The Crown of Balance – Session Information – Sessions 3 – 8
Posted by Steve | Filed under D&D
———————————————————————————-LVL 4
Session 3
Once done, they headed to the Klink and Kettle tavern to meet Wicked Nick. The tavern keeper told them seeing Nick wouldn’t be an easy process, as he enjoyed his privacy. They were directed to a stairwell to the cellar. There they encountered three giant spiders, and a few zombies. After defeating these foes, they found a key within a small chest, and were able to locate a door that was uncovered by finding a torch sconce that had wear on it. This led to a narrow hallway that ended at a trapdoor that was opened by the key found earlier.
Descending down into a large room, they found “Wicked Nick”, guarded by a vicious werewolf. “Wicked Nick” welcomed them, and identified himself as a middle-aged-looking wizard named Nicodemus. He seems friendly, but is curious that they have come to see him. They explain that a devil named Gabrius pointed them to him for information. He understands, and then realizes why they called him “Wicked Nick”.
“There are many things I have done in the past that could certainly deem me to be “wicked” in the eyes of this world. Funny that it comes from a devil.”
Opal and Maryn describe the circlet they have found, and that Gabrius believed it to be a part of an item called the Crown of Nine Hells. Nicodemus asks to see the item, and Opal tentatively hands it to Nick. However, he is unable to actually lay hands on it. It hovers above his hand. He finds it strange that only Opal and Maryn can actually touch the circlet.
Nick turns to the werewolf, Caravic, and tells him to fetch some tea for the them, as he has some information to impart with them. The werewolf changes into a young, bearded man and heads out a nearby door to do so. Nick returns the circlet to Opal, who places it back in the pouch on her chest. Caravic returns with tea.
Nick explains that he is a member of the Balance, a group of very powerful, and long-lived, beings who have taken on the task of making sure the Blood War is never unbalanced. He describes the Blood War, the great continuous battle between the forces of the devils and demons in Avernus. Finally, he summons another member of the Balance, an angel named Jerico, who explains what the crown was. [Crown of Nine Hells]
Nick explains that no matter what, the crown should not be reforged, but since only Opal and Maryn were able to touch it, perhaps they could journey and locate these missing parts and find some way to destroy or hide it from those also searching for it. Jerico explains that he is truly worried that others know of its existence, and they may do anything to obtain it. Nick and Jerico believe they should first search for some way to gather info on where other parts might be. They describe a great tower that was headquarters to a Holy Order in the past that were gathering relics and knowledge in order to begin a crusade into the realm of the devils, specifically to kill Asmodeus. The Balance knew this would destabilize the War, and were forced to bury the tower deep within Toril itself.
Opal and Maryn agree to do so, and are given a silver, Raven-faced, coin that would allow them to pass information to Nick from great distances. He told them he would meet them in the morning to provide them supplies for the journey.
———————————————————————————-LVL 5
Session 4
Opal and Maryn went back and wandered around Trader’s Way, and spent the evening exchanging stories, listening to townsfolk, and buying munchies from the traders. On their way back to the inn, to rest for the night, a crying Sarah runs up to them and asks for help. She says her friend, Bobby, was trapped in an alleyway by a ghost.
The group goes to the alleyway, which is right next to Portly’s Barrel Tavern. They see Bobby hiding way in the back of the alleyway. They try to persuade him out, but he won’t budge, looking extremely scared. They head down the alleyway, and come across a very dim spirit who asks for help. He says his body is being held by some thugs in the tavern next to him. Maryn takes Bobby out, and sends the kids across the street to safety. The group says they will help.
Opal and Maryn head to the front to go into the building. A guard and his two dogs stop them and ask why they want to go in. He warns them that it’s a rough place and to go on. Eventually he relents, and lets them in. When they step into the area right in front of the tavern, the floor drops out from them and they slide down in a cage in the basement. There they see a group of thugs, and three wolves, torturing a half-orc, and notice others being held in cages. The spirit lands behind them, and tells them his body is near. The leader finishes with the prisoner and tells them he’ll get to them later. (The group are a bit drunk, and they don’t perceive them as a threat.)
