With rod-bits in tow and headed toward Thudheim, the group (Barada) suffers a serious setback. One morning when awakened – Barada notes that his rod has gone missing. Gone. Vanished. Poof!
Although, with the disappearance, his old personality seems to re-emerge. Somewhat disheartened and a whole lot of disgruntled is a mild way to describe the mood that morning. Still – life _is_ and adventure…so onwards!

The road to Thudheim yields bits and pieces of adventure fragments, but it isn’t until contacting the Lathanderites that a real death-defying mission is found. The group and entourage pack up for a trip to the blasted region near the crater that once housed the city of Neverwinter...

…the party had successfully snatched a rod bit from the hair of the matron of honor and fled back to Treflamme, There it is established that both Parker and Barada must seek additional training, and so the group spends 6 months journeying back to Thudheim, A six month stint in that fair …town… with some jaunts to Waterdeep and Daggerford keeps the rest of the group members occupied if not enthralled with life.

Soon enough, Barada returns and the group follows the now-familiar tug on his rod. Passing by the town of Orlbar and through Llorhk, over the Dawn Pass – being quite polite to the undead beholder – and onto the trade road that led to the desert city of the Invincible Overlord – now defunct.

Dalliance conjures up camels and the group abandons the open road for the gently undulating du...

Following the directions provided by the bard, the group overlands it to the coast of a vaaaaaaast inland sea. They make contact with a fishing village and obtain directions to a larger port town. There they start what becomes a 3 month tour – interrupted only once by pirates – of the inland sea as they wrap their way around the northern shore and towards the city of Treflamme. There they tour towards a vast mountain range on the border of Aglarond. They climb into the mountains (again) and seek the source of the rod tugging. More triangulation, more climbing and a chance encounter with a juvenile silver dragon, more climbing and an avoided encounter with some flying carpeted elves, and finally the group comes to see a mountaintop fortress surrounded by a plain of cloud-like substance...

Following the familiar tug of the rod, the party wends its way higher into the Giant Mountains. At one stage the pull is northwards, but a few hours later, the pull is eastwards. The group is puzzled, but adjusts course as necessary. Eventually they run across a high sheep pasture tended by a stone giant ‘lad’. The group avoids contact and skulks about for a bit. They move when it is prudent and traverse a long mountain valley used by the giants for raising livestock and farming.
They reach a crossroads, and the rod tugs them towards the mountain peaks located to the east. Deciding to ‘off-road’, the group unlimbers all manner of Fly, Air Walk, Levitate magic and starts moving in a more direct route, narrowly avoiding an encounter with some sort of Hill Giant official retinue...

The group rests and forms a plan. Airy Water is cast for the group and Barada cast Water Breathing on Himself and Reza. Since they both have free action they will be able to attack beyond the Magic bubble. Dalliance casts Poly-Morph self and the group heads for the edge of the lake.
10 of the fish people are waiting and they cast 10 blue lightning bolts. Although they are illusionary some still believe and take damage. As the group drops down into the water 5 Giant Crawfish start zeroing in. Dalliance uses her wand of fear and all but one flee.
There is a sink hole in the bottom corner of the lake and the Rod of Barada pulls towards it. The group heads for the hole. They descend 300’ feet to a large room that opens beneath their feet. A truly huge Crawfish attacks...