• Type: session
• Location: Gwynneth
• Date: 2026-06-28T00:00:00.000-07:00
• Summary: The Scorned Eight crossed paths with an ancient dragon turtle and rescued a vampire named Owen Kiel before reaching Gwynneth. After a royal welcome in Karaador, King Ardyn and Kalista revealed the locations of the surviving hags and directed Kaneko toward the Circle of the First Root in Winterglen Forest. Rested, resupplied, and newly titled the Vanquishers of Agnus the Maw, the party set out for Winterglen and ended the session in battle with three hill giants.
• Episode: The Turtle, the Vampire, and the King

040 06-28-2026

Session Summary

Recap

AI Summary

The Great Turtle

The voyage toward Gwynneth continued with Ofie scattering goodberries across the water. A fin broke the surface, followed by a wake far too large for anything the party expected. Then an enormous turtle's head rose beside the ship and swallowed the berries.

It was a Dragon Turtle, vast enough to dwarf their vessel. To Obold's disappointment, there was no island, landscape, or treasure piled across its shell.

Alias greeted it as a god. The turtle corrected him—it was no god—and asked where the party was bound and what they sought. When they answered that they were sailing to Gwynneth in search of druids, it said it sensed both reverence for nature and hostility toward it aboard their ship.

That hostility belonged to Kaneko. The turtle brought its head alongside the deck and questioned him directly. Kaneko admitted that he had once belonged to the Circle of the Moon Claw, but had been expelled after killing an animal for money on behalf of a barbarian clan. He was now seeking the Circle of the First Root because he wanted to make amends and become aligned with nature again.

The dragon turtle accepted his answer and allowed the ship to pass, though it warned that those who remained unaligned with nature might find nature equally unwilling to welcome them.

A Castaway in the Night

Later in the voyage, the party passed a ship from Waterdeep under escort by Gwynneth's gray-hulled royal vessels.

Early on the third night, Gamora, Obold, and Thorin held watch. Obold spotted what first appeared to be driftwood, then a crude raft carrying a lone man. He secured a magical rope to the raft, climbed down, and tried to pull the castaway aboard. The attempt overturned the raft and dropped both of them into the sea, but Thorin cast Water Walk while Obold hauled the stranger to safety.

Obold revived him with Lay on Hands. The man called himself Owen Kiel and claimed that he remembered being aboard a ship near Gwynneth before suddenly finding himself alone at sea. Something about him felt wrong. Obold recognized the truth beneath his glamour: Owen was a vampire.

When Obold confronted him, Owen dropped the disguise. Obold made it clear that the party was not automatically hostile, but Owen admitted that he had intended to devour them. He suggested they call the rescue and the abandoned meal an even exchange, dissolved into mist, and vanished into the night.

Landfall at King's Bay

Gwynneth's swift, immaculate patrol ships met the party soon afterward. The royal crews laid down a gangplank and announced that the king had ordered them to escort the party into the kingdom. They guided the battered ship through the night and into the morning.

Colossal statues of kings, queens, druids, and champions watched from the coastal cliffs. White lighthouses stood on opposing peninsulas as the ships entered King's Bay, a military harbor where the party received a reserved royal berth. The dockmaster offered an escort to the palace and recommended the Mariner's Rest when Kormak asked where to find the best ale.

The capital lay several days inland, so the crew remained behind to repair and resupply the ship. Ofie found diamond dust in town, Obold bought garlic after the night's encounter, and Ramses—now on his eighth summoning—joined the party's caravan. Thirty armed soldiers escorted them toward Karaador. Ramses VII and Ramses VIII now shared a distinction: both had nearly been eaten.

The Sacred Lake and the Island Capital

After two days and two nights on the road, the caravan reached an enormous sacred lake around midday on the third day. Fishing was permitted, but construction along the shore was forbidden. Mist lay across the surface, and miles offshore rose a vast, three-tiered island nearly twenty miles across.

The only lakeside construction was a controlled ferry landing: eight stone docks with covered pavilions, a barracks, stables, and a warehouse for goods bound for the capital. The military escort left the party there, and ferrymen carried them across the lake in a voyage of roughly ninety minutes.

At the island customs house, Obold stabled Ramses. The party then climbed through Karaador's three rings. The broad lower ring held white-stone homes, inns, and markets beneath ancient oaks. The second ring belonged to the wealthy and powerful, with residences of senior officers alongside libraries, temples, botanical gardens, and estates. The highest ring belonged to the crown.

