Banks Tierlach

Banks lived in peace and solitude for years, tending his herbs and watching over calm lake waters--holy grounds for the pacifistic Goddess Eldath--as civilization crept in around him. Knowledgeable in natural remedies and healing practices, he sold his wares to the townsfolk, who traveled to the outskirts to seek his help and guidance. His life's work is a series of journals detailing his medical discoveries in order to help and heal others, and continues to learn as he travels from town to town. He frequents Phandalin to sell his wares, becoming fairly well known by the locals. He often visits his friend Liam at the Stonehill Inn.

## Early Life

Banks never knew his father. Frankly, neither did his mother, Farah. She had an affair with a mysterious traveler that came from the river. Unbeknownst to her, the man was a marid, a genie of the Elemental Plane of Water, who had taken a human form (This was later revealed to be the genie Vessel.) She feared for her child when she realized there were inherited traits that could not be denied--namely, the blue skin. She was afraid that people would judge and shun her son, so she kept him secluded in their forest home, away from society and their prejudices. His mother was a druid who followed the Mother of the Waters, Eldath, and she bestowed her love of nature onto her son. She taught Banks how to take care of others and how to remain calm in the face of opposition. She would take him deep into the woods to a small place of worship, a simple stone archway covering a small hand-carved statue of the goddess. As a child, Banks loved this time of peace with his mother. She raised her "Sunshine Boy" to be loving and accepting of all life, which lent itself to his interest in medicine. As he grew older, more travelers began to pass through their woods. After a few run-ins with wounded travelers, word began to spread of a knowledgeable medicine man in the Neverwinter Woods. Though Banks was content to study and tend his garden in solitude, he found that he enjoyed meeting new people, and helping others gave him a sense of duty and fulfilment. After several suggestions for easier access to some of the surrounding towns and word that Phandalin had little medical care available to them, Banks began to travel a few local areas to sell his wares.

## The Campaign

### Unexpected Visitors

Phihana and her party, while travelling in search of a special egg, were attacked by a manticore. They were caught in a brutal battle, and eventually made a deal with the beast to spare their lives. During their travel back to Neverwinter, they passed by Bank's cottage and apothecary. He kindly invited them in, patching them up, giving them a hot meal, and allowing them to camp on his land. In the middle of the night, Banks heard a shuffling by his front door. Opening it, he discovered Rune trying to break in. He decided to give the child a second chance by playing dumb, inviting her in instead for a cup of tea. They had a bit of a heart-to-heart, but Rune was not swayed. She had slipped something into his drink, knocking him out for the night and well into the next day. When he finally woke, he discovers a few things: A note that says "Sorry." with a single silver and that his journal was missing. He then made the decision to follow the party to Neverwinter to reclaim his research.

### Joining the Party

Banks passes through Phandalin on his way to Neverwinter. He decides to stop by his friend Liam's tavern, the Stonehill Inn. When he arrives, Liam asks Banks to accompany a motley crew (Jeis, Torhd, and Reytna) who he has asked to complete some tasks for the city job board in place of repaying a debt for the furniture they had broken. He agrees to keep an eye on them, and in return asks Liam to look into the party he was following with some friends in Neverwinter. They decide to check in on Adabra, a lady living in a windmill on Umbridge Hill on the outskirts of Phandalin, about the threat of a dragon in the area. Here, the crew runs into a manticore attacking her tower, and they decide to take it on themselves. The manticore proves to be a formidable foe, almost taking the lives of both Reytna and Jeis. Banks tries his best to protect and heal the party, but he fails, ending up climbing the tower to face the manticore in order to protect his companions himself. Having been a practicing pacifist his entire life, he panics and is unsure what to do in the moment, reaching out to his goddess, Eldath for guidance. He hears a soft voice on the wind as radiant light attacks the manticore, protecting them all and buying them enough time to escape. This is the first time Banks (although inadvertently) acted maliciously toward another sentient creature. After defeating the beast, they discover that Adabra had been harboring a young half-orc child, Korgu. They try to convince them that they are safer in town, but Adabra fears for Korgu's safety given the public's violence and mistrust toward orcs. Banks reassures the child that there are always people who will be willing to help, telling him that Liam's inn is always a safe place should they decide to move into town.

### An Unexpected Reunion

After a brief excursion with Reytna and a mysterious traveler, Reiris, to investigate poisoned trees on the outskirts of Phandalin, the crew regroups back at the Stonehill Inn. That night, Liam and Banks have a heart-to-heart about his past relationship issues, Torhd joining in because he is a sympathy crier. While Banks is comforting the two, Phihana and Brolselle enter the tavern. Phihana explains that their party was attacked by bandits, who captured Rune and Finn and split the rest of the party. Banks talks to the rest of the party, and they decide to accompany Phihana to rescue Rune and Finn in Leilon.

