Session 80: Shadowkeep Report

General Summary

Session 80 – Wednesday May 8, 2024: Into Shadowkeep

4.5-hour battle / exploration session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

The Stone Bearers. Party of 6:

It is the 17th day of the month of Hammer (Deepwinter) in the 51st year of the Age of Enialis (Mid Jan.)

• Ajani– High Elf, L13 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda
• Cassidy – Human, L13Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Gazlowe – Goblin, L14 Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi
• Isabella – Forest Gnome, L13 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong
• Juan Peyote – Gnome L13 Paladin – Will Johnson
• Seften Mitcaver – Human, L13 Cleric – Jacob Munson (Remote)

Finishing up in Reitheillaethor

The party woke up to Isabella’s singing. Juan summoned Bird. Cassidy did some Vampire research and learned that they need a simple ceremony and some holy water to permanently kill a vampire or more powerful cleric spells to make the vampire’s resting spot “holy.” This would need to be done after the vampire is brought to 0 HP and teleports to their crypt.   They found the elven high cleric of Reitheillaethor, Lady Jaementh who sold the party 3 flasks of holy water. Gazlowe paid 25gp to have his curse removed (from shield of Missile Attraction.) Isabella did the same although she wasn’t really cursed. Seften cast death ward on Cassidy. The party split up the items and then summoned Orist to transported them to the Start Mounts.

The Climb to Drachen’s Peak Summit

The party arrived at the tree line. The wind blew hard, and it was cold. Just a few hundred feet above them, snow blanketed the mountain. Far above the saw the summit of the mountain obscured by a pitch-black cloud that didn’t move. Cassidy knew the black cloud was unnatural, perhaps even fiendish in nature.   The party worked together and climbed up the steep mountain face. Cassidy and Seftan used their nature, investigative and survival skills to find the best path. Isabella and Juan used their strength, athletics and acrobatic skills to help secure ropes and provide easier paths over ravines. Gazlowe used his sleight of hand skills to help and quickly remove small obstacles the party faced. Ajani used his historical knowledge of how others have survived the mountain peak. Together they worked well and made it up the mountain. They arrived at the edge of the dark cloud sooner than expected.   They entered the dark cloud and lit up their weapons. They came to a 3 spired keep that emitted an ominous red glow. To the west they saw an obsidian door with infernal writing on it. In front of them was a red door into the 3 spired keep that bore a pentagram carved into the heavy oak. On the ground before them lay a dead elf, it’s face turned away from the party.

Putrid Agnes

Gazlowe approached the dead elf. He heard a voice singing “Hush little beet, now don’t you cry, granny’s gonna make you into a pie…” The sound was coming from the elf. As Gazlowe got closer and a 1-inch-tall elderly woman stepped out of the elf’s ear, looked up at Gazlowe and grew in size until she was 6’ tall. She wiped her mouth, looked at the party and said, “Greetings.”   Gazlowe started talking with the creature (who was clearly a hag) and found out her name was Agnes. She was clearly evil but didn’t threaten the party in any way. She told them that the vampires will often give her a treat (like this elf) from which she can make her pies. She told them that usually the creatures in the keep will kill intruders and turn them into undead. Gazlowe asked how to open the front door, and she replied, “The knob on the front.”   Gazlowe said, “Nice meeting you” and Agnes replied, “Hope to eat… I mean meet you later.” Agnes then informed the party that another human had entered into the keep not more than an hour ago and she probably needs to be rescued! She cackled and went back into the Elf’s head.

Which door?

Gazlowe wanted to go in the front door to help save the human who just went in. Cassidy however wanted to check out the Black door with the infernal writing. Cassidy approached the door and read the script: “Those who pay the Red Tax may enter.” She then heard a voice in her head, “Who is willing to pay the red tax?” She didn’t respond but told the others, “This door had a blood tax on it.” Gazlowe approached the front red door and it opened wide for him. Cassidy walked back over, and everyone went in. As they went in, Seften cast death ward on Ajani.

Spawn guards.

