Princes of the Apocalypse

Chapter 1 Part 1

The party broke up a secret cult in Red Larch.
The party is looking into the disappearance of a missing caravan of dwarvish nobility from Mirabar.
Their investigations are leading them toward Feathergale Spire; they want to learn more about the apparent battle to which these shallow graves alluded.

Chapter 1 Part 2

The party met the Feathergale Society and exchanged info.
They got to fly around on hippogriffs and slay a manticore.
They were secretly asked to deal with "pirates" at Rivergard Keep in order to further prove themselves worthy of membership into the Feathergale Society.
Nobody knows where Rivergard Keep is.

Chapter 1 Part 3

The party has made quite a splash in Red Larch. They are known to all.
The investigation into the "Believers" conspiracy is slow-going, but one arrest has been made.
The Knights of Samular are friends of the Order of the Gauntlet (to which both Alexander and Kahntun belong); the body of a fallen brother of the Knights of Samular never arrived at Summit hall where it was to be interned (it was travelling with the missing Mirabaran caravan).
Books that were also presumably travelling with the missing caravan have turned up in Red Larch. They were bought by Endrith Villivoe from a travelling merchant in the town of Womford.
The party is headed to Womford to follow up this lead.
They are still looking for Rivergard Keep as they promised Savra Bellabantra of the Feathergale Society that they would root out the pirates using this (one of the four) Haunted Keep as their base of operation.

Chapter 1 Part 4

The party went to Womford following up a lead connecting a shady keelboat captain to books stolen from the Mirabaran caravan.
They met a genasi pirate named Shoalar who appeared to work for the "pirates" Savra spoke about occupying Rivergard Keep.
Leopold appears to have convinced Shoalar of our party's villainous ways, earning them an invitation to speak with the leader of his gang, Jolliver Grimjaw.
Shoalar and his crew sailed ahead while our party trailed behind in their "borrowed" keelboat."

Chapter 1 Part 5

The party entered Rivergard Keep under the pretense of joining the gang of pirates.
They were escorted to the Great Hall for an audience with the gang leader Jolliver Grimjaw.
Grimjaw turned out to be a wereboar. They killed him and his followers, including his important Lieutenants, Ushnora and Reash.
Kahntun is feeling feverish.
They found a note from a spy in Red Larch reporting on their movements and actions.
They rested over night in the water tower.
They fought off an ambush and killed the pirate Shoalar Quanderil.
They found the barracks abandoned. The bandits had apparently fled, however, not before drowning Lathana, Oric, and the other three youths from Womford. This troubled Alexander and Kahntun deeply.
The party killed a priestess who professed her fanatical devotion to a prophet and/or a deity called Olhydra or "the Crushing Wave."
They appear to have found an entrance to Tyar-Besil, but the one magical key they possess only disengages 1/4 of the lock.
They haven't found any new clues leading to the missing Mirabaran caravan.

Chapter 1 Part 6

The party experienced weird weather as they traveled down the Dessarin River.
They arrived in Womford, returned the "borrowed ship," and gave the majority of Shoalar's booty to the fishermen they had wronged.
The sister of the murdered boys at Rivergard Keep asked where her brothers were. Leopold solemnly (and convincingly) lied and told her that they had had a change of heart and tragically fallen while fighting bravely against the pirates who had been plaguing Womford recently. She thanked him for this news and walked away dejectedly.
The town agreed to allow the party to store their extra keelboat at the docks.

Chapter 1 Part 7

The party arrived at Summit Hall.
They learned about the Caradoon's, three brothers who fought bravely during the second Troll War, one of whom established the Knights of Samular.
They learned that this order was unable to locate the missing Mirabaran party.
They were expecting the arrival of the party because the caravan was in possession of the remains of one of their fallen warriors.
A secretive group referring to itself as the Sacred Stone Order settled into an old monastery to the west.
Alexander won another drinking contest.
Leopold rocked his lyre and wooed the commander of the Knights of Samular, Ushien Stormbanner.
He learned from the older woman that something "haunts" Summit Hall. Although this spirit does not seem malevolent, they do not understand its nature.