### The Rescue

The party was able to track the bandits to the town of Leilon. Phihana takes them to Crusty's Tavern, where they meet the adventurers Porter and Tar'an. They had run the group of bandits out of town, and had located their base of operations. The two guided the party to the bandit's hideout, a cabin on the outskirts of Leilon. The group sneaks inside, finding a dungeon hidden behind a trick wardrobe. There, they find two prisoners: Azariah and Rune, both too close to death for comfort. Banks and Phihana are able to heal them both, stabilizing them enough to escape. There, they also find Banks' journal that Rune had stolen as well as several scrolls worth of research. Rune is distraught over the loss of Hemm, and explains that her and Finn were separated. The party is forced to fight their way out of the cabin, fighting off the skeleton crew left at the base. Afterward, they take Rune and Azariah back to Crusty's Tavern to recoup. Before bed, Banks takes the opportunity to return Rune's silver that she "forgot" at his place, saying how happy he is they were able to find her. It isn't until the morning that Banks realizes a page is missing from his journal: the recipe he was working on for a blessed healing potion, the only thing lacking was the prayer for the blessing itself.

### The Road to Neverwinter

Reytna suggests to Phihana that because there was one more location marked at the bandits' hideout, there may be one more attack that they should try to stop. Additionally, Phihana asked our adventurers to stop back by Phandalin to check if Brolselle and Torbjorn had been reunited. The party decided to briefly split, Reytna, Phihana, Porter, and Tar'an going after the bandits, and the rest of the crew to head to Phandalin. When they returned, they found that Torbjorn had made it to the Stonehill Inn. When welcoming his return, he seemed reluctant to speak of what had happened while he was alone. Both Brolselle and Banks became suspicious, but ultimately let it go. The party stayed at the inn for the night, only to be woken up by a fight happening in the tavern. Banks and Torhd rushed downstairs to discover that Torbjorn had brutally attacked Brolselle. During the fight, it was revealed that this was not the real Torbjorn but was a doppelganger who had taken his form. The rest of the party was slowly woken up and joined the fight. After being struck down, Brolselle begged Banks to revive the monster in the hopes to discover the fate of the real Torbjorn. Hoping that this would mean a chance at coming to an agreement, and insanely intimidated by Brolselle, Banks agreed. After an interrogation, the monster revealed that Torbjorn could be found in a cave just outside of town, but did not have long. The party rushed to rescue him, patching him up and finally reuniting him with Brolselle back at the Stonehill Inn.

After stopping by Phandalin, the party decides to head to Neverwinter to meet back with Reytna and Phihana. On their way, they hear an old man begging for help. Banks gets an uneasy feeling, but Torhd and Torbjorn are convinced to give the man a coin and help him on his way. They make it to Neverwinter, running into missionaries for the Golden Sun before finding an inn, The Shining Serpent, to spend the night. The next morning, Banks goes into the surrounding woods to meditate. He makes a makeshift altar and prays to Eldath for guidance. He is started by a presence, which unbeknownst to him is Eldath herself, but he welcomes the company. The woman asks why he has come, and he opens up to her. He explains that a lot has changed for him recently, and he’s taken a lot of steps outside of his comfort zone. He isn’t quite sure if he is comfortable with all of the decisions he’s made. She encourages him to be more like water, not only can it conform to its surroundings but it can also carve its own path. In the same way, water is ever changing, and that he should follow his heart to embrace that change. He asks her how to know if he's on the right path, but doesn't get a true answer. With a final word of encouragement, the woman dissipates. Meanwhile, Rune never woke up that morning. She was marked by an oni and is being kept asleep while it hunts her. Jeis and Torhd drug her all over town looking for a doctor until Banks finds them being thrown into the street by an angry cleric. He recognizes Rune's affliction and takes them back to the inn with the plan to wait for the oni to hunt and stop it before it claims another victim. Banks was able to wake her up with a medicinal brew while they waited for the oni. During this time, Reytna and Phihana arrived at Neverwinter, finally rejoining the crew. When the oni finally came to claim its prey, it seemed to know more than it let on. It insulted Rune's family, which set her off. During the battle, Banks had a mini-crisis, asking again for help from Eldath. He unknowingly summoned spirit guardians, dealing a heavy blow to the creature. Before falling asleep for the night, he hears Eldath's voice echoing her sentiments of change for the better.

### The Golden Sun of Neverwinter

In the morning, everyone decides to poke around the temple a bit. Banks finds a letter that is signed "May the Ashen fall from your fruition as the harps play." Torhd then takes the group on a detour to help a man by the name of Umeric. The man was dying from a vicious poison, and the group decided to take him to a doctor and help pay for his care. Torhd offers Banks to care for the man, but he quickly realizes that the damage is far beyond what could be helped in the field. He healed the poison to a manageable state, and they took him to a local hospital. The kind doctor, Yorick, allows Banks to shadow the amputation procedure that was able to save his life. After regrouping, the crew has dinner at Barley's.

In the morning, the party visits the church of the Golden Sun. They are met by a group of devotees doing yoga and devotionals on the lawn of the temple. The leaders encourage them to partake in their communion, and they are invited in by the leader, Kohl. He explains that in order to speak to the church leaders such as the Sun Guide or a prophet, they must prove themselves with an assignment for the church. The prophet informs Kohl that the party must travel to The Crags to retrieve a music box. After 2 days of travel, the party arrives at a guarded orc camp. They send Rune, invisible thanks to Jeis's magic, to sneak into the camp, and she comes out, undetected, with an ornate music box. She describes what she saw of the camp, saying she saw banners marked with a hand. On their return, they open the box. Out comes fountains of water and a giant water marid who introduces himself as Vessel. He explains that he had been imprisoned within the box for the past 45 years, and with some questioning from Banks, discovers that he is his father. They spend a time reminiscing on Farah, discovering that Vessel granted her wish to restore her family home. They free Vessel from his imprisonment, and ask him to magically reseal the box to take it back to the cult. Before he leaves, Banks invites his father to visit the family home once more and pay his respects to Farah, who is buried there.

