Adventure Log 1 (MUO, TIO, AV1)
Adventure Log
Session 1 (2021-08-23/Fireday Arodus 23, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Lars))
After meeting up with Tammi at the Fishery the group (Kantou the Human Bard, Cackle the Fetchling Witch and Druzzt the 'totally not Drizzt' Elven Ranger) was let into the cellar. There they fought a pack of giant rats before proceeding further down the obviously not rat-dug tunnels down a cliff face.
Session 2 (2021-08-24/Fireday Arodus 23, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars))
Soon after being joined by the late-arriving Lizardfolk Zogotar and encountering a giant spider they found a barricade up a sidetunnel, but ignored that and proceeded downwards. There they found a Gozreh temple with a healing basin (use once per day per person, heals 1d8, roll Fort 20, failure=sickened 1, success=gets Reaction 'Call upon the ocean's might' that they can use once to turn a critical success to an ordinary success.
In the next room - apparently a forgotten storage room - they found and killed a few kobolds, past that was a trapped chamber beyond which was another forgotten shrine, this one to Abadar. They solved it's puzzle and gained access to the vault, from which they could see several kobolds in the next room. There was a machine here with a lever, which they pulled.
As it turned out, pulling that lever turned on a trap in the room, which didn't catch any of the kobolds, but, did kill Cackle's bat Shrieky. After a long trap-avoiding fight the kobolds were eventually slain and the party rested for a while.
Session 3 (2021-09-07/Fireday Arodus 23, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
As Zogotar left them to return to the swamp they were joined by the hobgoblin wizard Tuccan Sharptooth and the ancient elven rogue Ghostrianel.
Deciding to make sure nothing could come after them from behind they broke down the barricade they had encountered earlier, finding a few skeletons and a zombie in an old forgotten tomb lit by a blue-fire eternal torch which Kanto soon equipped.
Ghostrianel then led the way down the stairs, stepping into an ambush by two kobold scouts that felled him. The rest of the group just barely managed to take out the kobolds before they could run away.
They could smell sweat and dead fish behind another barricade in the ambush room. In the direction the kobolds tried to run there was a fountain with a mermaid statue, which attacked the newly healed Ghostrianel with a powerful blast of water as he tried to disarm the trap he found surrounding the fountain. They could see something glittering at the bottom of the fountain.
Session 4 (2021-09-21/Toilday Arodus 24, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After a few blasts of water the mermaid trap was disabled and looted. The group proceeded through the next door where they fought another group of kobolds that were equipped with oil flasks. After those were dispatched - except for one that was released after he told them a little of what was ahead - and looted they headed on towards the next room where they fought the kobold boss and his body guards, one of which got away and roused what turned out to be a green dragon wyrmling. Who was not pleased to be awoken by the news that there were *THIEVES* in his lair. Most of the group swiftly ran, but alas, greed overcame Ghostrianell who soon learned that breathing in where a dragon breaths out is. Well. Fatal.
The rest of the group proceeded up the stairs and told Tamily who paid them their promised reward, and proceeded to immediately order the wall repaired, and asks you to not speak about the dragon to the other townsfolk. Unless you're heading back to kill it?
So, do you head down again and take revenge on the dragon for killing Ghostrinanell (as you're level 2 now it should be possible, especially if you prepare. There is most likely a fair amount of loot.)
Either way, a few days after the dragon is handled or walled off Tamily hints broadly that she has a suggestion for you. Nothing urgent, can be handled at any time really. Talk to her when you all have a few days free.
Then, just stay in Otari for whatever remains of the next 27 days until you get called to a Stargazing by Wrin Sivinxi. She has something important to tell you. (Use the Downtime rules, see my mail for details)
Session 5 (2021-10-05/Oathday Arodus 26, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
A few days passed while the group rested up and shopped, then after some discussion they headed down into the dungeon, to avenge Ghostrianell and get the dragon's hoard...
On the way they entered the barricaded room where they first found an abandoned elemental temple where they fought a pyre rat and some party members acquired blessings from the last remnants of elemental power.
After that they found three Xulgath warriors that they fought. Beyond them there was a tunnel leading down deeper but the group decided to head to the dragon's lair, which is where we ended the session.
Session 6 (2021-10-19/Oathday Arodus 26, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After they sneaked up to the dragon's lair, Shrieky tried to scout but was discovered. The dragon flew out, blasting a cone of poison that Shrieky managed to avoid. After that the fight was on. The rumours about dragons being dangerous were definitely true, but in the end they managed to defeat it and loot it's lair. In it they found a tunnel leading upwards which they followed after a short rest.
As then neared the end of the tunnel a wounded half-orc they recognized - a laborer named Fillruk - ran towards them down the tunnel, warning in a panic that he was being chased by two, possibly even **three** Kobolds and they needed to hide. After some scoffing at the possibility of being threatened by mere Kobolds they calmed him down and proceeded towards the small valley the tunnel opened up in.
