1.
This story begins in Ravencrest, a walled city situated on the edge of the Dominion Forest, at the mouth of the Calim River where it meets the Shining Sea.
The city is ruled and protected by the Crimson Empress, Narri Castlereagh, a powerful Archmage who governs from her citadel atop a hill in the center of the city. At her command is the Vermilion Guard, her personal legion responsible for protecting and policing Ravencrest.
At the Drunken Monk, a local tavern, Dumas, Fabian, and Lynx-O are approached by Krozzu, a white Dragonborn and leader of the Fang Hunters. Krozzu hires the party to hunt down and kill a suspected witch who betrayed him and his companions. He provides them with the location of her cabin within the city walls.
The party makes its way to the cabin and discovers a hidden passage beneath the house leading into the Cobalt Caverns. The passage opens into a small dungeon filled with traps.
After navigating the dungeon, the party finds Primrose Blackwood, the witch who betrayed Krozzu. They quickly overpower her, but not before she summons a Barlgura fiend.
Once the creature is defeated, the party returns to the Drunken Monk and settles its business with Krozzu.
As they leave the tavern, however, they are greeted by an ominous sight: a blacked-out carriage drawn by two skeletal horses.
2.
The party is hired by Adler Trading to recover a Sapphire Scepter stolen from one of its caravans by a band of Minotaurs.
The night before they are scheduled to meet their guide, the party unknowingly interrupts a robbery at the tavern. After defeating the Duergar responsible, they meet Quill, their guide into the Calim Desert.
Upon reaching the outpost where the Minotaurs are believed to be hiding, the party discovers that they have already been slaughtered. Searching the ruins reveals a massive hoard of sapphires.
Unfortunately, the treasure has a new owner. The party is attacked by Yrrim, a blue dragon who has claimed the ruins as his lair.
After defeating Yrrim, the party recovers the Sapphire Scepter and returns to the city. Upon their arrival, they learn that Ravencrest has been renamed Castlemere and that the last remaining members of the Ravencrest family have been executed.
The party also discovers that Quill was secretly an agent of the Raven Lords. Before he can do anything further, Quill is assassinated by Adler.
As payment for recovering the Sapphire Scepter – which was intended as a gift to Empress Castlereagh from Isabella, Shah of Calimshan – Adler Trading rewards the party with a cottage within the walls of Castlemere.
3.
After being awarded a cottage within Castlemere by Adler Trading, the party arrives at its new residence only to discover that members of the Green Knuckle Gang have taken up residence inside.
After ‘evicting’ the remaining gang members, the party discovers a note written in Deep Speech containing a cryptic message:
“No witnesses in the square. To be released at the darkest hour.”
While settling into their new home, the party discovers a hidden passage leading deep beneath the city.
The passage opens into the Cobalt Caverns, the sprawling megadungeon beneath Castlemere.
Near the entrance, the party encounters a weakened Lady Arronal, a once-powerful Warlock and former member of the legendary Raven Lords.
After defeating her, the party searches her belongings and discovers a mysterious amulet that grants them access deeper into the Cobalt Caverns.
4.
The party begins laying the foundations for its own mercenary guild within Castlemere.
They strike a deal with Ham, owner of the Drunken Monk, to rent the lodging rooms on the tavern’s second floor while also hiring staff to maintain their cottage.
Soon afterward, Cassandra Adler pays the party a visit.
She believes Xanathar is attempting to expand his influence into Castlemere by taking control of the Dreammist trade, pointing to the recent attack on the Duck and Drake Inn as evidence. Unknown to Cassandra, however, another group of adventurers – not affiliated with Xanathar – was actually responsible for the attack.
Cassandra tasks the party with entering the Cobalt Caverns and locating the den where she believes Xanathar is producing Dreammist.
Deep underground, the party discovers a bizarre, seemingly never-ending celebration populated by skeletons – and even a unicorn.
At the back of the strange gathering, they uncover the true source of the operation: two Mind Flayers producing Dreammist by extracting the consciousness of their prisoners.
5.
The morning after defeating the Mind Flayers, the party welcomes a new recruit into its growing mercenary guild: Odo, a Dragonborn and old acquaintance of Fabian.
The party heads to the city square to investigate the mysterious message recovered from the Green Knuckle Gang.
After a successful impromptu performance by Odo, the party searches for clues but finds nothing that brings them closer to understanding the message.
With few leads remaining, they return to the Drunken Monk and arrange lodging for Odo with Ham.
The party then decides to explore deeper into the Cobalt Caverns, where they discover a hidden mausoleum.
Inside, it appears that the Raven Seers are secretly protecting the last surviving member of the Ravencrest family.
After defeating the Raven Seers, the party interrogates Louis Ravencrest and learns that he is waiting to be evacuated from Castlemere.
The party agrees to escort him out of the city. But as they pass their cottage, they discover a contingent of Vermilion Guards gathered outside their home.
