere Forest at the foot of the mountains. Lady Imryth promised a generous reward for the task as well as all the equipment the heroes would need for their journey. The heroes agreed and made preparations to leave the next day.

Later at their apartment, a feather token from Waevor arrived introducing the newest member of their team, a human warmage called Elric. After some introductions, the four heroes left Westgate for Azinth Tower on the 3rd of Uktar.

On the 5th of Uktar, while the heroes were in the fishing village of Lakehaven, four Night Masks ambushed them. The Night Masks were experienced warriors but the heroes eventually won defeating the four assassins. They left the town quickly fearing retribution from the locals or further attack.

Two days later, on the 7th of Uktar, while making camp in the Gulthmere Forest, Night Masks once again ambushed the heroes. While the weather was beginning to cool, it was still a pleasant evening. The battle this time was bit fiercer. A sorcerer who used his potent magic against them was leading the Night Masks. Alexi was even brought down by a ray of enfeeblement from the sorcerer. The battle was interrupted though, when a huge explosion was seen and heard from the base of the mountains in the direction of Azinth Tower. A moment later, a wave of chill wind and air descended upon the heroes and their enemies. The weather went from mild autumn to bitter chill winter in the span of a heartbeat. Snow began falling immediately. Despite this, the heroes eventually defeated the Night Masks.

The next day they arrived at what was once Azinth Tower. All that was left was blown out, blackened rubble, snow and a crevice in the ground with a strange glow coming from it. The heroes surmised it must have been Azinth Tower that exploded the night before. It was then they noticed two creatures skulking low to the ground around the crevice. Before they could react, the two creatures sprang forward to attack. They appeared to be wolves but were white and able to breath blasts of cold. And their bite carried the chill of winter as well. The heroes though were able to defeat them using fire magic which the hounds seemed to be susceptible to.

After the battle and with much apprehension, the four heroes descended into the crevice.

The crevice, though covered in ice and snow, proved easy to climb down and opened into a darkened cavern. The heroes made their way cautiously though the cavern until coming to a worked stone hallway that ended in a wooden door. In the room beyond were two more of those hounds of winter. Again the heroes were able to dispatch them easily enough.

Beyond the room was a main hallway and several doors. The heroes started at one end and explored the rest of the icy dungeon. They ran into several more hounds of winter and a severely angry ice mephit easily dispatching them all. Eventually they made it to the biggest room of the dungeon and were met with an odd sight.

The far wall was covered in a large face-shaped ice sculpture with a human woman frozen inside. There was also a chunk of ceiling in the middle of the room with a strange frozen shaped formation rising from beneath it as if escaping gas had been frozen instantly.

The rest of the room was as frozen as the rest of the dungeon and the surrounding countryside. From what the heroes could see the woman was Kavon Deralia. Remembering what Lady Imryth told them about the efreeti orb they brought the magic item within a few feet of the frozen woman and spoke the command word “fire”.

Instantly, the temperature around the woman rose and the ice began to melt. Within a few minutes, the woman was freed. In the next instant she was wisked away by magic and disappeared. For a moment the heroes were unsure of what to do. They noticed the ice covering everything was melting quickly. When the frozen gas warmed, it seemed to escape out the door much more quickly then seemed normal. Then without warning, the now unfrozen water elemental attacked.

The heroes fought valiantly against the outsider and eventually won out. With the elemental dispatched the wizard they were supposed to meet up with gone, the heroes decided to head back to Westgate.

After a several day journey they finally made it back to Imryth Tower in Westgate. They were met by Lady Imyrth and Kavon Deralia. She apologized for leaving them but was under the effects of a specialized contigency spell. To thank the heroes for their trouble and for saving her friend, Lady Imyrth offered the heroes a choice of any one item from her magic item stock.

Unanswered Questions
Why did the Night Masks attack the heroes? What were they after? And how did they know where the PCs were going?
What is so special about the efreeti orb that two powerful spellcasters are working on it?
Is there anything more to Lady Imryth's apprentices?
What exactly happened at Azinth Tower?
What was the escaping gas?


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*"Ice Caves of Azinth Tower" addendum*

I forgot to mention that before the heroes left for Azinth Tower Nadari had given the plain, grey dagger to Lady Imryth to see if she knew anything about it. When the heroes finally returned on the 14th of Uktar and met with Lady Imryth and Kavon, they also learned about the dagger. It is an artifact called Reckoner. Though it has no enhancement bonuses to hit or damage it does have an unprecedented enchantment on it. It bypasses all forms of damage reduction and hardness. It can shave slivers off of diamonds and pierce the armor of an iron golem. It can even bypass incorporeality. In fact, the very gods fear its sting. But it only does normal dagger plus the wielder's strength in damage.

Currently, Nadari is in possession of Reckoner.


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*The Fourth Adventure - "The Mysterious Tower"*

On the 21st of Uktar, the agents are met by Waevor in their apartment and told about their latest mission. He tells them that he has uncovered some interesting information from the books they recovered from the crypt of St. Bethesda. In one of the books he found several references to a wizard who had lived in the area long ago and had created a tower in the middle of a ruined keep to retire in from adventuring. It also stated that this wizard had had some contact with King Verovan, the last king of Westgate and that the wizard may have either advised or helped in the creation of King Verovan's extradimensional hidden cache of magic items and artifacts. The cache was actually found several years ago by other Harper agents but was then sealed forever. But with what Waevor discovered, this wizard may have known of another way into the cache. This, Waevor thought, was something too good to not pursue. So he asked the agents to find the tower and search it for the wizard's journal.

The ruins and the tower were only less than a days walk from Westgate. And so the agents set out the next morning. The rumors they heard about the ruins though was that they were haunted so as the agents approached in the late afternoon they were cautious.

The ruins themselves were just that, ruins of an ancient keep with overgrown grass and piles of rocks everywhere. A few of the ancient stone walls still stood however. As the agents approached they were set upon by giant beetles making their nest in the debris outside of the walls. The four agents easily dispatched them.

Upon entering the ruins, they immediately noticed the pristine marble white tower standing in the middle of the ruins. It was only about 30 feet high and about 15 feet in diameter. The agents could see no windows or doors or any other openings in the tower itself. The strange thing about it was the shimmering blue-white forcefield completely encasing the tower. They also noticed something floating about the top of the tower between the white walls and the forcefield.

As they approached they heard a baleful moan coming from the top of the tower. It frightened some of the agents but the others stood resolute. The chilling moan came from the ghost floating near the top of the tower behind the forcefield. The rumors of the tower being haunted were apparently true.

There were several areas of interest still in the ruins - an overgrown garden, several buildings, and a mostly intact section of the keep's wall. Hopefully one would provide the way into the tower. The agents set out examining the ruins of the keep.

After several battles with more giant beetles and an assassin vine, the agents finally found a way down into the crypts below the ruins. They were hoping there was a way past the forcefield and into the tower down there. And after two days, several battles with unholy undead, vicious bugbears, an otyugh and other creatures, and having to bypass or suffer through some devious traps they eventually found themselves standing in a hallway with a lever in the side of the wall. And just six inches past the lever was the tower forcefield and the door to the tower. At this point the agents realized that when the ancient wizard cast the spell to encase his tower in a forcefield for protection he was off by just a few inches and the off lever was outside the forcefield. Essentially the wizard trapped himself until he died.

When the agents pulled the lever the forcefield dropped for the first time in several hundred years. They heard a chilling groan of relief as the ghost, now finally free to move onto the afterlife, escaped.

Proceeding cautiously through the door, the agents found themselves in a room much larger than would could fit inside such a small-width tower. Obviously great magics were at work within the tower. The first room consisted of the wizard's living chambers and library. Unfortunately though, the jounral they sought was not among the vast array of books. Also present was a staircase leading up.

On the second floor they were greeted by a strange sight indeed. Two of the most gorgeous females the agents have ever seen were there each in their own solid cage of force. One female was blonde and the other was brunette. Also there was the staircase leading up but it too was encased in a solid cage of force. Finally there was a control panel with three buttons on it. The two females began pleading with the agents begging to be set free and that the other was an evil fiend. The blonde wanted them to push one fo the buttons which she claimed would free her and that the middle button freed the stairs. She also claimed the other woman was a fiend. The brunette said that the other other button was the only one not trapped and that the blonde was evil.

After a long debate the agents pushed the middle button and the forcefield around the stairs dropped. They then went up and left the females pleading after them. On the third level, the agents found several doors in the wall as well as free standing doors with other free standing doors inside forcecages. Dari found a secret door which the agents opened.

The secret door lead to a chamber filled with piles of gold and other treasure. Sitting atop the gold was a well-dressed gentleman warning them not to enter. He turned out to be a good djinn that had been bound by the wizard to not allow one item from his treasure horde to be taken by anyone but the wizard for 1001 years. And there was still a ways to go on the time.