Towards the end of the small valley the stones on the ground rose up in several Cobbleswarms that pummeled them. Once those were dispatched a small group of Kobolds appeared, apparently intent on melee. Or, as it turned out, mostly intent on being near a new body for their Incutilis masters to upgrade to. Alas, all prospects declined the honor of being controlled by mindcontrolling squids, and with a final squish the combat ended.
Impressed by their heroics Fillruk promptly volunteered his 'best mushroom picking bag!' as a reward for bringing him back home to Otari. 'Am *not* going back to picking mushrooms. Nuh uh! Too dangerous...'
With the revelation that said mushroom picking bag was a Bag of Holding, we ended the session.
Session 7 (2021-11-02/Fireday Arodus 27, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
Once safely back in Otari the group divided the loot and spent most of it stocking up on needed gear.
Eladrin had talked to Yinyasmera earlier, who suspected that four of her missing employees had managed to get lost in the swamp, probably heading for the keep as that - uninteresting as it was - is the only large piece of solid ground out there. She asked the group to bring them back in return for a reward (that I misread. It was supposed to be 50 gp *total* not *per person*...)
When the time came they headed over to Wrin's camp where she showed them that just as midnight struck the ancient inland lighthouse of Gauntlet Keep lit up. She told them a bit about what the tales say happened 500 years ago and asked them to head out to the Gauntlet to make sure there was no threat to the town there. Or to handle it if it was. Cackle did a card reading that showed that it would be mostly good to enter through the main entrance.
With that they headed out to the keep. Once there they did indeed proceed through the main entrance, where some mischievous fey tried to trick them, but were in return tricked by the group. A running fight broke out with the fey and progressed through parts of the keep - interrupted by the occasional interruption by Slurks, Giant Maggots and the realization that something big enough to take off the hind part of a giant frog in one bite lived nearby.
The group has just encountered talked to Boss Scrawng who proclaimed that he was surprised that Otari would preemptively attack him before he had even gotten around to attacking the town, before sending out his pet Bite-Bite (a giant Solifugid) to assist the remaining Mitflit in driving off the group. The waiting Skeletal Champion has yet to intervene in the fight.
Session 8 (2021-11-16/Starday, Arodus 28, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After defeating the remaining Mitflits - and realizing the Skeletal Champion was just a scarecrow - Boss Skrawng (and his one remaining soldier) surrendered, told them a few things about the lower level (scary mushroom-eyed people, there's a dragon in a cave under the boathouse, it was a very good place to live as it didn't rain all the time) before being allowed to flee into the swamps to try to find more mitflits (I *think* they said he could return later as long as he didn't try to invade Otari.)
With that handled they headed towards the shrine, on the way they defeated the giant scorpion before defeating the (unintentionally nerfed) Corpselights.
With the fight ended they felt something huge and vastly distant gazing upon them from the direction of the shrine, which they realized was a shrine to Nhimbaloth (Nhimbaloth (AKA The Empty Death) is the Outer God of ghosts, swamps, and despair. This Outer God hunts those who prey on souls, digesting both the predator and prey. Souls which are consumed by her never make it to the afterlife: their fate is oblivion.)
Finally they found and searched through the study next to the shrine, where they among other things found two bronze keys, one marked with a lighthouse and one marked with a book.
Session 9 (2021-11-30/Starday Arodus 28, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
The group headed back to open a couple of doors they had bypassed earlier, managing to simultaneously rouse two haunts. In the room to the west was a pack of ghostly kobolds that tried to scare the life out of Eladrin before they were dispatched, in what turned out to be the ground floor of the light house a figure of a woman formed out of blood rose from a blood puddle on the floor and tried to train all those present.
After the blood haunt was destroyed it reformed into a different shape and flowed upward throught he trapdoor in the ceiling. After a short rest they followed it up, where it had flowed over the light in the lighthouse, coloring everything red. As they came up the trap door it attacked again in it's new form, but was eventually destroyed.
Just after the haunt's disappearance the entire keep shook, and the light changed color and focused, shining straight towards Otari's graveyard. Cackle realized that it was launching necromantic energy towards the town which would surely awaken the dead.
They immediately headed for town where they found themselves facing a small horde of undead, the main part of the horde of undead having headed over the cliffs into the town itself. The undead were soon destroyed, but, just as the last fell, the light stopped shining after a final burst of energy that teleported a horrible spider-like aberration into their midst.
Session 10 (2021-12-14/Starday Arodus 29, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After the Scalathrax was dispatched the group headed to town, where they helped organizing the scared and upset townspeople, helped by the onr brave guardsman that loudly proclaimed that the group were true heroes, dragonslayers, undeadslayers, demonslayers (he wasn't all that clear on what a Scalathrax was, but it sure looked demonic). The mayor soon approached them, agreeing they were heroes and promising them a reward if they would take care of whatever - which surely, hopefully, is not in any way related to Belcorra - that had awoken the dead and sent that horrible monster.
