Session 085: The Mansion Report
A Rakshasa takes Bastion away for "information"
General Summary
Redfall 24, 2023 KC,.early afternoon
Thornwinds
Recap
The adventuring party explored a mysterious mansion where they discovered a rare Time Dragon Egg. Upon leaving the room with the egg, they found the mansion had transformed into an endlessly shifting hotel-like hallway. They encountered a woman with Bat wings charming a council member and a Tiefling alchemist whose notes revealed a plot to control a god with potions made from Dragon eggs. This led them to Vashkar, a powerful feline being who confessed to manipulating the party into stealing the egg from him to deceive a rival devil, Rathus. Vashkar revealed that he was protecting the egg from Rathus and other powerful beings like Vecna and Tiamat. He then transported the party to a basement containing a portal to Hell, which was flanked by two large red gemstones. He instructed them to destroy the gemstones to prevent Rathus from using the portal to return to the Material Plane and seek revenge. The party prepared to face the devil guardians protecting the portal.
Summary
The adventuring party found themselves exploring a mysterious mansion with peculiar characteristics. The downstairs was well-decorated and clearly meant for entertaining, while the upstairs appeared sparse and utilitarian. Their exploration led them to discover a rare Time Dragon Egg contained within a Platinum box, but upon exiting the room with their prize, they found the mansion's hallways had transformed dramatically. The corridors now resembled a hotel, stretching and shifting mysteriously, with numerous identical doors lining the walls. As they explored, they heard ethereal chanting in Infernal echoing through the walls, creating an unsettling atmosphere. In one room, they encountered a beautiful woman with bat-like wings who appeared to be holding a council member from Thornwinds under some kind of charm spell. The party also discovered a laboratory where a red-skinned Tiefling alchemist was conducting experiments. His research notes revealed attempts to create potions using Dragon eggs, with the ultimate goal of controlling a god. The alchemist's Work seemed connected to a larger plot involving devils and powerful entities. They were eventually led to meet Vashkar, a powerful feline-like being reclining in an ornate room filled with exotic creatures, colorful cushions, and sweet-smelling incense. Vashkar revealed that he had manipulated events to have the party steal the Time Dragon Egg from his own house, explaining that he needed to maintain appearances with a Red Abishai named Rathus who would soon seek revenge for his defeat. Vashkar demonstrated his magical prowess by using an Obsidian cube with a white skull inside to extract a mysterious black Leather book adorned with a golden skull from another tome. He explained that this cube was one of many that could access Books from the lost library of Calcle. The conversation revealed complex political machinations involving devils, demons, and powerful entities like Vecna and Tiamat. The meeting concluded with Vashkar transporting the party to a basement containing a portal to Hell. The portal showed visions of a fiery landscape where devils and demons waged eternal war. Two large red gemstones flanked the portal, which Vashkar instructed the party to destroy in order to prevent Rathus from using it as a shortcut back to the Material Plane. The party prepared themselves to face the devil guardians protecting the portal, knowing they would need to act quickly to prevent reinforcements from arriving through the hellish gateway.Scenes
Exploring the Mysterious Mansion
The party enters a strange mansion with shifting hallways, exploring rooms and encountering supernatural elements
Meeting Vashkar
The party meets a powerful feline-like being named Vashkar in an ornate room filled with incense and exotic creatures
Basement Portal Confrontation
The party is transported to a basement with a portal to Hell, preparing to face devils
Exploring the Mysterious Mansion
The party enters a strange mansion with shifting hallways and discovers rooms with unusual inhabitants.
Exploring the Mysterious Mansion
The party investigates a strange mansion with shifting hallways and discovers a Potion laboratory and a room with a powerful being.
Meeting Vashkar
The party encounters a mysterious and powerful being who reveals information about their quest and offers a deal.
Preparing to Descend to the Portal
The party is transported to a basement with a portal to Hell and prepares to face devils.
Exploring the Mysterious Mansion
The party investigates a strange mansion with changing hallways and encounters various supernatural beings.
Meeting Vashkar
The party meets a powerful feline-like being named Vashkar in an ornate, incense-filled room
Descending to the Portal
The party is transported to a basement with a portal to Hell
Exploring the Mysterious Mansion
The party investigates a strange mansion with changing hallways and encounters various supernatural beings.
Meeting Vashkar
The party meets a powerful feline-like being named Vashkar in a luxurious, incense-filled room
Descending to the Portal
The party is transported to a basement with a portal to Hell
Exploring the Mysterious Mansion
The party investigates a strange mansion with shifting hallways and multiple rooms, encountering various supernatural entities.
Meeting Vashkar
The party meets Vashkar, a powerful feline-like being who reveals information about their quest and exchanges a book using a magical cube.
Descending to the Basement Portal
The party is transported to a basement with a portal to Hell, preparing to face devils and destroy gemstones.
Session Conclusion
... Experience & Leveling
t Milestone Experience: (xxx ea) | Total: was xxx,000 (Next Goal: xxx,000) t Current Location ...
Rewards Granted
Experience
t Milestone Experience: (XX ea) | Total: XX,000 (Next Goal: 120,000) t
Missions/Quests Completed
Character(s) interacted with
Created Content
Related Reports
Npcs
Vashkar
A powerful, feline-like being who manipulates the party, possesses magical knowledge, and has connections to devils and other supernatural entitiesRathus
A Red Abishai devil who was defeated by the party and is expected to returnTiefling Alchemist
An older male Tiefling working on mysterious potions involving Dragon eggs and potential god-controlling experimentsAlchemist Tiefling
A red-skinned Tiefling working on experimental potions involving Dragon eggs, with notes about potential god-controlling experiments. The party didn't learn his name, it was Tamkaedh.Mysterious Winged Woman
A woman with bat-like wings encountered in the mansion, who seems to be working for VashkarLocations
Rakshasa Manor
A supernatural dwelling with shifting hallways, decorated differently on different floors, containing magical and mysterious elementsVashkar's Ornate Room
A bohemian-style room filled with colorful cushions, incense, and exotic creatures, featuring a throne and a chessboardBasement Portal Room
A small basement room containing a portal to Hell, with red gemstones and devil guardiansPotion Laboratory
A room filled with various unlabeled potions, brewing equipment, and research notes about Dragon eggs and magical experiments.Vashkar's Throne Room
A bohemian-style room with colorful pillows, incense, and a hookah, featuring a feline-like being on a cushioned throne.Alchemist's Laboratory
A room filled with potions, notes about Dragon egg experiments, and various alchemical equipmentVashkar's Hookah Room
A bohemian-style room with colorful pillows, incense, and a throne, filled with various supernatural creaturesSpells
Tune In
A spell used to understand the mysterious chanting, revealing it to be in Infernal and conveying dark, religious emotionsFairy Fire
Used to illuminate the winged woman, revealing her bat-like wings and supernatural nature.Detect Thoughts
Used by a party member to gain insights into the Tiefling alchemist's notes and understand the chanting in the hallways.Tongues
Used to understand the Infernal chanting heard in the walls, revealing religious and potentially evil incantationsItems
Time Dragon Egg
A rare and valuable egg of a Time Dragon, discovered in a Platinum box, potentially used for experimental magical purposesMagical Cube
An Obsidian cube with a small white skull inside, used to extract Books from a hidden librarySkull-Embossed Book
A mysterious book extracted using the magical cube, with a skull design and potential significant magical propertiesPotions
Various magical potions including fire breath, healing, and potentially experimental dragon-related concoctionsObsidian Cube
A magical cube with a small white skull inside, used to extract Books from the lost library of Calcle.Notes
Transcripts
| We ended. You guys are. To remember why you guys went there. Okay. So right now, probably one of the biggest things you guys have that's that's on the radar is dealing with how Vecna was pulling you into your Dreams. This took you guys to a one temple. So you guys can get some, leaves. So that way you guys can make a Potion to kind of keep them away from you guys for a little while. |
|---|
| You guys were successful to rating that. You got what you needed. SAS was able to make, some potions. That gives you ten days of Vecna free nights. And she still has plenty more that she needs to make some more. One of the other suggestions that was brought up by Morton Kanan was to check out the cats of all thar. |
| So you guys decided to find out about the cats for thar, finding out that they reside, that the way the find them would be going to, what's called a Trap Street. Hidden streets that people sometimes just stumble up, down. You guys got yourselves intoxicated enough so you guys can accidentally stumble down one, finding it. You guys talked to the mayor of, Trap Street? |