Another debate ensued. Meanwhile Thanon went back downstairs and freed the blonde who turned out to be a nymph and was telling the truth. The brunette shifted form into a fiendish quasit and began cursing at Thanon. He then went back up stairs while the blonde thanked him and promised to return with a reward for each of them.

Finally, after trying to negotiate with the djinn, the agents decided that their mission was too important and proceeded into the treasure room. Battle ensued with the djinn pleading with them to leave all the while attacking them. Eventually the agents won out the the djinn was defeated.

While gathering the horde of gold coins, scrolls, magic weapons and wondrous items, the agents also found the journal they were looking for. Packing all the treasure up, the agents proceeded to leave the tower. On the way out, Thanon released the quasit to do battle with it, hoping that by defeating the quasit he could relieve some of the guilt he felt about helping to kill another good creature.

Eventually the agents returned to Westgate on the 24th of Uktar. They met with Waevor and turned the book over to him. They were allowed to keep all the treasure for themselves.

Unanswered Questions
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- What was in the book the agents recovered?


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*The Fifth Adventure – “Murder of Seven Points”*

On the 9th of Nightal, the four Harper agents – Alexi, Thanon, Nadari, and Elric – met up with Waevor and a human paladin of Tyr called Courynn Dulsaer. Courynn had been in pursuit a serial killer for the last several months across most of the Dalelands, Sembia and Cormyr. Courynn reported that in small towns and cities across those lands gruesome murders occur with the victim being sliced open from wrist to wrist and left to bleed out and die. The murders would occur every 2 nights. And after the fifth victim the murders had always stopped. Courynn also reported seeing a pattern softly glowing in the blood of the victims at each murder whenever he used his detect evil ability. The pattern would become more complex with each murder but he had never been able to make sense of it.

Seven nights ago on the 2nd of Nightal, the first murder occurred. Another occurred on the 4th, the 6th, and the 8th. Courynn who also happened to work with the Harpers arrived in Westgate on the 8th and contacted Waevor for help.

The agents then began going over the details and looking for ways to guess where the next murder would take place. They each pursued many different avenues with some good information coming from clerics at the temple of Tyr and a sage by the name of Mintassan. On their way to see Mintassan the agents were attacked by a group of vicious Night Masks and in the melee, Alexi was killed. Dari and Thanon took Alexi’s body back to the temple of Tyr and had a raise dead spell cast on him. Meanwhile Elric and Courynn went on and gathered some information from Mintassan.

The next day – the 10th of Nightal – the agents regroup at their apartment and with the clues they gained from the clerics of Tyr and the sage Mintassan they believe they discovered where the next murder would take place. So that evening they stake the sight out and sure enough an area of magical darkness settles over the site and more Night Masks appear along with an old friend – Aleisa, one of Lady Imryth’s apprentices. She seemed to be working with the Night Masks.

During the battle, the agents never saw the killer but were able to dispatch all of the Night Masks, except one, as well as Aleisa. Unfortunately, the murder still took place. By battles end, Elric was struck with some soul wrenching taint.

On the 11th of Nightal, the agents firmly believed the murders would continue because of several pieces of information they had already received. The most important being that the image that Courynn sees at each murder site does not look complete. They then tried to find the site for the next murder. Elric went to Mintassan to learn what he could do about the taint. After a long examination, the sage told Elric that certain cleric spells could remove the taint. He then went to the temple of Tyr with Thanon to see about getting the spells cast. The clerics in a rash of generosity, agree to heal him. During this, Alexi is captured by Night Masks. These Night Masks though seem more interested in if he knew why the Night Masks were attacking him. He is questioned by a rugged looking man with a scar on his right cheek. The man also asked Alexi questions about Thanon and what the cleric knew about his father. Fully expecting to be killed Alexi was told by the rugged looking man that he would spare Alexi’s life but would have to make it sound like he was killing him. He beat him into unconsciousness and Alexi eventually woke up in an alleyway. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the Harper agents who were out looking for him find Alexi and bring him back to the apartment.

On the 12th of Nightal the agents once again staked out the site hoping to catch the killer who seemed to be able to walk unseen. The agents are first engaged by a lone Night Mask and some areas of magical darkness. Using continual flame torches and a fireball, they dispelled some of the areas of magical darkness and found only a single stone at the center. The agents then battled with the Night Mask who succeeded in distracting them long enough for his master to complete the sixth murder at the cost of his own life. Once again the killer is able to slip away but this time Dari did catch a glimpse of him but at a cost. He struck her with a bolt of eldritch energy that seemed to eat at her soul. She also found herself suffering from the same soul wrenching taint that Elric had two days prior. Unfortunately it was much more severe causing a slight shift in her personality. She was eventually healed of the taint but not before she had succumbed a little to it as well as used it to feel where the final ritual might take place.

On the 13th of Nightal, Mintassan arrived at the agents’ apartment with some more information. He related how the ritual being performed matched one done long ago to open a stable portal to the Abyss. He also said that if the killer does succeed the only way to close the portal would be to use some Dust of Heaven’s Footprint to close it. He told the agents that there was only one person he knew of that had some and that was a man by the name of Chorazin.

Chorazin often frequented the Purple Lady and so the agents headed there to meet with him. After much diplomatic conversation, Chorazin reluctantly agreed to give a small vial of the dust to the agents and told them how to use it.

On the 14th of Nightal, the agents again stake out the place where they think the final murder should take place. But once again they are confounded by areas of magical darkness as well as the killer’s ability to walk unseen. The seventh murder took place right in front of them, the pattern was completed. When Courynn detected evil on the site of the murder he saw an upside down seven-pointed star glowing red in the blood.

The agents knew now that they would have to allow the ritual to finish before they could stop it. They knew it had to take place underground and they knew the general area of the city in which it would take place which just happened to be in the area of the forgotten crypts of the shrine to St. Bethesda.
The next night on the 15th of Nightal, having prepared for battle during the day, the five Harper agents descended into the sewer tunnels that connected to the tunnels of the crypt they had discovered just a few months prior.

After several hours of searching they finally came upon the lair of the killer. As they entered a rather vile section of the sewer, they could see the man that had killed so many so brutally. He was just finishing the final incantation that opened the portal to the Abyss.

The agents wasted no time in engaging him in battle. But before they could use the dust to close the portal, a single shadow demon was able to escape. The agents fought a two front battle between the killer and the demon.

During the fight, Elric was able to toss the dust into the air above the portal. And as planned, Thanon filled the area with positive energy normally used to turn undead. This energy activated the dust, which caused the portal to close slowly and violently.

The agents continued the battle with the killer and the demon. The demon was killed first. Then the killer blasted Courynn with his eldritch energy that was so tainted with evil, Courynn succumbed to it. His alignment shifted and he lost his paladinhood. Courynn though did land the final blow on the killer but the damage had been done.

The agents returned to the temple of Tyr where the clerics could look after Courynn and hopefully find a way to restore his paladinhood.

Unanswered Questions
· Who was the rugged man from the Night Masks and why did he let Alexi go?
· Why did he want to know what Thanon knew about his father?


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## Ranger5 (Mar 23, 2005)

*The Sixth Adventure - Interludes and Examinations Part 1*

This is Part 1 of a split adventure. The party splits up and this one deals with Thanon, Alexi and Dari. Part 2 will deal with Elric and Courynn.

On the 17th of the Nightal, Dari, Thanon, and Alexi said farewell to Elric and Courynn. The warmage and the now ex-paladin left on a quest to destroy the dagger that the killer used to commit the murders. The dagger is a powerful item of evil power and Courynn is tasked with destroying it in hopes to regain his lost paladinhood.

Meanwhile the other three Harper agents stayed in Westgate to try and make sense of recent events. Having just left the temple, they heard shouts of alarm from behind them. Running down the street towards them they saw a lithe, cloaked figure being chased by temple guards and a cleric of Tyr.

Reacting quickly, Thanon cast hold person and the fleeing thief is held in place. The guards and cleric arrived a moment later took hold of the thief as Thanon released his spell. The thief turned out to be a young human woman with short dark hair. Her features reminded Alexi of someone but he could not remember.

As the guards took the thief away, they thanked Thanon. At his name the thief started and asked if he was indeed Thanon Laminos. He responded that he was and before the guards hauled her back to the temple she said something completely profound. “I knew your father.”

This shook Thanon to the core. He inquired about the thief and when he could speak to her. Her name was Mara Andronel and he would be able to see her the next day. The name also seemed familiar to Alexi but again he could not place it.

The next day, the agents decided to meet at the temple to speak to Mara. In the morning, Dari decided to go to the market and have a look around. While there and without warning she was poked in the back with a dagger. She could feel the poison seeping into her but she was able to fight off its affects. Then she was knocked over the head into unconsciousness. When she finally came to hours later, she was stripped of all her equipment, except Reckoner for some reason, and bound to a chair in the middle of a dilapidated warehouse. She could faintly hear the water lapping against the shore so she surmised she must have been near the docks.

