Session 22 Prep

Session Title: On The Road Again!

Housekeeping and Updates

Please have thoughts about what you’re feeling for lunch as we might try and play while eating to make sure we get through the whole session.

Review

Leodel; with the assistance of his adoptive father Ander, located and acquired the artifact known as Thin Heir and realised that he was in someway connected to it.
The father-and-son shared a tender moment and resolved to return to their life in Neverwinter.
A strange Leonin male showed up in Phandalin shortly after Leodel’s departure and began asking around town for some bandits that he’d heard were in town a while ago.
The party; after finding a few leads for work in the East and South of Triyana, decided they should head to Neverwinter and deal with Oskar Kryme.
After renting horses and carts, buying weapons, and getting more information - they set off on the road North towards Neverwinter.
After a successful first day of travel and night of rest, the party came upon a narrow path with some odd looking trees. Upon passing by a tree, it morphed into the familiar, now zombified, form of Dagult Neverember and following behind was Dixon Normus.
The party bested the two zombies in battle but lost their horses in the process.
With their cart damaged and their horses not around, you are now left to pick up the scraps and move forward.

Bridge

Refamiliarize them with the space

You’re standing on a narrow strip of land - between 50-65 feet wide with some higher ground (5-10ft) to the West and a lower area that is further down (10-20ft) to the East. The road seems to continue further North onto flatter grounds.

You see some old withered trees amongst the area, and your damaged cart behind you. Your horses are nowhere to be seen.

What do you all do?

What to do?

Let the players come up with ideas and see what sticks. In general, they will not walk fast enough on foot to make their deadline.

They can try to repair their cart/look for their horses (DC21 Perception), or call in favours, look for new mounts, or surprise you - be open to ideas.

Grinchyness

Play out a Grinchy scene for Fill to keep him on his toes and explain that Marius unknowingly undid the protections that Santa Claus had placed on him when he helped him out with the killing blow against Dagult

Forwards

Sleep time

If the party sleeps not too far from the area they fought in, during their night watch they’ll have a number of chances to hear the sound of horses in distress or goblin speak. Investigation will reveal a potential combat encounter with 3 Goblin bosses and 4 regular Goblins.

Combat or Stealth

Give the players free reign to decide if they want to go in guns blazing or try to navigate stealthily.

If they players are reckless with their engage, kill one of the horses to punish them without making it too harsh. If they continue to be reckless, kill another horse and see how they manage to fix that situation.

Consecutive stealth checks will be needed to get all their horses out.

Continued Travel

If the player roles a 15 or higher on their daily travel role, Illsaiim will receive a telepathic message from a Zhentarim member informing them that their timeline has been extended another 7 days due to stronger than expected opposition.

Neverwinter!

If the party arrive at Neverwinter, give them the vague description of the city from the outside

”You see a large, flat, coastal plains area interrupted by large gaping cracks in the ground. Beyond that you see the towering granite brick walls that make up what you believe is the outer wall of Neverwinter and then the long, durable bridges made of a darker wood and steel that connect the city to the main landmass.

Those of you aware of modern history would gather that these are the scars of The Ruining that destroyed the then outer rim of the city and lead to Dagult’s rise to power.” - Description of Neverwinter, as narrated

Anyone interested can roll a DC16 Perception check to see that the outer walls have been adorned with new banners made of a blue cloth that have a emblem of two odd shaped symbols.

Some players if they roll high enough DC22 on perception or a follow up history roll will get a whisper that these are firearms

IT’S A TRAP

If they walk towards the city and enter through the main gates, they’ll be caught off guard without an active DC18 Perception, and wires will suddenly wrap around their ankles (dogeable with a DC 16 Athletics or Acrobatics check).

This might lead to a combat encounter or a straight up capture by the party. At this point we’re going off script if they manage to get up to this.