| Who notified you that, she could help you with, the cats of thar. But first, she needed you guys to hunt down a, an egg. Egg of a time Dragon. These are very, very rare. Epoch. Epoch dragons. They're also known as. They are a type of epic Dragon. So, side note, it turns out in the because epic Dragon. |
| I'm sorry. Time dragons come from older versions of dad. They just recently got brought in the five. The old ones were actually probably the most powerful creature in the whole game. Like, ten times more powerful than even, What is it that everyone's always talking about to a tarrasque? Yeah, they were even a much higher CR than a tarrasque. |
| Even. So they really are epic dragons. But, the tarrasque is, pretty much Godzilla. It is. It's a Godzilla type, lizard. That's, kind of thing. That's supposed to be the harbinger of the end of days. And so every once in a while, it or you can summon them, but it comes and it's like just starter towns like that, you know, Godzilla does. |
| And it can't really be killed. To be honest, though, even if the adventurers does do are successful in taking it down, he will come back. That was just so, you guys were hunting down the time Dragon egg? Found out that it was, in this mansion. So you guys went there? You confronted the individual about, that you thought might have it because you, that you guys had heard, though, it was being protected by, being held by a Red Abishai. |
| You talk to this individual, he was not very, amicable. You guys into fighting him? Turning out. Turns out that was the Red Abishai. When you defeated it, it disappeared. With a, I believe this one did it with a smoke. Either way, at that point, you guys felt like you guys could start exploring the mansion. |
| Coming into the mansion, you guys found that the downstairs seemed very well decorated. It felt very much like it was a so a set piece for, bringing in and, entertaining people. But as you guys went up the stairwell, you found the upstairs to be a little bit more spartan, a little more drab. Very simple. |
| Up there is where you guys did start exploring. And, it turns out it wasn't that hard. You guys were able to very quickly find, some treasures and to also find the, the Red Dragon egg in a box made of Platinum that the DM did not fully think straight through. That said, you guys had had exited that room. |
| And as you guys came out to the hallway, you guys said that sort of thinking that you guys wanted to explore the mansion, and that's where we left it, so. Oh, shit. Yeah. Let me turn it down just a little bit. |
| And I. We'll do. |
| Like, So as you guys looked around the hallways, coming out of the office, how about you guys give me, let's go ahead and do, pa pa pa pa pa pa pa, what's what I'm looking for here? Perception check. Yeah. |
| What was it? Let's get a, perception check from. Anyway, it's like looking around the hallways. |
| I have, like, a 21% perception. Perceive. How that works. No. Actually, do, you you also have a perception that skill. Technically, this would be more passive, but I want to kind of also see what you guys are able to kind of discern. Oh, see okay. Well that's a 31. So go ahead and give me a give me another quick d20. |
| There any a d20. Yeah. |
| Three. That's nothing. Okay. Oh, wow. So what we will say. But but you do get the 20. So what I will say is that as you guys exit the room, you would be the first one to notice. The hallways seem much is very much different than what you guys had left. Now it looks like the stairwell. |
| Well, down the hall at the end of the hallway or down, it's no longer there. Instead, it looks like the hallway kind of goes on. You see, there's a lot more doors. It's kind of like, To be a little anachronistic. So not so much for the characters, but more for the players. It kind of feels like a hotel in the sense that there's. |
| It looks like hallway. You can see, down on both ends. There's a few other, like. It looks like hallways going in other directions. And there's just a lot more doors here. It's not like a hotel in the sense there's not, like, numbers or anything, but there's just a lot more doors. So it's something has very much changed from when you guys left the hallway. |
| So what would you guys like to. What would you guys do? |
| So try this. |
| I'm sorry. Sean, could you repeat that? Yeah. Caitlyn. Oh. No worries. That's what you said. No worries at all. Since you got the 20 a natural 20. I went ahead and you would be. The, Calliope would have been the first one to notice that as you exited the room and returned to the hallway, that you guys had come into the room from. |
| It feels different. It it's like the same kind of wallpaper and everything else. But the difference now is that as you look down to where the stairwell used to be, it is now gone. Instead, it feels like the hallways kind of go off. As you're looking down both sides, you notice that there's hallways that also branch off in the other directions. |
| And there's a lot of rooms. What I did bring up is to be a little anachronistic. Is that for the play? For the characters, they don't know what a modern hotel is, but you guys do. It's kind of has that feeling in the sense of like, there's a lot of rooms, some hallways, but there's no door numbers or anything like that. |
| It's all the doors. All look very much the same. Very simple design. So there's just a lot of doors. It looks like extra hallways. And it's very much looks, like you were on a different space than you were when you got here. This might be a dumb question. But last time I remember, we were outside like a porch. |
| So that was the beginning of last game. Okay. Yeah. So that's when you guys the game before that, you guys had ended where you guys were about to get into a fight with a person who, last game beginning, you found out was a Red Abishai after you defeated him? You then went into the mansion to find the egg. |
| You guys had gone in the downstairs. Looked like it was set up for a probably a little bit more entertaining, a little bit more a presence, tapestries and stuff. But the upstairs, it looked very plain and, simple and spartan. You guys had, kind of just went through a few rooms, really, I think like 1 or 2. |
| It was pretty quick where all of a sudden you guys had a natural 20 and found the, egg. It was in a Platinum box. There was also some other magic items you guys had found. But when you guys had found the egg, you guys exited the room and were intent on exploring the place, and that's where we had left it. |
| So now when you guys enter the hallway, No. It's fine. It's. It's been a couple of weeks, so. Yeah. Would you mind putting the. Didn't we have a, like, a map of the interior? There was no map actually, on at that point. The only map that you guys had seen that I had really had in this place. |
| If it helps, but would be when you guys are at the mansion yard. Oh, yeah. Maybe that's why. So I didn't really have a map for when you guys were inside. So it was. It was very much theater of the mind. And it's still theater of the mind because, you guys are in a, strange hallway, and there's no way I would be able to actually map this convention to a, |
| And I sense, is there, like, who else is around besides us? Is it? You look around, you don't see anybody. With your perception now. I will let you, notice that, as you're kind of trying to see if there's anybody around, with your fan ears, you pick up slight whispers. They're very hard to make out. |
| It sounds as as you kind of try to pay a little bit more attention to it. It sounds more like murmuring, like, like, you get memories of, like, seeing, like monks when they're chanting. That's kind of the feeling you get. But it's it's very silent and hard to make out. Can I distinguish how many voices that maybe. |
| It is the the the the sound that you're hearing is so silent, and it's you're just barely able to make them out. It's very hard to discern if it's one person or if it's many. |
| Okay, I will quietly was brought to the group or we're not alone. |
| What are you hearing? I'm hearing murmuring. Can I can I tell, like, what direction that might be? Or is it like an echo? Like I said, you got you had a pretty good role. The direction seems to be almost everywhere. Everywhere. Yeah, it's it's it's very, ubiquitous and just, like, permeates everything around you right now. But it's so it's like it's it's like a hum sometimes, you know, like when you're like an, you, |
| Yeah. Sometimes there's like that just hum somewhere in the air and you can't tell where it's coming from. It's very much like that. Just so it's so quiet. It's, as he. As Barlow speaks to you, even it's hard. You you almost lose the the connection to it. My ears are walking back and forth like I'm just trying to figure out where it's coming from. |
| The building that we are in, would any of us have knowledge of. Not really architecture, but, like, you know, how some grand houses would have, like chapels or, areas for prayer, like, would we assume that this would be a grand estate that would have that, if you were anybody's curious about what you might know about this house or anything like that, go ahead and give me a history check. |
| Or religion, I guess, too, but a history would be better than religion, I would say. We make out the language of the chanting. Well, you give me a perception check on what you're picking up right now. She's picking up a lot more because she did get a that 20 on her, perception when you guys came out. |
| To 22, 22. I will I as she brings up the fact the of the hearing the thing, you were able to start kind of picking up a little bit of the two. You hearing the hum? Well, the hum of chants, What was your question? I totally got that lost in the thread. Language. |