Just then an innocuous looking man seemed to step of thin air near the shadows. He asked if she was all right and she asked what he wanted of her. He explained that he had been hired to apprehend her and was awaiting his employer to arrive to take possession of her. She offered to double what he was being paid but he refused saying it was nothing personal just business and he had to keep a level of professionalism. He then turned and left and she decided to wait before making a move.

Meanwhile, Thanon and Alexi made their way to the temple. Thanon inquired if Dari had arrived but the gate guards had not seen her. They proceeded without her and met with Lorcan Connalson, a mid level cleric that Thanon had had dealings with in the past. Lorcan asked what they needed and Thanon asked if he could speak with Mara. The cleric agreed and let the two agents in to where she was being held.

Mara was no surprised that he had come. He asked how she knew his father and what else she knew about him. She says that her mother, Selene Andronel, had been in a relationship with Zacarias Laminos. Her mother had been a merchant that had had dealings with the Night Masks. Her mother had never really wanted to deal with that group but was forced into it. When she met Thanon’s father, she felt like she finally could get out from under the sway of the Night Masks.

All was going well for a short time. Almost too well, she said. Her mother seemed to become even more passionate about Zacarias after a particularly long merchant trip to Procampur. And he seemed equally infatuated with her even to the point of neglecting his duties to Tyr. But all seemed well. Until one night in early Hammer of 1372. Mara explained she had been away when she heard news of an attack on her mother’s home. Witnesses told of figures in dark cloaks attacking the house and using some kind of magic. They reportedly saw her mother killed and no one could say what happened to Zacarias but he was never seen again.

Then, a few weeks ago, she received an anonymous letter stating that her mother was actually still alive and that the clerics of Tyr had some information about it. It even suggested that her mother was being held captive somewhere in the temple. So she began investigating the temple and seemed to get blocked at all turns. She believed there was some conspiracy within the temple of Tyr surrounding the fate of her mother. She was sneaking in to find out any information she could about her mother to help uncover the truth. She said the letter she got was still in her apartment if they wanted to see it.

They thanked her and promised to return when they had a way to help her.

Then the two agents then left to both look for their errant companion and to head to Mara’s apartment and retrieve the letter. At the market they did some information gathering and learned that Dari had been there but no one had seen where she had gone off. Thanon and Alexi debated whether to look for her some more or continue to Mara’s apartment. Finally trusting in their friend that she was all right, they continued to the apartment. Once there, Alexi was able to easily pick the lock and they quickly found the letter. Looking at the letter, Thanon noticed something startlingly.

The handwriting on the letter was the exact same as the handwriting on the letter from his father he had recovered from the temple of Tyr a couple of months ago*(see note below).

Again, Thanon was shocked. Could this mean his father was still alive? And if he was where was he? And could this mean Selene was still alive as well and truly being held prisoner by the clerics at the temple of Tyr?

He knew he had to find out and that meant a trip back to the temple. So Thanon and Alexi headed back to the temple to see if they could find anything out.

Meanwhile, Dari had been trying to find a way to escape. She had been deftly trying to wriggle free, or at least get a hand on Reckoner when she was interrupted by the return of the plain looking man. He informed her his employer and they were making preparations for her journey. Her questions as to who his employer was and where she was going went unanswered. Just then, her captor’s employer revealed himself. She was shocked to see it was Nagrath, Lady Imryth’s halfling apprentice.

He explained that he was from the same tribe as her and had learned of her crime, the accidental death of the high priestess. When he met Dari two months ago he contacted the tribe to find tell them he had found the one responsible for the death of the high priestess and asked what they wanted him to do. They finally tasked him with capturing Dari and bringing her back. He knew that he was no match for Dari and her friends so he hired a professional to help him. He truly felt sorry for he did really like her but his duty to the tribe overrode his personal feelings.

Back at the temple, Thanon and Alexi ended up talking to Brother Lorcan again. They told of what they found at Mara’s apartment and their concerns about a possible conspiracy within the temple. He then became very serious and asked if they could meet him a couple of hours after eveningmeal at Big Edna’s Tavern. He would like to go over things there were there. The agents agreed and left. They had another mystery in front of them now too. Where had Dari gone?

Being that it was still early afternoon they went back to the market to try and find her trail. Alexi spent some time searching and finally picked up her trail. It led them towards the seaside arm of Westgate harbor. Eventually just after sundown, they came to a dilapidated warehouse.

Sneaking up to the warehouse door, Alexi opened it silently. Once again his urban tracking skills paid off as he could clearly see Dari tied to a chair in the center of the warehouse with Nagrath standing in front of her. The two of them were obviously speaking and did not see them open the door.

The two agents attempted to sneak into the warehouse undetected but were spotted by Nagrath’s cohort. He warned his employer and battle ensued. Eventually, the three agents won out as Nagrath surrendered and his cohort escaped into the night.

Needing to make their appointment with Lorcan, the three agents needed a place to store Nagrath and they knew that they would not make it all the way to Lady Imryth’s tower without being late. So Alexi came up with a solution. Drawing upon the contacts he had made with the Guldar family, he took Nagrath to their docks and persuaded the guards there to watch Nagrath for a couple of hours. They agreed and the three agents made their way to Big Edna’s tavern for their meeting with Lorcan.

At the appointed hour, Lorcan met with the agents in the tavern. He apologized again for the secrecy but he did not want what he had to say to be overheard by the wrong people.

He told the agents that he believed that there was a secret cult within the temple of Tyr dedicated to evil ways and they were keeping Selene for some reason. This was why she was being kept in secret. He also hinted that Just Captain Torndith Hammersong might be involved in the cult and perhaps even the Croamarkh himself. He feared for the life of Mara and thought she might be in danger within the temple.

He also told the agents that there is a secret sublevel to the temple that is accessible only by a set of secret stairs from the third level of the temple. On this sublevel was where he believed they had Selene imprisoned.

He suggested that perhaps they could infiltrate this sublevel but if they did so Alexi and Dari would have to be disguised. It would still be difficult but he felt they could do it. He also suggested they get Mara out of the prison. He felt this would be a lot easier and that was something he could handle. They agreed and while Thanon and Lorcan went to get Mara out, Thanon gathered some information on Mara. He did not find anything else out that they did not already know.

The next night, with new resolve, the three Harper agents along with Mara, snuck into the temple of Tyr with the help of Brother Lorcan. Thanon kept telling himself it was for the good of Tyr if there really was a dark conspiracy within the temple that he once again found himself sneaking into his own temple*(see note below).

Without much trouble, most likely due to their disguises, the late hour and the help of Brother Lorcan, they were able to find and get to the secret sublevel of the temple. There they found an antechamber and beyond that a small guardroom with four guards. Looking at them, Thanon got then sense that they were fairly unskilled. Odd, he thought, that such inexperienced guards would be set to guard an obviously secret area of the temple. Without dwelling too much on that oddity, Thanon strode out and was able to intimidate the guards into letting him and his companions pass.

Beyond the guardroom was a long wide hall with six cells, three on each side. As they passed under the arch leading to the cells, a magical force that seemed to attack their minds struck Alexi, Dari and Mara. Thanon alone was unaffected. Thanon and Dari were able to ward off most of the effect of the spell but Mara was not so lucky and nearly lost her life. She cried out in pain, which drew the attention of the guards. Quickly thinking, Dari bluffed the guards by saying Mara had hurt her ankle. The four proceeded down the rest of the hall. At the end, Thanon was able to heal Mara’s damage.

In the last cell on the left, the only one occupied, they found a beautiful dark haired woman sitting alone. She looked similar enough to Mara that everyone knew she was her mother. It was then that Alexi was finally able to remember why Selene’s name sounded so familiar and why Mara reminded him of someone.

Selene looked exactly like the murder victim in Procampur that he had investigated over a year ago. It was this murder investigation that had lead to an investigation of the current Hamayarch of Procampur and possible connections to the Night Masks of Westgate. Alexi knew that this woman in the cell was the same as the one who had been killed, or at least they looked the same. Also, the name of the woman killed was Selene Andronel. He wasn’t sure exactly what was going on but he became even more suspicious than before.

Alexi then pulled Thanon back to tell him what he knew. Unfortunately, Mara had already started trying to get the door open to release her mother. She was able to and Selene stepped out of her cell.

Just then two figures dressed in dark cloaks appeared down the hall in the guardroom. Before anyone could react, one of the figures extended his hand and cast a spell. A green ray of energy shot from his hand a struck Selene. She was then enshrouded in a field of glowing green energy.

The Harper agents and Mara rushed to defend themselves and Selene. Alexi still uncertain about Selene attempted to subdue her. She instead made a break for the guardroom. Thanon cast spells and moved to engage the new intruders while the other dark cloaked figure wearing full plate, shield and wielding a warhammer moved to intercept Selene. Magic and mayhem ensued for a few seconds before Selene finally got to the guardroom and past the spell surrounding the cells. Thanon stood between Selene and the dark cloaked figure with the hammer when he noticed the dark cloaked figure was a woman and she was also wearing a holy symbol of Tyr.

