Farwald

Farwald is a legendary hero of the Sword Coast, a founding member of the adventuring party known as The Magnificent Five (also known as The Fantastic Five), and a veteran of ancient dragon wars. For decades, he lived as an ordinary human septuagenarian and former farmer with a fragmented, heavily modified memory. However, following a series of epic exploits and divine interventions, his true identity was revealed: he is Hrothgar Hillsfar, a towering Firbolg hero over 300 years old from the northern sanctuary of Kuldahar.

Alongside his companions—Gilmore, Nalini, Hope, and Erevyn—Farwald traveled the High Road from Neverwinter to Phandalin, embarking on a quest that ultimately forced him to confront his suppressed past, ancient dragon threats, and the dark conspiracies surrounding Wave Echo Cave. This journey culminated in a fateful death, a miraculous rebirth at the Hand of Sehanine, the restoration of his true giant form, a return to Neverwinter, a desperate race to stop the resurrection of an ancient dragon enemy in the depths of Dragon Barrow, and a mission into the city’s murky underbelly to secure allies.

The Secret of Hrothgar Hillsfar

For decades, Farwald lived under the belief that he was merely a retired human farmer from the village of Rivermoot, mourning his late wife Gloria who passed away twenty winters ago. He is also a father, though his children are now grown with families of their own. During his travels, he occasionally joked about having set out on the road on a dare, opining that in his youth, “the old men in the village often were sent to hunt wolves, mostly not to return,” and wondering if his own spotty memories were calling him to a similar fate.

His true motivation for leaving on this journey was rooted in a memory from Rivermoot, on a cold morning at the outset of winter. Farwald had woken up early with his head pounding from the ale of the night before, recalling a wager or bet struck with a rowdy set of youngster adventurers about how village life was far harder than their lifestyle, prompting him to set out to prove it to them. Around this time, a fellow elder named Levi—whose family was starving on a watery bowl of gruel—approached Farwald, whom the villagers looked to as “the Guider.” Levi wanted to hunt wolves to feed his grandchildren but could no longer hold a spear. He begged Farwald for help, asking for at least one more winter and summer to teach his family crop seeding and pig mating.

His vast, inexplicable knowledge of the Age of Arcanum, the Calamity, and ancient dragon lore pointed to a far grander past. During their journey, the party utilized the sacred altar at an abandoned temple of Ioun, the Knowing Mistress, in the ruins of Conyberry. The altar revealed a shocking truth: Farwald was under the influence of a powerful Modify Memory and True Polymorph spell cast by Elminster Aumar, the Sage of Waterdeep (also known as the Sage of Shadowdale).

Farwald had voluntarily asked his friend Elminster to seal his memories and alter his body to protect the secret Firbolg community of Kuldahar—and his family living there—against any future acts of revenge that the dragons or their followers might enact. His transformation also served to hide the existence and locations of the Dragon Masks—five powerful magical artifacts (one of each color) that his adventuring party constructed to control chromatic dragons by influencing their minds. The bearer of a dragon mask is capable of fully controlling a dragon of that corresponding color.

Using these masks, Hrothgar and his ancient companions—Lady Tanager Alagondar of Neverwinter, Esfaloth Nightbreeze (the Fey-Touched), Gorion of Candlekeep, Kiara Shadowbreaker, and Uther Vendrock—convinced the Black, Red, and Blue great wyrms to fly away and never return to the northern Sword Coast. While Hrothgar personally helped banish Cryovain, the Everfrost to the Throat of the World, the white dragon was subsequently buried in Hrothgar’s empty grave in a tomb by the shores of Lac Dinneshere (also spelled Lac Dinnershear, the frozen lake near Kuldahar). Farwald trusted the warmth of the world tree to counter the dragon’s icy effects, though he later wondered what drew the beast back. It was later revealed that cultists had disabled his lair’s protections, prompting the beast to escape and fly south to the Sword Mountains. The other mask locations were kept secret even from members of the party so no single person would know where they all lay.

