Category: Session Reports

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

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

Having successfully robbed the Master Thief of the Scanelorn Thieves guild after surviving the many traps and backstabbing attempts inside the guild, The Odd Three and their companions Samhir the Blue Archer and the  albino sorceress Shalla Hess decide to make haste out of the city.

Mick uses the hilt of his dagger to knock out the Master Thief, and they leave him in the alley behind the guild building.

They return to the Troll’s Tooth and convince Captain Klang and his goblin crew it would be good to leave immediately, though it is the middle of the night. The goblins raise anchor and begin rowing the ship around the canal ring surround the city, leaving through the gate to the Black Marsh.

On board, the PCs and their allies discuss division of the magic treasure they have accumulated over the last day or so.

The party takes turns resting below decks. On day two of their trip down the river, barbed spears are thrown from the shore on both sides. One hits a goblin crewman. The spears are connected to long ropes, and the assailant tries to pull the goblin off the deck and into the water. The goblin, however, is not dead and is able to use a knife to cut himself free. He collapses on deck. A battle ensues. The party sees, on both shores, humanoid beings with slimy, light green skin. They continue throwing spears at the ship. Debi Harree, Mick, and Samhir attack the primitives with arrow and crossbows killing a couple of them. Shalla Hess and Simon attack with spells — Witch Bolt and Sacred Flame — frying two more of the creatures.

The humanoids fail a morale check after seeing the impressive magic, and flee, terrified, into the march. They quickly disappear from sight.

Simon makes a medicine roll, pushes the spear through the goblin, doing enough damage to kill him. He fails a death save. Simon casts healing on him and he’s OK.

The ship continues.

Toward nightfall they come to a point where the river splits in three directions. Shalla Hess admit that while she has heard of the dimensional gate being on this river through the marsh, she has heard nothing of this unforeseen complication.

There is a small earthen hut not far from the water on the right bank. Smoke rises from a small chimney and light flickers in a window. Debi sees someone peering at them from that window, then the curtain shuts.  Moments later a decrepit man appears in the door of the hut. He motions for them to come over.

With Sahir and Shalla Hess staying on board the Troll’s Tooth in case of further attacks by the slimy primitives, Simon, Mick, and Debi take a rowboat to the shore.

They go to the hut, and are greeted by what appears to be an old hermit. They introduce themselves, and the man introduces himself as Shertz the Mystic.

Shertz asks them to dine with him. He’s cooking the most horrible smelling stew they’ve ever encountered, and serves them all up a nice wooden bowl full of the stuff. Mick is first to try it. He doesn’t die, and they all eat and talk. They ask him if he knows about a dimensional gate in the marsh, and which branch of the river they should take. He tries, but can’t seem to remember. Simon “blesses” the old man, while Debi takes out the Moon Lyre playing him a song, imparting Bardic Inspiration (now a d8!). The old man make a history roll and remembers which branch to take – the middle one!

As he talks he mentions that they may encounter “The Big Tree.” It sounds ominous. They ask him more questions but he is both a bit crazy and a bit secretive. Enough to cause the PCs to worry. Debi continues playing, using the Moon Lyre to cast Detect Thought on Shertz. She then continues to ask him about The Big Tree. She is getting some info but not enough. She uses the spell to do a deeper probe of his mind, and is able to see through the layers of just plain crazy and dementia. She can tell that the Big Tree is a living being, very large, who lives in the marsh and apparently is close to the portal. She finds that the creatures subsists on the organic matter of the marsh, likes protein, and it likely sentient.

The spell ends. Shertz says “You got right into my mind, young elf! I’m …not sure….I like…that…” His mood seems to have soured after having his mind invaded. Simon intervenes, using a good persuasion roll to convince Shertz that Debit just made a mistake and meant no harm, which accepts. The then tells them that dinner if over. They hastily retreat to their row boat and to the ship.

End of session.
XP: 175 each

This will be a short report. Hard to remember all the details.

The PCs along with allies Samhir the Blue Archer and Shalla Hess invade the Thieves Guild of Scanelorn.

