Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
White Dwarf Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Nest
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions, OSR, & D&D Variants
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
EN Publishing
Twitter
BlueSky
Facebook
Instagram
EN World
BlueSky
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitch
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions, OSR, & D&D Variants
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Erkonin (Campaign #1) [Session 46: Making Deals with Devils is Stupid as well as Bad]
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="prabe" data-source="post: 8081373" data-attributes="member: 7016699"><p><span style="font-size: 15px"> Session 9: Back to Kalmarn</span></p><p></p><p>Dramatis Personae:</p><p></p><p>Mo - Goliath Bard (College of Lore)</p><p>Orryk - Forest Gnome Monk (Way of the Four Elements, variant)</p><p>Fiona - Half-Elf Wizard (Evoker)</p><p>Taman - Human (variant) Rogue (Inquisitive)</p><p>Joybell - Forest Gnome Paladin (Oath of the Ancients)</p><p>Imaktis - Tortle Cleric (Nature)/Shadow Sorcerer</p><p></p><p>GM - Everyone Else</p><p></p><p></p><p>10 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 11) (the same morning)</p><p></p><p>We left Chief Ullar and Commander Mogree after making our somewhat sketchy report “We killed lots of things. With fire.”</p><p></p><p>We said we’d come back later to trade in the things we can’t use and all went to our respective homes.</p><p></p><p>Most of us slept for the rest of the day and the night. Fiona slept for a while and then spent the rest of the night copying spell scrolls we’ve obtained along the way.</p><p></p><p>Joybell cast Find Steed in the middle of the night, after sleeping through the day. Orryk heard some snuffling and whuffling noises from Joybell’s room and knocked to see what’s up -- so she introduced him to her new wolf mount, Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl, Defender of Henge and Wold.</p><p></p><p>Joybell: But he’ll respond to Scooby.</p><p></p><p>Scooby licked Orryk on the cheek.</p><p></p><p>Orryk nodded and went back to sleep.</p><p></p><p></p><p>11 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 12)</p><p></p><p>The next morning, Joybell walked with Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl down the stairs and introduced him to Queena. Scooby licked her cheeks. Whereupon it was worked out that Scooby can stay in Queena’s fenced yard, but Joybell agreed that maybe he should have something like the wolf equivalent of the guard armbands, so no one tries to steal (or hurt) him.</p><p></p><p>Queena accepted Scooby like a champ, which made Joybell very grateful.</p><p></p><p>We all met up for breakfast at the Pewter Oar, where Joybell introduced Scooby to everyone and there was much licking of cheeks.</p><p></p><p>At breakfast, Orryk asked Joybell about the Basalt Henge. He’d heard that it has been there as a Druidic circle for about 200 years and that it’s a good place to find elemental magic. He asked if she would take him, or the whole party there, and Joybell said yes.</p><p></p><p>We decided to leave the next day, after taking care of some things in town. First, we stopped by Centerkeep to see about what exchanges we could make for the things we can’t use. Joybell rode Scooby through the city and got a number of weird looks and double-takes but no overtly freaked-out reactions. And we were able to travel at everyone else’s speed without Joybell having to ride on Mo’s shoulders.</p><p></p><p>We all went into Ullar’s office, including Scooby. Joybell asked if we could get a collar or something for him. Ullar made arrangements for that, which will be helpful.</p><p></p><p>There was a bit of discussion as to whether he’d agree to wear a collar. Joybell figured that since he’d agreed to be named Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl, Defender of Henge and Wold, he’s probably a pretty easy-going celestial wolf and will be okay.</p><p></p><p>We asked about what we could trade the items we can’t use for. Ullar wrote a note and sent an assistant out to bring back some items from the stores. Scooby licked Ullar’s cheeks.</p><p></p><p>While the assistant was doing that, we talked to Truehammer about where we’d go to purchase magic items. He recommended a guy in the Nook named Trannel. He also said we’d do well to get an introduction from Tulmor and Barnett.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis offered to help heal people, if anyone was still in need. Ullar said that there are some people who could still use restorative magic.</p><p></p><p>We asked if we should report to Alighieri. Ullar said that he and Mogree had passed on our report already, which made Joybell feel bad that it was so sketchy. While waiting for the assistant to come back, we give a much fuller report that they can pass on to the Administrator.</p><p></p><p>After about an hour, the assistant came back with a guard collar for Scooby and also:</p><p></p><p>Shortbow +1 (Orryk)</p><p>Pearl of Power (Fiona)</p><p>Scrolls of Feather Fall and Illusory Script (Fiona)</p><p></p><p>The city was very quiet at the moment and he had nothing for us to do, so we all headed over to Tulmor and Barnett’s together to get an introduction to Trannell.</p><p></p><p>We were met at the door by Tulmor and we explained the situation to her. She said she was not free to leave their shop, because Barnett was at Harl’s house in Kalmarn (see session 4) with a group of mages trying to reassemble Harl’s library. She did give us a letter of introduction to Trannell.</p><p></p><p>Fiona stayed behind to copy a spell (Leomund’s Tiny Hut) while the rest of us went to Trannell’s.</p><p></p><p>Trannell is a human man, about average height but very large in build -- formerly someone who worked hard for a living he’s a bit squishy now, but not overweight or flabby. The shop is simply called “Trannell’s”, which is at least easy to remember.</p><p></p><p>Inside the shop, which was all counters and cabinets for displaying items and a door to a back room. The items on display in the cabinets were very well made armor and weapons. There weren’t a lot of items, but all of them were top-notch.</p><p></p><p>We showed Trannell the letter from Tulmor. His response was that he trusts Tulmor, though he doesn’t always agree with her or even like her. But he trusts her.</p><p></p><p>We asked what magical items he had in store and he showed us a Potion of Firebreath, which Orryk purchased (yay!), a pair of Gauntlets of Ogre Power which Imaktis purchased (thereby more than doubling his strength), and a pair of goggles (Goggles of Night) that allow one to see in the dark, which Mo purchased -- at least in part with a great big sack of copper coins.</p><p></p><p>Orryk asked if he had any items with elemental magic or ties to the elemental planes. Trannell said that most of those items he sells to the Basalt Henge. Orryk gave him a bit of gold so that he’d let Orryk know when Elemental things came into his shop.</p><p></p><p>He also showed us a pouch with six Beads of Force. Each individual bead cost substantially more than we as a party could afford. Which was a pity because they’re really kind of awesome.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis asked if there was anything in particular that Trannell was looking for. Trannell couldn’t think of anything specific. He did tell us that if we found anything that we couldn’t use and couldn’t, for whatever reason trade out at the guardhouse, that we could take it to him to sell or trade. He’s mostly on the lookout for anything he can sell.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis then asked about his thoughts about the undead invasion of a couple of nights earlier.. Trannell didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about. Utter non-comprehension.</p><p></p><p>Mo: Have you had any weird people shopping lately?</p><p>Trannell: <<looks around at party>></p><p>Mo: More weird than us?</p><p>Trannell: No.</p><p></p><p>Okay.</p><p></p><p>We went to the Administrator’s office after that -- Joybell signed her name on the sign-up sheet to see Thalith. Mo went straight to the person who manages the list to see if we could get directly in.