1493, Midsummer

The party reports in to find that rather than being sent out on a regular scouting mission, they are being directed to report to an Lieutenant named Lief Redhelm for assignment. Apparently someone assumed that Viktor was a local Knight of the Light, and should be put into rotation at an outpost, and the rest of the party just got sent along with. One of the regulars assigned to travel with the party to the outpost, a warrior named Uther Dagon, seems put out by what he considers to be a babysitting mission, but he doesn’t make a fuss when everyone assures him they are prepared for danger.

The party, along with Uther and three other regulars (Aurther Bladeson, Lance Bowguard, and Alaster Stormhead) ride out onto the moor, eventually reaching the outpost. When they arrive, they meet with the Seargent on duty, Merth Kirman, who takes in the add assortment grouped before him with some curiosity. Kirman isn't going to put the extra manpower to waste, however, and informs the group he has an task ready for them as soon as they are prepared to leave...

1493, Flamerule 30

The party meets up in the common room of the Gryphon Roost in the morning, though Laris does have to go rouse Gonad. Once gathered, they make their way to the Brightspire to find someone to ask about the scouting Laris originally mentioned. Once at Brightspire, they see scores of individuals going about their routines, with a large, snow white Minotaur seemingly acting in a position of authority. Viktor approaches the Minotaur, whom they later learn is named Benton el Mintern, who directs them to the Quartermaster for scouting duty. The party meets with the grizzled old Quartermaster, Halthor Darkhold, and signs up for scouting duty. Halthir instructs the party to return the following day and report for assignments.

The group spends the afternoon seeing a few sights or relaxing, and turns in early in order to be up to arrive for duty near dawn.

1493, Flamerule 29

The party meets up, and the rest arrange to rent mounts when Viktor shows up on his horse. That evening they arrive in Brightspire. The striking differences between Gryphon Keep and surrounds drum up some conversations, which lead to learning that stories exist that Gryphon Keep and the surrounding cityscape appeared overnight a century ago.

Eventually the party arrives in Brightspire and heads to The Den to return the rented mounts and stable Viktor’s.

The Den is full, thanks to Midsummer being in two days. Viktor inquires with the Drow Elven mistress at the bar, who directs them to the Green Apple. The party clashes with the snobby innkeeper there, who wants the exorbitant fee of 2 gold per night at his Inn. Viktor’s attempts to wrangle the price down to 2 gold for all four rooms gets him down to 1 gold per night per room, but they pass on the expense. Laris leads them to an establishment near the Gryphon Keep named the Gryphon Roost.

1493, Flamerule 28

Our party meets at The Way In. Dawnea and Viktor enter the tavern and discover Laris and Gonad are discussing The High Moor. Viktor’s interest is piqued and inserts himself into the conversation, looking for an excuse to travel that way… hoping that he could continue his journey’s with Dawnea. Laris soon shares that agents of Brightspire are looking for scouts to head into the High Moor to investigate incursions from the Moor. To Viktor, this sounded like innocents could be in danger, which was plenty of reason to travel that way alone, even if not for his designs to spend more time with the Druid.

1493, Flamerule 27

The pair rose early and made their way on foot, leading Viktor’s mount, to the North. Viktor offered to ride double with Dawnea, but she seemed content to walk, and he was pleased enough to delay the end of their travels. The two talked throughout most of the journey, becoming well acquainted and friendly along the way. Viktor found he was quite attracted to Dawnea, and did his best to charm her, sharing every detail of his home that he thought was interest her, and asking her about her path in life as a Druid. That evening when they stopped to sup, he found himself sharing how he slipped away from his home to get out from under the shadow of his Grandfather and find his own way. He was glad to be able to be open and honest with someone about it after all of the skulking about, and she seemed moved by the simple honesty of the moment.

They camped once more just off the road, sure they would reach their destination on the following day.

1493, Flamerule 26

The next morning they shared a cold breakfast of travel rations augmented by some berries Dawnea located, and Vitkor asked her about her presence on the mountain as he walked with her along her planned route. She shared with him that she and other Druids had been studying the Dragonmount and surroundings, curious about the way it had appeared a century earlier, and how it might be impacting the rest of the landscape. She revealed her group was done for the time being, but she wanted to finish her last circuit before leaving the mountain to visit the wider region and learn more about it might be impacted by the Mountain. She had heard that the High Moor has been receding, and she thought the weather changes brought about by the Dragonmount’s appearance could be related. Viktor was impressed by her sense of duty and her focus on what seemed to be her path in life, explaining that he was, in a way, seeking his own way.

The pair finally moved away from the mountain and made for The Way Inn on the Trade Way, deciding it would be a good place for them to re-provision, hear of any recent news, and plan their respective paths. They camped in the wild again that night, just south of the Trade Way, out of sight of travelers.

1493, Flamerule 25

Viktor arrives in Dragonhold. After the delegation he traveled with was ushered out of the citadel and into Bouldershore, he separated himself from the politicians and merchants with the excuse of seeing to his mount and baggage. Once away from the others he made his way toward the wharf, where he knew he could find passage to Stonepoint and the Trade Way beyond.

Once across the lake and headed out of Stonepoint, Viktor decided to leave the road and skirt the edge of the mountains in order to reach The Way Inn a little sooner. Half-hoping to find something to test his mettle against, he didn’t really expect to run into trouble this close to the mountain. He expected even less to encounter a woman camped alone in the relative wilderness.

Initially planning on making his way straight to The Way Inn, he found himself drawn to the woman, the first in memory not immediately enamored by his station. She was polite enough, though Viktor suspected she was all but interrogating him about why he wasn’t traveling the road. She seemed protective of the mountain, and the wilds in general. She eventually introduced herself as Dawnea, and Viktor’s decision to share the story of his departure from Damara and his travel through the dwarves magic Gate proved to get her interest, as did telling her about his homeland.

The pair shared a pleasant, if simple,  supper, which Dawnea prepared, and Viktor played his flute and shared the bards’ version of the tale of his Grandfather and King Phredregon defeating the Witch-King of Vaasa along with their companions who all traveled to the Realms from another world.

They stayed in that camp for the night, splitting a watch just to be on the safe side.

Everything old is new again.

In a way, it's kind of funny that we've decided to do this with the Everbright Campaign... now... at this time. Kenny and I have discussed quite a bit, over the years, what our visions were for our corner of the Realms, and given everything that Wizards of the Coast put The Realms through in the past decade has kind of taken Ed Greenwood's beloved Campaign setting and turned on its ears... and now they are working to set it back upright again. Yet... for all of the cataclysmic changes... and the redacting that they seem to be doing now... it all just kinda of fits with what we had planned. Hell... even when Kenny, Topher, and myself were writing story posts all those years ago, the kinds of things we intimated with our words really sort of came to pass in The Realms with the Spell Plague and the whole Shadovar mess. It's going to be interesting to see how things play out.. especially once they get around to releasing a 5e version of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. In the mean time, I'm looking forward to what we cook up in our own back yard here!

The campaign begins with Kenny running the show as Dungeon Master, ready to put our heroes to the test:

Dawnea, Human Druid (Played by Alisha)
Gonad the Barbarian, Halfling (Played by Brian)
Viktor, Human Paladin (Played by Chris)

Later, Brian decided to change things up, and let Gonad go his own way, instead adding a new face to the roster:

Derwood Winterflame, Human Ranger (Played by Brian)