Session 3 Battle at Skull Gorge 8-12/7/1491 DR XP 20+10=30 Lvl 6

The Heroes of Brindol (PCs level 6)
1. Egg (was Dexter), scruffy Half-Drow Rogue/Fighter of Brindol (m)
2. Tessele, priestess of Umberlee & Tymora, former pirate of the Sea of Stars, Human Cleric (f)
3. Motter the Brewer, Dwarf Fighter (m)
4. Bear, Human Druid of the Witchwood (m)
& 5. Teyani Sura (NPC), Lion of Brindol (f)

8/7 Prompted by Captain Sorana Anita, group heads north to Skull Gorge, killing a shambling mound by an old Wood Giant effigy, reaches Skull Gorge ca 6.30pm. In a huge battle they kill 2 hellhounds, drive off the green dragon Ozyrrandion, defeat the 9-strong hobgoblin garrison (2 survivors flee north), and as the battle winds down, Tessele uses empowered storm magic to destroy the bridge. Ride back south, reaching Drellin's Ferry around 2am on 9/7 feeling exhausted, and rest until morning.

9/7 Speaker Norro Wiston summons the party and agrees they should seek out the Tiri Kitor elves to reforge the Old Alliance.

9/7 10/7 11/7 rest and heal.

12/7/91 (morning) party rested.

_________________

EGG ACCOUNT

Judge Jaarmath,
The Big House,
Brindol,
Elsir Vale

Judge,

Acting the intelligence of a hobgoblin force gathered at Vraath Keep we decided reconnoiter Skull Gorge.

The reconnaissance party assembled and set out on the 8th of Flamerule 1491. Our party; Teselle, Bear (a Druid from the woods, what he was doing there he would not say), Motter, Teyani Sura and yours truly.

We encountered a Shambling Mound on The Dwarfroad and more evidence of the Forrest Giants who once inhabited the region. I can’t help thinking there may be something more to the disappearance of the seemingly misunderstood wood folk. Teyani Sura and Motter, the brewer, dispatched the creature efficiently.

Arriving at Skull Gorge 1830hrs, we observed a strong hobber defence. Hell Hounds guarded either side of the dwarf-built bridge, overseen by Hobgoblin sentries, equipped with longbows. To the north of Skull Gorge, the Hobgoblins had made camp with the Dragon, Ozyrrandion (a green wrym of some reputation). 

We made contact with the enemy shortly after 1830.

The battle was a lively affair. We took the initiative, but the hobgoblins took the upper hand as soon as the dragon entered the fray. However, the divine power of the priestess of Umberlee, and the druid Bear ultimately tipped the skirmish in our favour. Ozyrrandion and two hobgoblins fled north, no doubt to warn their superiors.

Fortune smiled upon the Vale when Motter, surveyed the bridge stonework to find a weakened section of the bridge and Teselle used magic to shatter the masonry.

Exhausted, we returned to Drellin’s Ferry to rest and resupply. In a few days, we will push north in an attempt to enlist the help of the wild elves, the Tiri Kitor of the Black Fens in defense of the Vale.

Conclusions;

Despite the destruction of the bridge at Skull Gorge, we should prepare for attacks on the Vale to continue. The enemy has scouts east of The Witchwood. 

We have encountered several hobgoblin tribes, goblin worg riders, bugbears and several avian monstrosities (how is Ouah btw?) including a dragon. The combination and organization of the goblinoid forces and the invasion plans discovered at Vraath keep lead me to believe a diabolical and charismatic intelligence is coordinating these forces of darkness. 
 
Send what aid you can but do not overlook Brindol’s defences. I fear it will not be long before the black-hearted fiends attack again.

Lathanders Blessings to you!

Faithfully yours,
Egg,
Brindol Irregulars
11th Flamerule 1491

How Egg sees Motter

How Egg sees Ozzyrandion

How Egg sees Tessele

Session 2 Rumblings 2-8/7/1491 DR XP 13+7 = 20 Lvl 5>6

2/7 Night - Meet  a dwarf brewer, Motter (PC) in fort ruins of Vraath Keep being chased by hobgoblins, battle 2 goblins 2 worgs & 7 hobgoblins in ruins of fort, killing all - Egg the half drow (PC) chases down the fleeing hob war-priest. Judge Jaarmath (PC) finds hobgoblin war plans map. Uaah the dragon (PC) checks in on Jorr the old Ranger. Party rest overnight in keep.
3/7 Return to Drellin's Ferry via Jorr's hut - he says he's fine - meet with town council in early evening. West bank evacuated.
4/7 Egg Judge & Motter scout forest on horseback up the main road, battle 2 ettercaps & 4 giant spiders at the dwarf bridge over Cold Creek, Egg's horse killed by spider. Go back.