</p><p></p><p>Thalith called us in immediately and Joybell scampered up from where she was waiting in line.</p><p></p><p>Mo: Wait your turn…</p><p></p><p>We all went in.</p><p></p><p>Thalith told us that only people who are wearing armbands would know what we’re talking about if we talk about the undead. Which was exactly what we had experienced with Trannell. We had our armbands on at the relevant moment and therefore our memories are not affected.</p><p></p><p>Apparently the Administrator had been busy with the Council all day, explaining what happened and what his response was and how he planned to keep it from happening again. Thalith wasn’t sure it was going well. Before any of us could ask if the Council had been affected by the memory-thing that the Administrator did, he said that there were some people not in the guard who were exempt.</p><p></p><p>Joybell immediately felt even more guilty about not giving a better report when we got back.</p><p></p><p>We asked about whether this group of undead warlocks of Orcus indicated that Orcus had manifested in our plane. Thalith said that Warlocks of Fiends find themselves powerless to resist the demands of their patrons if the patrons appeared in our plane. Which didn’t reassure. Except that if Orcus himself were here, people would know.</p><p></p><p>We asked if he or Alighieri had any idea about why these deathlocks were attacking Embernook. His only answer was that Embernook has a range of influence and is a big target. As far as Thalith knew only Embernook was attacked.</p><p></p><p>After we left Thalith’s office Taman had an urge to go around telling people about the undead attack...but it would probably just have gotten people thinking he was nuts.</p><p></p><p>Orryk and Mo then went to an armorer to get Mo “studded up”. Mo explained to the armorer that he wanted a lot of pockets all up and down the armor. They said they’d have to alter some -- both for the pockets and to fit his skinny frame -- and would have it ready in two days.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the day passed with people doing their own things around Embernook. Joybell was providing security in one of the brothels for a while, then went to the Pewter Oar to join Taman and Mo. Mo set himself up in the bar to play music and make some money. He used the Flute of Scribing to put “Mo W. Kang’s Wonderful Wandering Band” on the wall behind him -- he made 2gp and got all of his drinks free for the day.</p><p></p><p>Note: Joybell thinks “Mo W. Kang’s Wonderful Band” would be an <em>awesome</em> name for our party. She’s totally cool with Mo being the headliner and “Wonderful Band” seems like a great way to advertise ourselves. (She left out the “Wandering” part, because we really haven’t wandered too much and maybe we shouldn’t advertise on that.)</p><p></p><p></p><p>12 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 13)</p><p></p><p>The next morning we all gathered up and headed out to the Black Field, traveling to the Basalt Henge. On the way, Joybell introduced Orryk to some of the prairie dogs. We got to the Henge in the evening and they had beds available for everyone (in the rooms where they put up pilgrims who are in for festivals).</p><p></p><p>The resident population at the Basalt Henge are mostly Wood Elves, Firbolgs and Gnomes (mostly Forest Gnomes, but some Rock Gnomes as well). There are some humans and a few Earth and Fire Genasi as well.</p><p></p><p></p><p>13 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 14)</p><p></p><p>The next morning, Joybell introduced her new friends (and Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl, Defender of Henge and Wold) to Naïlo, the head of the Druids in the Henge (a female Wood Elf). Naïlo gave Scooby a scritch and then asked us what we needed.</p><p></p><p>Orryk demonstrated some of his elemental powers for her and said that he’s looking for information about the thin boundary between this plane and the Elemental planes. He mentioned being from the Stonestream Cloister (where he trained as a monk) and Naïlo said she had guessed that he was connected there based on his abilities.</p><p></p><p>She told us that the boundary at the Henge (and maybe in the Black Field generally) is thinner with the Plane of Earth than with Fire. The Druids are trying to strengthen that boundary. Joybell asked why and she said because Genies (intelligent denizens of the Elemental planes) are slavers. The Dao (Earth Genies) and the Efreeti (Fire Genies) could come through the boundary on their own and take captives back to sell as slaves.</p><p></p><p>The Druids have been doing long term ritual magic to strengthen the boundary. Naïlo admitted that it was hard to know if their magic was working or if they were just benefiting from the thousand years since the volcano had erupted.</p><p></p><p>To do this ritual work, they need items that are tuned to summoning and controlling elementals (mostly Earth Elementals). Items that could be used to make a portal to the elemental plane. They use the items in reverse (sort of) to close the boundaries.</p><p></p><p>Orryk told her that we helped fight off an invasion of undead in Embernook and asked if they had any pieces that had turned out not to be useful in their work to strengthen the boundary. Naïlo said that all they had has been used.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis asked what we could help them with. Naïlo said that one of the Cities on the Ends of the Rivers (presumably Pelsoreen) has a school of Elemental Magic -- but that isn't obviously an answer connected to Imaktis’ question.</p><p></p><p>Orryk asked if there was a library or any written information he could study. She said that theirs is mostly an oral tradition but there are some writings and some elders Orryk can talk to.</p><p></p><p>While they were still there with Naïlo, Taman asked Joybell why she didn’t become a Druid. Joybell got a little quiet and moved a little away from Naïlo, like she was a little afraid of what would come from that quarter. She said that she’d been going to be a Druid. She’d started her training at a circle in the forest called the Wold, which was where she grew up. She was out in the forest for a couple of days gathering herbs, a normal part of the novice training, and came back and found that the Wold had been destroyed and all of the people…. Orryk asked if this was the masked people she’d asked about before. Joybell said yeah, the children had been taken and all of the adults were either killed or gone. She’d spent a couple of days burning the corpses and hoping anyone, any adult, would come back to make it all okay again, but no one did. She learned from one who died in her arms that some people blamed her and she definitely blamed herself -- she should have been there and done something, helped somehow. Through all of this Naïlo did and said nothing.</p><p></p><p>Joybell decided to become a paladin instead -- a defender. So she’d be able to help and protect when she was needed.</p><p></p><p>After that, Joybell went up to the Henge to pray and meditate by herself, curled up with Scooby for comfort.</p><p></p><p>Orryk was sent to Alsinor, a Wood Elf who is very knowledgeable about the ritual workings at the Henge. Orryk spent the day talking to Alsinor and other people and reading the material they had. It was mostly similar information to what he’d found at the Tulmor and Barnett’s library, but from a different perspective.</p><p></p><p>Orryk then went to the Henge to see if his elemental abilities reacted differently close to the Henge and the ritual work the Druids have done there. He used Mold Earth to put shapes and colors in the earth -- normally these would last an hour, but at the Henge they disappeared almost instantly. The Earth was resisting being shaped there. Control Flame was much less dampened.</p><p></p><p>Joybell asked Alsinor if this dampening was because of the work they’ve been doing or because of what they have yet to do. Alsinor thinks that it’s because of the work they’ve been doing. Before the work, the Earth spells would have been more powerful, but less controlled.</p><p></p><p>Mo and Taman spent the day talking about what kind of being Administrator Alighieri is and what kind of deal he made with the Tundra Queen. (And whether or not he got the better of it.)