The spirit floats over to “his” body, and Opal and Maryn use food to bring the dogs near the cage. Opal sends her raven to peck through the bindings holding Chance, and wakes him up. When all three dogs are lured to their cage, Opal teleports out and starts attacking the dogs. Maryn, Opal and Chance are able to kill the dogs. Opal lets out Chance, and they find out that he and the spirit are linked. The thugs have gone into the back room, and are playing card games and getting drunk. The group lures them out into magical AOE traps, and they eventually defeat the thugs. They release two prisoners, a half-elf male and a halfling. The half-orc prisoner is dead on the slab. On their way up and out, Chance steals back the money stolen from him by some women the night before. (The women lured him into the inn, and knocked him out.)
Once they get out, they head to Sambar’s Inn to rest. Sambar provides a room for Chance, and some cheese and dried meat for them to eat. The party goes to rest, and will meet with Nick in the morning.
[800 XP earned]
———————————————————————————-
Session 5
[Kaiya’s Introduction
**9 Years Ago**
In the plane of Arcadia, on the grounds of the Magus School of Nir, two fifteen year old female
mages, practice swords in hand, face off against each other in a golden magical globe. One
blonde, hair cropped short, thin, lithe on her feet, blade rotating in a small circle. The other, also
blonde, long braided ponytail resting on her shoulder, muscular, standing low knees slightly
bent, the still blade held in front.
A tall elven male mage, dazzling white hair, wearing colorful robes, yells to the two combatants:
“This is the last of your trials. To the winner, I will take you as my apprentice. To the loser, you
will have to retake the tests and choose another as your master. Focus on your training. Still
your fear…and BEGIN!”
The two young women bodies leap into battle. The thin warrior rushes in and begins to swiftly
slash at the other. The muscular warrior, holds steady, and parries the blows sent her way.
Back and forth, the blade dance goes, neither warrior giving ground. The thin fighter eventually
is able to duck in close, and casts a blinding flash from hands left hand, while slashing down
with her weapon. The flash would have blinded most fighters, but the muscular female,
concentration fully on the battle, heard the other’s quiet spellspeak seconds before the spell
completed and closed her eyes while ducking under the swipe she knew was coming.
Spinning under the slash, the muscular female takes her own slash at the feet of the other, and
trips her feet up onto the air, cause her foe to fall to the ground, weapon clashing to the ground
feet from her. She places the practice blade to the neck.
Kaiya: “Yield.”
Glory: “YOU CHEATED! You should be blind from my flash spell! There’s no way you could
have known!”
Nasir: “STOP! Good job and technique, Kaiya. Glory, get up. There was no cheating. You
failed to realize that spells are not infallible. All Kaiya did was listen for your spell and close her
eyes. Simple. Sufficient. You were beaten fairly.”
Glory stands up, eyes locking on Kaiya, anger in her heart, but tongue held, seething.
Nasir, bows to Kaiya. “It has been years since I’ve taken an apprentice, but I look forward to
your training. Kaiya Day, I accept you as my apprentice, and it will be my honor and privilege to
see you as my better one day.
Glory, please return to the initiate’s quarter below. Don’t see this as failure, but as a means of
finding your true master.”
**Three Years Ago**
Nasir: “I am afraid your brother, Isaac, will not be able to apply to the school for entry. He has
been diagnosed with Displacer’s Malalignment. Any spell or teleportation can potentially shift
him into a solid object, killing him. It’s almost like his form is slipping between this world and
some other. This will rule out the military, as well, as they do work alongside mages, and even
a healing spell could accidentally shift him within space. There are many professions he can
still train for, but his days of magic are over.”
————————————
**Current Day**
Kaiya and Nasir appear on a teleportation stone in the Tower of Azucar. They look out at the
beautiful, ordered world of Arcadia. Ahead of them is a stairway leading to the planar
teleportation disk of the Arcane Order.
Nasir Carnala: “It’s hard to believe that next year will be 10 years since you first stepped into
your role as my apprentice. I know you feel like you’re not yet ready, but I’ve never been more
sure of your skills than now. Also, don’t worry about your brother. You’ll only be gone for a
bit, and his studies as a Keeper of Lore is going fine and keeps him busy. …Did you tell him
goodbye?”