At its center stood the oldest oak on the island. Its vast canopy shaded the entire upper tier, and the royal palace had been built around and into its living trunk. The building was elegant rather than imposing—three stories of white stone, open courtyards, and enormous oak doors, designed to honor the tree instead of competing with it.

Vanquishers of Agnus the Maw

The party entered a marble hall and found King Ardyn Maelwyn ap Rhodri seated with Kalista and several members of his court. Both rose to thank them. The party reported the dragon turtle, their encounter with Owen Kiel, and the sinking of Oman. Ardyn knew of the turtle and told them that royal observers had already seen Oman beginning to rise from the sea again.

The court received the party under a new honorific: Vanquishers of Agnus the Maw.

Kaneko explained that he was seeking the Circle of the First Root. Ardyn said the circle could be found within Winterglen Forest to the north. It was the oldest of several druidic circles born in Gwynneth and maintained limited dealings with the crown. Its members were not always welcoming. Before entering their forest, visitors had to pass a test proving their knowledge of nature, their love for it, or at least their sincere wish to live at peace with it.

The conversation turned to the two surviving members of The Three. Driftwood Ulga Worm Wiggle controlled the Galdur Tower of the Drowned Grove, an undersea fortress last reported in the northern waters near Neverwinter. The court believed captives taken below wore enchanted necklaces that allowed them to breathe underwater. Wicked Ursula Worm Wiggle dwelled in the Galdur Tower of Glass, far to the southeast and deep within the Underdark. Ardyn and Kalista recommended confronting Ulga first, and the king promised to investigate acquiring water-breathing necklaces for the party.

Ardyn also agreed to escort them as far as the edge of Winterglen's territory. Obold presented him with a troll tooth as a trophy, and the king immediately ordered it added to the royal collection.

Among the courtiers, Alias noticed scribes recording the audience and a robed priest of Chauntea—the goddess who had appeared to Ofie when she reached seventh level. Ofie recalled the divine message she had received:

Gather the fragments, bearer of twilight. Free the beasts.

Karaador Hospitality

The party spent the remainder of the day shopping in Karaador's markets. Its smithies included the Iron Bell Forge and Hearth Hammer Works, while its arcane merchants and apothecaries included the Moss Bottle, Moon Dew Elixirs, Rowan Circle, Ren's Curious Arcana, Briar Root Remedies, and the Sleeping Stag.

At Ren's Curious Arcana, a fast-talking rock gnome offered everburning lanterns, sending stones, and bags of holding. The party purchased two bags of holding, one for Kormak and one for Kaneko. Rowan Circle stocked druidic and woodland magic: a staff of flowers, moon-cycle items, a cloak and boots of elvenkind, a feather-fall token, a compass that pointed toward untouched wilderness, a returning branch, and an acorn that could grow a tiny shrub companion by the following morning. At the Moss Bottle, the party met a nearly identical pair of half-elf twins.

Once the shopping was done, the court gave the party baths, fine clothing, and a magnificent dinner of rich food and wine. Their armor was cleaned while they rested. Ardyn remarked that, with Vicar Nieman removed, little organized resistance to his power remained, though he had no intention of annexing Alaron.

The Road to Winterglen

The next morning, the king's people ferried the party across the lake and pointed them toward Winterglen. Their instructions were to pass through a veil in the land, continue until they reached a large pool—not quite a lake—and then turn northeast.

Gunther asked what they should fear in the forest. The answer was simple: monsters, animals, and the forest itself.

The party followed a green trail through a valley until midafternoon, when several of them heard growling in the distance and Obold caught the scent of an unfamiliar animal. Beyond the next hill, they found a giant clutching a sheep while four large cougars circled and harassed him.

Ofie used Speak with Animals. The cougars insisted that the giant had stolen their sheep. When Ofie asked the sheep whether it preferred the giant or the cougars, it observed that either choice ended with it being eaten.

Thorin cast Command and forced the giant to drop the sheep. The cougars chased their prize away, and the giant retreated—but the party soon encountered three more giants, two male and one female. One of the males accused them of stealing the sheep he had intended as a gift for the female.

The party conjured an illusory sheep and lured two of the giants around a corner, where Gunther and Obold waited. As the giants reached the bait, Kormak opened the ambush with Faerie Fire.

The fight erupted. Kaneko struck with tremendous force, and Gunther's rage caused him to shrink seven inches. The battle was still underway when the session ended.