</p><p></p><p></p><p>14 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 15)</p><p></p><p>We left in the morning to head back across the Black Field. Joybell pointed out to Orryk the dwarf buckwheat -- cool little plants that space themselves out so that each can get enough water. (Joybell has absolute faith that Orryk is interested in things like this.)</p><p></p><p>We got back pretty late in the day, but before it was fully dark.</p><p></p><p>Mo, to the guard at the gate: Any undead attack while we were gone?</p><p>Guard: It has been really quiet.</p><p>Mo: Good.</p><p></p><p>We went together to the Pewter Oar and found a message and a package waiting for us. The package was a small crate that had been delivered that morning. It had an envelope on the top sealed with Alighieri’s seal. The box was about 4 feet long, but only 1 foot wide and 1 foot high.</p><p></p><p>Fiona took 10 minutes to cast Detect Magic and was nearly blinded by the magical radiance coming out of the box, with many schools of magic represented - Divination, Transmutation, many others.</p><p></p><p>The letter said:</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">With the gratitude of the City of Embernook and my own personal thanks.</p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">--Alighieri D.</p><p></p><p>Joybell put the letter in her bag and opened the box.</p><p></p><p>Inside on top were six pouches, each with one of our initials on it. Inside each pouch was 100gp. (Joybell treasures the pouch maybe more than the gold -- the gold will get spent and be gone someday, but she can keep the pouch forever.)</p><p></p><p>Also in the box were:</p><p></p><p>Potion of Greater Healing (Joybell)</p><p>Potion of Invisibility (Taman)</p><p>Potion of Clairvoyance (party item)</p><p>Scroll of Magic Weapon (Fiona)</p><p>Protection Scroll of Protection from Fey (Taman)</p><p>Stone of Good Luck (Orryk)</p><p>Cape of the Mountebank (Taman)</p><p>Mantle of Spell Resistance (Imaktis)</p><p>Sending Stones (one each to Taman & Mo)</p><p>Rapier +1 (Taman)</p><p></p><p>After dinner we went home to sleep. </p><p></p><p></p><p>15 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 16)</p><p></p><p>At breakfast at the Pewter Oar, we started talking about leaving Embernook and heading to Pelsoreen so Orryk could continue his elemental research there. We know that this would be a long trip -- a couple of months to get to the other river and then another month down the river. Longer to come back because we’d be coming up river. Realistically probably a few months each way, on average.</p><p></p><p>Joybell pointed out that we could go up to Ariqua, but Taman is very nervous about that.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis said that he didn’t think that things were permanently finished with the undead.</p><p></p><p>Joybell wanted to go talk to Ullar Truehammer before we left, in case there was something he needed for us to do. Mo wanted to go talk to the Administrator so that we could thank him for the gifts and tell him that we’re leaving.</p><p></p><p>Joybell agreed to that, a bit reluctantly.</p><p></p><p>We all went over to the Administrator’s office. While Joybell was signing up on the waiting list, Mo went to talk to Thalith. Joybell followed over when Thalith took everyone into his office.</p><p></p><p>In his office Mo told Thalith that we’d gotten the package from the Administrator and we all thanked him. Then Mo said that we were planning to head to Pelsoreen.</p><p></p><p>Thalith told us that Pelsoreen has an active slave trade -- any race or type of person they can catch. The slave trade is supported by the government. Taman asked what kind of government the city has and was told that it’s a criminal oligarchy (suggesting that Pelsoreen is sort of run by the mob). The college of elemental magic is in such a horrible place because all genies are slavers.</p><p></p><p>Orryk asked if there was anything the Administrator would like for us to do there, or along the way.</p><p></p><p>As Thalith turned to ask the Administrator that question, portcullises slammed down around all of the entrances and exits to the room and the Statue Sentries that Taman had noticed the first time we were in Aligheri’s office woke up with their red eyes flaring bright.</p><p></p><p>Barnett and three other people appeared in the room screaming and freaked out.</p><p></p><p>Barnett: This isn’t my library.</p><p>Alighieri, who appeared in the room Batman-style without anyone (not even Taman) noticing him arrive: My apologies. Your teleport was redirected here. What has happened?</p><p></p><p>Barnett and the other people, all mages, had been working in Harl’s library, intent on reconstructing the library and pulling together the books that had been torn apart, when a thing bounded in through the open door and tore apart one of the mages.</p><p></p><p>Barnett was clearly Not Okay -- he was at best marginally coherent and totally freaked out. The other three were a bit more together. They described a blob with arms and claws and mouths with teeth that tore Ingurd just to shreds.</p><p></p><p>Joybell asked if anyone had accidentally read some of the pages of the Crazy Book and they said they were being very careful not to do that.</p><p></p><p>Alighieri (in Sylvan): Stand down.</p><p></p><p>At that, the sentries went dormant again and the portcullises raised.</p><p></p><p>Fiona and Orryk, with their knowledge of the arcane, think the monster sounds like something from the Outer Chaos. Joybell and Imaktis, with their knowledge of religion, had heard of something called the Hunger Between Worlds and knew that there are groups that celebrate this hunger.</p><p></p><p>We wondered if this could possibly have to do with the Crazy Book that Harl was trying to read and that killed him. It certainly doesn’t seem like a big leap.</p><p></p><p>The magic users tell us that there was no summoning or flash of light -- the monster just ran in.</p><p></p><p>Orryk, to Alighieri: Can you teleport us there?</p><p>Alighieri: I cannot. Kalmarn is not in the city.</p><p></p><p>Alighieri, very intently and seriously to Barnett: We need to get people to Kalmarn. Can Tulmor do that?</p><p>Barnett: <<nods>></p><p></p><p>Alighieri, in response to that, went to a closed door in Thalith’s office and opened it. The door opened to the street outside Tulmor and Barnett’s place.</p><p></p><p>Alighieri: I believe she’ll be happy to help you. And better able to help Barnett.</p><p></p><p>Barnett was still shaky and disconnected. He appeared to have had some sort of PTSD triggered…</p><p></p><p>Before we left Thalith’s office, Orryk asked if Alighieri could use a Sending spell to communicate with us in Kalmarn.</p><p></p><p>Alighieri: My powers have pretty strong geographical limits.</p><p></p><p>(Note: The notes don’t give any context for the following conversation:</p><p>Taman: We can just slap him until he comes back.</p><p>Joybell: We will not beat on the traumatized person.</p><p>Taman’s player had been watching Airplane!)</p><p></p><p>We helped Barnett across the street to his house and knocked on the door. Tulmor answered and, seeing Barnett, immediately had us bring him in and help him to his very spartan room.</p><p></p><p>While we were telling her what Barnett and the other mages told us earlier, Barnett was stuck in a mental loop.</p><p></p><p>Barnett: It’s bad. Really bad. It’s bad. Really bad. (Repeat, repeat)</p><p></p><p>We told Tulmor that we were there so that she could teleport us to Kalmarn. She had a scroll and could get us to the Teleportation Circle in Harl’s library. Before we went, Mo gave her one of the sending stones we just got so that we could contact her when we need to arrange to get out of there.</p><p></p><p>Mo also cast Longstrider on Taman, Orryk and Joybell. Imaktis, just before the teleport spell opened the gate, cast Bless on the same three people.