They return the box to Kohl, who congratulates them; however, he says that they must wait for the 9th day ceremony before they can speak with the church leaders. Torhd has other plans, however, as he informs Kohl that he in already a member of the church. He shows him his badge, to which he remarks that he has never seen someone as high a rank as Torhd. He guides him downstairs to the prophet, who called Torhd by his former name, Criton. He explains that Torhd brought about his own demise by raising a second in command that was willing to kill him. He knows far too much about Torhd and his past, and knowing this, Jeis breaks in and pulls Torhd out to rejoin the crew. On their way out, they are met by Lex and several angry members of the Golden Sun. They immediately realize that they are severely outnumbered, so the party fights their way out of the temple in order to flee the city. They survive on the run from Lex and their crew, making their way through Neverwinter Wood and eventually lose them in the city of Triboar.

### Crossroads of the Fallen

While they flee, Jeis tries to contact Liam every day via the sending stones. She receives no answer. Rune was hit by an arrow on the way out of the temple, and each night Banks tends to her wounds, taking steadfast care of the girl as she heals. After a week on the run, the party is looking grim. They finally stop to camp, and everyone takes a night to rest. That night, Banks has a nightmare that he is surrounded by eternal hellfire watching everything and everyone he loves be consumed by the flames. As they burn, his loved ones cry out for him, only to realize that he can't help them. Banks is forced to watch his loved ones lose faith in him and turn to ash before is very eyes until suddenly, cool waters break through the flames, and he sees his mother. She smiles at him, and whispers, "My sunshine boy, how you have grown. You are so loved. Keep following your river my darling." Banks wakes up with tears in his eyes, and checks on all of his people before returning to sleep.

In the morning, the crew grabs a meal in Triboar before deciding to book a night at a local inn. Reytna calls everyone together and grabs onto Jeis just as she is pulled into a meeting with Rhyxali. This, in turn, pulls the entire party into a meeting with Rhyxali. The demon queen explains Criton's past as the founder of the Golden Sun and a primary follower of Bha'al. Criton planned to plunge the world into an era of darkness by bringing back Bha'al using a 4-step ritual. They needed to bring back the essence of Bha'al, pervert the innocent (like the Golden Sun had done with their innocent followers), cut the heart out of the earth (by killing the heart tree), and to kill a god of opposition. Rhyxali revealed that the sword had been used to kill Gruumsh, the head of the orcish gods who had helped purge the world of Bha'al in the first place. She tells the party that they must locate Godsbane, the last of which was heard of in Silvery Moon. She tells them that this war affects more than just the material realm. Because she is reliant on the material realm, Rhyxali and the other gods and goddesses are working together to stop this plan. Meanwhile, she is attempting to take up the mantle as leader of hell in the power vacuum left behind by the Pale Night, who has disappeared. After they return, the group decided to leave for Silvery Moon in the morning. Before bed, Rune decides to express to Banks just how much she cares for the group and sees them like family. He tucks her in, and Torhd joins the sweet moment, reading a bedtime story that puts both father and daughter to sleep.

The party eats at Haffle Wouse in the morning, and Banks discovers a new-found addiction for a hot, greasy haffle. During breakfast, Jeis busts in with a map, frantically telling the party that she believes that Liam is in danger. It is a 3 day journey to Sundabar, each day Jeis would check in with "Liam" via the sending stones. Banks was wary that it could be a trap, but is too worried about Liam to not find out. Once they arrive in Sundabar, they enter a sketchy looking tavern with a fight ring outside. Rune decides to partake in the fighting ring, surprisingly, sans Jeis. When they leave, they discover that Rune got really drunk and won consecutive rounds in the fight ring, not without injury. Banks offers to heal her, but she seems upset and refuses his healing. She rescinds this in the morning, citing that she felt she deserved to live with the punches since she gave some of her own. As Banks patches her up, he tells her that she's taken enough punches in her life. He comforts the child as she cries, and he encourages her to talk to Jeis about why she was so upset. That night, the party plans what to do if the meetings ends up being a trap. The party decides to be on guard, with 2 members in the woods (Reytna and Rune) while the other 3 go to meet "Liam."