Thanon was thoroughly confused.

But not for long as just then Selene spoke in the harsh, guttural tongue of the Abyss and a moment later a huge demon appeared in the guardroom.

Chaos and death followed after that. Eventually though, the combined efforts of the three Harper agents and the two newcomers were able to defeat the summoned vrock and Selene. When she fell, Selene’s form changed to that of a succubus.

One of the newcomers, the one with the hammer, introduced herself as Colette. She and her companion were members of the Knights of the Chalice, an elite and secret organization tasked with hunting down and destroying demons. They had just recently learned of Selene’s presence within the temple and had been investigating why she was still being held instead of destroyed. Their inquiries had been cut short with the arrival of the Harper agents and Mara attempting to free Selene.

Just then, clerics of the temple along with guards came down the stairs and started trying to sort out what had happened. The Knights and the Harper agents were able to slip out without much notice in all the confusion.

The next day, Alexi went back to the Guldar docks and retrieved Nagrath. He delivered the halfling to Lady Imryth and informed her what happened.

*(NOTE: Several months ago, Thanon and Dari had attempted to sneak into the temple to get some information about the whereabouts of Thanon’s father, Zacarias. Though they ended up getting caught, Dari was able to talk her way out of trouble as well as get a letter Zacarias had left Thanon. Thanon on the other hand had been severely reprimanded by the clerics and was put on probation for a year and a day.)

Unanswered Questions
· Is there really a conspiracy within the temple?
· Why was Selene being held in the temple?
· Who was the man Nagrath hired and what will become of Nagrath?
· Where is Thanon’s father?


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## sithramir (Mar 24, 2005)

Woo! My warmage rocks.


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## Ranger5 (Mar 25, 2005)

sithramir said:
			
		

> Woo! My warmage rocks.




We shall see, we shall see. You're adventure with Courynn will be tough. Bwahahahahahaha. Oh sorry, was that an evil DM laugh


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## Morte (Mar 26, 2005)

Westgate always looked like a fun setting. Interesting stories coming together here. Keep it coming.


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## Ranger5 (Mar 28, 2005)

Thanks Morte. It is actually a lot of fun. The next adventure in the Westgate campaign is this coming Friday night. It will be the Courynn/Elric adventure. The update will be shortly afterwards.


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## Ranger5 (Mar 30, 2005)

*Campaign Addendum*

One thing I forgot to put into these write-ups, though they have been stated during the actual game sessions (and I think one of the players may have even made a note of it    ) is that the biggest piece of news making headlines in the city of Westgate are the constant attacks on the Vhammos family caravans. The Vhammos family is one of the oldest noble families in the city and has always been the most ruthless and well let's say "not nice" of the city's nobility. However, in the last several months, their merchant caravans have been the victims of a mysterious group of raiders that seem to know exactly where to hit them. Rumor has it that it may be the work of another noble family in the city.


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## Ranger5 (Apr 3, 2005)

*The Sixth Adventure – Interludes and Examinations Part 2*

This is Part 2 of a split adventure. The party splits up and this one deals with Elric and Courynn. Part 1 dealt with Thanon, Alexi and Dari.

Having lost his paladinhood to the dark magics of the murderer he had been chasing for months, Courynn was now free of the evil taint but still was not fully a paladin yet. Having consulted with Brother Lorcan of the temple of Tyr, Elric was told that the only way to regain his grace with Tyr was to destroy the dagger the murderer had used in his ritual. However its secrets remained hidden from the divinations of the clerics of Tyr. Brother Lorcan was able to provide some direction though. He advised Courynn to see Brother Malchor, also a cleric of Tyr and a sage, living on the small hamlet of Welwyn. The hamlet was located six days east at the foot of the Giant’s Run Mountains.

With this, Courynn decided to set out immediately. Elric knowing his new friend might need help decided to join him. So the two agents said goodbye to Thanon, Alexi and Dari and left for Welwyn with the dagger on the 17th of Nightal.

The journey was uneventful and the two agents reached Welwyn shortly after midday on sixth day. They secured rooms and consulted with the innkeeper as to where to find Brother Malchor. The cleric spent a lot of his time with the mayor in the Town Hall.

At the Town Hall, Courynn and Elric met with Brother Malchor and the mayor, Lady Arabella Varain. Courynn explained why they had come from Westgate and the two decided to speak in private in Malchor’s home. Lady Varain decided to show Elric her small town.

When Courynn showed Malchor the dagger, the cleric nearly gasped. He said he knew this dagger but believed it was a myth. He then rummaged through his many books finally settling on an old dusty tome. He flipped though it until he found the relevant passage. 

A thousand years ago, the angel Aniel was a force for good that did battle with the powers of evil and darkness. His only weapons were his faith and his magical dagger that could dispatch most evil beings. Such was his power; the forces of darkness greatly feared him. Eventually though, the a demon prince came up with a plan to not only rid themselves of such an enemy but turn him into a powerful agent of evil.

Using ancient rites and dark sorceries, the demon prince was able to convince Aniel that he had been abandoned by his god and fellow celestials. After a millenium of victories against the darkness, he began to question what he was doing. This eventually led to his downfall as he slowly sank into anger and despair. At first he began to pass judgment on those that before would have seen leniency. Then eventually he fell into outright murder. In a final blow to his sanity, he ended up murdering an entire village of innocents. In the fire and bloodshed he was no longer the angel Aniel but the demon Logoth. And his dagger, formerly an instrument of good and righteousness became an artifact of evil called Shadaar.

Eventually, his former brethren tracked him down and did battle with him. In the end, as he was being overwhelmed, in one final act of defiance, he threw his dagger across the multiverse.

The dagger eventually landed on Faerun near a small mountain city called Aridhol. The city was home to many metalsmiths that mined the local mountains for iron ore. It was found a by a young man from the city. Before he was aware it had grabbed hold of his mind and slowly turned him evil. And it did not stop there. Before long the whole city fell into evil and depraved ways. The only one not to be touched was a simple blacksmith that tried in vain to save his city. He crafted a hammer, called Siegehammer, to destroy the dagger. But before it could be used, he was killed by demonic forces. Eventually, the inhabitants destroyed themselves and the city fell into ruin and was forgotten. The fate of the dagger was also lost to the mists of time.

Malchor told Courynn that he believed he knew where the ruins of Aridhol lay and that he believed Siegehammer was still there. Three days journey into the mountains there was a shell of a ruined structure that Malchor believed was all the remained of Aridhol. He warned Courynn that strange evils lurked in the area of the likes no one has ever seen.

The next day, Courynn and Elric set out for the ruins. When they arrived they could almost feel the evil permeating the very air around the ruins. As they approached they spotted some short humanoid creatures with dark cracked skin, horns, and a demonic glow to their eyes. The agents did battle and were victorious. Within the shell of the ruined walls, they found stairs descending into catacombs below.

The two agents battled against many strange demonic creatures below in the catacombs very nearly losing their lives a few times. They did not find Siegehammer but did find a well that lead down even further into darkness. The two agents climbed down the well and found a set of caverns that had been carved from the rock.

In the darkness below they found even more foul and demonic creatures. They fought bravely and valiantly. And even during some of the battles, Courynn’s former holy powers would resurface.

However, they eventually did meet their match. Three demonic looking vampire creatures, blasted the two heroes with fell fiery magics. Courynn and Elric were unable to resist the creatures’ spells and the two heroes fell together in a blast of hellfire.


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## Muddman (Apr 3, 2005)

Ya, thems the breaks 

Ohh well, none of my paladins make it past 8th level anyhow


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## Ranger5 (Apr 4, 2005)

*Sneak Peek - Act 1 Finale "The Enemy of My Enemy.."*

With 1372 DR coming to a close, the Harper agents have all undergone serious trials and tests of their mettle. With the departure of one agent and the deaths of two others, will the other two be able to continue their mission in a city of ever growing danger and mystery? Will their pasts finally catch up to them and will they be able to survive if they do?

Their next mission will be the hardest one they have gone on so far. They will be joined by new friends and meet up with new enemies. They will need not only their might and magics, but their wits as well. And when the dust settles, those that survive will have some answers but may be left with more questions.

The next adventure should take place in two weeks and will probably take a few sessions. An update will follow once it is complete. Stay tuned!


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## Morte (Apr 4, 2005)

This Westgate is a dangerous place... Perhaps you should get them to read The Liberation of Tenh for Heydrichus's maxim on not splitting the party. 

What sort of level are these guys anyhow? Would they have the gold and contacts for a Raise Dead scroll or two? [Not that that seems especially feasible at the moment, I'm just curious.]