</p><p></p><p>Then the teleport gate opened and we went through into a large room with bookshelves on the walls (and some free-standing shelves in the middle of the room) Two people with swords, shields, shaved heads (and not many clothes on) were about 85 or so feet away. Another 20 to 30 feet behind them was a guy in splint mail with a mace and a shield and a guy in robes. Off to one side, next to one of the bookcases was a really nasty Gribbly Monster that looked like a weird cephalopod with sickle claws on the ends of its tentacles and mouths along the tentacles. There was a big maw and eyes that glowed slightly green on the “body” of the cephalopod. (1 Gribbly Monster, 2 Barbarians, 1 Cleric, 1 Sorcerer)</p><p></p><p>Because of the way the teleportation circle works, they had plenty of warning that we were coming -- they were looking at the circle waiting for us.</p><p></p><p>Taman immediately took cover behind a bookshelf waiting until someone showed aggression.</p><p></p><p>GM, contemplating their actions: They placed themselves poorly.</p><p></p><p>Orryk shot at the Gribbly Monster, hitting once, and then he also took cover behind a bookshelf.</p><p></p><p>Joybell moved up, on Scooby, and asked “What are y’all doing here? And what the hell is that thing?”</p><p></p><p>When they didn’t answer, Taman peeked out from behind the bookshelf and took a shot at the Gribbly Monster, doing lots of damage with a sneak attack.</p><p></p><p>Joybell waffled a bit then rode Scooby as far as he could go and threw a javelin at the Gribbly Monster.</p><p></p><p>The Gribbly Monster moved up as far as he could, which got him to ten feet away from Joybell and gribbled at her, but couldn’t attack. The closer barbarian (in my notes as Barbarian 2), however, was able to charge her and attack, but he missed.</p><p></p><p>The cleric cast a spell that would have affected everyone but Joybell and Scooby -- everyone in the party felt a sense of time around them speeding up, then it slowed down again as literally everyone saved against the Slow spell. (This was a preview of how the combat was going to go for the DM.)</p><p></p><p>Mo blew a Shatter spell on his flute, placing it to catch the Gribbly Monster and Barbarian 2, without catching Joybell. Then he inspired Imaktis.</p><p></p><p>The robed figure, a Sorcerer, moved up and cast something that Orryk, Mo, Imaktis and Joybell would have had to deal with -- the area started glowing with a dim and sickly greenish light.</p><p></p><p>Fiona cast a fireball to catch the Cleric and the Sorcerer and did lots and lots of damage. The Sorcerer lost his concentration on that spell -- the greenish radiance of the Sickening Radiance spell dissipated before anyone had to make a save against it.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis cast Hold Person on Barbarian 2, which froze the barbarian in place, and then Imaktis moved up into the combat. Taman used the Dimension Door ability from the Cape of the Mountebank he’d just gotten and moved up to a position behind a bookcase but near the Sorcerer. He tried to hide there, but didn’t do a good job at all. He’ll have to get used to the disorientation from the Dimension Door.</p><p></p><p>The other barbarian, Barbarian 1, attacked Imaktis and missed.</p><p></p><p>Orryk moved up on Barbarian 2, still held, and attacked (with advantage). He missed with his first attack but his second did serious damage, then he backed up and out of range.</p><p></p><p>Joybell dismounted and sent Scooby back out of the thick of things (back to the teleportation circle) then she dropped the held Barbarian 2 and then got a hit on the Gribbly Monster.</p><p></p><p>The Gribbly Monster, in return, attacked Joybell with six tentacles. Three of them hit and she took 28 damage. Mo used Cutting Words to reduce that to 20, so Joybell wasn’t down more than half her total hit points in one round.</p><p></p><p>Then the Gribbly Monster moved like lightning, 40’, around the bookcase back to where Mo and Fiona were.</p><p></p><p>The Cleric cast a Silence spell that caught Fiona, Mo, Scooby and the Gribbly Monster, but it really only mattered for Fiona and Mo. Mo moved out of the spell and cast Blindness on the Monster, succeeding in blinding it such that every attack against it was with advantage and every attack it made was with disadvantage. (Note: The Gribbly Monster failed a CON save -- and one has to assume that the monster was strong in that.)</p><p></p><p>The Sorcerer moved around to where he could see Taman and shot four scorching rays at him. Fortunately only two hit, but Taman still took 11 points of damage, after his uncanny dodge. Then the Sorcerer shot 2 beams of crackling Eldritch Blast energy at him. Fortunately only one of them hit.</p><p></p><p>Fiona moved out of range of the Monster and cast Blur on herself. Imaktis moved and cast a level 3 Guiding Bolt at the Gribbly Monster. He did 18 points of Radiant Damage and dropped the Monster. Hooray!</p><p></p><p>Taman said “Ow” then used his Insight to learn something about the Sorcerer, then moved up to melee range. He attacked and hit, but even with the sneak attack damage, he didn’t do a lot.</p><p></p><p>Barbarian 1 (the only remaining barbarian) raged and attacked Joybell. He did a reckless attack and got in a good hit.</p><p></p><p>Orryk dashed 90 feet (spending a ki point) and attacked the Sorcerer. He spent another ki point for a stunning strike. The Sorcerer saved against the stunning strike, So Orryk hit it again and spent another ki point to try again with the stunning strike and the Sorcerer saved again. Dammit!</p><p></p><p>Joybell hit Barbarian 1 with a wrathful smite and he failed the save (first successful Smite Spell!), then she hit him again.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately on the next turn, the Cleric dispelled the frightened condition from the Wrathful Smite and Barbarian 1 got to use his reaction to hit Joybell.</p><p></p><p>The Sorcerer cast a quickened Thunderstep, to move away from Taman and Orryk, doing them damage on the way out. Taman was dropped. Orryk saved. Then the Sorcerer missed Orryk with an Eldritch blast.</p><p></p><p>The Sorcerer and Cleric had, likely inadvertently, moved themselves into Fireball Formation with Barbarian 1, so Fiona, recognizing an opportunity when she saw one, Fireballed them. She did some nice damage -- dropping the Sorcerer and bringing down the silence when the Cleric failed to maintain his concentration on the spell. The Cleric was looking pretty ragged at that point.</p><p></p><p>Imaktis moved up on Barbarian 1 and got a hit with his Shillelagh, but didn’t drop it.</p><p></p><p>Which was a bit of a pity, because the Barbarian then attacked Joybell twice with a raging frenzy. The first strike dropped her and then the second immediately had her at two failed death saves.</p><p></p><p>Orryk ran to Joybell and poured the greater healing potion she’d just gotten down her throat.</p><p></p><p>Joybell stood up, but still woozy from having been knocked out and nearly killed, missed with both of her attacks. Then she cast Misty Step and moved to the other side of the bookcase back toward where the Gribbly Monster had been killed.</p><p></p><p>The Cleric cast healing word on Barbarian 1, who then got to immediately use his reaction to attack Imaktis.</p><p></p><p>Mo moved into range to cast Healing Word, which did a good deal of healing to Taman. Then he cast Vicious Mockery on Barbarian 1. “Why don’t you put some clothes on. You suck!” The Barbarian, flustered by this, had disadvantage on his attacks for the next round.</p><p></p><p>Fiona cast Scorching Ray on the Cleric but only one of the rays hit. Imaktis hit the Barbarian for 9 points of damage, but it was still standing.</p><p></p><p>Taman stood up and took a shot with his bow. It initially seemed like he was going to miss, but he got lucky and it was a hit instead.</p><p></p><p>The Barbarian attacked recklessly (which negated the disadvantage from Mo’s vicious mockery) and attacked Imaktis. Fortunately, Imaktis was able to throw up a Shield spell.</p><p></p><p>Orryk attacked with advantage against the Barbarian -- the first attack missed and the second hit. Then he did a bonus action to hit him again -- and that was a crit and he just pummeled him with an upper cut into the abdomen and then into the chin when he buckled over.</p><p></p><p>Joybell moved half her movement and called Scooby to her, then rode up to the Cleric and attacked him from wolf-back and dropped him.