Five formidable great wyrms defined that historic conflict 300 years ago, when a group of chromatic dragons worked together to lay waste to much of the North, forcing the creation of the Lord’s Alliance (Silverymoon, Waterdeep, Neverwinter, and Baldur’s Gate) while Luskan chose to yield and provide tribute:

• Cryovain, the Everfrost: The white dragon banished to the Throat of the World in the north.
• Skaldreth, the Red Rage: The red dragon.
• Barakis, the Sandstorm: The blue dragon.
• Nocturne, the Dread Prince: The black dragon.
• Virethas, the Jade Queen (also known as the Jade Serpent, Villathas, or Villethas): The wily green dragon who resisted the mental influence of the masks. Because the mask failed, she had to be dealt with directly and was ultimately slain outside Neverwinter by Lady Tanager Alagondar, who tragically died in the same blow as the beast’s claw burst through her chest.

His legendary allies from that conflict each had distinct fates:

• Elminster Aumar: The Sage of Shadowdale, who remains alive as one of the leaders of the Harpers, last seen in Waterdeep.
• Lady Tanager Alagondar: The celebrated dragonslayer of Neverwinter, buried with her legendary sword Dragon Slayer in the Dragon Barrow.
• Esfaloth Nightbreeze: The Fey-Touched druid, whose current location is unknown.
• Gorion of Candlekeep: A member of the Zhentarim, who was deceased years later, killed by Sarevok.
• Kiara Shadowbreaker: Mistress of the Hunt, a Harper from the land of Keoland.
• Uther Vendrock: Also known as the Silvered Star, a champion of the Platinum Dragon who is buried on Stormwreck Isle.

Kuldahar and Divine Heritage

Hrothgar Hillsfar hails from Kuldahar in Icewind Dale, a legendary Firbolg settlement built around an enormous world tree. Created by Diancastra—the favored daughter of the All-Father, Annam—this world tree exists outside the constraints of the Ordning (or ordin) that governs all other giant races. To protect the tree and isolate a few storm giants dwelling on the nearby mountains, the giantkin of Kuldahar established a distinct way of life. The Firbolgs constituted the largest group in Kuldahar, defining the protective way of life for the giants who watched over the tree.

In his youth, Hrothgar served as a skald (cleric) traveling between the clans. As a skald, he was a storyteller who reminded the clans of what bound them together, using the power of words and community to act as a diplomat to the outside world. He functioned primarily within the domains of Peace, Trickery, or Twilight. When the nearby mountain storm giants sensed the approach of the dragons, many of the local communities were dispatched to wage war and confront the threat. Hrothgar welcomed the call; always a traveler at heart, it offered him a chance to venture far beyond his usual duties.

The Kuldahar clans preach balance between three deities:

• Othea: The mother goddess of nature, community, and home.
• Diancastra: The goddess of trickery and planning.
• Torvik: The clans’ name for Ulutiu, the sleeping father of giantkin, god of ice and wind, and first challenger of the ordin and Annam.

While the clerics preach balance among all three, divine power traditionally flowed from Othea and Diancastra, as Torvik remains asleep. However, after his awakening, Hrothgar discovered that his restored magical abilities had changed. His current powers reflect the domain of Torvik—now an anarchy deity of ice, wind, and the first challenge to the ordin—which explains why he operates as a lower-level adventurer rather than the level 20 cleric of his youth. To reflect his long and gruesome experience in the ancient dragon wars, Hrothgar also possesses the martial exploits of a trained warrior, holding two levels of the fighter class to reflect his past combat trauma and to execute sudden surges of physical action (Action Surge) in battle. Hrothgar carries an internal conflict between his deep, simple-life connection to his home in Rivermoot and his ancient duty to stay on mission.

Physical Appearance and Traits

Though a towering giant to humans, Hrothgar is relatively short for a Firbolg, standing at a tiny 3.2 meters. He has grey skin with a distinct blue tint, dark, wild, almost black hair, and a thick beard lined with grey. True to his Firbolg heritage, he possesses a large, flat nose and cow-like ears. Due to the freezing northern climate, parts of his arms are covered in hard, mossy lichen. Intricate protective runes are carved across his arms and upper body, telling the legends and history of his people.

