DDAL Jasper DMs Candlekeep Mysteries

[jasper]

Remember Jasper it is not Candlemass but Candlekeep. Candlemass was/is an SCA event. I have open my table to three new people if they reserve. This will mean about 2 of my regulars from the Icewind Dale campaign will not be seated.
Set Up. The groups patron will be the Magnificent Don Meepo Mayor the Sunless Citadel. This is due to most of the openings are not making sense as no book is given for them to enter.
Props. Composition Notebooks and some door keys on ribbons will be the prop. I am planning on printing the picture of the book and taping to the front. And maybe putting the information dumps in the first couple of pages.
One problem is my work is currently blocking D&D beyond so I can't work on the game during my breaks.

 

[jasper]

I will be sitting two mostly new people. The one regular player who I told was not playing was not happy. But I did not care since I told the six regular players one or more of them would be cut for the new people.

 

[jasper]

This is the letter from Don Meepo
Greetings my faithful adopted family member. I have paid your fee to Candlekeep. For this favor, I will call on you to do some minor research for me. Please make copies of the interesting books you come across. I will be running an account with the House of the Binder.

Signed

The Magnificent Don Meepo Mayor of Sunless Citadel

***
and this is the

Candlekeep Rules.

No magic Transportation into or out the keep.

No flames bigger than a one-inch-thick candle.

No theft of books. Or you will be sorry.

No fighting, Insult fights welcome

No Stealing of anything.

No photocopying. And don’t Ask what that means.

No damaging, marking, or modifying the works. You dog eared a book, you will be a dog.

 

[jasper]

Candlekeep Mysteries Session 1

Meepo’s Mob vs Bruising Books

The Joy of Extradimensional Space and Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions.

Days 1-10

Kythorn 19, 1492 dawn to Kythorn 29 Breakfast

Gain two levels. You should be Level 3. 20 downtime days. 160 GP before shopping.

Magic Item +1 book flail, Driftglobe, and Helm of Comprehending Languages.

As an experiment we tried to run two sessions in one night. The first one took 100 minutes. But the second one took 2.5 hours. So, we will only be doing one chapter per session. Also, the wife said no to starting the game at five. Maybe you should bribe her with jewelry?

I had a strong group of seven (Thanks Mistoffelees for correcting the math). Tigra Barbarian Tabaxi. Roland Rogue. Zanifi ranger no wizard. Mastermind aka Ronny Rogue. Scaredy Kait Tabaxi Monk. Swat Barbarian. Mistoffelees Wild Mage Sorcerer.

DM Note Wild Mage Surge On the first spell of first or higher roll the d20.

The group arrives by various methods at the bus stop um carriage stop at dawn one mile from Candlekeep. They open the package they were told to open on arriving. In it is a magical necklace of Mardi Gras. The letter states, Greetings my faithful adopted family member. I have paid your fee to Candlekeep. For this favor, I will call on you to do some minor research for me. Please make copies of the interesting books you come across. I will be running an account with the House of the Binder. Signed the Magnificent Don Meepo Mayor of Sunless Citadel.

Their cover is applying to be Avowed. Meepo’s first assignment is looking up things involving demiplanes and the Weave. After telling Roland to quick looking at copies of Killer Kobolds of Kalamazoo, they find The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces is a heavy tome. Its thick covers are made of ornately tooled leather decorated with gold filigree. Mordenkainen is on the front cover. Tigra opens the book and the group is sucked into the book. Passing through a long dark tunnel they see a light at the end of tunnel. They are about to hit a set of double doors when it opens and they fall to the floor.

Matreous an elderly sage, “Good Good. Wait here. Now the door is open, I can go get help.” He rushes out the door and the doors slam shut and double lock.

Swat, “Doors are locked and we are going to die.”

Ronny, “Chill out. Let explore this place.”

They explore the study and find lots of books with full titles. A secret door leads to the basement. A calico cat gets their attention when is shoves a book with no title on the spine. The group explores west. Tigra, Mistoffelees, and Scaredy Kait enter the exercise room and get some great excise as three evil brooms beat them nearly to death before the rest of party destroy the brooms.

The next room is a full library. Roland insults the decorate and the fact that people enjoy reading. This ticks off the books which attack the party trying smash flat Tigra and Mistoffelees. After the book swarm is taken care of. Roland remarks that learning is dangerous. And reading gives him a headache.

Ronny suddenly smells home cooking and heads east to the kitchen. Finding Cumin and Coriander who are two homunculi created by two different mages which have not been around for a while. They feed the group and the group raid the pantry. Forgetting their manners, Cumin offers them seating in the dining room. But Mistoffelees promised the DM a hair ball down his shirt if the DM wrote on why Mistoffelees broke the chair.

The basement is very dangerous with evil toads, evil baby hands and evil tadpoles. But the find some special books.

Bruise and battered they make their way to the upstairs. Finding a nice lab, some star charts, and some alchemical stuff, the group is impressed but gold hungry. Opening the western door to the planetarium they are impress but the star map on the ceiling is wrong. Tigra sets to the last nights star positions. This triggers a secret door and a hidden library of dangerous books. So dangerous, fifty feet of heavy chain hold the enclosed bookshelf in place. Ronny and Scaredy Kait explore the shelves and are beaten up. After kill the book shelf, Roland finds a book has magically infused itself into four feet of chain making a book flail.