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## Ranger5 (Apr 5, 2005)

Morte said:
			
		

> This Westgate is a dangerous place... Perhaps you should get them to read The Liberation of Tenh for Heydrichus's maxim on not splitting the party.
> 
> What sort of level are these guys anyhow? Would they have the gold and contacts for a Raise Dead scroll or two? [Not that that seems especially feasible at the moment, I'm just curious.]




Well the players cannot be blamed for splitting up really. It was actually due to players not being able to be there one night and my idea of a split adventure.   

But they did know the risks and the two players of Courynn and Elric actually had a good time. It was just a matter of bad rolls. But sometimes, as Muddman said, "thems the breaks".

As for Raise Dead, yes they could. In fact Alexi has already been raised once. However, the problem is that the bodies are in a far off dungeon and the rest of the characters have not learned of their companions fate yet.

And they are all 7th level currently except Alexi who is almost 7th.


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## Ranger5 (Apr 5, 2005)

*Dari's Letter*

The following letter will be found by Alexi and Thanon on the 22nd day of Nightal.

_My dear friends-

Since I left my homeland you are the only ones I have truly been able to call friend. Because of this I feel I must leave.  I have harbored a secret that has come to haunt me.  I do not wish to place you in any further danger and so I cannot tell you where I will go.  I only ask that you not be harsh with Nagrath, he was only doing what my tribe asked of him.  It is true what he said; I am a wanted criminal in my homeland.  It was an accident, but I fear that may not matter.  Dear Thanon, do not worry about me avoiding justice.  Someday when I am old and grey I will return home to face punishment.  Westgate is a dangerous place and so I am leaving behind Reckoner.  Take care of it, as it has taken care of me.  I will always count you among my friends.

Nadari Dardragon_


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## Muddman (Apr 6, 2005)

"As for Raise Dead, yes they could. In fact Alexi has already been raised once. However, the problem is that the bodies are in a far off dungeon and the rest of the characters have not learned of their companions fate yet."

Whoo hoo, there is still hope for my paladin 

He's doing a great job of weaving a storyline together. I just hope that all these changes in the party won't disrupt it. I think my favorite part of the campaign so far is the recording of days and weeks on the calander. This way our PCs have time to do all the "normal" things we would want to do and the acurate passage of time. My games have never taken the time to figure this stuff out, and its a subtle but beautiful touch.


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## Ranger5 (Apr 7, 2005)

Muddman said:
			
		

> "As for Raise Dead, yes they could. In fact Alexi has already been raised once. However, the problem is that the bodies are in a far off dungeon and the rest of the characters have not learned of their companions fate yet."
> 
> Whoo hoo, there is still hope for my paladin
> 
> He's doing a great job of weaving a storyline together. I just hope that all these changes in the party won't disrupt it. I think my favorite part of the campaign so far is the recording of days and weeks on the calander. This way our PCs have time to do all the "normal" things we would want to do and the acurate passage of time. My games have never taken the time to figure this stuff out, and its a subtle but beautiful touch.




Thanks D for the good words. And of course there is always hope. One thing I want to stress is that if there is something you all as a group want to do (ie, _we want to find X_ or _we want to recover the bodies of our fallen friends_) then I would create the adventure to do just that. I may have the core adventures/missions planned out but I am always open to player directed adventures as well. Of course, as with all things there would be consequences.

As for the deaths of PCs, I have always kept in the forefront my mind when creating this campaign that the main plotlines will not revolve around a single PC. I have made that mistake in the past and it never turns out as well as it should. So for example if Thanon were to die next session, Z (the player) would have to wait until the appropriate time to find out what is going on with Thanon's father.

And this is the first time I have ever used a campaign calendar and I have to say it is working out rather well.

Anyway, I do hope you all are enjoying playing in it as much as I'm enjoying running it. And I hope that if anyone is reading this, I hope you are enjoying the stories. If anyone has any questions, feel free to post here or PM me.


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## Audhild&Krin (Apr 7, 2005)

*Well now that is a disappointment*

I must say Z (Thanon) will be very disappointed to find out the campaign does not revolve around him.  Maybe I should wake him up and let him know.  Oh well.  I am certainly glad the campaign does not revolve around one character or I (Dari) would have seriously messed up the flow by leaving, not to mention the deaths of my two companions, but they are overly tall so it's ok.  There are too many tall people in Faerun!  Sorry, I just got off of work and so am incoherent and slightly loopy.


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## Ranger5 (Apr 19, 2005)

After a brief hiatus, the Westgate Campaign will continue this Saturday.


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## Ranger5 (May 2, 2005)

*The Seventh Adventure – The Enemy of My Enemy…part 1*

This is part 1 of the Act 1 Finale.

On the 23rd of Nightal the two remaining Harper agents, Alexi and Thanon, received word from Waevor, their Harper contact, that three more agents for an upcoming mission of great importance would join them.

The next day the three agents arrived. They were:

Dexaron "Ghost" Taramaskan – male human swashbuckler and troubleshooter
Moira Nelbalm – female human bard and longtime Harper agent
Brother Nathaniel – male human monk with sorcereous talents and a penchant for peace

The three new agents had been briefed on their predecessor’s missions as well as on the other agents they would be working with. After some time spent getting to know one another, they finally received word from Waevor to meet him the next day on the 25th of Nightal at the Purple Lady Tavern.

When the five agents arrived at the meeting in one of the private dining rooms of the Purple Lady, there stood Waevor Talaphin and Lord Baerfarnth Vhammos, head of the ruthless Vhammos family. This came as somewhat of a shock to the agents as they knew there was no love lost between the Harpers and the Vhammos family. Often they were at odds with each other.

After settling around the table and having some food and drink delivered, Waevor told the agents what exactly was going on and what needed to be done.

For months the Vhammos family has been the victim of caravan raids. The raids at first targeted small, less important caravans but over time grew to hit the important, expensive ones. Lord Vhammos, having already tried to set a trap for the bandits and failed to capture a single one, had finally gone to the Harpers for help. The problem with capturing the bandits had been two-fold. One, they seem to have inside information as to the movements of his caravans and forces which leads him to believe there may be a traitor in his organization, though he had no suspects. And two, the bandits have some never before seen magic that allows them to instantly travel to an attack and back to wherever they have their base. And this magic seems to be undetectable and untraceable.

The only lead Vhammos has came two days ago.  An unknown man trying to sell a very rare and valuable gem, one of the exact gems that had been stolen from a Vhammos caravan several weeks ago, approached a local fence within Westgate who was also in the employ of Lord Vhammos as a spy. The fence was originally from Thay and noticed two important details about this man. First he was Thayan as well. And the second was that the man bore the subtle markings of the Grey Rogues, an elite mercenary company from Thay. The implication was that the Grey Rogues were behind the attacks, but why? And who would be able to hire them for such a long time as the attacks have been going on for months? Vhammos told the agents that he had never even heard of the Grey Rogues until now so he did not think the attacks were motivated by revenge. His personal opinion is that it was one of the other noble families of the Westgate.

However, since he still had no definite proof and knowing that if it was one of the other noble families it would be more prudent to have an impartial third party uncover the plot. Enter the Harpers.

Vhammos did have one of his most trusted agents, a man by the name of Richter, do some reconnaissance. He did so and was able to track the alleged Grey Rogue back to an abandoned sanatorium in the eastern section of the city near the river. 

At the meeting, Richter was present but very well hidden in the shadows. At his lord’s command he revealed himself to the Harpers. Thanon and Alexi were shocked to discover that Richter was the same man that Nagrath had hired to capture Dari. This did not sit well to the two friends of Dari but they held their peace for the sake of the mission.

After Richter related what he had found, Waevor gave the agents their mission. In three days time, on the 28th of Nightal, a very important caravan of the Vhammos family would be heading out. If it were attacked, that would pretty much ruin the Vhammos family in turn leaving a huge financial vacuum in the city’s resources. The agent’s mission was to infiltrate the sanatorium and bring the head of the Grey Rogues to Waevor so they could learn who was behind the attacks. He suggested they take the next 12 hours to prepare before starting.

The agents heeded Waevor’s advice and began a serious of investigations to gather as much information as they could. After several hours, they all met back with various pieces of information. What they learned was that the sanatorium used to be a house of healing during the Templeban Edict many years ago but has since fallen into abandonment. All the doors and windows are boarded up with the exception of one small one at the back on the second floor. This was where the alleged Grey Rogue got into and out of the building. And even though the doors and windows were all boarded up, Moira did detect some strong abjuration magic on them as well. They also were able to find a map of the sanatorium, which showed three levels, 2 above ground and a basement. They were also able to learn of the strengths of the Grey Rogues from a newly arrived Red Wizard named Haldon. It turned out that Haldon was the brother of Hinnar (see the first adventure “The Color of Ambition”) and had been ordered here to make preparations to reopen the Red Wizard enclave that had been closed for the last several months. He also had a personal agenda in finding information about his sister’s killer. For his information, he demanded that the agents be ready to help in track his sister’s killer. Of course, Thanon and Alexi knew the killer’s name already but not where she had disappeared. The agents agreed to help Haldon in return for his information.

