12/01/13 - Episode 001

Campaign Date: Tarsakh 6 1372DR

The party decide to follow up on the mysterious key that they gave to the priests of Gond at the High House of Wonders in Baldurs Gate.  In the temple, the players see Lord Ismith, aide to Sea King Deepstaff, in deep discussion with the High Artificer.  The players eavesdrop on the conversation to find that Ismith is asking for extra guards for a trade caravan to Scornubel.

The players are asked by Ismith to meet them at a local festhall to discuss the mission, but the players delay the meeting to discuss their current goals and what they intend to do about them.

The decision is made to acquire a book to gain access to Candlekeep and also charter a ship to take them to the Moonshae Isles.  Running through their options, the group realises that they have the following allies who could possibly help them out with these goals:

Lord Wyntyr;
Baron Stockeimer of Harkenwold;
Sea King Deepstaff;
The Temple of Gond in Baldus Gate.

Meeting with Lord Ismith, the players are hired to guard the caravan as it makes its way up the river Chointhar to Scornubel.  In exchange for this dutie, the group are paid 500gp as well as the promis of a ship and an enquiry into a tome for Candlekeep.

The first few days of the trip are uneventful, but on the fourth day, a group of Hobgoblins and Goblins ambush the barges.  Strangely, each of the creatures has the symbol of a blue ightning bolt tattooed on their faces or emblazoned on their shields.

In a surprising turn around, the group neglects to use lethal force on their attackers, instead electing to simply throw them off the barges into the river.  This is accomplished in lots of different ways.  Hodor merely grabs the offending hobgoblin and, using his Boots of Water Walking, steps off the barge into the river and lets go...

Hagrid the dwarven Warpriest uses his mighty weapon to strike the ground in front of him, causing the badge to shudder and the attacking hobgoblins being knocked off the barge.  one hapless hobgoblin manages to grab onto a trailing rope, but a smouldering glare from the sultry Buffy is enough to obliterate the rope into dust and leave the trailing hobgoblin far, far behind.

With the ambush stopped dead (or in this case, wet) in it's tracks, the party pauses for breath...