“Listen, I won’t pretend to know how you are feeling, but I know how I did when I was sent on
my first assignment. I was scared. I didn’t feel ready. Maybe I just didn’t want to leave my
friends and family, and I certainly didn’t want to leave the tomes of magic. I knew there was so
much more I had to learn. But…my master knew I was ready, that it was time to kick me from
the nest, so to speak.
I don’t like sending you on this assignment, but when the council came to me and told me of the
task, I knew only my best would be able to handle it. All you have to do is gather some
information from one of an old library, meet with the Balance representative, Magister Lenna Wright, to
pass on the information and see if she has a task for you, and that’s it. I don’t imagine it will
take you long, at most a few weeks. Once you’re done, use your Order ring to return home.
Just remember your training, be wary of the Balance, they don’t feel right, and try not to worry
about Isaac. He’ll be here safe when you get back.”
Kaiya appears within the second floor from the top of the ancient Delian Order tower which was buried within the planet. She looks around and finds a pile of books, most in bad shape and illegible. However, she is able to find four dirt-encrusted journals. [One by the last magister of the order (Magister Cornellian Iceguard), one by the last paladin commander (Lord Commander Darian Rose), one by the tower’s archivist (Archivist Heath Trommel), and one by a low-level wizard (Initiate Janeth Harper) with an Identify spell scribed in it.]
During the search for information, the portal re-opens and three mages appear – Glory, Galus, and Buck. They speak their theme poem, and Glory casts a Hold spell on Kaiya. She gloats that she has finally been able to catch her alone, that she has found a new master, and that she has plans underway with her gone. She tells Galus to put some magical shackles on her, which prevents her from using magical teleportation or planar travel via magic. Buck places three crystals around Kaiya and the teleportation circle. Glory transforms the shackles into silver wristbands so Kaiya doesn’t look “uncouth” to the “local yokels”.
After additional gloating, the group re-enters the portal, and right before returning to Arcadia, Glory tells Kaiya “I’ll let Isaac know you said hi.” As they disappear into the ether, the crystals around the portal explode and destabilize the circle, rendering it inert. The crystals around Kaiya hum to life, and reinforce the Hold spell on her. Like a statue, Kaiya stands immobile within the darkness.
Displacer’s Malalignment – Appears to be the common cold, but is actually a disease that can be deadly for magic users & planar travelers. Afflicted must make a check to succeed any teleportation spell or ability. On a failed check, will move the afflicted 1d6ft in a random direction. Afflicted may be damaged or killed if teleported into a solid object.
– Roll d100. 1-50 is a failure. Character moves 1d6 ft in the direction of the next roll, and takes 3d10 force damage.
– Roll 1d8 to determine. [1=N, 2=NE, 3=E, 4=SE, 5=S, 6=SW, 7=W, 8=NW]
– Reroll d100 until they are safe or dead.
This disease often causes magic users to be incredibly wary of those presenting symptoms of the common cold. Spread through ingesting of bodily fluids, most commonly from the sneezes or runny nose of the afflicted.
——
Opal, Maryn, Chance, and Xanatos wake in Sambar’s Inn and head down for breakfast. There, Nicodemus and Caravik arrive, meet the new group member, and offer supplies to the group. Opal and Maryn tell Nick that they have cleared out Portly’s Barrel Tavern, and that he should not have allowed their evil to permeate the town like that. He tells them that he has to enforce a little “evil” in order to maintain the balance. He gives the group a map to the sunken tower, and wishes them well.
Th group head out and traveled northeast for four hours to the location on Nick’s map. There, they found a lone hill with a group of kobolds camped near a small knee-high cave entrance. After defeating the kobolds, they proceeded into the cavern. It opened up to a larger cavern, and the group ventured forth, finding nothing but a few cavern bugs. Eventually, they reached a stairwell leading down into what appeared to be a mages study. Within, they found Kaiya, still in a frozen state. Opal used the crown to snuff the magic from the crystals, freeing Kaiya.
After introductions are made, the sound of their talking brings a large group of skeletons to attack them. One of the skeletons appears to be wearing mage robes, and tells the party that they will sorry for looting this tower. The party defeats the skeletons, and the robed-one heads further down into the tower.
