Sessions 12 & 13: Into the Garden

Thanks to Dyson Logos for the awesome map I used for this session.

•  We resume the game in the now chaotic Battle Dome. 
• A cleric jumps into the battle field and casts Spare the Dying on the ogre. Debi notices that the cleric, a small pale man in black robes, was seated next to Rivas in the stands.
• Simon used his Jump Ring to get Mick and Lorian up into the stands. Before the last leap, he casts a healing spell on the ogre, restoring him to some level of health.
• Too late, 6 guards and 4 mastiffs come out to get control of the battle field. The ogre is not fighting anymore. They are too late.
• The crowd is going wild for the PCs.
• Lorian wants to kill his promoter, Prat Swindle. He throws a knife at Prat, who is in the owners box, but misses. 
• Debi casts Prestidigitation to show Lorian a small message - "Meet us at the Eye of the Beholder"
• Prat starts moving through the crowded arena to escape, and Lorian follows Prat
• The PCs decide to split up and leave the arena. 
• Debi pulls up her cloak's hood and tries to blend into the crowd.
• Simon does some jumps and dashes to get out
• Mick ducks behind the vendor stands and casts Disguise Self, and then casually leaves Battle Dome
• They go to the Eye, wondering what happened to Lorian. Mick hung out, using his disguise spell, in front of Battle Dome but did not see him leave.
• After some time, Lorian joins them at the Eye, and they are then joined by their sometimes enemy Rivas Greel
• Rivas greets them and explains he holds no animosity toward them. He has noted the magic dagger Mick was using -- the one he stole from Rivas. 
• Lorian explains that Rivas pulled a few strings to keep him and the PCs out of trouble for what happened in Battle Dome. 
• A discussion follows. They are indebted to Rivas, who has a task for them.
• He has recently learned of a path to a secret underground garden created by a druid named Marta Lamortis in decades-past. It is said to contain an amazing carnivorous plant. He wants a seed from that plant. 
• Rivas has the location of an entrance to the Under City. One from which the garden may be approached.
• The PCs and Lorian agree to do the task.
• Rivas tells them of a ruined guard tower in the Scumtown Maze. That is where they can start their search.
• The PCs gear up for the job, and get a long rest.
  