The group explores the east wing. While trying sleeping on the owner’s bed, Mistoffelees trigger the awaken items. Which try to get the Taxbaxi off the bed, Mistoffelees wild magic surges and summons a unicorn who is not happy because he is off his feed. The unicorn help destroy the evil swords and heals some of the party members.

The group finishes exploring the house and finds the special books. Ronny guesses the clue which unlocks the demiplane. Arriving back in Candlekeep they make a report and send the book to the binder for Meepo.

A day later the group gets a message on why didn’t they research the Weave. The group slowly goes to the great library and asks the Avowed Alkrist for which section. They are directed by the Avowed to the card catalog stacks first. Zanifi finds the correct section and the group wanders down the long stacks.

Zanifi pulls the Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions. Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions is seven inches wide and nine inches tall. The brown leather cover is worn from time and use. The name of the book and its author, Mazfroth Gethur, are elegantly written in cursive with black ink on the first page. The care put into the front page, however, does not apply to the rest of the book’s contents. After a few minutes of reading the book changes to Ectoplasmic octopus and nearly sucks the life out of Zanifi. Swot screams about dangerous books. Various members climb the stacks and try to belly flop on the book. They finally kill the book but the Avowed Alkrist starts reading them the riot act when Roland gets in his face.

Roland, “What do you mean this is the third time in has happen in two months.” The Avowed confesses and mentions the two other titles and two people who brought those works. The two book sellers are still in the keep grand court yard. The Avowed mentions if the group discovers the original not face eating books, and puts a stop to evil books; the reward will be a magical helmet.

The group talks to the two book sellers. Highscroll a human acolyte and Valor a former Purple Knight turned bounty hunter. Both talk about picking the books from a book vendor in the Wide a huge open market in Baulder’s Gate. Roland shakes down the Avowed for travel vouchers to the Gate. Except for the hold up where they took down a wererat and a couple of swarms of rats, the journey to the Gate is very quiet.

Arriving in the Gate, they talk to the Flaming Fist about the Wide. They find the book seller. Mastermind Aka Ronny gets out his grease paint and poses as a noble. He mentions the three books which upset the two vendors Avani and Inbar. Ronny wants to speak with manager about buying copies of the three books. But the manager will not be present until tomorrow at noon. The group takes an overwatch and waits for hours for the Wide to close down. They then successfully follow the couple.

As the couple is unloading the wagon, Mistoffelees creates an unseen servant which enters the house. Only to killed by a rug.

The group returns to Amberdune books and Ronny bluffs the manger Korvala about buying the copies of the books. He promises bank notes. (AND NO, you not going to forge 4,500 GP in bank notes overnight. Especially trying to pass them off in the bank lobby.) The group decides to raid the house. In broad day light.

The group tries some second story work but that does not work because no second story exists. So, they open a window on the first floor and send in another unseen servant which is immediately killed by a rug of smothering. An old man enters the room from a hall door way.

Zan, “What is wrong with this rug?” Zanifi casts sleep on Zan. And everyone enters the house by the window. As Scaredy Kait is trying to nail down the rug, it attacks. A few rounds later, the rug is dead and Zan has been tied up and blindfolded. They search the house, nearly dying due to evil chests, evil books, and step to the basement which was loose. Finding the original copies of the books, they FINALLY decide to talk with their prisoner.

Zan gives them most of the story. Their matron died recently. Korvala and the group has been trying to make money to pay for a resurrection spell. Korvala knows a ritual to duplicate books in one night. But Zan does not know the books turn evil. Roland wants more information and suggests ambushing the merchants. But cooler heads rule. They contact the Flaming Fist, who arrest the book sellers for selling dangerous books. The group does not mention they have stored, um STOLE, the more valuable books in their backpacks. The group returns to Candlekeep with the books. Which are moved to the binders immediately.

Ok. The adventures are short. Some will be combat heavy. So will be thinking heavy. So have fun.

 

[jasper]

Candlekeep Mysteries Session 2

Raving Raven or

Book of the Raven

Days 10-26

Kythorn 29, 1492 dawn to Flamerule 24 Noon

Gain a level. 10 Downtime days. 80 Gp

No Magic Items
Start Time 5:30 PM End time 9:15 PM


Pc Killed 2 Monsters Killed 37 Villains Captured 7 Villains Escaped 0

I had an average group of five. Swot Barbarian 3. Tigra barbarian 2 Monk 1. Master Mind Bard Rogue 2. Scaredy Kait Tabaxi Monk 3. Mistoffelees Wild Mage Sorcerer 3. Thanks, Mist, for giving me inspiration on making this more of haunted house thing.

DM Note I was having trouble getting into mood on how to run this. Scooby Doo or something else. Mistoffelees mention something which trigger me to do DC 14 IN saves for a horror check. If they failed, I made some mind horror up.

Don Meepo sent a message to the Meepo’s Minions to research the Shadowfell. They consulted with Great Reader Daral who mention the book of the Raven. It was brought to the keep by a raven named Heluthe. The book chronicles the months an author broke her leg after a horse threw her. She was helped by a troupe of Vistani. She stayed with troupe for a few months taking notes on their ways. The Vistani can travel the planes. But not mention of how.

Tigra, “well that was of no help.” She goes to reshelve the book and a letter falls out.

Master Mind, “maybe this map to Wytchway will help?” Talking with Kazryn Nyantani they discover Wytchway is seven days by horse from Candlekeep. Dipping into Meepo’s vouchers they gather supplies and horses from the stable. The travel is only a little exciting when they hide from a pack of wolves in the trees.