| Language? It is very hard to make it out, but what languages do you speak? Common Draconic. Dwarvish Goblin to Baxi. It doesn't sound like any of the languages, you know, do I? Do I recognize it even if I don't know it? Like. Like what? I recognize Elvish, right? Right, right, right. That's. The thing is, it's so quiet. |
| You would have to almost, like, be able to pick up something. Go ahead. But you can also give me, I'll, I'll let you use your history or religion role that will also apply to this to at the same. I will say before you say any numbers. Religion in this case though, might be better than history through the same. |
| Okay. Ten at ten. Yeah. It's hard. It's hard to really figure it out. You said. Right. Sorry. I know that's okay. Not not here. Where we in the hallway? Yeah, the hotel hallway. Right. It's what it comes off like, as far as Jane is concerned. Not so much for shout outs. Most of it. I just didn't know if we went to a room yet. |
| No. You just exit the room. You came down the hallway. Notice that the stairwell is gone. Notice that the the hallway feels longer and there's a lot more rooms. Okay. Calliope and Veronica, especially more in Calliope. Or Veronica with your religion, what would be your, Severe. What I would say is triadic Veronica or sass. |
| I say with sass, because that she had kind of developed a little bit of a connection with fast. She's kind of tuned in a little bit on the the Deity network, if you will. I'd say that she's getting a bad feeling about this place, which probably really isn't hard to get too much of because, to avoid, since it seems that it was a it's the home of a Red Abishai. |
| Knowing that the spores are, like, shivering and freaking down a little bit, and I can't remember if we got brought up before, but, but with your religion score, I'll definitely let sass kind of have a little, memories of things that she had learned picked up on and whatnot. And that the Red Abishai is are a type of devil. |
| There's actually other colors, too. And these Draconic looking devils, they can Work for pretty much almost any devil down in the hells, but they almost, they are definitely, more most likely to Work for, a specific devil. Devil. Lord known as Tiamat. Tiamat is a multi-headed Dragon, who lives on the first play, the first level of hells. |
| And is known to guard people, to guard it from the second level. One of the things that has kind of come up in the game a little bit, especially in the context of, the group that Calliope is moms a part of is what's called the Blood War, which is where the devils and the the demons and the devils, they're at war. |
| And so the first level is where a lot of that war takes place. So having a Red Abishai who's been Living in this house is definitely, probably the this house is probably not a good place to be inside of. With Calliope. Not really a student of the agriculture. Of the architecture world. She's definitely picking up that. |
| Things, there's a magical element that's going on here of some sort. Everything looks pretty solid, so it doesn't seem like it's that much of an Illusion. As far as chapel's, she doesn't recall seeing anything that looked like a chapel. That was here. |
| So, yeah, she has no, knowledge or or memories of seeing any type of a chapel here. But picking up on the history of of this place. It definitely feels old, as well as as much as the downstairs look like it was well maintained, you can tell that this is a very old house. |
| Yeah. This place is not the right to me. Never seen a hallway stretch before. |
| Yeah, I gotta be extra careful. |
| What would have been the order of you guys coming out of the room? From bastion would've been person. No, bastion would not have been first. Okay, well, okay. No. It's fine. Where in the Midwest do you want? Do you want to go first or. No, I wasn't even know if he was still here or not. He can go first, if you want to ask me. |
| I realize now I shouldn't have said that way. Okay, so I guess I'll go first. Yeah. Okay. Who would have been following us out the door? Oh, I can go after shadow. |
| Who would like to be third at the door? I'll be third. Calliope comes out the door. Barlow comes out the door. So as you guys. So as you guys came out and all the things that we had just discussed took place, Barlow comes out the door, talks to Calliope as he had just done. And at that moment, as you turn around, you notice that bastion is not there. |
| You look back into the room. The room looks exactly as it appeared, that you had just left. Unlike how the hallway change, the room seems to have not changed. But somehow bastion is not there. |
| But we can still look back into the same room. Nothing seems to to, be in the way of that. Just a minute, guys. Yeah. Do what you guys do. |
| I forgot to level up already. If you're wondering why I'm rolling for him. Oh. I was going to ask. |
| Oh, I think it. |
| So I'm using the hotel Wi-Fi right now. But everything seems to be good. But you never know what's up. I have a bad connection. Oh, I'll let you have mobile app on my phone. I'm still connected, but cell service should be good. But my laptop's on the hotel's Wi-Fi. |
| Where are you at? |
| I'm down in Oregon. Seaside, Oregon. And. |
| That's a little town. We're here to just hang out and, visit our husbands, but pretty much just to take a break after taxes and he's. |
| I went up this afternoon to take pictures of all the duty rocks out in the water. |
| His car tied down here. |
| Okay. I'm back. No worries. Okay. |
| So, looking around, bastion is missing now. The hallway has definitely changed. There's a very silent, Weird monk type chanting going on that's very hard to make out. And you guys don't know where to go. I step back in the room. Do I see him? You step back into the room. You do not see him. |
| So he is gone. Gone? I won't even make you like. Even with you. You got a pretty high perception to your. And at the back. See, perception, if you will. You definitely have, this very strong feeling that he's not in this room. Something has kind of happened here. Damn. Something to bash. Oh, shit. Is anyone listen to any of these doors yet? |
| Nobody has yet. Oh. Well, now, close is the first door from the room that we're, I mean, it's it's like I just. If for the mental picture. Think of what? Like, hotel kind of thing. I mean, there's you walk out, there's a door right in front of you. There's another door. What about, like, we'll see about, like, ten feet on either side. |
| Do we risk this first door closing? Is this our exit? I have no idea. |
| I'll listen in on this first. First serve door. Go for. Go and give me a perception check. |
| It's 3232. As you, put your ear against the door. Try to get it. A really good kind of feel for what's going on in that room. |
| So you can hear. |
| It. Here. Give me a your to this. I don't want your bullets chirping. Children laughing. |
| Annie, what's that movie? I don't know, but I can, I hear the birds chirping. Think of it in, like, a fake old lady voice as an ear trumpet. Did it? Oh, was it the Mask? No, no. Pete's Dragon? No! Oh, that was the one. Jim Carrey was dying, and he does his acceptance speech. Yeah. He's the fake elixir when he's pretending to be a deaf old lady. |
| And he says, when the money says, I hear the children laughing. And he looks at the kid and he's like, frowning, angry at him. I'm mad that I did not get that. I am disappointed, I'm ashamed. I should be ashamed. So as you put your ear, it is like Dead silent in there. You can, having your ear against the door. |
| There's just like a slight vibration. But with your perception check, you can tell that that that the very slight vibration is more of whatever this chanting is that's in the walls. And it's not what's coming from inside the room. In fact, there is no other sound in that room. Guys, this room sounds completely empty. |
| So we want to 1 or 2. We want to follow the chanting. |
| Bastards missing. Our best bet is probably to follow the creepy chanting. Even though I don't want to. Yeah. |
| Yeah. We better follow this. Jesus. Okay. Can I, can I, like, keep my ear to the wall and just kind of walk with my ear to the wall and try to see if the chanting gets louder? Okay. Well, you can try as you kind of, which way coming out of the, room you were just in. |
| Are you guys going left or are you looking to go right? |
| The others left behind. Okay, so that would be your right ear against the wall as you start walking down. Oh. What I'll say is that, it doesn't sound like the chanting. The very slight quiet chanting that's on the walls does not seem to alter in any way. It is. It doesn't seem to be getting any louder, any quieter. |
| It is still just there inside of the walls, almost. As you kind of do move a little bit down, though, as you get closer towards where the next door is. You you think you hear some kind of sounds? Some, like movement, some kind of, shuffling, like I remember this. Any did not. But I have Comprehend Languages. |
| Can I Task comprehend language sweetly? So. So it's just a spell slot. Yeah. Go ahead. And it does. No worries. As you, cast the spell and you kind of try to tune in on what you're hearing, with the chanting, you're able to discern because it does. Give me a second and let me make sure, what's the spell? |
| Can you comprehend? I just want make sure I'm right on this. |
| You understand the literal meanings. You understand any written language. You see, you have to be touching the surface on when it's written on. It doesn't decode secret messages. |