Teyani Sura, a Lion of Brindol - who said the (14)'80s were dead? 

4/7 Evening Back at Drellin's Ferry, a female Lion of Brindol Teyani Sura arrives from the east, reporting monsters - hobgoblins and ogres - encountered 5 days ago (30/6) on the old Rhest Trail north out of the Elsir Vale.
4-5/7 Night - Goblins and hobgoblins raid the west bank setting fire to buildings, PCs defeat them with the aid of a mighty Shatter spell from Tessele (PC) and capture a hobgoblin war adept, Kalkaz. 5 militia were killed in raid, Captain Sorana has all forces withdraw from west of the river while she fortifies the east bank.
5/7 Judge Jaarmath rides east with a few Drellin militia and the captive hobgoblin adept to report back to his brother Lord Jaarmath of Brindol, leaving Teyani Sura with Egg, Tess & Motter to bolster the defence of Drellin's Ferry. Uaah & Manny the Manticore go with Judge's party, flying overhead to scout the road.
5-7/7/1491 DR Long Rest; RL 6 and recover spells etc.
Morning of 8/7: group fully recovered.

The Heroes of Brindol (PCs level 6)
1. Egg (was Dexter), scruffy Half-Drow Rogue/Fighter of Brindol (m)
2. Tessele, priestess of Umberlee & Tymora, former pirate of the Sea of Stars, Human Cleric (f)
3. Motter the Brewer, Dwarf Fighter (m) - new recruit
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4. Uaah, Copper Dragonborn Druid(ess) of the Wyrmsmoke mountains, Circle of Dragons, usually in dragon form (f) - departed with Judge & Manny the manticore (m) for Brindol
 5. Judge Jarmaath, younger brother of Lord Kerden Jarmaath, a Lion of Brindol, noble Human Fighter (m) - departed for Brindol

EGG SESSIONS 1-2 ACCOUNT

The Urchins,
Our Lord Immaculate-Home for Foundlings,
Brindol.
C/O Uuah the Copper dragon