The following day the town was still in shock, but townspeople who recognized the group all cheered for them and offered them minor services (such as swapping runes). They headed to the Otari Fishery with a couple of questions in mind, but were instead diverted into Fishing For Adventure. I.e. Tamily told them of her plan to give them her abandoned fishing camp to use as a base. They just had to clear out any unwanted inhabitants first... She also told them not to worry about old Bluey, as long as they make sure to not enter his room they should be fine. She hoped.
After a couple of hour's walk they were attacked by a flock of boars that they killed and brought back to town to sell after they realized that each boar was worth a full 5 gp. That done they headed back to the fishing camp. There they found a couple of Rotting Fish Ooze in the old smokehouse that did their level best to turn the group into mulch, but failed. The centipedes lairing under the old fishnets fared no better. Perhaps the spider they glimpsed inside the main building would do the job?
Session 11 (2021-12-18/Moonday Rova 6, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
Alas, the spider - and it's companions (including a Web Lurker) fared no better at slaying the group, though they did leave some lingering poisonings to remember them by.
On further exploring the house they found a small flying snake named Olli - a Scalliwing it seems, though he considered himself a Couatl - who graciously allowed them to rent all rooms but the one he resided in for a fee of 'plenty of fish in the pantry'. After that they talked the ghost Blue Finley into letting them take his grandmother's sword the adventure he had intended to honor her with, but had failed when he had died as a fisherman while trying to collect enough money to buy armor.
The old shed contained a horde of rats that were soon dispatched, though at the cost of the death of Mumms the cat. After mourning and burial Druzzt headed out into the hinterlands to find another companion. While she was away the rest of the group cleaned up and repaired the old camp as well as they could, joined by the guard from the graveyard and two of his fishermen cousins, who all agreed to stay behind and take care of the place while the group headed back to Gauntlight.
Once at Gauntlight they found, and dispatched, some Nhimbaloth cultists in the shrine, accompanied by another Corpselight. They also found that the kobold haunt was still active, but managed to put it to rest this time by smashing all the old bones they found.
After that it was on to the old boathouse, under which they found the lair of a River Drake that after killing Cackle's familiar Shrieky as it scouted the drake's cave emerged to unsuccessfuly fight off the intruders. Groot was then sent in to explore the drake's lair, finding it's treasure as well as a stone stair and some rooms it did not explore.
After resting a bit they headed across the water to the house on the isle. On the way there they encountered a Flickerwisp that drove Eladrin insane and caused him to try to murder Kanto, but he was stopped and the wisp slain.
Which is where we stopped.
Session 12 (2021-12-21/Moonday Rova 6, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars))
Did they head back to town here? I think so?
Inside the house they found an insane doll which after realizing that they were not 'Master Azrinae' proceeded to attack them with a vampiric touch. After it had been defeated Cackle insisted they destroy the *thoroughly evil* soul focus gem that had been used to animate it, which they did. On proceeding further into the house they found several portraits:
The first portrait depicts a large city in flames with ghosts rising from its streets. It bears a bronze plaque that reads, “So Shall the Fools Suffer.”
The second portrait depicts Gauntlight Keep as it must have appeared before its upper floors collapsed, and its lighthouse emitting a pale blue light in which ghostly faces sneer and grimace. Its bronze plaque reads, “Let the Light Shine Forever.”
The third portrait has been thoroughly shredded by claws. Its plaque reads, “The Artist at Work.”
The fourth and final portrait depicts a smirking woman dressed in a long, green gown—that seems to be *very* similar to the blood haunt they fought in the lighthouse. Its plaque reads, “The Lady of the Light.” The text below has been carved into the stone next to this last painting.
Beyond that they found an old study occupied by the Brownie calling itself Spookywisp which after they handed him the Shiny they had found in the lens workshop told them: First, this building used to belong to someone named Volluk Azrinae. Second, Volluk was an apprentice to someone else named Belcorra, and even though this Volluk seemed mean and dangerous, Belcorra seemed much worse! Finally, the spooky magic lighthouse can do more than just shine an eerie light; it can also shoot a beam full of ghosts.
After that they proceeded down the stairs, finding an old necromantic construct laboratory where they at the behest of Cackle destroyed everything except the goblin in a fluid-filled tank and found stairs leading down which they barely went down before heading back up again.
Instead they headed into a study with a bedrom (that was apparently the bedroom of the preserved goblin they found in the laboratory). Beyond that was a room with some kind of horrible head-drilling machine apparently useful in necromantic rituals from which a strange undead worm attacked them, nearly draining Cackle dry of blood several times before they managed to permanently put it down.
After destroying the machine they saw another stair down, but intended to head back to town for a good rest instead, even though it was barely morning.
In town they spoke with Vandy Banderdash (the chief cleric at the Library) that told them a little of the history of the Roseguard and Otari. See Lore and @PDF[AVPG|page=1]{Abomination Vaults Player's Guide}
Session 13 (2021-12-27/Wealday Rova 8, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars))
They did some more research in town, talking to Oseph Menhemes who showed them around the Otari Museum, talked of Otari's history and indicated that he was interested in maps of and historical artifacts from Gauntlight Keep, talking to Morlibint who told them a little about what had existed before humans (serpentfolk, drow) and said that he was interested in books from Gauntlight Keep, Yinyasmera who told them that she still wanted her crew back - even if they were idiots - and also let slip that she is a trained assassin. They also learned that the text scrawled under the last painting says “I serve you still! You shall be avenged!"
