DnD Campaign 4 Notes - Tyranny of Dragons

Characters

Clayton – Automaton Artificer/Wizard (Millar Sue)
Ku – Aarakockra Cleric (Shivay Singh)
Dante – Changeling Warlock (Sylvain Bechet)
Hwep – Aasimar Wizard/Cleric (Dylan Thompson)

Backstory

·       Dante-Clayton: used to be in the same tribe, before Dante left the tribe, Clayton gave him a map of an unknown place (cult location).

·       Dante-Hwep: met in a faraway place with the mutual goal of joining a cult for their respective personal reason.

·       Dante-Ku: Reluctant allies, alchemy set

·       Clayton-Hwep: Both join a guild (business) whose purpose was to make lockets signifying the membership of the Guild. Its current purpose is unknown.

·       Clayton-Ku: Locket, childhood

·       Hwep-Ku: Siblings, guildhall

Dante backstory: -tribe mates with Clayton -> got map from Clayton -> followed map from Clayton and ended up at Dragon Cult (was using Dragonborn appearance) -> met Hwep who also wanted to join the cult so became good buddies as fellow cult newbies -> stole the cult’s artifact within my first month -> left cult before shit hit the fan (changed appearance to current one just after to lose all traces) -> became faction agent over the next 10ish years, developing a large info network -> ended up meeting with Clayton and Hwep on the way to Greenest

Hwep si-Sal Build Info:
Haunted One: You are haunted by something so terrible that you dare not speak of it. You’ve tried to bury it and run away from it, to no avail. Whatever this thing is that haunts you can’t be slain with a sword or banished with a spell. It might come to you as a shadow on the wall, a bloodcurdling nightmare, a memory that refuses to die, or a demonic whisper in the dark. The burden has taken its toll, isolating you from most people and making you question your sanity. You must find a way to overcome it before it destroys you.
Feature: Heart of Darkness - Those who look into your eyes can see that you have faced unimaginable horror and that you are no stranger to darkness. Though they might fear you, commoners will extend you every courtesy and do their utmost to help you. Unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them, they will even take up arms to fight alongside you, should you find yourself facing an enemy alone.
Personality Traits: I like to read and memorize poetry. It keeps me calm and brings me fleeting moments of happiness.
Ideals: I have a dark calling that puts me above the law. (Chaotic)
Bonds: I keep my thoughts and discoveries in a journal. My journal is my legacy.
Flaws: I have certain rituals that I must follow every day. I can never break them.

Hwep si-Sal Backstory:
- Due to worldly events in his youth, he encountered a trickster God and was inducted into a religion following this God -- not realising his own treachery. This involved being sent to a parallel dimension (see also: Dante)
- Due to his birthright, in his greatest time of need, he was able to use magic to escape from the cult he had been drawn into. This was accidental at first. Not helped by the loss of his memory from the time he was in the cult.
- After discovering that the weird events that keep happening to him were his own doing, he drew himself into the study of magic and practiced.
- Eventually feeling the need for redemption, and desire to prove that the cult was not a determinant of his personality, he ventured into the world to prove himself as worthy of admiration.
- After arrival in [Waterdeep], Hwep joined a guild that’s sole purpose was creating lockets to signify its membership

Clayton Copperpot backstory:
-  As a young boy, Clayton was taken from his family and worked as a slave where he was sold numerous times to slave traders by slave traders. He was eventually traded to Master who had taken him to the nearby village. 
- Master taught Clayton how to write, read and basic etiquette, and also made him follow the rules and responsibilities as every other villager which made Clayton feel less like a slave and just another villager. Master told him that his main responsibility was looking after his 2 daughters, Missy and Little Miss.
- Clayton especially enjoyed his time with Little Miss but then Little Miss was diagnosed with a mysterious disease. Master thought the best plan of action to ensure Little Miss's survival was to place her in cryostasis until a cure could be found. 
- Clayton, who had feelings for Little Miss, offered to look after her until a cure was found and over the years had constructed himself with machine parts to prolong his own life. Clayton travelled the world for possible remedies and had joined numerous associations along the way, the most recent being a locket making guild. 

Ku Ecca backstory:
A 4 year old Aaracocra Researcher Cleric, Apostle of Syranita . (3 is maturity). I am easily distracted by the promise of information. I sold my soul for knowledge and hope to win it back through great deeds. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in all existence. We have been looking for information on the dragon cult and poring over tomes. Not decided on if the cult is good or bad.