6.
While attempting to escort Louis Ravencrest to the city gates, the party passes its cottage and finds a group of Vermilion Guards arguing with Toedd, who had been away at the fighting pits the previous night.
The party decides to split up. Lynx-O takes Louis toward the city gates using the flying broom, while Dumas, Toedd, and Fabian remain behind to negotiate with the guards.
Instead, the three are arrested on suspicion of harboring a member of the Ravencrest family.
Lynx-O successfully reaches the city gates, where he discovers that Adler is supposed to escort Louis out of Castlemere. Instead, Adler takes both Lynx-O and Louis to the Crimson Citadel, revealing that she is secretly working for the Empress.
Dumas, Toedd, and Fabian are also brought before Empress Castlereagh, where they are reunited with Lynx-O. Acting on Adler’s advice, Lynx-O turns Louis over to the Empress.
During the audience, the party is introduced to Zorin, a young Druid who was arrested for selling Dreammist to the city’s nobles.
The party also learns the truth about the Crimson Empress. Empress Castlereagh is Narri Castlereagh, a former member of the Raven Lords. Narri abandoned the organization, marched on the city with her army, overthrew the Ravencrest family, and seized control of Castlemere.
According to Narri, the Ravencrests had been little more than a puppet monarchy controlled by the Raven Lords.
Believing that the strange events throughout Castlemere are connected to an attempt by the Raven Lords to destabilize her rule, Narri tasks the party with investigating.
Following information provided by Victoria Greycastle and Narri, the party heads to the city square at dawn. There, they discover a group of Drow performing a summoning ritual. Before them, a Chimera emerges.
7.
While investigating the aftermath of the Chimera attack, the party is ambushed by two Cambions and a Chain Devil.
During the battle, the two Cambions plane shift away, leaving the Chain Devil behind to face the party alone.
After defeating the creature and securing the city square, the party is approached by the Lotus Knights, who have been investigating the increasingly strange events occurring throughout Castlemere.
The Lotus Knights ask the party to help locate information about the Blackwing Assassins, a secretive organization they believe has established an operation somewhere within the city.
In exchange, the Knights provide the party with valuable information of their own. They believe Drow from Oldonnar are hiding inside the Cindershield Pyramid, located deep within the Dominion Forest.
Before beginning the journey, the party returns to its base to rest. There, they find a man named Quinn waiting for them.
He is searching for his missing brother. Quill.
8.
When the party returns to its cottage, they find Quinn waiting for them.
He explains that he is searching for his brother, Quill, who was last known to be working as a guide for caravans traveling through the Calim Desert. Quinn knows that Quill was last seen traveling with the party.
Odo manages to convince him that they have no knowledge of what happened to his brother.
The party spends the night resting before setting out for the Cindershield Pyramid.
The following morning, as they prepare to leave, they discover that Dumas – also known as Diddy – has disappeared.
The party asks Fabian to remain behind and search for Dumas while the others continue toward the pyramid.
Upon entering Cindershield, they quickly realize that someone has already explored the ruins. Cages stand open, traps have been dismantled, and chambers have been thoroughly looted.
When the party finally reaches the main chamber, they discover a teleportation portal and a massive dragon’s hoard. Hidden among the treasure is a Chardalyn Dragon.
A devastating battle follows. Toedd and Zorin are killed.
Lynx-O and Odo recover their companions’ bodies and begin the long journey back toward Castlemere.
As they travel through the Dominion Forest, however, a dark mist begins spreading between the trees. Then they hear a voice drifting through the air.
9.
Odo and Lynx-O make their way through the unnatural mist until they discover a small hut standing alone in a clearing.
Upon entering, they immediately realize that the structure is concealed by some form of illusionary magic. The tiny hut opens into a massive chamber.
Three female elves sit around a table. And in the corner of the room, Dumas is asleep in a large bed.
Meanwhile, Fabian’s search for Dumas ends in tragedy when he is attacked and killed by a mysterious elf named Matilda.
Back inside the hut, the party learns that Dumas had been abducted by two members of Blackwing, a secret organization of assassins for hire.
Before the assassins could complete their mission, however, they were apparently attacked by some form of magic connected to the strange mist. Dumas was subsequently brought to the hut to recover.
The three elves reveal that they are being hunted by Blackwing as well. They offer to help the party escape Castlemere – but only if the party agrees to perform three favors for them.
Odo realizes the truth. These women are not elves. They are Hags from the Feywild.
Odo attacks the Hags and sacrifices himself, allowing Dumas and Lynx-O to escape the forest.
The survivors return to the Drunken Monk, where Adler is waiting with more devastating news. Fabian is dead. Blackwing is attacking Adler’s operations in an attempt to locate the party.
Adler offers them passage aboard a ship to escape Castlemere and warns them to stay away from the Sword Coast.
