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