Author: the Gray Mouser

Having returned to the surface, the Odd Three return to “normal” life. After a couple of weeks a few things happen…

• Debi: during a nice afternoon, Debi is out about town. She sees Brother Bryce down the street, recognizing his Ahki robes. He steps into an expensive eatery that Debi, due to her noble background, is familiar with. Uncharacteristic of a lowly priest. Inside the place is finely decorated. There are just a few tables. Debi looks inside and does not see Bryce. She does, however, see what appears to be a Sethi priest at a table with Council Chair Lana Setch. Debi observes and then leaves.
• Simon: just after his late-morning meditiion, is approached by a young girl with a message. He is summoned back to the home of Luella Partha, their patron from their last adventure. She summoned him because he is a priest of Ahki, which is a respected position. She tells him that council chair Lana Setch paid her a visit the evening before, inquiring about a black diamond. She heard rumors that Luella had recently acquired it, and is interested in buying it. Luella is curious of the Odd Three might have brought back something they didn’t tell her about, or just decided to keep, and are shopping it around. She’s not mad, but feels that there must have been some confusion about the terms of their agreement if that is the case. He informs her that they did, in fact, bring back a jewell that was cursed and thus not suitable for their deal. She agrees. 
• Mick: Is invited to a bar in scumtown by an old friend, Queezy Tim, a rogue who’s been away from town for several years. Queezy has been in one of the northern cities, on the lam, as he burned some bridges in Langwon. He’s learned that his old adversary died, however, and is now back! He’s been back for a couple of weeks and has heard rumors of an “Odd Three” , one of whom sounds like Mick! He asks that Mick has been doing. Tells tales of adventures in a frozen city to the north. He is glad to be back in the coastal warmth of Langwon, and eager to enjoy some luxury. Mick doesn’t reveal much about his own activities. 
• Meeting with Mortimer: A week passes. The time to meet with Brother Mortimer, of the Rat God Temple, who has been in hiding. A note is delivered to Simon that just says “Meet at the Goblin’s Hideout” tavern. The Odd Three go there at the appointed time. The place is very busy. They see Mortimer at table and join him.  Mortimer is in a poor disguise. He wants to know if they have learned anything about the Rat God temple, of the Ahki Temple is still secure. As they talk, a crossbow bolt strikes Mortimer in the chest. He falls to the floor. The Odd Three burst into action. They see an elegantly dressed woman on the raised deck overlooking the rest of the tavern who is moving with purpose toward the stairs on one side of the deck. Mick starts running up the stairs on the other side, while Simon moves to block the stairs she is moving toward. Debi tends to Mortimer, who is starting to tremble. Obviously fighting a poison. He settle down, breaths normally. She casts invisibility on him and starts to lead him out of the tavern. Simon confronts the woman as she gets to the bottom of the stairs. They fight. He hits with the Thunder Mace. She is still up — not a typical fancy lady. She begins moving through the crowd, which is now freaking out. Simon and Mick give chase. Mick keeps a very close eye on her as she moves through the dense, chaotic crowd (make a hard perception roll). She watches as changes shape and form, becoming a duplicate of a portly man in the tavern! A doppelgänger! He runs up behind the creatures, using his backstab attack to kill the already weakened creature. It falls deed in the crowd!
• Mick and Simon pick up the creature, throw a few gold to the bartender for the mess, and exit the tavern, meeting up with Debi and the invisible Mortimer.
• Debi takes Mortimer and rents him a room to hide in. She then meets Mick and Simon at the Akhi Temple where they are conferring with Abbot Lightman. The explain to Lightman what has been happening. He notes that while doppelgängers are known to inhabit large cities, it is unusual for them to attempt takeovers of major powers, like the Rat Temple.
• They go down to the vault, where the black diamond and other dangerous artifacts are kept. Simon casts Glyph of Warding – Explosive Runes – on the area in front of the vault, keying it to explode if a doppelgänger is in the area.
• Simon expresses suspicion of Brother Bryce, who has been his biggest fan for months. The Abbot agrees that Bryce should be questioned given what’s going on.
• In the Abbot’s office/quarters, Debi hides behind a wall as Bryce comes in to see the Abbot. Bryce is excited to see Simon again! Debi cast Detect Thoughts and come out. Simon blocks the exit.  Simon questions Bryce. Bryce fails his save. Debi easily detects that he is lying about everything. Bryce tries to leave. Simon shield bashes him. After a struggle the Odd Three grapple him. He changes form to mimic Abbot Lightman as they tie him up tightly. Debi casts Charm Person and the group does good cop-bad cop. Debi is able to talk to the creature learning a little.  She is out of 2nd Level slots and can’t cast Detect Thoughts again until she gets some rest.
• The Abbot has the doppelgänger locked in a secure cell and warns the priests about the creature’s powers.
• Abbot Lightman is hesitant to have his priests invade an ally temple. He supports the idea of the Odd Three taking care of this.
• The Odd Three confer with Mortimer who agrees to draw them a map of the Rat Temple to help them invade it.
• The Odd Three get a long rest, and return to the Temple the next morning for Debi to do a full Deep Mind Probe on the prisoner.

