Chapter Summaries

Raymond bought a house in Waterdeep, recruited a seasoned adventuring party at the Yawning Portal, and descended into Undermountain to find a Weave Node. On the Second Layer, the party encountered the Death Hunter Warren, who charged them after massacring other adventurers.

• Raymond hired Ivis Haring to manage his Waterdeep house and forbade anyone from approaching the cellar's Chamber of Secrets.
• Raymond toured Waterdeep with Davian, then went to the Yawning Portal and joined Rug, Kora, and Kels in exchange for a share of their loot.
• Raymond told the party he sought Undermountain's Weave Node, and Rug agreed that Raymond could bring Davian as his guard.
• Rug led Raymond, Davian, Kora, and Kels through the first layer, where they found a Manticore slain by Warren the Death Hunter.
• The party chose the route to the Second Layer despite the danger, found more than fifteen adventurers murdered there, and were attacked by Warren.
• Rug was hurled backward by Warren, and Kels played his lute to grant the party Inspire Courage as Warren charged.

Raymond and Davian fought Warren the Death Hunter alongside Rug, Kels, and Kora, with Raymond ultimately sealing Warren into a creature card despite the Darkguard’s infernal power. After healing Davian and sharing the bounty with his companions, Raymond’s party traveled through the Second Layer to a hidden Dwarf temple to rest.

• Raymond buffed Davian, who fought Warren head-on while Driders attacked the rest of the party; Raymond summoned Ogre Zombies to help the group hold them off.
• Warren absorbed the Driders’ blood, unleashed Hellfire Breath, and badly injured Davian, but Raymond battered Warren with spells and subdued him with Poison Strike.
• Raymond sealed Warren into a Cursed Blackguard creature card, then healed Davian and explained that Hellfire Breath inflicted vile damage as well as fire damage.
• Raymond gave Kora Bane’s Holy Symbol as proof of Warren’s death and offered Rug, Kels, and Kora part of the bounty; Rug agreed to lead the group to a safe place to rest.
• After fighting their way through the Second Layer, the group found a concealed passage that led to an ancient Dwarf temple.

Raymond and his companions descended through Undermountain, where he turned monsters into mana and captured an ancient Aboleth as a Creature Card. The party reached the vast underground forest on the Fifth Layer, where they learned a Green Dragon lived nearby.

• Rug explained that an abandoned temple of Moradin offered a safe place to rest, while Raymond astonished Kora and Kels by assembling a fully furnished camp and cooking dinner.
• The party entered the flooded Third Layer, where Raymond saved Rug from a Sea Hag and teased him about his fear of boats as they traveled onward.
• On the Fourth Layer, Raymond killed a Kuo-toa tribe with an Empowered Fireball and Cloudkill, then ordered the Shadow Legion to hunt down the survivors.
• An Aboleth controlled Rug and Kels underwater, but Raymond freed them, resisted its powers, infected it with deadly toxins, and captured it as a Creature Card.
• After recovering, the party crossed the underwater caves and reached the forested Fifth Layer, where Kels described the Moon Elf Great Druid Yue Luo and the Green Dragon said to dwell there.

Eric oversaw the Nelanther Isles’ transformation into a prosperous, tightly controlled power and began an economic campaign against Baldur’s Gate, while Vanessa learned of a real Ghost Ship. Elsewhere, a Drow escapee fell into Bodhi’s hands, and Raymond and Davian captured a Green Dragon in Undermountain before rejoining their unsuspecting party.

• Eric reviewed the city’s growth and trade with a merchant, then ordered him to bring Harlett’s hidden mistress and daughter to Ioma Island within two months.
• Vanessa ordered Eric’s fleets to charge Baldur’s Gate triple protection fees and impose trade sanctions, while preparing further retaliation against the city.
• A Wizard apprentice reported evidence of a Ghost Ship, and Vanessa acknowledged the danger but kept his attention on revenge against Baldur’s Gate.
• A Drow escaped from Raymond’s Wizard’s Tower but was captured by Bodhi, who decided to turn her into a Vampire and use her as a possible bargaining chip.
• Raymond and Davian ambushed and captured a Green Dragon in its underwater lair, took its treasure, and returned to camp before the rest of their party awoke.