They arrive at the crossroads, where "Liam" is sitting against a road sign, accompanied by a large obsidian battle-axe. He steps up to hug "Jeis," who steps backwards, questioning him persistently. They notice that he has blood on his hands, that he refuses to explain. "Reytna" and Rune are hiding in the woods, keeping watch. Banks and "Jeis" recognize movement in the woods as the party is being surrounded. Suddenly, the image of Liam seems to flicker in the light. Torhd reaches out to grab "Liam" by the shoulder, and the illusion shatters. Reiris Talfellow emerges out of the woods saying, "And to think I was going to play nice and offer you a deal of where to find him and his body." A bloodcurdling scream rings out, and a magical bolt of energy streaks out from the woods, straight into Reiris's chest. Banks is furious, more so than he has ever been before, at the idea that this man has hurt Liam. He summons a swarm of spectral guardians and weapons, ready to fight Reiris himself. Reiris' lackies come out from the woods, but the party beats the absolute shit out of all of them. Once they're all downed, Jeis stalks up to Reiris with a hand crackling with necrotic energy, demanding to know where her Dad is. Reiris laughs in her face and whistles, calling a young white dragon to the battlefield. Torhd and Jeis try to intimidate Reiris into answering, but Jeis loses patience, and plunges a knife into his heart, taking him down, just barely alive. After days of being missing, behind the dragon, Jeis' crow flies in, circling over the woods and frantically crying out. Out of the woods, Liam, the real Liam, walks out accompanied by two battle-worn women. He lets out a war-cry and hurls a javelin into the dragon's neck. She takes the dragon down with a massive fireball before running to embrace her father in a long awaited hug. Banks has never felt more relief than to see Liam alive and well. He follows Jeis and runs up to Liam, expressing his relief and happiness to see him. They then revive and question Reiris, who reveals that Ishku has been confirmed as the high reverent.

Liam explains how he had gone in search of his father, the leader of the Bad Hand Band, Tarfu, in order to kill him like he intended too years ago. Along they way, he had found two of his friends, Aryn and Shoni. After speaking with Aryn, she tells him that she was a former hostage of the Bad Hand Band after her community was attacked for being in defiance of Tarfu. Liam and Jeis decide to contact Rhyxali, who agrees to prepare a space to keep Reiris captive. While waiting, they decide to tie Reiris to a tree, leaving Liam to keep watch. Unfortunately, Reiris is able to charm Liam while he is left to keep watch alone, allowing him to escape. After this devastating blow to group morale, they decide to follow Aryn back to the Embassy in Silvery Moon, where she allows them to stay and rest with her two children, Erydel and Herine, and their caretaker Katyr.

### Found Family

The party decides to regroup while staying at Aryn's. They decide to explore individually, some shopping for items, others taking the opportunity to learn more about their magic. Liam asks banks to go visit Silverglen together, a sacred and peaceful garden grove for the residents of Silvery Moon. They took time to meditate together, and revel in the peace of the gardens. After, Liam takes Banks shopping, in which he buys Banks ingredients for his potion making. They also stop by a flower shop, where Banks gets Liam a bouquet of blue Canterbury bells (meaning: your letter was received; gratitude, or faith and constancy), white gardenias (meaning: you are lovely; secret love), and purple gladiolus (meaning: strength, faithfulness, & infatuation), and sweet williams (meaning: masculinity & gallantry). Liam then surprises Banks with a trip to a fancy tea shop overlooking the river, where they chat over a warm cup of tea. Liam also gifts him a bag of rare and expensive tea to help with focus, relaxation, and breathing. That night, once they return, Banks shares the potion ingredients with Rune, and they make potions together. She expresses how upset she will be when their adventure comes to and end, because she enjoys being with them. She says that she feels like she has a family there, and that she feels like she has a dad. Banks offers that Rune stay with him when it's all over, and tells her that he is happy to be her dad. Reytna also pulls Banks aside and asks if he can perform a healing ritual over them. They reveal that they are badly poisoned from the damage to their heart tree, and it's steadily growing worse.

In the middle of the night, Torhd decides to go for a walk in the Embassy courtyard. The whole time, he feels as if he is being watched. He explores a clocktower, feeling uneasy, searching for his voyeur. Unfortunately, he only finds rats. He follows the rat back to the streets as it runs into the sewer, only to be startled by an old gnomish man standing behind him. He jumps, smacking the man's glasses off his face. He apologizes, but the man shrugs it off, saying it wouldn't be the first time, not that Torhd remembers. He introduces himself as Arty, and says that he has been keeping an eye on Torhd and means him no harm. He explains that he is an artificer and scientist, and wants to help. He asks if he remembers anything from "the lab," and calls him Criton. Arty insists that they are friends, and that he'd like to show him his inventions and introduce him to a group looking for their leader. Torhd is very cautious, and does not understand Arty or his use of science over magic. He mentions the prophecy being fulfilled, and that he has been working on a device to help locate Godsbane. He invites Torhd and his friends to the lab, and he agrees to meet the next day.

In the morning, Banks takes over making a domestic breakfast for Katyr--a break for her and a touch of normalcy for him--while they talk about Aryn's deceased husband. Liam comes back after a short trip to the market with a bouquet of flowers, their meanings translating to friendship, love, and peace. At breakfast, Torhd tells the group about meeting an "Art Professor" named Arty who wants to meet with them. They agree to stop by after a quick market run. At the market, they sell some items and stock up on supplies. This is not without a small cabbage catastrophe masterminded by Rune and Jeis, always looking for a bit of chaos.