Prologue: Chromatic Dragonborns, And Why They’re Bad News

Ku sat with his parents around the dinner table.
“You know that your brother’s adopted, right?” Ku’s mother led the discussion, although Ku was faintly uneasy about the whole thing. The important point was what they were on about, rather than where the discussion started.
“He has wings, but come on, mum. I’m not that stupid. Of course I knew …”
“We just found him one day. At the foot of the tree …” His father always seemed slightly henpecked (hehehehe)
“And you thought he was a bird that had fallen out of another nest?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“And if someone had come to claim him?”
“Ah yes, custody negotiations among the aarakocra are typically amicable and not at all a source for feuds.” Ku always hated how his mother would use sarcasm. Surely the only bird capable of it.
“Wow, they eat the young?”
“Feud, not food. But yes, sometimes. Have you heard from Hwep recently?” Ah, we might be getting to the point.
“He went off to … his words were ‘make his fortune’. Much beyond that, no.”
 “You sound unconvinced?”
“It’s not really unconvinced, but …”
“What?”
“What am I doing here? There’s so much more to discover out there …” Time to use this floundering mess of a conversation over dinner to his advantage, Ku thought.
“Well, if Hwep thinks he can be rich, then surely you can too.”
“But what about you guys?”
“You’re the older brother, you should spread your wings”
“Just for that joke, I’m going.” Obviously, he didn’t leave immediately, but he finished his meal then grabbed all his money – and flew out of the nest.

The hammer bounced off its anvil. Funny how these things tended to come in sets.
The craftsman had been working for several days now, and he had almost a fully sculpted human form, made entirely out of iron. Would need frequent maintenance – he probably should have used aluminium. Or plastic. Or magic. Or something. But, no. Gears, the next great innovation. The human form he was fixing up looked frail underneath the machinery – like it would melt into dust but for the casing.
As he hammered the last piece into place, the whole thing started to tick immediately. The creature gestured as if asking a question. A success, it seemed. At the very least, the poor man had been saved from the terrible accident that had befallen it.
Overjoyed with the success, the craftsman toured his automaton around the village. Most people were pleased, or could see the appeal at least. But one faction took exception to the creation of this metal man – and stole it in the night while the craftsman was asleep, selling it immediately on the black market overnight so it was long gone by the following morning. The automaton found itself completing work for a number of buyers-turned-sellers, until a man known only as Master bought the automaton and seemed to promise it a good home.
Over the years that followed, the Master craftsman would teach his automaton how to speak, then read, then write; all with its newly metal appendages; in much the way a toddler would be handled. Eventually, he could interface with Master’s daughters, Little Miss and Missy. Of course he had a favourite.
To Clayton, as he was known now, life seemed to be getting better.

Hwep and Dante had joined the Dragon Queen’s cause three weeks ago. Not intentionally, at first – but this is the way these things tended to go; first they offer you pamphlets, then they coerce you into taking them until you’re a salmon swimming in a waterfall, and leaving is no longer an easy option.
Dante noticed it first. The deadlines becoming tighter, residual energy at the end of any given day being less – in no more than a month there would be no incentive to leave.
And this was not what had been ‘agreed’. In fact, deciding what to do about this kept Hwep up at night. It didn’t seem to have the same effect on Dante. The men had met as initiates in the lines waiting for admission – Hwep had always noticed that Dante had a different demeanour to himself. More focussed, if he may say so himself. As though admitting his own lack of internal priorities – but in fairness to himself, he didn’t have any.
“I’m here to steal something,” Dante pulled Hwep aside after about twenty minutes.
Oh, that explained it. “And you want my help?”
“Well, I don’t need it – but if you want to then sure.”
“So what’s the plan?”
“Basically I’ll steal it then escape. You really don’t need to be involved.”
“Then I’d rather not know.”
“Okay, don’t raise an alarm if you see me gone after dark.”
“Deal.”

Master received visitors rarely, so Clayton was programmed not to respond to them. Thus, when a woman appearing to be half-black dragonborn knocked at Master’s door, Clayton thought nothing of it, and Master quietly met with the woman. And, so it seemed, the problem was solved. But she was back the following week. More discussions, then leaving again. And the same the week after.
Clayton asked Master to discuss the content of the meetings – and was hushed. So, not something that he was supposed to know. But … little Miss. She’d been getting sick regularly the last few months, maybe it was to do with that?
The dragonborn returned, and Clayton thought to ask her directly. She seemed offended by the questions, but took it in good grace. “His daughter is unwell and I can help – there is a God that is powerful, and prayers will bring her back to us. Until she can come back, I will place her in stasis.
Master heard this, and replied anxiously; “there – there’s no need for that, I can work on it, I will, I promise, I—”
The dragonborn turned to look at the newcomer, “You’ve already caused enough problems. No more.”
Clayton fled the house while his Master was incinerated.