Chapter 1 Part 8

At Alexander's insistence, the party asked a favor of the Knights of Samular. They gave the knights the key to Rivergard Keep, asked them to retrieve their keelboat from Womford, then garrison the old fortress. Our heroes promised to check in when they could.
Hoping to honor the fallen knight who had died fighting with his father in the north by retrieving his remains, Kahntun thought it a good idea to continue north on the Dessarin Road in hopes of finding clues about the missing Mirabaran party or at the very least pay a visit to Beliard in order to follow up on leads about the lost caravan (this was the last location where they were seen).
While on the road, sharp-eyed LiKi noticed several birds of prey circling above a spot of earth a mile to the west.
There they found looted and abandoned wagons, the remains of five dead bugbears dressed in black leather with a strange triangular symbol on it, a human woman in monk's robes with a strange golden mask shaped like a snarling gargoyle face, and a dozen dead soldiers dressed in black surcoats bearing the emblem of Mirabar. It appeared to the party that a great battle had been fought here. It was clear that they had uncovered the fate of the missing caravan. But none of the bodies seemed to be that of the important delegates.
They found several goblinoid tracks leading westward. They followed these tracks and arrived at the Dessarin River. They discovered evidence of keelboats having recently landed on the muddy eastern banks.
The party decided that their best bet was to head west, in search of the strange monastery where these "Sacred Stone Monks" were holed up.
But this ideas was thwarted by the uncrossable river. Suddenly they were met by a band of Aarakocra warriors who descended from the sky above. After awkward, suspicious greetings, they exchanged information. Our heroes learned that this band was from a tribe that lived in the Sighing Valley near Feathergale Spire. In their squawking voices, the avian warriors mentioned that the Feathergale Knights were up to something suspicious, but were unable to determine the nature of their subterfuge.
The party promised to look further into this mystery when they had a chance. The Aarakocra offered to carry each of them across the river. The party accepted gratefully.
After another day of searching the wilderness, our heroes found the hidden valley that sheltered the Sacred Stone Monastery.

Chapter 1 Party 9

After a day or so of searching the Sumber Hills, the party located the Sacred Stone Monastery. It was very quiet outside. There was no evidence of activity.
Just before dusk, they looked through a narrow window and saw vacant hallways.
They decided to dawn the masks and cloaks that they had recovered from the slain "Bringers of Woe" from the temple beneath Red Larch.
They entered the monastery through the front door where they stumbled into two guards. The guards, in masks of their own, didn't budge. They were completely indifferent to our heroes' entrance.
The party explored a couple of rooms, finding empty barracks and a locked chest that Leopold unsuccessfully attempted to open.
They next entered a large dining hall where seemingly the whole cult was engaged in a deathly-quiet supper. The party stood, mouths agape until one of the monks asked them where they were supposed to be.
The party indicated that they were new recruits. They were escorted to a room which was immediately locked. They were told that they would meet with the head of the order Qarbo at midnight. They were accompanied by five sleeping monks and four vigilant guards.
Leopold pulled his lyre out and strummed a few chords. One of the monks casually walked over, snatched the instrument from Leo's grasp, smashed it against the ground, then resumed his post with his back against the wall near the only door to this chamber.
Enraged, Leopold started to decry this injustice, but sharp looks from LiKi, Alexander, and Kahntun told him that perhaps this wasn't the time for a fight.
The party was escorted to a large chamber at midnight and met with a masked figure claiming to be the head of the order.
Leopold cast a charm spell on this masked figure. Suddenly the floor dropped out beneath our heroes and they found themselves in a subterranean chamber with an angry, giant monster coming through a newly unlocked gate.
The party narrowly defeated the beast and explored the passages of this underground chamber.
They found a crypt with zombies present, but the zombies didn't attack.
They found another room where they killed an ogre and three orogs. They got a key off the leading orog.
They found slave pens with 17 commoners. Among these prisoners was one of the missing delegates from Mirabar, a dwarven sage named Bruldenthar.
From Bruldenthar the party learned that the caravan had been ambushed on the Dessarin Road by the inhabitants of this monastery. Their guards had been killed and the captives had been lead to the Dessarin River where they met pirates with keelboats. The pirates ferried the Sacred Stone Monks and the captives across the Dessarin River in exchange for some stolen treasures, most notably (for Bruldenthar) a collection of rare and valuable books from Mirabar.
Although he was unaware of the fate of most of the other nobles taken captive, Bruldenthar claimed that he and two other delegates were brought to the Monastery, but the other two, Rhundorth and Teresiel, were "taken below to an unknown fate."
After a bit more exploring, the party found a secret tunnel that lead out to the Sumber Hills. They freed the prisoners and lead them to the open air.