</p><p></p><p>With everyone down, we looted the naughty word out of them and found:</p><p></p><p>Splint Armor (from the cult cleric) -- can and will be cut down to fit Joybell</p><p>Wand of Magic Detection</p><p>Immovable Rod</p><p>Potion of Greater Healing (Joybell)</p><p>Potion of Firebreathing (Orryk)</p><p>(Also 2 regular longswords, a mace, and 3 shields)</p><p></p><p>Also from the cultists and gribbly monster:</p><p>80pp</p><p>1200gp</p><p>14 100-gp gems (5 jet, 5 amethyst, 4 coral)</p><p></p><p>(Note: The money from the cultists divides to:</p><p>433 gp each (with 2 left in a party kitty)</p><p>13pp each (with 2 left in a party kitty))</p><p></p><p>We ended there -- discussing how to get in touch with the people in Embernook to get back there (whether by boat or by another Teleportation spell) and how to take back the remains of the Gribbly Monster as proof of having killed it. Joybell suggested that maybe there was a wheelbarrow in the garden that the body could be dumped into. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Not directly related to this session, an update on the contents of the Bag of Holding. Despite Orryk’s plan to fill the bag with books, it currently contains: </p><p></p><p>Potion of Clairvoyance</p><p>Potion of Force Resistance</p><p>Candle of the Deep</p><p>Gloves of Climbing and Swimming</p><p>Longsword x3 (2 from the cultists)</p><p>Mace x1 (from the cultists)</p><p>Longbow x1</p><p>Splint Mail (from the cult cleric, mentioned above)</p><p>Shield x3 (from the cultists; question as to whether the cleric's shield has his holy symbol on it)</p><p>2 Quivers, each with 20 arrows (some arrows from Wights, others from stash of spares Orryk had)</p><p>Spare/old gear of Orryk's: Quarterstaff, Shortbow, 20 Darts</p><p></p><p>Note: the party kitty contains: 2 pp, 8gp, 6sp, and 8 cp.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="prabe, post: 8081373, member: 7016699"] [SIZE=4] Session 9: Back to Kalmarn[/SIZE] Dramatis Personae: Mo - Goliath Bard (College of Lore) Orryk - Forest Gnome Monk (Way of the Four Elements, variant) Fiona - Half-Elf Wizard (Evoker) Taman - Human (variant) Rogue (Inquisitive) Joybell - Forest Gnome Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) Imaktis - Tortle Cleric (Nature)/Shadow Sorcerer GM - Everyone Else 10 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 11) (the same morning) We left Chief Ullar and Commander Mogree after making our somewhat sketchy report “We killed lots of things. With fire.” We said we’d come back later to trade in the things we can’t use and all went to our respective homes. Most of us slept for the rest of the day and the night. Fiona slept for a while and then spent the rest of the night copying spell scrolls we’ve obtained along the way. Joybell cast Find Steed in the middle of the night, after sleeping through the day. Orryk heard some snuffling and whuffling noises from Joybell’s room and knocked to see what’s up -- so she introduced him to her new wolf mount, Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl, Defender of Henge and Wold. Joybell: But he’ll respond to Scooby. Scooby licked Orryk on the cheek. Orryk nodded and went back to sleep. 11 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 12) The next morning, Joybell walked with Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl down the stairs and introduced him to Queena. Scooby licked her cheeks. Whereupon it was worked out that Scooby can stay in Queena’s fenced yard, but Joybell agreed that maybe he should have something like the wolf equivalent of the guard armbands, so no one tries to steal (or hurt) him. Queena accepted Scooby like a champ, which made Joybell very grateful. We all met up for breakfast at the Pewter Oar, where Joybell introduced Scooby to everyone and there was much licking of cheeks. At breakfast, Orryk asked Joybell about the Basalt Henge. He’d heard that it has been there as a Druidic circle for about 200 years and that it’s a good place to find elemental magic. He asked if she would take him, or the whole party there, and Joybell said yes. We decided to leave the next day, after taking care of some things in town. First, we stopped by Centerkeep to see about what exchanges we could make for the things we can’t use. Joybell rode Scooby through the city and got a number of weird looks and double-takes but no overtly freaked-out reactions. And we were able to travel at everyone else’s speed without Joybell having to ride on Mo’s shoulders. We all went into Ullar’s office, including Scooby. Joybell asked if we could get a collar or something for him. Ullar made arrangements for that, which will be helpful. There was a bit of discussion as to whether he’d agree to wear a collar. Joybell figured that since he’d agreed to be named Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl, Defender of Henge and Wold, he’s probably a pretty easy-going celestial wolf and will be okay. We asked about what we could trade the items we can’t use for. Ullar wrote a note and sent an assistant out to bring back some items from the stores. Scooby licked Ullar’s cheeks. While the assistant was doing that, we talked to Truehammer about where we’d go to purchase magic items. He recommended a guy in the Nook named Trannel. He also said we’d do well to get an introduction from Tulmor and Barnett. Imaktis offered to help heal people, if anyone was still in need. Ullar said that there are some people who could still use restorative magic. We asked if we should report to Alighieri. Ullar said that he and Mogree had passed on our report already, which made Joybell feel bad that it was so sketchy. While waiting for the assistant to come back, we give a much fuller report that they can pass on to the Administrator. After about an hour, the assistant came back with a guard collar for Scooby and also: Shortbow +1 (Orryk) Pearl of Power (Fiona) Scrolls of Feather Fall and Illusory Script (Fiona) The city was very quiet at the moment and he had nothing for us to do, so we all headed over to Tulmor and Barnett’s together to get an introduction to Trannell. We were met at the door by Tulmor and we explained the situation to her. She said she was not free to leave their shop, because Barnett was at Harl’s house in Kalmarn (see session 4) with a group of mages trying to reassemble Harl’s library. She did give us a letter of introduction to Trannell. Fiona stayed behind to copy a spell (Leomund’s Tiny Hut) while the rest of us went to Trannell’s. Trannell is a human man, about average height but very large in build -- formerly someone who worked hard for a living he’s a bit squishy now, but not overweight or flabby. The shop is simply called “Trannell’s”, which is at least easy to remember. Inside the shop, which was all counters and cabinets for displaying items and a door to a back room. The items on display in the cabinets were very well made armor and weapons. There weren’t a lot of items, but all of them were top-notch. We showed Trannell the letter from Tulmor. His response was that he trusts Tulmor, though he doesn’t always agree with her or even like her. But he trusts her. We asked what magical items he had in store and he showed us a Potion of Firebreath, which Orryk purchased (yay!), a pair of Gauntlets of Ogre Power which Imaktis purchased (thereby more than doubling his strength), and a pair of goggles (Goggles of Night) that allow one to see in the dark, which Mo purchased -- at least in part with a great big sack of copper coins. Orryk asked if he had any items with elemental magic or ties to the elemental planes. Trannell said that most of those items he sells to the Basalt Henge. Orryk gave him a bit of gold so that he’d let Orryk know when Elemental things came into his shop. He also showed us a pouch with six Beads of Force. Each individual bead cost substantially more than we as a party could afford. Which was a pity because they’re really kind of awesome. Imaktis asked if there was anything in particular that Trannell was looking for. Trannell couldn’t think of anything specific. He did tell us that if we found anything that we couldn’t use and couldn’t, for whatever reason trade out at the guardhouse, that we could take it to him to sell or trade. He’s mostly on the lookout for anything he can sell. Imaktis then asked about his thoughts about the undead invasion of a couple of nights earlier.. Trannell didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about. Utter