Little Johnny,
I would be grateful if you could read this letter to the other urchins, you are the best at reading out loud and no doubt you are all wondering where your old mate Egg has gone.  You can share the letter around after, I have drawn some pictures too.
Well you rascals, I am far to the west of the Vale, writing to you from Drellin’s Ferry.  
I was summoned to the Big House by lady Verrasa Kaal, and I admit I thought I was for the drop this time after that riverside business.  So off I went, and the big man himself was there, Lord Kerben Jarmaath, no less.  I needn’t off worried. He wanted scouts to go and check on Drellin’s Ferry because no travellers had come east along The Dawn Way for some time, and there were rumours of Hobgoblins abroad in the Vale.
Lord Kerben Jarmaath’s son Judge was to lead (we know him as Sir Lancelot from his frequent visits to the shady parts of town).  The rest of the party was made up of the pirate priestess Teselle (recently arrived in town) and a mysterious copper dragon-man out of the mountains. I recommended that he bring his little dragon orphans to us at Our Lord Immaculate because you would have a right laugh together, giving the old priests the run-around. 
We set off on the 29th of Kythorn, or the Time of Flowers if you prefer.  
Well, the rumours of Hobgoblins are true and vicious pack of them, and some hounds of hell set upon us just outside of Drellin’s Ferry.   We fought them off arriving in Drellin’s Ferry later that day.  It was the 1st day of Flamerule.
At Drellin’s Ferry, we made friends with the town Captain, Soranna and a fellow called Norrin, who is like a mayor (he does all the talking for the town).  It turns out there have been lots of these hobgoblins about, raiding and holding people up on The Dawn Way.  The Captain and the Speaker were both concerned and asked us if we would look into it, we agreed.  After that, they were very friendly, putting us up in a fine halfling run tavern and giving us their entire stock of healing potions.  These folks of Drellin’s Ferry are very different from the big city types of Brindol. 
The next morning, we set out across the river on the ferry into The Witch Wood.  The stories are true; it’s a dark and tangled forest haunted with hideous monsters, more on that later.  So, we head into The Witch Wood seeking an old woodsman named Jorr, because he knows stuff and we want to know what he knows.  We find him deep in the woods, and he tells a story about an old ranger fortress in The Witch Wood, long abandoned but now occupied.  We bid Jorr farewell and head off to check out ruined fortress.
In the swampy backwoods we are set upon by a bloody great hydra, a seven-headed one no less, I don’t mind telling you it was terrifying.  That pirate priestess I told you about earlier, well she didn’t think so and zapped it dead.  Judge, me and the copper dragon (he only pretends to be a dragon-man) did our bit.
We reached Vraath Keep that evening and slipped in through one of the broken walls.  Hobgoblins had made a camp there after all.  A lot of them, and beasts too, worgs this time and a winged lion with a funny mouth.  We snuck in, taking them by surprise.  It was chaos, hobgoblins everywhere, dragons, manticores, bugbears, even a minotaur, monsters were coming out of the bloody woodwork.  Anyway Teselle, pirate priestess starts zapping, Judge does what he does best, gets his chopper out and goes at them and our copper dragon Uuah starts gassing, and before you know it, the hobbers and their Wrymlord Koth are all dead.  The Manticore, Manny has changed sides and joined us having fallen for Uuah draconic charms.
That night we found a secret door to a hidden vault beneath the Keep, and we found the rangers lost treasure.  Two fabulous sets mithril armour, a magic bag, and a strange giant gauntlet.  Vraath Keep is a strange and haunting place, but I feel strangely at home, here wandering the ruins in the dark of night. 
It was I who spotted him first.  I could hear him coming from quite some distance, armour rattling, hobnail boots stomping the forest path.  Later I knew his name to be Motter, the Brewer but for a moment I thought he was charging at us, on his own!  Crazy dwarf.  Then I noticed the hobbers chasing him.  We rush to his aid, killing another gang of hobbers and goblin worg riders.  I make the introductions, and we get to sample some of Motters ale.
Judge searches the rest of Vraath keep and finds something very alarming, goblin invasion plans for the Vale.  The goblin attacks are not uncoordinated raids but a full-scale invasion!  We all agree that we must return to Drellin’s Ferry and warn the people of the vale.
So, there you have it, you marvellous scoundrels.  The Vale is under attack, but don’t you worry.
Not only are you in the care of lady Tredora Goldenbrow, High Priestess of the Morninglord, you are also under the protection of Lord Kerden Jarmaath and his Indomitable Lions of Brindol.  And of course, you are tucked in nice and safe behind the strongest walls in the Vale.  I’ll do my best to scupper the plans of the invaders, and you know how good I am at scuppering plans.  But do old Egg a few favours, start to stockpile food & supplies in the secret places, make sure our hidden routes in and out of Brindol remain hidden but useable in a pinch and keep an eye out for enemy spies.  
I will write again soon.
Yours truly,
Your friend,

Egg

Hobgoblin War Plan

Session 1 Beginnings 28/6-2/7/1491 DR; XP +13 - Lvl 5

Wyrmlord Koth, RIP

28/6/1491 Lord Kerben Jarmaath of Brindol asks the party to investigate rumours of hobgoblin activity in the Drellin's Ferry region.
29/6/1491 Leave Brindol
1/7/1491 DR Approaching Drellin's Ferry, defeat a hobgoblin ambush - a priest & 6 soldiers flee, while 6 soldiers, a bladebearer & 2 hellhounds are killed. Reach town, meet with Captain Soranna & Speaker Norrin. They ask for aid.
2/7/1491 DR Head into the Witchwood, meet Jorr the woodsman & his dogs, heading north battle & kill a 6 headed hydra in swamp, finally attack Vraath Keep and slay a minotaur & 4 hobgoblin veterans, Uaah intimidates & recruits Manny the Manticore, kill bugbear 'Wyrmlord' Koth & loot the hidden treasure vault beneath the Keep.

The Heroes of Brindol (PCs level 5)
1. Dexter, scruffy half-Drow Rogue/Fighter of Brindol (m)
2. Uuah, Copper Dragonborn Druid of the Wyrmsmoke mountains, Circle of Dragons, usually in dragon form (m)
3. Sir Judge Jarmaath, younger brother of Lord Kerben Jarmath of Brindol, noble Human Fighter (m)
4. Tessele, priestess of Umberlee & Tymora, former pirate of the Sea of Stars, Human Cleric (f)