Dragonreach Catch-up (Games Seventy-Nine through Eighty-Eight)

It has been a busy year in Dragonreach, with all manner of heroic adventures - and, this poor scribe has fallen behind!  Here's a quick catch-up...

In the Seventy-Ninth foray into Dragonreach ("Escape from Gobo Island"), a band of heroes were tasked with rescuing a dragonborn noble whose ship had wrecked on an island infested with goblin criminals.  The so-called Red Prince was rescued, despite a shocking betrayal from within the party.

In the Eightieth foray into Dragonreach ("Isle in the Mist"), a band of heroes ventured forth to explore a strange, moving island that had floated into Pyre's shipping lanes - and recover a white dragon's egg from the frozen peak atop it!

In the Eighty-First foray into Dragonreach ("Hunt the Phoenix"), the adventurers raced rival bands in a hunt for a legendary beast on the isle of Croatoan...

In the Eighty-Second foray into Dragonreach ("The Lich"), a band of heroes helped an old dwarven hero defeat the lich he had long hunted...

In the Eighty-Third foray into Dragonreach ("Night at the Museum"), a group of adventurers took a contract to reclaim the haunted Museum of Pyre, looting the museum and pacifying its defenses in the process...

In the Eighty-Fourth foray into Dragonreach ("Cannonball Run"), a band partnered with the captain of the Nimble Tradesman to win the Cannonball Run - the most dangerous sea race in all of Dragonreach...

In the Eighty-Fifth foray into Dragonreach ("The Rescue"), a band of heroes rescued a lost, haughty nobleman from the wilds of Dragonreach...

In the Eighty-Sixth foray into Dragonreach ("Island of the Kobolds"), a band took a contract from the Iron Company to reclaim a mining camp from a horde of savage kobolds...

In the Eighty-Seventh foray into Dragonreach ("The Wyvern Riders"), our heroes were hired to stop attacks by the Forsaken barbarians on ships travelling to the bleak, frozen northern settlement of Boreal.  Not only did the adventurers succeed, they managed to loot a forge of fire giants for extra treasure!

In the Eighty-Eighth foray into Dragonreach ("Goblin Market"), the elvish lord Elmaer Goldensmile Ilithro of House Lethdrew hired a band of heroes to escort him to a magical goblin market in the feywild - and then tried to trade them for favors to the faeries of the Summer Court!  When our heroes learned of this planned betrayal, they slew Goldensmile in short order...

Games Sixty-Six through Seventy-Two: Lizard Men, Dalton, Goblin Tanks, Gratuitous Nudity, Forsaken, and Even an Election!

It has been an eventful few months in Dragonreach, since the near destruction of the city by an ancient red dragon!  A quick recap to catch up our fellow adventurers...

In the Sixty-Sixth foray into Dragonreach ("Evil Swamp"), a band of heroes boarded a boat to explore a deadly swamp and hunt down a fearsome tribe of lizard men who had been attacking merchants.  A short stop at a cursed swamp island was ill-advised, and led to the party's ship almost being sunk by a horde of skeletons...

And, the lizard-men island was only cleared through a deadly battle...

In the Sixty-Seventh foray into Dragonreach ("Roadhouse"), a band of heroes took a job to clean up a remote tavern plagued by Duergar bandits, extortionist kung-fu monks from the Jade Wasps, and other troubles...

In the Sixty-Eighth foray into Dragonreach ("Dirty Business"), a band plunged into the ancient sewers beneath Dragonreach, facing off against ratmen and vampires, racing against rivals to find the lost Temple of Swords...

In the Sixty-Ninth foray into Dragonreach ("The Great Goblin Machine"), a band was hired by the Overlord to track down some goblins who had absconded with a terrible war machine... 

In the Seventieth foray into Dragonreach ("Naked and Afraid"), a band woke on a strange island drugged and bereft of their equipment, and hunted for sport by an evil adventurer...

In the Seventy-First  foray into Dragonreach ("Only Murderers in the Fort"), a band of heroes were hired to hold a remote fort against an army of Forsaken barbarians -- even while a devious murderer was picking off the defenders...