Ku soared along the coastline, eventually settling down in Daggerford for several nights. He spent most of this time in the tavern, first taking in the first ‘normal’ atmosphere he’d ever experienced; and not even needing a room when asked. He was nearly kicked out for intoxication until the barkeep figured out he was just overwhelmed and dissociated.
He struck up conversation with a woman that appeared to be dressed all in black.
“So, what do you know?”
“What do I know about what?” Her voice sounded like a paper cut.
“Anything, just tell me something. I just want to learn.”
“I only tell people things for a price.”
“What’s your price?”
“You seem to think information will complete the soul – so here; my price is your soul.”
“I give you my soul, and you tell me something?”
“That’s the price.”
He moved away, and on to other things. But the thought of knowledge overpowered him on day ten or so. He wasn’t keeping count.
“Fine, I’m in,” he said to the woman who seemed to not have moved. But, again, he wasn’t keeping track.
“Listen closely, and I’ll tell you all you need …” she reached over and pluck a feather. “And now that’s mine, too.”

Sword in hand, Dante made his escape in the night while Hwep slept. He’d seen a black chromatic dragonborn earlier in the recruitment process, so transformed into them – whoever they were – and found getting out of the compound easy enough. He consulted the map he’d been given by his friend Clayton. Yes, looks about as you’d expect from the outside – certainly the map had never let him down. He changed again into one of the guards right by the entrance – chromatic dragonborns cause … problems, so he felt it unwise to continue to be one for any longer than necessary. Skyreach castle, hmm, he thought as he folded the map away.

Awoken to a noticeable absence of Dante, Hwep was detained and taken into a pentagonal room with five dragon heads on the walls. A chromatic dragonborn stood with a clipboard and a mace.
“Tell me, where did the sword go?”
“Sword?”
“Don’t play stupid. Your friend stole an artefact from us.”
“It’s not an act thought – what sword?”
“If you won’t help us, then we might have to … convince … you”
Hwep would not be able to say what happened next. The last thing he remembered was being led into another dark room, being placed on a chair in the middle, then surrounded with green fire.

Clayton made it to Amn in a month, unsure whether he had been followed, and far, far too tired to care. He’d hitchhiked the last bit on the back of a wagon, paying for his share of the trip with gears from inside his torso. He’d have to fix those up himself. In Amn, he joined the Locket League, a locket-making guild where the possession of the lockets would have perks throughout the Sword Coast. There he met a newly-arrived Aasimar called Hwep, who had no recollection of his past. Between them they decided that Amn had nothing left to offer them, and headed on a wagon back towards El Turel, where they went up with a changeling called Dante. None of them made mention of the chromatic dragonborn that had been a part of their journey already. Which is a shame – they might have been able to help each other …

Tyranny of Dragons Summary

Session 1 – 21 (Shivay)

The party meets on the road towards Greenrest, a small town – and they get to know each other on the trip, despite having several pre-existing connections. Hwep is an Aasmiar wizard who has a blanked memory of the past five years, although remembers the beginnings of his time in a dragon cult – and Dante from his time there. He had met Clayton joining another Guild in town moments before leaving. Clayton is an automaton Wizard from the same tribe as Dante. Dante is a Changeling Hexblade Warlock who was given a map of an unknown place by Clayton.

En route, they are ambushed while resting – dealt with by putting the kobolds to sleep. When they finally arrive in Greenrest, the town is under attack from a dragon – with the town also being looted by kobolds. They save a villager and his family, using Mage Hand on the kids – the party and most of the locals shelter in the keep and wait for the dragon attack to stop. After a while, they see it has; the dragon must have gotten what it wanted. When leaving the keep, they notice some villagers held captive by kobolds. Dante is challenged to a fight, where he is beaten – but the kobolds leave and villagers are freed anyway. So there may have been some other motive for that. A villager offers 250 gold (maybe this is why the town was raided…) each (wow, they’re loaded) for information on the raiders, and the party gear up and set off.

The party tracks down the horde of cultists – eating meat by the roadside. Clayton walks undisguised straight through the entrance. Clayton attempts to negotiate for meat, and fights the kobolds, trying to get stolen gold back. Hwep uses Sleep on the kobolds again. Dante then goes around killing the sleeping Kobolds. The party light a bonfire to destroy the evidence, and move on, tracking the one kobold that escaped. They see the kobold meet up with a group; and pretend to be tax collectors to try and recover stolen gold. Entering the Raider’s camp, the party are given items as gifts of charity after being pitied by the kobolds, then sleep in a provided cave. Clayton is taken to the leader of the kobolds and sentenced to death, but manages to escape and find Leosin – a person of interest from the nearby village. Hwep and Dante consider setting fire to the village as a distraction, which they use to escape with Leosin, and return to town. Leosin is injured.