This will be a quick synopsis, since I’ve done a terrible job documenting each session on a timely basis.

• Deep underground, in the Nexus Chamber, the group picks one of the many entrance up on the walls to try exploring. They used their climbing gear to ascend to the selected tunnel entrance.
• They begin down the tunnel. The enter a large chamber and are attacked by carnivorous acid-secreting fast-moving giant slugs. They defeat the slugs
• They come to a section of floor that is tiled into a grotesque elder gods mosaic. The walls are also covered. The chamber is 40’ long, and the usual 20’ wide. 10’ ceiling. At other end of the chamber is door. Venturing into this chamber, they step on a pressure plate. A massive door opens in the ceiling at the other end, releasing a massive spiked roller that comes careening toward them. Mick misses his Dex roll and takes damage. One of the hirelings misses and is crushed. Dead. The PCs use one of the Revivify diamonds to bring him back.
• The door is metal and ornate. As they approach it they smell the stink of sulfur. Mick picks the lock. They enter a large chamber.
• Sitting the room on a huge black stone chair is a hideous and huge orange being. Its body glows, filling the room with a soft orange light. As they enter the room it awakens and attacks them. The creature, some sort of minor demon, bellow and laughs as it fights, yelling “FIGHT! FIGHT!”. The PCs damage it. It doubles over, vomiting on the stone floor. It vomits out two smaller versions of itself, which also begin to fight the PCs. Eventually they defeat it.
• They find a small chest of treasure, including a silver wand with a valuable gem set in one end (non-magical). They also see a door behind the demon’s chair.
• They open the door and find dark, narrow stairs leading down, down, down. Eventually the stairs end in a landing, before a 60′ circular pit. The pit is deep enough they can’t see the bottom. In the middle of the pit is an “island” — a column rising from the depths. Set into the island is a bridge built like a see-saw. It is tipped up almost vertically. They see mechanisms to “lower” it, connecting their landing to one on the opposite side. Only the iron framework of the bridge remains — the wooden slats are gone. Simon leaps across using his Jump ring, sets up a rope, and Jewell uses the rope to cross over. Together they manage to lower the bridge and lock it in place. The rest of the group begins climbing across on the bridge framework. In the middle of that they are attacked by Undead Stirges. They take a few hit points but kill the monsters.  They cross.
• On the other side they fine a door set into the landing alcove, and a niche in the wall containing the preserved body of one of the Cyclopean priests. They examine the body. Nothing. They try to find a way to open the door. Nothing. Debi uses her Ring of Squishy Summoning to summon 5 of the creatures. She commands them to enter the cracks in the wall and attempt to slide the door open from inside the wall. Together the 5 squishes succeed. The PCs bolt the door open.
• Inside the door they find a tomb containing the remains of 8 of the Cyclopean priests. Each has platinum lettering avoid its resting place. They steal the letters.
• There is a curtain of shimmering black silk on the other side. They move it. The door is of flat black material. As they look at it, those closest start to become mesmerized by shining cosmic images appear on it’s surface. Mick fails to save, and it catatonic….
• They encounter a ghost of one of the beings guarding the vault. The ghost attempts to Possess the strongest-looking of the party, the fighter Jewell. She saves. They battle the ghost using spells and magic weapons. It is finally “killed” by Debi’s Dissonant Whispers spell. Jewell and Debi both fail saves and are aged 10 years from seeing the ghost. Mick eventually comes out of his trance. They open the door.
• They find a 15 x 15 chamber. Set into the far wall at waist height is a 4′ wide 2.5′ tall opening. There is a metal grate covering it. Looking inside, they see it goes a few feet in, but remains the same dimensions. Inside there is a wall, with a metal door set into it. The door has 2 dials – some kind of clockwork combination lock system. Jewell manage to lift the grate — it slide up into the wall. They spike it open. Mick lights it up with Dancing Lights. Looking inside, they see 2 very regular holes in the ceiling of the little chamber. Simon squeezes in, careful not to get below the holes. He jams 2 arrows up in them, feeling the arrows clink against something metal. He jams the arrows in, leaving them hanging there. Mick then crawls in and successfully picks the lock. The metal door flops down.
• Beyond that door they see a glass pane, and beyond that a large black diamond sitting on an ornate stand.
• Debi fires a sling bullet at the glass, causing a small chip.
• Mick fires a crossbow bolt. Also just a small chip.
• Simon tries Sacred Flame. No effect on the glass.
• Mick decides to use Mage Hand to lift the diamond from its stand. The rest of the party moves to the sides and corners of the chamber. Mick lifts the gem, and a cone of fire erupts from the gem’s vault. Simon and Debi are in safe spots. Jewell saves with enough to dive out the way. Mick and Greta don’t make their saves by enough and take half damage.
• Debi blasts the glass with Thunderwave, doing enough damage to shatter it.
• Mick Mage Hand’s the gem out. He drops it on some cloth to avoid touching it. He wraps it in the cloth and picks it up, intending to put it in the portable hole which he has spread out. Instead he misses a very difficult WIS save. Upon having the black diamond on his person, his mind is suddenly open to the horrifying nature of the universe of the old gods. He snaps. He begins gibbering nonsense, pulls out his daggers, and attacks Simon! He stabs Simon with his magic dagger doing 10 points! The rest of the group scrambles. Debi hits him in the let with her staff. Eventually Jewell grapples and restrains him, and Greta knocks him unconscious.
• Debi notices that the diamond’s display stand is knocked over. They find a golden key under it. She mage hands all the stuff out. Simon does Identify on the diamond, finds out it is magic, evil, and cursed. Detect magic reveals the key to also be magic. They use summoned squishes to discover a hidden treasure vault under the diamond vault, and use the key to open it. They put all the stuff in the portable hole.
• Jewell carries the unconscious Mick over her shoulder as they spend a couple of hour exiting the underworld
• Returning to the surface, they make haste back to the Temple of Ahki, where Abbot Lightman removes curse on Mick, who has now seen the dark side of things. He uses Greater Restoration to being Greta and Debi back to their true ages. Mick, always a great patron of the Temple, donates 200gp.

