Episode 127

This is **Episode 127** of *Dice, Camera, Action*.

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

(Rachel Seeley) Miranda - Elven Druid

(Erika Fermina) Gwyneth - Ice Construct

(Krystina Arielle) Alisanda - Human Paladin

#### The History of the Ring of Winter

At one time, the ring of winter belonged to a hero named Artus Cimber. The group ran into him in the jungle of Chult. Artus had fallen under the evil sway of the ring. The group killed him and Paultin ended up wearing the ring. The ring turned Paultin evil. He took the ring into the Shadowfell where Miranda was able to take the ring from him. She had hoped to find a way to destroy the ring by giving it to a fey entity called the Summer Queen. Miranda created an ice companion with the ring named Gwyneth, who she fell in love with. The ring was stolen from her and it is currently in the possession of the wizard known as Manshoon.

Paultin had summoned an ice dragon and the roof of the Yawning Portal was collapsing.Artus's widow, Alisanda, arrived via a portal riding her tyrannosaurus rex.

#### Battle Royale

Strix tells Diath she doesn't want him to die. She thinks that she is cursed. Snowflakes are rising up into the sky. Diath says that he doesn't want her to die either. She puts his hand on his face and tells him that she doesn't want him to die. He tells her that he's not going anywhere, but their friends need their help. Alisanda says hello to Miranda. Alisanda, riding her t. rex, Terrence, asks Strix what is happening.

In the Yawning Portal, bat-winged demons attack Evelyn. She takes 53 points of damage. Diath asks to borrow Strix's scissors. He runs in to the Yawning Portal and spots Manshoon holding the ring of winter. He want to take it, but it is in Manshoon's clenched fist. He orders the dragon to kill Diath.

Gwyneth flies in through the roof and attacks the ice dragon.

Out in the street, emerging from nearby buildings, is a black-cloaked figure with a pale face, long dark hair, and a metal hand. It is Manshoon. He looks and says to Alisanda, "Alisanda Rayburton. You have come a long way to die." He summons a hand of ice and tries to crush her with it, but she fights it off.

Alisanda's triceratops-riding dryad companion appears alongside Terrence. The dryad says, "Our arrival here has created quite a panic. I saw members of the City Watch heading in our direction." The triceratops charges this other Manshoon and knocks him to the ground.

Inside the tavern, Handrew tries to attack the Manshoon with the ring, but gets swatted away. Alisanda's two bodyguards riding pterodactyls attack the Manshoon out in the street.

The Manshoon in the Yawning Portal uses the ring of winter and tries to take control of Gwyneth. Erika rolls a natural 20 on her saving throw.

Urstul Floxin, the Zhentarim agent, comes out of nowhere and puts a sword to Simon's throat. "Touch the wizard and the kid dies."

Outside, a woman who looks like a swashbuckler, a bard with a lyre, a swarm of colorful flying snakes, a bald woman with a tatooed heads, two halfing ninjas, a Calishite woman in gleaming armor, a halfling dressed like a wizard with a cape, and a half-orc with a red mohawk pour out into the street. Their leader shouts, "Kill the dinosaurs!"

Crossbow bolts plunge into the side and head of Terrence. The halfling ninjas are trying their hardest against the t. rex. The flying snakes come for Alisanda but are unable to hurt her. She drops all of them with a *command* spell. The bard is hit with a giant arrow. He's not dead, but hurt badly. A second bolt goes right through his head and falls to the ground, dead.

Inside, Paultin's doppleganger tries and fails to hurt Diath. Alisanda runs in to the Yawning Portal and heals Paultin. The demons try to attack Alisanda, but her guards block the attacks.

Paultin uses a vistani curse to cause Manshoon to become un-attuned to the ring of winter. Manshoon casts finger of death. Strix tries to *counterspell* it. Holly rolls a one, so her attempt fails. Paultin also tries to *counterspell* it. Nate rolls a 17, exactly what he needed. The *finger of death* fails.

Manshoon tries to order the ice dragon to attack, but because he is not attuned to the ring, it ignores him. Urstul doesn't like the way things are going. He drops Simon and flees.

Strix turns her staff into a frying pan, casts *greenflame blade* on it, and attacks Manshoon. He blocks the attack with his staff.

Miranda casts *call lightning* and strikes Manshoon a number of times. Manshoon is surrounded by the heroes. Alisanda's bodyguards are holding off the demons. Terrence is hit with an imprisonment spell.

Diath approaches the Diath doppleganger and murders him.

Gwyneth stabs Manshoon in the chest with the rapier. He falls to the ground, dead.

Paultin grabs the ring and once again attunes to it. Alisanda demands the ring. Miranda says she knows what should be done with it. Paultin climbs onto the back of the ice dragon. Strix loots Manshoon's body.

Evelyn is worried that Gwyneth will be destroyed and begins to cry. Alisanda wants to go with Miranda to the elves. They can hand over the ring together.

Strix says that a *true polymorph* spell might fix Gwyneth and prevent her from dying if the ring of winter is destroyed. She says her "best friend", the blackstaff, could cast it.

Durnan pours himself a drink. His bar is ruined. He tells the group that he's not too worried. This will raise the reputation of the place, and he has money saved. Paultin apologizes and uses his ring powers to cool Durnan's drink.

Vajra, the blackstaff, arrives. She sees Strix and rolls her eyes. Vajra agrees to *polymorph* Gwyneth. She asks Miranda and Gwyneth to stay with her while she researches the winged elves known as the Avariel.

Paultin wants to remove the ring. The ring tries to resist. He is able to get it off and he hands the ring over to Alisanda. As he lets the ring go, his eyes revert to their normal color. Evelyn is proud and goes to hug him and stops herself, patting him on the shoulder. Strix gives Alisanda a pie.

Alisanda, Miranda, Gwyneth and Vajra head to Blackstaff Tower. The waffle crew gathers together. The snow stops falling. Simon says he loves Evelyn and Paultin.

Miranda has taken the gauntlet of Manshoon. She feels it moving.

Vajra thinks she can free Terrence from the *imprisonment* spell given a bit of time.

Strix realizes that she took a *staff of power* and a *robe of the archmage* from Manshoon's body.

End of Session.