They visit the clock shop, looking for Arty. Torhd immediately begins crying upon entry, After an awkward attempt at comfort from Liam, he drags Banks to peruse the intracte machinations of the clock shop. They are greeted by a kindly woman who remarks how familiar Torhd looks before retrieving Arty. He asks why they are there so early in the day, but Reytna quickly evades, giving the excuse that Liam and Banks have a date to which they sputter and blush. Arty leads them back to his workshop, explaining that he knew Torhd as Criton before he died. In fact, he was the one who brought him back from the dead. He speaks of a group of "followers" who believe that Criton was going to change the world. He leads them behind a secret door and into a speakeasy under the shop. They are greeted by whispers of excitement as Torhd walks through the humble crowd. They are ordered a round of drinks (even Jeis and Rune) while Arty explains Torhd's revival. After finding his body in a mass grave, he brought him back to life only for Torhd to leave. He explains that he has a crystal device that is trained onto Torhd's energy that he has used to keep watch over him. While they are talking, Rune excuses herself to pursue a hooded figure. Worried, Banks goes to check on her and the conversation with the shady character, a dragonborn woman who reveals herself to be Azodai Lirzu. Reytna also comes to interrogate the stranger, asking if she had been following them. She explains that she had, as she needed to see that Criton had returned for herself. She insists that she needed him to fix what he had done. Lirzu expresses that she would love to kill Criton herself, and until their mission is complete she will be watching them.

Upon their return, Jeis is drunkenly convincing Arty to use profane slang and Arty asks to show the crew his tracking device. Banks, Jeis, and Torhd all follow Arty up to the lab, but not before running into his wife, Grish, who is in tears by how much Torhd reminds her of "their boy," Criton. Arty explains that the orb, a moving globe pulsating with entrancing blue light, is a tracking device used to hone in on Godbane's energy. Jeis, in her drunken state, immediately touches it, and is severely electrocuted. After this, Banks banishes her back downstairs, worried for her safety. Arty says that the orb will be ready to use the following day, which they can use to track the whereabouts of the sword. Torhd and Arty have a heartfelt conversation while Banks excuses himself downstairs to give them space.

Downstairs, Liam has taken over serving the speakeasy in Arty's absence, which when questioned, he explains makes him happy for the bit of normalcy. The kids are playing beer pong with a raucous crew, but they're having fun as well. At one point, a familiar dwarven face walks into the bar: the man who the party has dubbed Milf Hunter. Banks, Reytna, and Torhd all greet him and ask what he's been up to. He has apparently struck out with the milfs and has taken up work as a prostitute. Banks decides to go help Liam serve, as he would rather die than be a part of that conversation. The kids get so drunk that they pass out, each being carried back and put to bed by Liam and Banks.

After a talk with Torhd, Liam is sent into a rage and goes on a bit of a rampage outside of the Embassy. Banks follows him into the street, trying to calm him down. He eventually just sits next to him, not allowing him to be alone while he sorts his thoughts. He returns in the midst of dinner, and begins to make repairs around the house, including a door that he ripped off its hinges. Before bed, Liam seeks out Banks and explains that he had a conversation with Torhd about his departure that left him confused and frustrated.

The next morning, it's raining. Banks wakes up to find Rune casing the joint, and he tells her to knock it off. She agrees, but only if he agrees to teach her about tea. Several others happen upon the impromptu lesson and become enraptured by the lecture. Aryn even proposes to Banks that the Lady's College in Silvery Moon may benefit from a professor of herbal medicine. Sheepish and embarrassed, he brushes it off, but doesn't entirely dismiss the idea. Reytna asks Banks to assist in a healing ritual they learned at the college. They explain that they are slowly being poisoned, and the ritual helps manage the spread. Banks agrees to do this every so often as a precaution. The two walk out into the garden to find large footprints. They discover that they have been followed and watched by Lex. They fight him off, eventually forcing him to retreat, but before he leaves, he sets all of their horses free. The only one to stay is Torhd's horse, Blossom, who is extremely loyal.

With morning comes the realization of just how much destruction the battle had wrought. Banks points out that they should keep moving, given they were tracked to Silvery Moon. He also points out that Liam has his own lose ends to tie up regarding his father, and that given everything he's done for the party, the least they could do is support him in his own journey. Liam says that after they’ve checked on Arty's tracking machine, they can pursue those ends. They visit Arty and retrieve the orb, one step closer to finding Godsbane. That being said, the party looks to Liam, everyone coming to the consensus to help him find his peace with his father.

### Paternal Resolution

On the way to the Frozen Sea, Liam tells the party about the gruesome War Orcs of the Bad Hand Band who won their respect out of fear. He explains that in order to bring about change, he must challenge his father, Tarfu, one-on-one and kill him in a duel to the death. They decide to make preparations for a big fight, gathering all the resources and aid they have available. Banks asks Liam to accompany him to the river, in which he makes a call for assistance. He warns him that he is about to meet his father, as he summons the genie Vessel. He tells him that he has been visiting Banks' home and tended the garden around his mother's grave. He teases Banks, calling Liam--who is looking rather nervous--his boyfriend, which neither man denies. Banks asks Vessel if he would like to get revenge for his imprisonment, asking him to help with their upcoming battle against the Bad Hand Band. He agrees, and gives Banks a magical sand dollar which can be used to summon him on command.

