u/um_okay_then

I am DMing for a group of friends. It is my first time DMing, and we have been going at it for about 1.5 years.

For a bit of context, the party has been hot on the trail of the cult since they first encountered them in Greenest. At Raiders’ Camp, they battled and killed Cyanwrath, but when they faced Frulam, she turned invisible and escaped.

Fast forward two months, and the party has tracked the cult’s activities to Castle Naerytar and decided to infiltrate the castle under the guise of new joiners. They were invited into the castle without any hitches – the plan went very smoothly – suspiciously smoothly.

The party was instructed to keep their weapons and armor in their lodgings in the castle because new acolytes are not allowed to meet Rezmir with visible armor or weapons. After a small conversation with Rezmir, the party decides to explore the castle in the places they are allowed to see.

While exploring, the party’s barbarian went into the north-west tower, subsequently getting grappled by the Otyugh hiding in there, causing an alarm, making the other party members rush in to help, while some guards and cultists also joined to help. In the chaos of the fight, the party’s cleric (trickery) turned invisible to snoop around Rezmir’s office, hoping that she would leave to sort out the situation with the Otyugh – which she did! The cleric found a letter addressed to Rezmir by Frulam with a detailed description of the party’s appearance. In the meantime, the rest of the party is fighting the Otyugh and the additional Specters that joined from the third floor of the tower. Rezmir and Borngray come to join the fight and finish stuff up quickly. After the fight, Rezmir “grounds” the party to stay in just their lodgings, as they have made too much of a mess for their first day already. When the party regrouped in their lodgings and realized they were in for a trap, they tried to retrieve their belongings, only to find they were missing.

Not willing to wait around to be murdered in the room, the party sneaked out and discovered the subterranean entrance. While exploring the caves below, they found the crane in Area 9 and left behind one party member (whose player was missing for the session) so he could pull the other members up when they needed to backtrack. After exploring Frog Lake and the Tadpole Hatchery, they return to the crane to find their friend missing.

Now the party must save their friend and retrieve all their equipment! Stakes are very high, while resources are at a low! Lots of fun!