A Friend Departs

After escaping the lair of the black dragon Nightscale, the characters needed a plan. With the paladin Alarion dead and the wizard Seth left to an unknown (but all-but-certain) fate, the heroes of Helmsport knew that they could afford another setback. The return expedition to the depths of Khundrukar would have to succeed.

Adarrial Smythe, Man of Renown, wasted no time in assembling as many allies as he could. In addition to Eandrynn the elven archer and Thorgrimm the dwarven barbarian—both also survivors of the previous foray—Adarrial gathered Seth’s childhood friends Duran Fortnite, cleric of Altius, and Jarvis Osburn, mighty warrior. He also contacted the rogue Thomas Johnson, who had accompanied the heroes on their first venture into the dwarven ruins. And, of course, the paladin’s loyal cohort Verdigris, who was distraught at his ally’s death.

For two solid days the characters gathered resources and information. Scrolls and potions were crafted or purchased. The heroes also consulted Granius, a local loremaster who had helped them in previous activities. Granius agreed to scry Seth in the hopes that the rogue might have managed to escape the dragon’s clutches. To the characters’ surprise, the attempt was successful, revealing that Seth had managed to convince the dragon to let him live—until Nightscale grew bored of the young wizard’s stories.

Stirred by the characters’ devotion to their friend, Granius’ apprentice—a young would-be loremaster named Stannis Alensin—offered to accompany the heroes on their quest. Though Granius warned Stannis that the task would be difficult and potentially deadly, the diviner seemed set in his decision.

On the third day after their defeat, the heroes of Helmsport—now numbering eight, including the wyrmling dragon Gree—returned to the scene of the battle. This time, the dragon could not take advantage of its environment, as the heroes banished both water and darkness from the cavern. Jarvis and Thorgrimm took the fight directly to the dragon, as Verdigris, Eandrynn, and Thomas took a more opportunistic approach and the spellcasters supported their comrades with powerful magic.

In the end, the result was as one-sided as before, but with a different side claiming victory. But the heroes’ elation was short-lived. Though they retrieved the fallen paladin’s equipment, only a skull remained of their friend. Furthermore, the wizard Seth was nowhere to be found!

Puzzled, the characters trekked back to the surface and to the warm safety of their rooms at a local inn. Perplexity soon gave way to shock, as the heroes discovered that their rooms had been ransacked and a chest full of gold and silver stolen! Accusations flew, and a number of the characters concluded that their “friend” Seth had for some reason turned on them even as they had attempted to rescue him!

But just as the angry heroes prepared to mount up in pursuit of the culprit, a message arrived by courier. The brief letter, penned by Seth himself, apologized for the theft and asked the characters to leave him alone and not follow him. “There are many questions of myself that I must answer, and until I find those answers I worry that my presence would be inappropriate. Where I go, I must go alone. I hope that I shall see you again.”

Though this message did not allay the concerns of all, cooler heads prevailed, at least for the time being. Seth would have to walk his own path.

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