WotBS Aartvb's Burning Sky

aartvb

Explorer
About a year ago we started a WotBS campaign, and it is still going strong! Every session one of the players - selected based on a d100 roll - makes notes. I am planning on publishing these notes here. The goal is to give an insight in what my players find important to note down, and they may even write down facts wrongly. Note that the original language is Dutch, and it's being automatically translated, so some things, like irony, might get lost in translation. Let me know if you are interested in following along! My plan is to add a session each day, until we catch up with our current sessions!

Session 1 (7-10-2023): The Poison Apple and the Spy

It is December 31, and the weather is gloomy.

  • Deep Gnome with purple skin. A little magic – Kruggli.
  • An elf with pink hair, fairly large green eyes, and a cheerful appearance – Esta.
  • An older human woman with a walking stick and a thick scarf – Anja.
  • A young man with dark hair and some armor - Will
We are all heading to the Poison Apple Pub.

Threhan Zinner is the owner of the Poison Apple Pub, but he has been captured by the city guard. The inn is closed.

He is going to be interrogated by the Ragesian empire.

We are welcomed by Torrent, a human woman.

In the inn, there is a statue of Emperor Drakus Coaltang.

January 1

The new year has begun; tomorrow is the Festival of Dreams.

The Ragesian army will arrive tomorrow.

Lyceum is a magical school in the south.

The Scourge means that all magic users in Gate Pass must report themselves.

Teleporting using magic strangely does not work.

The city council wants to negotiate with the Ragesians.

People with magic are being rounded up and sent to Ragesia.

We must meet a contact tonight: Rivereye Badgerface, a gnome who has a briefcase with essential military intelligence. Rivereye is a spy for the Lyceum, who infiltrated the Inquisitors. He had a contact, Pepin Tolman, who was found dead a week ago.

Goal: Retrieve the briefcase and then escape the city.

Lyceum is in Dassem, in a village called Seaquen. Simeon is the head of the school.

We can travel through the Fire Forest to reach Lyceum, using potions.

Suddenly, someone tries to break into the inn. We engage in combat with a few people and orcs who want to turn us in for money because we are magic users (100 gp for each magic user turned in).

We head towards the tower where Rivereye is.

Along the way, there are many problems, as the city is in great chaos, and there are fires in several places.

On the way, we are approached by a man looking for his baby weasel, 'Kiki'. It should have a collar with an address on it.

Torrent has a safe in the tower.

In the tower, Rivereye addresses Anja as ‘Pepin’. He walks to a locker and asks for the password. Anja obviously knows the password.

Wyll opens the locker, but it blows up. Inside the locker, Wyll finds 3 gemstones and a bag. Rivereye runs away, and it turns out he is not really a gnome but a much larger creature (a medium humanoid) pretending to be Rivereye Badgerface. He escapes with the help of a Lantern Archon.

The contents of the locker:
  • 1 large gemstone worth 100gp (a Chrysoberyl)
  • 2 smaller gemstones worth 50gp each (Jasper & Sardonyx)
  • A small bag with a staff inside, the Wand of Wonder
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Oginme

Explorer
Oh man, I should look back at the notes one of my players makes for my games. I'm sure they'd be incoherent!
I can relate. One of the groups I have playing through the campaign have completely crazy notes. I have the players give a recap at the beginning of each session to learn what they have picked up and the aspects which are important to them. It informs me of aspects I need to re-stress during the session or when the opportunity presents itself.
 


aartvb

Explorer
Session 2 (21-10-2023): The Fireball Confrontation at Gabal's School

Wyverns fly over the city while griffons engage them in battle, keeping an eye on the fighting in the west.

Rivereye and two guards were knocked out and tied up at the top of the tower.

Rivereye saw an elf (Larion) acting as the leader, accompanied by two Shahalesti soldiers who approached him.

Rivereye mentioned a suitcase with a password that only Peppin knows (which is not true).

The soldiers were supposed to meet a "superior" at the magical academy.

  • Gabal's School of Lore
  • It had attracted a lot of attention recently due to the ongoing magic hunt.

They went to the Arcanum Temple, where hundreds of people were taking refuge. After briefly healing some people, they exchanged quick greetings with the priest, Buron Watcher.

On their way to Gabal's school, they briefly searched for Kiki, causing much (fictional) frustration among the group.

Diogenes acted as the gatekeeper at Gabal's School.

The school tower and stables were empty and not particularly remarkable.

Using Diogenes' help, they went room by room in disguise and impersonating others.
Some did not respond, while others were sarcastic or uncooperative.

One person, speaking with a clear Shahalesti accent, refused to open the door. After a failed charm attempt, the door was forcefully broken down.

A wizard woman attempted to escape invisibly but lost concentration, becoming vulnerable.

Grandma (Anja) was there for moral support and used a Sacred Flame.