non-comprehension. Mo: Have you had any weird people shopping lately? Trannell: <<looks around at party>> Mo: More weird than us? Trannell: No. Okay. We went to the Administrator’s office after that -- Joybell signed her name on the sign-up sheet to see Thalith. Mo went straight to the person who manages the list to see if we could get directly in. Thalith called us in immediately and Joybell scampered up from where she was waiting in line. Mo: Wait your turn… We all went in. Thalith told us that only people who are wearing armbands would know what we’re talking about if we talk about the undead. Which was exactly what we had experienced with Trannell. We had our armbands on at the relevant moment and therefore our memories are not affected. Apparently the Administrator had been busy with the Council all day, explaining what happened and what his response was and how he planned to keep it from happening again. Thalith wasn’t sure it was going well. Before any of us could ask if the Council had been affected by the memory-thing that the Administrator did, he said that there were some people not in the guard who were exempt. Joybell immediately felt even more guilty about not giving a better report when we got back. We asked about whether this group of undead warlocks of Orcus indicated that Orcus had manifested in our plane. Thalith said that Warlocks of Fiends find themselves powerless to resist the demands of their patrons if the patrons appeared in our plane. Which didn’t reassure. Except that if Orcus himself were here, people would know. We asked if he or Alighieri had any idea about why these deathlocks were attacking Embernook. His only answer was that Embernook has a range of influence and is a big target. As far as Thalith knew only Embernook was attacked. After we left Thalith’s office Taman had an urge to go around telling people about the undead attack...but it would probably just have gotten people thinking he was nuts. Orryk and Mo then went to an armorer to get Mo “studded up”. Mo explained to the armorer that he wanted a lot of pockets all up and down the armor. They said they’d have to alter some -- both for the pockets and to fit his skinny frame -- and would have it ready in two days. The rest of the day passed with people doing their own things around Embernook. Joybell was providing security in one of the brothels for a while, then went to the Pewter Oar to join Taman and Mo. Mo set himself up in the bar to play music and make some money. He used the Flute of Scribing to put “Mo W. Kang’s Wonderful Wandering Band” on the wall behind him -- he made 2gp and got all of his drinks free for the day. Note: Joybell thinks “Mo W. Kang’s Wonderful Band” would be an [I]awesome[/I] name for our party. She’s totally cool with Mo being the headliner and “Wonderful Band” seems like a great way to advertise ourselves. (She left out the “Wandering” part, because we really haven’t wandered too much and maybe we shouldn’t advertise on that.) 12 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 13) The next morning we all gathered up and headed out to the Black Field, traveling to the Basalt Henge. On the way, Joybell introduced Orryk to some of the prairie dogs. We got to the Henge in the evening and they had beds available for everyone (in the rooms where they put up pilgrims who are in for festivals). The resident population at the Basalt Henge are mostly Wood Elves, Firbolgs and Gnomes (mostly Forest Gnomes, but some Rock Gnomes as well). There are some humans and a few Earth and Fire Genasi as well. 13 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 14) The next morning, Joybell introduced her new friends (and Darkmoon Moonstone Happyhowl, Defender of Henge and Wold) to Naïlo, the head of the Druids in the Henge (a female Wood Elf). Naïlo gave Scooby a scritch and then asked us what we needed. Orryk demonstrated some of his elemental powers for her and said that he’s looking for information about the thin boundary between this plane and the Elemental planes. He mentioned being from the Stonestream Cloister (where he trained as a monk) and Naïlo said she had guessed that he was connected there based on his abilities. She told us that the boundary at the Henge (and maybe in the Black Field generally) is thinner with the Plane of Earth than with Fire. The Druids are trying to strengthen that boundary. Joybell asked why and she said because Genies (intelligent denizens of the Elemental planes) are slavers. The Dao (Earth Genies) and the Efreeti (Fire Genies) could come through the boundary on their own and take captives back to sell as slaves. The Druids have been doing long term ritual magic to strengthen the boundary. Naïlo admitted that it was hard to know if their magic was working or if they were just benefiting from the thousand years since the volcano had erupted. To do this ritual work, they need items that are tuned to summoning and controlling elementals (mostly Earth Elementals). Items that could be used to make a portal to the elemental plane. They use the items in reverse (sort of) to close the boundaries. Orryk told her that we helped fight off an invasion of undead in Embernook and asked if they had any pieces that had turned out not to be useful in their work to strengthen the boundary. Naïlo said that all they had has been used. Imaktis asked what we could help them with. Naïlo said that one of the Cities on the Ends of the Rivers (presumably Pelsoreen) has a school of Elemental Magic -- but that isn't obviously an answer connected to Imaktis’ question. Orryk asked if there was a library or any written information he could study. She said that theirs is mostly an oral tradition but there are some writings and some elders Orryk can talk to. While they were still there with Naïlo, Taman asked Joybell why she didn’t become a Druid. Joybell got a little quiet and moved a little away from Naïlo, like she was a little afraid of what would come from that quarter. She said that she’d been going to be a Druid. She’d started her training at a circle in the forest called the Wold, which was where she grew up. She was out in the forest for a couple of days gathering herbs, a normal part of the novice training, and came back and found that the Wold had been destroyed and all of the people…. Orryk asked if this was the masked people she’d asked about before. Joybell said yeah, the children had been taken and all of the adults were either killed or gone. She’d spent a couple of days burning the corpses and hoping anyone, any adult, would come back to make it all okay again, but no one did. She learned from one who died in her arms that some people blamed her and she definitely blamed herself -- she should have been there and done something, helped somehow. Through all of this Naïlo did and said nothing. Joybell decided to become a paladin instead -- a defender. So she’d be able to help and protect when she was needed. After that, Joybell went up to the Henge to pray and meditate by herself, curled up with Scooby for comfort. Orryk was sent to Alsinor, a Wood Elf who is very knowledgeable about the ritual workings at the Henge. Orryk spent the day talking to Alsinor and other people and reading the material they had. It was mostly similar information to what he’d found at the Tulmor and Barnett’s library, but from a different perspective. Orryk then went to the Henge to see if his elemental abilities reacted differently close to the Henge and the ritual work the Druids have done there. He used Mold Earth to put shapes and colors in the earth -- normally these would last an hour, but at the Henge they disappeared almost instantly. The Earth was resisting being shaped there. Control Flame was much less dampened. Joybell asked Alsinor if this dampening was because of the work they’ve been doing or because of what they have yet to do. Alsinor thinks that it’s because of the work they’ve been doing. Before the work, the Earth spells would have been more powerful, but less controlled. Mo and Taman spent the day talking about what kind of being Administrator Alighieri is and what kind of deal he made with the Tundra Queen. (And whether or not he got the better of it.) 14 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 15) We left in the morning to head back across the Black Field. Joybell pointed out to Orryk the dwarf buckwheat -- cool little plants that space themselves out so that each can get enough water. (Joybell has absolute faith that Orryk is interested in things like this.) We got back pretty late in the day, but before it was fully dark. Mo, to the guard at the gate: Any undead attack while we were gone? Guard: It has been really quiet. Mo: Good. We went together to the Pewter Oar and found a message and a package waiting for us. The package was a small crate that had been delivered that morning. It had an envelope on the top sealed with Alighieri’s seal. The box was about 4 feet long, but only 1 foot wide and 1 foot high. Fiona took 10 minutes to cast Detect Magic and was nearly blinded by the magical radiance coming out of the box, with many schools of magic represented - Divination, Transmutation, many others. The letter said: [CENTER]With the gratitude of the City of Embernook and my own personal thanks. --Alighieri D.