The groups searches the room, and finds a hidden container within an eagle statue containing a Sun Sword, Hat of Disguise, and a Rod of the Pact, that Kaiya stores in her bag. Kaiya looks over the journals, and learns the Identify spell. They also find a black, obsidian raven statue that looks pristine. Written on the statue, in an ancient language, are the names of Opal-Fire and Chance. Maryn kneels below the statue and begins to pray. After a few minutes, the raven comes to life and flies toward Kaiya, circling her bag. The items recently found begin to vibrate, and the bird returns to the statue base and returns to stone. Kaiya retrieves the items from her bag, and is able to identify the items. She gives the Rod and Hat to Opal, while keeping the Sun Sword.
They head back up and out of the tower and cavern. Maryn flips the coin to Opal, and she uses it to contact Nick and let him know what they found. However, it’s Caravik who answers the coin and tells them something terrible has happened, and to please hurry back to the Klink and Kettle. The group hurries back to Almswood, and the tavern. When they get to Nick’s saferoom, Carivik, in werewolf form, looks very agitated and appears to be ready for an attack. Once he sees it’s the group, he shifts in to human form, and grabs Opal and drags her in the back to Nick’s chambers. They see Nick laying in bed, bruised and bloody. Caravik says he is dead.
[800 XP earned]
———————————————————————————-
Session 6
Caravic is able to tell the characters that: when he returned from gathering supplies, he found Nick near death–bloody, bruised, and multiple broken ribs, barely able to breathe. Within the hour, Nick died. Nick was preparing to travel and confer with another Balance member, Magister Lenna Wright, her laboratory is east of Balder’s Gate.
Haldar, the tavern keeper, rushes in and says there is some major commotion going outside in the road.
Outside, there is a wight holding up the unconscious body of Sarah. He yells at the tavern and players:
“FOLLOWERS OF THE DEATH QUEEN! I KNOW YOU HAVE RETURNED! MY MASTER COMMANDS YOU COME OUT AND DELIVER THE CROWN TO ME, UNLESS THE LIFE OF THIS GIRL MEANS NOTHING TO YOU!”
He holds her body with one arm, and lifts it into the air.
——————
COMBAT: 1 Wight and 6 Ghouls – Caravik and 3 guards will be assisting in this fight.
GUARDS
HP 25, AC 16, +5 to Hit, Longsword 1d6+5 slashing, Bow 1d8+3 piercing
During the fight, if any of the guards are killed, they will rise as zombies.
ZOMBIES
HP22, AC 8, +3 to hit, 1d6+1 bludgeoning
Name: Jorgash – AC is 17, not immune to sunlight
Jorgash will make comments about how Orcus will rip their flesh and other evil comments. Before he dies, he will comment that his master will raise him again, and laughs as he is destroyed.
——–
Chance’s Death will occur during this fight. – Needed to award Chance his crossbows.
To Chance, after taking his death blow:
You feel yourself fall to the ground, your body no longer in control of your mind, which is wracked with pain. The sounds of battle begin to drift away as your head hits the floor. The last sounds you hear are the rushing of blood within your ears…the muffled shouts of Xanatos calling out your name in your head…the drum of your heartbeat…becoming a whisper…and then fading to nothing.
You are standing in darkness. Pitch black. No sound. So quiet, so dark, you feel it pressing against you, imagining it pushing the air from your lungs, yet…you notice you don’t hear your breathing. The sound of your heartbeat from earlier, is eerily silent.
{Not your time…}
You hear footsteps coming toward you. A light appears in the distance, held by a figure close to your height. It comes closer, and the light appears to be coming from a torch held by a young brown-haired boy. As he comes closer, his face comes into focus. Standing before you, in the cleanest form you’ve ever seen him in, is Easton. He smiles in the cheeky grin you remember he always had and says:
“Long time no see, Chance.”
{You are worthy…}
“You didn’t fail us. You saved us. You and Myka were my family…ARE my family. Heck, I wouldn’t be wrong to say you’re the hero we used to pretend to be.” He smiles.
