Curse of the Dragon Priest

**Cult of Scorched Blood*** Draug the Dragon Priest
* Mouth of Draug
* Various Cultists

**Curse of the Dragon Priest**, otherwise known throughout Terazan as **The Legends of Azuríl**, is a term used to describe the events involving the **Heroes of Azuríl** stopping **Draug the Dragon Priest** from reincarnating the Dragons and destroying the land of Terazan in 2500 FD. This year long adventure turned in to one of the most famous moments of history and went down in Terazani legend.

## Summary

Sometime after the Great Dragon War a mysterious entity known as Draug manifested. For over two thousand years he bided his time, gathering power and infecting the minds of innocents in order to force them in to defecting from scoeity and enrolling in to his cult. Once he had gathered enough power, he waged war against the Realm of Men, threatening to bring about a new age of the Dragons and destroy mankind.

The Heroes of Azuríl received a vision of this event, and defeated the leaders of his cult one by one. After a year they united the five armies of the world and waged war on Draug on the island of **Cragnor Petram**, inside of the mountain known as **Mt. Cragnor**. The battle was long and losses were many, but ultimately the Heroes of Azuríl were able to overpower and defeat Draug. The last blow was dealt by **Idira Melkor**, who was crowned as the Hero of Men, and the group were proclaimed as legends of the world.

## History

Below is a timeline of the events which transpired in Curse of the Dragon Priest. It is speculated that the dates between the events listed were spent resting, travelling, training or trading and therefore have been omitted.

### A Disturbing Vision (20th Tear Fall 2500 FD)

* A handful of people across the world of Terazan were presented a vision. The vision was described by one of the witnesses as follows:
* *We awoke to a world made of fire. The screams of men, women, and children alike is the only thing that managed to pierce through the heavy crackle of the flames which surrounded us.* *We tried to get up, but we could not. We tried to look down to see why, but we could not. We were frozen, stuck on the ground in agony. Our heads twinged, and a headache from the five hells themself split across our foreheads. Our vision, starting to deteriorate and become vague, showed a robed figure stood before us. The figure held a glowing orb - which swirled and pulsated a deep cyan glow. Suddenly, we felt a wave of panic, desperately trying to move as the ground started to crumble beneath us. We tried to reach up, screaming loudly for help from the figure, but they ignore us.* *Instead, it pointed to us, and spoke few words that went on to shape our destiny.* *"Seek the others and save the land."* *It was only then that we noticed the lifeless bodies of four others with us, each of them holding hands with the closest outstretching their other to us. It was then that we awoke on the floor, with beads of sweat running from our brows, and a deep audible thump from our chests. We looked down to investigate our body, and noticed something. Something that had never been there before.* *The floor beneath us, in scorched letters, reads two words:* *"Lakeview Inn".*
* Among of the receives of this vision were **Faye Javoris**, **Tethrandir**, **Wukz Hotcoals**, and **Aleus Stormriver**.

* Each party member travelled to the Lakeview Inn, a tavern South-East of the human capital: Edrasa.
* After defeating a handful of bandits, the party offered to take a bottle of wine from the bartender to another innkeeper at the Swift Horse Inn in Edrasa.
* Party travelled to Edrasa to deliver the wine, and then later paid a visit to the King of Edrasa
* They found out that they had a different vision to both the King and the Court Mage. The party were sent back to the Swift Horse Inn to rest whilst the mage, Malachai, formulated a plan

### Journey to Voidwatch (27th Tear Fall 2500 FD)

* Party was summoned to castle and told to visit castle Voidwatch to meet the Lord Commander of castle Voidwatch
* On the way they were attacked by wights, but saved by **Idira Melkor**, a Voidwatch Ranger and protector of Castle Voidwatch.
* After discovering that Idira Melkor had also seen the vision, he took them to Lord Commander Joraeth who taught them about the Dragonheart Stone: an evil artefact created from the heart of the Dragon King during the Great Dragon Wars.
* The party found out that the Dragonheart Stone could be used to bring about a new age of dragons, resurrecting the Dragon King to destroy the realm of men.
* Joraeth told the party to seek out the Archmage at the College of Azdaran, to find out what they could do to stop this event. He released Idira of his watch, and instructed him to go with them as destiny had decided.
* The party sought off for the College, trailing through the magical forests of Azdaran until they were captured by the Wood Elves of Mirkwood, and bound in a prison cell.