| What's interesting is, technically, according to the spell, there's no reason why you would know what language it is, though. You can just understand it. Yeah. Translate it. I mean, rules as written, but I, what I will say is that, as you start trying to capture the words that are being said, you're noticing that, and with the help of this spell, that this seems to be Infernal, which, being the the language of, pretty much evil, and it's definitely religious in nature. |
| It's really hard to really make out the words. And so much as this fact is that it seems more like it's more of essence, emotions, it's more, more of trying to convey thoughts than actual things to the point that it sounds like a you're picking up it like it's a religious chant of some kind and not in a good way. |
| I don't actually, as a DM, have the words of what's being chanted. It's just meant to be, but you're able to, as the character would be able to, to pick up enough of that. It's the same spirit over it is, a Ceremony possibly, it could even be almost just a, Just standard. I mean, obviously whenever a bunch of monks are kind of. |
| And I will even say, though, because of with casting the spell that you are picking up the that it sounds like many, many voices. Now that you're able to kind of, understand the language, you're able to, pick apart the fact that it is sounds like a lot of voices just chanting slowly, with a, foreboding kind of melody. |
| Is it repetitive words? It definitely feels repetitive in the sense that, like I said, it's almost like they're not saying words as much as using the language itself to express the ideas of the the makes sense to you in any way, kind of in a metaphysical kind of way. More than saying words. So there's something behind this door here. |
| Some. Yeah. You hear, you hear like it sounds like some, almost mechanical, it sounds, kind of, yeah, it sounds like, Wood kind of, moving around a bit. |
| To check for traps or anything. So if it's locked, the, you know, certain. |
| You don't need to do an investigation, see if it's locked. It is locked. |
| Knows all you're looking for. Locked. Not traps or. Yeah. No traps. Go ahead and give me an investigation. |
| Oh, it looks fine. |
| Try to pick it. All right. I'm going to keep my ear on the door while he's picking it, though, to see if there's any changes in his mental if, like, if they can hear him or something. Absolutely. Let's go ahead. I will have him. First do the lockpick roll. Just let me move my ear away before you open it. |
| Just in case what I should've done was this. You find no problem. Really? Picking the lock. Pretty simple. You and, But the truth is that as it is so simple that you're able to do it very quickly. And the timing of this is as you kind of inserted the lock picks tools into the little hole. |
| It's shadow. You notice that the sound stop, you hear a muffled shh, quiet. |
| But the door is unlocked. I'll whisper to the. There's definitely voices in there. They said to be quiet. They know somebody is here. They know we're here. |
| Well, it's too late for a sneak attack, then. Yeah. |
| See? Where are we going to go? In this? I want to try something before we go. Okay. What do you want to do with us? Open spot. Okay. The last room that we were in, how big roughly was it? I mean, it was it was a size, like, of, x I think it was just like a like a study, if I remember right, of some sort. |
| So it wasn't like it was in, like, extravagant by any means, but it wasn't a closet. Ten by ten, something like that. Yeah. Give or take. Okay, okay. The minute we open the door, I basically want to. Yeah. Yeah. It's. Wait. Do I have to see it? |
| Okay. Okay. So I wanted to basically, as soon as a door opened. Flash, flash bang. A very, very fire in there. |
| It says it's verbal. It just says each object in the cube within range doesn't say anything about having to see it. What? What object in the room. So, like, so, like on the floor. Okay. And then so, so I would just. It's 20. Yes. Oh very fine. Thank you. Yeah, yeah. Each object that I 25 cube within range. |
| Each object is outlined. I know, I know it doesn't necessarily like discombobulated, but. Hopefully it will make them glow. But do I have to see rules written? It doesn't say anything about right. It doesn't say anything about that. So it the fact that it doesn't say that it's safe to assume that that's not a, a requirement, |
| Okay. What do you think? So I do this. They already know we're here. Maybe it'll help us give us a boost. |
| Sure. I could also do a, a Hypnotic Pattern. Which would, charm anybody that's in there. You know, we don't know what's in there, though, but we know, all right? You know, it's. Yeah, we I, I'm assuming at least two voices because someone said, be quiet. I'm assuming they're talking to somebody else when they say be quiet. |
| Did the chanting stop? No, the chanting did not stop. Okay, so I'm going to yeah, I'm going to prep this. So as soon as we open the door like a tiniest crack, I'm going to just. Know my question here. In real life, you guys are going through a lot of conversating. Yep, yep. Oh, give us one second. |
| You guys see if I can come in. Okay, okay. |
| I ain't I don't know. And then what do we do if we didn't wait? What, what? Okay. |
| Guys. You guys. 0I0I leaving. Yeah. Okay. So so any. Entourage can come back, right. Yes. Yes I do. I had you come all the times I got off to the side and so on. So I, I, I feel like that shields your hair. So she. |
| She's, she's excellent. Thank you. Thank you I mean like for like six months. Like. |
| I didn't. |
| Like it. And I tried to kind of transition her and she thinking exactly like I wanted to be like what? I was going to try to. |
| Have some having sex, like. Oh, it's just amazing. It's like the idea that that I feel really badly, Annabelle, because, you can't have. You can't if you can't do the same thing. I don't want to do. You avoid it because it doesn't hurt anybody else. But people I know annoy you don't want them doing that to you. |
| That's the best way to do it. Oh, you know, it's not. Okay, okay. Anything else? That's happened? I stars. But first of all, that you don't just, stop with the things. No, you're not doing some dumb, dumb thing. That's okay. Yeah. I didn't go for that. I said I got to Jump. Jump? Yeah, yeah yeah. Okay okay, okay. |
| Are they, are they are they even doing a level. No. I, I basically scared, you know, you know, people. |
| Chat online all the time. They. |
| Because of the time, time kind of shut down all the, all the things that's happened. So that was how to classify. |
| Like, like anxiety and self-doubt and things. Like that. |
| So. |
| Maybe it's okay. It's okay. You're making things worse. Now you need to listen to the citizen. Hey, hey. Yes! Yeah, it sounds sounds like I'm trying to. Because we're getting good. Yeah, we are. Right. Right. Have they continue to have. They have basically started getting to or they were just just being being. But some of this taking place where you know what I. |
| Think a thank you thank you so much I just like so I just give us a couple more minutes Annabel called so when I'm at home. Oh, I guess you guys can hear the phone call because Jamie's. Oh, sorry. Oh. What? What? We're we're in the game. In the game, I you're still, Okay. Okay. It's it's it's literally it's like. |
| Okay, can you hit me? So so they're they're not not doing anything. You want to, Hold on. |
| So. Okay. Yeah. I'm saying that we're sorry about all that. Don't make yourself feel worse because all they're. So. Yeah. Okay, listen. Meanwhile. |
| We're pals. Yeah. Dude, it's hard being a kid and knowing what the right thing is to do, and. Yeah, and. But she's also kind of doing it, too. That's the. That's what's now she's kind of doing it too. So it's kind of like it's hard to be the victim if you're also going to be victimizing others. The instigator. |
| Yeah. Half of it. And I mean I get it too, like I got picked on when I was a kid and I, there was kids I picked on, like, if does kind of you do start kind of pushing it out somebody else that way you're not just being picked on. Yeah. |
| Oh the odd. Yeah. Okay. |
| So I can tell I can tell this kid she's with. What's funny actually, it was, because she sometimes she overdramatic, dramatizes things like the other day, she's like, was it? I think she said, like a student came up and pushed her against the wall. I'm like, what? And it was just somebody coming through, and it just kind of like when they turned around, the backpack kind of got into into her space, kind of pushed her against the wall like completely accident. |
| But the way she starts telling the story is like it's something else too, that like, a teacher did something and I was like, what? But it was like, so like, in a sense, it was just like. Yeah. But when, you know, when you heard that from. And it's. But if she has ever been targeted, like actually remotely targeted by people, then sometimes it can be hard to tell what. |
| Right. No one I know. Yeah. Because, yeah, the girls that targeted her last year, like. Yeah, yeah, it got pretty serious. Like, I don't know how serious the girls were about their threats, but because it was almost cartoony. But like, when you have, like, situations, like what happened to end up in, Waukesha a couple years ago with the whole Slenderman thing, like, you never know. |
| Yeah. Like, and that's my Fear is like, you know, those parents let their kids go off with those girls and then all of a sudden had that happen. So, like, that's always my Fear now it was like me in my head. But like at the five. Oh, you even kids, just, I'm pretty sure it gets easier. |