Hwep and Dante talk about what they know of the dragon cult – flashes of green on the robes of the cultists. Leosin offers the party 150 gold each to reinvestigate the camp, when he is recovered. After too much drinking, Clayton and Hwep sleep in a cupboard, but Dante goes back to his rooms. Returning to the raider camp – the party now find it abandoned. After some hunting to appease the only guard of the camp, Clayton is recognised, but get into the camp – either by sneaking (Dante, Hwep) or by being led through as a captive (Clayton). The nursery is explored and more cultists are discovered. Clayton fights the entrance guards and gets his equipment and 45 g back. Dante solo fights Cyanwrath, a cult leader. After a tense, close combat, Dante emerges victorious after some un-asked-for intervention by Hwep. Clayton finds and disturbs a nest of stirges, while Hwep and Dante explore everywhere else. They walk back to a cave with dragon eggs in, and encounter some kobolds that use glue to immobilise targets. Guards know the party is there, they become one frosty kobold and one mashed kobold because of magic missile again. There are also guard drakes that are aware of the party but have not seen them yet. Hwep recalls information about the eggs, and cult; 150 pound egg, 3ft tall, Black dragon egg, well guarded by kobold patrols, likely to hatch. Clayton damages an egg, the missed attack extends a crack. Dante decides to go into death corner to steal an (his) egg. Both drakes now in combat. Dante moves his egg, very stealthy. The drakes put Clayton down but he is stabilised, then the drakes are given a bigger problem to deal with so the party can escape. The big egg is now covered in deer skin. The party looks around, notices many black dragons and many holes in the statue’s mouths. Dante takes on the disguise of Cyanwrath, Clayton pretends to be a prisoner and Hwep is acting like a hired guard. They manage to get back to Greenrest.

They hire horses and leave town with the egg strapped to Dante’s back. Dante intimidates his horse to gain control. Hwep and Clayton are one with their horse. On day 5 they enter El Turel, then find Leosin and get paid. Party negotiates with Frume for a ruby worth 1200gp to follow dragon cult. They get to Baldur's Gate and meet Selebon. They are then hired by Beyd Sechepol to travel north till he runs out of ale. Gleamsilver finds bone sliver in Claytons food, and asks to talk this evening. Clayton eats 3 oatmeals asa Dante and Hwep would be injured. Party is too stupid to know what a dragon cult is. Including Hwep, as Gleamsilver is being too obtuse. They meet Aldor Urnpoleshurst after a cultist is found dead and the party is checked for similar weapons. The party are ambushed by Perytons.

Session 22 – 29 (Dylan)

The party, led by Dante, is attacked by two Perytons. During the fight, Hwep recognizes his brother Ku, who is heckling from the distance. Hwep puts one of the birds to sleep, and Dante kills the other one. The birds mention that the dragon cult is trying to recruit Hwep again and has taken to using wildlife. Ku joins the party and they head back to the wagon where he introduces himself and gets the lay of the land. They reach Waterdeep and unload the crates which turn out to be stolen property. The party gathers intelligence and finds out the shipment will move the following evening. They discuss the need for disguises and wait for Thursday. Dante's egg starts to crack. On Thursday morning, Hwep questions his usefulness to the group because of his past associations and a fight ensues between Hwep and Clayton, and Hwep storms off to rejoin the cult. Dante and Ku try to apologize but Clayton refuses to do so. They find a map with trade routes marked and an ominous circle in the Mere of Dead Men. The party reaches castle Naerytar, and a family of lizardfolk join the party to recover their standing. Hwep rejoins the dragon cult, and the party sees fresh footprints at castle Naerytar, assumed to be Hwep's.

At the Castle Naerytar, the party contemplated killing everyone and taking their homes. Lizardfolk have no worker's rights and no idea about free time. The party convince the lizards that they are worthy employers as well. They befriend other local lizards and then set out to fight the bullywugs, after team building exercises, the Human Knot, which was completed quickly with acrobatics from Clayton. They then make a game of looting the huts. The dragon egg is safe for now, and Dante trusts the lizards more. Tomorrow, we eat frog.

Ku muses that Hwep would have loved orgies. A plan is devised to move across the marshlands to the frogs. Fighting the frog leader in single combat, Clayton wonders about the mechanics for biting. Ku muses that Hwep would have loved orgies, and heckles that the frogs should bite harder, which the frog then does. The next round everyone misses. The frog seems to have more support than Clayton in this fight. Dante is confused about the fight strategy of the whole situation. Dante sarcastically wishes them both good luck and then Clayton wins the fight. The frogs then bend the knee. Clayton heals Froggo and an understanding is reached, where he tinkers to help them with chores. The egg doesn’t crack more.

