Session 96: Emptying the Mind Flayer Lair Report

General Summary

Session 96 – Wednesday January 26, 2022 – Emptying the Mind Flayer Lair.

3.5 Hour role Playing session 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM

Party of 4 (The order of Heroes, Inc.):

It is the 23rd day of the month of Uktar (The Rotting) in the 3rd year of the Age of Enialis

• Annalisa (Anna) – Human L8 Monk – L7 Wizard /L3Fighter – Ryan Armstrong (Remote)
• Jaquette Mara – L18 Human Druid – Jackie Armstrong
• Lucky Lightfoot – Leprechaun – L18 Bard/L1 Sorcerer – Jacob Munson
• Rolen – Human L19 Warlock – Josh Pozsonyi
• Tyrena Rechs – Human L16 Ranger/L3 Fighter – Nathan Gioconda (Absent – play)
• Fergewon – L19 Firbolg Cleric – Spencer Armstrong (Shcool)
• Luigi Risotto – Wood Elf L17 Monk/L2 Wizard – Dan King (Absent – Church)

Goals:

 

Gather the other parts of the god Destroyer (Blade, Hilt and guard)

Locate the Amber Sarcophagi and destroy them with the god Destroyer

Take the sword to the Summer Queen and have her destroy it.

White Dragon at Purple Rocks

 

The dark gifts of the Amber Sarcophagi

The party accomplished a significant goal by moving all the sarcophagi into Rolen’s Demiplane. They all heard the offerings and Rolen labeled each of them with a little yellow piece of parchment that had a sticky substance on the back. He labeled them as follows:

• The dark gift of Fekre, Queen of Poxes. Fekre’s gift is the power of spreading disease.
• The dark gift of Zrin-Hala, the Howling Storm. Zrin-Hala’s gift is the power to create lightning.
• The dark gift of Sykane, the Soul Hungerer. Sykane’s gift is the power to raise the recently deceased.
• The dark gift of Savnok the Inscrutible. Savnok’s gift is the power to shield the mind.
• The dark gift of Tarakamedes, the Grave Wyrm. Tarakamedes’s gift is the power of flight.
• The dark gift of Shami-Amourae, the Lady of Delights. Shami-Amourae’s gift is the power of persuasion.
• The dark gift of Drizlash, the Nine-Eyed Spider. Drizlash’s gift is the power to walk on walls and ceilings.
• The dark gift of Zantras, the Kingmaker. Zantras’s gift is power that comes from great presence and force of personality.
• The dark gift of Delban, the Star of Ice and Hate. Delban’s gift is the power to unleash deadly cold.
• The dark gift of Khirad, the Star of Secrets. Khirad’s gift is the power of divination.
• The dark gift of Yrrga, the Eye of Shadows. Yrrga’s gift is the power of true seeing.
• The dark gift of Great Taar Haak, the Five-Headed Destroyer. Taar Haak’s gift is great strength.
• The dark gift of Yog the Invincible. Yog’s gift is one of physical resilience.
• The dark gift of Norganas, the Finger of Oblivion. Norganas’s gift is the power to turn life into undeath.
• The dark gift of Vaund the Evasive. Vaund’s gift is the power of evasion.
• The dark gift of Seriach, the Hell Hound Whisperer. Seriach’s gift is the power to summon and control hell hounds.
• the dark gift of the Vampyr
• The dark gift of Zhudun, the Corpse Star. Zhudun’s gift is the power to raise the ancient dead.
• The dark gift of Tenebrous. Tenebrous’s gift is the secret of lichdom.

Al chose to accept the gift of Savnok the Inscrutable and gained the benefits of the Mind Blank spell for 1 year. Unfortunately doing so caused his eyes to melt away leaving empty sockets but he could still see. He became so hideous that non-evil characters look at him in horror and there is now a 50% chance that non-evil characters will refuse to interact with Al any social interaction. Al told the party: “Don’t attack me, I’m not evil, but I took some gifts.” He then dropped his disguise, and the party was somewhat repulsed.

Anna explored the lair and found the place mostly cleaned out. There were only a few brains left in the library and they didn’t look so good. The medical room looked more like a torture and dissecting room. There were some small rooms for studying culture, but the only things left behind were a large harp and piano. Anna took the harp and a purple cushion; Rolen took an orange cushion from the Mind Flayer common room. Jaquette cast windwalk on everyone and they all flew to Neverwinter

Saul chase provides the reward.

90 minutes later they party landed just outside of Neverwinter. Al was persuaded to remain as mist so he doesn’t scare small children. The party approached the guards and Anna fell from the sky and landed directly in front of the party. One of the Paladins started throwing up from the wind walk travel. “That was a bad experience!” The guards knew the Order of Heroes and they were welcomed into the city. People in the city saw the OoH and were gazing at them in awe. Lucky slipped into the crowd and started spreading positive rumors about the Harper and the Gauntlet members. The people pointed at them with respect.

They found their way to Saul Chase, and everyone started to talk with long … pauses… between… their words. Saul asked for evidence and Rolen provided a portion of the elder brain dragon they killed. One of the Paladins backed up the story but the other (Barfalomue) started throwing up again. Saul then gave them a receipt that they can take to the Governor for the promised 450 gp. Jaquette laughed out loud at the poultry amount. She started to protest that they had to go get it themselves, but the others settled her down.