Once back at Gauntlight Keep they went down to the second level, briefly opened a secret door to a long corridor with green light coming out under a door, but decided to stay on the 'secret' side of the door.
There they found and fought a number of Morlocks of a few different types, led by a Morlock mage of some sort named Graugust - the self-styled King of Morlocks, servant of the Ghost Queen - and his disgusting pet Grothlut! Said worthy almost wiped out the group when killed, as Grothlut exploded in a Disgusting Demise.
With the fight over they looted everything, rested up a bit in the king's room and then headed back to town to sleep.
It is now the morning after the day before.
Session 14 (2022-01-04/Oathday Rova 9, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After some shopping they headed out to Gauntlight Ruins again, retracing their path to Graulgust's room. From there they found a well-locked room with what turned out to be a teleportation circle that would need a ritual to enable. To make it harder for anyone trying to use it they moved all the broken boats from the neighbouring chamber into the room and built a ramshackle structure to fill the first few feet of the room. Beyond that the pantry, then the shrine to the ghost queen, on through the crypt where a shadow managed to pull the shadow out of Eladrin, but, both were defeated and Eladrin's shadow put back in it's rightful place.
Beyond that they found a room right under the lighthouse where negative and seemingly wall-mutating energies swirled from below up through the roof. In the room was an ancient wyrm corpse that had apparently choked on a duergar, whose cloak they took.
Next was a hidden room with an elevator that Groot took to the lower floor after they figured out how it worked, but soon returned.
After passing through a torture chamber they came to a room where a giant skeleton of some sort reanimated itself and fought them to the end.
There we ended the session.
Session 15 (2022-01-08/Oathday Rova 9, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
They found a stair to the lower floor which Shrikey briefly scouted before returning, after which they terminated the cleaner (a fiend of some sort) and looted his supply closet. After a dangerous walk through the trap-filled Hall of Hatred (images of Absalom being destroyed attacked them as they passed) they got to the King of Ghost City (a web lurker) who they declined to offer gifts to, instead wiping out him and his spiders. Apparently the not particularly well hidden traps at the door made them suspicious... Oops. :)
Some more Morlocks in a workshop were working on restoring a ballista of some sort, but were slain. Eladrin *almost* headed down a well to the floor below (from which they heard splashing combaned with the sounds of a small crowd). There they found the three remaining Osprey club members imprisoned, they freed them and gave back their gear, but asked them to remain behind while they checked out a few things.
After that they entered a haunted washroom, filled with glowing ghostly energy which slithered into letters that read, “I was Otari... save me from below!” A moment later, the words slid off the wall and formed a green ribbon of light that slithered across the floor like a serpent. They followed this ribbon to the stairs Shrieky had scouted earlier.
The level seemingly completed, they headed for town, returned the missing crooks (Eladrin paid off his debt to Yinyasmera and was accepted as a member of the Osprey Club) and shopped some before getting a mission from Olaria Gallentine o find a missing courier of hers, a centaur named Narala. They passed by all the intended recipients, asking if anything particularly valuable goods had been ordered. The kenku brewer Magiloy, the logging foreman Klorte Henku both said no. The last client, the herbalist Abanye Nianna lived a bit outside of town, but when they got there some plant monsters were rampaging through his hut. Once those were put down they freed Abanye who also said that nothing particularly unusual was in the coming delivery.
On the way out of town along Granary Road a local farmer, Henk Varlin, asked them to pass by the Shroon farm that had recently been hit by arsonists. The head of the farmer's guil, Jala Highstepper, should already have returned from the farm after talking to the farm's owner. They headed there, where they found a hellhound leading a small pack of wolves eating the farm's hogs. After putting an end to that they rescued Jala and Lavinia Shroon.
Back on the road, after a couple of hours walking they found a suspiciously new statue of an injured centaur. As they suspected, there was foul play. Specifically a basilisk and a pack of kobolds led by a spellcasting kobold. They managed to kill the lot, got the satchel with the delivery and even unpetrify and heal Narala.
Once in town again they completed the deliveries, and were asked to help more. Specifically, Klorte Hengus wanted them to help stop some (more) arsonists at the flume (which turned out to be a hobgoblin leading a pair of hellhounds which were duly put down), and Magiloy wanted them to go out to Slab Hill and find some particular mushrooms ('shouldn't be *too* dangerous out there, for heroes like you').
We ended here.
Session 16 (2022-01-18/Starday Rova 11, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
As it turned out it wasn't *too* dangerous out there. Though it was a close-run thing.