### Encounter with the Wood Elves (4th Second Seed 2500 FD)

* The party were introduced to Lorǟndįr the Wise, king of the Wood Elves of Mirkwood, who sought to imprison them but execute Tethrandir for returning to his home forest.
* The party bargain for their lives, and were tasked with acquiring the Circlet of Azdaran, a magical headpiece allegedly worn by Terazi the Goddess of Nature.
* The party were also told to take another annoying prisoner with them to get him away from the elves. This prisoner was an aspiring famed musician and bard: **Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramirez**, also known as **Bobbi**.
* To acquire this, the party wandered the forests of Azdaran until they came across the lair of Veemea, an ancient Daetherial monster, who hoarded it within her webbed walls.
* After a long and intense battle, Veemea the web queen was killed and the circlet was returned to Lorǟndįr.
* After this, Lorǟndįr said that he would free all of them bar Tethrandir. To free him, Wukz Hotcoals heroically gave himself in as tribute to free Tethrandir.

### Meeting the Mighty Three (11th Second Seed 2500 FD)

* The party, now one member short, continued through the forests until reaching an tavern known as The Nosey Goblin
* Inside of the tavern, the party split up and each sought out information:
	+ Aleus caught a pickpocket known as Boggs the Quick, foiling her plans to steal from him.
	+ Bobbi continued his conquest for love, and spent the night seducing the tavern owner’s daughter
	+ Tethrandir encountered a strange cloaked man **Sylas Costus**: the devoted warrior of Damerion the Goddess of Light and Life.
	+ Faye stole from a Paladin of Arcanis whilst he gave her a long boring speech about his God that seemed to last forever.
	+ Idira met an aspiring Greywatch Ranger, and gave him valuable information on how he could become a ranger.
	+ Idira also went on to win a drinking contest against two Dwarves, one of which gave him a Dragon Keystone for proving his fortitude.
* Collectively the party met three brave adventurers known by Hork, Teemi, and Daphione - who all bannered under the name **The Mighty Three**.
* After a restful nights sleep, the party continued through the forests of Azdaran to until they came to the College of Azdaran.
* The party met **Narcissa Scarletwound** the Archmage, and asked for her help.
* With her guidance and ability to tap in to the dark arts of the arcane, the party managed to witness a dark vision of the figure, wielding the Dragon Heartstone in a burning city within the mountain ranges, which the party recognized as Bhuul Ghnesh.
* Unfortunately after presenting the vision, Narcissa was trapped in a magical slumber by Hermaeus the God of Magic, who proclaimed that “***He’d found her at last***”.
* The party, unable to help her, left for Bhuul Ghnesh.

### Battling Exethia (22nd Second Seed 2500 FD)

* The party decided to stop off at the Nosey Goblin before heading to the Dwarven Citadel to rest.
* After their slumber, they set off for the continent of Oro Duug.
* On their way to Oro Duug, Idira felt a strange pull from an unknown force which brought him to his lifelong companion **Vass the Wolf**.
* Unfortunately for them, the party was subjected to an ambush planned by several hooded men, who took them to a deep and dark cave.
* Inside of this cave they ran in to **Artema**, a weakened human Demi-God who was normally invincible.
* After escaping the prison and defeating every robed person in the cave, the party learned that the people who had captured them were apart of a cult known as the “Cult of Scorched Blood” - and that they followed a mysterious entity known only at the time as “D”.
* The party assisted Artema in completing his goal, which was to find and defeat an ancient Daetherial monster known as Exethia the Banished One. Faye, unfortunately, had other plans and escaped the cave leaving the party behind.
* The party defeated Exethia along with Artema, with some surprise help from the Mighty Three - who were sent by Faye unbeknown by the party at the time.
* During the battle, Tethrandir of nowhere died, and was reunited with Terazi the goddess of nature and his sister in the elven afterlife.
* After burying him, Aleus swore that it was Faye’s fault that he had died, and swore to take revenge.

### Invasion of Bhuul Ghnesh (29th Second Seed 2500 FD)

* After escaping the cave, Faye helped a boy named Jakob escape some monstrous Orcs in the forests.
* Upon returning him to the Nosey Goblin, she ran into Stephanie.
* Faye gave Stephanie the money to go to the bards college of Quiro, and Stephanie invited Faye to live and stay permanently in her uncle’s empty spare house as payment.
* Faye travelled to Glowroot Village to inspect her new house, and decided to spend the night.
* After having a terrible nightmare, Faye came to her senses and returned to the party.

