Kriv meets Enri in the shop of Douven Stahl. Jeddak of The Watch storms in and demands Enri turn over certain items in her possession. Jeddak holds up a mysterious sphere that knocks everyone unconscious.

Kriv and Enri wake up in a prison cell. Kobolds sneak in through a secret door and they escape into their lair. They come across a group of Kobolds attacking a defenseless wolf.

Enri and Kriv kill the Kobolds and rescue the wolf. The wolf seems to take a liking to Enri and follows her. The group decides to name the wolf Smoke and consider it a member of the adventuring party.

After several encounters climaxing over an unstable bridge, Enri and Kriv battle Dire Rats and are bitten, infected with Filth Fever.

Enri and Kriv recover from Filth Fever.

While fighting their way out of the underground lair of the Kobolds, they meet Tholomin Pegason who is the sole survivor of another adventuring group. Tholomin says his group was sent down here by Jeddak and seems afraid of him.

They join forces, explore the Drow library and fight an Ochre Jelly. Kriv finds the Couters of Second Chances.

The group continues to fight their way out across an underground river and through a final battle with the Kobold Wurm Priest. Upon his death, the Priest says “The peace has been broken” The group finds a way back to the surface in the middle of the city, where Tholomin Pegason flees to Jeddak, fearing for his life if he does not report in.

Enri and Kriv go to The Fey Trader, a tavern, run by Bren and Brenna.

Enri and Kriv meet Willaver Spellsword , a would-be adventurer, his manservant Mutt, and Thohand Songsteel, the local blacksmith. Enri and Kriv regale Willaver with tales of adventure, and tavernfolk gather ’round.

While there, they learn of the unethical activities of The Watch and its members, Jeddak (Captain of the Watch), Tholomin Pegason, Marlannon the Cruel and Jamril Quickshot. Enri and Kriv team up with Thohand and Willaver to put an end to the Watch.

A simple beggar shapeshifts into Grakul Silverkin, an assassin and member of the Watch, and runs out of the tavern to bring back the rest of the Watch to battle the adventurers. The group is shocked to find Tholomin Pegason fighting on the side of Jeddak. Marlannon the Cruel is killed and the rest of the Watch flees the tavern.

The group decides to break into the Watch Tower to gather evidence for the Council, since a direct attack against the Watch would provoke the Guard.

Enri, Kriv, Willaver and Smoke fight their way up to the fourth level of the Watch Tower fighting Kobolds and members of the Watch. Jedak escapes through a window. Tholamin asks for mercy in exchange for information on Jedak’s destination.

The group finds Jedak’s journals and his cache of items that he illegally confiscated from various townspeople. The group decides that Thohand and Mutt should take the evidence to the council while Enri, Kriv, Willaver and Tholamin pursue Jedak.

Tholamin leads the group to a ruin in the forest where Jedak is in the final stages of completing a dark ritual. The ritual summons a black dragon which gobbles up Jedak and turns to the group.

Kriv attempts to talk the dragon down through his knowledge of Draconic, but the black dragon makes clear its hostile intentions and attacks the group. After a long battle, the group kills the black dragon and takes its horns and scales as trophies. The party is surprised to see that Jeddak is still alive, though horribly disfigured from the acid in the pit of the black dragon’s stomach.

The group returns to Thohand and meets with the council. The council rewards the group for putting down the Watch but sets Tholamin free. Jeddak is sent west to the Western Baronies for further justice.

After taking some time off after dealing with the Watch, Enri, Smoke and Kriv get an itch for further adventuring, and agree to travel east through the Fey Forest to the Nentir Vale. Thohand joins them.

They battle Ghost Lights and meet Queen Maab who rules the Fey Forest. The Queen wants to know what the group is doing in her forest. Enri speaks to the Queen and makes clear the group’s peaceful intentions. Queen Maab asks if the group can help rescue her cousin Sartan from a group of Orcs, and promises to help the group travel through the forest safely as a reward.

The group agrees and travels to rescue Sartan from the Orcs. On the way they encounter and kill several zombies.

On stealthy approach to the Orc hideout, Enri asks Kriv to slay a Dire Boar that is clearly the mount of one of the Orcs holding Sartan prisoner, but Kriv is unable to attack a creature until he knows its intentions are hostile. The disagreement becomes pointless as before Kriv can get within range of the Boar to attack it, Kriv stumbles on some pieces of broken rock which wake the Boar and it attacks.