When they got to Slab Hill one of the epononymous slabs had been shattered, with a somehow familiar basket of mushrooms standing just outside. Inside they found numerous undead, apparently the former soldiers of a warlord named Karsten Star-Hand, as well as a trap meant to keep him in. He had captured and mind-controlled Fillruk to scream for help as they approached, and he and his horde of zombies did their best to kill and/or take over the heroes. In the end the undead were all dispatched, the tomb cleared out and Fillruk rescued. To keep him out of even worse trouble on his mushroom-picking expeditions they recruited him to help out at their fishery. For, surely Fillruk can not get into trouble at sea? <dun dun dun...>
With that settled they headed back to town, delivered the mushrooms and reported the presence - and destruction - of an undead lair that close to town to Vandy Banderdash, who as it turned out had a request for them. Another group of adventurers she had hired earlier has not reported back for a long time, and she wants them to go find it. On the way they also accepted a request from Olaria Gallentine to help her with the delivery of a wagon load of supplies to the Inkleholtz logging camp an hour out of town.
Session 17 (2022-01-25/Starday Rova 12, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
The group fetched the wagon, pulled by two sour mules that knew the way and weren't all that keen on accepting any other directions. When they got to Maunder Bridge a seemingly friendly dwarf that introduced himself as Kotgar Leadbuster tried to trick them into telling him what they were doing here, but was instead himself tricked into revealing too much about him and his three brother's work for the Kortos Consortium to "keep an eye" on the area, but eventually he and his hidden leopard pet charged the group. He was swiftly disembowled by Katt, after which he was stabilized and captured, the leopard was allowed to run away.
Just across the bridge the ruins of Maunder Castle lay half-hidden. After a bit of scouting they went over the wall after a hidden Gargoyle dropped a rock on the head of Galeg after he checked - with a sword - that the portcullis was indeed solid steel. The Gargoyle was eventually brought down just as Galeg got attacked by an ooze of some sort that lived in the courtyard fountain. (There was a metal box in the fountain that contained a brittle piece of parchment that names the bearer as the owner of “Maunder Castle, Maunder Bridge, and all appurtenances thereto.” The box also has a silver signet ring with an ornate M, the ring’s band is inscribed with the words “Lord Maunder.”
Once that also was dispatched they tried to call to the inhabitants of the keep but as they got no response Eladrin entered it. There he found a necromancer dwarf raising the corpses he had been experimenting on and sending them against him.
The necromancer was eventually slain, but a spirit rose from him that took over several of the group and sent them against the others, while ranting about Pharasma having abandoned him and clearly most interested in taking down Cackle. As we ended Eladrin was still dominated, but hanging by his fingernails from the external wall, with everyone else working on trying to put down the spirit.
Session 18 (2022-02-05/Starday Rova 12, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Erik, Molle))
While Eladrin was working his way back into the fight the others managed to kill the vengeful spirit, freeing Eladrin. Cackle, Druzzt and Eladrin remained behind to clean up their new keep while Galeg and Kantou went ahead to deliver the wagonload of goods to the nearby logging camp.
Once there they found that the loggers assumed the group had been sent as a response to them having sent their cook to get help. Alas, said cook had been one of the undead they had recently (re)slain at Maunder Keep. The loggers had been facing increasing arson and outright attacks and feared another attack was coming tonight. While they were still preparing for a night watch the remaining Leadbetter Brothers and their summoned hell-beasts attacked in two groups. The players managed to kill both brothers and beasts, as did the loggers. After some healing and celebration Galeg and Kantou returned to the keep, and then on to Otari (now with a load of timber).
Once back they told Olivia, Vandy and Captain Longsaddle of what had happened, and that they were now the legal owners of Maunder Keep. Vandy told them more of the background to their expedition to the Scar (lost adventurers had an important Sarenrae artifact, went missing while going to the Scar to seek out and destroy a cult of Lamashtu, the Scar is surrounded by illusionary terrain, and some hints on how to enter.) After that, it was on to the Scar, with Druzzt and Cackle remaining behind in Otari.
On the way to the Scar they encountered some Orcs that were quickly slain with no prisoners taken. Once there they found that it was indeed surrouned by frightening terrain, but they managed to pass through that, quickly figured out how to unlock the door and entered. There they were assaulted by a trap that was guarded by some kobolds. They quickly shut down the traps and killed most kobolds, but one got away and fetched some Ogre guards that fought to the bitter end. Once the guards were put down the group didn't really stop to think what had happened to the missing kobold, but instead stopped to thoroughly loot the guard quarters.
Unfortunately for the group the missing kobold had gone to warn the other inhabitants of the Scar who had plenty of time to first set up an ambush, and then tire of waiting and just opened the door and Mwibah - as he introduced himself - said: Welcome to the Scar. You are not the first interlopers to harass the children of the Mother of Monsters, and you will not be the last. We came into this world hated, hunted, and feared. But we will rise up under Lamashtu’s banner and crush your pitiful civilizations.”
After a brief polite discussions, the fight started. As it turned out the group was *badly* outnumbered, and was after a long and hard fight brought down. All seemed dark.
