Call Me Mother

The Strangers With Weapons destroy the Zhentarim and have a final face off with Artus Cimber.

## Major Plot Points

* SWW left the Star Goddess to head to Hrakhamar Cave to destroy the Zhentarim.
* That night, Vulveeta found a cloaked woman resting against a tree and screaming for help. She suffered significant burns all over her body and she said was attacked by Tinder, the red dragon who lives in Chult.
* Vlad was suspicious and cast Zone of Truth on her. She didn’t answer his question, but let out a whistle instead.
* The woman revealed herself to be Liara Portyr, the former head of the Flaming Fist. Niles Breakbone, the former head of Camp Vengeance, Artus Cimber and Dragon Bait then ambushed the party.
* Calypso was able to kill Liara. Voloth suggested the party knock out the others for information. After knocking them out, the party stole the cabal’s weapons and armor and buried them up to their necks. Artus, being the only one who could effectively communicate, was questioned by the party. He said he saw the SWW working with Black Siren in Port Nyanzaru and saw her walking freely among the Amazons and even the new queen. He knew he would never see justice or the return of his ring so he wanted revenge before he died of old age. He looked to be in his 60s now. He vowed never to stop hunting the SWW and pointed to Liara and Niles as other examples of people hurt by the group. Niles, Dragon Bait, and Artus were then executed by the party.
	+ Bigsby took Artus’ dagger called Book Mark
	+ Neuriel took Dragon Bait’s Breastplate
* On a quiet night, the group shared how they felt about their fellow party members.
	+ Peggy and Calypso have a friendly rivalry
	+ Voloth is very attracted to Peggy
	+ Vulveeta enjoys pushing everyone’s buttons
	+ Bigsby is starting to trust everyone else and shared his gold with the group
	+ Vlad holds being the First Knight over Vulveeta’s head
	+ Neuriel sees Mariah, Voloth, and Fern as the natural leaders of the group. He favors Peggy and Calypso for saving him at the Heart of Ubtao
* The SWW made it to Hrakhamar Cave and successfully ambushed one guard and then killed another in a direct fight.
* Vlad disarmed a bunch of traps in the cave.
* Bigsby was able to unlock some doors that led to the main sleeping chambers of Franco, Cassandra, and Dinah D and Nyssa
* In Franco’s room, the group found his journal where he wrote that he was disappointed in his daughter, Helena, because she wouldn’t take his place as the Zhentarim general. He was shocked to hear that Black Siren, who he personally trained, betrayed the Dark Network. And he was wondering what was taking Emma so long to arrive.
* The group found a ledger in Cassandra’s room that listed all the things the Zhentarim had stolen. Most notably, it said that she was holding the Ring of Winter.
* In Nyssa and Dinah D’s room were two coffins and a magical fog on the ground. There was also a Bane Bible.
* The group stumbled upon Helena locked in a cell. She was weak and suffering from thirst and hunger. She said she refused to join the Zhentarim and hated what they stood for. The SWW released her and she quickly fled the cave.
* The group encountered Franco first in the hallway leading to the cave’s main chamber. He was killed there right after Cassandra came to help him.
* Cassandra ran away and led the group to the main chamber where Nyssa and Black Siren’s mother were waiting. The three attacked the party and were defeated by the SWW.
* Before falling unconscious, Nyssa turned into a swarm of bats and went to her coffin.
* Dinah D and Black Siren had a very touching reunion. Dinah D said the party must finish what they started - stake Nyssa in her coffin. Vlad volunteered and used the wood from the Star Goddess the SWW were saving for Cheshire to stake Nyssa, turning her into a pile of bloody goo.
* Dinah D then pleaded that they do the same to her. She didn’t want to be a monster who fed on people to survive. She said she knew from reading Nyssa’s library that she could be resurrected as a human after dying.
* Dinah staked her mother, who didn’t gooify because she was only a Spawn. She made the party promise her that they’d end the Death Curse so she could bring her mother back. She then used a teleportation scroll, given to her by Diana for her exile, to go to Port Nyanzaru to appeal her case until her mother can be saved.
* The SWW found the following treasures:
	+ Calypso now has bracers of defense
	+ Peggy has a flying broom
	+ Bigsby has a haunted lantern
	+ Vulveeta took thieve’s tools
	+ Voloth picked up the +1 maul
	+ Vlad took the Boots of Elvenkind and the Ring of Winter
	+ 2,000 gold pieces
* You’re all level 6 now!

## Random Encounters

* The group met another set of adventurers named The Amandas, which consisted of a human, a dragon born, a half orc, and a half elf bard. They were friendly till Vlad threatened to take their gold.
* Vulveeta domesticated an Almiraj named Nicki Almiraj with the promise of apples.
* The SWW entered dinosaur country and spotted a lot of triceratops and brontosaurus.