Chapter 1 Part 10

Kahntun survived transforming into a boar.
The rescued Mirabaran diplomat, Bruldenthar gave some info about this missing caravan.
LiKi pulled a direwolf out of a bag.
Leopold left to escort the freed captives to Rivergard Keep and wait.
The party infiltrated the monastery again and found a locked entrance to Tyar-Besil.
The party killed the "Abbess of Stone."
LiKi found a key on this abbess.
The party met a lich named Renwick Caradoon, brother to the hero of old, Samular, founder of the Knights of Samular.
Renwick gave Kahntun an amulet of health.
The party found a bunch of writings that explained a lot about the "Sacred Stone Monks," who are actually just a front for something called the Black Earth Cult, led by the "prophet" named Marlos Urnrayle, who wields "Ironfang," and nurtures something called the "Black Geode," in a place called "The Fane of the Eye," in hopes of unleashing an elemental power named Ogrémoch.
The party killed some monks, some duegar, the face of the Sacred Stone Monks, Qarbo, and a few of his guards.
The party believes that they need two more keys to unlock the subterranean portals to Tyar-Besil.

Chapter 1 Part 11

The group reunited at Rivergard Keep and started to clean it up with the help of those they rescued from the Sacred Stone Monastery.
The murderous Bastian Thermander drew them out and confronted them, warning them to leave off their investigations, then engaged them in combat before fleeing.
The Knights of Samular arrived to garrison the keep, bringing news.
A cleric of their order named Neb Kebone is investigating a druid festival in the Sumber Hills.
Quelline Alderleaf has reached out to LiKi and asked her to help her sister Jayne whose family and farm are currently being tormented by a "fire witch."
The party agreed to investigate the latter; they would leave for Nettlebee Ranch at first light.

Chapter 1 Part 12

The party arrived at Nettlebee Ranch; the family was scared.
They investigated evidence of a "fire witch."
They determined that the patriarchs concocted this witch to lure the characters in and murder them in service of the Black Earth cult.
In doing so, they enraged an ancient Uthgardt spirit.
The party restored the dignity of the spirit.
Wiggan Nettlebee escaped.
Betram Nettlebee was slain by Kahntun.
Quelline's sister, Jayne became the leader of the Nettlebee clan.
The party received some powerful gifts for their troubles.
The party plans on staying at the farm and its surrounding area until the druid festival.

Chapter 1 Part 13

Jayne Nettlebee takes control of the family ranch.
The party goes to Triboar and meets with the Alderleafs and Dreidoth (from Phandalin).
LiKi, Quelline, and Dreidoth return to Nettlebee Ranch; LiKi researches with Dreidoth and learns two important pieces of lore.
The others go to Yartar and have fun.
They return to Red Larch.
LiKi is poisoned.
She sets a trap for the spy who was working for Jolliver and who apparently attempted to kill her and her friends.
The party leaves on their way to the druid festival.

Chapter 1 Part 14

The party went to the druid "festival" at Scarlet Moon Hall.
They discovered it was fake; the Eternal Flame Cult was using this ruse to test and recruit potential cult members.
The party fucked shit up, killing the apparent leader of Scarlet Moon Hall, Elizar Dryflagon.
They learned that these cultists worship Imix, god of evil elemental fire.
They also figured out that the top leader of the cult, whose name they didn't discover, is attempting to draw this god into the material plane in order to chaos a "cleansing chaos."
They found the third key.

Chapter 1 Part 15

The party returned to feathergale spire to see if they had a key.
Thurl pretended to initiate them into the order.
The party killed all the members of the Feathergale Knights who were in the tower, except Savra.
They locked Savra up.
They searched the place, found the key, and a note to Thurl from Aerisi Kalinoth.

Chapter 2 Part 1

The aarokocra showed the party the entrance to the Temple of Howling Hatred.
Our heroes investigated, freed some weary prisoners, murdered some cultists, made a deal with a djinni, and slayed a wyvern.
They then had an audience with then battled the Prophet of Elemental Air, Aerisi Kalinoth.
After defeating Aerisi, they claimed some valuable loot, including a powerful spear.