Arriving at the Chalet Brantifax, they discover a grave yard in the back. They read the four tombstones. (Clues are being censored. They know. You the reader. Play the adventure if you want to know.)

A crude front door in the front (Okay it was just a window. The DM can’t read a map.) A service entrance on the side. Mistoffelees hears a body either being dragged up or down some stairs. The others gathered around the front door hear a pane of glass being broken from about the third floor. Mistoffelees has trouble with the service door, but Swot breaks down the front.

The den is also the trophy room. Various animal heads mounted on the wall appear to stare at the party. Master Mind flips the lock and opens the door for Mistoffelees. The den opens to a dining room. But Scaredy Kait hears the sound of Bulldog walking through the den and downstairs. The group follows. With Swot nearly falling down head first if he was not caught by Master Mind.

Master Mind, “That step is too loose to occurred naturally. Be careful.”

Exploring the cellar, Mistoffelees takes to ceiling and explores from the high ground.

Mistoffelees, “Nothing will be able to get me here.” He looks down into the well and a huge Bulldog leaps from the water seventy-five feet to grab him by the neck. Or did it? No one else saw this. Scaredy Kait goes down in the well. She finds a holy symbol of Sune with a portrait of a woman. She tucks into a pouch and says nothing. Master Mind and Kait hear voices from the servant quarters, but no one else hear it. Examining the quarters, it is discovered the quarters are for the cook and groundskeeper. They return upstairs to the den.

Everyone notices a portrait is now missing. Was it there when they arrived, did they fail to notice it? The DM is not telling. They enter the dining room. Five chairs covered in sheets are around the table. The sixth is near the door. It attacks Mistoffelees.

Everyone draws weapons at his scream. Then look at him sideways as he picks the chair he knocked over and places in the proper place. The group notices raven tracks are outline in the dust on the table.

Exploring the kitchen, the group is confused. No dust. Recent dirty dishes in the sink. One serving of pot roast is.

Swot, “Pot Roast good. Want more.” The group waits for the poison to kill the hungry adventurer. They wait. And Wait. Then Swot passes gas.

Being good guest, they use spells to clean the kitchen and restart the fire. They leave a bill. Then explore the upper parlor. The parlor is clean too. Recently clean. Master Mind is mad. He can not shove a concert hall harp with gold inlay into his bag. He plays a merry tune and hears thanks in his ear. Or does he?

The parlor has steep steps leading to second floor. The second floor has the wife’s study which mentions her kids Sylphene and Heluthe. The two kids’ bedrooms. The master bedroom with.

Mistoffelees, “Hey Loot. Under the bed. Next to wall. It is a winged demon type. You readers now know where some loot is at.”

The master bedroom is clean also. So, someone is currently living in half the house. And.

Swot, “Not cleaning house. They should be ashamed.”

So, the master bedroom is clean. And.

Tigra, “Has a secret door. We open it.”

The group opens the secret door to Scarlet Sash Conference. Surprising (NOT THE COMBAT SURPISE SWOT. DOWN BOY.) the group of four. The elder a man about seventy-one talks to the group.

Taspar, “So you are here for the baron’s saddle of cavalier. Good luck. We tried the ritual with the baron’s portrait. We did not get to Shadowfell.” See Swot swinging his book mace from the last session, Taspar gives up the process of ritual and the Scarlet Sash agrees not to harm the party.

The party decides since is only one in the afternoon, to explore the rest of the house. I will not mention Mistoffelees being scared by Sylphene’s two dollies and falling down the stairs for max damage. Or the second dolly slamming Tigra’s head into the wall. Nor will I mention Kait pulling out the holy symbol and try to turn the two dollies. That would make our adventurers look like the three stooges.

The group takes a short rest after nearly losing their lives to evil dolls. Just after night fall, they do the ritual and dig up Sylphene’s grave and sleep in it. They awaken to a fall evening. Frost is on the pumpkins. They see the Baron’s Mausoleum. They laugh at the various tombstones surrounding the mausoleum. They flip off Rip and Torn the two gargoyles guarding the crypt. Tigra and Scaredy Kait rush into the family crypt. Rip and Torn follow. So does the rest of the group.

The fight is hard due only some magic items. Some people only attacking from distance. (BAD ROLLS FROM THE GROUP.) The gargoyles fall. Tigra pops the lock on the hidden compartment.

The demon figure comes alive and climbs out of Swot’s pouch. (OKAY who forgot to write down who had what loot?)

Demon Figure, “Pray to me. If you want to live Mr. Swot.” Swot knocks the figure from his shoulder. It grows. And flies up into the air.

Orcus, “Arise my ghouls. Kill these people and dig graves for them.” The baron appears above the crypt. “You people leave my saddle alone.” The group scatters. Some ghouls enter the mausoleum. Others chase the adventurers. It looks bad.

Baron, “Leave by these graves and trouble me no more.” Five graves glow in the dark about eighty feet from the entrance of the mausoleum. The group fights on.

The ghouls drop Master Mind. The ghouls drop Kait. The ghouls drop Tigra. (OK THIS IS looking like TPK.) Swot feeds Master Mind his potion of healing. Master Mind plays dead. Swot flees toward the glowing graves drawing most of ghouls after him. Mistoffelees goes long around the mob.

Master Mind dashes into crypt and feeds Tigra’s potion to her. He dashes into the great crypt and flings the saddle across his shoulder.

Baron, “DO NOT TAKE MY SADDLE OUT THE CRYPT.” Master Mind the flees out and around the back of the crypt drawing have the ghouls with him. (Great tactics). Death takes Kait.

