Dungeons and Dragons ("DnD"): Hoard of the Dragon Queen: Episode 4 Part 6 Adventure #30
Date of Session: November 24th, 2019 (5:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Number of Players: 3
Legendary Hero “Colonel” Menos (Dragon-born Paladin / Warlock)
Kai-tick, Kin-slayer and “Servant” (Aarakocra Rogue / Monk)
Eternal Hunter XerX and “Master Lieutenant” (NOBLE Half-Elf Ranger / Wizard)
Originally, the Hoard of the Dragon Queen campaign book had the Sky Castle arc as episode 8, but I moved it earlier to accommodate what the Enforcers had done. In addition, Waterdeep, episode 5 of the campaign book, seems like the best way to conclude my first-ever campaign as a Dungeon Master.
We started this campaign in July 2019, and decided as a group to finish on January 16th, 2020 to wrap up the Enforcers’ story. Then, we’ll begin The Rise of Tiamat with brand new characters. More information will follow, but for now, enjoy this session’s review / recap:
Previously on D&D, The Enforcers have joined forces with the Dragon Queen Tiamat. The marks of Hathor on all the Enforcers grow black. The mark on Menos’ legendary shield is black as well. They have officially abandoned Hathor and this crusade / prophecy to save the multiverse. Mas O is happy to have his brother and friends on the winning side. Then, Mas O summons an old enemy the Enforcers hadn’t seen in forever.
Mirna and the Young Green Dragon make their grand return in this session. Kai-tick tries to kill her immediately upon seeing her and must remind his children that she’s not their actual mother. CJ and Azula still feel an attachment regardless. Kai-tick also learns Mirna has immortality. The Dragon Queen Tiamat granted Mirna this gift to reward her loyalty.
Mirna and Overlord have arrived to assign the Enforcers their next mission. They are to infiltrate the Sky Castle owned by Lord Venture, Vin’s former lover, in order to draw Vin out. The Enforcers agree to the mission because they get to ride a dragon and invade a castle. Everyone minus the kids hop on Overlord, and they fly off toward the literal sky.
The adventure goes off quickly. During the flight, Kai-tick and Menos try to knock each other off the dragon for LOLs. XerX simply takes his long rest. After a minute of almost falling off, Overlord declares that they’re close to the Sky Castle, an exact copy of their castle in Greenest except flying and resting on a floating ice berg.
Before going inside, the Enforcers try to figure out a strategy. A Cloud Giant is guarding the castle’s entrance, and an Adult White Dragon is circling the Sky Castle. Around this time, XerX offers to distract the dragon. An offer he quickly retracts.
An actual heat of the moment type thing.
Mas O, Mirna, and Overlord instead decide to distract the Adult White Dragon while the Enforcers deal with the Cloud Giant blocking their way in. Then XerX recalls he installed a secret hatch, and leads the Enforcers there. They managed to reach the hatch without alerting the Cloud Giant, who is blind and hard of hearing. The dice rolls also played out in the party’s favor.
The Enforcers enter the hatch, and arrive in XerX’s old workshop. Or an exact replica of the whole thing. There are 15 Goblins working there, and they prepare to attack. XerX decides to conduct Fusion with Kenji to become the Black Bulls Defender, since he lost demon in the last session. I forgot to mention that earlier.
Anyway, Menos drops in on them mid-dance… which created an incomplete fusion being. Menos makes the best out of the situation and uses Energy Barrage, a move that belongs exclusively to XerX, and ends up successfully using the attack on the enemies.
The Goblins are killed. Kai-tick was in range, but he saved throw out of there. The Enforcers continue onward, and discover Sildar of the Lord Alliance. This Paladin, however, is not the same one they knew from the Phandalin days. He is…
And the players start attacking, not caring about the connection from the past. XerX brings a mist up, making everyone hide from Sildar-2. Kai-tick, Menos, and XerX are stealthy and manage to outmaneuver the Paladin. Menos finished him with a divine smite, and blasts a hole in the ceiling in the process.
Above, Kai-tick and XerX are able to see the two dragons fighting each other outside. Then the Young Green Dragon Overlord gets struck down. The Adult White Dragon’s gaining the advantage. XerX and Kai-tick are angry, but they can’t do much to help.
The duo scales the castle rooftop, and finds Lord Venture in his Throne Room. Menos joins them shortly afterwards. Before any plan is decided, Kai-tick crashes the roof’s window and descends. XerX and Menos decide to wait it out and watch Kai-tick take action first.
The Knights prepare for the kin slayer, and the others defend Lord Venture. Kai-tick manages to outsmart the Knights, and threaten Lord Venture. XerX and Menos join afterwards and kill the unsuspecting Knights. Kai-tick and Lord Venture exchanged words, which lead to the Enforcers taking over the Sky Castle. Lord Venture became willing prisoner to avoid meeting Vin again.
Menos, Kai-tick, and XerX have officially taken over Sky Castle, an exact replica of their Greenest Castle. They place Lord Venture in their new prison along with Mas O’s latest prisoners. XerX’s entire family was taken: Zora, Father Priest, and Sister Lily. XerX is at peace with his decision to join the dark side.
Mas O’s female body, Killer God, is gravely injured. However, the original body is okay and fighting against Lord Eggza, who has the remaining Dragon Eggs at Waterdeep. Menos consults the Adult White Dragon to give him strength for the final battle. The Adult White Dragon agrees, and resurrects his fallen wife Lina from the dead using a white lightning ritual.
Lina has no memories of the past, and only feels a strong connection to Menos. He hugs her and tells her to only listen to him. He renames his wife NPC “Eri”. Yes, the new name is based on My Hero Academia. XerX tries to confuse her with random information, and it works. Kai-tick tries to learn how to steer their new Sky Castle, but gives up once he sees how complex the navigation system is.
This session ends with the Enforcers going into the final battle against Lord Eggza for all the Dragon Eggs. We took a two month break afterwards for personal reasons, and didn’t play again until January 16th, 2020. The next session ended the campaign. I’m excited for everyone to read how it all ends.