The next day, the party arrives at the orc camp, atop a rocky hill face and crawling with soldiers. They send Jeis' crow, who was revealed to be her late brother, Jamril, to scout the camp. They make a plan to infiltrate the camp in order to get Liam before his father. They rest at the foot of the plateau for a bit, gearing up for the battle in the morning. Banks pulls Liam aside to check in on how he's feeling. He asks him if this is the closure he needs. Liam admits that he has dreamt of killing his father for a long time, but he knows this will not fix his issues. He explains that he has been and must continue working on himself, to find his own closure. That being said, he is driven by the fact that facing Tarfu will keep him from ever hurting anyone again. No one will go through what he was made to go through. He begins to talk of finalities and the fact that he may die, and Banks tries to stop him, insisting he will not allow that to happen. Liam tries to reason with Banks, saying that if Banks is faced with the decision to help Liam or another party member, to let him die. Banks is distraught, saying that they're family, and he's not leaving without everyone. Liam simply lets it be, and nervously takes this moment alone to tell Banks how much he means to him, that he appreciates him and everything he's done. Banks, realizing the weight of the situation hanging over them, doesn't let him finish. He grabs the man and kisses him in a desperate attempt to convey everything that has led them to this point. He says he "appreciates" him, too, and they take a small moment to themselves before facing the impending battle.

The party scales the cliff, one by one on the back of a skeletal pegasus summoned by Jeis. Banks, left at the bottom for last, takes a second to look behind them, noticing they have been followed. The rest of the party backs Liam as he enters the main tent. He is greeted by his father, who calls him "Lurzol," his given name. Silhouetted behind the tent, on a rocky peak is Reiris, Lex, and Vitale, who the party sees and immediately realize that they have been followed.

Banks, left alone at the base of the plateau, is attacked by Reiris, Lex, and Vitale. Quickly, he mounts Jeis' pegasus and flies up to warn the others, only to fly up just as Liam and Tarfu clash together in a fierce battle to the death. They slash mercilessly at each other, each hit meant to be a killing blow. The party looks on intensely, knowing the moment they intervene is the moment they fight an army. After a long battle, Liam strikes the final blow, taking his father down before all his men. Jeis and Banks run forward and embrace Liam in celebration. Banks heals him and cries in relief that Liam made it out alive. Though many orcs cheer for their new leader, some call him a "bastard son" and will never accept him. They stand against him, ready to usurp the claim to leadership. Liam smiles at his friends and family, and they join him in battle against those who deny his new title.

In the chaos, Reiris and company finally make it onto the plateau, and join in the battle. It is grueling. The party is overwhelmed and battle-worn. Jeis is forced to call Rhyxali for help fighting off the small army of orcs. Liam falls unconscious multiple times, Banks fighting to keep him in the realm of the living. Torhd and Reiris face off, Torhd reigning victorious, though it doesn't seem real. He crawls atop Reiris's body, wracked with sobs, and repeatedly stabs into him until he physically can't anymore. The battle comes to an end, Lex and Vitale having fled and the defecting orcs are silenced. Jeis and Liam embrace in a hug, as Banks picks up their fallen friends. Decidedly, Jeis raises his hand in victory for all to see, the crowd cheering for their new leader. Liam takes a moment to addresses his new army before retreating into the leader's tent to have a full breakdown. While moving Tarfu's body, Rune asks Banks if they can rest when all this is over. He tells her that he wants to go home to his garden, and tells Rune that he will take her home and teach her after it's all over. After a long time, Liam comes out of the tent and invites Banks to sit with him and watch the sunset. He asks Banks what happens next, but Banks tells him that "next" can happen in the morning. For the night, they rest.

Banks spends the night in Liam's tent, doing his best to provide comfort and stability while Liam is Going Thru It™. In the morning, he's woken up by Torhd's screaming as he is stabbing his sword at the puddle of goo that was formerly Reiris. Banks asks Torhd if he's okay, but he's overcome with grief hallucinations, convinced that Reiris is still alive. Jeis comes over, wanting to help, and tries to demonstrate that Reiris is dead by lighting the remains ablaze, but this backfires, shooting wild magic out everywhere. Banks asks Torhd if he and Reiris had history, and he admits that they knew each other before his death. He covers Torhd in a blanket, and leads him to a tent to take some time to process things. Banks then goes to check in on Liam, who comes out to address his men. The party mingles amongst the orcs for the day.

That night, the party decides that they're next goal is to follow the orb to find Godsbane. Liam tells them that he won't be able to go with them, as he has to stay with the orcs to establish his new leadership. He does agree to see them to the northernmost camp, however, where he must go meet their leader to discuss succession of power and diplomacy. Banks pulls him aside afterward and asks how long he plans on staying with the orcs before returning home to Phandalin. He says that he plans on staying with them for a while, as he wants to overhaul how they operate and lead them into a new era of democracy. He asks Banks that once his quest is over, if he would return to stay with him, because he doesn't want to be apart from him for too long. Banks agrees, saying that he will be by his side for however long that may be. Liam also mentions an ominous dream that he had, where Gruumsh damned him from the orcish afterlife for killing his father. Tarfu was sent on a mission by Gruumsh to kill all non-orcs, which was thwarted by Liam. He remarks that he'll need a new religion, and Banks offers to teach him more about Eldath, though the other orcs may not wish to follow him in that.

The next morning, they head toward the northern orc camp. They are greeted by their leader, who calls Liam "brother," and introduces themselves as Lon. They welcome Liam and the party tentatively, but this quickly deteriorates as Lon thinks they recognize Torhd as a former enemy. The orcs raise their weapons, and tensions rise. Banks tries to de-escalate, but they aren't receptive to his peaceful approach. Liam pushes Banks and Torhd back, challenging Lon until he backs down, but things remain incredibly tense. The party is escorted by guards to their respective tents, and Liam goes with Lon to the leader's tent where they do not return.