The building, of course is full of traps. The know after interrogating a thief that the guildmaster is usually on the 3rd floor, so they kill two guards, enter the building, and are immediately attacked by thieves hiding in the walls. They may a dash for the third floor. Simon enters a room with doors at each end. As he approaches one he trips a pressure plate on the floor. An iron plate slides down blocking his exit. Debi manages to get out of its way. Simon is subjected to sleeping gas. Shalla Hess casts levitate on the plate, raising it enough that Samhir and Mick can help her hold it up long enough for Debi to crawl under and get the sleeping Simon out of there. They wake him. As they explore further, thieves use stealth to backstab them by hanging upside down from sliding panels in the ceiling. After dealing with these rats in the walls, the guildmaster unleashes a Displacer Beast on them. The monster attacks. They manage to kill it, but not before it reduces Simon to zero hit points with two simultaneous damaging strikes. Mick quickly pours healing potion in his mouth, reviving him. Simon quickly casts a healing spell on himself, as Samhir has entered the guildmaster’s chambers. He calls out that he’s getting away. The head thief exists through a secret door, into a hidden corridor, and through a hidden exit in the exterior walls. He’s climbing down the wall from the 3rd floor. Mick jumps out, landing on the thief, and they both tumble to the ground. Simon casts Sacred Flam on the thief. As the other look down, the thief surrenders. He doesn’t want to fight…he’s a thief! Simon casts detect magic. They take all his magic items – 2 rings, a sword, and a dagger.

We stop here.

End of Session.
XP awarded for last 4 sessions: 1770
PCs level up to 5th

With acknowledgement and apologies to Michael Moorcock… 

The PCs begin still in the Bone Man’s tower. They can see, in the distance, what Debi believes to be the fabled extradimensional city of Scanelorn.

They return to the wall, and to the Troll’s Tooth, telling Captain Klang what they have seen and done.  Klang and his goblin crew begin to paddle the ship into the passage through the wall.

They manage to get through without incident. Anchoring in the middle of the river, just beyond the wall, they get some sleep.

The next day they proceed to the city. As they near it, they see that then entire city is apparently surrounded by a wide and deep moat, into which they can see other rivers as well as the one they are on, connecting. Rivers from other planes of existence.

They find a place to dock and pay 10gp for a week.

From the boat, they see eople clearly not from their own reality. They hear the common tongue spoken with strange accents. Humans and demi-humans are recognizable but…not quite the same.

The Goblins take shore leave. Debi inquires with the harbormaster, on behalf of the group, to find a good tavern where they might eat and seek information. He suggests the Lucky Traveller and gives her directions.

At the Lucky Traveller, the PCs sit down. Debi chats up the bartender, who invites her to take the stage and entertain the crowd. Simon “blesses” her (rolling again to make contact with the god Ahki while on this plane), and Debi rolls a very high performance roll.  She introduces herself and sings a song about the founding of Langwon.

After her set, two strangers approach them at the table. A man going by Samhir the Blue Archer and an albino woman in a black cloak known as Shalla Hess. The PCs all make perception rolls, and notice that the two have familiar accents. The archer and the albino tell them they are also from the Langwonian plane and have been trapped here. They need help to return home, but until now have found no other Langwonians. They explain a rumor that the head of the Thieves Guild has a magic ring that can activate a planar gate located somewhere in the Black Marsh to the north of the city. They tell the PCs where the Thieve’s Guild HQ is.

The PCs say they might be interested. They agree to meet again later.

Being a rogue, Mick goes to check out the HQ. Debi and Simon go to the Archives of Scanelorn.

Mick finds a large stone building with no windows – just small slits for light and air. One door on front with two guards. Alleys on either side. In the middle of the Thieves Quarters, an area of confusing, crowded, narrow streets and alleys.

Behind the Guild HQ he finds a tavern. He goes in check it out.

Debi and Simon go to the Archives, where Debi researches lore about both the city, the Planar Gate, and the Bone Man. She rolls a natural 20 on investigation and gets lots of info. It requires the right river, on a magic ship, to sail into Scanelorn. They had neither. That and the “wall” lead her to believe they were sent here for some ill-intent by unusual methods.

In the tavern, Mick encounters two thieves who mess with him a bit. One of them says he should “meet the boss.” The other rolls a 20 and picks Mick’s pocket, stealing his magic dagger. He then flaunts the dagger to taunt Mick with his skill, then gives it back to him. Mick leaves, after using an invisible Mage hand to pull the hood down in the face of his pickpocket.

That night they return to the Lucky Traveller, where Debi performs for tips. The meet up with Shalla Hess and Samhir the Blue Archer to scheme. After a long discussion they decide to go to the scummy tavern behind the Thieve’s Guild and try to kidnap a thief to question. They agree to try to knock one out, take him back to the Troll’s Tooth, and Debi will use her Detect Thought’s spell to get info about the interior of the Thieve’s Guild and the Master Thief. All they know about him is that he rarely leaves the building, and is a portly but nimble fellow.

They go to the tavern. Samhir and Shalla Hess get on a nearby rooftop to act as snipers if needed. Simon casts pass without track to enhance everyone’s stealth who is near him.

Mick goes in, using Alter Self to change his appearance.

He sees a thief walk out to relieve himself in the alley. Mick sneaks after him, and knocks him out. The PCs her Shalla Hess and Samhir chuckling from the rooftop.

They blindfold the man, put him in the portable hole, and make quickly for the Troll’s Tooth, needing to reach the ship before the man runs out of air in the hole.