Clayton names the roomba Ribbet, and the frogs disclose that the castle is full of frogs. Clayton is still racist – the frogs follow Clayton and the lizards follow Dante. They walk up to the castle guards, who aren’t expecting them, and get startled out of the chairs that they have. Dante is princess carrying the guards. He is set down by Dante, and then the party is questioned. They are here for the Orgy (™). The guards are unsure how they know about it. They pass through, and the guard drakes quiz them also, and reveal a lot of kidnapped lizards. The party drops off the loot from the caravan (half of Clayton’s lockets), and proceed up the stairs to process it with the accounts team. They then give the items over one at a time. Dante tries to steal some counterfeit lockets, and the bullywug’s are alerted to that the lockets are counterfeited, which causes problems for the lower level. Dragon egg still not hatched.

A dragon called Neidr communicates with Dante, she's okay with the egg in Dante's possession for now. Neidr points out that the sword Dante carries might cause issues – and Dante explains the origins of the weapon to the party, that it was stolen from the cult, has given him his warlock powers – although he does not know why or who from – and that it can be any weapon he likes, changing every day. The party is then filled in. The party goes downstairs and notes that the conflict between the frogs and lizards. The party heads into the dungeon, and Clayton picks a fight with a spectre while asking for directions and gets frightened as a result. They then decide to follow the line towards the portal, after considering the spectre's directions. They see some feathers that look like Hwep's. Clayton gets to the top of the ledge, but Ku fails then remembers he can fly. There is another feather, and Ku starts a collection of feathers. Clayton is not helped by another ghost, but not attacked either. They discover Hwep and Clayton wants to make amends for his past/present racism. Clayton is too loud and startles Hwep who goes through while doing grunt work for Rezmir and Azbara Jos. Dragon begins to crack after the party walks into the chamber with the portal. Cliffhanger as they contemplate talking to Rezmir, Azbara or Pharblex.

Clayton needs to take the lead. Party rolls bad stealth, and Pharblex notices the party, asking them why they are they in the lair. Pharblex wants to inspect the loot before Clayton adds it to the pile, but Clayton only wants the bathroom. Eventually, Rezmir demands that Clayton go through the portal after realising the party had enough treasure to finish the ritual, and kills Pharblex for convincing Clayton not to go (by taking too long to verify the loot). She then threatens the party and tries to force them through the door. Rezmir hears Clayton’s rule about following someone’s dying wish, and kills herself saying it’s her dying wish that they go through. Azbara sneaks behind and finishes the ritual, summoning the dragon. The party feel this, and go through the portal to stop whatever has come through – to find that it is an apparition of Tiamat and not the full creature. It is also very confused where it is and why it was summoned. The party try various ways of reversing the summoning spell, but they fail. Clayton notices his love interest, Little Miss on a sacrificial table in the middle and rescues her from sacrifice, with the small cost of breaking her wrist. But he princess carries her, so romantic. Dante hears Neidr again in his head, and she helps upon his request, bringing Dwyfol, Rie, Klagen and Crow. She has been monitoring the cult situation for years after a previous event where many dragons were killed by extremists. The Tiamat apparition expresses confusion at why it is there, and Dante’s wyrmling wakes up and starts asking much the same questions, having only just hatched. This is revealed to be a Gold dragon, and so stolen from elsewhere and not related to Tiamat by blood. Dante then starts trying to teach the wyrmling (called Rivarol) about the nuances of conflict resolution, as Clayton tries to gaslight Hwep into forgiving him, which is at the very least not rejected. Let’s not say it’s believed. Azbara, seeing his plan fail, runs at Tiamat with a magically charged sword, but Dante trips him and stop whatever he was planning. Dante then steals the magic sword. Tiamat asks Dante about his changeable weapon (Dante’s favoured form was a crossbow), and why he stole it – revealing she is his warlock patron. She again expresses confusion and Dante explains that the cult wanted her here, and she could go home. She then successfully banishes herself. Clayton refuses to properly apologise to Hwe p, and even evades Ku’s attempts to make him do so, preferring to gaslight.

Epilogue: Hwep and Ku stay at the cult to work and use it to make money, or at least stop it from the evil business it was doing before. Clayton and Dante head back to on the back of Neidr, where Clayton tells Little Miss the stories of his adventures. Dante goes to raise Rivarol on his own, visiting the cult every so often to see Hwep and Ku. Ku tries to build dragon wings for Hwep, thinking he still wants to learn to fly; so Hwep mentions he can fly through magic in any case.