SKULLY “NOW SERVING NUMBER 98”.

Swot dives into his grave. Mistoffelees dives into his grave. Tigra runs through a small mob of ghouls.

Baron, “THE HUNT IS ON!” He blows a hunting horn. Three warhorse skeletons arise from the crypts. Tigra jumps into her grave. Master Mind dashes away from the mob in the rear of the graveyard but is nearly clothesline by the group in front. The baron and two girls appear on the horses.

Baron, “COME CHILDREN WE RIDE. RIDE THE THIEF DOWN!”

Sylphene, “WEE. I hurt him daddy. His is on the ground. And bleeding out.”

Heluthe, “NO. Daddy I don’t want to play ride down the peasant.” She puts her spurs into the warhorse and it jumps over Master Mind.

Baron, “DIE THIEF. CRIT.”

Death, “That had to hurt but you were unconscious.”

SKULLY, “Now serving 99.”

Mistoffelees, Swot, and Tigra with some trouble dig themselves out their graves and return to the prime material plane. They drag themselves back to Candlekeep to be welcomed by their dead friends who are now alive.

ARE YOU DEAD? BEEN EATEN BY A DRAGON? LEFT BEHIND TO ROT? THE ADVENTURE LEAGUE BODY RECOVERY TEAM GOES ANY WHERE AND ANY TIME. FOR A SMALL FEE. See your DM about details.

 

[jasper]

Darn after reading the opening three times I still missed the raven was called Heluthe. I was having a hard time on why the group should be afraid of the house. And I may have missed it, but I did not see any reason in the story for the adventurers to travel to shadowfell. Anybody got a room number or in the written story reason?
Two deaths could have been three if wasn't for some smart tactics. And i was rolling great.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

At the beginning:
Characters in Candlekeep might uncover this book and the treasure map hidden inside it while researching one of the following topics: Possible routes into and out of the Shadowfell.

 

[jasper]

Candlekeep Mysteries Session 3

A Deep And Creeping Darkness or

Mining Boom

Days 27-49

Flamerule 25 to Eleasis 14 7 AM.

Gain a level. 10 Downtime days. 80 Gp. Or not as next week is a level 4 also

Ring of Swimming and Googles of Night

Start Time 5:55 PM End time 8:24 PM

Pc Killed 2 Monsters Killed 46 Villains Captured 7 Villains Escaped 2

I had an average group of four. Tigra barbarian 2 monk 2. Scaredy Kait Tabaxi Monk 4. Swot Books Hurt Barbarian 4. Master Mind Bard 1 Rogue 3.

Meepo is interested in mining and asks the group to find abandon mines. They find A Deep and Creeping Darkness which talks about a haunted and deserted mine.

Master Mind, “Did he say anything about haunted.”

Scaredy Kait, “It does not matter. But we better check it out.”

The first problem on their journey is the stables. Khe’ril Hammerbind was not happy that five horses were returned but only nineteen horseshoes. After yelling at them for five minutes he gives them four nags.

Swot, “But he already nagged us for five minutes.”

DM, “Groan. Four substandard horses. Aka Nags.”

Maerin the town at the bottom of mountain where Vermeillon existed is six days away. On the six day they met a convoy going to Maerin. They join it but are suspicious of a wagon which is curiosity very lightly loaded to be going to merchant fair. They discuss raiding it during the night but Kait is over ruled. Arriving in town everyone knows they not here to shop and think the group is another group of adventurers who going to die investigating the mine. The odds are three to one against but the group does not take the bet. The townsfolks point out the owner of the Bored Weasel Lukas Grosvenor.

(DM note. USE more highlighters on the information dumps. Cross reference the information dumps. Do not wake up at 4:30 to start smoking the beef brisket if it is raining. Even if the furry alarm clocks want you to wake up.)

Lukas is a sad depressed old human man of ninety-five. He gives more information about the mine and his wife. He asks them to lay a magically persevered daisy chain of daffodils flowers at her grave. He mumbles something about a necklace. (STOP IT WRITER YOU FORGOT to tell the players and are cleaning it up in post. SHUT MUSE.) He also mentions a young fellow Astra Vorn a flower vendor who may have more information.

Vorn is a half elf and is currently unloading the wagon they were going to raid.

Swot, “Kait you were going to steal that elf’s flowers.”

Kait, “Can you say FLOWER POWER. Now peace out before I lock you in a library with dangerous books.”

Vorn is very chatty for a young half elf of seventy-two. He is also the town gossip. Three hours later and close to bed time, they know to expect nightmares on the way up the mountain and while in the abandon mining town. But the nightmares arrived that night. Master Mind and Tigra dream of the mountain falling on them. And it does three days up the trail to the town.

Arriving in Vermeillon is let down. No ghosts eating there faces off. No ghouls climbing out the grave as they place the daffodils on Lukas’ wife grave. No whomping willows beating when they discover the necklace. No evil dangerous books as they explore the mayor’s mansion. Nothing. (DM GRR. Darn pcs passing all the saving throws.) They sleep through the night with only light nightmares. (DM GRR. AGAIN!) And enter the mine the next morning.

Swot and Scaredy Kait are attacked by some bats. Some evil black moss attack Kait and Master Mind which summons a new monster. (NO NO. NO survival check to know the monster. It is brand new. DM totally ignores the monster was also in Volo’s). Kait did see the monster was affected by the torch light and makes sure she keeps one lit.

The Chocolate pudding was delicious. Swot, “But I didn’t get any chocolate pudding.”