[/CENTER] Joybell put the letter in her bag and opened the box. Inside on top were six pouches, each with one of our initials on it. Inside each pouch was 100gp. (Joybell treasures the pouch maybe more than the gold -- the gold will get spent and be gone someday, but she can keep the pouch forever.) Also in the box were: Potion of Greater Healing (Joybell) Potion of Invisibility (Taman) Potion of Clairvoyance (party item) Scroll of Magic Weapon (Fiona) Protection Scroll of Protection from Fey (Taman) Stone of Good Luck (Orryk) Cape of the Mountebank (Taman) Mantle of Spell Resistance (Imaktis) Sending Stones (one each to Taman & Mo) Rapier +1 (Taman) After dinner we went home to sleep. 15 Sunnin 748 (Campaign day 16) At breakfast at the Pewter Oar, we started talking about leaving Embernook and heading to Pelsoreen so Orryk could continue his elemental research there. We know that this would be a long trip -- a couple of months to get to the other river and then another month down the river. Longer to come back because we’d be coming up river. Realistically probably a few months each way, on average. Joybell pointed out that we could go up to Ariqua, but Taman is very nervous about that. Imaktis said that he didn’t think that things were permanently finished with the undead. Joybell wanted to go talk to Ullar Truehammer before we left, in case there was something he needed for us to do. Mo wanted to go talk to the Administrator so that we could thank him for the gifts and tell him that we’re leaving. Joybell agreed to that, a bit reluctantly. We all went over to the Administrator’s office. While Joybell was signing up on the waiting list, Mo went to talk to Thalith. Joybell followed over when Thalith took everyone into his office. In his office Mo told Thalith that we’d gotten the package from the Administrator and we all thanked him. Then Mo said that we were planning to head to Pelsoreen. Thalith told us that Pelsoreen has an active slave trade -- any race or type of person they can catch. The slave trade is supported by the government. Taman asked what kind of government the city has and was told that it’s a criminal oligarchy (suggesting that Pelsoreen is sort of run by the mob). The college of elemental magic is in such a horrible place because all genies are slavers. Orryk asked if there was anything the Administrator would like for us to do there, or along the way. As Thalith turned to ask the Administrator that question, portcullises slammed down around all of the entrances and exits to the room and the Statue Sentries that Taman had noticed the first time we were in Aligheri’s office woke up with their red eyes flaring bright. Barnett and three other people appeared in the room screaming and freaked out. Barnett: This isn’t my library. Alighieri, who appeared in the room Batman-style without anyone (not even Taman) noticing him arrive: My apologies. Your teleport was redirected here. What has happened? Barnett and the other people, all mages, had been working in Harl’s library, intent on reconstructing the library and pulling together the books that had been torn apart, when a thing bounded in through the open door and tore apart one of the mages. Barnett was clearly Not Okay -- he was at best marginally coherent and totally freaked out. The other three were a bit more together. They described a blob with arms and claws and mouths with teeth that tore Ingurd just to shreds. Joybell asked if anyone had accidentally read some of the pages of the Crazy Book and they said they were being very careful not to do that. Alighieri (in Sylvan): Stand down. At that, the sentries went dormant again and the portcullises raised. Fiona and Orryk, with their knowledge of the arcane, think the monster sounds like something from the Outer Chaos. Joybell and Imaktis, with their knowledge of religion, had heard of something called the Hunger Between Worlds and knew that there are groups that celebrate this hunger. We wondered if this could possibly have to do with the Crazy Book that Harl was trying to read and that killed him. It certainly doesn’t seem like a big leap. The magic users tell us that there was no summoning or flash of light -- the monster just ran in. Orryk, to Alighieri: Can you teleport us there? Alighieri: I cannot. Kalmarn is not in the city. Alighieri, very intently and seriously to Barnett: We need to get people to Kalmarn. Can Tulmor do that? Barnett: <<nods>> Alighieri, in response to that, went to a closed door in Thalith’s office and opened it. The door opened to the street outside Tulmor and Barnett’s place. Alighieri: I believe she’ll be happy to help you. And better able to help Barnett. Barnett was still shaky and disconnected. He appeared to have had some sort of PTSD triggered… Before we left Thalith’s office, Orryk asked if Alighieri could use a Sending spell to communicate with us in Kalmarn. Alighieri: My powers have pretty strong geographical limits. (Note: The notes don’t give any context for the following conversation: Taman: We can just slap him until he comes back. Joybell: We will not beat on the traumatized person. Taman’s player had been watching Airplane!) We helped Barnett across the street to his house and knocked on the door. Tulmor answered and, seeing Barnett, immediately had us bring him in and help him to his very spartan room. While we were telling her what Barnett and the other mages told us earlier, Barnett was stuck in a mental loop. Barnett: It’s bad. Really bad. It’s bad. Really bad. (Repeat, repeat) We told Tulmor that we were there so that she could teleport us to Kalmarn. She had a scroll and could get us to the Teleportation Circle in Harl’s library. Before we went, Mo gave her one of the sending stones we just got so that we could contact her when we need to arrange to get out of there. Mo also cast Longstrider on Taman, Orryk and Joybell. Imaktis, just before the teleport spell opened the gate, cast Bless on the same three people. Then the teleport gate opened and we went through into a large room with bookshelves on the walls (and some free-standing shelves in the middle of the room) Two people with swords, shields, shaved heads (and not many clothes on) were about 85 or so feet away. Another 20 to 30 feet behind them was a guy in splint mail with a mace and a shield and a guy in robes. Off to one side, next to one of the bookcases was a really nasty Gribbly Monster that looked like a weird cephalopod with sickle claws on the ends of its tentacles and mouths along the tentacles. There was a big maw and eyes that glowed slightly green on the “body” of the cephalopod. (1 Gribbly Monster, 2 Barbarians, 1 Cleric, 1 Sorcerer) Because of the way the teleportation circle works, they had plenty of warning that we were coming -- they were looking at the circle waiting for us. Taman immediately took cover behind a bookshelf waiting until someone showed aggression. GM, contemplating their actions: They placed themselves poorly. Orryk shot at the Gribbly Monster, hitting once, and then he also took cover behind a bookshelf. Joybell moved up, on Scooby, and asked “What are y’all doing here? And what the hell is that thing?” When they didn’t answer, Taman peeked out from behind the bookshelf and took a shot at the Gribbly Monster, doing lots of damage with a sneak