Post-Campaign

Epilogue: For The Sake Of Completeness

The story had circulated Neverwinter for the past year or so. An adventuring party had entered Wave Echo Cave and stopped the Black Spider in their conquest, ensuring the Forge of Spells couldn’t be used for evil.
What had been missed was the part where the forge was besieged a year or so after. In the siege, a sword had been produced and enchanted. This sword had the power to, on attack, send something to a different dimension. This sword fell into the possession of the Cult of Tiamat – to suddenly go quiet.
Unsettling.
K’churlat recounted this tale with a gleam in his eye. He hadn’t been present at the events he was regaling, but that didn’t stop him – they didn’t need to be true. They just happened to be.

*

Dante had learned Fly as a precautionary measure. He’d never actually crash-landed with the dragon, but you never quite knew when your luck would end. They were flying over the Castle Naerytar, quite by chance.
“Should we drop in on Ku and Hwep?” he said out loud, and immediately regretted his word choice.
Sure, dad.

*

The crash sent the cultists diving for cover.
“Oh, hi, Dante. Need some help there?” Hwep asked – he’d been sweeping the yard peacefully, and was now sweeping the yard chaotically
“Nah, all good, I planned for this,” Dante dusted himself off, disentangling himself from the small dragon. “This was planned. Yes.”
“Ah yes, because anything you say more than once in the same sentence is definitely true,” Ku stuck his head out to investigate the sudden noise.
“Oh. Hi. Just dropped in.”
“Figured. And the training’s going well?”
“Yeah, we flew from Neverwinter, so for about an hour”
“Improvement. Can I get you anything?”
“A new spine?”
“I just finished making wings for Hwep, but apparently he learned to fly anyway, so those are going spare if you want them?”
“We’ll see. I wonder how Clayton’s doing?”
“He seemed pretty fed up with the whole adventuring business.”
“And did you hear from the dragon – Neidr, wasn’t it – after we cleaned up here?”
“She checks in every so often, yeah. Still feels responsible Rivarol, I think.”
“At least you have someone to go to for advice.”
“I also have a patron that’s theoretically around here somewhere.”
“You can stick around, you know,” Hwep had finished his sweeping, “the orgy’s on Thursdays.”
“I thought we had agreed, no sacrifices.”

*

Clayton had finished telling another story to Little Miss. They’d settled down in Neverwinter, with a small cottage that Clayton had fixed up with metal. He’d described his concept to Little Miss, and she hadn’t been conviced. But then he’d actually started work on the thing and it looked better than expected, and seemed to be watertight. So, just like Clayton. This specific story he’d been telling had been a half-day long deal – and Little Miss was secretly sad for it to have finished. Not that she’d ever have said it to Clayton out loud. He didn’t need an excuse to repeat his stories. He had plenty to go around.

*

Neidr and Dwyfol sat around a table.
“So, the question is,” the gnome began.
“Will Tiamat come back? We might not be safe yet.”
“I trust the gentlemen that took over the castle, though.”
“Oh, yes. With Klagen in control of the Redbrands and … Ku, was it? … in charge of the castle, we should be alright.” Neidr shifted uncomfortably at her end of the table.
“You know,” Dwyfol made as though he was going to re-invent the wheel, “you could use your human form in the house.”
“And I can shit on the floor. This is the body I was born with. I’ll show it off as much as I want.”
“I’m just saying –”
“I know I’m allowed to be comfortable in my own home.”
“But you don’t feel comfortable in your own home?”
“… No. And mentioning the bird … man, just brought it up. What was his history again?”
“Normal lad, lost his soul to Rezmir in a bet.”
“And yet he was walking around?”
“Hmm, I see what you mean. You’re wanting to know where it is located.”
“Any ideas?”

*

Every so often, if the laws of probability are correctly aligned, two storytellers will tell the same story. It just so happened that this was the case in this exact moment – when both K’churlat and Clayton began a new tale; “let me tell you a story about a sword …”
Both men knew parts of the story, and were making other parts of it up.

*

Neidr crashed into the courtyard of Castle Naerytar, because she liked a joke as much as anyone.
“Stop the wedding!” Dwyfol had a habit of rushing into rooms without thinking, saying the first thing that came to mind whether it was related or not, and then spending the remaining week dealing with the consequences. Or consecrations.
“What are you on about?” Ku looked up from his most recent meal, served lovingly by cultists that didn’t have a choice.
“I dunno, but I have your attention.”
“And a nervous breakdown, apparently,” Ku went back to eating.
“Do you want your soul back or what?”
“Lost it in a bet. I’m prepared to accept that.”
“Thing is, we think we know where to find it.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah, and apparently it flies around in the skies above the castle.”
“Oh. So how are we going to get it back?”
At this point, Neidr spoke up. “We thought we’d ask nicely.” She turned to Dante who had brought his own plate of food into the courtyard, in spite of the threat to life and liberty that could have posed. “What do you say?”
“… please?” Dante was confused by the sudden inexplicable amount of responsibility placed on him.
“No, you see,” Neidr continued, almost gleefully, “Ku’s soul is in that sword.” She pointed at the glowing weapon Dante had just stolen.