Chapter 2 Part 2

The party wanted to clean out the other foes inside the Temple of Howling Hatred.
They fought and killed an automated stone golem that appeared to function as a guardian of the original dwarven palace.
They fought and killed an umber hulk.
They fought and killed some ghouls.
They found some recently abandoned campsites.
A cloaker surprise attacked them; they killed that too.
They found a purple worm skeleton leading deeper underground.
They agreed to check back in with their allies, the aarakocra at Feathergale Spire.

Chapter 2 Part 3

The party witnessed the arrakocran ceremoniously burning the bodies of the dead members of the Feathergale Society.
LiKi received a message that she was to go to Rivergard Keep to meet a fellow member of the Emerald Enclave.
Rivergard Keep was a mess, apparently having been severely flooded; what's more, everybody there was dead.
Kahntun and Alexander found a message on two dead members of the Order of the Gauntlet. It was addressed to them. They read it and consulted with one another.
LiKi's contact told them about a strange orb that was brought to Rivergard Keep by water cultists. The orb erupted, releasing the devastating energies of the flood.
LiKi was tasked with rescuing an Azer from imprisonment in the Temple of Eternal Flame beneath Scarlet Moon Hall.

Chapter 2 Part 4

The group took skiffs from beneath Rivergard Keep into the subterranean Crushing Wave Temple.
They infiltrated the cult and learned some things and killed a lot of other things.
They learned about the cult leader, but have no idea where he may be.

Chapter 2 Part 5

Saruki had betrayed the party, giving them a false password.
They destroyed a mezzoloth that protected an ancient stairway that lead down to the Fane of the Eye.
Leopold was eager to travel downward, but his companions convinced him that they would return another time.
They worked their way back to the shore of Starry Lake.
Alexander was yanked into the lake by a giant octopus, but he escaped and they slaughtered the beast.
They made their way back to Red Larch without incident.

Chapter 2 Part 6

The party arrived in Red Larch.
They met with their contacts.
They partied.
The town was attacked by the Earth cult who released a devastation orb that, you guessed it, devastated the town with earthquakes.
Many died; the town's entertainment district was destroyed.
Kahntun vowed to avenge the town ASAP.

Chapter 2 Part 7

They went to the fane of the eye.
Leopold was drawing them ever toward the center of this dungeon.
They narrowly escaped an encounter with harpies.
Leopold set off some traps.
Leopold acquired a new pet: an air elemental myrmidon!
They encountered Gar Shaterkeep in a temple.
They are going to fight the prophet of water.

Chapter 2 Part 8

They killed the water cult prophet Gar Shaterkeel, his giant croc, and two water cultists;
They interviewed a witness who told them stuff about the cults and their leaders;
They detached Wyndvane from Leopold and put it and Gar's weapon in their bag of holding.

Chapter 2 Part 9

The party infiltrated the Temple of Black Earth;
they rescued a deep gnome and some other prisoners, learning more about the cult and their territory;
they killed the cult's second-in-command, Miraj Vizann;
they killed other stuff;
they found the cult leader's chambers, but Marlos Urnrayle was nowhere to be found; there were no clues as to where he might be;
Kahntun vowed to track him down;
they found their way to an entrance to the Temple of Eternal Flame where LiKi hoped to find and rescue the missing Azer and Kahntun hoped to find and slay the fire genasi Bastian Thermander who murdered his cousin so many months back.

Chapter 2 Part 10

The party camped and recovered.
LiKi thought about her mission and her knowledge of Azer history.

Chapter 2 Part 11

They entered the Fire Temple and killed a bunch of stuff.
They rescued the missing azer, Fuegron, and must return him to the Emerald Enclave at Goldenfields as soon as possible.
The fire cult leader, Vanifer, hadn't been in this temple for over a month.
Kahntun found his nemesis and exacted his revenge, but the genasi planted powerful seeds of doubt into our half-orc's mind.

Chapter 3 Part 1

The party traveled with the rescued azers to Red Larch, Womford, then Goldenfield;
LiKi was tasked with rescuing a moon elf named Teresiel, believed to be in custody of the water cult.
Kahntun prevented the Eternal Flame cult from using a devastation orb at Goldenfield.
Members of the Order of the Gauntlet suggested that they might be able to learn about Teresiel by travelling to Yartar and making contact with their secret agent infiltrating the water cultists there.
They boarded an airship headed to Triboar, then killed the attacking green dragon, Venomfang.
They arrived in Triboar.