{Ally yourself…}
“You know I would stand by your side, as would Myka, if we could. We’d take it to the bad guys, and show them who’s boss! We were unstoppable together. Since we can’t be there, you need someone else to cover your butt. And wouldn’t you know you be hooking up with a bunch of girls AND a ghost! Man…you’re always trying to one up us.”
{Not alone…}
In the distance, two adult figures come into the torchlight, one male, one female. They have similar facial structures, and look similar to elves you’ve met before. The male stares at you, and tilts his head in your direction. “At your service, as the Queen behests.”
The female grins “This should be fun.”
{Your battle is merely beginning…}
“…you need to get up, Chance. You have people that need you. You didn’t let me or Myka down…don’t let them down. Take care, brother. The next time I talk to you, I hope you’ll have a wonderful lifetime of stories to tell me.” He pulls you into a hug, holds you for a second, then lets go, as he blows out the torch. Darkness returns, until you open your eyes.
You wake up to Maryn kneeling over your body. Eyes closed, mouth in prayer, hands to your chest. You feel the presence of Xanatos, his voice… “There you are! I thought you were gone!”
Maryn looks down, her eyes completely black, expression completely vacant. She looks into your eyes, then over to your side. “…you’re not alone, Chance.” As you look over to where she was staring, you see two beautiful, black weapons by your side. “Take them up, and earn your life.” Her eyes close, and the golden glow returns to them. She appears confused. “…uh…um..” She realizes her hands are still on your chest, a glowing energy pulses from them, and pulls them away. “…uh…are you okay?”
—————–
The journals Kaiya found:
Initiate Janeth Harper – A short journal about her early days in the college of magic in Hestia. A page has the Identify spell.
Magister Cornellian Iceguard – A personal journal detailing the planning and staging of the push into the Nine Hells. It talks about the gathering of relics, supply issues, an influx of volunteers, and ends oddly. Days before the battle was to commence, the Magister has doubts that the portal they have created for the mission is correct. One line reads “…the portal seems to be producing a noticeable feeling of dread and visible corruption along the seam of the portal’s anchor…However, this could be a byproduct of the Nine Hells itself. I’ll have to note this and speak with the Lord Commander in the morning.”
Archivist Heath Trommel – A detailed journal numbered as 23 of 67. This one reads like a partial ledger, listing out various locations of potential relics for the cause based on research done by fellow magisters. Three listed lines are underlined.
The following highlighted notes detail the most plausible locations of relics.
– A disturbance within the Feywild reported from a fey being named Tiania.
– A group of Modrons have broken from Primus and appear to be worshipping an “invincible” construct in the realm of Mechanus.
– From a planar traveler – “….all things burn within the Elemental Plane of Fire, unless protected by magic. During my venture into the realm to gather ingredients, there was talk of an object that was unburnable. A simple handheld rock.”
Lord Commander Darian Rose – This journal details the reasoning and plan to strike the heart of the Nine Hells and wrest control of it from the devils within. It mentions the conversation with Magister Iceguard about the “feel” of the portal. “The elf is just worrying. He knows the price of his failure would be evil staining this land along with his name and honor.” He describes posting guards near the portal to “calm the nerves” of the Magister. Further, he talks about how peaceful the world will be once they return in victory.
——-
Magister Lenna Wright’s Lab
A bell is outside her lab, and when a button near the bell is pressed, it rings. A voice is heard saying “Um…Hi!…I’m quite busy, but you can wait for me in the Waiting Room until I’m done.” The door to the Waiting Room will now open.
The Waiting Room
The small laboratory will be protected by a puzzle. The Waiting Room is an intra-planar space with the following puzzle.
A normal-looking room with some decent furniture in it (a couch, a coffee table, several easy chairs, a bookcase, a clock, etc.) There’s also a water fountain and a bowl of fruit on the table. When they go inside, the door locks behind them and becomes impassable. (As the other door already is.) How to get out? The clock on the wall is open and magical- turning it advances time (or reverses it) in the room, but only on the objects in the room (and the doors). They can reverse it to reopen the first door, or they can push it forward until the doors rot away and fall off the hinges. (Or open automatically- something like that.)