But, Galeg's life link brought him back to awareness and after a failed attempt at fleeing, did manage to convince Mwibah to let them live as they had a common enemy, the undead rising from the Gauntlight.
Mwibah considered this and went to consult with his goddess. After some time he returned and announced that their speech made sense - and he could always kill them later - they were indeed to be released, with gifts from Lamashtu, but, without their magical gear as that was needed for the struggle against all non-monsters, and, on the insistence of his bugbear bodyguard, also without all their money. (Eladrin was given a choice of what arm to replace with what. Kantou was given the choice of an arm, or an unkown boon and bane, and choice the boon and bane. Galeg was given those choices as well as the choice of another, more powerful boon and bane, and chose the latter. After a disgusting ceremony an alien creature of some kind burst forth from his belly out of the prepared Scar. It calls him Mommy, and Galeg calls it Baby Darkeye. It tends to float invisibly near his head. (In game terms, it's a level 6 rhu-chalik that I'll use the Toolbox to level up as Galeg levels up. If it dies it's gone permanently, but the bane will remain.)
The next thing they remembered was being back near Otari. All had suffered some strange changes, had new Scars and injuries and, perhaps worst of all, had no magic items or money at all...
Eladrin had his right arm turned into that of a crab that he can attack with as a crab, or hold a weapon.
Kantou had gained the ability to cast Confusion once per day, but constantly suffers distracting nightmare visions.
Galeg has gained an invisible friend that he talks to in the same strange language the Morlocks spoke, and it seems that all predatory animals consider him food. Tasty food at that. Even Katt sometimes considers him hungrily...
They told Vandy that she might as well give up on the Scar, there was nothing more they could do.
After a quick firesale of most of the group's loot - including Maunder Castle - they were at least half-decently equipped, but the next time the lighthouse shines has approached rather faster than hoped for. It is now the 19th, and the stars will next be right on the night of the 26th.
Session 19 (2022-02-12/Starday Rova 19, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After some confusion as to what exactly had happened over the last few days, or, rather, continued confusion, but at least acceptance, the group headed for Gauntlight Keep with the intention of disabling the lighthouse by stopping the flow of necromantic energy.
Once on the third level they were attacked by some mist-creature that was dispatched before it had time to do anything. Beyond that was a prison cell where the devil that was guarding it managed to briefly capture the now diseased and bleeding Eladrin before he was slain and Eladrin patched up, but, not cured.
After that they found themselves in a library populated by ghouls that asked for a finger, or a toe, or perhaps an ear, as toll for access to the library. The group decided instead slay all undead they saw, which worked just as well. They found another chamber with a ghost that asked them to leave, it had too much work to do repairing books, so they left it to it's work.
A map room with a wooden golem posed some problems, but not enough to stop them. Nor did the unfinished room that turned out to be the inside of an ooze of some sort. Belcorra's office turned out to be inhabited by a fey of some sort that attacked instead of talking, so, it was killed.
At that dead end they returned to the library, finding that more staff had wandered out, as had their boss Aller Rosk, who asked them to keep their voices down, he had work to do, and went back into his room before the undead realized the party was just tricking them with their offered pay of a dead fey and a fight broke out, ending with the ghouls and Aller Rosk - a tattoo artist as well as a ghoul - dead.
As Eladrin now had both Avernal Fever and Ghoul Fever the group decided to head back to town to try to cure him.
We ended after having rolled for Treat Disease (which failed).
I forgot to ask if they want Vandy to prepare up to three Remove Disease this morning. If she does, she'll cast them for 9gp each instead of the regular 18gp.
Session 20 (2022-02-15/Starday Rova 20, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars))
The following day they went back, killed the remaining ghouls and canker cultists. After that they had a long discussion/fight with the chief scribe, Chandriu Invisar, a ghost who was convinced they were there to help transcribing books. Eventually they, after having noticed the portrait of Volluk Azrinae her corpse had held onto, managed to convince her to let them bring her love to her, Volluk Azrinae, who she said she"had tried to convince to flee with her to start a new life together somewhere far from the Abomination Vaults. Volluk spurned Chandriu, insisting that “Belcorra needs me now in death even more than in life; you should consider the same!” Chandriu returned here in despair, only to be murdered by her disgruntled scribes." Before they left Kantou wrote a sonnet to her that he left with the corpse. As he let go of the paper a wind carried it to the amulet, curling around it.
In the temple they fought and killed the head priest in the temple. There they also burned the statue to a crisp. They found the restricted collection and took the books and papers found therein. (See Party Loot).
Session 21 (2022-03-01/Starday Rova 21, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After telling the town about the book, and to prepare for the next time the light would shine in a few days they headed back, found another inactive portal next to the round room and killed some surviving canker cultists and their fungal pets that were in another room off that one.
After that they found the not-so-private reading room with it's Watching Wall - which they temporarily drove away - and the spying hall beyond with it's one destroyed and one inactive portal (not the same portal network. The other end is **not** active, I was wrong).
South of that a Morlock Ghould named Augrael tried to convince them to let him live, but, alas, after they had the information he could supply they declined, and killed him.