A difficult battle ensues, and when one of the Orcs mounts the Boar and attacks the group, Kriv leaps on top and kicks its rider off several times, but is unable to control the Boar to use it to fight the Orcs effectively.

Near the end of the battle Kriv runs over to where the Orcs are holding Sartan so he can join in the fray.

They are surprised to discover that Sartan’s physical form is that of a Unicorn!

Sartan says that the Orcs who captured him were sent by the Spider Queen. He has learned that the Spider Queen is performing a ritual in the underground city of the Dark Elves that will kill Queen Maab.

Sartan asks the group to follow him to stop the ritual.

The group agrees to go with Sartan to stop the ritual. Thohand stays behind with Queen Maab.

On approach to the underground city, the group battles several spiders which have a powerful attack to which only Enri is resistant.

The group descends a rope into the underground city, but are trapped in a chamber where the walls are closing in on them. Kriv quickly picks all three locks on the door while Enri holds off the creatures trying to kill them, and they all escape just as the walls come together.

The group then comes to an underground river and battles skeletons and spiders. Enri sends her familiar, Bandit, into the fray to distract the monsters.

Finally, Enri, Smoke, Kriv and Sartan reach the Old Ones’ Lair and meet their match. Many of the group nearly die several times battling Bugbears and Corruption Corpses at the Black Altar.

The group is successful and stops the ritual before it can be completed.

Enri, Smoke, Kriv and Sartan stand in the middle of the Old Ones’ Lair, exhausted from their battle. The floor is soaked with the blood and body parts of their enemies.

Across the room, a secret door opens in the wall. A tiefling stumbles into the room, out of breath. He introduces himself as Vashta, a Warlock, who has been exploring the underground city in search of arcane knowledge.

The group invites Vashta to join them in their quest to escape the underground city. They leave through the secret door and flee from the distant sound of a flute playing.

The group comes to a room with a portrait of the Spider Queen on the wall with a door to a very long corridor.

Kriv sets off a trap that releases a giant boulder behind them. Vashta spider scuttles up the wall while the rest of the group runs into the next room.

The group begins to battle two Jellies and a Hobgoblin while Vashta joins the fray, fleeing the boulder which has just smashed through the door to the corridor.

Kriv and Sartan are knocked prone by the Hobgoblin’s devastating attacks. Vashta, Enri and Smoke manage to fight off the enemies while the boulder rolls past them.

After the battle, the group encounters a room with broken pieces of statues. A sign reads “When the three heroes are in their places, the path to the Holy Crypt will be clear.”
Vashta and Enri quickly solve the puzzle and the group enters the Holy Crypt.

While exploring the crypt, Vashta is grabbed by a Bonewretch. Three Corruption Corpses and three skeletons emerge from hidden places to attack the group.

While Enri blasts the enemies with her magical attacks and sends forth Bandit, Vashta scurries around the room and performs his stealthy ranged attacks, Cursing every enemy he can. Kriv moves towards the center and uses his Aegis Longsword’s daily power to mark all enemies within a burst 3. He then performs two swirling attacks dealing damage to many enemies.

Kriv uses Boundless Endurance to regenerate and finish off the skeletons and Bonewretches while the rest of the group heals. The group then finishes off the Corruption Corpses.

After the intense battle, they find their way back to the surface and head back to the Fey Forest.

The group returns to the Fey Forest and meets with Queen Maab who thanks them for their help and rewards the group with treasure and healing potions.

Enri, Kriv, Smoke, Thohand and Vashta travel east from the Fey Forest. They see smoke rising from the direction of the town of Winterhaven and decide to investigate.

As they approach the main gate, they see pyres of bodies, burning brightly. The guard explains that the town is attacked at night by the walking dead. Anyone they kill is in turn reanimated the next night. The town believes the source of the attacks is the Keep on the Shadowfell. The guard suggests the group see the Master-at-Arms, Ninaran, if they wish to help the town defend itself. Other points of interest include the Temple to Avandra, Valthrun’s Tower and Wrafton’s Inn.

The group enters the town and visits the Temple to Avandra to see Sister Linora, the priestess. Linora is busy making vial after vial of Holy Water for the town to use in its defense. Linora gives each member of the group a single vial of Holy Water.