End of session. They are all within 200 points of 6th level, so the DM bumps them up to 14,000 xp and they move up.

Session 43

PCs negotiate sale of the emerald with Rivas Greel to Luella Partha. They meet and make the sale. The Odd Three give the Slash Sisters and Slovas their shares. This session was heavy on roleplaying though the PCs did use some spells and skills to improve Rivas’s negotiating skills, getting them a very good price. Luella just couldn’t pass up that emerald!

XP: ?

Session 44

The Odd three, at Simon’s suggestion, each buy a 300dp diamond on a chain to wear under their clothing to allow him to cast a revive the dead spell on them in an emergency. They spend some time dealing with a craftsman for strong chains and proper diamonds for the spell’s material component. Debi pays extra to have hers in a small platinum locket with a crescent moon on the little door – symbolizing the Moon Lyre. 

The Odd Three got to the party at Luella Partha’s estate, hobnob, meet some big shots. Luella takes them aside and proposes an expedition further into the underworld, in search of additional huge/valuable gems. She will finance it it they will lead it. Each can use a magic device, and they’ll get to keep them, one for each 15,000gp + gem they can bring back. She is not interested in other treasure, and will only take enough to pay the help. She invites Lugosi the Sage into the room, and he tells them some legends of the Cyclopeans, telling them that Cyclopeans are known to have had great jewels from deep in the Earth, and that the huge chamber they describe is likely the Nexus Chamber, said to have been a meeting place where many of their tunnels came together. 