| But that's what I love. You, baby. It all. Was that my awesome you. I'm sure it gets easier by the time they're 18. It's funny. Yeah, you don't have to fill the whole entire, this is a good or small school. Yeah. So, like, you have kids who like each other has decided that they have to go on on all fours for each other. |
| She's. |
| I'm sorry. I just have to get on the bus of us, okay? I love you babies. My belly. Okay. Sorry. Sorry, guys. It's all good, I thought I muted. Nope, no worries. Oh interesting. Just Message spirit. It seems like things are going okay. Oh babe actually one of the girls is mom is a chaperon. And Annabelle said that she's actually super nice but but I told her that it's a good thing that she's there because then. |
| Oh one of those two girls. Because her mom is obviously Work situation from last year. I hope the mom's not there tomorrow. Hopefully that will set us from doing anything. Yeah, her mom's watching her. I just find that funny. That's on the heels of what I just said at dinner tonight. So you might want to go pick up. |
| You might want to go pick up Annabelle. What? I said, if I ever see the parents of these girls, regardless of time and place. Yeah. No, no. She said her mom is really nice. She's, So what I was saying was, you guys are in the middle of trying to figure out, trying to strategize on what you guys are going to do. |
| And before you guys, go through the door here, already in real life, there's been a lot of back and forth. So I just want to make sure. Does it feel like you guys are discussing these things, or is a I feel like it's like quiet, frantic whispers, but if it's if it's okay with everybody, all I can, not throw the Fairy fire in the room as soon as we're ready to open it. |
| Do it. Okay. Open the door. Okay. Throw it. All right, so you guys spend a couple moments trying to plan this out as, as you open up the door? How should I do this? Well, I guess, the door opens, you throw it in there as you do. So you see, in front of you, a, |
| A very beautiful woman. What I will say is that as you throw it in there, you can see that she's, What? She was moving towards the door with. Kind of like a bit of speed, but not running. Kind of like a, Yes. Kind of like she had a destination, and she wanted to get there, but she was trying not to kind of cause too much sound or anything. |
| You also notice that as she's moving towards the door and she's got one hand up, the other hand, it seems to be kind of holding, a cover like a blanket over, over her. It looks like you have caught her, in undress. As the very fire kind of starts to Light up her frame, you notice in that moment, these wings come sprouting out of her back. |
| For those who, I'm not sure if you guys want to possibly know, that would be different. But this, very attractive woman wearing the, covers, as the very fire, the wings. You see these, like, Bat like, evil looking wings to kind of sprout out of her back. Kind of just like, almost more of that of shock and Fear. |
| It seems, kind of caused that, you see her now also just take one step back, and she says, what is the meaning of this? |
| What do you mean? You are interrupting me? Does anybody else make, She does seem to be possibly naked underneath the blanket that she is trying to hold to, kind of, at this point in bed, she's standing. She was probably in the bed and jumped towards the door. At that moment, you do notice that, taking in the quick little observation of the room, it definitely does look like a, very simple room. |
| With a large bed, though, and there is a it looks like a gentleman laying on the bed. His looks kind of, I almost say catatonic, but he doesn't seem to really be moving at this moment. This happening? Is there blood anywhere? You do not see blood anymore? He does. He does look like he's alive. |
| He just doesn't. It looks like, possibly through some magical means. He is not currently able to move. As if she possibly might have tried to freeze him in some way with some type of spell. I'm going to draw my bow and say, who are you? Who am I? Who are you? |
| Here's the Wild Cards. I live here. I'm gonna yell from the back. I'm Calliope. Hi, Kane. Thanks. |
| That's kind of moves in front of clapping. Like now. I don't know whose guest you are, but I'm kind of busy, so I would like you to leave and then look around at the dude and be like, okay, okay, bro. He is fine. He is the he's getting what he wants and I'm getting what I need. Oh. What do you, perceptive wise, is this room have windows? |
| And if it does, is it day or night? |
| That's an interesting question. I didn't think about that part. |
| What I will say is that as you look out the window, there does seem to be a window on the other side of the room. As you look up the window, though, it does not look like the same setting that you would see an outside of this house. It looks like a just a long, open field of some sort. |
| It looks like it's Daylight coming through there. It looks, just very peaceful up there. |
| Can you tell me what this place is? Oh, she kind of like, kind of just straightens herself up a bit and just says. We all have certain jobs here. To keep the current the local population in line. This gentleman here happens to be one of the, one of the council members of the, of Thorn Winds. |
| And, that's why he is here. I'm not sure whose guest you are, though, and how you were able to get away from your guest. From your host. |
| And. Shadows. Real confused. The guy just be. Look like he's under like a magical spell. Yeah, that's what I say. Yeah, he looks like he's under some type of some type of charm or spell. Some sort of. I would like to just start with filling in the back and cast counter term. Certainly. I'll just whistle a little too. |
| You did you did you see, Let's see here. What does that say? Is what it does, sir? Description or. Yeah. |
| 30ft. The matter on that. So it looks like most, That's fine. There. At that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30ft of you have advantage on saving throws against being Frightened or Charmed. Like, would it help him? I will say that it would give him a once a year. When, |
| Actually, what if it helps him? It would help all of us if she tries to do it again. Definitely. Yeah. It's going to keep you. It's going to give you guys, for the next, like, six seconds. It'll give you a chance to, to, to kind of keep your guards up if she was to try to charm you. |
| It doesn't actually say, I, I will do this, though. Okay. I will say that, you can see that as you're kind of like, if you peek over, since you said you were kind of trying to stay in the back. But anybody that might have been paying attention to the gentleman for a split second, it almost feels like he's kind of trying to pull himself out of it, but he's unable to at this time. |
| I did give it a chance that, you were able to. But I will definitely say that as you cast the spell, you definitely are able to get the impression that there is some type of charm effect over him. I will give you that for sure. And then everybody else might be going forward for a little bit. |
| Yeah. But as you do, sir, playing that music. And for a second you think that she's reacting to your, your music, but then there's something else that she kind of like, tilt your head just a moment and she says, oh, I see, you guys need to return to the hallway. He's not done with you guys yet. |
| Okay, who? The master of the house would like to see you, but he's not ready for you yet. It's unfortunate that he allowed you this close to my activities to interrupt it, but he would like you to explore the hallways for a bit until he is ready and prepared with your friend. Who said that? Yes. That's his little cloud of spores are just, like, real tight. |
| They're not hovering there. They're scared. They don't like this. So it sounds like he has fashion. |
| And what were you saying? Me? I was just one. The master of the house is, that you asked that? Yeah, it's just master, because we've already encountered it all. Just, he, Oh, certainly. It sounds like that's okay. |
| Just so it sounds like you have met. I had, I mean. |
| Shoot. What did I do with the name? |
| Raffles? So it sounds like you met Rath us. |
| Said the one we killed. Right? This is what you say out loud. Right at the right on the side between the, Raffles is the. I guess I'm allowed to give you a little bit of an insight, right? This is the, the face of the house. But since the actual master of the house, the car. |
| The master of the house. The car. We'd like to have words with you. He's fine with you having a little bit more insight than most do when they come here. She's still just hanging out naked. Well, she's got a blanket, but as much as it seems like at first, there was a little concern of modesty, at this point, she doesn't care. |
| I mean, she's still covered, so there's no this is still, no profanity? No. There's no pornography. |
| But there's definitely a bit of confidence, as at this point to the the wings that had sprouted out, out of concern and a little bit of. Yeah, concern will say, have also kind of disappeared a bit and kind of gone away. Do we know what kind of creature she is? You can give me a, history, survival, religion checks whichever one you think will do survival. |
| So she 24, 24. Did you ever look at that, shadow? Ever look at the, monster Books? The collection of notes. That was from, Thoreau's, dungeon. I know that Bastion and Barlow had. I don't think she read it cover to cover. No, but did she even look at it at all? I guess I think so, we'll say that there are times that maybe you went through it, and you're. |
| But you're definitely picking up. You're looking at. Okay, attractive woman that wings, an ability to charm, and seems to be seducing people. This seems to be a succubi. Okay, I'll take that. A succubi being a, another type of fiend. |