Farwald possesses a unique blend of grandfatherly warmth and ancient, repressed arcane might:

• Storytelling and Travel: Farwald has a profound love for sharing myths, history, and tall tales. He remains intensely curious about the world, nature, and the customs of various peoples. However, carrying the dual perspectives of his simple life as Farwald and his ancient legacy as Hrothgar sometimes creates an internal conflict between a desire to return home to Rivermoot and his duty to stay on mission.
• Magic and Deception: Farwald possesses versatile magical abilities, which he employs in combat to scatter enemies. He is not above using his wits and magical reputation to bluff. During the confrontation at Cragmaw Hideout, he attempted to negotiate with the bugbear leader, Klarg, trying to trick him into believing he was a powerful wizard. This failed because Klarg insisted wizards must wear traditional hats. Despite this, Farwald’s magic, in combination with Nalini’s entangling spells, kept Klarg’s goblin lackeys scattered.
• Resilience and Divine Skill: Though elderly, Farwald is surprisingly resilient, even surviving a minor clash (taking 11 points of damage) during a tense negotiation to disarm Hope of her cursed Berserker’s Axe. He possesses the practical divine knowledge required to break curses, successfully collaborating with the gnome academic Dusty to neutralize the malignant magic of the weapon.
• The Deck of Many Things: During the Highharvesttide celebration in Phandalin, Farwald drew two cards from the legendary Deck of Many Things. This magical act had the bizarre effect of making him a little less sharp intellectually, but far more talented and potent in his magical abilities.
• The Flood of Silence: Following his death and subsequent revival at the Hand of Sehanine, the full, unfettered flood of his past memories as Hrothgar Hillsfar crashed back into his mind, temporarily striking him dumb and mute from the sheer mental weight of his restored history.

Exploits and the Redbrands

Upon arriving in Phandalin, Farwald and his companions investigated the threat of the Redbrands. After dealing with creepy zombies in the dining room of the ruined Tristan Manor, they infiltrated the cellar through a secret door. There, they confronted the leader, a wizard named Glasstaff (Iarno Albrek). In the ensuing clash, Farwald, alongside Hope and Erevyn, successfully dispatched the wizard, though not before Glasstaff critically injured Erevyn. Farwald and the party then scoured Glasstaff’s lab, retrieving valuable magical items—including the Glasstaff itself, a Bag of Holding, a historical book titled The Rise and Fall of the Pact of Phandelver by Elminster Aumar, and a correspondence from “The Spider.”

Following the defeat of the Redbrands, Myrna Tristan bequeathed Tristan Manor to the party as their headquarters. Farwald helped fund the group’s subsequent endeavors by selling off half of the gear found in the manor’s basement, using the proceeds to purchase magical scrolls from the town’s blind cleric, Deacon, as well as potions and gear from Aadbra Gwynn and Linene Graywind. Later, they rented horses for their travels—including a dappled white and brown mare named Trixie and a black stallion named Glory.

Forgotten Memories and Dragon Lore

While returning from a grueling, tragic mission to the Snowmont Monastery—which left the sanctuary destroyed by Ice Trolls and Ice Mephits—the party witnessed the terrifying return of a white dragon. This event triggered Farwald’s first major flashback, forcing him to realize that he knew the beast’s name: Cryovain, the Everfrost.

As his sealed memories as Hrothgar Hillsfar began to fracture, Farwald spoke with sudden authority about Chromatic Dragons. After Gilmore shared stories of Lady Alagondar and her connection to a green dragon, Farwald was able to identify that beast as Virethas, the Jade Queen.

Farwald’s knowledge of Virethas later proved highly lucrative. In the ruins of Conyberry, the party bargained with a mysterious sorcerer sporting a many-headed dragon tattoo, trading Farwald’s knowledge of the Jade Queen for 2,500 gold. The payment was delivered in the form of a humongous golden bell from the abandoned temple of Ioun. Showing great magical finesse, Farwald worked alongside Nalini to melt the massive bell down into smaller, portable pieces that could easily fit into their Bag of Holding. The gold pieces were later fenced to Deacon for 2,600 GP with the assistance of a wayward merchant named Mikael.

