Session 111 Report: Niptu's Lair part 2

General Summary

Session 111 – Wednesday February 19, 2025: Niptu’s Lair

4-hour Battle/Exploration session 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

The Stone Bearers. Party of 6:

It is the 8th day of the month of Ches (The Claw of Sunset) in the 51st year of the Age of Enialis (Late March.)

• ● Ajani– High Elf, L20 Wizard – Nathan Gioconda
• Cassidy – Human, L20 Blood hunter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Gazlowe – Goblin, L20+ Artificer – Josh Pozsonyi
• Isabella – Forest Gnome, L20 Barbarian – Jackie Armstrong
• Juan Peyote – Gnome L20 Paladin – Will Johnson
• Seften Mitcaver – Human, L120 Cleric – Jacob Munson (Remote)

The library

Gazlowe sovereign glued the door to the armory shut and the party took a short rest to patch each other up a bit. Using his only vial of Universal Solvent, Gazlowe opened the door, and the party moved on. They went up the stairs and entered a library.   The floor was covered with fallen leaves as foliage grew deep red and orange over shelves filled with books and scrolls. Cassidy spotted a desk covered in candles and a century’s worth of melted wax. There was one door to the west. Ajani examined the books as Cassidy went to the desk. Ajani found spell scrolls of forbiddance, mirage arcane and scrying. Cassidy noticed that the melted wax covered a drawer. She used her ethereal form and reach into the drawer where she grabbed a book and some sort of vial.   When the vial was exposed to air, it released a necrotic gas. The party was able to resist the worst of the gas but still took some damage. Cassidy handed the party the book which turned out to be Niptu’s old Diary. The final pages of the book told of Niptu’s encounter with the Shadow Witch Geherel where he learned how to create a soulstone to become an immortal lich. With the Soulstone protected, a Lich can be reincarnated if his mortal body is destroyed.

The Mortuary

Gazlowe collected some leaves and examined the walls. He found a secret passageway that led to a staircase. The party debated gluing the other door shut (assuming the other door leads directly to Niptu.) In the end they decided to open the other door and scope out what might be inside. Inside they saw the chamber was filled with several tables. Some held alchemical and arcane tools and supplies. Others held covered bodies. The floor was covered with leaves and the party spotted a large arcane circle under the leaves. Plants were growing out of the walls, and one had completely enveloped one of the tables with a covered body on it.   Ajani examined the runes around the magic circle on the floor and recognized it as a demonic retention circle, the one that Hanaphaen mentioned. Gazlowe looked at some of the tables and pointed out that several of them have very volatile items on them so the party should use caution. Cassidy went to examine one of the beds and a vampire arose to attack the party.

Battle in the Mortuary.

The vines encompassing the body burst forth revealing itself to be a Thornblood that slashed at Cassidy. Isabella distracted the Thornblood and saved Cassidy from a critical blow, so the creature attacked Isabella. The vampire attacked Ajani and Cassidy cursed it saving Ajani from any damage. Cassidy struck the Thornblood. Isabella critically hit the Thornblood twice with her flame tongue leaving it bloodied. Ajani disengaged from the Vampire and ran to hide. Seften cast firewall on the vampire and Thornblood. Bird and Juan attacked the Vampire along with his drinking buddy. Gazlowe held his necklace of fireballs but then let it be. He chose to punch the Thornblood instead. The thunder echoed through the room shaking the volatile items on the tables.   The Thornblood engulfed both Cassidy and Isabella. The Vampire tried to hit Juan but missed. Cassidy tried to use her crucible of lava but dropped it. Isabella was able to land a blow on the creature. Ajani shot a lightning chromatic orb that struck both the Vampire and the Thornblood. Ajani and Juan focused on the Vampire. Gazlowe punched the Vampire and the Thornblood. The Vampire turned into a mist and passed through everyone not in the Thornblood, dealing a bit of Necrotic damage. Ajani was badly hurt, and Bird was dispelled.   Cassidy and Isabella continued to hack at the Thornblood but still inside they continued to be hurt by the thorns. Isabella’s second strike caused the Thornblood to retreat into the body from where it came. Isabella then struck the Vampire leaving him in critical condition. Ajani finished him off with a chromatic orb. The residual lightning struck the table, and it exploded hurting the party and knocking Ajani out. Seften cast cure wounds on Ajani and then did a prayer of healing everyone a bit.

Cleaning up the Mortuary

The vampire was completely destroyed but Gazlowe was concerned with the Thornblood. He examined the body where the Thornblood had retreated and found it inside. He filled the body with grease and lit it on fire. As the fire burned, he discovered the Thornblood was immune to more damage and seemed to be in a hibernation state. Cassidy removed the creature’s immunity, and it was destroyed.   Isabella examined the potions and found 3: Mind Reading, Invisibility, and Flying. Seften healed Cassidy some more and Juan brought back Bird. Ajani examined the spell circle and was able to dispel it however the destruction of the circle created a wave of force damage to everyone in the room. Isabella went to find Hanaphaen and brought him back to the others. Hanaphaen was quite excited to join the party. Gazlowe asked him which stairway went to Niptu and Hanaphaen didn’t know anything about the secret stairs.

