Session Log 1: "Eberron: Trail of the Warforged"

I started the first in my Trail of the Warforged adventures today, and it worked brilliantly.

The Party:

Professor Winch: Warforged wizard and scholar of Warforged Studies & Archaeology at Morgrave University. He is recently returned from Xen'drik on a study of ancient giant cities and the possibilities of ancient warforged. He has arranged to head another expedition to Xen'drik with the backing of Charn d'Tharashk and Delmar d'Cannith.
Aether Dagan: A shifter monk trained in a monastery in the Eldeen Reaches. He befriended Winch when he fought for the Breland Expeditionary Force in the Eldeen Reaches. A devout protector of nature, he hopes to convert Winch and others to the path of the Wardens.
Delmar d'Cannith: A human artificer and a member of Cannith, he represents the intrests of House Cannith in the expedition. He was the artificer for Ironfist's squad in the Last War.
Ironfist: A gleaming, polished adamantine warforged fighter, Ironfist is a warforged warrior who fought for Breland in the Last War. Now, he acts as a protector of the warforged students and schoolars at Morgrave University.
Alamis "Cat" Roland: A human bard and ex-spy, the Cat now acts as a information broker for those interested in Xen'drik. His part in the expedition is to further his contacts in Xen'drik and increase his knowledge. He also has contacts with the Library of Korranberg, who want to know more about the possibility of ancient warforged.

The Action:

The party met with Charn d'Tharashk at the Lava Pig, a famous Cogs restaurant situated on the edge of huge forge powered by molten lava. The heavy and hot atmosphere is somewhat but not totally mitigated by the chilled air provided by a Lyrandar device.

Charn d'Tharashk told the party of a ancient map found in the Demon Wastes by a Tharashk mining expedition, and asked them to add it to their expedition in Xen'drik. After the meal, he told them to meet him at the Grey Court Inn in Upper Dura.

The party made their way back to their lodging at the University, their journey interrupted by a political speech in the Morgrave Exchange going awry. A magic carpet sped past the half-elf candidate, throwing him off balance and into a stall of Eldeen apples. The night passed uneventfully.

In the morning, the party breakfasted at the House Ghallandra eatery in the University, then set off to the Grey Court. On arrival, they were greeted by a brutal scene: Charn d'Tharashk lying dead on the floor in a pool of blood.

A short examination of the scene revealed three things: a torn-up journal, a bronze medallion with a House Tharashk insignia, and some silvery warforged fluid. The investigation was interrupted by the Sharn Watch, who burst into the room and attempted to apprehend the party.

But the Cat had no truck with this, and decided to flee the scene by the quickest method possible: out the window and onto a passing skycoach. The rest of the party soon followed. Unfortunately, the unpiloted vehicle was headed straight for a skybridge, and only quick thinking by Delmar kept the party alive. Delmar then had to work out how to turn the craft to avoid crashing into the end of the tower ahead. But the heroes' ordeal was only just beginning.

One of the watchmen, a warforged, decided to chase the carriage, and as it came within inches of a tower, he lept onto the roof of the skycoach. A Watch-manned skycoach also put chase to the heroes at a nearby intersection.

Aether and the Cat lept up onto the roof to combat the 'forged watchman, as the coach hurtled threw a breakneck series of turns. The professor fired off two spells at the driver of the watch carriage, which then swerved off down a wide canyon of towers. The 'forged watchman then slammed his armblade through the roof, temporarily disabling Delmar and forcing Winch to take the controls. But Ironfist retaliated back through the roof at the watchman, just before Winch set the coach on a rapid upward swing to avoid a wall.

Only the warforged and the Cat were able to keep standing, as Delmar was thrown to the back of the coach and Aether held on to a strap at the back of the carriage. However, he was able to use the momentum as the coach returned to vertical to swing himself up and knock out the warforged.

The party rested for a second, then headed into a busy expressway, and examined the bronze medallion. Touching the insignia caused a voice to emerge from the medallion: the voice of Charn d'Tharashk.

"If you are hearing this, I am dead. Probably slain by those who also seek the map. They won't find it though: it's hidden somewhere in the Tharashk enclave in Rhukaan Draal. You're also unlikely to find it, unless you seek the advice of my friend Ithim d'Tharashk in Wroat. He will help you locate the map and direct you to Xen'drik. Be quick: those who seek the map are powerful and unlikely to be slowed. Farewell, my friends."

A flash, and the medallion dissolved into thin air.

Next Week: The party attempts a daring rescue and tries to escape Sharn without attracting the eyes of the Watch.