Shortly after learning the truth of his memory alteration at the temple of Ioun, the party was abandoned by a Green Dragon Wyrmling and ambushed by three Dragonborn (two green, one white). The attackers targeted Gilmore, attempting to steal his pendant. Farwald and Nalini defended their companions by utilizing their magical staves in combat for the first time. Farwald relied on the magical reserves of the captured Glasstaff to animate various small objects around the temple courtyard to serve as backup, narrowly surviving the brutal encounter.

Gnomengarde and Doppelganger Deceptions

Following their return to Tristan Manor, Farwald worked alongside a rescued gnome academic named Dusty—who had escaped from the clutches of the Black Spider in Wave Echo Cave—to successfully dispel the curse from Hope’s Berserker’s Axe. Guided by Dusty’s extensive research, Farwald and his companions set out toward Wave Echo Cave, halting briefly at Gnomengarde to gather allies and seek magical inventions.

Only Nalini, Gilmore, and Farwald were permitted entry into Gnomengarde. While exploring, they discovered that Gnomengarde’s wild Weave caused unexpected side effects for any spells cast. While investigating strange occurrences, they confronted disguised doppelgangers in King Korboz’s throne room. During the chaotic battle, Farwald fell victim to a Suggestion spell cast by one of the remaining doppelgangers, briefly turning on his companions before the party successfully slew one impostor, drove the other away, and rescued the grateful King Korboz. Following the battle, a gnomish girl named Linxie tended to Farwald and his companions, healing their wounds and dispelling the lingering residue of the doppelganger’s hostile magic.

Axeholm Expedition

After resolving the crisis in Gnomengarde, the party set out to redeem the lost spirits of the Pact of Phandelver. Guided by the petrified dwarf Gotrek, whom they had previously freed, they traveled to the ancient dwarven fortress of Axeholm. Joined by a transformed fey sorceress named Aja, the party infiltrated the stronghold. They quickly dispatched hostile shadows using defensive magic.

Deep within, they confronted the banshee Vyldara. Upon hearing Agatha’s name, Vyldara unleashed a devastating wail that knocked nearly the entire party unconscious. To buy time for their comrades to heal and prepare, Farwald, Erevyn, and Gilmore engaged Vyldara in a tense conversation, attempting to make her see sense. When it became clear she was beyond reason, the party attacked, and Gilmore ultimately severed her connection to allow her soul to pass on.

Before her spirit departed, Vyldara recognized Farwald and his companions as true champions. She specifically nodded to Farwald, grouping him alongside Aja and Nalini as their “fey allies.” This recognition likely stemmed from his ancient companionship with Esfaloth Nightbreeze, the Fey-Touched, during his forgotten past as Hrothgar Hillsfar.

Confronting the Black Spider

With the threat in Gnomengarde and Axeholm resolved, the party traveled to Wave Echo Cave accompanied by Dusty, Gotrek, and the monks Jaque and Zoe. Having received an undercover warning from Erevyn, the group initiated a surprise ambush against the Black Spider—revealed to be Nezznar, a monstrous Drider devoted to Lolth.

During the intense battle, Farwald found a reservoir of long-forgotten strength within himself. His thunderous shouts echoed across the cavern walls as he summoned a bluish and white lightning storm upon the Black Spider. However, a pair of Phase Spiders ambushed the party’s backline, wreaking havoc on Farwald and Nalini. Under the sudden onslaught, both Farwald and Nalini were beaten unconscious. However, Gilmore, drawing upon his connection to the Matron of Ravens, bestowed divine strength upon them to keep fighting. Bolstered by this magic, the party persevered until Erevyn delivered the killing blow to the Spider, ending the Drider’s threat once and for all.

Following Nezznar’s defeat, Farwald and his companions stepped into the chamber of Gond’s Smelter. Gond, who was not a deity but rather a highly talented dwarven craftsman and blacksmith of the Spell Forge during the Age of Arcanum, leave a projection testing the party’s mettle. Ultimately, the party utilized their combined brains, brawn, and magic to activate Gond’s Smelter, clearing the way to the legendary Forge of Spells.