The Harpers and the Order of the Gauntlet

The party took the sole remaining Harper (Logan) to the Harper’s HQ in Neverwinter. They met with the new Wise Owl (Edum). The party explained that there was another group who disappeared, but Logan was a brave Harper and an honorary member of the Order of Heroes. The Wise Owl provided new pins to all the members of the OoH. He told them the rank is equivalent to that of a Bright Candle but will grant them special privileges. Lucky gave Logan a special coin with a clover on it.

The party left the Harpers HQ while debating the subtle differences in Resurrection spells. Given that Jeter didn’t have a brain they wondered if they would need Jaquette’s True resurrection or if a 7th level Resurrection would work. They then decided that they should first “Speak with the dead.” To find out if they could resurrect him at all.

Arriving at the Order of the Gauntlet house in Neverwinter the OoH sang the praises of Gupit the Eager and Barfalamue the Nauseas. The Righteous Hand of the Order heard the tales of the brave men and promoted them within the order. The Righteous Hand also presented the Order of Heroes with Order of the Gauntlet Pendants indicating their rank as Marcheons. He promised that if there is ever a need to eradicate evil, seek out the Order and they will be aided.

Jaquette became so proud duringthe Righteous Hand’s speech that she turned herself into a very proud eagle wearing the pendant. Rolen gave the Paladins the receipt for the 450 gp. They vowed to use it for their fallen brother’s families.

Shopping:

Anna went to look for some spells, Jaquette wanted to get some weapons and Rolen wanted to secure transportation to the Purple Rocks. Lucky suggested they consider finding Capt. Pryor but Rolen preferred not to deal with pirates. They all agreed to meet back together in an hour.

Rolen found Smith and Jones Shipwright. Behind the desk was a Dwarf, Vofer Jones. Rolen and Vofer started going over all sorts of details and Rolen quickly realized how expensive a custom ship can be. Rolen took a pamphlet of all the options and costs and decided to take it back to the party for a full discussion.

Lucky went back to the Harpers and met again with the new Wise Owl Edum. Lucky asked for a “Speak with the Dead” spell scroll. Edum promised Lucky that one of his Hapers would transcribe one for him within a week. Lucky then went to the tavern to perform for the people and wait for the others.

The Dragon’s Quill

Anna went back to the Dragon’s Quill on Bernard Street and looked for the Elf Adamar. Unfortunately, Adamar was out but Anna found a nice elderly woman named Ethel who was watching the shop. Ethel was a bit slow, but Anna was able to request a few spell scrolls:

• 1st level - Catapult
• 3rd level - Galder’s Tower
• 3rd level - Speak with Dead
• 4th level - Galder’s Speedy Courier

She had Catapult in stock and sold it to Anna for 80 gp. The others were commissioned for 4,000gp. The level 3 would be ready in 1 week and then she found Galder’s Speedy Courier in the back. Anna asked for the scrolls in 6 days for an additional 500gp and Ethel promised to pass it along. Anna also purchased the Enduring Spellbook and magical ink and paper worth 3,500 gp so she could transcribe the spells.

The Amory - Clobbering Time

Fretting about her inabilities in an anti-magic field, Jaquette went to the Armory “Clobbering Time” and found the Dwarf Nark Mountainhand (brother of Thorthan). Jaquette was wearing the Belt of Dwarvenkind and the dwarf found her charming. She explained her situation to Nark, and he walked her through all the different weapon options. She tried a Scimitar, Javelins, spears, knives etc. After trying different things, she “settled” on 50 darts, 18 daggers, 1 Scimitar and 20 spears.

Anna came in and helped Jaquette purchase 12 daggers and asked for the “Invisible Beholder tooth dagger.” The dwarf provided Anna with the invisible dagger and an invisible sheath. Anna also commissioned a set of adamantine thieves’ tools for 50gp that would be ready in 5 days.

Jaquette talked to a cat in the back of the shop that the dwarf didn’t care for. Finding out that the dwarves didn’t care for the cat she conjured some mice and had the cat kill them. She convinced the dwarf that the cat saved his life from the diseased mice, and he should care for the cat and let it sleep on the warm forge at night and bring it cream every day.

A new plan

Rolen found Lucky singing in the pub. Lucky was singing songs of Rolen, but Rolen was focused on ship options. After singing, Lucky went and talked privately with Rolen about a possible plan to use the god slayer sword to kill the Raven Queen and then the Summer Queen and they take over rulership of their respective locations. Lucky suggested partnering with Ducia and then turning on her. Rolen said that he was on board. Luigi came in and declared that he found a temple to Amaunator in the city. He told the party that he wanted to go spend some time there and he left. The rest of the party came in and Lucky cast his magnificent mansion so they would have a private place to speak.

In the mansion, Tyrena asked what the plan is and Lucky explained his plan to get rid of the Summer Queen and the Raven Queen. Lucky suggested that they work with Ducia temporarily to get the sword and then take her out later. Anna said “No, absolutely not!” to working with Ducia. Jaquette asked, “Why kill the Summer Queen?” Lucky explained that the summer queen, Titania, is a tyrant that exiled him over a misunderstanding. After some discussion, Rolen asked if the group would be willing to do the rest of the plan without Ducia. Anna agreed and said “When Ducia is dead I will work with you until the end.” Lucky said, “I will not deal the killing blow on Ducia.” Anna said, “No problem, I want it.”

Rolen said, that the party will need to agree on some boat options, and it’ll take at least a week to have it built. In the meantime, Rolen will need to return the Raven Queen’s sword (before he leaves Lucky will cast mind blank on him.) In addition, Anna wants to raise some more funds by selling some items. Plus, the party will need to find a crew for their boat.