Dungeons & Dragons Adventure: Hoard of the Dragon Queen Part 4

The continuation of a grand and epic campaign to save the world, this is the fourth class in a set of loosely connected adventures which all occur within the same world setting. Other classes that continue in this world setting may be freely joined or passed over without students feeling like they missed out on important events from skipped classes. Players may bring in their characters from the previous class, or create a new one if they are just joining. Characters will start at level 7.

In this class, the adventurers will have traveled through yet another magical portal and arrived in a mountain vale, just outside the doorsteps of a massive hunting lodge. Here they will meet a potential ally within the ranks of the Cult of the Dragon, a group that has been gathering treasure from all over the Sword Coast as tribute to the Dragon Queen Tiamat. After events at the lodge play out in one way or another, the characters must find a way to reach a flying castle in the sky, which the cult is using to transport the gathered treasure hoard to the mysterious Well of Dragons. Arriving at the lower reaches of the castle, the players must at last face down the cult leader Rezmir and her formidable allies and prevent the treasure from reaching the Well.

Session 1 - Having traveled through a magical portal, the players find themselves in a wooded mountain vale and must explore the nearby hunting lodge. Cultists patrol the surrounding area with their fierce troll allies, while monstrous birds hunt their human prey from the sky. Yet within the lodge is a high-ranking member of the cult, Talis the White, who has a grudge to settle with the other leaders. Do the players achieve a shaky peace agreement with Talis to gain an ally within the cult's ranks? Or do they gain yet another formidable enemy who does not forget the slights against her?

Session 2 - Upon the backs of wyverns, the characters ascend into the sky to face the approaching castle, hidden by swirling storm clouds. Attempting to avoid discovery, the group fly to the landing area that exists at the base of the castle, now stranded thousands of feet upon the ground below. There they must venture through the twisting caves that lead up to the castle proper. But along the way they will encounter their first true challenge: a mighty white dragon has made his lair within the ice caves beneath the castle. How will the characters approach this obstacle? Will the engage in an epic battle, negotiate with the dragon itself, or simply hope to slip by unnoticed?

Session 3 - Having found their way through the caves of ice, the players arrive at the castle proper, in the outermost courtyard of the cloud giant's abode. The cult forces are strong within these walls, and a true assault would require a small army to gain the upper hand. How will the players' proceed? And what secrets lie within the castle vaults?

Session 4 - Infiltrating the castle, the players stumble upon an arcane mechanism, a great forge that keeps the castle skybound. But there is a secret to this contraption, one which Blagothkus the Cloud Giant keeps close to his heart. Perhaps the character's can dissuade the giant from his alliance with the cultists, given the right leverage? Or perhaps they seek to destroy the forge and send the castle hurtling to the ground in a bid to keep the treasure hoard from reaching its destination?

Session 5 - Exploring the depths of the castle, the players at last locate the vast treasure hoard that the cult has gathered, but it is not without its defenders. Rezmir, the great Black Wyrmspeaker, no longer is content with evading the group of adventurers. This treasure is hers, and she would rather die than lose it to the players. What's more, her allies, the Red Wizards, have a stake in the success of this mission, and fight alongside Rezmir to defend it. Will the players overcome the Wyrmspeaker and strike a grievous blow to the cult's plans? Or will Rezmir at last have her revenge against them?

Session 6 - As the epic battle with the cult's champions rages on, the players are faced with several possible outcomes. Even a victory does not ensure their safety, as Blagothkus has the final say in what becomes of his great castle, even in death. Where will the castle end up? Will it crash and spell doom for the players? Or will it arrive somewhere that the players may safely unload the treasure? And what of the cult? Have they truly been foiled in their plan to bring the dragon queen herself into the world, or was everything that had come before but one piece in a much larger game?