Lenna is within the door past the puzzle. “Oh! I thought I would have a little more time to get presentable! Hello there! My name is Magister Lenna Wright.” She smiles with a big, toothy grin and shakes everyone’s hand. “How can I help you?”
NOTES:
The Balance contact that Kaiya has to see (Magister Lenna Wright) will be the expert on planar research. Her research will allow her to be able to catalogue items and identify which plane they were recently in. If Opal shows her the circlet, she will explain that that it resided in a different plane not long ago (within the last 600 years).
She believes the item may have gotten here via a planar intersection, the original location of the crown crossed paths with Toril, and it “deposited” it here.
She will tell the group that she has magically detected multiple planar intersections, and will provide a map with general locations. Each location is a point where a portion of the crown can be found.
1) Mirabar – old dwarven city – North of Neverwinter
2) Evermeet – island west of Sword Coast – Find the fey Tiana in Silverymoon (east of Neverwinter).
3) Old dwarven cavern in Icewind Dale
4) Mount Hotenow – Northeast of Neverwinter in Neverwinter Wood
She also asks Kaiya to retrieve tools from her contacts in the Star Mountains – [Grubby Starwhiskers (firbolg) and Tonk]
[1055 XP Earned per person]
********************************
Session 7
03/19/19
Before heading out, Magister Lenna Wright gave the group two maps of the Sword Coast, one with highlights of the locations of the planar intersections she has found. She also shows Kaiya how to use her bracers to “remember” a location and teleport back to it.
As the night sun was beginning to set, the group decided to camp out near the road, slightly past Lenna’s lab. While setting up camp, Chance talked with Xanatos and Maryn. Maryn told Chance about why she had to leave her town and how she came to meet the Raven Queen. Chance replied with a part of his story, quietly telling about what he did to the city. Before they bed down, a half-elven male ranger named Elaro Woodsoul asks to sick next to the fire for a bit. He tells them he was born in Silvery, but moved to Baldur’s Gate and has been acting as outside security. He gave the group some info about the surrounding areas heading towards Star Mount. He tells the group to mention his name at the Purple Wyrm Inn and Tavern for a discount. Before heading out, he tells them to be careful in town and keep their eyes and ears open.
In the morning, they head to Baldur’s gate. They are not accosted at the gate. They do see two goblins, one female and one male, both in nice looking dress/suit who bribe a guard to let them into the city to sell some jewelry. They head over to the Purple Wyrm Inn and Tavern and talk to the tavern keeper, Jacen Hallmark. They ask about rooms and mention the ranger’s offer of a discount. He tells them that the ranger was part owner of the inn and has been dead for 15 years, and let them know they will have available rooms later in the afternoon, since it’s so early. The group decide to roam the city while they wait.
Opal meets one of her tabaxi troupe members, Fragrance of Spring, who is working at the inn as a waitress and she tells her she was found by a group of clerics. She eventually reached Baldur’s Gate and d3ecided to stay here in hopes of finding her loved ones. She is overjoyed to find Opal, and tells her she will be off of work around 3pm. Opal says she will see her then.
Chance learned of the following from a merchant leaving the inn after breakfast:
1) There was a small group of goblins setting up a camp about3 miles out of the city. They are supposedly building a statue of their pointy hat-wearing leader.
2) There is rumor of a noble’s daughter getting kidnapped multiple times by the goblins.
3) There is a grey-robed man selling cursed sewing needles in merchant square.
4) Chance also heard about someone who is breaking dishes in two taverns so far.
Before they leave, a wild and bulbous-eyed halfling tells them to help him.. He says he’s a genie, and his lamp was stolen and is in a shop a few houses down from the inn. He says he will give them wishes if they will get it back to him. He tells them that he will be near the inn later if they get it.
They head out into the city, and decide to go to the lamp place first. It’s the Stockton Antiques shop, a nice place with a large “I Dream of Genie”-type lamp that they can see in through the window. They go in and ask about it. The owner tells them her father has had it for a long time. Since his passing, she is the new owner. They attempt to detect if its magic but find out it’s just gilded with gold and valuable gems. Chance finds out there is a cursed book in the bookshelf. He buys it from her. (It’s a cursed journal from a pirate captain.) She tells the group that the halfling they describe has been trying to court her for a few weeks now.