XP:?

Session 45

Still at the party, the Odd three have rejoined the main party. Debi chats with the leader of the musicians, and she joins them for a piece, boosting the already high entertainment value of the band. Mick finds Rivas, who has noticed that Wilcott Submirian, of the Submirian shipping clan, is getting sloshed and has a very nice dagger – his “dress dagger” – with a jeweled hilt. Rivas expresses envy for that knife. Simon joins them and they all chat. As the crowd moves up to watch the band’s performance with Debi, Mick sidles up to Sibmirian, makes a sleight of hand roll, lifting the jeweled dagger from it’s scabbard and replacing it with Mick’s plain dagger of about the same weight. Debi, from the small stage, can tell that Mick has done something. While playing her drums, she casts her Message spell, asking him what he did. Here hears her whisper in her ear, and he says “I relieved someone of some property.” The song ends, and the Odd Three say they goodbyes and get out of there.

Back at their lodgings, Simon casts detect magic on the dagger. It is not magic, but it is valuable.

The next day Mick takes the dagger to Rivas, who buys it for $200gp.

They return to the Partha Estate that afternoon to discuss the Return to the Underworld Expedition. Luella mentions that someone lost a valuable dagger the night before, clearly knowing that they stole it, but she doesn’t care and don’t press the subject. She just has a little fun with them. They discuss what they’ll need. Luella will them whatever gear they need, and will supply three strong laborers/helpers to go along. She’ll pay the Slash Sisters. They consider finding the wizard Ty Kindal to supplement their group, but remembering his arrogance they decide not to bring him in.

Luella gives them a box containing three Ioun Stones. One for each of them to use during the expedition, and to keep if they bring back the contracted-for loot. They each take one. Leadership – Debi. Insight – Simon. Reserve – Mick.

They spend the next few days gathering supplies. Returning the the wrecked mansion where the entrance to the tunnel is, they find that the guards have indeed been instructed to just let them by. They enter the tunnel as they have before. Again they hear Subteraneans (Squishies) in the surrounding rock, but do not encounter any of them. Retracing their steps they arrive at the very large “Nexus Chamber”.

End of Session.
XP 100 each.

Session 40

Still in the big cavern. They steal the huge emerald from the top of the statue, which unleashes a monster, which they kill. Find the room under the monster’s pedestal with a box with a crystal globe and tiny monster. The monster is an amoebic blob with pseudopods that can attack from 25″ way, but it is slow. They luck out and take no damage, managing to kill it.

Session 41 

They leave the way they came, go to the right, and are challenged trying to descend some staircases. They find a massive cavern with a pylon in the middle. They find no magic or secrets with the pylon. They explore. They find one ground-level exit. End of Session. 

Session 42

Before entering the tunnel that leaves the giant cavern, Debit listens and looks carefully in. Her elven ears can still hear more of the squishies in the walls of the tunnel. The puts on the ring they found on the ancient cleric in Session 39, concentrates, and summons eight of the creatures from the walls. She then uses the ring and a Charisma roll to control them, commanding them to lead the party back up the tunnel and to the entrance to this underworld. The squishes bow in obedience and comply.

The adventurers return up the tunnel, coming to the point where two branches come together. They cross the chasm they navigated the day before and come to the 4-combination door, which they now know how to open. They open it and step through. The squishies do not. They stay in their subterranean home.

The party finds its way back to the basement of the damaged mansion through which they entered. Simon uses a Pass Without Trace spell to allow the party to easily stealth past the guards in broad daylight.

They embark on a few activities. Mick goes to the Eye of the Beholder. He pays an urchin to deliver an invitation to meet with Rivas Greel. Debi and Simon do some shopping. Debi buys some new clothes. Simon has 3 “fake” portable holes made. Fancy black fabric in the right size and shape, which can be folded and will look just like the real on in Mick’s backpack. While in the Eye, Mick is fanboyed by Brother Bryce, the young cleric who is such a fan of Simon, who asks about their adventures.

The Slash Sisters will stay around and wait for the Odd Three and Slovas to strike a deal for the huge emerald.