• The next day, the PCs and Lorian go to the tower, which they find to be mostly the ruined outer walls, surrounded by a 10 foot iron fence. Mick picks the lock on the gate.
• They find the inside of the tower area to be full of rubble, but there is a small stone room with a door. They open it, and find stairs leading down
• Going down the stairs they find an old armory. Lots of rusted weapons and armor parts, and two sets of very rusted plate mail armor. Mick enters the room first, and the two suits of armor animate and attack the intruders. 
• Lorian takes some serious damage, as do Simon and Mick. Debi avoids damage. Eventually they destroy the two animated armors.
• There is a door to a small closet. Simon finds a secret door, which leads to some stairs.
• They descend the stairs a long way, finally coming to a boat dock on and underground stream. Looking down the stream, Mick uses Dancing Lights to illuminate an arched opening through which the stream goes. There are runes carved into the arch. The PCs try to read them. They are not arcane. Simon recognized one of the symbols as being a Druid symbol from the Old Religion. They think that is likely the way to the Druid's garden. They board the raft and are off.
• After some time, using Dancing Lights and Simon's Light spell cast on his mace for illumination, they come to a fork in stream. One side has another carved arch. The arch has green slimy stuff  on it. They use a spell to burn it off before going through. 
• The come to a huge domed chamber. The roof is carved with the Druid symbol. As they start across to the exit portal the water takes the shape of a Water Elemental of some sort. 
• The elemental stops them and wants to know what business they have in the Garden. They explain themselves and the elemental is not impressed. Debi uses her Persuasion skill. We do a contest - Here skill vs the elemental's Wisdom. She wins easily. The elemental says something about the sign. They show the Druid sign to it using Dancing Lights. The elemental begrudgingly allows them to pass. 
• As they go through, they see a small landing in the tunnel wall. The stop and pull the raft ashore.
• They find a small habitation. Very old. Mick explores the back area. Debi finds the Druid symbol on a wall near the front. She traces her fingers over the design, and the outline of a secret door illuminates. She calls her companions and they open the door.
• The find a passage into an amazing terraced garden. 
• They begin to explore, going out into the garden. 
• On the first terrace they find 2 trees, and see that the stream flows through each of the successive terraces, dropping 5' down for each. This terrace has violet-tinted light. Debit finds a statue of the Druid, Marta Lamortis, in one corner.
• Simon casts Detect Magic. Find finds one of the trees radiating magic. They don't figure out what the magic is.
• Mick looks down to the next terrace, which has yellowish light. The others join him. On the terrace below they see 2 faun statues and 3 trees. One of the trees has bit spiky leaves. Mick jumps down, landing on the thick ground-cover. Suddenly roots start moving, trying to ensnare his legs. He manages to use his dexterity to avoid being grappled, and from above Simon uses Sacred Flame to blast the roots. Mick gets back up to the upper terrace.
• Jumping the stream, they PCs find a way around a huge tree on the other side on the lower terrace, avoiding the grappling roots and vines. 
• They see the third terrace, illuminated with greenish light. Mick jumps down and find himself unable to hear anything. He calls out, and can't hear himself. Debi follows him, getting the same effect. Simon can see them looking confused. He leans out over the ledge, and gets the same effect. 
• Simon and Lorian move down to the 3rd tier. Simon can detect a magic effect beyond the magic illuninating the entire garden. The nearest tree is radiating magic, and they assume it is a Silence spell effect. They look down to the next terrace, illuminated in blue. Across the stream they see a strange plant. Shaped like a human-sized egg, the main body is slimy and brown. There are four long slimly root/ tendrils laying flaccidly on the ground. Around the middle of the main body are numerous seed-like pods, and on top are two stalks with bulbous green ends. 
• They decide this plant is likely the one with the seeds that Rivas has asked them to retrieve. Debi casts mage hand, and from a safe distance plucks away one of the cantaloupe-sized pods. As she brings it back it begins to pulse and move. She drops it in a leather bag. 
• They descend to the next terrace, lit in an aqua color.  There they find a tree crackling energy. The bolts of energy are attracted to the metallic leaves of another strange tree. 
• They hear a voice in their head. It is the energy tree, which is sentient. It warns them of the seed they are carrying. They converse with the tree, but return up the terraces the way they came, with the seed. It tells them the seed can only be planted inside a living being as host. They leave anyway.
• They return to the original boat dock, pushing upstream with poles, and exit the complex.
• Meeting with Rivas, the PCs and Lorian turn the bag with the strange seed to him. They don't feel good about it, but they owe him. He declares their debt to him cleared, and he and his bodyguard Larsh leave with the seed.

End of session.

XP: 425 each

Session 11: Battle Dome

Cast of Characters

• Simon Templar, Cleric of Ahki
• Mick Flynn, Arcane Trickster 
• Debi Harree, Bard of the College of Lore