Scaredy Kait, “You remoted in. The DM uses chocolate pudding as black pudding monsters.”

DM, “and there are four pudding left in the fridge. Get one next week end. Now where was I.”

After the defeat of black pudding, one Meenlock tries to attack rear of the party. Two attack the front. Kait tosses one torch to the rear and one to front of party scaring off one Meenlock.

Scaredy Kait, “That is why I am called Scaredy Kait.” She gives chase to the fleeing Meenlock. Which dashes around the corner deeper into the chamber. Losing Kait for half a round. Kait arrives puffing.

DM, “Four cigars are puffed to a great glow. Four fuses are lit. And since you are only in dim light. Since you out ran your torch light.”

Master Mind, “What does a Driftglobe do? Light spell. And I said I was following.”

DM counts the four squares of radius. DM, “The bright light prevents the Meenlocks from escaping. The fuses burn very quickly. The Mission Impossible music does not get a chance to play. BOOM. ROLL DEX SAVING THROW.”

Three minutes later. Two Meenlocks are dead by the party. Two are dead by cave in. The group digs out Kait and returns to Candlekeep. A few days later a note from Meepo arrives.

Meepo, “I bought the rights to the town and mine. Found these platinum earrings on a dead body crushed by that natural cave in you mentioned. Would look good on Tigra.”

DM Notes. You will need to cross reference things in the info dumps. I had to look up the total number of Meenlock for the final encounter. That was on page 51. Final encounter is on page 59.

 

[jasper]

Candlekeep Mysteries Session 4

Shemshine’s Bedtime Rhyme or

Murder Most Fowl

Days 49 to 50.

Eleasis 14 7 AM to Eleasis 15 Noon.

Gain a level. 10 Downtime days. 80 Gp.

Magic Item Bag of Holding

Start Time 5:48 PM End time 9:08 PM

Pc Killed 3 Monsters Killed 50 Villains Captured 7 Villains Escaped 2 NPC Murdered 2

I had a weak group of five. Roland Ranger 3. Drake Dragonborn Paladin 4. Mistoffelees Sorcerer 4. Tigra barbarian 2 monk 2. Zanifi Wizard 2.

Housekeeping knocks three times. “Meepo’s Minions”

Housekeeping knocks three times. “Meepo’s Minions”

Roland, “go away.”

Housekeeping knocks three times. “Meepo’s Minions”

Mistoffelees gets up and answers the door. The housekeeper in the House of Rest announces due to over crowding this week, they will be moved. But the master sage has given them coupons for free two for one steak night and a free 10 Gp bottle of wine for their trouble.

The dinner goes well except for Roland drinking three-fourths of the bottle. The waiter at the end of meal takes down to the basement of the House of Rest. By a strange trap door with a huge circular wheel door know, is their stuff. Roland climbs 75 feet down the shaft and calls for his stuff.

Waiter, “You want your stuff. Here.” He tosses Roland’s gear down. “Hope nothing broke.” Then whispering, “No Tipping Drunk. Beep.” The others go down the shaft but bundle their stuff up and as the waiter to slowly lower their stuff down. The cellar is lit by fireflies in jars.

Crinkle the kenku caretaker,” Welcome to stacks. Beddy bye time. No time for Bed time snacks. Welcome to stacks. No snacking while stacking.”

Mistoffelees, “Who talked to you that way. What poor Evil Common Speaking person talk to that way.”

Crinkle and the DM look confused at Mistoffelees. And this the last time the DM will mention how the players ragged on Crinkle word choice and the difficulties of playing a race which just repeats what it is heard, but it was fun making the DM lose it.

Crinkle introduces the pcs to Varnyr a sun elf senior scribe who wants them to ring the bell line on the book nook pulley platform when they get to the second floor of the stacks. And take the books to Ebder on the dorm room floor. (Why is there a cat seating on my book? The DM can’t reference the book.)

The first floor has three ring of book shelves. One flush with the wall and the other two in collapsing circles around the balcony. The balcony overlooks the second floor and has the book nook. And (Players want the DM to move on. And mention they have a map.)

The second floor has similar bookshelves but a south door with Bindery and Scriptorium. The stairwell to the dorm floor. (How did the cat unplug the freaking keyboard?) Is 75 feet down in a tight spiral.

Roland, “Why are all these stairs 75 long.?”

DM, “Because the book didn’t give me a clue.” DM will ignore the groans.

The group arrives at the bottom of cellar and Crinkle points out the rooms. Kitchen, their room, Gailby’s room, Ebder, Crinkle, Avowed, K’Tulah, and Varnyr. The group forgets they were supposed to deliver the books. The group is not happy to be crowded into an eight by fifteen dorm room with only two beds. They set up watches. During the third watch Drake hears tinny musical. First from the stairwell. Secondly from the locked kitchen. He mentions this when.

Crinkle, “DROP YOU BEEP AND GRAB YOUR SOCKS YOUR APES. Breakfast time. Rise and shine and with Kellogg Sugar Smacks eat a healthy meal.” Everyone crowds into the kitchen. Varnyr the sun elf chief master sage in charge of the restoration project which has been going on for twenty years. Crinkle the caretaker. Ebder Smallstone a thirty something pessimist and his daughter a young nine-year-old human. K’Tulah a Tabaxi young scribe looking in the stacks for regional folk magic.

Everyone is humming. Including the adventurers. Most try to stop themselves but they can’t. After eating breakfast, the group breaks up to find the source of the tinny music from last night.