Cassidy was the last to walk in. The door shut and Toccata and Fuge in D Minor started playing loudly on a distant organ. The sound filled the hall, not deafening but very audible and it made it harder to hear anything around them, but not impossible. Seften looked up at the ceiling and saw 4 vampire spawn looking down at them. Gazlowe greeted them but the spawn, with unhuman speed descended on the party.   The first spawn crawled down the wall, its claw dug into Isabella’s side, and it carried her back to the ceiling 30 feet above where it then bit into her. The 2nd one grabbed Juan and carried him back up but it couldn’t pierce Juan’s neck. Isabella sliced into the creature grappling her. Seften cast his meteor spell and shot one at one of the creatures. One of the spawns attacked Gazlowe and carried him to the ceiling, the last came down but couldn’t grapple anyone. Bird pecked one of the creatures on the ground and Juan struck the one grappling him and smote it, leaving it badly bloodied.   Cassidy struck the creature on the ground with her whips, the radiant damage was very effective. Ajani hit the creature with a firebolt and destroyed it. Gazlowe cast thunderwave breaking the creatures grappling Gazlowe and Isabella. All 4 of them fell to the ground. The spawn that had Isabella again attacked her but didn’t carry her to the ceiling. The spawn attacking Juan continued to claw him. Isabella lit her flame sword and attacked the spawn and killed the creature. She then hit the other Spawn next to Gazlowe leaving it near death.   Seften hit the creature on the ceiling with a minute meteor. Bird bloodied the creature on the ground. Juan punched the creature hitting him it in the face. He grabbed the fangs ripped them out and killed the vampire spawn. Cassidy struck the last remaining creature with her whips and destroyed it.

Glauer Hall.

Cassidy looked around the room. There were 4 doors in total, the entrance was to the south and there was a door on the West, North and Eastern walls. On the pillar in the center of the room was a painting. The oil painting depicted a handsome knight atop Drachen’s Peak. He carved the heart from a red-scaled dragon, while a devilish silhouette overlooked the scene.” Cassidy examined the painting and spotted a gap behind it. The painting swung away from the wall and Cassidy found 2 potions of supreme healing, one of which was a splash potion. Cassidy used one of the potions on Isabella. Cassidy suggested the party first try the door to the west.

The Ichor Path.

Behind the western door they found a pool of stinking black liquid bubbled that covered the floor of a long narrow hall that went another 45 feet to the west before it turned to the south and out of sight. Spaced about 10 or 15 feet apart were steppingstones rising just above the black ichor. Cassidy recognized the liquid as devil ichor – a corrosive substance that can be extracted from devil’s organs. She suggested that nobody step in it.   Cassidy flew over the ichor and jammed her crossbow bolts into mortar in the walls to aid the rest of the party in crossing over the steppingstones. As she flew over the ichor, it continually reached up to grab her. Fortunately, Cassidy evaded the corrosive grab. The path went in a circle around another room. It ended at a locked door to an interior room. Cassidy couldn’t open the door, so she went to tell the others.   Gazlowe surmised that the flying may be the reason why the hand was reaching for Cassidy. Gazlowe asked Isabella to jump on the first platform and she did. The ichor did not reach for her. Gazlowe jumped one block behind. Isabella continued and when she landed on the 3rd, she triggered a magical glyph that cast “Harm” on her. Isabella evaded part of the damage but was still hurt by it. Isabella jumped to the previous stone. Cassidy examined the stone and saw a very faint rune. She knew that someone had cast glyph of warding and that once the trigger activates it doesn’t reset.   Cassidy then went from stone to stone, avoiding the ichor hand trying to grab her and triggering 3 more spells: Fireball, Confusion and disintegrate. Fortunately, she was able to avoid each one. She then went back to let the others know the path had been cleared. Gazlowe then followed the path, pole vaulting with a magic pole to the locked door, and he successfully unlocked it. The others followed along a little bit behind.

The Vault.

Gazlowe opened the door with Cassidy not far behind. Gazlowe (like Scrouge McDuck) Gazlowe dove into the pile of treasure (See details in Treasure section at end.) There was a mist hovering over the treasure that whispered to Gazlowe, “Inhale me if you wish to use might to further your goals.” Gazlowe breathed in deeply and his eyes glowed red. Cassidy saw and called out to the others to come quickly.   Gazlowe had inhaled the Essence of Shadowkeep and he gained immediate knowledge of Shadowkeep and knew all about the “Devil’s Influence” and what impact it has on Shadowkeep.