*

Little Miss was getting restless again. “You don’t have to make up stories for the places you go to when you leave, you know?”
Clayton shrugged, “I’m not making these up –” a potential subtext caught up with him, and he continued uncertainly, “unless you want me to stop telling stories?”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m just not sure how you’re present for all of these conversations. And where do you fit in to these stories anyway?”
“All right, fine. Some of it’s made up.”
“But which parts,” Little Miss jabbed Clayton in the chest.
“Ow. I keep forgetting that stuff hurts now. That I’m –”
“A real boy.”
“Man.”
“If it makes you feel better. So, where were we …”

*

“So, what now?”
“Where was it from?”
“What? You’re asking me? Sure, I have the full ancestry of the sword I stole …” Point made, Dante sat back in his chair.
“What do you think, Hwep?”
“You mean now, or, like, before?”
“I mean now, your brain is functioning correctly.”
“Functioning, yes. Correctly, debatable.”
“I can take the sword back to its forge, and we remove the soul from there.”
Ku put a wing in the air. “I’ll come with.”
“I would expect no less,” Neidr replied with a certain amount of scorn, before spinning with some velocity and rocketing to a cruising altitude in under ten seconds.
Ku heard in his head – ‘You coming or not?’, and followed after the dragon.
Dante and Rivarol got the memo a minute later, an important turn of events given they were in possession of the magic sword that needed disenchanting. Once airborne, Dante said aloud “you’re getting good at taking off now.”
Thanks.
“You know where we’re going?”
I’ll follow the others.
“But you know where they are? We can’t see them …”
I’m linked to the other dragon. I can follow.
“Okay then.”
A minute or so of silence passed, then;
I’m confused.
“Yeah?”
How did Ku lose his soul? That’s not the kind of thing you can just …
“Yeah … and …” Dante looked over at the sword, “… how it ended up here, I’m not sure.” He held his own, stolen, blade in his hand – being its natural form for once.
“One sword is plenty.”
They flew on.

*

Ku’s soul rested inside the sword as it flew through the sky toward the Forge of Spells. Not waiting, waiting implies intent. Or hope. Or something. But patient. If one applied the law of averages to every given situation all at once, one might eventually reach the conclusion that it were possible somebody might claim the soul. So it waited for the Gods of probability to agree.
The dragonborn had rushed past her hastily assembled guards a year previously, hardly even waiting for the anvil to heat up before pulling a hammer and tongs from somewhere in the folds of either her robes or her hair. The soul wasn’t quite sure which. She’d done some magic so that Ku’s heart would keep beating. But it wasn’t an existence. At the very least it would not have felt lived in. Just … happened. Moving from day to day in a small box in his mind. As if by obligation. He wouldn’t even know his soul was here. Or still existed at all. He’d presume it lost. Presumed dead, by all accounts.
But, if the soul waited long enough … soon …

*

Clayton had started showing up to the meetings again. They helped with coming to peace with changes to his environment. He’d basically worked through re-acclimatising after his brief adventures. Currently working on how to be human again. Being a machine had been easier, if he may have said so himself. The monk leading the sessions, which took place in Neverwinter, said that these thoughts were normal and it would take time. But Clayton wasn’t sure he was really listening. K’Churlat liked to tell his own stories. But, hey, at least Clayton was out of the house.
Clayton flashed the locket he wore always around his neck at the receptionist when heading into the sessions. They hadn’t necessarily always been a symbol of recovery, but seemed to have become one in the months since Clayton’s settling down – which Ku would have called it ‘coming home to roost’. Hwep had one too, just to show there was always someone that could help. He knew that, though – and didn’t bother to show up to the meetings.