Haldon was able to tell the agents that the Grey Rogues used to be a highly successful mercenary company in Thay. They were run out of Thay several years ago after their leader was killed. At the time their numbers were fairly high for a mercenary company but after their leader was killed most of their members disappeared or were killed themselves. Now they number around six or seven. Their new leader was a woman called Alerra. And the last he had heard they were in the Sembia region. When the agents told him they thought that the Grey Rogues might now be in Westgate a flash of fear momentarily crossed his face. The agents, though, did not press this.

After some more investigating, including trying to find who actually owned the building, and scouting of the area around and under the sanatorium, the agents eventually infiltrated the abandoned building on the 27th of Nightal. Entering through the small second floor building the agents found it just as seemed from the outside – dark, rundown, abandoned and devoid of life. They were right though but only partially.

They had not been in the building for more than a minute before they were attacked by a feral looking human with pale skin and long fangs. Thanon was able to identify it has a vampire spawn. As they battled the creature another joined shortly afterwards. Though they took some damage, the agents were able to defeat the creatures rather quickly. The retreating gaseous forms of the vampire spawn fled down the wide stairs towards the first floor. Alexi, and Thanon a little later, were reminded by the gaseous forms of something that they had seen a couple of months ago in the ice caves beneath Azinth Tower (see the third adventure “The Ice Caves of Azinth Tower”).

Rushing headlong down the stairs, the agents met up with four more of the creatures and battle was joined quickly. The five agents were still able to best the unholy creatures and one by one their gaseous forms fled down the stairs to the basement. And once again the agents rushed down the stairs.

When they arrived they were met with a single vampire spawn and the battle was joined. Just then though from down a long hallway, a door opened that had not been on the map and out spilled a human with twin daggers and three more vampire spawn. The human was obviously fighting for his life. As the battle raged through the basement, the agents got a good look at the man and realized he was the one that had tried to sell the gems to the Thayan fence and the one Richter had tracked back here.

The agents tried to get to him and help him out but they were too late, he fell to the vampire spawn’s claws. The agents eventually dispatched the rest of the vampire spawn. They noticed that their retreating gaseous forms all fled through the unmarked door that they found led to an unknown cavern. The agents explored this area and found the coffins of the vampire spawn with the now comatose undead in them. Thanon directed the agents to cut the creature’s heads off and throw them out the upstairs window into the sunlight. With that the creatures were dead.

Exploring the cavern some more, the agents then found what appeared to be a portal. Using his knowledge of arcane writings, Nathanial was able to determine that it was a portal and the activation word was written there around the edge of the portal. They just had no idea where it went.

Still that did not cause them any pause. They all used the portal and found themselves in a medium sized room with the same kind of portal. They could not be sure but they felt as if they were underground very far away.

Making their way quickly through this new dungeon, the agents found that it must be the hidden base of the Grey Rogues. They discovered several supply rooms, an eating hall as well as a training room. Unfortunately, they themselves were also discovered by one of the Rogues – a human female wielding a two-handed scimitar with deadly ease and precision. They entered combat with her and right in the middle of it the woman disappeared in a flash of lightning only to reappear right beside Moira and nearly eviscerate the young bard. Ghost, leaping to his comrade’s defense, was able to deftly disarm the swordswoman. Though a moment later, the woman again disappeared into a flash of lightning and this time did not reappear.

The agents, not really knowing which way to go, chose a closed door as their next route. And this led them to the biggest shock so far.

A huge blue dragon.

However, the dragon was trapped in a strange looking mammoth device. Odd-looking chains held the great creature in place with 2 claw-like probes dug into the creature’s mouth and throat. The anguish in the creature’s eyes was apparent and immediately Ghost took pity on it. Even though blue dragons are normally evil, whatever put this creature into this artifact was even more vile. 

 Before the agents could figure out a way to extricate the poor creature, Nathaniel, knowing the reputation of such dragons, requested that the dragon swear an oath of peace to him. The dragon, whose name was Aberrannon, swore that if they freed him, he would owe them a life debt. They took this a good sign and began working to try and free the creature.

However, the chains holding the creature in place proved to be more difficult to cut than they had anticipated. Alexi then drew Reckoner and within minutes the dragon was freed though extremely weakened.

It was at this moment that the several figures appeared in the room with the agents and the newly freed blue dragon. The agent’s presence had finally become known to the current inhabitants and they were not happy about it. Battle with the Grey Rogues was quickly joined.

The fight was furious and deadly as the Rogues tried to kill the Harper agents. Their ability to instantly transport themselves around the field of battle proved to be an incredible advantage. The sound of spells and steel quickly filled the ancient dungeon. Aberannon, knowing he could do much to help as hurt as he was, spoke a word of power and vanished. The agents could only hope that the dragon would keep his word.

As the battle raged on, the advantage shifted between the agents and the Rogues constantly, as their transport ability started to wane. However, Ghost did succumb to the Rogue’s wizard’s magic and died. Eventually though, two of the Rogues were killed (both of the women including Alerra), two were captured and one was able to escape.

Once the battle was over, the agents swept thought the rest of the dungeon and found the evidence they needed. And what it said shook Alexi and Thanon to the core.

It came from an excerpt from Alerra’s journal. It read:

_"We have been hired to attack the caravans of the Vhammos family. We are to leave no survivors and we are to take everything of value and hold it in the treasure room. The woman, she calls herself Thandie though I am sure that it is a false name, was very generous with the gold as well as providing us with this base and the device. As long as she keeps paying us well, I don’t mind the work. This job, the easiest one so far due to the details she provides on each of the caravans we raid, will hopefully continue for a bit longer. Once we have enough gold, we will head back to Thay and take our revenge on Haldon and the rest of his family."_

Thandie. 

Of course Alexi and Thanon knew her real name, as did the other agents. Lady Thistle Thalavar, ally to both Lady Imryth and the Harpers.

What were they going to do? And why would Lady Thalavar do such a thing? There was certainly no love lost between the Thalavar’s and the Vhammos’s. But it did not seem like this would be something Lady Thalavar would do.

At this point the agents took a moment to catch their breath and decide on their next course of action.

Unanswered Questions
·Is Lady Thalavar truly behind the plot to destroy the Vhammos family?
·Who was able to capture such a powerful and ancient dragon such as Aberrannon and trap him in an ancient artifact?
·Who was behind the vampire spawn in the sanatorium?


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## Ranger5 (May 9, 2005)

*The Seventh Adventure – The Enemy of My Enemy…part 2*

This is part 2 of the Act 1 Finale.

The agents took stock of their situation.

One of their own, Dexaron “Ghost” Taramaskan, was dead. The leader of the Grey Rogues was dead as was another member. Two of the Rogues had been captured and one had gotten away. And they had found the Rogues leader’s journal that implicated Lady Thistle “Thandie” Thalavar of Westgate as the one behind the attacks on the Vhammos family caravans.

After taking about an hour to discuss what they were going to do, the four surviving agents – Alexi, Thanon, Moira, and Nathaniel – came up with a plan. The bound and gagged their prisoners. They gathered up the Rogue’s equipment as well as the Rogue’s money. And finally they took the body of Ghost. All of this they took back with them through the portal to the sanatorium. When they got there, they also gathered up the body of the dead Rogue who had been killed by the vampire spawn.

Before leaving the sanatorium, Alexi scouted out the area and made his way into Westgate to procure a suitable transport for all their cargo.

Within an hour he returned with a wagon and two horses. Loading up the wagon, the agents made their way to the temple of Tyr. There they met with Brother Lorcan who agreed to return their dead comrade to life.

However, when Ghost was returned to this world, he awoke screaming and rambling about hideous images of a toothy maw surrounded by claw-like arms reaching for him. Afterwards he was fine though a bit shaken.

Brother Lorcan also was able to help the agents out with their prisoners. The two living ones were taken away to be handed over to the city guards while the dead leader of the Rogues and the one killed by the vampire spawn were questioned using clerical magics. The agents were able to find out some useful information from the dead bodies. As far as they knew, the Rogues did actually deal with a woman called Thandie who had a noble demeanor. They were not aware of or allied with the vampire spawn in the sanatorium. And it was the Red Wizard Haldon who had killed their leader several years ago.

With this information, the agents reluctantly contacted Waevor to tell him they were back. He told them to meet him at the Purple Lady later that evening.

So on the evening of the 27th of Nightal, the agents met with Waevor at the Purple Lady. Also in attendance were Lord Vhammos and Tystarn Dauntinghorn of Cormyr. Lord Dauntinghorn was the current consort of Lady Thalavar and had heard through the rumor mill that something involving the Thalavar’s was coming to a head soon.