The group leaves the Temple and stops by the stall of a florist, Delphina Moongem. Kriv buys a flower for Enri and asks the florist if she has any information about what is going on in the town. The group learns that Valthrun the Prescient is not the same man anymore, and that the town does not like to talk about what happened to him. He is currently held captive at the top of his own tower and forbidden from practicing the arcane arts. The florist tells of strange symbols found throughout the town and suspicion of sabotage by Cultists of Orcus who remain hidden. The florist also tells the group that Lord Padraig and Ninaran may be found in the Inn run by Salvana Wrafton. Kriv tips the florist a gold piece and the group heads to the Inn.

Upon entering the Inn, Vashta buys a round of drinks for everyone inside, to Salvana’s delight. The group purchases rooms for the night, then asks Salvana questions about the town and the mysterious attacks. Salvana confirms what the group has already learned, and when asked details of the enemy suggests the group speak with Elian the Old, the sole survivor of the “dark night” – his wife was killed by a Wight and he survived Ghoul paralysis.

The group also learns about the enemy from the soldiers at the inn. Certain undead are in command – “Wights” they are afraid to touch. Ghouls that can paralyze a man. Skeletons that explode with dark energy.

Vashta sits down at Eilian’s table while the rest of the group continues to chat with Salvana. He is not successful in engaging Eilian in conversation – he is waiting for the Inn to serve the nightly stew.

Meanwhile, Salvana informs Enri and Kriv that Lord Padraig and Ninaran usually show up at the Inn for stew, and suggest they have a few drinks and wait.

Lord Padraig and Ninaran enter the Inn to much fanfare as stew is served.
Vashta serves Eilian two servings of stew and is able to get some information about the enemy. He speaks of dreams of a stone room with a portal to darkness, where he can hear a whispering voice say “Come to me. Serve ”/campaigns/highadventure/characters/kalarel-1" class=“wiki-content-link”>Kalarel. Come to the keep to taste the flesh of men. Kill yourself. Rise again to eat the flesh of your family."

Meanwhile, the group tries to talk to Ninaran but are put off by her hostile attitude. Lord Padraig reins in Ninaran and greets the group. He appears exhausted. The group asks Lord Padraig for permission to visit Valthrun. He suggests the group explore the graveyard for signs of arcane magicks that may uncover some clue as to the nature and source of the mysterious attacks, and orders Ninaran to allow the group to visit Valthrun.

The group leaves the Inn and goes to the graveyard. Enri and Vashta are able to determine that the graveyard has lingering traces of demonic power connected to the Cult of Orcus. They see a couple of acolytes of Avandra searching the graveyard as well.

Suddenly, a giant Carrion Crawler erupts from the earth and gobbles up one of the acolytes. The group engages in battle with two Bonewretches and the Carrion Crawler.

The remaining two acolytes try to flee but are caught by the Crawler and eaten. After the battle, Vashta searches the corpse of the Crawler and gets nothing but Filth Fever.

The group returns to the Temple to Avandra so that Vashta may be cleansed. After cleansing, the group heads to Valthrun’s Tower.

Valthrun is unresponsive and appears dazed. Enri successfully determines that the source of the condition is a hex, and how to dispel it. The group asks the guard to send for Linora immediately.

Linora arrives and exclaims that she has tried everything. Enri assures her of the cure. Linora says she requires the assistance of both Enri and Vashta to perform the ritual. After several successful steps through a lengthy ritual, Valthrun returns to normal and thanks the group for curing him.

Valthrun sizes up the group and decides he can trust them. He tells them of Orcus, the Demon Prince, who is behind the mysterious attacks. He also discloses that Ninaran is the leader of the secret group of Cultists who are sabotaging the town’s defenses.

The group escorts Valthrun directly to the Inner Gate and asks to see Lord Padraig immediately, that they have important information for him. They are told he has already left with Ninaran who has decided to attack the Keep this night. Suspicious, the group asks if they may deliver the information to a senior member of the Lord’s staff. The guard agrees.

They meet Talon Padraig, sole remaining son of Lord Padraig, and tell them all they know. Talon is upset and immediately prepares to pursue Ninaran, fearing for his father’s life. The group follows reluctantly, knowing that the enemy is strongest at night.

They travel out of the town and through the wilderness, coming to the scene of a recent battle. Talon discovers the dead body of his father and swears vengeance. Enri is able to calm him down and convince him to return to town, to protect his rule. If he and his father were to die, surely rule would fall to Ninaran. Talon agrees but makes Kriv promise to pursue Ninaran and avenge his father. Kriv swears by his clan and honor.