They then visit an apothecary, and then a jewelry shop, which is actually a front for the local thieves guild. Chance detects that there are MANY cursed items in and below this shop. The owner is able to detect that he found this out after he questions her about it, and says she is very interested in his abilities. She offers him employment if he ever needs it. They also visit a small blacksmith shop and purchase some armor for Kaiya. The owner, Dann, offers her a discount on a bright pink breastplate if she will allow him to use it as a means of advertising. She agrees and he includes his mark on the front/right of the armor. Chance changes into Kaiya’s old armor, and they sell his old armor to Dann.
On their way back, an elf asks to paint their group photo, and it comes out very well. He sells it to the group. They then head back to the inn. Once they get back, Merdermer asks if they got his lamp back. Kaiya tells him they did not see it. He begins to panics and runs to the antique shop. Kaiya misty steps in the shop before he gets in, and grapples him when he shows up. He is yelling at Lady Stockton, and a guard shows up and drags him to jail. While there, Kaiya asks if she can look more closely at the lamp, and Karissa lets he hold it. Kaiya determines this is an ancient vase that came from her home world of Arcadia, coming from the prime empire. As payment for her help, Karissa gives Kaiya what appears to be a toy. It’s an obsidian ball with carvings, and inside is another round item. It makes noise when shook. Kaiya heads back to the inn to rejoin the group.
********************************
Session 8
03/26/19 – Begins in Baldur’s Gate
The party went back to the inn, and while there they noticed the two goblins, Haley “Pumpkin” Masterson and Grackston. The female looked sad and dejected. They overheard the male goblin trying to cheer her up. “It’s okay, pumpkin. We’ll find someone to buy your stuff.” They also noticed she sips from a red flask. (This is a potion that turns her into a goblin. She needs one expensive ingredient to make it permanent, which is why she is trying to sell her jewels.) The group noticed that the goblins kept trying to enter stores, but they were faced woth raciststore keepers, who yelled at them to leave, or that they wouldn’t sell to them. The group came up to them and offered to help them.
When the goblins are rescued, they both thank the party and are so happy that there are people willing to help them. Haley tells the group that she is not a goblin, but wants to be. She asks the group if they will be able to help her sell her jewelry for her. “No one wants to do business with a goblin.” She also asks them if they would buy a black pearl from a jeweler. She needs it to become a goblin permanently.
Opal uses her disguise-self hat to convince a local jeweler and the apothecary, Landice, to buy half of the goblin’s gems and her pearl. She convinces them that she is Lady Karissa Stockton. Opal flirts with Landice and gets a reduced price for the pearl, and sets up a dinner date with him and the real Karissa for the next evening. (She tells him the pearl is for a broach she is having made.) The group runs over to Stockton Antiques, and give her a letter they have written that they say is from Landice, asking for a dinner date. She gets flustered, but Kaiya convinces her to be calm and to prepare for the dinner tomorrow night. She tells Karissa that they’ll help her get ready – clothes, hair, and makeup tomorrow.
The group return to the goblins, but see they are being accosted and forced into an alleyway by six men. They rush to their defense, and beat the men, one of which is dressed up like the Flaming Fists. They hide the bodies in the alleyway. Each of the men is a member of the local thieves guild, The Crystal Daggers. On their person, each is carrying a small diamond dagger worth 50 gp each. Grakston takes one of them. Chance is worried this is going to come down on them.
They follow the goblins back to their camp, and Haley tells them she really is the daughter of the Lord Mayor. Grakston, who is the chief of this band of goblins, thanks the group and tells them if they ever need his help, to let him know. He also tells them that if they encounter other goblins out there to mention his name, as he has a large family, all of which have spread across the land.
While there, they saw that the goblin camp had captured a human, dressed in grey robes, that had turned some of their members into little puppies with cursed needles. Chance uses a needle on the puppies, and they turn back. The group convinces the goblins to tie him to a tree near the city gate so that he can face justice. Chance takes the bag of needles. They also learn that the person who was breaking all the dishes in the city taverns was a goblin who could go invisible. He appears with a large pile of plates under his arms. He’s a little slow in the head, and believes they were given to him as “gifts”. They convince him to give them the plates so they can return them. Chance and Maryn think they know what to do, and they plant the dishes on the grey-robed man who is tied to the tree. Once they get to the gate, Chance tells them about the guy. The group then heads back to the Purple Wyrm Tavern and Inn to rest for the evening.