End of Session.

The Odd Three begin where they left off, at their rowboat, at the old dock on Castle Island. Debi has the whisker from Bubastis, the blue feline, and they row back out to the Troll’s Tooth, where Captain Klang has kept his work and waited for them.

Klang barks some orders to his goblin crew and they hoist the rowboat back aboard. It is about 3am, and they decide to set sail immediately for Langwon.

The next day they find themselves sailing through a thick fog. When they get through it the see a 50′ wall rising out out of the sea, and extending to either horizon. Debi (making her Arcana roll) remembers a story about sailors encountering just such a phenomenon on a different plane of existence, and tells her companions that they seem to have left their home plane, though no on knows how.

As they approach the wall, Mick climbs to the top of the crows nest and uses Captain Klang’s spyglass to try to look over the top of the wall. From this position, he sees that he wall not only extends to the horizon but seems to extend far into the distance. He can’t see the edge.

A goblin rows them to the base of the wall, where Mick uses his rogue skills to climb to the top.

When he gets to the top, he can see that in the distance the wall apparently does have an edge.  Looking to the left, he sees that there is actually an opening big enough for a ship to sail into, but the color and cut of the huge stones of the wall create an optical illusion. You could sail past it and not see it. He can then see that the opening leads to a passage through the impossible wall, likely to the other side.

Returning to the ship, the PCs inform Captain Klang. They decide that the PCs will return to the top of the wall and walk to the other side to scout things out. Klang will keep the ship there, or he may take it carefully into the passage, but he won’t leave them.

Climbing back up the wall, the PCs reach the other side easily. Below the edge of the wall, extending several miles into the distance, is a plane of black sand. To their left they see a river exiting the wall (likely the exit point for the passage they found) that goes across that sandy plane and into the hilly, wooded land beyond.

About halfway across the plane, near the river (on their side of the river), they see thin white spire rising from the sand.

The climb down and begin toward that tower.

As they get closer, they can see that there is “bulb” at the top that appears to have windows. The tower itself is made of smooth, white columns that twist like a vine 100 feet into the sky. When they are 1/8″ of a  mile from the tower, they can see more detail. The structure appears to have massive white roots that protrude into the black sand supporting it. The outer structure twists and turns line a vine, leaving a hollow area inside, in which they can see stairs that climb up the inside toward the bulb at the top.

As they stand there studying it, Debi hears something behind them. She alerts Mick and Simon, and they see from all sides hundreds, if not thousands, of weird-looking skeletal rats emerging from the sand and staring to swarm them! The only path open to them is to the tower!

They take off running for the tower. They take a few bites from the skeletal rats before reaching the tower. They run up the stairs a bit. They can see between the outer structural “bones” of the tower that the rats have stopped and surrounded the tower, but are not entering it.

Mick begins up the tower, going about 20 feet in front of the other two, looking for traps. They ascend.

Coming to the top, Mick finds that the stairs enter a large chamber. The interior of the chamber is made of the same organic-like material that seems like polished white bone. He casts Dancing Lights to light the place up. H sees the windows. He sees glass-domed display cases around the room. At the far side he sees a massive white chair that seems to have grown from the white floor. Sitting on the chair is a very tall humanoid shape, made completely of the white bone material, it’s eyes simply glowing points on the face. it speaks….

“Ah…the servants of Raxilliah…here to pay me a visit. Come and and visit with me and perhaps I’ll send you home.”

Simon and Debi the booming voice as they enter then room.

They approach the figure, seeing some interesting artifacts in the displays. The creature stands, focussing on Debi, and says “Give me that whisker your retrieved for Raxilliah and I may send you home.” Debi replies, trying to negotiate some other arrangement. The Bone Man starts becoming enraged…raising voice. Debi feels his anger in her mind, experiencing his anger and feeling paralyzed. He attacks her with two huge, clawed hands, missing both times.

Simon attempts to cast a spell, and finds that his connection to Ahki seems weaker on this plane, which must be far removed from the planes on which Ahki is strong. He is required to roll his Wisdom or less on a d20 to cast a spell. He makes the roll.

The PCs fight the enraged Bone Man. Debi rolls all attack rolls at disadvantage until she can make a Wisdom save to overcome the rage she is feeling from the Bone Man.

Using a combination of spells (Thunderwave, Spiritual Weapon, Magic Missile, and Dissonant Whispers) they PCs damage the Bone Man badly while, incredibly, he misses every attack roll. They notices that the cracks they are making in his body are healing fast. They manage to “kill him” but can see his part regenerating. They smash the bones to bits, taking the skull and some of the bones and flinging them out different windows.