Treasure room

The party went up the secret stairs and found four exquisite wooden chests, each decorated in golden filigree. At the south end of the hall was a thick adamantine door carved with an intricate Elvish script that Ajani read: “Speak the three names that made me.” The party figured out the names but choose not to speak them quite yet while Gazlowe examined the chests for traps.   Gazlowe found minuscule arcane symbols on all four chests. Ajani cast dispel magic on one of the chests and Gazlowe opened it. In it they found 5 vials of universal solvent and 3 spell scrolls: Astral projection, Geas and Symbol.   Ajani cast Dispel magic on the 2nd chest and he dissapeared. After a few moments Gazlowe tried to Dispel the magic on the chest and he failed and disappeared. Cassidy tried to open one of the chests as she didn’t see the rune and she disapeared. The others decided to open the chests and they all disapeared. The chests were trapped and if the glyph was triggered or a failure to dispel, it caused the person to be transported directly to Niptu.

Throne room and Ajani

Ajani found himself alone in a room with Niptu laughing in front of him. Ajani recognized that the room had a powerful magical force about it and there was a large area of ice just behind him. The lair sipped part of Ajani’s soul from him leaving him bloodied. Niptu said, “Steal from me will you.” Ajani cast Time Stop and then he cast a delayed fireball. Niptu’s eyes followed him even though time had stopped. Ajani cast detect magic on the ice and detected necrotic magic. He dispelled the ice, and it turned into a pool of water. As time resumed, the fireball exploded and Niptu was slighlty singed. Ajani said a prayer and made a quick entry into his journal. Niptu shot a bolt of lightning into Ajani and even with his shield Ajani went down. Niptu shot a 2nd and a 3rd bolt at Ajani to finish him off but missed both of those shots.

Gazlowe Joins

Gazlowe popped in. Niptu said, “Another theifA” Gazlowe saw Ajani laying unconcious and tossed a splash healing potion on him. Gazlowe then threw the iron bands of Billaro at Niptu but Niptu deflected it. Niptu tried to charm Gazlowe but failed. Aani stood up and shot a psychic lance at Niptu but Niptu was too smart for it. Niptu glared at Gazlowe but Gazlowe using his goblin traits was able to resist.   Niptu shot a lighning bolt at Gazlowe and then a magic drain dealing necrotic damage. He then caused Immortal pain upon Ajani. It knocked him down and Niptu sturck him again to try to finish him off.

The others show up

Gazlowe quickly threw his other splash potion on Ajani saying, “Ajani I need you to stop dying!” Gazlowe then sealed Niptu in a dome of force. Doing so casued him some additional damage but it was worth it.   A Dirt Mournling appeared behind the group as Cassidy and the others joined the party in the throne room. Ajani stood up again and shot a chromatic orb at the mournling. Niptu, secure in the wall of force, simply sat on his throne browsing his spellbook. The Dirt Mournling grabbed Ajani and smashed him into the ground twice, knocking him unconcious again and then hurt him while he was uncouncious. It then grabbed Gazlowe and smashed him hard. Isabella attacked the Dirt

Mournling.

Niptu had his lair create cages of black energy around everyone, but Cassidy was able to evade it. The cages delt necrotic pain to everyone. Everyone was in very bad shape being restrained in the cages. Gazlowe drank a potion of invisiblity and escaped the cage. Cassidy rushed to Ajani and cast Spare the dying.   Juan, from within the cage tried to hit the Mournling but being restrained he couldn’t land a blow. Sefeten seeing his party all in really bad shape cast Mass heal restoring everyone back to full health! The Mournling struck Seften. Seften (with Juan’s and Gazlowe’s help) escaped the cage. Isabella pulled out her oathbow and fired at the Mournling but missed.   Gazlowe pulled out his sonic screwdriver and gave himself a +3 bonus to all his spells. Cassidy whipped the creature, but the whip stuck in the Mournling and then Cassidy pulled out his crossbow and shot the creature. Ajani shot another chromatic orb. Niptu glared at Isabella, and she started hugging herself for a minute. Juan focused his drinking buddy on the mournling. Seften downed his potion of Invulnerability. Isabell was critically hit by the Mournling and Gazlowe finally landed the killing blow on the creature.

Rewards Granted

Treasure

• A Spell scroll of forbiddance
• A Spell scroll of mirage arcane
• A Spell scroll of scrying.
• A potion of mind reading
• A potion of invisibility
• A potion of flying.
• 5 vials of Universal solvent
• A Spell scroll of Astral projection
• A Spell scroll of Geas
• A Spell scroll of Symbol.