In the Seventy-Second foray into Dragonreach ("The Conclave"), a band hired on as security for the Arcane Conclave, which was holding an election for the new High Archmagus.  Things did not go as planned...

Fortunately, a reputable wizard won the election...

Dragonreach Catchup: Games Fifty-Five and Fifty-Six - Circus of Death, and the Siege of Bleakfort!

 In the Fifty-Fifth foray into Dragonreach, a band of younger heroes undertook an investigation to find out who was trying to sabotage Morlan's Circus Spectacular.  

They nearly met their end when the mysterious villain released the circus' lions into a crowd...

They were attacked by a deranged manticore while riding the perilous proto-type "Gobo-Coaster," which the circus' goblin work crew later acknowledged was not yet ready for customers...

And, they finally discovered the culprit was the ringmaster Beebok, whereupon they battled him and his ogre henchmen before a packed crowd in the center ring...

In the Fifty-Sixth foray into Dragonreach, a band of heroes defended the remote outpost of Bleakfort from an angry orc horde from the Savage Tusk Tribe...

And while our heroes considered switching sides, they ultimately drove the orcs off and slew their leader, Chief Rehghar "Gray-Tusk." 

Game Twenty-One: The Caverns of Carnage (part one)

In the 21st game in Dragonreach, a band of heroes decided to venture to the dreaded Caverns of Carnage in the Darkdagger Forest - a hulking hillside said to be riddled with many caves and monster lairs.  Some hill giants lairing there had attacked a caravan and carried off several hapless victims!

The band was repulsed by aggressive bugbears, but then found a tribe of goblins led by "Queen Cleogobla," a "beautiful" goblin who offered to trade the Giants' location in exchange for slaughtering a band of ogres who were picking on the goblins.  

That task accomplished, the heroes attacked the hill giants - who were led by two unusually large sisters!  But, ultimately, the giants were slain and several prisoners were rescued.

Game Thirteen: River Voyage from Skyripper

In the 13th game in Dragonreach, a band of heroes accepted a mission from Barris Stoneforge of the Iron Company to escort a load of dragonshards downriver from Sky Ripper Mining Camp to Pyre... 

The river voyage was beautiful, but perilous...

The heroes were assailed by river trolls!

...and goblins riding giant birds!

The nefarious goblin chieftain who has been attacking Sky Ripper was seen again, but not dealt with...

But, the heroes managed to get the load of ore to Pyre, and claim their reward!

Game Nine: Goblin Strikebreakers

In the ninth Dragonreach game, the heroes took an interesting job offer from one of the elven nobles of Immyr...

The haughty elvish lord Sumar explained that his people were ill-suited to working in the dragonshard mines, and had turned to hiring goblins to handle such work.  Unfortunately, the goblins were now on "strike" and making all sorts of demands (food, a wage, etc.).  The heroes were hired to "negotiate" a resolution and bring the goblins into line...

The goblins rioted when the "strikebreakers" arrived, assaulting them with dung, rocks, and sharp sticks.  Ultimately, the heroes were able to drive the goblins off and sought negotiation with the goblin king, Big Beeta Fuzzyglub...

Plying the goblin king with some gold, they learned that many goblins were being eaten by some giant monstrosity that laired in the Ratfeast Hills (the city dump), which bordered Goblintown.  The heroes negotiated a deal where the goblins would return to work if the beast was slain.

In the Ratfeast Hills, the heroes found the massive, slug-like horror that had been eating the goblins and defeated it...

Thus, ensuring that the elves of Immyr could continue to oppress their goblin work force.  The moral consequences of this were, of course, largely ignored by our heroes, who collected their pay and returned to the tavern.

Game Two: Goblins, Goblins Everywhere...

In the second session, the party was hired to escort a group of miners into Northern Dragonreach.  The miners had been repeatedly attacked by goblins and, as expected, they were everywhere!

Ultimately, the miners were (mostly) delivered safe, and the party returned to hunt down the marauders.