After Talon and his guard depart, the group becomes suspicious. Enri detects enemies sneaking along the edge of the forest, Ninaran among them. She casts light directly over the enemy, surprising them.

Ninaran, two Bugbears and two Wights move into view but the group is able to advance quickly due to surprising them. A difficult battle ensues.

After they are victorious against Ninaran, she slits her throat and promises herself to the Demon Prince. Vashta pours Holy Water on her body to prevent reanimation and she explodes into dust. Among her remains the group finds a healing potion, gold, and a Heavy Shield of the Barrier Sentinels.

Exhausted, the group agrees to return to town.

The company finds a scroll on the remains of Ninaran. Upon the scroll are printed two phrases – one appears to be a challenge phrase, and the other, the correct response.

Upon return to Winterhaven, the company discovers Talon Padraig about to execute four suspected members of the Cult of Orcus. Talon has in his possession a book bound in human flesh that was discovered in Ninaran’s room. The book identifies these men as cultists. Enri convinces Talon to give them a fair trial, judged by Linora, and to imprison them for now.

The company visits the suspected cultists in prison and attempts to uncover the truth.

Vashta reads Ninaran’s book for a while while the rest of the company leaves the prison. With the guard’s knowledge, he attempts to fool the prisoners into thinking he is a cultist by speaking the challenge question and identifying himself as a “fellow cultist”. The prisoners call for the guard and tell him that Vashta is a cultist. Failing this test, Vashta decides to pour a bit of Holy Water on each of the prisoners to see if they react strongly. Each of the prisoners passes the test with no reaction.

Meanwhile, the rest of the company explores Ninaran’s room for clues. A small bottle of ink is found. The ink is magical; it is visible to anyone who knows a passphrase. The company returns to the prison to rejoin Vashta.

Linora arrives and uses a Scroll of Lie Detection to determine that the prisoners are indeed innocent. Talon sets them free and heads to the town wall parapet to prepare for the town’s defense. The company heads back to the Inn for a night’s sleep.

Early in the morning the company is woken up by a guard with an urgent message from Talon to join him at the town wall. From the parapet the company sees a band of undead approaching the town wall with seemingly peaceful intent. They say they are from the Keep and that the town must follow Orcus or die. They claim their army shall be of a size equal in number to the stars in the sky and that Kalarel will walk the earth among them.

Tired from their interrupted sleep, the company banters with the undead dismissively and decides to go to the Keep to finish what Kriv, Mindartus and Taster did not complete many years ago.

The company enters the Keep and is immediately challenged by the creatures found within. Vashta reads the response phrase from Ninaran’s scroll, but the creatures cry alarm and a battle ensues.

Kriv rushes into the room and quickly dispatches two Kobold Minions with his Dragonbreath. The company then takes on 4 Orcs and and a Kobold Wildmage. While focusing on the Orcs, the company is attacked several times by the Wildmage’s magical attacks. One of these attacks is nearly successful against Kriv, who feels a slight pull towards the Wildmage. Kriv taunts the Wildmage by telling it to aim lower next time so that it feels better to Kriv.

Kriv warns the rest of the company to keep the pit in the middle of the room out of the line to the Wildmage as it is clearly trying to pull its targets into the pit. Kriv is nearly pulled into the pit himself.

Enri and Vashta fill the room with magical bursts of energy as they attack the foes, while Thohand bashes the Orcs with his hammer. During the battle Vashta is pulled into the pit by the Wildmage and sustains injury, but is able to escape quickly. In response, Kriv goes into a rage against the Wildmage and kills it.

The company finishes off the Orcs and continues to explore. They follow the sounds of creatures to a distant chamber. Vashta enters the room and finds a Kobold Chieftain, Kobold Priest and 3 Orcs eating together at a large dining table. The creatures go quiet and the Kobold Chieftain rises to speak the challenge phrase from Ninaran’s scroll. Vashta reads the answer phrase but the creatures attack.

The company struggles to get into the chamber and attack.

During the battle, Enri jumps up on the dining table to get better line of sight on the creatures.

Enri kills the Kobold Priest while Vashta kills the rest. After the battle the company explores an adjacent chamber which appears to be a bedroom. They discover magical cloth armor for Enri , a turquoise jem and 60 gold pieces.