| So, what she's saying, so, yeah, Bhaskara has, Yeah, that's, I guess what she would have left it. Just saying that how that car would like you to, to spend some more time in the halls until he's ready for you. So, if you don't mind, can I return to my Work? Right. I can kill him. |
| No, of course not. He's no good to us. He's Dead. Right. Are you doing. There's information I need. There's things that I need him to do. This is the payments. |
| It's the, a little bit of the carrot and a little bit of the stick, if you will. What exactly? Making Barlow want to leave. |
| Yeah. |
| Just Weird shadows going to slowly back out of the room. |
| Yeah, I will, I'll stand up now. I've been on my knees the whole time. I I'm up the door. Not all stand up. Are you doing a high school stand up or. No. The. Just go stand up and I'll just, turn around and usher everyone out. We'll leave you to your business then I thank you. Oh, go. |
| And I'll the hallway. As the door and say we need to find another room. As you as as the door is closing, you hear? Say, now, where are we? And the door is closed. You guys are back in the hallway. I don't even want to know. |
| Well, the first room seemed empty. Do we want to check that out and see what kind of rooms they are? |
| Yeah. Open up your. Okay, I'll check another door. The door next to it, the next door down the road listens intently to the room we just left. Then looks. Barlow. Come on. What's up? Let's. Okay. Let's go. Oh, oh. Another natural 18. So, 32. Oh, and so you're checking the next door down, right? Yeah, yeah. |
| As you as you guys start taking another couple steps, the, the hallway starts kind of stretching out before you and and front of you. So if you want to go to the next door, it's slowly kind of moving forward. The door you just kind of walked out is kind of slowly going away from you, behind. |
| Please go. Yes. There's no point in listening. These doors just go up the door and just not see anything there. Just start opening doors. Do a little bit that are you walking slowly? Well, did I hear anything in that door you have not, I haven't got to it yet. Because, as you started going towards the door is where the hallway started to stretch and a long Gate in front and behind you. |
| So the door now is kind of moving away from you. Oh. |
| If I turn around and walk the other way down the hallway, does the door come back to her? No. I mean the door. The doors are still kind of slowly moving away from you guys. So I can't wait for next door. I mean, you can probably go a little bit if you're not moving at all. |
| It's moving away from you. Are you moving towards the door? Yeah, yeah. I wanted to listen. So as you as you're walking, it's kind of. It's moving just a little bit faster. And you're going, do you want to pick up your speed. Yeah. Yes. So as you kind of like start picking up your speed, you started in and now kind of keep, love pace with the door, but it still feels like it's kind of moving. |
| This goes on for just about a minute and then it stops. Everything kind of settled down, and now you're next to the door, and now it's one long stretch hallway. Feels like in between these two doorways, it has stretched out quite a bit. Oh. |
| Okay, let's get that perception check then. Did is. Oh, what was your perception check is 3434. And so now you're gonna listen to the door. As you listen to this door, you. |
| I but what I'm checking. This is where Atticus gets it. Well, the difference is, I'm not just staring. Nothing. I'm actually trying to look up my notes, trying to figure out what should be the next part. You hear a slight sounds in there? It's a pretty high decrease and, pretty high. Check that roll that you got. |
| So, you're definitely picking up. So once again, you're still here in the hum in the walls. As you're training your ears to kind of move past that and hear what's inside of the room, inside of here. And with that high of a roll, you're definitely picking up vibes. Like, anytime you've been around an apothecary, herbalist of sass, making the potions. |
| You can definitely hear the kinds. A little bits of, it sounds like glass hitting glass a little bit. Those kinds of sounds. You're definitely picking up with that roll. You can definitely, hear enough of what sounds like, some type of brewing, of Potion making, laboratory type thing going on in here. Okay, so at least I don't think these people are Browning going to Knock on the door. |
| Yeah. Now I want to make them up. However, you you're still you're still whistling Happy little tube, right? Yeah. Okay. Good. Is there any, limit on that or is that unlimited or just takes actually in every realm? Okay. It doesn't say. |
| Until the end of your next turn, but there's not like, you only get so many times a day or uses slots of any kind or. No, because it's like one of the. |
| Let's say the class special abilities. So you just have to use your action to maintain the other thing. And, whatever your talents, don't. |
| Okay. So somebody's gonna do something to do anything else? Yeah. We're gonna open the door. The door. This one does seem to be unlocked, so it does open. Give me a second. Hello? You hear a gentleman? Give me a second. Here. I gotta be very careful. Are you naked? Why would I be naked? |
| Okay, okay. Just I don't know. Why would you be naked? Just give me a give me. Give me a moment here. Be careful. Okay? I'm just picking and slides and I'll slip into the door, into the room without trying to disturb, as you, as you look in, you do see a, a. A male Tiefling, with cropped, braided gray hair, kind of dirty red skin. |
| He's got like, a set of goggles, safety goggles on, like, he's got two, he's holding with, like, not pliers, but whatever. Like, he's got, like, these, like, safety things that kind of hold on to these two different potions that he's slowly kind of mixing into a third vial. That's, Well, like, over little, Bunsen burner type kind of apparatus. |
| Just slowly kind of letting it kind of, again there just one second and almost got it in there. What are you making? Oh my gosh. Hold on. What are you making. And then they finish. As it gets in there you see a slight little sparks kind of coming out of it. He's kind of holding his breath okay. |
| And he sets the things down. Before he finished, were there any bottles within reach while he wasn't paying attention? Give me a perception check. |
| That's good. Dirty 20. Dirty 20? Yeah. You see a couple, various bottles. Did you want to try to see if you could take one? Yep. All right. Give me a sleight of hand. KKK. Oh, that's not good. Eight un, eight. What's this? What would be his perception? I mean, I mean, he's clearly distracted. |
| Yeah, but he's also. This is his space that you. You're definitely picking up that he he's very confident what he's doing in here. He does, See you. I put that back. I put that back. Fucking harsh. Is there something I can help you with? I do have various things that, if you would like, to, to purchase, I suppose. |
| What are you making? |
| I don't know if I'm allowed to really tell you on this one. I don't even know who you want to be honest. So you're not best car. Oh, no. No, I just happened to, be here to do a little bit of Work for him. Oh, okay. Give me a, Well, actually, insight is what, intelligence. |
| No, wisdom is useful. |
| Just. |
| So passive. That would be the same thing as your, perception check, What's your, passive, perception passive? Yeah. 1717. The up proficiency and insight, insight. So I do not. Okay. So that would be awesome. You said 17. I would say that as you say the name, though, you do seek a, a a look kind of come across his face as, the easiest way of kind of discerning is he didn't expect anybody to say that name. |
| So there was a little bit of surprise when you said that name. But he tried to kind of play it off, but obviously some of it kind of, through, as he explained to you, that he does Work for him. |
| Okay. So, and what was your name? My name is gentleness. |
| You you've met chief things before. You know that sometimes they take on these kinds of names. Gentle, gentle, gentleness. Just what color conflict? He's red. Red? |
| He's, He's not old, but he's. He's, like, elderly, but he's, he's definitely like an older adult, if you will. I think, if you had the ballpark it around 100, 116 for a male, for a traveling. Is the room full of hope? Various. And so, yes, as you kind of just do. See, sorry. |
| Yeah, it's definitely there's a bit of a laboratory kind of set up in the center here. There are tables with various types of potions. You notice that none of them are labeled in any language you've ever seen before. Calliope, with her spell still running, does not read any of these things, so that's almost like an incoherent code of some sort. |
| Is there a window? Does it still look like the same space? I will say in this one there is no window. |
| Ooh. That's pretty dangerous here. Performing this in a windowless room with ventilation. Here. It's horrible. What I would say is you're making potions for events or what you're telling, for him and some of his staff. And that's precisely why we are here. What do you mean? Well, where are his new reasons to, guests of this manor? |
| Okay. Do you have samples for us to take to him? Give me a, deception check. |
| Alert. Yes. He looks you over. Actually. Here, let me, just let me see if he's able to kind of see through it. |
| He looks you over it looks like he might be convinced. So you came here to ask for, He wanted samples? Yes. He's expecting, you know, he's Inspector. He wants to for that. So what do you have for today? Well, I mean, I have I have some of the stuff that he had already been asking me to prepare for him, as you know. |