At the meeting, the agents related what they head learned as well as showing the journal to Waevor and the others. The reactions of those present were predictable. Lord Vhammos wanted to call for immediate action in taking Lady Thalavar into custody. Lord Dauntinghorn refused to believe it saying there must be a logical explanation. And Waevor attempted to keep the two men calm and focused on what to do next.

That issue was resolved quickly as Lord Dauntinghorn told the others that Lady Thalavar was out of the city on business and was not due to return until tomorrow evening. Waevor was able to get the two nobles to agree that the best course of action was to confront Lady Thalavar privately the following evening at her castle. Waevor also asked the agents to be there as well.

The agents went back to their apartments for some much needed rest. The following day they spent some time following up with Haldon of the Red Wizards of Thay. They told him of the Rogues and that most of them were dead or captured. They also related to him the details of his sister’s murder. He was glad to hear this and confirmed that the agents would eventually help him out with dealing with his sister’s killer when it became necessary. They agreed.

The night of the 28th of Nightal, the agents made their way to Castle Thalavar for their meeting. The sky was overcast with the waning moon only occasionally peeking through the clouds. However, Alexi did notice something odd as they approached the castle. 

As the moonlight broke through the clouds for a moment and the darkened night sky was briefly illuminated, Alexi saw what appeared to be a twin-pronged dagger flying through the air away from the castle. A moment later it was gone, lost in the night sky.

This brought back a flash of memory to the urban ranger of a conversation he overheard between several bandits months ago in the forgotten crypts of St. Bethesda (see the second adventure “The Crypts of St. Bethesda”). He related what he saw to his comrades but they were running late and had to get to their meeting.

Eventually, the agents found themselves with Waevor, Lord Vhammos, Richter, Lord Dauntinghorn, and Lady Thalavar. Lord Vhammos leveled his charges against the noble Lady Thalavar. Lord Dauntinghorn was at her side defending her. Waevor attempted to mediate the situation and Richter stood silently at Lord Vhammos’s side, barely visible in the shadows. The PCs were then called upon to relate what they uncovered.

Just then, the back door to the study they were in opened and a cohort of Lady Thalavar entered. It was Jamal (see the first adventure “The Color of Ambition”). She wore a simple nightrobe but she had a feral look about her. It was then that Alexi and Thanon noticed she was no longer herself. She was a vampire.

She stated that it was she who had been behind the attacks. That she had hired the Grey Rogues to attack the Vhammos caravans by impersonating Lady Thalavar. It was then that she let loose with a deadly spell aimed at Lady Thalavar but much to her chagrin, the quick noblewoman dove out of the way. The agents all rushed forward to meet this new and surprising enemy.

The nobles along with Waevor and Richter all rushed out of the room while the agents entered into combat with the vampire Jamal.

The battle did not go well for the agents however for Jamal was an accomplished spellcaster and was able to use her magics to deadly affect. By the end, Thanon lay dead from one of Jamal’s spells and the vampire was able to escape.

The agents took Thanon’s body to the temple of Tyr. The priests were able to return their fallen bother to life. The agents then split up to gather information on the whereabouts of Jamal as well as find away to defeat her. They finally decided on procuring a wand of searing light by pooling their money. Alexi spent sometime searching for Jamal and his urban tracking skills paid off. He picked up her trail and it led back to the sanatorium. This confirmed for the agents that she must have been behind the vampire spawn.

Finally, something had been bothering Moira. When Alexi had related what he had seen on the way to Castle Thalavar, this had piqued her bardic interests. Following this she did some research was able to discover some history. First she found some history of the twin-pronged dagger:

“The Argraal of Orlak is a great drinking goblet fashioned from polished dragon bone inlaid with dozens of tiny bloodstones. This bloodstained chalice makes up one piece of the regalia of the Night King, a title accorded only to a vampire descended - via the process of vampiric creation - from King Orlak I of Westgate, who fashioned both this cup and the Flying Fangs of the Night King early in his reign. The first Night King hewed the Argraal from a large chunk of bone recovered from the skeletal form of Kisonraathiisar, the topaz dragon who ruled the region before the coming of Saldrinar of the Seven Spells. Orlak then enspelled it with unholy necromantic incantations.

“The Flying Fangs of the Night King, also known as the Biting Blade, this dagger hilt with twin poniard blades makes up the second piece of the regalia of the Night King. A small measure of the personality of the original Night King remains in the Flying Fangs. The weapon seeks to recreate the Court of the Night King, a body that consists of four dukes who answer directly to the Night King and eight counts who serve the four dukes in pairs of two.”

This led to a deeper search and she came up with the following piece from the most ancient history of Westgate:

“In -286 DR, the Year of Foul Awakenings, Westgate falls during the course of a single night to a small army of elite mercenaries who emerge from catacombs beneath the city. By morning’s light, King Thorndaer and his entire family are dead, and King Orlak rules over the oldest port in the western Inner Sea region. Until the end of his reign, the Night King holds court only after the sun has set, is never seen during daylight hours, and always keeps his entire face (except his eyes) shrouded with a black-and-white-hatched porcelain mask, leading many to suspect (correctly) that the long-lived monarch of Westgate is a vampire.”

“In -137 DR, the Year of the Blooded Sunsets, A company of paladins from the Vilhon Reach in service to the Morninglord overthrows the Night King. Following the vampire’s destruction, the group’s commander, Dawnknight Gen Soleilon, is crowned king of Westgate. The Radiant King rules wisely for many years, rebuilding Westgate’s fortunes and establishing the Soleilon dynasty. The paladin-king’s most notable accomplishment is the erection of the city’s first stonewalls and the construction of an extensive sewer system. Unbeknownst to the general populace, Westgate’s deepest catacombs remain home to at least a dozen vampires created by their former monarch. The undead legacies of Orlak war amongst themselves for nearly a year before a new Night King is chosen to rule Westgate’s underworld. From this day forward, the Argraal of Orlak and the Flying Fangs of the Night King are held by the preeminent vampire descended from the original Night King. Any vampire that slays the Night King assumes the bloody chalice, the dagger with twin poniard blades, and the title.”

And finally, and the most chilling, she found the following passage:

“Near the end of the Year of the Blooded Sunsets, an old hag approaches King Gen and speaks prophecy: _In the twilight of shadow's return, the Scion of Night will be revealed at vulgar cost. With burning anger from ages past, he will bind the Radiant Heir and her blood will render unto him the darkest power_.”

With a sense of dread the agents gathered their weapons and magic and headed for the sanatorium to deal with the vampire Jamal.

Unanswered Questions
·How long has Jamal been a vampire?
·Why did she hire the Grey Rogues?
·Has the Night King truly returned?
·What does the prophecy hold for the Harper agents and the city of Westgate?


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## Morte (May 11, 2005)

Ranger5 said:
			
		

> ·What does the prophecy hold for the Harper agents and the city of Westgate?




Ooh err.

Looks like a good game, here.


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## Ranger5 (May 12, 2005)

Morte said:
			
		

> Ooh err.
> 
> Looks like a good game, here.




Well I have to say it is a lot of fun so far. The players themselves seem to be enjoying it as well. Also, if anyone reading this has any questions feel free to post them here or email me directly.

Also, the next update will be coming after the following Friday. This Friday we are playing a one-shot epic game because one of the players can't make it.

Anyway, thanks for reading.


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## Ranger5 (May 23, 2005)

*The Seventh Adventure – The Enemy of My Enemy…part 3*

This is part 3 of the Act 1 Finale.

With the sun setting on the 30th of Nightal, not only was the year 1372 coming to an end, but the agents could feel an impending sense of change coming as well. Knowing that they had already informed the Vhammos family of the portal located within the sanatorium and that the portal led to their stolen treasure, the Harper agents felt that if they waited for the sun to rise the next day to take on Jamal, they may be sending some innocents to their doom.

This was something they all agreed could not happen. So with renewed vigor the five Harper agents made their way through the streets of Westgate filled with New Year’s revelers to the abandoned sanatorium.

Once inside the five agents came upon heavy resistance from five vampire spawn. The battle was fierce but they prevailed and Thanon’s wand of searing light proved very effective against the vile undead. Eventually though, they were met by Jamal and three more vampire spawn.

Jamal, relying mostly on her magic, proved to be a tough opponent. The vampire spawn were easily dispatched by the agents’ weapons and magic but Jamal proved tougher to beat.

As the agents had to rely on unorthodox fighting methods to try and bring the vampire down, she was able to deal significant damage to them through her spells. She very rarely used any of her vampiric abilities.

Eventually, Thanon, having difficulty hitting her with the wand, was killed for a second time by the vampire’s spells. At this point, Alexi picked up the wand and using his skill at emulating other’s abilities to use magical devices he was able to use the wand and eventually destroyed the vampire.

The four agents took Thanon’s body back to the temple of Tyr where he was raised once again in as many days. They also reported their success to Waevor. The agents were finally able to rest knowing that they had defeated a major villain, though the mystery of Jamal’s transformation would have to wait.