The group meets at the Eye. Bryce is there. Rivas shows up with his bodyguard, Larsh. They go to Rivas’s house and unveil the huge emerald. Rivas is impressed. He offers to find a buyer for it, for a 10% commission, or buy it outright for 1000gp each (6000 total). Slovas is there and balks — he knows Rivas is trying to rip them off. After some discussion after Rivas leaves they decide to opt for the commission sale.

The Odd Three to got Blix Yodarian’s house. Blix, Mick’s mentor, invites them in. He examines the emerald, estimating its value at 15,000gp. They show him the box with the crystal orb containing the tiny monster. He says it is very dangerous, and perhaps the best place for it for now is the portable hole. He examines the box, and find a small scroll hidden under the bottom. The scroll is magic. He casts identify, and tells them the scroll will allow someone to unleash the monster and possibly control it.

The return to the Eye of the Beholder, where Debi performs. They decide, for safety, to all three sleep in Debi’s flat that night.

The next morning, early, they heard something banging in the hall. Mick opens the door and peeks out to see Blix banging on his door, telling him to open up. They speak. Blix says after careful consideration, he thinks the crystal with the trapped demon is too dangerous for them to keep, and he should probably keep it as his house, which Mick knows is heavily guarded by magic and traps. They are suspicious. They insist on returning with Blix to his house. Mick thinks he is acting a bit weird (makes an Insight roll). They go to the house, and Blix has left his keys locked in the house, along with his thieves tools! He asks Mick to pick the lock for him. As they stand there, Simon casts dispel magic on Blix, but he remains Blix. No disguise spell. Debi casts Detect thoughts and immediately realizes this is not Blix. The fake Blix is about to run when the door opens and the (apparently) real Blix is standing there holding a short sword and dagger. “Just how many of me are there!?” he says! Mick double strikes the imposter, hitting with both. Debi casts Dissonant Whisper on him, doing damage and insuring he will flee. Blix then chops him down with his weapons before he can run. The imposter, now dead, reverts to its natural Doppelganger form.

XP: 333 each

PCs now at 10,175 XP.

The Odd Three, Slovas, and the Slash Sisters continue on the deep underground tunnel hoping to find a huge emerald in ancient statue.

As they walk down the weirdly-lit tunnel, going deeper and deeper, they come to a gap in the tunnel 20′ across. 40′ down there is an underground stream. There is no easy way across. They see that the walls of the tunnel still have the little cracks in them, even above the stream. There are carved stone attachment spots on each side of the chasm, which Mick surmises were once used to secure some king of bridge. The stone protrusions are about 3′ off the floor of the tunnel. They decide to string a rope across, and used that two get across, hanging by their hands.

Simon uses his Jump ring to easily get across with the rope and ties it securely. Debi suggest that since there are cracks in the wall, they should hang the rope across diagonally to avoid having the subterraneans come out of the wall and attack. Jewell, Debi, and Mick make it across. When Slovas is halfway across a subterranean squishes through a crack in the roof and leaps down on the thief, biting him. Slovas misses a Dex save and plummets to the ground 40′ below. Greta shoots the creature from above but fails to kill it. Jewell, chops the rope and used it to swing down, but misses an Athletics roll and doesn’t come down near the creature. She does however make another save and is able to roll out of it, taking no damage. Eventually Greta shoots it with another arrow, killing it. They manage to get everyone up to the other side, and Simon heals Slovas.

They continue.

They come to an enormous cavern. It is lit with the same luminous plant and fungi growth they have been seeing. The ceiling is 40′ up, and they see a number of large stone buildings inside. There are huge stone columns rising to the ceiling. A few of them are fallen. As they enter the cavern Mick can see a statue on the other side of the cavern. An amoeba-like polished body rising 15′, with a pseudopod rising another 10′. There is a huge emerald “eye” on the end of the pseudopod. As they discuss that do they are surrounded by 9 of the subterraneans, and a weird pale and ancient-looking cyclopean humanoid stands on top of the stone building in front of them. Battle begins.