| Yeah. Playing around with, some other stuff, but, Wow. I didn't know that he was going to have other people coming in, especially with this. Does he tell you everything? Well, I mean, as as it pertains to, his Potion needs, when I come into town, that's about it. |
| Okay. On our low, looks straight up into the ceiling and just is quiet and then says yes. Yes, we're here now. Very well. Okay. So what do you have for me? I see what you did there. So. I have the the alchemist fire that he had wanted. There was, there was a Potion. |
| The the the main project that he wanted me to explore, which is what you call me in the middle of, apparently was successful. Well, I still don't know yet. I just I'm concerned, the notes that he had given me for this, and it's it's really unheard of. I, I just don't it makes me very nervous. |
| Because, Is it too hard for you to make. No, no, I'm. The effects that might happen when you are allowing a, any Dragon to to really, pretty much live much longer than it needs to is is a very scary thing. And the fact that he was able to retrieve these notes, from, A Dragon that supposedly was able to live centuries upon centuries longer than they should by pretty much dissolving, other dragons eggs into some type of Potion for longevity is. |
| I mean, it's just it's unheard of. |
| Yes. It means precisely why he's asking you to me. And. You you seem to be a little. I'm sure. Okay. So, Calliope, come here. She and, this this one here also, she's our alchemist. She's no one to, stress and have, Philippians that kind of look over the notes. If they can. Well, if you need any assistance, these two here. |
| Well, serve. You ladies, you do see that he's got, like, no book open. There are random pages all around it. There's scribbled out notes next to it. Are the girls going to actually look at the notes? I'll look at it. So especially with your ability right now, you're kind of looking over these notes and what it looks like is, these are notes that claim to be about how, there was a Red Dragon named cloth. |
| And it looks like these notes from cloth, are supposedly reading about how he would consume Red Dragon eggs and to, in some mixture of some sort. And that's how he was able to live thousands and thousands of years older than most dragons can. Survive, making omelets. It looks like, though there's notes here where they were trying to see if they can change. |
| Two of the factors here. One of the factors being, instead of a red dragon trying to use other Dragon eggs. It looks like maybe something about time Dragon. And the other thing that looks like they were trying to change here is, |
| Instead of, Living longer, it looks like they were trying to find a way, of control. |
| And looks like they weren't trying to control a Dragon. It's. It's hard to make out what the notes are saying that they're trying to control. It's not really written down anywhere, but you're definitely picking up as you're looking over these notes. And with your spell still active, they're trying to use this to control something, and they think somehow they can kind of pervert the spell or the Potion that was used by that Dragon. |
| In. Actually, give me a perception check that actually while you're looking at it. And then you see if you're able to. |
| Pick up on an open stance there also would help out with that like, yeah, go ahead and do with advantage ingredients or stuff like that. Advantage. Yeah. Going to the advantage. Let's give me another d20. |
| One on the paper for Rolston. Oh wow. Well okay I like it when you guys do it outside of the three. Yeah. So for you right now. Ooh, I do need another d20 from you. Okay. That's something good. So with a five. Oh, you get a one d6 on your next roll. If somebody has a roll before your next roll, you can give them that one d6. |
| That one comes up quite a bit for you guys. That's funny. It does like I have like a whole list of things on that, on that additional d20. And you guys have not seen any of them. But you did get a very high perception check. So what I'm going to say is, as you're looking over these notes and then definitely with, Barlow being very clever and how he kind of was able to trick this guy and allow you guys to look at these notes, you're noticing that what they were trying to do here is use this time Dragon egg, and it looks like he had plans of trying to create a Potion by |
| perverting this other Potion so that he can then control a god. |
| But you can't see what God he wanted to control. You just see that he was hoping to use the Time Dragon egg to control some god. Using this Potion in some perverted way of well, if magic can do this, maybe I can get it to do that kind of thing, because sometimes that's going to help live longer. Well, the original Potion was to turn Red Dragon eggs into a longevity Potion for a Dragon to live much longer. |
| But they've been messing with this thing, trying to see if they can poke it. Oops. Oh, there was this file trying to bail. I didn't pick up the word, but. We haven't. |
| It's. There any notes to Lead us what their goal is, or we're just guessing. Well, like I said, you got a pretty high perception check, so you're able to kind of discern that what you're discerning from the notes is that they were looking at how different it. And to get overly complicated, but how this spell originally worked and how it was able to allow that longevity in the Dragon using the power of the Dragon eggs, it looks like they want. |
| They were hoping that by using this time Dragon egg, which would be like one of the most. Yeah, the very rare that somehow they can create a Potion that would allow them to control a god. Oh. I'm sorry. That's okay. No, it's okay, I sometimes I get confusing. |
| Okay. |
| Would there be anything written in the notes that would give any clues as to which gods are referring? Unfortunately, that's, the one thing we're, |
| Trying to figure out it's involving fire, or if it's involving Potion or, I don't know, give me a. |
| Let's let's go for let's go for an intelligence check. Let's see if your brain is able to kind of piece together some unknown with, with the missing data, see if you can kind of figure that out I will. It's a very hard you see. But I'll give you a chance. |
| Okay. Way above my thing. Yeah. |
| There's. But if if Calliope is trying to figure out what the God is, she does feel like there's there's more missing here, but, And it seems like they're there, and they were very purposefully not putting anything down about who it is or anything. So it might be something that they already know and didn't want to express on the paper in case something ever happened. |
| But these notes. Right. |
| What's that you're looking for? That stuff? I will approach the guy. Yes. How far away are we? I'm, I'd say there's there's a couple. A couple feet, at least. Okay. |
| You see? Oh, sorry. I that's okay. I mean, we have to. I was interested in what it says, too. Right? So we tell him or ask questions. |
| Well, I think Barlow was going to ask. Was walking away from you guys. He was. He was he one the spark of conversation with them. I wanted to go on the other side of the guy. So he turns his back to you and he's looking more at me as I'm talking to him. So it gives you guys freedom. |
| So look at the notes, look at the ingredients, all that stuff. Okay, I'm whispering this ask as. So with Barlow, what do you, as you caught doing, you do see him take, taking off the goggles? He starts kind of wiping them a bit, so you can see how, while your, your partner's over there, they can clearly see that we're on the right track. |
| It's, it's not like the problem here is obviously not having test samples. This isn't exactly. This is going to be, either it works or it doesn't kind of thing. Right. And I think, he was talking about procuring, an egg for this. Well, specifically, my understanding is the eggs already been, obtained. Granted this, he was saying not to law. |
| He don't mean everything either. Well, my understanding, too, is the fact that he was talking to, he just actually sent word. So maybe he must not have sent the word to you, but, he was actually. I just want you to know, I think he's thinking about maybe scrapping the idea. Sounds like, he had another plan. |
| That might be, come into fruition. And so instead of this plan, he's hoping to just get rid of the egg. It seems. |
| That's, that's really no concern of mine, though. But I can take what you have now. Maybe it'll show. Promise that you'll want to keep this going. Well, obviously. It it's it's useless without the egg. And, as you know, as he was telling me. Is that the egg? He already had plans of really? So that again. |
| So you've you've completed this first step, though, successfully. Well it's not no, it's not completed yet. I was let's see if we can get more of that, more about just trying to kind of see if certain aspects would Work because it could be useful for other, endeavors. Or in case he changes his mind once again, as far as letting these people take off of the egg. |
| Okay. What people take off of the egg? But I'll take I'll take that with me. Did you say that out loud? What you have. I didn't hear you on the thing so. Well, you said I know. I know what you said. Yeah, I want to make sure that shadow was saying it, though, as as you shadow says, what did you say? |
| Because you're not. I'm like, oh, I guess I didn't mean by make this thing now that the kid's not on the phone. Yeah, yeah, you're on mute. Yeah. I, I don't know, I remember it was about, who, but who has the egg or. Yeah. Yeah. Who is he worried it's going to take the egg? Well, my understanding is he should have made this clear with you guys too. |