Beyond that room was a tunnel, they headed east as that led to a room they knew existed as Eladrin had glimpsed it on his partial journey down the well from the floor above.
Once there, led by an an invisible Darkeye with Web Eyes activated, they all saw a disturbance in the water and something started to lunge for them...
Session 22 (2022-03-05/Starday Rova 22, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle)
After the amoeba that attacked them was defeated the group headed down the stairs from the library, ending up in a pavilion above an underwater lake. That pavilion was occupied by Jaul Mezmin and his wolf companion. They recognized him for what he was (a wanted werewolf murderer) and declined to leave his territory, instead killing them both. The man had an amulet taken from the murdered wife of the owner of the Otari Market which they later returned to him.
To the south a horrible trash monster of some sort tried to keep them out of the room where the ghost of Otari Ilvashti was being tormented by some wisps. With the help of Otari they took out all the trash and talked to him:
* Belcorra harbored a grudge against Absalom and intended to use her sinister lighthouse, Gauntlight, as a weapon against the city. The Roseguard never discovered its actual use, other than that it had something to do with the ability to transport creatures across significant distances and could animate the dead with its light. None of the other Roseguard members knew about the Abomination Vaults beneath Gauntlight. Otari learned about them only in his last few days alive.
* Some property of the Abomination Vaults increases the manifestation of ghosts, spectral undead, and haunts within their domain. Otari initially believed this was a side effect from Gauntlight, but has now come to suspect a link to a much more ancient and ominous source deep below this level. He knows nothing of Nhimbaloth, but if the heroes tell him of the Outer God, he suspects her influence is the source.
* Belcorra herself is now a ghost, although she cannot move far from the site to which she is anchored. Otari can sense her somewhere deep underground and is also aware that the range of her movements is slowly expanding.
* Otari suspects Belcorra intends to fully reactivate Gauntlight and use it to begin her long-delayed attack on Absalom. She must be put to rest before she can finish this task. Otari isn’t sure how to stop her, but believes that clues await discovery in the deeper levels of the Abomination Vaults.
* Finally, Otari feels the barrier blocking progress deeper into the Abomination Vaults. He understands that it is powered by the souls of Belcorra’s defeated enemies. Fortunately, he also understands how to take the barrier down. The Roseguard were the adventurers who finally killed her, and their psychic resonance can drop the barrier. The heroes must find and place four icons the Roseguard once held dear onto the altar to do this. Otari’s thieves’ tools are here with his bones and serve as his icon. The other icons are the brooch belonging to the cleric Aesephna Menhemes (which bears the religious symbol of her god, Erastil), the spellbook belonging to the wizard Zarmavdian, and the trusty longsword of the fighter Vol Rajani.
* Once the heroes take on the burden of facing and defeating Belcorra and open the way to the deeper levels of the Abomination Vaults, Otari’s soul is free to travel to its final reward.
With that information they headed back to Otari where they spoke to the mayor who was happy to let them borrow the 'Shadow Brooch' of Aesphna Menhemes. As did Morlibint with Zarmavdians book 'Thresholds of Truth'. But, when they went to get the 'Cooperative Blade' of Vol Rajani it turned out that that not long before they returned - probably while they were talking to Otari - someone had broken into the library and stolen it. Carman Rajani was soon suspected and tracked down to the Smuggler's Refuge where he had hidden. After defeating some Shadows that lurked near Carman he was defeated and taken back to town to face justice. The Mayor then let them borrow the sword.
DORIANNA
While they still were in town the Mayor asked them (Cackle specifically) to keep a night watch over his daughter Dorianna who has started having strange nightmares and he was concerned it was magical in origin. Kantou befriended the girl and got her to tell about her dreams and they watched over her that night.
They initially find no evidence of any magic or curse upon her. A search of Dorianna’s room discovers that several of her childhood toys have been brought back out for her to play with. Dorianna states vaguely that she just missed them and wanted to play with them again. They did notice that magic to heal her was strongly counteracted.
Here I f-ed up a bit, the rest of the stuff with Dorianna wasn't supposed to happen yet...
The timeline was supposed to be: A couple of days after you open the lower levels she starts getting nightmares. A week or two after that her health declines rapidly. By the *next* time the lighthouse shines, it'll be too late to save her.
Basically. A Denizen of Leng that she calls the Motley Man has invaded her dreams and is trying to drag her permanently into the dream world. She thinks he's his friend. As time passes she grows weaker.
You (do not yet) have a ruby that can be used as a Wand of Locate, but it automatically returns to her room at midnight on each day, stuffed into whatever toy she most played with.
You have seen mental images of the denizen’s lair: a stone chamber with a very old map of the Inner Sea region painted on it across from a map consisting of several tattered pieces of paper that, together, constitute a detailed map of Otari.
So, to retroactively explain why you know this now, instead, Cackle did a divination that revealed all of the above will most likely happen.
