C2 E24: The Vault of Dragons

This episode begins in the late afternoon of Tarsakh 7th. The PCs are at the door to the Vault of Dragons and discovering Neverember's Enigma.

On Tarsakh 10th, the PCs will be VIP guests at the Cassalanter's children's birthday party.

* Current Secrets

## Last Time

*What happened in the previous episode? Probably smart to link it as well.*

Last time, the PCs discovered a bit of chaos at their tavern as Vevette Blackwater sent a message by way of winged snake. After finally subduing it, they were able to read the message of thanks from the Zhentarim second in command. They also discover that the Cassalanter family sent them a finder's fee of several thousand dragons. Along with the reward was a message that the Cassalanters had discovered a "new toy" and wanted the PCs to help them test it out.

Around the city, the Watch and the Zhentarim continue to clash. Neither force seemed able to gain the upper hand as they scrambled for the assets left behind by the Xanathar Guild's collapse. No one has heard news out of the hideout.

The PCs then headed to Brandath Crypts, which they had learned from the Stone of Golorr was the location of Neverember's Enigma. They bullied a tree and explored the crypts, eventually discovering that Lord Dagult Neverember buried his wife in her family's original crypt, and re-interred the previous occupant elsewhere. In Lady Alethea's crypt, they discovered a false wall concealing a hidden staircase.

At the end of the hidden passage, a wide, adamantine double door looms above the stone corridor...

## Offscreen Events

*Did anything happen offscreen before this episode? Will anything happen offscreen during this episode?*

Cassalanter family is prepping for their party on Leiruin.

* DM TODO: come up with a guestlist for this party

### Kaavu Lycanthropy

The moon was last full on Tarsakh 1st. It is currently waning to half on Tarsakh 8th, new on Tarsakh 16th. Then it will wax to half on the 24th and full again on Greengrass, the festival of Spring. Kaavu will experience first changing on Greengrass.

Ways to remove Lycanthropy, once detected: remove curse, wish

### Stone of Golorr Restored

See Stone of Golorr page. Reminder: the Stone knows the greatest desires of the creature attuned to it. The information it provides is cryptic and comes in an alien form. It has 3 charges of Legend Lore.

### Brandath Crypts

See Remix Notes for further information. Outside the crypts is the Necromancer with the Phoenix Mechanism. Then see DH.

Maroon Brotherhood history: predecessor to the Rosewind Society. Revealed in the early 14th century and broken up by Open Lord Lhestyn. Rumors hold that a successor group still survives and carries on their mission, some even saying they control Waterdeep itself.

### The Vault of Dragons

See the Vault and also see the Dragon for more information.

Note: instead of keys, there is a lever built in the style of a mithril hammer set in front of the door with a beam of light shining on it.

Also DH p.94.

## Todo / Happenings

*What did those fools get up to this time?*

* PCs open the adamantine double doors and explore the entrance foyer
	+ exploring the area, Tovarish stumbles upon the Black Pudding hiding in the upper levels
	+ then they find the secret room of architect's treasure
		- Tom is only able to translate some of the message: "...these halls ... wrought...master ... Darkshine ... secrets"
	+ The PCs go to V6 by crossing the bridge
		- Kaavu misses a step and falls through the bridge to the floor below
		- Eventually the PCs open this room and find the anvil
	+ With a little ingenuity, the PCs get to V7 without issue
		- The frescoes indicate dwarfs whispering to Dumathoin, the god of secrets
		- Tom can read Dwarvish
	+ Eventually the PCs make it down and discover the gold
		- AND THE DRAGON
		- Tom slows the dragon
		- Kaavu gives some inspiring words to Turn The Tide
		- Tovarish turns into a giant constrictor snake
		- Petunia keeps everyone alive
		- Ladro shoots the dragon full of holes
	+ Petunia kills the dragon with her spiritual weapon in the last moments
* PCs stuff their pockets and bags of holding, trying to figure out what to do with the money
	+ Tom investigates the broken statue, seeing it depicts Laduguer, Ilsensine, and Dumathoin standing in camaraderie
	+ Kaavu is carrying the 25k sapphire
* Ladro and Tovarish go around in different disguises buying Bags of Holding
	+ Ladro takes caution against being followed
	+ Over two days, the PCs move money out of the lair and put it in the bank, in the sub, in the tavern, in Petunia's store, and on their person
* Aftereffects
	+ Tom scries on his son, Ralston Highpike, and discovers he is Prepsqueak, the former guard and now inn-worker
	+ Tovarish sends out a party of Emerald Enclave members to find the Staff of the Woodland
	+ Ladro sends out a party to collect the Cloak of the Mountebank
	+ Tom purchases bracers of defense
	+ Petunia purchased a Ring of Spell Storage
	+ Kaavu
* On the 10th, the Cassalanter's plan to save their children completes successfully
	+ They throw the party and kill 100 commoners at midnight using midnight's tears
	+ Tovarish and Petunia notice the commotion while the music swells, and go outside to see the 100 commoners dying
		- Tovarish confronts her, and she says "I was just trying to protect my children!"
		- Tovarish knocks her unconscious and yells at the guests while Petunia tries in vain to save the commoners
	+ The other guests come outside and chaos quickly spreads through the party
	+ Kaavu casts Detect Good & Evil and senses Osvaldo Cassalanter, a chain devil, upstairs
		- The party charges upstairs, breaking down doors in the meantime, and busts in to kill the chain devil
		- With some excessive force, Kaavu and the PCs smite the chain devil
	+ PCs cannot find Ammalia in the commotion and decide to retreat to the Scarlet Marpenoth
	+ On their way out, they recall the door to the cellar and follow it downstairs, finding the secret door in the cellar
* Going down into the cellar, they discover the secret door open and a flickering staircase
	+ Kaavu leads the charge and they eliminate a number of cultists
	+ They interrogate one, who tells them there may not be a way to stop the ritual
	+ The team arrives on the balcony overlooking the cultist chamber to see the end of the ritual: Victoro Cassalanter pays the final price of gold to return his children's souls
	+ Tom launches a fireball to incinerate the chanting cultists as the group sweeps in to exact vengeance on Victoro Cassalanter
	+ Victoro yells "I was just trying to save my children!" and casts EARTHQUAKE on the temple, knowing that he can escape
	+ After a long fight, Victoro casts Divine Word and attempts to escape
		- Tovarish is Blind and Deaf (greater restoration cured one)
		- Ladro is Blind and Deaf
		- Kaavu is Deaf, carrying the two children
		- Tom is Blind and Deaf
		- Petunia is unscathed
	+ Kaavu, hasted, is running while carrying the Cassalanter children
	+ Eventually the PCs subdue Victoro Cassalanter, as Tovarish wraps him up as a giant snake
		- Petunia messages Vajra Safahr, the Blackstaff: "Hello, there's been trouble at the Cassalanters. Please come to the temple under the basement under Cassalanter villa. We have Victoro. He has committed many crimes. Thanks."
		- Tovarish stoneshapes a cube around Victoro so that he is sitting and cannot move or speak and is restrained
		- Tom and Petunia escort the children slightly away
	+ Vajra Safahr shows up and questions the PCs about what happened
		- she found 45 bodies and had to subdue the majority of house staff (who all turned out to be devils)
		- Heals the blindness and deafness of the PCs
		- The PCs tell Vajra about Osvlado the Chain Devil as well
		- Vajra requests all living Cassalanters be brought into Force Grey custody for interrogation, monitoring, and justice
			* Suggests there is a spot in Force Grey academy for the kids when they grow up