Looking over the stuff in the room, a lot of it looks like the kind of things one would find in Rax’s shop. Simon casts Detect Magic and Identify on some of the items. They find that the orb in front of the chair is an Orb of Planar Vision. They also find a carved white art piece that looks like a mouse skeleton, a scroll, and a vial of the black sand, that all radiate magic.

Debi, no longer under the effects of the Bone Man’s rage, realizes that carrying the whisker of the telepathic/empathic Bubastis was amplifying the rage and causing the effect. The whisker is sensitive to emotion. They put the whisker, in its vial, in the portable hole, which is a pocket dimension and should shield the carrier from the effect.

Looking out the window, they see the rat skeleton monsters are gone. In the distance, they see a city, which Debi has recalled is likely called Scanelorn.

End of Session.

The party begins where they left off. The decide to explore one of the stone stairwells that descend under the ruins of the castle.

Simon cast Light on a crossbow bolt, and Mick fires the bolt down into the passage. They go down the stairs, coming to an old cellar what was likely used to store food in the past. Mick lights it up with Dancing Lights. There are overturned shelves and other junk. At the far side of the room they see a door off its hinges and on the floor, in front of an opening.

Beyond the passage they find a rough-hewn passageway that curves. It is dark. Mick lights up the passage and sees three human shapes clinging to the rough walls and ceiling, moving like spiders. They are pale, skinny and sinewy, have stringy hair and wild eyes, and wear the remnants of simple clothing. The creatures squint as the light hits them and begin chattering and gibbering and laughing in a disturbing display of madness. Skittering across the walls and ceiling like roaches, they move quickly and attack the party.

One of the creatures bites Mick. The bite does a little damage, but also attacks Mick’s mind. He hear’s, in his mind, horrible shrieking and mad howls of tortured human minds, taking additional psychic damage. Each time the creatures are hit they simple giggle madly. The party kills these insane beings, and continues down the hall.

The passage opens into a large excavated cavern-like chamber with a 20-foot ceiling. Dancing lights illuminates the chamber, revealing human bones scattered across the floor, an area raised 10′ at the far end and stone steps leading up to it, and in the middle of the floor a 3′ tall stone cistern the apparently is full of water.

Mick walks by the pool on his way to the steps. As he comes nearer the pool his mind is assaulted by the feeling of dozens of minds screaming in terror and confusion. Debi comes up for a look and the same thing happens.

Suddenly Simon is confronted by a being that looks like the old man from his lucid dream. The creature attacks him. He fails a save and is paralyzed due to a mental assault in which he senses some familial connection with what is happening — he is stunned and loses a turn.

Mick runs up the stairs. When he and Debi looked into the pool they saw clear water, human skulls sitting in the bottom, and thousands of undulating smoky black tendrils moving in the water in a complex web, constantly changing and shifting.

Simon regains his senses and casts Bless on himself and his two friends.

The party feels confusion and madness emanating from the pool. Debi sings and gives Bardic Inspiration to Simon.

Longer water tendrils rise from the pool and attack the party, ignoring armor protection and doing psychic damage upon hitting.

Debi is confronted by a creature resembling a mixture of her patron, Rax, and his pet, Magpie. The creature attacks her. Mick is confronted and attacked by what appears to be an undead version of his mentor, Blix Yodarian. The PCs see each other fighting non-existent enemies. Simon finally saves and the Phantasmal Force illusion leaves his mind. He blasts the pool with Guiding Bolt. The spell hits, and the party hears dozens of voices screaming in their heads.

More water tendrils attack, but finally Debi and Mick save against the spell. Simon attacks with Sacred Flame. Debi leaves the room (she has taken heavy damage), as Mick slashes into the pool with his magic dagger. He is surprised that it does in fact cut and damage the smoky black tendrils in the water.

Calling upon the power of Ahki, Simon calls down Sacred Flame once again to blast the pool.

The party hears screaming in their heads and each takes psychic damage Simon’s spell destroys the network of magic neural tendrils in the pool in an explosion of mental energy.

Debi comes back in. The characters all feel a sense of peace replacing the background noise of insanity and confusion. They go up on the raised area and find record books which list the names of inmates in the asylum who were apparently used in evil magic experiments in this chamber. They find scrolls describing those experiments and the theories behind them. They put all this stuff in the Portable Hole and leave.

As they exit the stairs to the surface they find a gigantic blue saber toothed blue cat sitting high above them in the ruins. Clearly it is Bubastis. The cat slowly evaluates them. Each of them feel the cat’s mind telepathically probing theirs. They converse with him. He says they have silenced the screaming he has heard in his mind for many years, and he is grateful. In thanks, he allows Debi to cut one of his smaller whiskers to complete her quest on the island, then tells them to leave without killing anyone else.

The party leaves, returning to their rowboat by the small dock.

End of Session.

XP award for this and the previous session: 510xp