Mistoffelees goes to explore the first floor. He climbs on to the huge book (WHICH YOU TOTALLY IGNORED YESTERDAY). It is suspended above the balcony about five feet. It has the words “Be curious” in gold inlay. The chains are old about 600 years old. The chains are weak.

Mistoffelees, “How weak are they?”

DM, “Weak enough I need a weight check from you. How much does your cat weigh and how much is it carrying?”

Mistoffelees, “I never picked a weight. WHO DOES THAT? My pc sheet says I carrying 105 pounds. And Tabaxi generally weight 150.”

DM, “The chains snap! People hear a Tabaxi screaming to its death.”

Mistoffelees, “Feather Fall.”

DM, “Did you stick out your tongue at me?” The heavy books shatters into multiple pieces below. So many pieces it would take twenty years of mending. A certain cat acts innocence as they scamper behind some stacks. Everyone who is still humming arrives. The caretaker and Ebder start cleaning up the mess. Crinkle asks some of the group to help out. Some of the group go clue hunting and Roland questions Varnyr.

Varnyr remembers something 600 years ago about the humming quarantine. At the mention of quarantine Roland gets hot and bothered and yells for everyone. The group and npcs find out that half of the ladder to the entrance has been removed. And. (DM WHAT? SIGH?) And the cats can climb up to the submarine hatch and knock. The waiter from last night opens a peep hole in the hatch and gives them the bad news. The great reader has locked them down. They can solve the humming mystery or (ROLAND QUIT SHOOTING AT THE NPCS!) die. The group calms down, I think.

Varnyr gives a little bit more information about the humming sickness and mentions a book about may exist in the stacks. But due to restoration work, the Dewey decimal system is not going to work. Because the books are arranged in shape, size, and color. Not….

Roland, “Why mess up system is this. Are we still in Candlekeep? No way this is Candlekeep. Because…” Begins a three-minute rant on Candlekeep Lore.

Mistoffelees, “A rules lawyer is bad. But lore lawyer is the worst.” The whole table laughs at Roland. The group splits and explores the cellar. Various clues are found but no spoilers.

The temperature drops to 69 degrees and stays there. Roland starts another lore rant. During the middle of rant Ebder starts humming louder to drown out Roland. The Ebder freezes. But keeps humming. Drake grabs the paralyzed not petrified Ebder to Ebder’s room. Roland, Zanifi, and Mistoffelees follow. The humming has gotten to Mistoffelees and he starts humming a different tune louder than Ebder. This ticks off Zanifi who tries to cast Firebolt but it fails due to the Keep’s protection. Roland fires a round into the steps between them and breaks it up.

Ebder’s daughter is upset because daddy is sick and this didn’t happen until the adventurers shown up. It is their fault. As Drake tries to explore Ebder’s room, Gailby grabs her blanket and doll and threatens the seven-foot high dragonborn. The dragonborn keeps the child at arm distance to protect is knees. Turning up no clue, he leaves the family alone.

Meanwhile Zanifi, Roland, and Mistoffelees explore the Scriptorium and find the firefly breeding room. Exploring the breeding room, Roland finds a tiny door behind one shelve. He eases it open.

The skull of Yowen Pilt floats out. Pilt, “See a mother scything wheat.” BANG. The skull shatters due to Roland’s Nat 20.

DM, “WILL YOU PLEASE QUIT SHOOTING THE CLUES! Take five.” The group finds some clues and get together to share them. They need to find.

Mistoffelees, “The book Shemshine’s Bedtime Rhyme. What it is on the Title of the Chapter.” (DM grumbles about dramatic reveals.) The group spreads out to find the book.

As Roland, Drake, and Mistoffelees go to explore K’Tulah room. She wants out. K’Tulah, “Get out my way. I going to get out here.”

Roland, “So you know a back way out of Missy Kitty.”

K’Tulah, “I am getting out of here.” She ducks under Roland’s arm and starts down the hallway. Roland shoots her. She counters with Thunderwave. He counters with another Nat 20. Painting the walls with brains and blood.

Roland coughing up some brain, “Beep that was your ninth life.” Crinkle dashes into the Ebder’s Room and starts trying to block the door. The group tosses all the rooms except Ebder’s. Finding nothing Roland scares Crinkle into unblocking the door. Crinkle is grabbed by the neck and questioned by Roland but no more clues or help is available. Keeping one hand on Crinkle neck the group loots the kitchen. And starts exploring the second floor. As they are exploring the inner stacks, BANG. (SEE SEE THE DM CAN BLOW NPCS AWAY TOO! WHAT YOU GOING TO DO!)

Gaily drops Roland’s pistol to the floor. She is holding the book. Tigra talks the book out her hands. She and Roland open the book but it will only play the first three parts of the rhyme. They both try to fix it using Roland’s jewelry tools. Tigra gets a blinding headache and quits helping. After seven checks, multiple healing spells, potions, and goodberries the full rhyme starts playing. IT summons Shemshine. An undead shadow.

Tigra stares at the book. Roland goes down on Shemshine’s first swing. Mistoffelees comes close and casts butterflies on the undead. Zanifi casts magic missile. Tigra stares at the book. Drake misses with an attack. Mistoffelees spell hurts Shemshine but wild magic causes Misty to float up 20 feet. Shemshine follows and hits Mistoffelees taking him down below ten hit points. Zanifi casts another magic missile.

Tigra, “We have to crush it.” She rushes to table and tries to flip it. Shemshine Nat 20s Mistoffelees instant death by massive damage.

