Eldermourne Episode 23: Scrappers

**Scrappers** is the twenty-third episode in campaign 2.

The Third Mates square off against a crew of Scrappers in a hidden cellar while a Ghost Dragon rages above! Zirk researches new healing techniques, Henry narrows down the source of his curse, and Fia attempts to locate her long lost friend.

## Plot Synopsis

The Third Mates, along with Grez, the deepfolk cleric, defeat three Scrappers in a cellar in the ruins of Zelbuldar 3. Afterwards, exhausted, they rest for the night, and during that rest, Grez uses her divine insight to answer some of the group’s questions. She is able to help pinpoint the source of Henry's curse: he broke a promise to the spring fairy, Leanora, the patron fairy of navigators and storytellers.

Grez also helps scry on Irina, Fia’s childhood friend, by using Fia’s connection to her. After failing to find Irina in the surface world, they do manage to track her down in a strange demiplane, surrounded in mist that looks like a great city in a mountain. Its appearance seems to match the description of the original Zelbuldar, the great lost city of the deepfolk, that was supposedly destroyed, even though no one has ever found the ruins. Irina felt close and yet unreachable in this place, and it unsettles Fia, but hardens her resolve. Zirk later asks Grez about the feasibility of a working All-Cure Elixir, a potion that his mother and he used to peddle during their time as snake oil salespeople. Grez theorizes that it’s possible, as the great city of Zelbuldar was known for its powerful clerics. But with that in mind, it's also possible that they had another way of healing besides just divine magic.

In the morning, with Grez in tow, they head to face the ghost dragon again, this time with a plan. They hand over the body of a scrapper as an offering, hoping to satiate the spirits’ need for revenge. Once they manage to calm the dragon of its vengeful frenzy, it speaks to them coherently about the Scrappers attack on Zelbuldar 3. It explains that Zelbuldar 3 was once a profitable mining outpost where sentient horrors were discovered in the mines. Upon hearing that the horrors were peaceful, the village leaders met with them covertly to learn more. But news of the secret meetings was leaked by Craggle to Hutar Gunnerbold, the leader of the Scrappers.

Worried about investments, or hoping to profit off the mine, or just legitimately concerned about the horrors, Hutar and the Scrappers set out to destroy Zelbuldar 3 with an intentional cave-in, burying the secret and killing those who lived there. As the spirits within the dragon ascend, they tell the group that there is someone still alive amongst the rubble. Fia is able to pinpoint the spot with *Detect Magic*, where they then dig for hours until eventually uncovering the head of a zombified woman. The head suddenly opens her eyes and speaks to them in a surprisingly friendly cadence, asking them to help her out.

## Music and Sound Effects

* "A Wizard's Tournament" by Emily Axford.
* "Irina" by Emily Axford.
* "Haunting Visages" by Emily Axford.
* "Zelbuldar 3" by Emily Axford.
* "Ghost Dragon" by Emily Axford.
* "The Scrappers" by Emily Axford.
* "The Children" by Emily Axford.
* "Winter Sprite" by Emily Axford.
* "Gunvar" by Emily Axford.
* "A Friend for Life" by Emily Axford.

## External Links

* Headgum
* Spotify
* NADDPOD Subreddit Thread