the Session

• We pick up with the PCs still in the mausaleum.
• The PCs hear still more zombies outside, likely the last three of the Pavel men who had disappeared.
• Debi leads jumps on top of a sarcophagus and lures the, in with a song.
• Mick hides just inside the entrance, while Simon readies himself for more battle
• The zombies enter. Mick gets a sneak attack. The zombies do some damage to the PCs, but manage to kill them, none of the zombies successfully making their undead fortitude saves. 
• The party leaves the graveyard, returning to the Mayor's office, where they find...
• Genealogical records of proving that the Mayor was a member of the Longstrider lineage, records of the Pavel family, 100gp the Mayor had essentially ripped of from the people in the neighborhood, and a ledger showing his dirty dealings and crimes.
• They get a long rest, return the next day and explain to the residents what has been going on, show them the evidence, and tell them where they can find the bodies of everyone. The residents are grateful, telling them that they always have a home and friends in Gravetown.
• The PCs each get another 50xp for killing the three zombies
• A week passes. The PCs go about their business
• Mick, out during the day, sees a caravan heading into Scumtown. It appears to be a troupe of gladiatorial fighters. He follows, seeing something very unusual - an elf with the other fighters. 
• At the Eye of the Beholder, Simon and Debi see the same thing, meeting up with Mick. They see that the male elf has many fight scars on his upper body.
• A "barker" is pitching the fights that are to happen that night (Saturday) at Battle Dome, deep in the Scumtown Maze.
• None of the PCs have been to Battle Dome or into the very confusing area of streets called the Maze. They are aware that prize fighting, with weapons, is popular with all levels society. Nobels will show up dressed "down" trying to be inconspicuous. 
• They decide to go to Battle Dome that night, to investigate the elf, hoping they might talk to him in the locker room or something. Debi, being an elf, is particularly interested.
• They go to Battle Dome that night, and find a carnival atmosphere outside and inside. Debi buys a small fancy wooden box from a crone's booth on the vendor deck. Simon looks at weapons. Mick inquires at the betting booth about any elves involved in the games, and finds out the one they saw is known as Lorian the Knife, and is going to fight Schlumpf, an Ogre, as one of the main events. Debi and Mick place bets on Lorian.
• The PCs observe some warm-up fights. Mick notices Rivas Greel in the crowd
• Finally, Lorian and Schlumpf enter the fighting arena.
• The fighting floor is square, 60" per side. There is a 5' wide, 15' deep mote around the space. Participants enter from doors on either side, from which drawbridges lower.  There's not a bad seat in the house. 
• Schlumpf immediately rushes the elf, attacking with a Great Club, delivering a devastating blow to Lorian. Lorian responds with 2 strikes from his daggers. It is immediately obvious that Lorian is in big trouble. Though a skilled fighter, his weapons are insufficient against the 10' ogre. 
• Debi stands in the crowd and begins singing an Elvish battle song, bestowing Bardic Inspiration on the elf. 
• Note: the PCs are playing Lorian, each taking a turns running the elf during combat. 
• Lorian uses his 2nd wind ability regaining some hit points. Schlumpf pummels him again and again. Debi uses her Dissonant Whispers on the Ogre, drawing no attention as everyone in the place is yelling. 
• Debi recognizes the two-weapon fighting style used by Lorian as one practiced by her family, and thinks he may be a relative.
• The Ogre drives Lorian to the floor, possibly dead.
• Debi jumps across the moat and administers a healing potion to Lorian, reviving him, but finds herself standing in front of the massive Schlumpf.
• Schlumpf hits her with the Great Club, dropping her to zero HP with one blow.
• Simon and Mick jump into the battle field. The crowd is going crazy!
• Mick engages the ogre, doing some damage and taking some. 
• Lorian is again hit down to zero.
• Debi has made two successful death saves. Lorian has missed one, made one. 
• Simon heals Debi back up to 14 hp
• Mick drags Lorian away from the ogre. 
• Simon uses his Jump ring to jump himself and Debi back over the mote to safety
• Simon jumps back in, heals Lorian back to positive HP
• Schlumpf has taken damage throughout the fight. Mick hits twice, once in the gut, and then a slice to the throat, killing the ogre.
• The crowd is going ape. Debi is still in the stands with people going nuts for her. Lorian, Simon, and Mick are all conscious down on the floor of the fighting zone
• Battle Dome is erupting in chaos as we stop until next session!
• XP: 113 to the PCs and Lorian for defeating the Ogre

We leave them there, in the now chaotic Battle Dome, waiting to see what happens next!

Time elapsed in campaign: 7 weeks, 5 days.

Session 10: the Wight

A quick synopsis.  

The PCs have left the graveyard. 

- Simon casts detect magic on the ring and area, finds no magic

- Party gets long rest. 

- Meets for lunch at the Eye. 

- Return to Gravetown - search the graveyard again - find the Pavel family mauseleum. They go in. It has been desecrated. The Longstrider one is the same.

- They go to the home of Three-teeth and ask her some questions.

- Simon and Debi stay in Gravetown to seek out an archive to research the two families, while Mick goes back to the Eye.

- Simon and Debi find the mad archivist Mr. Stimpleton. He gives them some info on the families, including the locations where the family homes were located.

- They discover that the old location of the Longstrider family is now where the Mayor's office is.

- They follow the Mayor into the graveyard, where they find him meeting with the Wight, Larson Longstrider. Larson attacks them with thrown daggers. Debi blast the wight and the mayor with Thunderwave, which kills the mayor. The wight saves and is injured. 