Shemshine, “BOOM. BEEP. There is one of you lives.” But the group gets their revenge and kill Shemshine. How?

Zanifi, “BOOK KNOWLEDGE HURTS!”

DM Notes. I added a DC 16 Int save to suppress the humming. But since the humming had no mechanical effect, it was no issue.

 

[jasper]

Candlekeep Mysteries Session 5

The Price of Beauty Or

Beautiful Heist

Days 50 to 54.

Eleasis 15 7 AM to Eleasis 19 Noon.

Gain a level. 20 Downtime days. 200 Gp.

Magic Item Potion of Hill Giant Strength, Assassin’s Blood * 3, Spell Scroll Greater Restoration, Oil of Slipperiness, Radiance +1 wand of war mage, Spell Scroll of Clairvoyance, Silvered Short sword, Assassin’s Blood (Ingested) A creature subjected to this poison must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 6 (1d12) poison damage and is poisoned for 24 hours. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn't poisoned.

Story Award Hag Fool. The next three hags you meet know what you did. They are not happy you messed up these hags’ business. Let the dm know.

Start Time 5:47 PM End time 8:55 PM

Pc Killed 3 Monsters Killed 50 Villains Captured 7 Villains Escaped 9

I had a strong group of five. Yak Gimble Rogue 1 Wizard 9. Mistoffelees Sorcerer Wild Mage 5. Scaredy Kait monk 5. Master Mind Bard 2 Rogue 3. Swat Barbarian 5.

NO ONE DIED NOT EVEN A MONSTER. This is a first for me.

The group was asked by Meepo to look for books about illusion and conjuration. While in the stacks, they come across Lorris Niss a half-elf looking for their friend Falthrax Loderr a shield dwarf. Falthrax was depressed and talking about taking up the offer from the Price of Beauty book. What the offer was is unknown by Lorris. But if the group finds either Falthrax or the book the avowed wants to know. Minutes later Mistoffelees finds the book. The book has an inlay mirror on the cover and Mistoffelees admires himself and mentions he looks good.

Price of Beauty, “Well yes darling you do look good except for that one flaw. Nothing that a good health day at the Spa of the Price of Beauty. For a mostly free spa day just say yes.”

Mistoffelees, “Yes to what?”

A simmering portal opens in the stacks. A gentle wind is blowing inwards to portal with the light scent of honey suckle and lavender. “Enter the portal for all your beauty questions and other questions.” The group quickly recognizes the depressed dwarf took up the book offer and they decide to take the offer too. They enter the portal.

A three-hour time skip later. The arrive in front of the Price of Beauty Spa. The best spa on the Sword Coast. Spa to Nobles and a few Elite Commoners. A small sign under the huge sign says under new management. Looking at the front lawn on the other side of the well maintain road; the first 100 feet are well maintained. The second hundred feet is slightly maintained as if lawn maintenance has not been regularly done. A disused badminton net is slow slumping to ground. Entering the door, they see Saeth the greeter. Saeth is a blue polo shirt with the company logo and white slacks.

Saeth, “Greetings and welcome to the Price of Beauty Spa. The best spa in all the Sword Coast.” He goes cheerfully on with the spa’s sell pitch and the prices.

Yak, “Enough the yakking, we came by portal and want to know what happen to the shield dwarf Falthrax.”

Saeth, “I sorry sir our customers privacy must be maintained. We do not discuss who uses our services. A portal you say? I will be right back.” He removes the bell from the desk and replaces it with back in 5 minutes sign. He goes into the lounge on the right. The group waits and look around. To the left is the garden and physical training door. A bunch of changing rooms are in the north along with the hot springs’ door. They do hear a muffled shout about Silversong bad business practices.

Saeth returns and offers the group the full day treatment group discount for 8 GP. This includes admission to all open activities. The group notices he is not happy giving the offer. They refuse to changing into the spa robes and sweats and wait on Gold Fine to give them the tour.

Gold Fine a gold Kobold takes them to the garden first. Azirssa of the Red Hair has just finished a PT with hot yoga session. On the ground gasping for air is Jarlaxle Baenre a Drow from Waterdeep. Issio of the Flaming Fist from Baulder’s Gate. She is gentle ragging her customers when half the party chime in they could do better than some weak civilians. Red Hair takes up the challenge.

An hour later of jumping jacks, running in place, squat thrust and chaining jumping with her awaken Peach tree called Peach; Swot, Kait and Master Mind are on the ground sweating and gasping for breath. Red Hair gives Kait a muscle building potion and goes into her sales pitch about improving her performance. Kait asks to know more and is giving a one hour one on one appointment. Meanwhile the Evil Yak has detected magic and discovered Red Hair is using some illusionary magic on herself. As the pitifully weak slowly get to their feet, Gold Fine takes them on the rest of the tour.

As they again refuse to change into robes or sweats, they discover the hot springs are closed. But not really, Gold Fine removes the sign and opens the door. A late middle age couple Oliver and Lisa Douglas are on their second honeymoon. The party gets the feeling Mr. Douglas is not happy with the spa date. Only Yak notices a fey peeking out of the pool. Gold Fine is not happy with Lisa Douglas using all the sulfur bath bombs in the pool.

Entering the lounge in time for lunch they are served a variety of healthy sandwiches and salads. Master Mind is not happy with the wine bar not being open until six PM. Only cucumber water, or carrot juice is being served. They are taken to their rooms and given keys.