* Aleus and Idira welcomed Faye back coldly, saying she’ll need to earn their trust.
* Party made a blood pact/godly contract to stick together. Overseen by Aurelius.
* **Lander Godstrike**, a disciple of Aurelius, joined the party after witnessing his God present himself to them.
* Party met Boblin and traded. Bobi tried to scam Boblin with a dagger, but Boblin saw through it.
* Party journeyed towards Oro Duug.
* Party met a half-orc lady on the road, informing them her brother Shaith had run off ahead to save his sister. She told you to keep an eye out for him. (Start of Tournament of the Blooded)
* Party could just start to see Bhuul Ghnesh within the mountains.
* Were followed when travelling to the city, but decided to carry on without investigating it.
* Entered the Dwarven City, Bhuul Ghnesh
* Explored the blacksmith, tavern, general store, and then went to Hella
* Asked for information on the DHS, but were interrupted due to a Goblin invasion in Dúrdáín.
* Fought off a Goblin invasion, but then had to fight off a Basilisk.
* Idira Melkor lost his Bastard Sword in the Lava below.
* Sylas Costus had his right hand bitten off, and also lost his axe.
* When beaten, they saw that a ruby gem was missing from the statue of Kartok.
* Hella was worried about the statue missing the ruby in the chestplate.
* Invasion up above, Bhuul Ghnesh ransacked by cultists and set ablaze.
* Hella was depressed and feels as if she has failed her father.

### Battle of Bhuul Ghnesh (8th Dameria 2500 FD)

* Party were faced with various enemies, who were under the control of the cult
* Party rescued Baramon and Kallis
* Aleus rescued a little dwarven boy from a collapsing building
* Idira gifted Anarduíl and promised a set of armour
* Sylas gifted a Dwarven Steed (slightly smaller horse)
* After defeating ogres, trolls, and cultists they met a figure in a dark hood
* Figure had a strong connection to magic, and was known as “The Mouth”.
* Fought off a troll summoned by the Mouth, and tried to charge him
* Bobi was stabbed with the Mouth’s sword, and presumably killed
* Bobi and the Mouth faded in black flames to an unknown location
* Dwarves celebrated, Hella returned to the keep injured

### Being named as Heroes (29th Dameria 2500 FD)

* Party were named “Heroes of Azuríl” by Queen Hella
* Awarded 3 horses: Mithrúlia, Epona, and Copper
* Idira was gifted a set of armour from Baramon
* Decided to visit the High King of Edrasa before visiting the Elves of Ethuilmen.
* Took the mountain path, where they encountered a strange disciple of Vito.
* Found Shaig the Half-Orc, who begged them to help him save his sister before he died.
* Party travelled to the fighting pits of Oro Duug to participate in the Tournament of the Blooded.
* Killed all members of Clan Bonegrind in the first round of the tournament.

### Tournament of the Blooded (6th Sun's Height 2500 FD)

* Participated in the tournament of the blooded and defeated Githar the Champion
* Freed Sharn, Somaria, and Arnen - Sharn was given gold and was eternally grateful
* Faye obtained the Returning Knife
* Arnen offered to escort them to the Lunar Isles by boat
* Before they left, the party freed the nervous Gritfoot, and allowed him to team up with Boblin.
* Party left for the Lunar Isles and were taken to the Mír-Hínan Dominion
* Idira learned that Vass’ human form, Saren Vassa, is still there and that he was a Saelnún.
* Sylas was called a “Fallen” and had no idea what it meant.
* Party told the Elves would not help unless they helped find a cure for an Elven plague.
* Began the quest A Simple Request

### A Simple Request (13th Sun's Height 2500 FD)

* Travelled to the top of Mt. Annor and found the riddle
* Discerned that the riddle meant you needed to be dead to see the point the story speaks of
* Faye gave up her elessar stone whilst everyone held her, and you all died
* Woke up in the shadow realm, greeted by Saren and Vito

### Entering Vito's Realm (3rd Last Seed 2500 FD)

* Party won a game of chance against Vito using the coin of Benitas
* Party were asked by Vito to find the girl who had escaped from him
* Saren and Idira had a passionate moment of embracing
* Sylas made brief contact with the Elven spirit that follows him
* Party located the girl, Thili, who claims to have been born in the shadow realm
* Thili said that she would help them get up the stairs to find the flower
* Sylas bargained for Thili’s life from Vito
* Sent on a quest by Vito to stop the powerful spirit that is stealing souls from the living realm

### Freeing Thili (10th Last Seed 2500 FD)

* Party sought out the ice wraith and came across piles of skeletal masses.
* Party discovered that the ice wraith was Thili's mother who had sacrificed herself to save her daughter.
* Party defeated the ice wraith and freed Thili from her grasp.
* Thili returned back to her time, as Vito's Realm exists outside of the confines of time, and the Heroes of Azuríl were freed from death.

