Hey Brother, Can You Spare A Rune? (or The Roof, The Roof, The Roof Is On Fire. We Don’t etc etc)

Finally figuring out the incredibly simple rune puzzle (so simple that Kobolds taught it in their special ed. classes), the party entered the apex of the snake temple. There they found the Water Rune stone left hidden ages ago by the elven elders (which makes you wonder why such learned minds would have left so valuable a prize within a snake temple (eerily devoid of snakes) under the protection of a pygmy cleric and his followers. But who are we to question the elven braintrust?)

The pygmy cleric, turned into a lich by his obsession with the rune stone, attacked the party as Alistair tried to retrieve the stone. After dispatching the lich (and rolling badly on the d6 to determine that the lich would return in 2 days if its phylactery was not destroyed (which it wasn’t!!!)), the party escaped the temple after sidestepping the now released beholder and fled into the jungle. 

Trying to decide which way to go, the rest of the party watched while Mirri turned into a bird which got chased by a bigger bird before turning into a horse with a magical parachute. Once finished with that tomfoolery, the party returned to Blood Anchor (not so much a) Port to discover (cue sound effect denoting shock and surprise-DUM DUM DUM-) that they had been double crossed by the pirate Racine. While the rest of the party discussed how to trick Mirri into turning into a cow so they wouldn’t starve to death, the druid noticed sails on the horizon. Luckily for the party, the carriage driver Zazzo had intercepted Racine back in Mastwick, overpowered her and the crew, and forced them to return the ship to pick up his benefactors.

Once back in Mastwick, the party burned the ship, overlooked the fact that Zazzo intended to keep Racine as his love slave, and headed by to Upper Arlen. Once in the city, the druid and barbarian reluctantly returned the stone to their elven brethren (someone owes the proprietor of The Snug Pillow Inn for the broken window) and the party began primping (or pimping if you will) for the queen’s celebration.

Following a carriage procession in the capital city of Harrowgate, Krond and the smithy guildmaster Gorak presented their gift to Queen Mariah Kandarian. To the delight of her husband, His Majesty Ralf Kandarian, the beauty and exquisite workmanship of the crown brought tears to the queen’s eyes. Thanking the dwarves for their fine gift, the Queen declared Gorak the winner of the Challenge and owner of the title, First Smith of the Blacksmith Guild. After much cheering, the crowd retired to the Great Hall for a celebration.

Late into the evening, as the feast roared on around them, the party caught sight of the king huddling close with the duke of Upper Arlen. Alarmed by the obvious fury of the whispered conversation, the party drew close enough to hear the news: Upper Arlen was under attack. 

As nobles raced to muster an answer to the assault, Ralf gathered the party within the Mage Tower, sending them through a magic portal to Upper Arlen, charging them with holding the city until the Valley’s militia could reach the field.
Stepping from the portal, the party arrived in a city under siege. Pausing long enough to learn the identity of the raiders, the party charged into the the embattled streets. 

There were drow to kill.