attack. Joybell waffled a bit then rode Scooby as far as he could go and threw a javelin at the Gribbly Monster. The Gribbly Monster moved up as far as he could, which got him to ten feet away from Joybell and gribbled at her, but couldn’t attack. The closer barbarian (in my notes as Barbarian 2), however, was able to charge her and attack, but he missed. The cleric cast a spell that would have affected everyone but Joybell and Scooby -- everyone in the party felt a sense of time around them speeding up, then it slowed down again as literally everyone saved against the Slow spell. (This was a preview of how the combat was going to go for the DM.) Mo blew a Shatter spell on his flute, placing it to catch the Gribbly Monster and Barbarian 2, without catching Joybell. Then he inspired Imaktis. The robed figure, a Sorcerer, moved up and cast something that Orryk, Mo, Imaktis and Joybell would have had to deal with -- the area started glowing with a dim and sickly greenish light. Fiona cast a fireball to catch the Cleric and the Sorcerer and did lots and lots of damage. The Sorcerer lost his concentration on that spell -- the greenish radiance of the Sickening Radiance spell dissipated before anyone had to make a save against it. Imaktis cast Hold Person on Barbarian 2, which froze the barbarian in place, and then Imaktis moved up into the combat. Taman used the Dimension Door ability from the Cape of the Mountebank he’d just gotten and moved up to a position behind a bookcase but near the Sorcerer. He tried to hide there, but didn’t do a good job at all. He’ll have to get used to the disorientation from the Dimension Door. The other barbarian, Barbarian 1, attacked Imaktis and missed. Orryk moved up on Barbarian 2, still held, and attacked (with advantage). He missed with his first attack but his second did serious damage, then he backed up and out of range. Joybell dismounted and sent Scooby back out of the thick of things (back to the teleportation circle) then she dropped the held Barbarian 2 and then got a hit on the Gribbly Monster. The Gribbly Monster, in return, attacked Joybell with six tentacles. Three of them hit and she took 28 damage. Mo used Cutting Words to reduce that to 20, so Joybell wasn’t down more than half her total hit points in one round. Then the Gribbly Monster moved like lightning, 40’, around the bookcase back to where Mo and Fiona were. The Cleric cast a Silence spell that caught Fiona, Mo, Scooby and the Gribbly Monster, but it really only mattered for Fiona and Mo. Mo moved out of the spell and cast Blindness on the Monster, succeeding in blinding it such that every attack against it was with advantage and every attack it made was with disadvantage. (Note: The Gribbly Monster failed a CON save -- and one has to assume that the monster was strong in that.) The Sorcerer moved around to where he could see Taman and shot four scorching rays at him. Fortunately only two hit, but Taman still took 11 points of damage, after his uncanny dodge. Then the Sorcerer shot 2 beams of crackling Eldritch Blast energy at him. Fortunately only one of them hit. Fiona moved out of range of the Monster and cast Blur on herself. Imaktis moved and cast a level 3 Guiding Bolt at the Gribbly Monster. He did 18 points of Radiant Damage and dropped the Monster. Hooray! Taman said “Ow” then used his Insight to learn something about the Sorcerer, then moved up to melee range. He attacked and hit, but even with the sneak attack damage, he didn’t do a lot. Barbarian 1 (the only remaining barbarian) raged and attacked Joybell. He did a reckless attack and got in a good hit. Orryk dashed 90 feet (spending a ki point) and attacked the Sorcerer. He spent another ki point for a stunning strike. The Sorcerer saved against the stunning strike, So Orryk hit it again and spent another ki point to try again with the stunning strike and the Sorcerer saved again. Dammit! Joybell hit Barbarian 1 with a wrathful smite and he failed the save (first successful Smite Spell!), then she hit him again. Unfortunately on the next turn, the Cleric dispelled the frightened condition from the Wrathful Smite and Barbarian 1 got to use his reaction to hit Joybell. The Sorcerer cast a quickened Thunderstep, to move away from Taman and Orryk, doing them damage on the way out. Taman was dropped. Orryk saved. Then the Sorcerer missed Orryk with an Eldritch blast. The Sorcerer and Cleric had, likely inadvertently, moved themselves into Fireball Formation with Barbarian 1, so Fiona, recognizing an opportunity when she saw one, Fireballed them. She did some nice damage -- dropping the Sorcerer and bringing down the silence when the Cleric failed to maintain his concentration on the spell. The Cleric was looking pretty ragged at that point. Imaktis moved up on Barbarian 1 and got a hit with his Shillelagh, but didn’t drop it. Which was a bit of a pity, because the Barbarian then attacked Joybell twice with a raging frenzy. The first strike dropped her and then the second immediately had her at two failed death saves. Orryk ran to Joybell and poured the greater healing potion she’d just gotten down her throat. Joybell stood up, but still woozy from having been knocked out and nearly killed, missed with both of her attacks. Then she cast Misty Step and moved to the other side of the bookcase back toward where the Gribbly Monster had been killed. The Cleric cast healing word on Barbarian 1, who then got to immediately use his reaction to attack Imaktis. Mo moved into range to cast Healing Word, which did a good deal of healing to Taman. Then he cast Vicious Mockery on Barbarian 1. “Why don’t you put some clothes on. You suck!” The Barbarian, flustered by this, had disadvantage on his attacks for the next round. Fiona cast Scorching Ray on the Cleric but only one of the rays hit. Imaktis hit the Barbarian for 9 points of damage, but it was still standing. Taman stood up and took a shot with his bow. It initially seemed like he was going to miss, but he got lucky and it was a hit instead. The Barbarian attacked recklessly (which negated the disadvantage from Mo’s vicious mockery) and attacked Imaktis. Fortunately, Imaktis was able to throw up a Shield spell. Orryk attacked with advantage against the Barbarian -- the first attack missed and the second hit. Then he did a bonus action to hit him again -- and that was a crit and he just pummeled him with an upper cut into the abdomen and then into the chin when he buckled over. Joybell moved half her movement and called Scooby to her, then rode up to the Cleric and attacked him from wolf-back and dropped him. With everyone down, we looted the naughty word out of them and found: Splint Armor (from the cult cleric) -- can and will be cut down to fit Joybell Wand of Magic Detection Immovable Rod Potion of Greater Healing (Joybell) Potion of Firebreathing (Orryk) (Also 2 regular longswords, a mace, and 3 shields) Also from the cultists and gribbly monster: 80pp 1200gp 14 100-gp gems (5 jet, 5 amethyst, 4 coral) (Note: The money from the cultists divides to: 433 gp each (with 2 left in a party kitty) 13pp each (with 2 left in a party kitty)) We ended there -- discussing how to get in touch with the people in Embernook to get back there (whether by boat or by another Teleportation spell) and how to take back the remains of the Gribbly Monster as proof of having killed it. Joybell suggested that maybe there was a wheelbarrow in the garden that the body could be dumped into. Not directly related to this session, an update on the contents of the Bag of Holding. Despite Orryk’s plan to fill the bag with books, it currently contains: Potion of Clairvoyance Potion of Force Resistance Candle of the Deep Gloves of Climbing and Swimming Longsword x3 (2 from the cultists) Mace x1 (from the cultists) Longbow x1 Splint Mail (from the cult cleric, mentioned above) Shield x3 (from the cultists; question as to whether the cleric's shield has his holy symbol on it) 2 Quivers, each with 20 arrows (some arrows from Wights, others from stash of spares Orryk had) Spare/old gear of Orryk's: Quarterstaff, Shortbow, 20 Darts Note: the party kitty contains: 2 pp, 8gp, 6sp, and 8 cp. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Erkonin (Campaign #1) [Session 46: Making Deals with Devils is Stupid as well as Bad]
Top