D&D Campaign One: Scalebreakers - 013
Rust, Rebellion, & Resonance
The evening before the long rest in the "Sooty Tankard" passed peacefully. While Arrin was already asleep, the rest of the group discussed the plan of action for the next day. Ran used the quiet time for intensive training and "quality time" with his Schliefer, Hercules. This was a complete success: their bond was strengthened so much that Hercules will have advantage on his next three attacks. Meanwhile, Keithara spent a relaxing time with Nyra. Jebeddo, on the other hand, experienced a premiere: as soon as he lay down, he fell into an unfathomably deep sleep without any problems. In a dream, he felt weightless, as if floating on a warm ocean, while in the distance he perceived a deep pulse and the occasional, rhythmic strike of a forging hammer on an anvil.
At breakfast, the group puzzled over this dream. Arrin and Keithara determined that no divine powers were at work here, but rather pure nature magic. This fact surprised them both greatly, since Jebeddo, as a rogue, normally had no points of contact with druidic powers. But time was of the essence: the monster's rust had eaten further into Skarn's armor, now giving him a dangerous -2 penalty to his Armor Class. Skarn urged them to hurry.
The way up led them to the massive elevator that connects the Slabs, revealing the true face of Kraghammer on lockdown. The city was suffocating under the propaganda machine of Obsidian Solutions. Announcements and posters fueled such a deep climate of fear that even frightened citizens intervened on their own, lecturing someone who tried to remove a poster.
Instead of going directly to Olema, Skarn remembered a forge in the Middle Slab that he had once visited with his master, Baldric. The group sought out the owner, Brogan Stonegrip, and found an almost abandoned workshop where the dwarf was barricaded behind his counter. The reason became apparent seconds later: no sooner had Skarn asked for help than a squad in black armor—two dwarven gladiators, a dwarven mage, and a red Dragonborn—stormed the forge. The Scalebreakers stepped protectively in front of Brogan and engaged in a fierce battle with the attackers. Arrin and Skarn suffered severe burns, and Arrin fell unconscious for a while after taking heavy blows from an axe and a hammer, but was stabilized and protected by Skarn.
After their victory, the group fled with the blacksmith into his hidden basement. There, Brogan's secret was revealed: he was hiding resistance fighters and had set up a makeshift forge. In no time at all and with masterful skill, he freed Skarn's armor from the rust. They agreed on a secret knock for future shelter, and Brogan confirmed that Olema was the right contact person to find Balder. All three—Brogan himself, Olema, and Balder—steadfastly refused to buckle under Obsidian Solutions.
Back on the way to the "Starry Anvil," Jebeddo suddenly paused. He heard strange voices humming a melody. He led the group to a small alcove in the Middle Slab, where they discovered six dwarves standing in a circle, intoning notes that were partly deep and partly high. When Jebeddo approached, the singing stopped abruptly. One of the dwarves broke away from the circle, stepped up to the Genasi, and asked only a single question: "Thavax?"