In the days that followed the dawning of 1373, the agents uncovered several things while other events shook the fabric of the city of Westgate.

At the temple of Tyr, the agents learned that Just Captain Torndith Hammersong of Tyr had been implicated in a conspiracy to undermine the church of Tyr. He had been taken into custody within the church prison and had been replaced with the newly raised Just Captain Lorcan Connalson.

Dexaron finally learned who the owner of the sanatorium was. It turned out to be Dahlia Vhammos, daughter of Lord Vhammos. Nathaniel then did some work trying to locate her whereabouts and it seemed she had disappeared – no one had seen her for a few weeks. He also learned that her demeanor had changed several months ago. She had become even crueler and almost feral. And she had not been seen during the daylight hours since then.

Moira and Nathaniel did some more digging into the prophecy Moira had uncovered days earlier. They learned that the “Scion of Night” most likely referred to the Night King while the “Radiant Heir” referred to a descendant of King Gen Soleilon, the Radiant King. After several days of poring over old tomes she was able to trace a direct lineage from the Soleilon dynasty to one family within Westgate. 

The Thalavar family.

The last year had ended with some mysteries being answered but as is always the case, new ones had been uncovered. The agents now looked out over the city with a sense of dread, especially at night.


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## Ranger5 (May 23, 2005)

*A Break in the Campaign*

The Westgate Campaign will be taking a break for a couple of months. This is due to a few factors, the main one being that my wife and I will be welcoming our second child in late July and I am sure my schedule and time will be somewhat changed from what it is today. So not wanting to stop a campaign mid adventure or Act, I am choosing to pause it here until sometime after July.

Anyway, that is all for now. I hope that anyone who reads this has enjoyed it. And don't worry, the tales will continue. That is a promise.


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## kanithardm (May 30, 2005)

Ranger5 said:
			
		

> In fact, the very gods fear its sting. But it only does normal dagger plus the wielder's strength in damage.




Looks like an artifact I included in my campaign.  The gods forged the artifact blades in my campaign, but they can kill gods.


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## Ranger5 (May 31, 2005)

kanithardm said:
			
		

> Looks like an artifact I included in my campaign.  The gods forged the artifact blades in my campaign, but they can kill gods.




I actually got it from AEGs Adventure I book. It is included in a mid to high level adventure, but I thought it was so cool that I wanted to give it to the players sooner. And it really hasn't unbalanced anything at all considering they were 2nd level when they got an artifact.


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## Ranger5 (Aug 19, 2005)

Well I am sorry to report that the Westgate Campaign has been "cancelled". I have decided not to continue the campaign. I could tell you many reasons but the biggest one is this.

For the last several weeks, I have been working on Act 2 of the campaign and as I was writing notes and mapping out which adventures would go where, I kept saying to myself "This would make a pretty cool novel." That is when I realized that it would indeed make a pretty cool novel, but not a very good RPG campaign. I found myself basically "laying down the tracks" for a railroad campaign. And I hate doing that. While it may be fun for me to see my ideas played out I don't think it would be any fun for the players to essentially have no control over what their characters do. Basically, they had to follow my path or the game would not complete. Think Dragonlance.

Anyway with that I will leave the game as it is now. All the players are sad but understanding of my reasons. They do agree they would not like being railroaded. I have already spilled the beans on some of the bigger mysteries of the campaign.

This is what I sent to the players:

"And finally, some answers from the Westgate Campaign. Well I will give you a brief overview of the whole Behind the Scenes stuff.

First we will start with the prophecy:

"In the twilight of shadow's return, the Scion of Night will be revealed at vulgar cost. With burning anger from ages past, he will bind the Radiant Heir and her blood will render unto him the darkest power."

The first line refers to the Realms now. The city of Shade has returned recently (the twilight of shadow's return) and the Scion of Night (the new Night King) has been slowly making his prescense known. You would have eventfully learned who he was and actually fought him. More on that later. The Radiant Heir is Lady Thistle Thalavar (who is a good guy in case you had doubts) and she is the blood heir of the Radiant King, the paladin who so long ago defeated the original Night King. The "he will bind" reference meant that the Night King was going to use the blood of Lady Thalavar to make himself a Vampire Lord. Think Melric ironically. This process though was still unknown to him and he was still searching it out. Basically it invloved an arcane ritual that had to be performed "when day looked as night". This is something else you would have found that referenced the Night of the Dark Eye. Something I came up with that dealt with a solar elcipse that only happens once every few thousand years.

So who is the new Night King. Do you have a guess? It's not who you think I bet. : )

Actually it is one of the Manshoon stasis clones that was hidden beneath Westgate a long time ago and was found by the previous Night King. The previous NK began blood draining the clone and it eventually died and became a vampire. Then several years ago, the Manshoon clones all woke up at the same time when the original was killed by Fzoul and they all started beating the crap out of each other, except the vampire one. He was free of the complusion to seek out the other clones and kill them. Instead he was able to kill his master and assume the role of the Night King.

Well now the new Night King needed his court and so he began "recruiting" (ie biting) those he deemed appropriate. Here is a break down fo the Night King and his Court.

Orlak II "The Night King" 
Wizard 18 
Human, vampire 
Leader of the Night Masks. Originally a clone of the wizard Manshoon but gained his freedom from Manshoon's compulsions after being turned into a vampire. Keeps many powerful artifacts

Darklady Dahlia Vhammos 
Sorcerer 15 
Human, vampire 
Member of house Vhammos (the Night Masks are secretly supported by house Vhammos). Director of all assassinations by the Night Masks.

Phultan Hammerwand 
Wizard 14
Human, vampire
Quartermaster and master of spies, oversees all Night Mask informants throughout Faerun (spy network is extensive and Night Masks have informants in most major cities). Also creates magic items of his own invention.

Tebryn "Shadowstalker" Dalael 
Rogue 15
Half-elf, vampire
A renegade half-drow who fled the underdark, only to emerge in the catacombs of Westgate, and subsequently turned into a vampire. Also called "Duke of the Shadow." He oversees all theft and smuggling operations.

The Twilight Knight
Fallen paladin 10, Blackguard 6
Human, vampire
A paladin of Tyr who fell from grace. Keeps both his face and true identity hidden. Oversees security for the Night Masks, and also oversees extortion, coersion, and enforcement operations.

Sorenth "Happy" Gorender
Fighter 10
Human, vampire
Barkeep and owner of the Puple Lady tavern. Also known as "The Count of Whispers." Serves as a spy (particularly interested in the noble houses) and oversees logistical support for Night Mask activities within Westgate.

Of course the ones you all have encountered (directly or indirectly) so far have been Dahlia Vhammos and Happy Gorender. And the answer to Thanon's father is that he is the Twilight Knight. But there is one more mystery. You have also encountered (personally) Orlak II himself.

Can you guess who it is?

It is in fact Tystarn Dauntinghorn, the current consort of Lady Thalavar. He has been masquerading as a noble of Cormyr to get close to her. Funny enough, she only ever sees him at night time. Hmmmmm.

This is basically the campaign history in a nutshell. You guys would have eventually found most of the above out. You would have also encountered the blue dragon, who you rescued, again and he truly would have been an ally of the groups. Until that is he himself was turned into a vampire by the Twlight Knight and used as a mount in the final battle.

There was a couple of side plots that involved the Harpers but that is basically it."

Well once I start another campaign I will start another Story Hour. I have a couple of ideas already but that will be for later.


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## Brakkart (Aug 19, 2005)

I've enjoyed reading your story hour, a very good example of how to run a city based game I think. I'll be keeping an eye out for whatever you run next (though I'm hoping you stick with the Realms), and best of luck with it.

Also, congrats on making the decision you did, reading that has made me take another look at my own campaign and alter a few things later down the line, to broaden the parties choices.


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## Ranger5 (Aug 20, 2005)

Brakkart said:
			
		

> I've enjoyed reading your story hour, a very good example of how to run a city based game I think. I'll be keeping an eye out for whatever you run next (though I'm hoping you stick with the Realms), and best of luck with it.
> 
> Also, congrats on making the decision you did, reading that has made me take another look at my own campaign and alter a few things later down the line, to broaden the parties choices.




Well thank you for the support. As for my next game it is going to be a variation on the Realms. I will be using the maps and most of the familiar cities but I will be replacing the gods and nations with my own. Well not my own gods, I am going to use the core rulebook gods. I am going to call my world the Grey Realms.   

And my plan is use publised modules (mostly from Goodman Games - their wonderful Dungeon Crawl Classics) and see if a campaign grows out of those adventures. I did that once before in a higher level game and it went pretty well.

Well keep an eye out but it probably won't be for a little while as we are in the middle of an epic game and then we may play something else. I am not sure.


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## Morte (Aug 20, 2005)

Ah well. I'll just have to look forward to the next one, then.


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