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.

Session 6: the Cult Returns

 The group starts where we left off.

They leave Karloff the Alchemist's tomb and house. It is now daytime. They return to the site of Raxalliah's shop to find it, unsurprisingly, not there. They make plans to return that next night to talk to Rax, and each go their separate ways to rest. The each take some of the things they have found. Needing only a small amount of sleep, Debi reads the journal of Karloff's journey into the Fae realm, written in Sylvan. In matters of Fae lore, she will now get a +1 to her rolls. 

They meet up again that next foggy night to find Rax's shop once more accessible. They hear singing coming from the fog-shrouded door. Entering, as usual, Magpie is singing for Rax. The shop looks different than it did the previous night, with things moved around and different inventory, as if more than one night has passed. They great them after the song and talk about what they have found. They give them the journal, and Rax inquires of each what they experienced. They show Rax the Manual of Flesh Gollum construction, and Rax tells them it is too dangerous for them to keep. They agree to have it locked in the vault at the Temple of Ahki. Rax and Magpie sing a song together about an extra-planar conflict. Debi thinks Rax may in fact be a bard. Rax bids them fairwell, telling they will likely reappear in the future, and expresses and interest in the career or the bard, Debi, who has inquired if there is a finer lyre in the shop she might purchase. Rax says no, but they will keep an eye out.

A week passes, with each PC going about their business. Debi reads the book she found about the Elf-Dwarf War. Simon studies. Mick continues working to learn some magic, and uses his new flat to spy on Revis Greel's estate next door from the roof of the 3-floor building. He sees Revis and his bodyguard Larsh leave nightly, sees the goblin worg-keeper and gate-keeper letting in the help. 

Toward the end of the week, Abbot Lightman gives Simon a new mission. He is impressed by Simon and his friend's skill, and charges Simon with figuring out what is happening with the Sethi cult. The priests they captured has been in custody for two weeks and is ready to talk. The Abbot tells Simon to get his friends together and get to work. He gives Simon 50 gp with which to hire "muscle" if they need it. 

Simon and the others convene at the Eye of the Beholder tavern. Debi asks Vern the bartender if he knows any good muscle and he refers her to tavern regulars, the Slash Sisters. Once Debi hears a description she recalls the two tough looking women they have seen there before. Mick procures a fake ruby, to show the priestess should she want to see it (she has indicated it is important).

They meet the Slash Sister, Jewell Kestrel (carries a great sword) and Greta Strongbow (carries a longsword and short bow). They agree to a price of working with the PCs.

The PCs interrogate the priestess, trying a charm spell (which fails) and various social skills. She is ready to get out, and if they take her to the secret temple they found under Demonheads Brewery she'll show them the purpose the cursed ruby they brought back from their first exploration. 

The Slash Sisters and the PCs meet again later at the Temple of Ahki, and from there return to the entrance to the secret Temple of Sethi. They make their way through the known parts of the complex without incident. In the small room where they fought the slime snake, the priestess find a secret door they had missed. They all back up, and Debi uses Mage Hand to trigger it.

Beyond it they find stairs leading even further down. Mick checks for traps as they proceed down, Simon's mace emitting light from the Light cantrip he has cast on it. 

They explore, finding a massive coliseum style room. The floor is 10' down. A ramp in front of them leads down. The ceiling is 30', with four massive support columns. On the floor is a 10' tall circular platform with stairs leading up. There is a similar one as well, square in shape. There is also a pit 15' across bordered by a 5' wide obsidian ring. There is a mechanism hanging from the ceiling - a boom that hangs currently over the pit, from which hangs a heavy chain with a massive, nasty hook on the end. On the square platform is a big book. Mick examines it, and sees it has the same kind of script that is on the hilt of his magic dagger. Some kind of ritual book. 

Most of the group goes down the ramp, while Simon begins ritual casting Detect Magic. As they explore, Debi looks into the pit, which awakens a something down there. She backs off about 15' as 4 massive tentacles begin flailing up and around the pit, blindly try to grasp anything. She fires her crossbow and hits it, as Greta hits a tentacle with an arrow. The priestess laughs. Everyone's attention but Simon's is drawn by the monster, as a crossbow bolt hits Simon in the back ruining his ritual cast. Six armored thugs have followed them down and are now attacking.  Simons cast bless on himself and the Slash Sisters. Debi uses Bardic Inspiration no Simon. The PCs exchange ranged attacks with them as Jewell charges up the ramp nearly cutting one of the thugs in two with her great sword. More ranged attacks. (the thugs make TERRIBLE attack rolls). The last two thugs surrender.

Simon attempts to intimidate them into telling who they are working for while the Slash Sisters keep the priestess under control. They are more afraid of their leader. They have Jewell toss one of them in the monster pit, which loosens the other guy's tongue. He shows them a card - about the size of playing card - with a wolf face on it. Apparently they are connected in some way to Rivas Greel. They agree to let him go if he leaves town, but he is afraid the priestess will squeal on him. He begs them to kill her. As they discuss what to do with her, the thug breaks free of Jewell (rolls a natural 20) and slams into the priestess, sending her falling into the monster pit. The screams are incredible.  Problem solved! 

Simon casts detect magic. They find no other magic around. Thye take the ritual book, pay the Slash Sister the rest of that they agreed to. The sisters are quite happy, having made some money and had some fun. 

Before leaving, Simon casts his Sacred Flame on the creature in the pit until it is dead. 

End of session. The group is still in the complex. 

7 days have passed.
Elapsed time in game: 2 weeks
XP for PCs: 110 each
XP for Slash Sisters: 60 each