Raymond and his party battled Muralar, a powerful apprentice of Halaster Blackcloak, and captured him in a Creature Card. After defeating an ambush by House Eilservs, they collected the Drow’s equipment and spellbooks as they continued through Undermountain.

• Raymond used his spells and a Huge Lava Elemental to defeat Muralar, then sealed the unconscious Fighter and Wizard in a Creature Card.
• Raymond explained that Muralar had attacked because he considered the Tenth Layer his territory, while the party speculated about Halaster Blackcloak’s claim to the land beneath Waterdeep.
• House Eilservs ambushed the party with poisoned bolts, but Raymond blocked the attack, disrupted their spellcasting, and used magical darkness and the Shadow Legion to kill the Drow.
• The Bard decided to study at a magic academy after Raymond encouraged him to learn Wizard spells.
• Rug handed Raymond two Drow spellbooks, and Raymond proposed finding a safe place to examine them.

Raymond’s party descended into Undermountain’s deeper levels, where Raymond captured a blue-footed dragon serpent and the group was swept into a crystal labyrinth by an earthquake. After defeating a Crystal Golem and ambushing Githyanki, Raymond and Davian attacked a Young Red Dragon and her knight.

• Raymond reviewed the drow spellbooks and discussed the party’s loot and the dangers of Undermountain’s eleventh level with Rug, Kels, and Kora.
• Raymond’s Shadow Legion wiped out a House Eilservs outpost, and the party later defeated and captured a blue-footed dragon serpent before finding its hoard.
• An earthquake opened a passage beneath the party, sending Raymond and his companions falling into a deep crystal-lined level near the Weave Node.
• Davian destroyed the Crystal Golem guarding the entrance, then killed four Githyanki warriors while Raymond discovered a set of enchanted Mind Flayer skulls.
• Raymond and Davian overheard a Githyanki knight and a Young Red Dragon discussing a scheme involving promised books, then attacked them with four Ice Storms.

Raymond captured the Githyanki outpost in Undermountain, discovered its Starport, and used a plague and ambushes to destroy its inhabitants. After securing the base and capturing Eshtalansar, he finally stood on the Starport docks and looked out at Toril from space.

• Raymond and Davian killed the Young Red Dragon Ashlansax and her Githyanki knight, then took their equipment and captured ten sleeping Githyanki warriors as a Creature Card.
• Raymond learned that the Crystal Labyrinth contained a Githyanki Starport, created a powerful Land Card from the Undermountain Weave Node, and opened the portal to the Starport.
• Raymond used the Githyanki warriors to spread a deadly plague throughout the outpost, then seized control of its Crystal Golems through Eron.
• Raymond stole a dragon egg and the Red Dragon's treasure, killed the two Wyrmlings and Jeras, and captured Eshtalansar after luring her into an ambush.
• The plague crippled the Starport's population, and Raymond and Davian killed Achaia's remaining forces, including the Young Red Dragon guarding her room.
• Raymond destroyed the Starport's contaminated bodies and purified its water and air, sent Eshtalansar to the Wizard's Tower, and gazed at Toril from the docks.

Raymond returned from Undermountain with his companions, improved his abilities and equipment, and reunited with Isadora. Mystra then visited him and began teaching him how to read the Nether Scrolls, leaving him absorbed in their secrets.

• Raymond gave Eron control of the Githyanki Starport and ordered him to blame the Mind Flayers for the disaster while preparing a portal to Waterdeep.
• Raymond led Davian and the three adventurers back through Undermountain, and they returned safely to the Yawning Portal Inn.
• Raymond showed Durnan a concealed Silver Sword, then returned home and found Isadora waiting for him in the cold.
• Raymond read the Tome of Meditation and Manual of Bodily Fitness, increased his Intelligence and Constitution, and reinforced his magical equipment.
• Midnight visited Raymond, confirmed that he was ready to study the Nether Scrolls, and began teaching him to understand their symbols.

After mastering the first Nether Scroll, Raymond returned to his Wizard's Tower, bought two Beholder corpses, and used forbidden magic to strengthen Vermees with a Dragon Egg. He resumed managing the tower and the Arcane Mysteries Society, leaving the Liches eager to study his secret notes under strict rules.