*

Hwep and Ku clung to Neidr’s back as she rocketed towards Phandalin, tumbling off after the inevitable landing due to inertia.
“This is just a cave,” Hwep noted, as Dante and his dragon smashed into the ground nearby.
“We really need to work on that,” Dante panted, as he straightened out his clothing.
“So, tell me,” Ku began, “what we’re doing here.”
Neidr grunted, then began to change until a tall woman stood before the group. “The forge of Spells is inside. The cult has long since left this abandoned, similar to the dragon eggs that –” She pointed over at Rivarol, gesturing to indicate the rest of the ideas contained in the sentence.
“Right, so you’re saying we just walk through?”
“I think so, yeah.” Neidr answered, as confident as she dared. The party began the walk through the cave.
There had clearly been some combat here in the past, and the old weaponry strewn about the passage could have been cult equipment, or remnants from these battles. There was the odd corpse against the wall every so often so that nobody was quite sure where the bloodshed ended and the colonialism began. Although it could be argued that there was no specific dividing line in the first place.
The party reached the furthest corner of Wave Echo Cave after about three hours of hiking.
“So this is what they were protecting …” Hwep whispered, with disgust.
He was looking at a fairly unassuming altar in the dust – but a faint green-purple haze was emanating from it. Some kind of magic.
“Yeah, badly. The whole outfit has been bad at its job at every turn.” Dante would have known, he’d successfully infiltrated the cult himself. Then he left because of boredom.
“So what do we do with this blade?” Ku asked, grabbing his soul from Dante’s unresisting hands.
“Pass it here. I think the sword will know what it needs. But just in case it doesn’t, I don’t want either of you getting hurt.” Neidr took the blade and placed it on the altar, picking up a hammer from an alcove nearby.
“So, let’s see,” Neidr took the first strike.

*

“Legend has it that the Forge of Spells gives the enchantments you want to use a voice,” Clayton continued his story to Little Miss, “that way you have to directly confront the equipment you’re making – and if you’re unlucky, it might try to stop you.”
“Stop you how?”
“By mind manipulation and things like that, I think. Not too sure, I’ve only heard stories from K’churlat at this stage.”
“Oh, so would it be the same for disenchantment?”
“I would think so,” Clayton readjusted himself, as he’d been in the same position for several hours, “although it might be easier …”

*

The sword asked Neidr one question only, mustering up all the older-sibling energy that it could find in its corporeal form.
Will you bring my human to any harm?
She never disclosed her reply to the party. She never needed to. The hammer stroke seemed to have changed the blade slightly. So she hit it again. More change, a slight green-purple tint to the blade. After maybe fifteen strokes she straightened up.
Only at this point did she notice Ku struggling for breath.
“What’s the matter? Is he OK?”
“Yes – I’m – fine – I just – heartbeat – had forgotten – ”
He doubled over in a coughing fit and straightened back up. “Huh. So it turns out I’ve been feeling like crap for the past few months. If I ever told you I was fine, I was lying.”
“Noted,” Hwep mused, twirling his Locket Guild locket over in his hand.
Ku noticed the contemplation. “What’s the matter?”
“I have an idea.” Hwep took his locket and placed it on the altar.
He looked across at Neidr. “Could you enchant this with a Restore spell? So that I can use it when I need to remember who I am?”
“It would be a single use.”
“Right. Better than not having it at all.”
Neidr began to work on the locket stopping to answer her question – why are you not applying the magic to its target directly – and the locket seemed to have been completed. She must have given a good answer. On the last stroke, the locket asked a question of Hwep; do you truly think it matters who you are? And are you ready to know?
Hwep’s answer – yes, letting others tell you things like that gets you into sticky situations. And nobody’s ever really ready, but they do it anyway – seemed to satisfy it.

*

The fliers landed back in the courtyard of Castle Naerytar. Hwep and Ku fell off Neidr’s back the same as before, and Dante was getting used to the meteoric speed of Rivarol’s descents by now.
“I have one more question – your, err, friend …” Neidr asked.
“Not a friend. He never apologised at all. So why should I forgive him?”
“Quite, but the burden of those interactions that you carry might not be fair on yourself.”
“Oh, I don’t. Accepted that he is what he is, and moved on. But I don’t carry a burden.”
“Just be mindful of that.”
“You’re not my mum.”
“Quite. Well, I think that’s me all sorted for now. I’ll certainly be in touch if we have any further issues.”
“Right. See you around.” Neidr lifted off while Hwep was in mid-sentence, and was out of sight by the end of it.
“So, about Clayton … I tried …” Ku spoke up.
“I know and I appreciate it. Both of you did your best with what you had.”
“So, what now?”
“We keep going. Only one way forward. The cul – our livelihood isn’t gonna make itself great again, is it?”
“Unfortunate word choice. I hear the guy running for mayor of Waterdeep uses that slogan.”
“Well, Waterdeep does need fixing, after all of the floods. Who built such an ironically named town on the waterfront, anyway?”

*

Clayton finished his tale, noticing only for the first time in a while that Little Miss was asleep. It didn’t seem to matter whether he had an audience or not at this point.
“Well, I guess we’d better sleep now,” he mused, lifting her easily into a fireman’s carry – and taking her to the small bedroom of their house to rest for the evening.