### Returning to the Elves (24th Last Seed 2500 FD)

* After completing their Quest, the heroes of Azuríl were presented with the information that they sought from the Mír-Hinan Dominion, and were told about the “Gem of Embers”.

### The Gem of Embers (31st Last Seed 2500 FD)

* Party had learned about the tale of Valari and the Champions of Men.
* They learned that there has been a new entity, Draug, who claims to be the Dragon King reincarnated and who seeks to use the Dragon Heartstone to cause chaos by bringing about a new age of Dragons.
* Party asked about receiving the Gem of Embers, to which they were told it hurts those who are not pure of heart. As the purest of the group, the party elected Idira Melkor to take it: to which the Gem of Embers allowed.
* Idira was informed the Gem of Embers would only appear for the party when they truly needed it, or as Valkani sees fit.
* The party arranged a negotiation between the head of the Mír-Hínan Dominion, Dalian, to meet with Hella the Mountain Queen to discuss a peace treaty to fight Draug as a united people.
* Dalian accepted begrudgingly, and informed them to tell the rest of the hold leaders that he would meet them at Edrasa: the human capital. These leaders included: Hella the Mountain Queen of Oro Duug, Narcissa Scarletwound the Archmage of Azdaran, Lord Commander Joraeth of The Keep, and Valerio Dragonbane the High King of the Heartlands.
* The party set off to see the Dwarves first.

### Convincing the Mountain Queen (7th Calidius 2500 FD

* Went to The Stiff Cockatrice and reunited with The Mighty Three
* They also met a Dragonborn named Eragrax
* Party realised their meddling in time had led to Thili saving the dragon babies and using magic to create the Dragonborn race
* Party invited Erarax to join them on their quest towards Bhuul Ghnesh
* Party told the Mighty Three to meet them at Edrasa, and gave them their “Sigil of the Crown”
* Party nearly got into a fight with two Orcs in the bar, but luckily avoided it
* Party encountered cultists on the road, as well as brainwashed Orc Berserks, but easily dispatched of them all
* Party arrived at Bhuul Ghnesh and managed to convince Hella the Mountain Queen to meet in Edrasa, as long as they were hospitable of Hella’s terms to provide aid to Bhuul Ghnesh.
* Party left for the college of Azdaran

### The death of Aleus Stormriver (19th Calidius 2500 FD)

* The party travelled to the College of Azdaran and freed the Archmage from Hermaeus the God of Magic
* Unfortunately during the exchange, Aleus Stormriver the Wizard was obliterated.
* After failing to revive their fallen friend, the party had no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.
* Curiously enough, Narcissa Scarletwound did not remember Aleus at all.
* The party convinced the Archmage of Azdaran to travel to Edrasa to help form an alliance to stop the armies of Draug.
* Afterwards they travelled through the forests of Azdaran to the Wood Elf city of Mirkwood
* The party met up with Wukz Hotcoals, the Forge Domain Cleric, and convinced him to rejoin the party for the rest of their adventure
* The party could not convince the Wood Elf king to go to Edrasa
* The party travelled to Voidwatch to convince the Lord Commander to go to Edrasa, to which he immediately accepted
* Party stayed the night in Voidwatch to wait out the night before heading back to Edrasa.

### The Meeting of the Five Holds (20th Calidius 2500 FD)

* Party travelled with Wukz Hotcoals to the city Edrasa in order to unite the holds of Terazan against the rising threat, Draug the Dragon Priest, and his evil armies.
* After being reunited with The Mighty Three outside of the Grand Hall of Dragonfall Castle, the meeting of the five holds begins.
* During the meeting, the Heroes of Azuríl agreed to the terms laid forth by the five holds.
* The council unanimously decided that with their new conditions agreed upon, they would band together as one to defeat the Dragon Priest once and for all.
* The Heroes of Azuríl spent the next months training in preparation for their battle, as well as enrolling soldiers in the armies and helping rebuild towns and villages destroyed by Draug whilst they waited for the armies to congregate.