The subterraneans leap about chaotically, biting at the party, while the figure atop the building begins spellcasting. Simon hits him with Spiritual Weapon. The creature then casts a twisted version of Guiding Bolt, which Simon dodges. Debi uses her sword and crossbow, as Mic is attacked by two of the creatures. Greta fires arrows into the spellcaster, who screams but is not stopped. Mick kills one or the subterraneans with dagger strikes.  Simon is hit by the dark Guiding Bolt. He takes damage and is enveloped in a dark radiance. Jewell is chopping down subterraneans. She uses an Action Surge, wading through the creatures, leaving four dead ones in her wake. Simon hits with his Spiritual Weapon. Debi, finding herself suddenly without subterraneans around her, turns her attention to the spellcaster. She whispers a quiet, dissonant tune that only the creature can hear – Dissonant Whispers. The creature screams, hands on its head, and falls from the roof of the building to lie dead on the stone floor. The team finishes off the remaining subterraneans.

They then turn their focus to the statue.

End of session.
XP: 290 each

The Odd Three, the Slash Sisters, and Slovas the thief, are in the tunnel they entered under the damaged mansion in the Noble district.  They have travelled about 1.5 miles. As they walk down the 10×10 excavated tunnel, Mick walks up front side by side with Jewell Kestrel, Slovas and Simon in the middle, with Debi and Greta in the rear. Mick, up front, keeps his eyes open for traps and other problems, Debi keeps her eyes on the ceiling. They come to a split in the tunnel, but with the cyclopean eye etched above the entrances. Debi examines the floor, and can see that one side – the left side – has been worn smoother by much more traffic. They go to the right. They notice that it is getting slighly warmer as they proceed, and the cross a small undgeround stream. They examine the walls of the tunnel, and find that there are a lot of cracks in the surface, from 1/4 to 1/2″ wide. Mick moves ahead, detecting a larger cavern ahead.

As the group quietly walks down the tunnel the all start to hear voices around them. They can’t identify the language or the exact source. They continue down the corridor. Debi hears something behind them, turns around, and sees four primitive looking naked gray humanoids in the passage. Two are walking almost on all fours, two are clinging to and moving across the walls. The group all turns around to see the creatures in the glow of the fungus in the tunnel. As they watch, two more of the creatures squeeze their bodies out of the cracks in the walls, like rats able to pass through tiny openings. They make a disgusting sounds as they move through. Now there are six of the creatures. They bear their very sharp teeth and start to attack.

Debi is closest to them. She moves up and casts Thunderwave. Four of the creatures are blown back ten feet and obliterated. The rest of the groups attacks the remaining two, killing one of them. The last one scampers up to the wall and slithers through a crack, disappearing.

The group decides they’d better move forward. Mick enters the cavern. It is brighter inside, with glowing vegetation in a rainbow of colors.  The group hears lots more voices back in the tunnel.  They move into the cavern and begin to explore. They find and underground stream going across is. As Debi explores she finds another tunnel entrance on the other side, and encounters a humanoid being that appears to be made from the fungus and other growth in the cavern. It moves toward Debi. It gibbers madly. Debi makes a Wisdom save to avoid effects of hearing its madness.  It opens its mouth and blasts out a cone of nauseating spores. She saves. Simon comes around and attack with Sacred Flame, but the creature dodges. The rest of the group attacks. Simon is in range of the gibbering and fails a save, resulting in a -1 to his actions until he can save. Debi hits it with Shatter. Mick hits with a Magic Missle. Jewel hits with a great sword. As the fight goes on, they see that the creature is drawing mass up from the ground, regenerating its wounds. The creature attacks repeatedly with bite attacks, but misses.  Finally Simon hits it with the Thunder Mace, and blows it to bits.

End of session:

XP 250 each.

The Odd Three remain in the Eye of the Beholder tavern with acolyte Bryce. They are approached by Brother Mortimer, of the Rat Temple. He is aware of their reputation, and knows that Simon is a priest of rival (but not enemy) Temple of Ahki. He tells them he just returned from a religious pilgrimage, and he thinks something is wrong in his temple, that he thinks it has been infiltrated in some way. They agree to meet with him every couple of days. Simon investigates at the Ahki temple but finds no evidence of a problem.

They the meet Mortimer from the Temple of the Rat God.

Bryce is kidnapped and taken into the sewer.

