Storm King’s Thunder. Session 29: An Audience with Dagnabbet

8^th -12^th Ches 1458DR

The Griffons had a little while before the audience with Queen Dagnabbet and spent the time strategising on how to approach her. Darius set out a series of arguments to sway the Queen:

(i) The Giants were a problem that was affecting everyone (especially as she had been recently wounded by Hill Giants)

(ii) Zephyra had only shown good intentions and had come peacefully when her tower was boarded by Aurexithra and Hewen

(iii) The Gilded Griffons were now a renowned adventuring party and could be trusted to ensure that Zephyra did not cause any trouble.

He insisted that Fenris and Korrak remain quiet when they speak to Dagnabbet and let him do the talking. Fenris and Korrak agreed, slightly reluctantly as they had seen Darius speak to women in power before.

A little while later Hewen came back and escorted them to a private audience room. There they were met by the Queen’s royal advisors, her guards and finally Queen Dagnabbet herself. She limped into the room, apparently having injured her leg in the attack and addressed them: “On behalf of Clan Battlehammer, welcome to our hearth and home. Now, what in Moradin’s Beard do you want?”. Darius asked Fenris to introduce them, who launched a description of the party and their deeds (and sponsors). Darius then explained their adventure up to this point, including their need to recover the two halves of the Conch of Teleportation from Jarl Haelgra and Duke Zalto to find out why King Hekaton had gone missing. To do this they needed Zephyra and her flying tower, both for her advice and to use the tower to travel the great distances that would be needed. Dagnabbet countered that Cloud giants as a whole had been causing trouble and she couldn’t just permit Zephyra to fly around freely. Darius replied that they would ensure that Zephyra would be safe in their custody. Dagnabbet eventually agreed, but insisted that one of her advisors travel with them and that they promise that they tower not be used against and Dwarves or members of the Lord’s Alliance. She nominated Hewen to travel with them as he was trusted by her and would be a useful envoy when they went to Citadel Felbarr near Ironslag. It was agreed that Hewen would meet them at the entrance to Mithral Hall with one of the Queen’s wizards and be teleported up to the tower. They were then dismissed.

As the others filed peacefully out of the room, Amadeous hung back and asked the Queen if she could have a book printed for him: the book of Lilith. She said she could arrange for it to be printed (at a cost), which Amadeous was not happy with and insisted that this would be for the good of the Sword Coast. He asked if there was anything he could do for her as a favour to have the book printed. She replied that she understood they were on their way to Svardborg, home of the Frost giant Jarl Haelgra. She would print the book if he would claim her the Jarl’s helmet. This would be a fine trophy for her to display as it was known to be of magnificent craftsmanship and she intended to use it as a bath. He agreed and made a note of it, promising to return with the helmet.

Outside, they were met by Hewen and one of the royal wizards. Before being transported to the tower, Fenris informed Hewen that he would have to fund his own travels as they journeyed together. Hewen replied that that would not be a problem, as he was independently wealthy and could pay for himself. As the wizard teleported the Griffons up to the tower, Fenris sneered at Hewen for having grown up in wealth and privilege. This was to be the start of a contentious relationship between the two.

They found themselves in Zephyra’s tower, in the main hall on the ground floor. They called out but did not hear a reply. Looking up to the 1^st floor, it lacked stairs or a ladder and they recalled that Zephyra could Misty Step up and down the floors. Korrak filched Maganose’s Winged Boots and used them to fly up to the 1^st floor while Amadeous used his Slippers of Spider Climbing to scale the walls. Korrak found Zephyra deeply engrossed in a book. Surprised, she greeted him and asked what they were doing there. Korrak explained they had arrived and had secured her release from Mithral’s Halls custody and they needed to speak downstairs. Zephyra used Misty Step to travel downstairs while Korrak and Amadeous travelled back down to the ground floor.

The Griffons were pleased to see Zephyra again and told her of the events at the Eye of the All Father and their need to travel to Svardborg and Ironslag. They asked her what she knew of these places and she showed them on a map: Svardborg was several hundred miles to the north west in the Sea of Moving Ice, whereas Ironslag lay further away to the east. They picked out Svardborg first and she said she could take them there btu as the tower flew slowly, it would surely be seen by the frost giants before they arrived and they would be ready for them. Possibly a boat or other transport nearer to Svardborg could be chartered that would be less noticeable. They settled on travelling to Fireshear, a busy mining city and port 130 miles south east of Svardborg.

They also asked about Eigeron, the murdered cloud giant prince that they met in the Eye of the All Father. Zephyra replied that she had met him once when she was very little, but he had gone missing a long time ago. She was sad to hear of his death. When asked about Parnast, she said it wasn’t on any of the maps she possessed - perhaps a library in a city might have more information?

Having concluded their business at Mithral Hall, Zephyra set the tower flying west. It would take 4 days to travel to Fireshear. After 2 days, they spotted flying shapes approaching the tower. 3 wyverns crashed through the front door, with riders leaping off with weapons drawn: 2 blue dragonborn warriors and a human wizard. The Griffons prepared to defend themselves as the wizard shouted “For Iymrith and the Hidden Thunder!”. After a bloody battle the attackers lay dead. This raised more questions: Who was Iymrith and the Hidden Thunder and how had they known the Gilded Griffons were here? After skinning one of the wyverns and searching the bodies, they threw the bodies off the tower into the sky (incidentally, while they were flying somewhere in the region of Mirabar).

Two days later they arrived at Fireshear. This was a mining town: a large meteorite had crashed here in ages past leaving huge deposits of silver and copper. A series of mines had been built around the impact crater, which led to the founding of the dwarven city. Snow lay heavily and a chill wind blew around the squat stone houses. Zephyra teleported them down near to a building that looked like a tavern, which shocked the citizens walking through the street. The tavern bore the name the Singing Manticore. They head inside to find a quiet taproom with only a few patrons, however a halfling sat at the bar playing a lute and singing a song about a barbarian named Korrak who was searching for love. They interrupted him to ask him about where he had heard that song and he replied he’d been in Silverymoon a few weeks ago and a pink Dragonborn had been singing it. He introduced himself as the travelling minstrel Ellywick Wimbly. They informed him that the details were all wrong and set about correcting him (especially Darius who didn’t want to be remembered in song as a hunchback). Ellywick said he would do his best to spread the truth as it seems Talyra Swiftscale had overstepped her “artistic licence”.