The Shadows of Icewind Dale

Previous Quest: Werewolves of Greenbank

Subsequent Quest: Stormbringer

Company members: Ash, Cait, Drumak, Indri, Iola, Zeerith

## The Adventure

### The Bringer of Storms

The journey North took several days, during which time Ash de-attuned from Gwynivar and Cait attuned to her for two days instead of Taliesin, before re-attuning to Taliesin again, and Ash re-attuning to Gwynivar.

Whilst travelling North in the Folariel, it again began to autopilot and headed towards Icewind Dale. The weather deteriorated and it got much colder. Iola used her Magnificent Mansion spell to provide a place for people to warm up again out of the cold. She also tasked the ship's Magician to come up with a non-flammable means of keeping the crew warm.

As the storm raged on and the snow worsened, a form appeared in the distant sky, flying parallel with the ship. As it slowly got closer, Drumak made it out to be a huge white dragon. The Company took the ship lower, then disembarked. Landing next to them appeared the terrifying form of an Ancient White Dragon, the Bringer of Storms. Indri resisted the effects of its fearful presence, and only agreed to give it a respectful acknowledgement after being persuaded to by the Company. The Dragon demanded to know what happened to the egg which had been stolen from it. (This was done by Zeerith and others in a previous Adventure)

As the Dragon spoke, the Company noticed a Stone set in the Dragon's chest, and the other Soul Stones recognised it as one of their own. Zeerith was identified by the Dragon as one who was involved with stealing its egg, and he told the Dragon where he last saw it. Not wanting to be inconvenienced by the time it would take to kill them, the Dragon let the Company go and flew South. The Company returned to the ship and continued on.

### Meeting with Arthos

Soon afterwards the Company met Arthos and Merlin, who told them about two other Soul Stones that he'd found. One was Agravyne, the other Bedyvire, whose presence had previously been off to the North West, but subsequently was sensed heading off due South. The Company explained their encounter with the Dragon. Arthos also let the Company know there was a source of Power in the towns, that he couldn't discern its true nature but that it was of godly strength. Zeerith suspected that this might be Valeneth, who was being protected by the Harpers. Arthos and Merlin then headed off to continue to search for further Champions, travelling to a Citadel which guarded an entrance to the Underdark.

Iola de-attuned from Morgana and re-attuned to Taliesin, while Cait attuned to Morgana for the first time.

### A wretched hive of scum and villainy

The Company approached the largest of the Ten-Towns of Icewind Dale, where they encountered Mariol, a Harper and one of The Six of Hearts. Zeerith persuaded Mariol that he knew of the Drow child and indeed that he had been part of the Company who rescued her. Mariol took the Company to join the other members of the Six of Hearts. They brought them up to speed about Theodore Ranquest who had been hired by the Sultan in Calishan to abduct the girl and take her to him. They also exchanged stories of their heroic deeds and tales of eating pies. Eventually, the Company and the Six agreed to try to take the child out of the city.

### Theodore Ranquest

While the Company and the Six were meeting, Theodore was at work setting traps around the building that they were in. On opening a door, a stinking cloud erupted, poisoning various of the Company and the Six. Immediately, several of the Six were shot by poisoned arrows and nearly killed. Indri scouted out to try to find him. Ash summoned her two wolves Tooth and Claw, which exited by a different door but were killed by further traps which Theodore had set. Indri found and faced Theodore, who was surprised and annoyed at his immunity to poison. Theodore summoned several Shadow Monks, who engaged some of the heroes, while he went into the room with Valeneth. He poisoned more of the Company, then stole the Soul Stones of Mordred, Lancelot and Taliesin, before making a tactical retreat. Zeerith went with Valeneth into the Astral, the rest of the Company and the Six followed Theodore.

His trail led to an abandoned building on the edge of a frozen lake. It was another trap and deception, triggered when the pouch containing the Soul Stones was retrieved from just under the water beneath the building, which was beginning to re-freeze. Most of the building blew up in a massive fiery explosion, nearly killing various of the heroes again. Theodore had gone, returning to where Zeerith and Valeneth were, but as he was unable to get to them he left a note indicating he would return. Despite not being able to achieve his objective of obtaining the child, he had single-handedly outclassed twelve heroes, very nearly killing a number of them, and continued to deny them Agravyne.

Having retrieved the Soul Stones they'd lost, the Company returned back to Zeerith too. The Six were grateful that Valeneth had not been abducted, and for healing them in the fight. The Harpers then took Valeneth away, to try and keep her safe again.

The Company then set off to the currently abandoned lair of the Ancient White Dragon, to face the Stormbringer.

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