- The  PCs battle the wight, taking damage before killing him. 

- They find a ring on his finger.

- End of session. PCs still in graveyard.

- PCs each get 500xp for the last 3 sessions of play.

- 

Session 9: Mausoleum Battle

The party starts this session where we left off, in the gigantic Longstrider family mausoleum, having just killed a giant spider that attacked them.

Mick, now officially an Arcane Trickster, casts Dancing Lights to provide better illumination in the building. The three adventurers spread out, searching the chamber, looking for anything unusual. As they make their way back, Simon discovers a sarcophagus with a slightly out of place lid. The group gathers around it and Mick moves it. Looking inside they find it empty! No remains!

They continue searching, and Mick hears something outside the doors. The party move into hiding/defensive positions, Debi behind a sarcophogus, Mick stealthing along wall, and Simon readying his boomerang. 

Three zombies come shambling into the chamber and begin moving toward the PCs. Simon hits a zombie with his boomerang, the weapon lodged in the undead cranium. 

We move into combat. Mick throws a dagger and hits. The zombies move toward the PCs. Simon successfully uses turn undead on 3 of them. Debi blasts two with Thunderwave. 

The doors to the mausoleum slam shut! The PCs hear the wooden bar fall into place, locking them in! Someone has trapped them in there with the zombies! 

The battle continues. The PCs use spells and weapons to fell zombies, but are surprised to find that even a "dead" zombie might remain animated! You have to really smite them hard! (5e has Undead Fortitude). 

The PCs take damage, and they find that zombies are easy to hit but hard to kill. After 7 rounds of combat they manage to kill the zombies. They notice that none of the zombies look like they have been dead for very long. They also notice that zombies clothing isn't very old, and that they all look like they were big beefy young men. Sounds like six of the nine missing people have been found. 

The PCs go to the door. There is not enough room to stick a dagger through to raise the bar on the door, but they can see it through the small gap. Mick tries to raise it using Mage Hand, but can't. Then he and Debi both cast Mage Hand and team up, managing to raise it and open the door. The lock had fallen apart then they picked it last session.

They group explores the overgrown graveyard to the east of the building, finding nothing. Simon returns to the building while Debi and Mick us stealth along the tree line to see if anyone follows him, but nothing happens. The rejoin him. They search the zombies bodies, and find that one of them is still wearing a silver ring.

They leave the graveyard and go get some rest, agreeing to meet again with Mayor Wartis the next day.

End of session. 
Same day.
Waiting until end of adventure to give XP.

Session 8: Gravetown

 The PCs start where they left off. They have retrieved the ritual book of the Sethi cult. However, it's the middle of the night. Knowing that Rivas may have people looking for them, they go to the house of Mick's mentor, Blix Yodarian. 

Blix lets them stay the night and talks with them. He advises Mick to associate with solid people and be trustworthy with them. He also tells him that he'll begin training him in magic use.

The next day they return to the Temple of Ahki and join the real Abbot Lightman in locking the ritual book in the temple's vault. The Abbot tell's Simon that he will teach him new prayers and mediations to deepen his relationship with Ahki and allow him to draw on more of her power.

Debi is summoned to the shop of Raxalliah the Merchant, who gives her the Book of the Loremaster. He tells her to spend a month studying it, and it will give her insight into psychology, storytelling, and other bard skills. 

The PCs each spend a month in study (after which they gain their 3rd level abilities). During that month, Debi encounters Rivas while she is performing at the Eye of the Beholder. Rivas simply applauds her, and gives her a respectful nod. No apparent animosity for their recent conflicts. 

After that month goes by, Mick encounters the thief Slovas at the Eye. Slovas tells him of a rumor that the residents of the neighborhood known as Gravetown are having trouble with some entity who's come up from the Under-City. Gravetown is an area where once the rich of Langwon resided. It borders a massive graveyard (thus the name) where those rich and noble were buried. Now it is a downtrodden area. Debi and Simon show up and Mick tells them of the rumor. They decide to investigate. Debi confirms the rumor with Vern, the bartender. 