BACK TO GAUNTLIGHT
After that part of the group headed back to Gauntlight. Cackle and Druzzt stayed behind to perform the above divination I guess? :)
There they continued into the Forever Stairs north of the pavilion. It turned out that if one walked up the stairs to the left one eventually ended up meeting someone who walked down the stairs to the right...
There they found a door leading to another shrine to Nhimbaloth with four crawling hands on top of the strangely formed altar that along with a number of wisps attacked when the alter was approached. They figured they were supposed to put the icons in the hands on top of the altar so left rather than try to destroy them.
After that they found a secret door on the north wall of the forever stairs that led into a cozy but long-abandoned set of chambers that apparently Belcorra had lived in. As they entered the first two rooms (i.e. as far as they got) they got a vision of Belcorra.
a) In the brief vision, Belcorra is meeting with the drow Volluk (as he was in life, as a drow). Although the image has no sound, Belcorra is speaking animatedly about something, and Volluk is listening attentively.
b) This room flashes an image of Belcorra relaxing while reading a large tome, which turns out to be The Whispering Reeds.
While in the second room a door opened and something invisible stepped in and attacked while loudly wondering what these children were doing here? It later showed itself and mocked the group, telling them that it had taught Belcorra all she knew, that they didn't have a chance, but, if they left one (or two, in the case of Galeg and Groot) it would let the others escape back to their own world while it tortured the one left behind to death over the next few months, or years.
It was *very* close, but they did, somehow, manage to bring everyone out of the stairs, just ahead of the pursuing creature, which sighed and said "You're so boring. Ah well, we'll meet later!" after which it closed the door to the stairs.
As we ended the group is catching it's breath in the pavilion outside the stairs, discussing how to get to the altar without passing through the stairs again.
Session 22 (2022-03-15/Starday Rova 22, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
They found the tunnel to the sea cave, Groot scouted it and eventually brought back the sea cave inhabitants, a pack of Bunyips, two of which managed to escape with their lives back to the sea.
Then they went up the disposal chute, fighting the ghost at the end of it before proceeding into a formal dining room where they killed some maggoty skeletons and a ghostlight before Shrieky scouted behind a secret room, finding a tunnel with several spider-like creatures like the one that had fought them in the graveyard. They noticed Shrieky just as we ended the session.
Session 23 (2022-03-29/Starday Rova 22, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars))
After they defeated the Scalathraxes they quickly looked through the other rooms leading from the dining room until they found Volluk Azrinae's room where he was reading (his bodyguard (a swarm assassin) was resting in a sofa and a leech swarm was apparently soaking in the tub.)
He wondered who they were and what they were doing here. When they said they were looking for Belcorra he suggested that Cackle should head up to Belcorra's rooms beyond the infinite stairs to get in touch with her. When Cackle declined (with a will save) he instead offered to guide her there personally and surrounded her, as the swarm he was.
A fight broke out. The party soon decided to bravely run away, which, alas was not so easy. The assassin blocked one door with the leech swarm following with the intention to mop up the eminently edible adventurers. Druzzt and Kantou made it to the floor above where they tried to convince the ghost to come with them to meet her beloved, but, as she could not leave her room that was not possible. She did however lend them the portrait of Volluk. Meanwhile a running fight between Volluk, Cackle and Galeg took place, leading through the garbage chute, through the pavilion and partially up the stairs. Druzzt joined in, holding up the portrait, which did seem to *almost* affect Volluk, but he managed to shake off the effect, claiming that it was not true, he was still the same he had always been. It was, however, clear that it *could* affect him.
There we ended.
Session 24 (2022-04-02/Starday Rova 22, 4721 AR)
((Anders, Carina, Erik, Lars, Molle))
After an intense fight they finally brought down Volluk, after which they returned his vaporized body to the ghost Chandriu, finally allowing her to rest.
In Volluk's room they took care of his bodyguard and, um, bath-leeches, after which they found a circular chamber where Lasda Venkervale - a seemingly normal dwarf with an astonishing regeneration capacity - was being constantly torn apart by necromantic energies and restored to perfect health by his regeneration. They killed the wisps that guarded it and freed Lasda, eventually bringing him back to his overjoyed mother, Brenda Venkervale. They convinced the two to leave Otari lest Lasda be brought back to once again power the Gauntlight. Lasda had always dreamed about going to Absalom, so that is where they went.
With the Gauntlight shut down they first went to the room where Lasda had been kept captive for several months and slew the Velstrac that had been his warden. They also destroyed the receiving end of the teleportation trap.
After that they managed to take out the Voidglutton and plunder it's lair. Turns out that five level seven characters are indeed more than three.
They made a contraption to put the relics onto the altar without triggering the hands and openened the entrance to the fifth level.
Once they were down the stairs they found a couple of Grothluts and another amorphous monster of some sort that they managed to destroy.
When they looked down the central shaft they saw - and were seen by - a Seugathi Guard. They hid and waited for a while but noone came up the stairs.
When they gave up on waiting they went west and found another room guarded by a Velstrac that they eventually defeated.
We ended here.