• Only a wish or permanently destroying Rhodar can remove the Devil's Influence.
• The Devil’s Influence manifests accursed black clouds, shrouding the summit of Drachen’s Peak from the sun. In addition, Shadowkeep’s interior and exterior walls exude eerie bloodred light, filling all areas with dim light.
• The pipe organ in the occult sanctum plays ominous gothic music throughout the fortress due to the Devil’s Influence.
• The Devil’s Influence bound Rhodar’s essence to the surrounding region. The vampire lord is intimately aware of the presence of creatures within 1 mile of Shadowkeep.
• The Devil’s Influence controls the Crimson Door and can alert all the vampires in Shadowkeep of intruders who enter the Crimson Door.
• The Devil’s Influence controls the Black door and can speak with those who approach it of the Red Tax and apply the Tax.
• The Devil’s Influence shrouds Rhodar's Sanctum with magical darkness.

Gazlowe also told everyone that he’d like to kill something soon. Juan spent the next 10 minutes putting on a set of the full plate. Isabell put on one of the breastplates. The rest of the party put all the treasure in the portable hole (except for the copper.)

A Secret passage to the Mausoleum.

As they cleared out the treasure, Seften found a trap door. Seften opened the door and Cassidy went to down first. Seften cast cure wounds on Cassidy. They walked along an underground passageway and found a stone door. Cassidy and Seften found a way to open the door and it opened into the Black Mausoleum. The ceiling was low and there was a single sarcophagus in the center of the room, there was a statue of a vampire that matched the picture they saw in the hall. Three shadow figures moved about but didn’t approach the party until Gazlowe opened the sarcophagus.   The 3 wraiths attacked, and the party quickly killed them. Juan killed the first, Ajani (with some help from Cassidy) finished off the 2nd. Gazlowe finished off the 3rd with 2 powerful punches. They looked into the sarcophagus and saw that it was a 10’ deep pit with several rotted corpses in the bottom. Near the dead bodies they found a Mace of disruption that Juan took.   Gazlowe felt better for killing something. The party decided to not go through the devils ichor but instead choose to leave through the black door and go back to the Red door. Back in the center hall they had 2 remaining doors. They chose the Eastern door.

The War room.

They walked into a relatively large room. The middle of the room was filled with a 15-foot-high dais. On top of the dais were 2 nobles standing around a table and having a conversation. Ten lavish coffins rested against the perimeter of the room. On the south wall one of the coffins was adorned with raven sculptures.   Gazlowe had a very polite conversation with the 2 nobles (who were clearly vampires.) Gazlowe however insisted on speaking to Rhodar but the vampire with whom he was speaking (Fasma) refused to let him until he first understood what exactly they wanted. Fasma asked if they were looking for work as they’re planning a raid on a village and could use some help. After a circular conversation, Fasma’s patience began to wear thin. Gazlowe suggested they could just fight, and the vampires politely agreed.

Rewards Granted

Treasure

Purchased From Lady Jaementh

• 3 Flasks of Holy water for 25gp
• Curse removed from Gazlowe 25gp.
• Curse removed from Isabella for 25gp.
• 2 Splash potions of Superior Healing
• 1 Splash potion of the bestest supremeior healing

From Dead Elf:

• 3 gp, 10 sp and 5 cp.

From the Entry way

• A Splash potion of supreme healing.
• A Potion of supreme healing.

Treasury:

• Archery Bracers of Shadow Form
• An unsigned Infernal contract
• Potion of clairvoyance
• Potion of heroism
• 2 potions of speed
• Splash Potion of supreme healing
• Vial of oil of etherealness
• Gold-gilded black shield engraved with the image of two dragon wings (worth 200 gp)
• 3 gold-gilded black breastplates engraved with the silhouette of a dragon (worth 1,000 gp each)
• 50 pounds of gold (worth 2,500 gp)
• 4 suits of gold-gilded black plate armor engraved with the silhouette of a dragon (worth 3,125 gp each)
• Diamond dragon statuette (worth 5,000 gp)
• 10 pounds of platinum (worth 5,000 gp)
• 100,000 cp (left behind.)
• 10,000 sp
• 5,000 gp
• 500 pp

Mausoleum:

• Mace of disruption.