Through the Portal

"**Through the Portal**" (2x14) is the fourteenth episode of the second campaign (part 1) of *Plan B*.

## **Synopsis**

### **Previously in the *Forgotten Realms***

* *Aided by Plan B, the lizardfolk rebellion progresses through Castle Naerytar and the surrounding grounds, culminating in the demise of the castle's two resident leaders: Dralmorrer Borngray, cultist Wearer of Purple; and Pharblex Spattergoo, figurehead of the bullywugs. Unfortunately, Plan B's lizardfolk ally Snapjaw also loses his life during the operation.*
* *Wilnan activates the teleportation circle in the caverns below the castle, and is transported to a wooded area surrounded by mountain slopes. A two-story lodge can be seen a few hundred feet away.*
* *Several moments later, the rest of the party activates the portal as well, arriving in an unknown location in the middle of the night…*

### **Episode Recap**

Just moments of traveling through the portal, a hand is placed over Wilnan's mouth and he is dragged into the forest. The hand belongs to his mentor, Hegron. The older half-elf explains that strange occurrences had been affecting the natural parts of the North for years, and he left Wilnan to investigate them. His journeys led him to the Mere of Dead Men where he struck a bargain with the black dragon Voaraghamanthar (otherwise known as "The Black Death"): Hegron would implant himself into the cult's operations by masquerading as the dragon's emissary, and thus could spy on Rezmir and her fellow cultists. This operation is very risky, and Hegron is in danger even now while he speaks to Wilnan. He encourages Wilnan to meet with the cultist running the lodge, a Wearer of Purple named Talis the White, explaining that Talis and Rezmir have a feud with each other and the heroes may be able to leverage that animosity in their favor. He then leaves with a word of caution: "Make haste, boy. We never know when our time is going to run out."

Before the remainder of the party heads through the portal, Cansteline tells them that he finds both Borngray's library and the *farseer of Illusk* too enticing. He has decided to stay behind in the castle to research the artifacts, and also to ensure the lizardfolk survive the rebellion. The party bids him farewell.

On the other side of the portal, the heroes are greeted by the Hooded Woman. She explains that the master whom her and Skaus serve has a new assignment for him: to retrieve the intact horn of a unicorn. Skaus agrees, but the rest of the party is adamantly against it.

After a night of unsettling rest, the heroes approach the lodge, claiming to be cultists who barely escaped Castle Naerytar with their lives and have come to report the situation to Talis. Finding the inhabitants unresponsive to shouting, and learning the entrance hall is trapped by ice glyphs and guarded by gargoyles, they try the back door. Krisella manages to intimidate the cooking staff into arranging an audience with the lodge's owner, and Plan B is taken to Talis's Hall.

While she does not believe their story about being surviving cultists, she is intrigued with their performance and apparent combat prowess. She strikes her own bargain: intercept the hoard being moved by the Cult of the Dragon and stop its progress. She explains that the cult uses a cloud giant's flying castle to transport the hoard, and she can provide them with the means to board the castle safely. The heroes agree to her proposal.

### **Notes**

While resting, three members of the group experience dreams:

* Skaus once again has the recurring dream where he is being chased by two gargantuan figures of ash and flame, and forced to leap into one of their hands to escape the other's. Before the hands can capture him, he is faced by a giant tiger's head, and will be forced to run into its mouth. Right at the moment where he is about to be swallowed, the tiger's head swings around and whispers into Skaus's ear:

> "*You can become powerful, like your forebears. The celestial is just the start. Don't stop now.*"
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* Krisella sees a tall silhouette of a man holding a crimson blade. He strikes down her parents, then turns and strikes down her mentor, Abel. Finally, the figure turns toward Krisella, points his blade at her face, and utters the same words Hegron spoke to Wilnan:

> "*We never know when our time is going to run out.*"
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* Immediately before waking, Mekssa hears a loud voice in her ears:

> "*Feed me. Wake me.*"
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When she awakens, her body movements feel off, more flexible and writhing. An insatiable hunger fills her stomach. Catching sight of her pet snake Issa, she slithers toward the serpent while on her belly, and then begins to swallow the snake whole. She catches a glimpse of herself reflected in her blade, and sees that she is in the form of a giant snake. Krisella sees this, as she is on watch during this time, but instead she sees a sleepwalking Mekssa milking Issa's venom into her open mouth. When Mekssa awakens for real, she feels rejuvenated and invigorated, in a way she has never felt before.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Plan B**

* Cansteline (controlled by Ben S.)
* Krisella
* Mekssa
* Patrick / Patka
* Skaus
* Wilnan

### **New**

* Kusphia
* Maelgot
* Sorvic
* Talis the White

### **Returning**

* Cleo
* Hegron Grisk
* The Hooded Woman

### **Mentioned**

* Ardaluce Argith
* Dralmorrer Borngray
* Rezmir
* Tiamat
* Trepsin
* Unnamed cloud giant