• Raymond finished the first Nether Scroll, gained the power to raise an Arcane spellcasting class level, and left Waterdeep for his tower after buying two Beholder corpses for ten thousand gold coins.
• Raymond learned that a Drow captive had escaped through the waterways, reviewed the Goblin labor operation, and agreed to rely more on Undead workers.
• Raymond used a Sarrukh rune circle to drain a Red Dragon Egg into Vermees, increasing her size and abilities, and gave her Bertorgas's life essence to help produce more eggs.
• Raymond returned to his private rooms, planned a major library and portal chamber, and heard the Liches report on their trade campaign, new recruits, and dragon-hunting successes.
• Raymond shared notes derived from the Nether Scrolls with the Liches, warned them to keep the knowledge secret, and approved their proposal for a contribution system to regulate access.

Raymond strengthened his organization, met with Jon Irenicus to trade magical knowledge for access to a weakened Saint, and was approached by Shaan VII with an offer to cooperate against the Twisted Rune. The chapter ended with Raymond accepting a Book of Sandstorms while remaining uncertain about Shaan VII’s identity and motives.

• Raymond reviewed Jeffrey’s findings on Halaster Blackcloak’s runes and approved the Lightning Spears and their lightning-lizard charging plan.
• Rain reported on the Emerald Enclave’s resources, and Raymond gave her Creator notes to use as bait for Rune Lord Shanglar.
• Raymond met Jon Irenicus and offered him the location of Amaunator’s Saint in exchange for Irenicus’s elven magical knowledge and Mythal research.
• Rain questioned Raymond’s decision to reveal the temple’s location, and he explained that divination could not find the Saint or the cursed temple.
• Shaan VII revealed that he knew Raymond controlled the Emerald Enclave and proposed an alliance against the Twisted Rune.
• Shaan VII gave Raymond a Book of Sandstorms and teleported away.

Raymond returned to Athkatla, collected his reward, and agreed to attend a banquet where he planned to meet the Roenall Family. He reunited with his companions, hired Korgan, learned Bernard had overcome a pirate threat and was soon to marry, and visited his successful restaurant before the chapter left him promising to attend Bernard’s wedding.

• Raymond accepted Sir Crispian’s invitation to a banquet in three days, requested that the Roenall Family be invited, and received the Council of Six’s reward and a Ring of Protection +3.
• Raymond found Alena, Riet, and the newly arrived Korgan celebrating after they killed pirates who had kidnapped Bernard’s sailors, and he hired Korgan for 250 gold coins a month.
• Alena told Raymond that she had reached Sorcerer level 10 and learned the fifth-circle spell Flame Brand.
• Bernard returned with the deed to the Gift of the Sea Tavern, which he gave Raymond after the pirate captives were rescued and the tavern was awarded to him.
• Raymond visited his successful restaurant with his companions, praised Bernard’s business, and discussed Welby’s charitable donations.
• Bernard told Raymond he planned to marry Babette’s younger sister, and Raymond agreed to attend the wedding.

Raymond learned that the Golden Company planned to explore west across the Trackless Sea and told Bernard they would discover Maztica, prompting Bernard and House Nasiwa to prepare a joint expedition. After advancing his magic and visiting his country estate, Raymond arrived at Sir Crispian’s banquet on a Green Dragon, stunning the guests.

• Bernard told Raymond that Cordell and the Golden Company wanted funding for an expedition across the Trackless Sea, and Raymond advised him to hire them rather than form a partnership.
• Raymond revealed that the expedition would discover Maztica, and Bernard and Sir Kelvin decided to establish a new merchant guild to support it.
• Raymond raised his Mystic Theurge level to LV8, then rode a Green Dragon to inspect his country castle and ordered its staff to retain all farm produce and map nearby monster lairs.
• Raymond treated several tenant farmers, learned about Amn’s agriculture and banquet etiquette, and prepared to attend Sir Crispian’s banquet.
• Raymond landed at Sir Crispian’s estate on the Green Dragon, frightening the guests until Sir Crispian came out to greet him.

At a banquet, Raymond joined Amn’s ruling circle after advising its leaders on political and economic pressure, and secured their support for an expedition across the Trackless Sea. He then accepted Duke Farthington Roenall’s gift of a captured Wild Elf while secretly deciding to punish him, as Irenicus and Bodhi retreated from a Beholder colony and concluded they would need to negotiate with Raymond.