The Forge of Spells and the Highharvesttide Festival

Inside the Spell Forge, Farwald and his companions witnessed a magical illusion of the night sky as it appeared 1,000 years ago during the Age of Arcanum, complete with Selûne walking the earth. Farwald, despite his old age, felt an ancient connection to this sky, which lacked the modern stars of the Divine Gate. Instead, the celestial dome rearranged itself into three ancient constellations: a hand with long, delicate fingers; a great castle with turrets and crenellations; and a large hammer bedecked in jewels.

They overcame the defensive program of the Guardian of the Forge by disrupting the chamber’s magical pylons. Among the ancient treasures they recovered were the Plate of the Pact, Cabal’s Ruin (a magic-absorbing cloak), the Circlet of Larrelion, Nolzur’s Magnificent Pigments, and a legendary Deck of Many Things.

Returning to Phandalin, the town celebrated their triumph during the festival of Highharvesttide, the last day of summer. Though feeling older than his seventy years, Farwald sat at the picnic tables, smoked a pipe lifted from a sleeping drunkard, and quietly found solace in his memories of his late wife Gloria, content despite feeling “four hundred years old” under the peaceful night sky. His drawing of two cards from the Deck of Many Things left him a bit less sharp intellectually, but far more gifted in his magical prowess, ready for whatever adventures lay ahead on the Sword Coast.

Tragedy, Rebirth, and the Lighthouse Ambush

Guided by Selûne’s hand and Vyldara’s Heartstone, the party set out to lift the ancient curse upon the Hand of Sehanine. They waited until nightfall on a cloudy night, using the hearthstone to part the clouds and phase the shimmering elven tower into the Material Plane. Within the fortress, they observed a floor mosaic depicting the bridges of the finger towers. Sensing undead nearby, they rushed the stairs and engaged spectral archers on Floor 2 (The Sentinel Floor). To protect the party, Farwald used his magic to summon a protective wind shield against the incoming arrows. Alongside a giant Myconid summoned by Nalini, Farwald and the party cleared the spectral sentries and entered the tower’s upper reaches, eventually helping the child-spirit Sehriya and assisting the other trapped souls of the Hand.

During the final confrontation within the crystal-and-adamant lattice of the Middle Finger’s Observatory, the party engaged Larellion in a brutal, desperate struggle. As the battle turned critical, a sudden localized reversal of gravity cast the combatants about, heavily bruising Farwald’s frail human frame. Larellion’s soulless, dark eyes locked onto Farwald, and with a sudden wave of the Baelnorn’s hand, a sickly green arrow of destructive magic blasted towards the old adventurer. The impact broke Farwald’s back, casting him to the floor. Eye-level with the cold stone, he watched helplessly as Erevyn and Nalini continued to fight, before complete darkness set in and his physical corpse began to disintegrate into ash.

Farwald’s demise was short-lived. Distraught, Nalini knelt by his ash-edged remains and executed a desperate ritual, drawing upon the life force of nearby mushrooms, weeds, diamonds, and alchemical reagents to anchor his departing soul by draining their very essence and energies. Larellion shrieked in defiance: “If I cannot return to life here, you think I will allow you to return it to him? Never!” Erevyn quickly counteracted this with an incantation, using his words to bolster the fading sanity of the Baelnorn. As the Lich collapsed, Gilmore asked the soul of his sister Elire (housed in his soulstone) for assistance. Elire agreed to help revive Farwald, but demanded that Gilmore visit the Dragon Barrow to seek revenge—a request that was secretly a trap. Together, the party successfully coaxed Farwald’s soul back to the Material Plane, though the sudden, overwhelming rush of Hrothgar’s locked memories temporarily struck him dumb and mute.