After intense fighting, the Shahalesti woman (name?) exploded the room with a Fireball, and Kruggli's dying groan was heard from outside. Esta, known 'the god of grapples', also fainted, allowing the rogue-like character (name?) to escape with the bag.

The Shahalesti woman managed to complete an Invisibility spell and (presumably) consumed healing potions before disappearing completely.

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aartvb

Explorer
Session 3 (4-11-2023): Shadows of Shahalesti and the Escape Plan

In her bedroom, items link her to the Shahalesti. Her name is Shealis Amleuril. Despite searching the room, nothing else of interest is found, so the group takes a break in Diogenes' room.

Grandma notices that Kruggli's fangs have grown. She pricks her wrist on his teeth, letting blood fall in, but nothing significant happens.

January 2nd
After a long rest, Kruggli suddenly awakens but still has no heartbeat.

Shealis is originally from Shahalesti and has been enrolled in the school for a few months. Her previous address is noted. Like Diogenes, she is a wizard, dependent on her component pouch.

The group heads to the elven district in search of Shealis' house. Only children are outside, with no adults in sight.

They find the house’s location and are approached by Kurychek, who is also searching for the suitcase. Kurychek's employer, the Ragesians, sent him/her to recover it, claiming Shealis stole it.

Kurychek tries to get a young girl to press a button, but the group sends her away. Wyll presses the buttons, opening a door, but also triggering an alarm. A 5-square-meter room with 10 doors is revealed, along with three live badgers: one gold, one silver, and one platinum. Another woman comes downstairs to investigate.

Wyll sneaks upstairs invisibly and sees Shealis with the suitcase and the woman from below.

The group convinces Shealis to let them look inside the suitcase, which contains a thick book of nonsense. Kurychek says it’s written in Infernal, but it’s unreadable at first glance.

Using a spell, the group copies the book’s contents as memories into ball bearings and candy for safekeeping.

Personal note: I found this very smart! This way everyone was happy! The imp got the case, the elves got the book and the PC's got the contents of the book, stored as physical memories!

Kurychek briefly reveals his true form as an imp before disappearing again.

The group heads towards the gate leading to the burning forest. Kruggli knows Erdan Menash from the council, who might help them leave. We go to his house, and wait for him.

After arriving at Erdan's house, they learn the council is considering bringing in the inquisitors.
Erdan, knowing Captain Herreman, arranges for the group to leave. He provides them with extremely ugly guard costumes and horses, which they can borrow, but they have to be returned. He also writes a letter for the captain to grant them passage.
 

aartvb

Explorer
Session 4 (18-11-2023): The Inquisitors' Arrival and the Fight for Escape

Rumors spread that the inquisitors are about to be allowed into the city. As the group walks through the streets, they are followed by six city guards. They attempt to be stealthy but fail. They are suspected to be magic users. The guards try to arrest them, but Kruggli uses his Wand of Wonder to cast a lightning bolt on the guards.

Rantle joins the fight, helping the group. The guards turn out to be bounty hunters with a letter from Renard Woodsman, ordering them to capture the group. Rantle asks them to deliver a tube to his sister Katrina, a red-haired sorceress and fire mage, who is on her way to Seaquen. Rantle seems to recognize Kruggli.

After a brief rest, the group leaves the city with the horses. Inquisitors are allowed into the city just as they depart. They spend a night in a watchtower and then head towards the burning forest.

January 3rd
They hear an explosion, their horses panic, and they are suddenly attacked.
 

aartvb

Explorer
Session 5 (16-12-2023): Breaking the Charm and the Chaotic Escape

The fight continued, and things weren’t looking in their favor. However, the group magically convinced the leader to retreat.

They passed the remnants of the bounty hunters. A man on horseback recognized them— it was the same man from the Poison Apple Pub who had let them go earlier.

January 4th
They meet Crystin, a hazy woman with a staff, living 1 km from the burning forest. Crystin Ja-Naafeel appears to have foresight, experiencing visions of possible futures. She says: "The Scorch is coming" - "the dragon's spines are following you".

She wants to leave with her father to escape the Ragesians, but her father shows no interest in leaving the farm.

Crystin gives the group permission to stay the night. Kruggli and Wyll try to convince the father that they should flee, but their efforts fail. Meanwhile, the women investigate Crystin's strange behavior and discover a magical haze clouding her eyes—likely indicating she is charmed. The group suspects the father may be responsible.

After brainstorming, they decide to break the charm and help Crystin (and possibly her father) escape.

January 5th
The next morning, the group discusses their plan to break the charm. Anja suggests convincing the father it's in their best interest to leave. Wyll proposes intimidation (which does not get a lot of support), while Kruggli pitches a theatrical, Shakespearean-style dead-daughter scene—though the idea is dismissed.

They agree to try Anja’s plan, with Wyll's as a backup (Plan B) and Kruggli's as the last resort (Plan Z). However, due to a misunderstanding, Kruggli accidentally enacts Plan Z instead of using a simple charm-breaking spell.