### Rescuing the Edras Knight (18th First Sun 2501 FD)

* Party traveled to Rock Tower with Prince Valora in order to located the missing Edras Knight
* Unfortunately Prince Valora double crossed them, revealing himself as the Mouth of Draug, and attacked them.
* Party fought Valora Dragonbane, now revealed as The Mouth of Draug, in close quarters combat at the top of Rock Tower.
* Just prior to this battle, Idira Melkor was knocked out and incapacitated, meaning he was unable to fight alongside the rest of the party.
* After a long, grueling battle where many of the party were incapacitated, Sylas Costus delivered the final flurries which defeated and destroyed the Mouth of Draug once and for all.
* From the ashes of The Mouth fell the **Buster Sword**, which Sylas graciously gave to Lander Helman.
* The Heroes returned to Edrasa and informed the King of his son’s traitor. He did not wish to speak of it, and instead Malachai the Court Mage told them to rest and return the following morning.
* The Heroes of Edrasa were named Thanes of Edrasa.
* Exhausted from their battle, and eager to get their fallen Ranger in to a restful place, they stayed at the Swift Horse Inn in Edrasa.

### The Siege of Mt. Cragnor (19th Tear Fall 2501 FD)

* The party left for Mt Cragnor with the king after stocking up on supplies
* After reaching the volcanic battlefield, the party made a mad dash along side Artema for the entrance to the underground tunnels
* Inside of the tunnels the party have flipped several levers, which made deep thudding sounds from deep inside of the cave.
* As well as opening the magical gates protecting the gateway - an ancient portal capable of transporting living souls to the Void - they recovered Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramirez (also known lovingly as Bobbi), the Gnomish Bard, and welcomed him back to the Heroes of Azuríl.
* The party slayed three magical creatures: a Basilisk, a Gug, and a Young Red Dragon - killed respectively by Idira Melkor, Lander Helman, and Lusdric Dragonsbane.
* After stepping on the portal and chanting the phrase written upon it (Amon alahan daminos) the Heroes activate the magical contraption.

### The Destruction of Draug (26th Tear Fall 2501 FD)

* After a week of wandering through a magical realm, they confronted Draug and the battle to decide all things began.
* Idira Melkor managed to defeat Draug by stabbing his sword through his chest and touching the Dragon Heartstone. This caused an incredible explosion that vaporised the realm, Draug, and also the Heroes of Azuríl.
* Impressed by their efforts, Damerion and Vito summoned their spirits in the afterlife and revived them out of thanks for saving the world. They were also granted a wish each, which would go on to shape the world later. There is no document of what it was that the Heroes wished for.

### Aftermath of the Battle (27th Tear Fall 2501 FD onwards)

* After defeating the Dragons on Mount Cragnor, the caves were destroyed, sealing off of the crypts and the portal  to Draug’s lair forever.
* Returning to the Heartland Realms, the Heroes of Azuríl were thrown an incredible honouring ceremony, proclaiming them as the **Saviours of Terazan**. Moreover... Idira Melkor, son of the Voidwatch, is named as the honorary heir to the Edrasan throne for his devastating and valiant charge against the Dragon Priest. He is instructed to rule the Kingdom of Men on the event of Valerio’s death, and pass on his crown to whoever he deems fit, setting a new precedent in Edrasa of “earned royalty through actions of heroism”... a tradition which shaped the realm of men for the better forever more.
* After their journey to the Heartlands, the Heroes attended a ceremony of passing on the Ethuilmen islands. In honour of his daughter’s achievements, Dalian presents Faye with a ceremonial white celestial shroud, said to be made of pure starlight. As well as that, Faye is offered a seat upon the Mír-Hínan Dominion, entrusted to shape the future of the Elves at her mother and father’s side.
* Sometime around the ceremony, Lusdric Dragonsbane and Queen Hella of Bhuul Ghnesh get caught in a drunken moment of passion. Within the Dragon’s skull bestowed by Artema, the two go on to shall we say “unite” and create a new Dwarven legacy. That of Dragonslaying Kings and Queens.
* Esteban, enthralled with the tales his friends have caught him up to speed with, dedicates a large portion of his time to creating a wonderful balad named “The Curse of the Dragon Priest”, which goes on to be one of the most famous and most played bard songs of all time.
* Unsure of where he fits in this world, Sylas Costus returns to the temple of Damerion in Edrasa to meet with Xethius. His intentions are to become an apprentice guardian, learning under Xethius of Damerion and soon after replacing him as the immortal Guardian of Damerion.
* After all of the events have transpired, Lander Helmen returns to the temple of Aurelius. Being welcomed back by his fellow followers, he witnesses a storm like no other form above the monastery. Upon exiting, he finds smitten on a lightning-struck hillside an Aetherial cloth packed tightly… Inside of which lies a shield with a single shard missing. As he pushes the shield shard into the hole, he witnesses a personal visit from Aurelius, his hand resting on his shoulder as he pats him on the back with the other… Finally earning the respect of his deity.