Scaredy Kait meets with Red Hair. The offer is …

DM. Okay it is an +2 ASI bump to one stat, or race change, or youth spell. I have no in game way to describe this. It will be effective the morning after the ritual. No there is no catch. Yes, is Adventure League approved. I am not bull shiting. One ritual a night. Who is up for in? And what do what. Kait dexterity. Mistoffelees Charisma. Master Mind dexterity. Swot strength. Okay. I will tell you who is in charge of each ritual.

All through the day the group is given the hard push sells pitch by either Red Hair or Morgananna the business woman. Some of people attending the spa are customers, others are business people trying to sell Morgananna spa supplies. The group finds out ten years ago the women bought the spa from Silversong but since half the patrons were loyal to Silversong the business lost half their customer base. So, it was a five-star spa is barely holding on to the four-star rating.

The first night Yak being the evil suspicious and well over leveled for the module casts something to keep people out of his room. And he tries to follow the ritual in the spa but his spell times out. And when he sends his spider familiar to spy on the rest of the ritual Morgananna steps on the spider.

Morning of Second Day. Scaredy Kait has going a massage, haircut, and make over by Ilmar. Ilmar tries to talk with Scaredy Kait but is shut down by Red Hair. The ritual has worked. Some of the party does not believe even when the DM swears too it. Later in the afternoon, the group does discover the Fey Cyrena is in charge of the hot springs. She warns them the three sisters are hags and not to trust them. Mistoffelees is shut down by the two living statues guarding the living quarter and ritual studio. Yak is able to steal a hair from Morgananna to scry on her during the second ritual.

Just before the second ritual Gold Fine is send spraying insect spray in the hot spring and massage rooms. And around the building. During the second ritual with Mistoffelees, Yak scries successfully taking notes. Glitter a white scale kobold is busted by Kait as Glitter was trying to bust into Yak’s room. Important Fact. Glitter is Tiefling from Waterdeep a member of the Jewelers Guild. He wanted to be taller but he didn’t like the result so he renounced the gift and tried to tell on the hags. They cursed him with being smaller. He knows all the paintings are being held in the studio.

The morning of the Third Day. The ritual has worked again and Mistoffelees is more charismatic. Again, Ilmar is shut down this time by Morgananna. The group loafs around the spa and find out the shrine was shut down because the priest to Sune either quit or was drown by the fey in the hot springs. The Third ritual takes place and the other characters sleep peacefully through the night.

The morning of the Fourth Day. Master Mind is more dexterous. Ilmar does whisper into Master Mind about the hags. Swot gets cold feet and announces he needs a nice massage to think it over. The group decides they all need massages.

(Finally, they are getting the clues.) Around nine in the morning they talk with Ilmar who is Dusk of the Harpers who is trying to bring down the Hags but he has been cursed not to leave the grounds. He is willing to help the group. The question is assault or sneak.

(DM NOTES. After ten minutes and me summing up the information they have. The group decides to sneak the paintings and take them ALL with them. NO keep their paintings and destroy the rest. No. SIGH. OK THE GROUP DECIDES TO SNEAK THE PAINTINGS ALL OF THEM and take them away to be handle later.)

Swot informs Morgananna the group will be checking out around noon, a please have a get away coach. UM a coach to drive them into town. He tips an extra night to the bill. Dusk arrives in Mistoffelees room at 11:50 AM. Master Mind disguises himself as Dusk. Yak dimension doors to behind the shrine and ninjas over to the servant tower peeking into the window. 11:55 Gold Fine is summoned to take the little luggage of the Price of Beauty swag bags to the coach.

Noon. The group leaves their room and Kait casts without a trace. They ignore the lunch summons.

12:01 PM. Master Mind waves to lunch crowd and mentions he will be cleaning the massage rooms.

12:02 PM. Kait, Mistoffelees, and Swot slowly, calmly, passively, wave to lunch crowd and enter the massage rooms.

12:03 PM. The group exit the back door.

12:04 PM Master Mind bluffs the two living statues and enters the servant town but the gargoyles don’t buy the rest of the story.

COMBAT.

Round one. Yak Misty Steps into the studio and checks for traps. Yak, “CLEAR and stairway covered.”

Mistoffelees casts hypnotic pattern and freezes the gargoyle and servant in the first room. He runs and opens the door to the studio but can not open his bag of holding.

Master Mind rushes into the studio and secures four paintings.

Swot rushes into the studio and secures the other four paintings.

Scaredy Kait opens the bag of holding, “Fumbling under pressure, are we?” Mistoffelees hisses at him.

Round two.

Yak dashes out both doors, “Back Door or to the side? What did we say?”

Mistoffelees, “Out side to your left. Around the building. CASUALLY!”

Swot shoves his four paintings in and casually walks out of the tower.

Master Mind shoves his four paintings into the bag and walks out the tower.

Kait closes the bag and goes up the tower to look for more.

DM. “I said there were eight paintings. And you changing the plan. AGAIN. Do you want to do that really?”

Kait slowly walks out the tower.

Mistoffelees slowly walks out the tower.

Round three to eight. The group casually walks around the building and enter the coach.

Round nine and ten. The group makes a successful getaway.

Aftermath. The spa was raided by the Harpers. No trace of the hags, the greeter or the spa mascot were not found. Six constructs were destroyed. The staff were release and given their paints.

DM NOTES. Add the +2 to your stat. Your stat can increase to 22. BUT on 5-8-2022 the curse is active. The stat you increase drops two and can NEVER be raised above 18. Not by a WISH and NOT by Tome. Unless AL gives me more guidance.