The PCs go to Gravetown and find the streets unusually empty. They are directed by a few drunks still on the street to the Bard's Flute pub. There they find a public meeting taking place. A man in fine clothing is on the band stage, flanked by two fighters. The place is crowded with residents who are yelling "What are you going to do about this?" and likewise. The place is about to erupt into violence. Mick cries out that he and his friends can help! The crowd turns, looks at the three, and one man says "What can you do?" Deb jumps up on stage and begins to speak to the crowd, rolling a very high Persuasion roll, and calming the people. She learns that the man on stage is named Wartis. Mick amazes the crowd with some minor magic, and Debi lets them speak. The PCs learn that a number of young men in the neighborhood have disappeared, and the Wartis (the mayor) is unwilling to call the City Guard in to put things right. Wartis explains that it would cause fear and destroy the economy of the neighborhood, and that they can handle it themselves. Debi and the other two agree to help them, the crowd disperses, and they PCs join Wartis in a meeting in his office.

Wartis expresses skepticism that anything is actually wrong, blaming the superstitious nature of the peasants, of whom he speaks with some derision. He agrees to hire the PCs to investigate the matter. He'll pay them each 20 gp if they will report back tomorrow with their findings. They agree and leave.

They are summoned to a home by a woman they call Three-Teeth, who they met in the meeting. She tells them that Wartis is a coward, and that one night she saw two "living dead" knock out a young man and carry him toward the graveyard.

It is the middle of the night. Mick uses Disguise Self to make him appear like a young muscular man to make himself a target. They go to the foundry area, across from the graveyard. No one attacks Mick, but Debi sees a humanoid figure through the fog beyond the gate to the graveyard. 

Mick picks the lock to the gate. They enter the graveyard, discovering a region about 200 feet in where the vegetation is dead, in the center their is a large mausoleum.  They move toward it and see a humanoid figure lurking around. 

They find the front door of the building locked. Mick picks the lock. The building is stone, 15' tall, with an overhang on front. There is a dome on top, with multicolored glass panes, some of which are broken. They hear something inside crash. Opening the door, they see in the filtered moonlight many sarcophagi. Mick enters the building and casts dancing lights to light it all up. When he casts the spell, a giant spider that was hidden in the dome hits him with web, restraining him.

Mick makes a STR check and breaks free. The spider is hanging from the side of the dome. Debit cases Cloud of Daggers, dealing damage to the monster. Simon casts Sacred Flame, hitting the monster. It drops down and attacks, biting Simon, who saves vs poison. The PCs use weapons to kill the monster before it can gain attack.

End of session. 
Time elapsed this session. 32 days.
Time elapsed in campaign: 6 weeks, 3 days

GM Notes: How's It Going

We've now played seven sessions of this campaign. Running a campaign that isn't a simple dungeon crawl every week is challenging but the payoff is nice. Having players that are into that kind of thing is even better. 

In this past session, an evil wizard used the Alter Self spell to impersonate the Abbot of the Temple of Ahki, the home temple of one of the PCs. In the old days (back in highschool) there was never really a good use for spells like that, as the situations never called for it. We were always just fighting. The players have had chances to use disguise, deception, performance, etc. 

There are things that happen in the game that the players are unaware of. I put clues in, and there are ways they could discover some of the hidden aspects, but I'm not leading them there. My thinking is that the bad guys are smart too, and have their goals.

In this last session, the evil wizard attacked the PCs with Stinking Cloud to incapacitate them without potentially damaging the ritual book that was in the room with them. He used Mage Hand to retrieve it while they were barfing and took off. It was a good plan, but amazingly on the next round the PCs all made their very hard saving throws and recovered, and were able to pursue before he got away. His plan was to get away with the book, not fight. But the dice had their own ideas and for the next two rounds the players had good luck and defeated him. Could he have still run? Sure, but he wanted and needed that book, and was trying to retrieve it.  Things just didn't go his way.  Had fewer of the PCs recovered from Stinking Cloud that first combat round he'd have gotten away easily. 

Session 7: Heist

We start where we left of, the party still standing in the ritual chamber deep under Demonheads Brewery. 

They PCs ask the one captive who has given up if they should expect more trouble on the way out. He says yes, there are guard where they entered, and probably more on the way. 