Once aboard, the party begins its journey east. They soon learn that Adler, working through the Lotus Knights, has also arranged for a Blood Hunter named Ulfhir to accompany and protect them during their travels.
10.
While sailing toward Thindal, the party’s ship is attacked by a mysterious Priest who summons a Kraken to destroy the vessel.
The party manages to defeat the Kraken, but their ship is lost in the battle.
Forced to continue aboard the ship’s dinghy and using Lynx-O’s flying broom, the survivors attempt to navigate the open ocean.
Their situation becomes even worse when they are attacked by a massive shark.
After escaping the creature, the party drifts through the sea until they finally reach land. But they have not reached Thindal.
A band of marauders informs them that they have washed ashore in Elfharrow, a barren wasteland east of Castlemere.
The marauders claim to serve someone known only as ‘the Warlord’ and direct the party toward a nearby settlement.
There, the party discovers Lu-Syria, a settlement inhabited by the Nomads of Elfharrow. They also meet a traveling wizard named Hoinn.
The party soon discovers that the people of Lu-Syria are slaves in all but name. They are being forced to construct a massive tower among the ruins of Eldermoor for the mysterious Warlord.
The following morning, the same marauders the party encountered the previous day begin rounding up the townspeople.
When the marauders attack, the party fights back. With the immediate threat defeated, they decide to travel to Eldermoor and confront the Warlord themselves.
11.
The party travels toward the ruins of Eldermoor.
From a ridge overlooking the valley, they witness the horrifying conditions surrounding the Warlord’s construction site.
The bodies of murdered Nomads litter the landscape. Some hang from dead trees. Others have been crucified or displayed as warnings to the workers below.
At the center of it all stands the Warlord’s tower, only about thirty percent complete.
The party enters the construction site by blending in with the enslaved workers.
Hoinn and Dumas investigate a teleportation circle located near the center of the site, while Ulfhir gathers information about the Warlord and his marauders.
Ulfhir learns that the Warlord has established his headquarters on the ground floor of the unfinished tower.
Meanwhile, Hoinn and Dumas discover strange demonic runes and markings surrounding the construction site.
Suddenly, the teleportation circle activates. Two figures emerge.
The first is Quinn, brother of the deceased Quill. Beside him stands an enormous man clad in black plate armor, wearing a Blackwing medallion around his neck.
During Quinn’s confrontation with the party, the truth is finally revealed. After discovering what happened to his brother, Quinn hired Blackwing to hunt down Adler and her associates. He learned the party’s location from the three Hags who had continued following Dumas.
The party battles Quinn, the Blackwing warrior known as Kid Death, and the marauders guarding the enslaved Nomads.
Quinn and Kid Death fall. But before the party can recover, guards begin pouring out of the Warlord’s tower.
12.
After the deaths of Quinn and Kid Death, Isaac Grimfang emerges from his tower and confronts the party.
At first, Isaac challenges them to a battle of wits. Unfortunately for Isaac, he is unable to solve even a simple mathematical equation. The confrontation quickly becomes considerably less intellectual.
Isaac attacks.
During the battle, the floor beneath them collapses, sending both Isaac and the party plunging into a subterranean chamber filled with fire and lava.
There, Isaac reveals what appears to be his true form: a Pit Fiend, a powerful general of the Nine Hells.
As the battle continues, however, the party realizes that something is wrong. The Pit Fiend is another deception.
Isaac finally reveals his true form – an Ultroloth, a mysterious creature from Realmspace.
After defeating Isaac Grimfang, the exhausted party takes a much-needed rest inside the tower.
The following morning, an airship appears overhead. Aboard is Matilda, the Blackwing assassin responsible for Fabian’s death.
She carries several parchments and reads them aloud to the party.
‘By order of Victoria Greycastle, Commander of the Vermilion Guard, acting at the command of the Crimson Empress: We are charged with either returning you to Castlemere or transporting you to any destination you find satisfactory.’
‘Sir Ulfhir, as agreed, your payment of 10,000 gold pieces has been deposited into a trust with the Sword Coast Traders Bank. Lines of credit have also been extended to you by the Crimson Empress in Castlemere.’
‘Hoinn, for your role in liberating Eldermoor, birthplace of our Order, you are hereby accepted into the Order of the Lotus with the rank of Field Marshal. You are given standing orders to travel north toward Zhentil Keep and expand the Order within that region.’
‘Lynx-O and Dumas, you have been granted letters of introduction and lines of credit by the Order of the Lotus. These letters will grant you access to any of our keeps and towers throughout Faerun.’
With Quinn dead, the Blackwing contracts against the party are terminated.
With Isaac Grimfang defeated, Eldermoor has been liberated from the Warlord and his marauders.
For the first time in a long while, the surviving members of the party are free from their obligations.
They have money. They have allies. And they have been given the means to begin new lives – or continue their adventures wherever the road may take them next.