Unlocking the Firbolg Form and Healing at Helm’s Hold

Seeking to soothe Farwald’s fractured state, the party began their trek back toward Neverwinter. Along the way, they stopped next to an old lighthouse on the shore where they met a mind-mage and healer named Grizelda. As Grizelda initiated a powerful healing ritual, a band of hostile pirates working for Luskan attacked, intending to seize the lighthouse. The party held the pirates off and eventually let a captured prisoner go free, while Grizelda successfully completed the first phase of the ritual, shattering Elminster’s physical shroud, unlocking Farwald’s mind, and revealing his true, towering Firbolg form.

Though back in his true giant body, Farwald’s mind remained deeply fogged and confused by the rush of centuries-old memories. Seeking a cleric to fully restore his cognitive state, the party made a detour to Helm’s Hold, a fortified monastery dedicated to Erathis, the god of justice and order. Because the fortress was warded against otherworldly creatures, Nalini the fairy was forced to wait outside. Inside, Erevyn and Farwald negotiated with Sandra, a halfling cleric. In exchange for gold and diamond dust, Sandra cast Lesser Restoration on Farwald, successfully lifting the lingering fog.

Farwald’s restoration was complete, but the visit was cut short when Erevyn scratched “ACAB” into a monastery wall with his thieves’ tools, causing the strict paladin guards to escort them out and ban them from Helm’s Hold permanently.

Reclaiming His Arsenal and Warned Allies

With his memories fully and flawlessly restored, Farwald made use of the legendary Nolzur’s Magnificent Pigments recovered from the Forge of Spells. Concentrating on his past, he painted his original Firbolg clothing, a protective breastplate, and his massive, signature giant greatsword into three-dimensional reality.

Farwald then revealed the full extent of his past to his companions, explaining that Elminster’s memory seal was designed to shield the world from the locations of the Dragon Masks. Realizing that the Cult of the Dragon was actively hunting these masks, Farwald cast Sending spells to warn his surviving ancient allies, declaring: “the sleeper under the ice is waking” and that the cult was on the move. He also sent a Sending message to Kiara Shadowbreaker, who was now ruling Keoland, warning her that the cult was hunting the masks and that the white and green dragons had returned. Kiara replied that she might know where the red mask was and would check on it through a quiet contact.

Return to Neverwinter

At sundown, the party arrived at the southern gates of Neverwinter. To avoid drawing the attention of Luskan spies or cultists, Farwald cast Disguise Self to adopt his old human persona. They passed the gates safely, hearing rumors of a looming war with Luskan and seeing the city in a state of intense wartime preparation, with ships unloading lumber at the docks and food prices skyrocketing. A tall, handsome, well-dressed “town guard” named Sheila intercepted them at the gate and insisted on personally chaperoning them through the city.

Seeking refuge, the party split for the night. Gilmore headed to the Moonstone Mask, while Erevyn slipped into his parents’ house. Farwald and Nalini (chaperoned by Sheila) traveled to the Emerald Grove in the Temple District. There, they found Nimiriel Nightbreeze, an Emerald Enclave druid, overwhelmed by the task of sheltering and feeding dozens of starving children affected by the city’s food shortages. Drawing upon his newly restored magical prowess and years of quiet agricultural knowledge, Farwald worked alongside Nalini, using their magic to heal the sick children and grow food, finding a peaceful purpose within his ancient home once more.

Later, Sheila steered the party through the slums of Beggar’s Nest to “The Cha-Ching” casino. There, they met Anthony “the Gentleman”—a tall half-orc with a broken tusk, slicked-back receding hair, and dressed in an eel-skin suit. The Gentleman offered a trade: if the party retrieved Patricius, the city’s missing Head of Sewers and Waterways, and his magical Ring from a band of Luskan pirates lurking in the sewers, he would share gold and vital information detailing which member of Neverwinter’s Small Council had been compromised. Farwald and his companions descended into the sewers, where they successfully defeated the pirates and secured the Ring, though Patricius was tragically killed in the skirmish. Instead of returning the Ring of Control Water Elementals to Anthony, the party chose to hide it in their Bag of Holding.