The party returns to the upper level of the temple. Mick climbs up the previously discovered ladder leading up one of the two ventilation pipes to the surface. Near the top he comes to the iron grate. With a coin with the light cantrip held between his teeth, he attempts to pick the lock on the grate, but fails. 

He goes back down. After conferring with the others, he follows Debi back up the ladder and assists her, with her darkvision, and she picks the lock. Debi stands up inside the massive metal demonhead statue in front of the brewery and tell the others to come up. Debi sees that the mouth in hinged, and there is a lever. She pulls the lever, and the mouth opens with a clang, allowing her to exit.  Mick follows her and hides in an alley across the street. A guard comes around to check on the clanging sound. Debi casts Charm Person on him, but it fails. He's trying to figure out how she is. Simon climbs out of the tunnel and misses him with Sacred Flame. Mick shoots him with an arrow and takes him out. The rest of the party exits the tunnel and they take off through the alleys. The Slash Sisters escort the captive to the city gates and tell him to scram.  The PCs take the ritual book back to the Temple of Ahki.

They get back to the temple the sun rises, and find Abbot Lightman talking to another priest. He sends the other priest away, and greets the three PCs. They tell him what they found, that apparently Rivas Greel is involved in the cult, that the priestess is dead, and they show him the ritual book. He thanks them, says he'll take care of the book, says they should get some rest and to come back once they have rested and he will reward them. They leave the book with him and agree on a meeting time.

When they come back, Lightman comes out and says "So, you're back! What did you find?" Confused, the PCs explain that they saw him last night, that he as speaking with Brother Michael when they arrived, and they gave him the book. Michael confirms this. It is clear that someone was INSIDE the temple, someone impersonated Abbot Lightman down to the correct voice, and they had given the book away!

Lightman is not angry. They have all been fooled. Lightman thinks they are on the right track and tells them they should continue their investigation. They go to the Eye of the Beholder tavern to plan.

They assume Rivas now knows who they are, but they know where he lives, and Mick has a third-floor flat next to his estate. They go there to spy. 

That night, after Rivas and Larsh leave for a night of drinking, the Debi and Mick climb to the roof. They see the goblin worg-keeper/gateman, as he closes the gate behind Rivas. Debi casts sleep, knocking him out. Mick and Debi easily scale the fence after Simon uses Thaumaturgy to create a ruckus far from the gate to distract the worgs. It works. Mick and Debi quickly let him in, and they quickly drag the goblin inside the house, binding and gagging him before he can wake. 

They explore the first floor, finding nothing of interest. On the 2nd floor they find the library, where Rivas has many works of occult art, books, scrolls, etc. They see the book they gave away -- the Ritual Book of Sethi. As they search the room, a door opens and they see a large man in black robes in the doorway. He casts stinking cloud, sickening all three, then uses Mage Hand to grab the book and run down the hall. The three PCs all make their saving throw on the next round, and follow him. He is nearly at the top of the spiral staircase to the third floor when Debi blasts him with Thunderwave, hitting him hard. He drops the ritual book on the stairs.  Simon hits him with Guiding Bolt, doing massive damage. Mick dashes up the steps, grabs the book, and using his quick retreat bonus action to come back down.  The wizard casts Magic Missile, hitting Debi and Simon each with two missiles. Simon runs up the steps and misses with his mace. Debi hits with Dissonant Whispers,  and from below, Mick hits the wizard with his short bow, killing him. He falls down the steps at Debi's feet. 

They loot his body, finding some gold and gems as well as magic bracers. Mick searches the hallway for secret doors. He finds the Wizards workshop as well as a hidden compartment with a ladder leading to the third floor and down to the basement. They check the rest of the house, including the third floor which is Rivas' quarters. They find his notes about his journey to the Old City and numerous old texts. as well as four magic scrolls. Simon and Debi go to the basement, where Simon finds a tunnel leading to another ladder, which leads up to the locked shed across the alley, outside the ways. The PCs use that to exit the compound. 

End of session.
Great use of spells, skills, stealth, planning, and roleplaying. Smart play.
2 days elapsed. 
Total game time passed. 2 weeks 2 days.
XP for this session: 125
All PC can now to go 3rd level, where they will likely be for some time.