After being escorted to their tents, Banks notices his guard, Dubok, looking over his shoulder as he works in his journal. He offers to teach him about his work, as well as how to read and write. This makes Dubok so happy that he devotes himself to his new teacher, and says he is willing to kill for him. Shortly thereafter, Reytna collects Banks to join the remaining party members in their plan to listen in on Liam and Lon's negotiation. They return only to find Jeis distracting the guard while Rune is already in place. The two leaders discuss for the entire day, the others left to worry as Liam smooths over the political discussions. Banks waits and paces outside the leader's tent all night.

In the middle of the night, Banks witnesses Torhd come barreling past the camp, wildly swinging his sword and franticly stabbing into the ground. Banks runs over to calm him, but Torhd is insistent that he saw Reiris and is visibly distraught. Banks entertains the idea that Reiris may still be alive and after them, but eventually calms the barbarian down. Meanwhile, he catches Rune sneaking out of the leader's tent. He chastises her for going into a dangerous situation alone, but Rune becomes upset that he doesn't trust her to handle herself, convinced he only sees her as a child. She storms off, furious, she says derisively that he is not her father and resolves to return to her service under Phihana when their quest is done. They do not speak the rest of the night.

After a long night of deliberation, Liam and Lon have finish their negotiations of power, and they embark on a ceremonial hunting trip for the camp. Upon return, Liam speaks to each party member individually. Banks is a worried mess, but Liam calms him, explaining that he was able to do some damage control but that they should not overstay their welcome. He tells his partner about his fight with Rune and his fear of Reiris being alive. Liam is able to ground him, but explains that he will have to stay to manage the transfer of power among other orc bands. They each take a stone of farspeech, and they promise each other to stay safe on their respective journeys.

### Into the North

Led by the locator orb, the party sets their course north to reach the High Ice. They restock on supplies in Ascore, but ultimately reach their destination quickly. After scaling icy peaks and sheer cliff faces, they come upon a scene frozen in time. At the bottom of a tall icy peak, there lies a crumpled body of a young soldier who has fallen from a great height after a scuffle. They find a ripped paper in his armor reading "The Power" compulsively scrawled across the page, and at the bottom, "She is speaking to me." The party traverses the cliffside to the top to find a second body, another young man, frozen on his knees grasping a sword that can only be Godsbane. Behind the body is a discarded journal and a perfectly rounded hole in the ice tunnelling immeasurably down.

The journal details the journey of the two brothers, Surin and Evir, who sought Godsbane, became followers under Criton, and were eventually overcome by its manipulative power. The story brings Banks to tears, and he prays over the bodies while weeping for the two brothers. Torhd reaches for the sword, almost compulsively. Both Banks and Reytna try to stop him, but he grips the sword and everything is eerily silent. Banks and Jeis question Torhd, but he says that he has never felt better.

They don't have much time to dwell on it, because they are attacked by a remorhaz that bursts forth from the massive hole in the ice, sinking its fangs into Banks. It brings with it a small array of other wyrms, and the party fights viciously tooth and nail for their lives. Jeis summons an elemental that is able to follow the wyrms underground and tunnel them out from their burrows. The remorhaz swallows Torhd and begins to escape away as he struggles to fight from within the giant wyrm. The elemental follows the remorhaz down the tunnel, stopping it in its tracks and extracting Torhd from the belly of the beast.

They travel back to spend the night in Ascore, admittedly shaken by their experience. Banks is able to pull Rune aside for an apology and a heart-to-heart, explaining he didn't mean to take the decision from her, only to be there as support if she wished. She accepts, and apologizes herself. She tells him that he is her "real" dad, and how both of her real parents didn't want her, but that she's happy to have him. Banks takes her by the shoulders and tells her though he may not be her blood, he chooses her as family every day. They embrace, and joke about how clumsy Banks is in battle, He tells her how often he used to fall and get scraped up as a child and how his mother would show him how to patch himself up. Rune then teaches Banks how to ground himself in a fight, and they get to bond a bit while they rest. That night, Banks dreamt of Godsbane and her whispers.

### Gods' Bane

In the morning, Torhd suggests they return to Neverwinter. They decide to gather all the supplies they can and muster up all the help they have access too before they take on The Reverent. Though, Torhd fights this, stating that they need no one else involved since they have the sword at their disposal. Torhd is convinced he could take their armies alone, which worries Banks greatly of the effects Godsbane is exerting over his friend. That night, he goes upstairs to attempt to remove the sword from Torhd to relieve him of its effects but finds every other party member is trying to take the sword as well. Torhd stops him in the doorway, saying that he is too inexperienced and stupid to understand the sheer power of the sword. Banks confirms that everyone has been affected by the sword, hearing its voice in their dreams and feeling drawn to it. He tries to convince Torhd that it must be exerting more power over him as its current wielder. He suggests that they carry it in a cart or pack, that no one lays hands on it. The party is torn over this, everyone wanting the sword for themselves. Eventually, they do get Torhd to agree to go to Neverwinter, and Reytna suggests stopping in Silvery Moon to buy some time. Things are tense amongst the party.