They chase, fight and kill an otyugh, and discover the dead kidnapper is a doppleganger

The Odd Three and their companions are onboard the Troll’s Tooth and a massive plant-like creature has surfaced in front of the boat, between them and the dimensional gate.  It is The Big Tree. It asks questions them, and they tell it they wish to pass through the gate. It asks what they have to trade that it may let them pass. They know, based on Debi’s mind-reading of Shertz the Mystic, that the Big Tree needs protein. They have about 60 pounds of rations in the portable hole. First, Debi tries to sway the Big Tree with a song. The creature is unmoved. Finally they offer up 20 pounds of rations, which they dump in the water so that the Big Tree may absorb the rich nutrients with its roots. It lets them by.

As the goblins row the ship toward the gate, Mick uses the gate ring, and the two pylons and their mystic runes begin to glow. Energy flows between the pylons, and purple/black mists swirl. The ship sails through and they find themselves just outside the port of Langwon.

They reach the port, settle up with Captain Klang, and head into town. Samhir the Blue Archer and Shalla Hess thank them for their help getting home to the Langwonian plane and bid them farewell.

As they enter the city, the tell-tale misty door of Rax’s shop appears in an alley where no door should be. They enter. Debi give Rax the whisker of the blue feline Bubastis which they left in order to procure. Rax rewards her with a scroll of lore to study. Rax thanks Simon and Mick by giving them each a potion. They talk, and Debi tells Rax what they have done. Rax admits to have been watching them the whole time, and tells them that the Bone Man is not really dead — he is probably regenerating. They give Rax the Orb of Planar vision, which seems to be evil-aligned, for safe keeping. Rax tells them it is good that they kept it in the portable hole (a pocket dimension), or the Bone Man might have been able to track them with it. They keep the ring, as Rax tells them there are hidden planar gates around the world which they may have need to traverse.

A couple of weeks pass.

Simon has a dream of a demonic serpent killing the Five Heroes of Langwon (historical figures) and then eating the Flame of Ahki. He wakes in a cold sweat.

Mick follows a well-dressed woman into an unlikely sleazy tavern in Scumtown where she meets with what appears to be a member of the Sethi cult. He recognizes her as Lana Setch, head of the town council, who they have met before. She looks bad. Mick thinks she looks like she is addicted to something. The man leaves, and when she leaves she has apparently drunk a potion and looks better.

Debi gets a letter from her mother, saying that she and some family members wish to see Debi perform, and will see her at her next show at the Eye of the Beholder.

Simon goes to the Temple of Ahki where he is met by Brother Bryce, an acolyte who wants to become an adventurer. He is openly admiring of Simon, who is gaining a reputation. He fetches Abbot Lightman for Simon, who assures Simon that they have seen no signs of the Sethi cult re-emerging.

Debi speaks to Vern about the upcoming performance. She needs him to invite a big crowed to make it look great to impress her family. She asks that Greenteeth and the Darrels be paid to NOT perform that night — to stay away. Vern agrees.

That night at the Eye, the Odd Three meet for Debi’s show.  Simon and Mick compare notes on their recent Sethi-related experiences.

The place fills up. All their friends and associates are there. In the crowd they see Revis Greel, Slovas the thief, and others. Brother Bryce shows up to fan-boy on Simon. “How did you meet such amazing companions, Simon?” he asks. To which Simon shrugs and simply says “Ahki’s blessing”.

Debi begins her performance as the elves enter the tavern, and she delivers an amazing set (massive performance roll), aided with magic imagery created by Mick.

After her set, at the big reserved table, Debi talks with her mother who admits it was an excellent performance. Debi sees an obviously disguised Greenteeth heading for the stage! He alerts Vern, who intercepts him and keeps him from performing.

The table enjoys some conversation. Suddenly there is a sound of breaking glass. Right above their table a swirling black portal opens up. A tall, vaguely humanoid shape falls through. The thing is covered with ectoplasm and it lands on the table, which is crushed under its weight. The shit hits the fan as the thing rises, confused and angry, and begins attacking wildly. The elves and Brother Bryce move back, and the Odd Three do battle with the creature. It attacks with bites and long claws, biting Mick, who saves vs poison. Debi casts a spell on it, but it saves. Mick uses a two-weapon attack, slashing the creature. It continues to slash at the adventurers. Finally, Simon raises the Thunder Mace and calls upon the power of Ahki. He strikes, there is a clap of thunder, and the creature (an Ettercap) is splattered across the room!