• Sir Crispian brought Raymond to a gathering of Amn’s powerful families, where Raymond explained how diplomacy, sanctions, trade, and internal divisions could weaken rival states.
• Raymond warned Amn’s leaders about domestic instability and explained how Amn’s currency and trade routes generated wealth; the leaders offered him a special adviser’s title on the Council of Six, which he accepted.
• Raymond demanded Amn guarantee his expedition a fifty-percent share of any new continent discovered across the Trackless Sea, and the leaders agreed in principle to support its development.
• Duke Farthington Roenall presented Raymond with a captured Wild Elf; Raymond acted pleased while secretly deciding to kill Farthington for his slave trafficking.
• Irenicus and Bodhi fled after the Beholders destroyed their forces, and Irenicus concluded that Raymond had expected them to need his help reaching the temple.
• Irenicus decided to observe the Beholders before contacting Rain, then went to torment Ellesime’s clones while Bodhi watched.

Rain delivered New World crafting knowledge to Shanglar, while Raymond advanced his plans in Waterdeep and Athkatla. After arranging revenge for a Wild Elf and considering how to gain the Death Domain, Raymond destroyed a gathering of Cyric’s followers and received a magical mask from Ximmon.

• Rain reported to Shanglar that she had taken control of the Emerald Enclave and allied with Soros, then gave him a notebook on New World crafting; Shanglar eagerly studied it and rewarded her with a book on Dust of Mummy.
• Eron led the Githyanki assault on a Mind Flayer stronghold, became commander of the Starport, and secretly prepared portals and a plan to take control of the base for Raymond.
• Raymond awakened the Wild Elf, offered her poison to help her take revenge on Farthington Roenall, and asked her to teach and train Druid apprentices afterward.
• Raymond gained Shape Mastery, considered asking Talona for the Death Domain, and traveled through a portal to attack Cyric’s followers after reviewing their names.
• Raymond annihilated the gathered Cyric followers and summoned Demons in seconds, then received a magical mask from Ximmon as payment.

Raymond seized Ximmon’s Ioun Stones, approved a new Talona sect, and received the goddess’s powerful Quasi-Artifact, Talona’s Caress. As he expanded his operations, Baldur’s Gate’s trade crisis worsened, and Duke Silvershield demanded war against the Nelanther Isles pirates.

• Raymond forced Ximmon to surrender his two Ioun Stones, then questioned him about Dragonspear Castle before returning to Athkatla.
• Talona’s Clerics brought Raymond to Yvette, where he approved Ilze’s new sect and received Talona’s Caress, a Quasi-Artifact made for him.
• Ilze and twelve novice Clerics established a new sect headquarters near Raymond’s Wizard’s Tower, while Raymond sent undead to a gem mine, prepared two followers for lichdom, and captured two Adult Black Dragons.
• Vanessa’s fleet charged Baldur’s Gate merchants triple the usual protection fee, worsening the city’s trade and economic crisis as Waterdeep refused to join a military expedition against the pirates.
• Duke Silvershield told Duke Eltan that pirates had seized five ships and more than two hundred thousand gold pieces’ worth of cargo, then demanded that Baldur’s Gate declare war.

Duke Eltan and Duke Silvershield prepared Baldur's Gate's fleet to fight the Nelanther Isles pirates, but Vanessa and Raymond's spellcasters overwhelmed them and captured the dukes. The fleet sailed upriver as the city panicked, while the captured dukes were forced to expose their political scandals to the people of Baldur's Gate.

• Duke Eltan convinced Duke Silvershield to requisition merchant ships and fight the Nelanther Isles fleet, while merchants secretly warned the pirates.
• Vanessa gathered spellcasters and Liches for the operation, and Raymond ordered them to capture Eltan and impose harsh terms on Baldur's Gate rather than kill him.
• Eric lured Eltan's ships toward undead vessels, and the spellcasters overwhelmed the Flaming Fist fleet until Eltan and Silvershield surrendered.
• Vanessa revealed that the Nelanther Isles and its spellcasters answered to Lord Soros, then had Vermees's Oddity alter the captured dukes' memories.
• The fleet destroyed Baldur's Gate's river-mouth defenses and sailed upriver, while Eltan and Silvershield were put ashore to reveal their political scandals publicly.