At Dinner
– During their evening meal, they hear a storm coming in, a low rumble of thunder in the distance. They each see a cracks in their reflections in windows, mirrors, or shiny objects.
At Night
– At night, each is visited in their dreams by the Worm that Walks. If asked who he is, he will reply “We were a guardian, but we have failed.” He asks them how they came to be a caretaker of the crown. “What would you give to protect this world?” “We will find you. This world needs your kind.”
In the Morning
– Opal finds a note from Fragrance slipped under her door. It asks for a little time in the morning to meet. She wants to let her know that she has found a small affordable place in town. She’s going to work mornings at the inn, and intends to get back to leatherworking, which she did back when the troupe was together, in the evenings. She’d going to rent a stall and sell some armors, boots, and bags, she has been working on in the evenings.
– Kaiya receives a message from Glory.
Glory: “Howdy again, Kaiya. (whispers) Buck’s “gifts” should be letting you go here soon.
(normal volume) I just wanted to thank you for lettin’ me take your super cute brother under my wing while you’re away. He’s such a gentleman. HEY ISAAC! COME ON OVER AND SAY HI TO KAIYA!”
Isaac: “Ummm…hi sis. I’m sorry I missed you before you left. Glory says you had to leave quickly on some secret Order mission. I hope you won’t be gone as long as she says you will…”
Glory: “Come on, dear. We need to get ready to go.”
Isaac: “…okay. Well, gotta go, sis. Glory’s taking me to one of her club meetings. She says it will be fun. Anyways…I miss ya, sis.”
She is very upset at getting this message. She fears for her brother, thinking that Glory will make her brother use magic that could kill him.
– Chance wakes up to a very young and beautiful form of the Raven Queen. Xanatos is kept asleep by the queen.
“Good morning, Chance. You’ve grown strong since I saw you last.”
She wants to let Chance know that Myka is in trouble because he has joined a cult. All she is able to say is they are worshipping some being calling itself “The Shattered God”.
She allows him to ask some questions, and will describe about how she was punished for being different. She wants Chance to know it’s okay. She leaves by telling him to remember where he came from, what he learned from those he cared for, and to not be afraid to trust in others. She also is holding the cursed book he found the night before and says “…and that’s a good book.” She walks up to chance, kisses the top of his head, and disappears in a shower of black feathers. Xanatos wakes up. Vex and Vax “Nice.”
Chance starts looking at the logbook. The cursed journal that Chance found will talk about the pirate captain’s life, and about his love for the sea. It will mention the captain’s ship named Galestorm, and how they often used to make port in Baldur’s Gate at midnight to unload goods. They could do so because they disguised the ship to look like a merchant vessel, no pirate colors showing. It ends with a story about how he dreamed of a beautiful elven woman, long black hair, who came to him one night, and removed her flowing feathered bodice in front of him, beautiful and curvaceous, completely naked. She asks him “Do you want me?”, and he’s captivated with her…”…more than anything in this world…” “What will you give me to make love with you all night and all time?” “…anything…” The book says that when he woke from the dream, he felt calm and cold. Time seemed to stand still. The last sentence in the book reads “…even in this condition, she visits me each night, as she promised.” Tucked into the cover in the back of the book, is a pure gold pirate doubloon with an anchor on it.
In the morning, Kaiya does not come down for breakfast. Chance has to go and check on her. The group talks and Kaiya tells them she really is scared about her brother, but until she finishes her task, she can’t get back home. They decide to leave the city now and gather the tools Magister Lenna requested. Chance notices a guy eyeing him, and he confronts him. The man tells the group that they if they were smart, they’d turn in this murderer. Chance uses one of the cursed needles on him, and >pops< into a puppy. They gather up the puppy, and dump him into some horse poop near a stable. The dog gets up and gets chased around the pen by 6 horses. The Group Leveled Up To 6!!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.