The first night on the road, Jeis attempts to steal the sword away from Torhd. Unbeknownst to her, the sword is taken from her in the night and is instead put in a tree above their camp. The party dissolves into pointing fingers and arguments, but ultimately it presents an opportunity for them to talk about the sword's influence on their actions. Reytna suggests they take turns carrying it. They leave for Silvery Moon that morning, and on the road find the bodies of two travelers who look to have been brutalized in the night. Banks considers reviving them to help and investigate the perpetrator, but decides it is kinder to lay them to rest.

The party continues their quest to a small town outside of Silvery Moon. Jeis and Rune seek excitement and entertainment in the town's tavern, and the others recuperate for the coming battles. Banks updates Liam daily on their quest and whereabouts. The next day, they reach a tower of billowing smoke rising out of Silvery Moon's market district. Arty's clock shop has been turned to ash, all all else with it. Arty and his wife were confirmed to have died in the attack. The party is a bit shaken by the news, but decides to check on Aryn while in town, who is overseeing the reconstruction of her home.

While in Silvery Moon, they visit the Tymora temple where they run into Rose. They ask her to send word to Phihana to meet them in Phandalin if she is willing to lend them her aide against the Reverent. They also ask for her advice about pursuing a conversation with the goddess Chauntea, as a way to contact the gods who may lend them their favor. She agrees to meet them in the morning to assist them. Jeis and Rune take a trip to the undercity to pursue Rune's connections to the Thieves' Guild. Rune returns her to Aryn's drunk, and Banks helps the girl tuck her in to bed as Jeis cries, incoherently apologizing to her brother Jamril. The next morning, they visit the Sacred Grove—a garden temple to Chauntea—but find Rose is not there to meet them. They notice the plants all seem to droop as if weeping. Reytna speaks to the plants there, who say "She's sick, we're all sick." The tree shows them that the "black robes" came in the night and poisoned them all.

They decide to check the Tymora temple to find Rose, but all they find is a blood and decimation. They find Rose's corpse, her chest split open and her heart missing, along with eight other practitioners who resided within the temple. Torhd digs through some of the rubble, and finds a woman cowering in the corner. The woman is the goddess Tymora herself, pulled to Faerun in a mortal form. At the sight of Torhd, she lunges at him fiercely. Banks, on instinct, steps in between to protect his friend, and she sends a blade sinking into his gut. He is able to magically restrain her so they can talk. When the goddess calms, she says that she was summoned and left to rot in the storage room. The sacrifice of her followers was for the Reverent to perform a ritual to force the goddess into a vulnerable mortal form in order to absolve her of her ability to intervene with their plans. They quickly realize that they need to beat the Reverent to the remaining holy grounds for the other Divine Nine—the nine gods and goddesses who rule for the good of the realms. But when they reach the gardens, they find a group of soldiers surrounding a tall corpse with ringed red eyes, glowing with rage. It's Reiris, reanimated into a Revenant.

### The Revenant

Reiris has Lex, her bandits, and several other members of the Golden Sun with him, but the party is still able to sneak up on Reiris and his crew nonetheless. During the battle, the Revenant Reiris is focused on Torhd and Torhd alone. He comes at him with brutal and insistent force. Banks fights to keep him alive while Reytna and Jeis take out the rest of the crew one by one. Tymora even helps fight, taking out several cult members and slashing them to a pulp. Torhd is able to eviscerate Reiris' form, his body dissolving into goo. Lex tries to escape on horse, but Torhd tracks her down and stands in the way. In order to stop Lex, Jeis encases them both in a whirling ring of fire, ensuring neither is able to leave. They fight hand-to-hand as they are both buffeted by flames. Lex delievers a deafening blow enough to knock Torhd out cold. Banks hurriedly revives him, and eventually, he is able to surmount Lex. Torhd strikes the wolf down in the ring of flame. Banks is horrified, as Torhd stabs her repeatedly, until there is no question that she could have survived. Meanwhile, Jeis interrogates one of Lex's bandits, finding out that they had poisoned the grove and Lex had already started the ritual with only a few minutes left before Chauntea is pulled to the mortal realm.

In a burst of brilliant light, Chauntea appears in human form, greeting them with grace and poise. She asks Banks to make her tea and gives him a rose in thanks. She recovers a bit before looking intensely to Torhd, commanding him to drop the sword. He does. She says that he is freed from its power, and Torhd immediately is overcome with guilt. He confesses his actions over the last several days to his companions. He admits that he killed the two travelers they found on the trail, several townsfolk around Silvery Moon, and the small town they visited outside of Silvery Moon is now empty, Torhd having massacred everyone in his path before they left. Men, women, children, all. Banks is horrified at his actions, but knows, logically that it was the compulsion of Godsbane. It doesn't mean he is not disgusted by the implications. Jeis asks if he regrets it, and he hesitates but says yes—*now*—freed from the power of the sword. Rune is horrified and refuses to speak to him. Banks asks Torhd if they can really trust him now

## Fun Facts

* He and Liam have known each other for over a decade. Banks often lending an ear or some sage advice and Liam offering companionship and chats over a mug of ale.
* He grows medicinal herbs and sells it in town. He always brings some to Liam when he visits.
* Banks has a patent pending blend of Sleepytime Tea which includes passionflower, lavender, chamomile, poppy leaves, skullcap, and a drop of valerian tincture
* He has been affectionately dubbed "Dad 2" by both Jeis and Rune.
* Banks loves to make tea, and will create water using his elemental affinity in order to provide him and his companions a warm drink.