Vanessa’s manipulation left Baldur’s Gate’s dukes divided and forced the city to accept a humiliating agreement with the Nelanther Isles. Later, Raymond joined forces with Irenicus against the Beholders in Athkatla’s sewers and unleashed a plague that drove their colony toward a prepared ambush.

• Vanessa turned Baldur’s Gate’s political factions against each other, and the families of Eltan and Entar Silvershield paid a ransom to take the two dukes away.
• Eltan secretly sent Scar to deliver a surrender agreement, and Vanessa had Eric sign it and release the prisoners in exchange for compensation.
• Raymond told Vermees that Sarevok was a Bhaalspawn he intended to use, then arranged with Rain to locate Shanglar’s phylactery and punish him after he lost his spellcasting ability.
• Raymond met Irenicus and received a +4 Animated Shield of Protection and eight Duergar smiths as compensation for Irenicus’s earlier betrayal.
• Raymond and Irenicus agreed that Raymond would deal with the Beholders and claim the Artifact while Irenicus pursued the Saint and provided promised knowledge.
• Raymond infected several dozen Goblins with deadly diseases, and Irenicus sent them into the Beholder nest; the plague spread rapidly, prompting the Elder Eye to lead the surviving Beholders toward the trapped exit.

Raymond and his allies fought their way through the Beholder lair, where Raymond captured both of its leaders and claimed a mysterious half-Artifact. He headed for the underground temple to question the Saint of Amaunator before Irenicus could learn the Artifact’s origins and power.

• Raymond and Irenicus used explosive gas canisters to kill the Beholders at the lair’s entrance, and Irenicus pursued the surviving Elder Eye while Raymond collected corpses.
• Irenicus fought two Elder Eyes, and Raymond helped defeat one before turning the unconscious Beholder into a creature card.
• Rain, Bodhi, and Irenicus battled the Eye of the Blind, which used a half-Artifact to destroy their summoned creatures and escape.
• Raymond ambushed the Eye of the Blind with Muralar and the Shadow Legion, captured it as a creature card, and took the half-Artifact.
• Raymond examined the Artifact, learned that its symbols were unknown on Faerûn, and went with Muralar to seek answers from the Saint of the Ancient Sun God.

Zuo Si explored Amaunator’s temple, took the artifact to confront the Unseeing Eye, and left Irenicus to experiment on the sun god’s avatar. After building up his forces and giving Miuka to Bernard as a wedding gift, Zuo Si attended the lavish wedding, while a wild elf druid poisoned the Ronnor family estate.

• Zuo Si and Mural entered Amaunator’s temple, restored the avatar’s awareness, and learned that the Unseeing Eye was trying to steal his remaining power.
• Zuo Si borrowed Amaunator’s half of the artifact, reunited it with the other half, and told Irenicus that the wounded Unseeing Eye had escaped to another plane.
• After Zuo Si left, Irenicus captured Amaunator’s avatar and began conducting cruel experiments on him in the temple.
• Zuo Si spent over a month organizing beholder remains and expanding his underground forces, then arranged for Miuka to protect Bernard.
• Bernard held a lavish wedding on the first day of DR 1361, where Zuo Si gave him Miuka as a gift and discussed the planned expedition to Maztica.
• While the wedding took place, a wild elf druid poisoned the Ronnor household, causing the family, servants, and livestock to collapse.

Feiluoxier freed her Wild Elf kin from Farthington Roenall’s castle, and the Elves took revenge on their captors before Raymond arrived to deal with the aftermath. Raymond looted the Roenall vault and offered free education and meals to the orphans cared for by an Ilmater priest.

• Feiluoxier used Raymond’s poison to incapacitate the castle, freed her kin and other innocent prisoners, and left the criminals locked in their cells.
• The Wild Elves killed the guards who had abused them, then forced Farthington Roenall and his con man to fight; Sir De'Arnise intervened and took the awakened Isaea away.
• The Elder allowed the Wild Elves to kill Farthington Roenall, while Yelinya warned Raymond that Isaea might seek revenge against Sir De'Arnise.
• Raymond and Yelinya found and emptied the Roenall family vault, and Raymond donated its silver and copper coins to Ilmater’s temple.
• Raymond offered to educate and feed the temple’s orphans at his Wizard’s Tower, and the priest joyfully told the children they could attend.