The crowd begins cheers for the heroes, chanting “Odd Three, Odd Three!” Vern declares drinks on the house for everyone!

End of session!
XP 250 each

The Odd Three and their companions get back onboard the Troll’s Tooth. The goblin crew is tired and needs rest. They’ve been rowing all day! The party sets up watches on deck and they rotate though a long rest.

The next morning they set off. Debi talks with Simon and Mick about the possibility of using the spell scroll for Planar Travel they took from the Bone Man. They decide against it, as Simon’s Identify spell makes it clear that 1)it will not open a gate large enough for the ship, and 2)None of them are advanced enough in their practice of magic to use the scroll’s very advanced spell without a very high chance of something bad happening.

The ship travels up the center branch of the river. Eventually they come to a place where the river narrows significantly. Captain Klang stops the ship and a line is dropped to test the depth in the middle. It is still sufficient. The trees from each bank are forming a canopy far out over the water, leaving just enough  open air for the masts to pass through.

The party confers with Klang, and it agreed that Debi, Simon, and Mick should take one of the rowboats out ahead of the ship, to scout out potential problems. Samhir the Blue Archer and Shalla Hess will stay onboard to protect the crew should more primitives attack.

They row ahead. All seems well when they hear whooshing and snapping sounds around them. Long vines from the trees to the side and above have become animated and are attacking them, like very long tendrils.

On the rowboat, the PCs manage to chop the vines away and not get hit. Onboard the Troll’s Tooth, however, not everyone is so lucky. One of the goblin crew is hit, and the vine wraps around him. Shalla Hess is similarly hit.

The PCs on the rowboat continue to fight, as do those on the ship. Shalla Hess is able to cut herself free, but the goblin is yanked over the rail and into the river. He struggles, and they can all hear him screaming that it is squeezing him!

On the rowboat, the PCs manage to get the vine situation under control, but the ship is still being attacked. The vine pulls that goblin to shore – about 20 feet in – and continues squeezing.

Samhir takes careful aim from the boat with his longbowl, and looses an arrow, which cuts the goblin free.

From the rowboat, Debi notices a cloaked figure on the opposite shore. She recognizes Shertz the Mystic, who gestures and the vines stop their attacks. The old man looks to the rowboat, grins crazily, gives a little wave, and disappears into the marsh.

Mick rows over the pick up the goblin, but the crewman’s can’t walk due to the damage of constriction. Mick and Simon go to shore to help him. Simon uses healing on the goblin, who thanks him.

But the party isn’t over yet! From a heap of loose vegetation at the shore, a huge and vaguely man-like shape rises. About nine feet tall, the walking pile of rotting plants attacks the goblin. It isn’t fast, but they can see that it has a lot of mass as it swings both arms at the goblin. Amazingly the thing (a Shambling Mound) misses him with both attacks!

The Goblin hops back on the rowboat! So do Mick and Simon. Mick and Debi attack with both crossbows and spells. Simon hits the creature, the Thunder Mace adding massive thunder damage. The creature continues to attack.

The creature attacks Simon with both arms, hitting him both times for massive damage. Simon finds himself engulfed in the creatures disgusting body, unable to breathe!

They have chopped, knocked, or blown huge amounts of the creatures body away. It’s been hit with Magic Missile and Sacred Flame.  Debi has hit it with Dissonant Whispers. But the thing is still alive!

Taking out her Moon Lyre and playing an odd and disturbing chord, Debi casts FEAR on the creature. It fails to save. Suddenly it turns to shamble at top speed off into the marsh, and the grappled Simon plops out of its body to the soggy ground, gasping for air.

They get in the boat and make haste back to the ship. Simon casts Healing on himself.  The goblins start rowing. They continue and the river again widens.

After some time they see two massive stone pylons sticking out of the water. Each is carved with arcane symbols. Clearly this is the gate. Klang stops the ship to confer with the adventurers.

As they talk, a massive form surfaces in front of the ship. A “tree” with huge wooden arms, sitting atop a bulbous plant body, riding on four gigantic tree-like legs.

They have found the Gate, but also the BIG TREE.

End of session.
XP: 800 each