The Battle at Dragon Barrow

Following the trap set by his sister’s soulstone, Gilmore led the party deep into the cavernous depths beneath the Dragon Barrow to retrieve Lady Tanager Alagondar’s legendary blade, Dragon Slayer. Sidorna, the Green Wyrmspeaker, and a contingent of the Cult of the Dragon were encountered here. Within the central chamber, the party discovered a beautiful four-panel carving depicting the ancient heroes:

1. First Panel: Five chromatic dragons descending headfirst upon a burning Neverwinter.
2. Second Panel: The seven legendary heroes standing in a half-circle examining a plan: Hrothgar (a tall, bearded Firbolg), Esfaloth (an elf with a longbow and a bird on his shoulder), Lady Alagondar (a human in full plate holding a sword), Kiara Shadowbreaker (a half-elf with an eyepatch and Harper pin), Uther Vendrock (a dwarf with a shield and warhammer), Gorion of Candlekeep (a rotund man with a lute and scroll), and Elminster Aumar (bearded, in wizard robes and hat, holding a staff).
3. Third Panel: The epic showdown with Virethas, showing Lady Alagondar driving her sword through the dragon’s heart as its claw bursts through her chest.
4. Fourth Panel: The aftermath, with the remaining dragons flying away in retreat. It depicted Esfaloth entering a fey portal, Kiara and Gorion boarding a ship, and Uther and Elminster standing by Hrothgar’s empty tomb near a frozen lake and a giant tree.

Drawing the sword triggered a paralyzing magical trap and shattered the ancient ward holding back the resurrection of Virethas, the Jade Queen. Sidorna and the Cult of the Dragon immediately moved to execute a dark resurrection ritual in the central chamber. To complicate matters, the cavern itself was revealed to be the vast, skeletal remains of Virethas, with bone stalagmites, acid pools, and lethal green poison gas seepages.

In the desperate clash that followed, Hrothgar joined forces with Nalini to conjure a massive Ice and Sleet Storm, coating the battlefield in slick frost and disrupting the cultists’ spell concentration. To push the offensive, Farwald utilized a powerful Thunderstep spell, teleporting himself and Erevyn ninety feet closer to the ritual circle. The magical shockwave dealt thirty maximized thunder damage, vaporizing nearby cult fanatics and cracking open Lady Alagondar’s tomb.

Despite the party’s heroic disruptions—including Nalini summoning a giant frog to swallow Sidorna’s head—the ritual was partially completed at 66%, resurrecting a weakened adult-sized version of the skeletal green dragon, fused with the soul of Gilmore’s sister Elire. As the gargantuan skeletal wyrm began to lurch, stretch its wings, and break free from the barrow, Farwald thought quickly. Using his Nolzur’s Magnificent Pigments, he painted a massive wound into the creature’s flank, effectively casting Passwall to tear a gaping hole to the outside world. Sunlight poured into the dark cavern, allowing the party to escape to safety just before the newly risen beast took flight.

Aftermath and Uneasy Reflections

In the smoldering ruins of the crater, the party took a tense, exhausted rest. Hrothgar felt particularly raw, kicking stones and muttering over the chaotic outcome. While Gilmore attuned to the Dragon Slayer, Nalini confronted Gilmore over his hasty actions. Soon, Griffin Riders led by Lady Arabeth de Tylmarande—the right hand of Lord Nasher Alagondar—arrived to investigate. After recognizing Hrothgar from three-century-old chronicles, Lady Arabeth agreed to grant the party an audience with the Small Council of Neverwinter in three days, though she remained highly skeptical of a wider draconic cult conspiracy.

Camping in a nearby copse of trees, the party witnessed the forest drawing inward to form a defensive line. When Nalini attempted to communicate with the woods, she instead connected with Hrothgar’s furious former ally, the druid Esfaloth. Speaking through Nalini, Esfaloth bitterly accused them of waking the dragon, addressing Hrothgar directly: “Son of Kuldahar, your heart has gone cold,” before severing his connection. Later, Hrothgar tried to pray, only to find that his god, Torvik, felt unsettlingly distant and sleepy. He burned 25 gold worth of incense to cast Augury, asking whether pursuing the White Dragon Mask would lead to a good outcome. The campfire smoke rose, taking the shape of a white dragonbone mask hovering above his own empty tomb, signifying a result of Weal.