And it worked!!

Chaos breaks out as Crystin starts screaming outside, signaling that the charm is broken. In the ensuing confusion, the group steals horses and barely escapes, bringing Crystin along with them.

Personal note: I don't exactly remember plan, but it was something like: Kruggli will pretend to be Crystin and with some magic will disguise as her, pretending to be dying, such that he will break the spell such that her last few minutes on earth can be free instead of charmed. Note: Kruggli is a small gnome, and he didn't have good magic, so it would never look very convincing. To he clear: I really thought this plan wouldn't work if they would go for it.
Anja executed her plan to talk with him, and she actually succeeded to make him emotional/crying about his brother, due to some good rolls. She says to Kruggli: 'now' (because Kruggli needed to charm him, I think), but Kruggli interprets this as: enact plan Z! He screams, pretending to be Crystin, and pretending to die. Due to Haddins emotional state and the tears in his eyes blurring his vision, Kruggli gets advantage on his 'performance' check, and rolls a 22! So yeah, the plan works, Haddin breaks the charm on his daughter.
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aartvb

Explorer
Session 6 (6-1-2024): Into the Burning Forest and the Devil's Bargain

The group ventures into the burning forest, with Crystin accompanying them. Animals still live within the forest, even though they are burning for already 40 years, but though they suffer, they cannot die. If they leave the forest, however, they will perish.

They encounter burning figures on the Elfroad, still barely alive, who beg the group to end their suffering. The group grants their request.

They also come across giant fire bats trying to devour a small creature. After rescuing it, they ask if it has seen any elves. The creature replies that they wouldn’t be called elves anymore.

They let Wyll dangle beneath a burning bridge. He is attacked by three swarms of bats. Beneath the bridge, they discover an old gnome wagon with a small chest inside. They find 150 GP, a 100 GP diamond, and 14 potions. Twelve of the potions appear to offer protection from fire, while two are healing potions.

In the bushes, they spot a figure with a brown cloak and green skin, who suddenly vanishes. Kruggli speculates that this could be the lost emperor, Drakus Coaltongue.

Crystin mourns the loss of her father.

Later, they encounter a hellhound playing fetch with a bone. The bone is inscribed with:

“Leave the physical memories. Cooperate, and we might find an arrangement to spare your lives. Carry this with you if you wish to bargain.”

They believe "physical memories" refers to the candies they used to copy the book.

A devil with green scales (possibly the same figure from the bushes) appears, wielding a glaive, and speaks in Infernal. The group refuses to hand over the memories, and a battle ensues. The devil falls unconscious but whispers "wait" just before collapsing. He has four fingers and wears a magical necklace with a finger attached.

They decide to wait until the devil regains consciousness to ask what he wanted to say. He also carries four vials of Shatter Spell and they suspect that the necklace might be magical.

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aartvb

Explorer
Session 7 (21-1-2024): The Flame's Prison and the Secrets of the Burning Forest

The finger is an amulet of mage hand.

The party heads towards Esta's village with the unconscious devil in tow. Trees crash to the ground as a burning spear strikes where Esta stood, and flaming deer leap from the forest. They are trapped between burning trees with a sea of flames behind them.

They narrowly escape, with Anja and Wyll barely surviving.

They hear a whisper instructing them to follow the river to free someone. A head in the flames speaks: “I am the flame, I am the prisoner here. Free me from this prison by following the river, and you may continue to your destination. Refuse, and you will never leave this forest, burning forever.”

They explore the tower on the bridge to rest. Kruggli and Wyll find a pouch with seeds and a paper written in an unreadable language. The seeds reveal visions, according to a journal.

They interrogate the devil, who serves the Ragesians. His mission was to ensure they never left the forest alive. He aims to let the forest burn entirely. The devil casts a spell and vanishes.

The group takes a long rest.

January 6th
The party travels to Esta's old village, finding her house burned to the ground. At the ruins of her home, they find a red string that, when wrapped around their wrists, turns dark and red.

They ask a rabbit about the last elven sightings, and it tells them elves used to gather at the statue of Anyariel under a tree. They investigate and are attacked by elven spirits (ghasts).

A hatch opens at the tree roots, leading them down. Next to the statue of Anyariel, they find a Shahalesti soldier and a young elf dressed as a priest lying near the statue. Anyariel holds a wooden sword plunged into a deer.

An elf with blue skin (Harry) guards the place. He claims to know why the forest burns. The Shahalesti soldier reveals the Shahalesti set the forest on fire, and the priest lying next to him had extracted that information from him.

The Shahalesti falsely accused the Ragesians. The soldier was supposed to survive and be taken out of the forest, showing everyone that the Shahalesti started the fire.

A lock of Anyariel’s hair was stolen 40 years ago.

The group heads upriver.

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