Friends and Foes, New and Old

"**Friends and Foes, New and Old**" (2x17) is the seventeenth episode of the second campaign (part 1) of *Plan B*.

## **Synopsis**

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

* *Plan B renegotiates their deal with Talis the White: stop the Cult's treasure hoard, which is being transported by a flying castle belonging to a cloud giant named Blagothkus. Talis hopes this act will help tarnish the reputation of her rival Rezmir the Black in the eyes of their superiors, while simultaneously assisting Plan B with their goal to track the hoard and determine its purpose.*
* *Talis informs the heroes that they can find the castle in a small town to the southeast called Parnast, and shows them the cult signs and signals they can use to try and board the castle.*
* *After resting in Parnast's tavern for a couple of hours, the castle departs without them. Luckily, a helpful wheelwright directs them to a stable housing three wyverns, which the party uses to pursue the castle while in flight. Locating a small entrance on what appears to be an iceberg extending downward from the structure, they land and venture inside. After only a few moments of exploring, they come to a spacious cavern holding a massive amount of treasure encased in ice — and an enormous white dragon clinging to the ceiling above it.*

### **Episode Recap**

The heroes converse with the dragon, who gives his name as Glazhael the Cloudchaser. To appease him, they offer one of their wyvern mounts as a sacrifice. Glazhael allows them to depart, but not before mocking their inferiority and threatening their safety should they neglect caution while in his lair.

They eventually find a staircase leading up and out of the caverns, ascending to both of the castle's two levels. After some sneaking and exploring, the party locates the tower where Blagothkus resides, and requests an audience. The cloud giant welcomes them to his castle, although he is not quite convinced when they claim to be members of the Cult looking for Rezmir. Nevertheless, he directs them on where to find her, warning them to not go out after dark in order to avoid the castle's protector: a vampire.

Rezmir does seem to believe the heroes' ruse, and takes them to an empty guest room, instructing them to stay put until she can decide what to do with them. Before her chamber door closes, Wilnan captures a glimpse of Hegron. While exploring the guest room, they find that its far wall disappears when touched, revealing a small balcony. It reappears after one minute.

While waiting in the room, a note is slipped under the door, directing the party to meet in the courtyard after dark. Wilnan recognizes the handwriting to be Hegron's, and so the heroes leave their chambers after midnight and head to the upper courtyard, which is blanketed in a thin mist. Hegron explains that for several years he has witnessed strange and troubling changes in the environment of the Sword Coast, so he left Wilnan to try and identify the threat. His journey took a stark turn when he made a bargain with the black dragon Voaraghamanthar, in which he would pose as a cultist and emissary of the wyrm in order to spy on Rezmir. Hegron's animal companion, a boar named Karka, was killed by the dragon as part of the deal.

Before Hegron can explain what he believes their next steps should be, a figure dashes out of the mist and attacks him. Once at rest, the figure is revealed to be Abel. Upon seeing Krisella, Abel tells her this is the moment they have waited for, explaining that Hegron is none other than the individual known as the Crimson Blade who killed Abel and her parents. Overcome with vengeance, Krisella assists Abel in attacking Hegron, while the rest of the party are either forced to pick sides or attempt to diffuse the situation.

Suddenly, Rezmir appears on the edge of the battle, accusing Hegron of being a traitor and attacking. The fray is soon joined by Sandesyl Morgia, the castle's vampire, as well as two of her spawn.

After a fierce confrontation, Rezmir is killed and beheaded by Mekssa. An injured Abel encourages Krisella to exact her revenge and teleports away. The vampire is damaged, but transforms into mist and disappears into the night. Krisella is knocked unconscious, and the party manages to convince Hegron to flee before he is killed. He leaves in a frenzied panic.

### **Notes**

* While resting in Glazhael's ice tunnels, Brynhui sees a reflection of a male centaur, middle-aged, missing both his eyes and ears. Brynhui thinks it might be one of his ancestor's he has yet to meet, but also wonders if his pain and exhaustion are simply causing him to hallucinate.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Plan B**

* Brynhui
* Krisella
* Mekssa
* ~~Patrick / Patka~~
* Skaus
* Wilnan

### **New**

* Blagothkus
* Sandesyl Morgia

### **Returning**

* Abel
* Glazhael
* Hegron
* Rezmir the Black

## **Loot**

### **Skyreach Castle**

Rezmir's corpse

* insignia of claws (taken from Rezmir's corpse by Mekssa)
* magical greatsword (taken from Rezmir's corpse by Mekssa)

Rezmir's chambers

* iron-banded chest, secured with a padlock