Log

Joe's Notes

Corrections to Session 39

• The giant raven serving Agnus the Maw was named Mourn-Wing.
• The ent banished by Thorin was named Hollow Root.

Voyage to Gwynneth

• Ofie scattered goodberries on the water, attracting an enormous Dragon Turtle. It questioned the party's purpose and sensed both love and hatred of nature aboard the ship.
• Kaneko admitted that the Circle of the Moon Claw expelled him after he killed an animal for money on behalf of a barbarian clan. He now seeks the Circle of the First Root to make amends.
• The dragon turtle said it was not a god, accepted Kaneko's intentions, and allowed the ship to pass.
• The party passed a Waterdeep ship escorted by Gwynneth's gray royal vessels.

Owen Kiel

• On the third night's watch, Obold spotted a lone castaway on a raft. His rescue attempt overturned the raft, and Thorin used Water Walk to help bring both men safely aboard.
• Obold revived Owen Kiel with Lay on Hands and recognized him as a vampire beneath a glamour.
• Owen admitted that he had intended to devour the party. He called the matter even, transformed into mist, and departed.

Arrival and Journey Inland

• Gwynneth patrol ships escorted the party into King's Bay, where statues of past rulers, druids, and champions lined the cliffs and white lighthouses guarded the entrance.
• The party received a royal berth. The dockmaster recommended the Mariner's Rest to Kormak.
• The crew stayed behind to resupply the ship. Ofie bought diamond dust, Obold bought garlic, and thirty soldiers escorted the party inland.
• Ramses was on his eighth summoning. Ramses VII and Ramses VIII had both nearly been eaten.
• After two days and two nights, the caravan reached the sacred lake surrounding Karaador. A ferry carried the party to the three-tiered island city.
• Ancient oaks filled the lower city. The middle ring held wealthy homes, libraries, temples, and botanical gardens. The palace occupied the crown ring and was built around the island's oldest living oak.

Audience with the King

• King Ardyn Maelwyn ap Rhodri and Kalista welcomed the party and thanked them. The court called them the Vanquishers of Agnus the Maw.
• The party reported Owen Kiel, the dragon turtle, and the sinking of Oman. Ardyn said Oman had begun rising from the sea again.
• The Circle of the First Root lives in Winterglen Forest. Entrants must pass a test showing knowledge of nature, love for it, or a desire to live peacefully with it.
• Driftwood Ulga Worm Wiggle holds the Galdur Tower of the Drowned Grove in the northern sea near Neverwinter. Captives reportedly wear necklaces that let them breathe underwater.
• Wicked Ursula Worm Wiggle holds the Galdur Tower of Glass far to the southeast in the Underdark. Ardyn and Kalista recommended fighting Ulga first.
• Ardyn agreed to seek water-breathing necklaces and escort the party to the edge of the Circle's territory.
• Obold gave Ardyn a troll tooth for the royal trophy collection.
• A priest of Chauntea was present. Ofie recalled the message: “Gather the fragments, bearer of twilight. Free the beasts.”

Shopping and Rest

• Karaador's smithies were the Iron Bell Forge and Hearth Hammer Works.
• Magic and potion shops included the Moss Bottle, Moon Dew Elixirs, Rowan Circle, Ren's Curious Arcana, Briar Root Remedies, and the Sleeping Stag.
• At Ren's Curious Arcana, the party saw everburning lanterns, sending stones, and bags of holding. They bought two bags of holding for Kormak and Kaneko.
• Rowan Circle carried a staff of flowers, moon-cycle magic, a cloak and boots of elvenkind, a feather-fall token, Nature's Compass, a returning branch, and an acorn of awakening.
• The Moss Bottle was run by nearly identical half-elf twins.
• The party bathed, received fine clothes, ate an exceptional royal dinner, and had their armor cleaned.
• Ardyn said Vicar Nieman's removal had left little resistance to his rule, but he did not intend to annex Alaron.

Toward Winterglen

• In the morning, the party crossed the lake and followed directions toward Winterglen Forest. They were warned to fear the monsters, animals, and even the forest itself.
• The party encountered a giant holding a sheep while four cougars surrounded him. Ofie questioned the animals with Speak with Animals; the sheep noted that either side intended to eat it.
• Thorin commanded the giant to drop the sheep, and the cougars chased it away.
• Three more giants confronted the party. An illusory sheep lured two into an ambush by Gunther and Obold, which Kormak opened with Faerie Fire.
• Combat began. Kaneko dealt massive damage, while Gunther's rage made him shrink seven inches.