| But I understand it's been very fluid on these operations. And especially, with as concerning the egg is still very, the most secretive he's ever been. Because, I mean, certainly if, Roth, this was the to discover how he's not supposed to have that egg. But anyways, I guess there were some adventures that he was trying to, convince to come down here and pretty much steal the egg from Mathis. |
| I, I guess he had kind of directed him here to kind of get wrap this out of our hair for a little while, if you will. |
| And if that's the case, then he's doing. Yeah. I mean, if that's the case, then if we don't have the egg anymore, then we don't have to find an alternative. So that way we can not have to worry about that bitch. Oh. Ooh. The way he said that bitch. Yeah. |
| You have thoughts? I have thoughts I don't know. It wasn't just a throwaway line. No. It was a no burden to a person. Are you talking about the I, I think Chuck code knows more than Barlow knows her. Yeah. Chuck I don't Work together. Is lewd. There's a there's a character who's often referred to, whose name has been brought up tonight. |
| Okay, well, let me take what you have. Oh, and anything else? Well, there's the proper protocols, and you know how it is dealing with these devils. You've got to follow the protocols. So unless you have the forms, you know, there's no acquisitions. |
| Desk guy. And you got to remember, any of you guys, especially any characters proficient in religion, Devils. As evil as they are, they're very much about law and laws. They got a code, they follow it. Yeah. |
| Well, as you know, that was before they finished product. I'm just there were samples, but once again, if there's going to be samples, then there needs to be a protocol and SOP for handling such things. And that's where we're starting to get into a little situation here, because then he's going to come after me. I don't want any problem. |
| That is fine. I have other people to go. I mean, if you want, though, I can try to telepathically contact him and just verify things. |
| Just talk to me. Kind of busy. Just be to it. Give me another deception check there. Barlow. Once he's. Once he sends the words. Do I do? Give me another, another deception check. At this point, though, as he's trying to kind of as you're kind of trying to push a little bit more to get some actual samples. |
| And he's getting a little worried about things. Now. I don't want to get the hell out of here now. I want to leave just a lot of questions involved, because I don't want them to like. Well, as I said, if you can make sure I get the proper forms, then I will gladly give you what you need. |
| And I'm certain that he understands that as well. |
| If anything, I'm. And especially if this is one of his tests, because I'm not about to to fail any of those tests and all of a sudden find out that I was supposed to have made sure of this and that he expected that. And so next thing you know, I'm the one who's having a Chain Devil servants raking across my back with a whip. |
| Yes, I agree, all right. But if you guys, if you guys, would like to purchase anything, I'm in, you know, house discount. |
| Oh, no. D f what if he finished? When you look at this guy. He kind of gives you, c r that's all. Kind of whatever. I know there's a, list I had before. I'll go. |
| Well, I mean, obviously, I have all your standards, acid and that kind of acid and burning acid and, I mean, if you need a Potion of healing kind of thing, if you're one of those kinds, why do I not have. |
| My potions. Anyways. I have, some potions of, greater healing and supreme healing. With the house discount, how much are your supreme healing potions? Supreme healing potions? Yeah. Friends and family discount. Well, I would say that, for the house, you're looking at, said supreme, right? And those normally go for 5000. For the house. |
| We usually do those at 4000 Gold pieces. So I. 20% discount. |
| I have a Potion of fire breath. Potion of Animal Friendship. Potion of hill giant strength. A Potion of Growth. |
| Oil of Slipperiness. You can search for. |
| If any of those sound interesting to you. |
| I think I think chapter nine Fire Breath would be. Let's go on for that. For the Potion of fire breath. This will allow you to exhale fire at a target within 30ft of you. All right. For the with the house discount, you're looking at 100 Gold pieces. |
| Oh, that's the reasonable. How many of those do you have? I got three of those. I'll take three of theirs. So, 300 Gold for the Potion of fire breath. It's pretty much standard, so you should be able to find it in the, compendium. After drinking this Potion, you can use a bonus action to exhale fire at a target within 30ft of you. |
| The target must make a DC 13 Dex saving throw, taking four d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much I'll have successful it. The effect will end after you exhale the fire three times or one hour has passed, so you get three of them or one hour. The, potions orange liquid you notice is flickering around. |
| There's a smoke inside of the top of the container, and it kind of just wafts out as if you were to open it. Yeah, it's, oh, that's pretty much Oil of Slipperiness. How much is that? The Oil of Slipperiness you're looking at with a discount? I can get that to you for 100 Gold as well. And how many of those do you have? |
| We do have two. I do have two. And that's also standard. It's a sticky black underneath. It's thick and heavy inside of this container. But it will flow quickly when you pour it. The oil can cover a medium or smaller creature along with the equipment is wearing and carrying. One additional vial is required for each size category. |
| That's above medium. Applying the oil takes ten minutes. The effect the character, creature then gains the effects of a Freedom of Movement spell for eight hours. Alternatively, it can be poured on the ground as an action, and when it covers well wear it will cover a ten foot square, duplicating the effect of the Grease spell in that area for eight hours. |
| So 200 Gold and two of those. I'm aware some of the other spells or potions like, so like I said, the healing and supreme and greater healing, fire breath, giant strength, Hill Dragon strength, Animal Friendship. |
| I think I said Potion of Growth. Yes, yes, yes. And of course I have poisons and those kinds of things. And that seems to be a big hit with everybody here. The poisons. Yeah. Yeah. |
| Yeah. Take off the. I'll take up that hill. Giant strength and the poison. 1 or 2. All right, well, the hill's giant strength. That would also be, 100 Gold. |
| Oh, well, actually, there's different ones. |
| We would still drink. Oh. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I see. Yeah, it had the chart with it, so that got me a little confused there. I, yeah. So the Heal giant's the lowest one, so. Yeah. So that'll be 100 Gold. I have, two of those. This will take them. So 200 Gold. This makes your strength score. |
| It's 21 for one hour. It will have no effect on you. If your strength scores already equal to that. You notice the potions. Transparent liquid has a floating little sliver of a finger. Now looks from a healed giant. |
| Yeah. And the healing. Oh, the poison, poisons. Yeah. So not different ones. |
| We'll say they pretty much. He's got all the the standard ones you'd find in the, the the book. The DM's book. Assassins, blood brand, other fumes, carrion crawler, mucus drop. Poison essence of other ether. Malice mean that tears oil tag it. Pal. Tincture. Are there any that can be used for, dipped weapons? So the dipped weapons. |
| I think there has to be contact. Let me put that, that is touched or washed off. Yeah. Because there's four different types. You have contact ingested, inhaled and injuries. So contact you're looking at the carrion crawler mucus the oil of tag. It. |
| Actually those are the two main ones that says contact. And that'll stay on a wet on the like. Can be smeared on an object. Remains potent until it is touched or washed off. So pretty much and I don't know if that's the, the 2024 rules or not, but I'm fine with that saying that because I think the 2014 rules actually had to wear like it would come off after an hour or whatever. |
| But if you're going to put that kind of Gold down, that's kind of stupid. So the two that you would be looking at is. Second hand. With the carrion crawler mucus. And the a 20% discount you're looking at. |
| 200. Normally, we'll do that. We'll say that's 100 Gold pieces for that. And then for the other one being the oil of tag, it. |
| That's the oil of tag it. And that normally goes for 400. So we'll say that's 300. |
| And we'll say he's got about a dozen of each of those to be honest. Does Gavin have any more, exotic, potent poisons? So the most potent exotic would probably be the Purple Worm. |
| Wow, that sounds interesting. Oh, we'll say he's got about six of those, but these ones are pricey. 1500 for you. Oof! They normally go for around 2000. DM question. Player answer. A vial of the, poisons. How many arrows would that be able to dip? |
| Poison in general is one standard melee weapon or sheep of 20 arrows or whatever it is. So like that. I think it's three pieces. So that's what you used to be like? I think it's three pieces. Three pieces of. Poison. Yeah. I'll take two vials of that. Purple. Yeah, it's three pieces of ammunition. Okay. |
| One slashing or piercing weapon. Well, what are you taking? I'll get two vials of that purple one. You got it. So 3000 Gold. |
| What? |
| Did you ladies want to buy any poison? I'll take two of the $100 ones. And you got a crawler. Go ahead and mark them off. Mark the Gold often. Go ahead and put those on your inventory. |
| As he's, finalizing the transaction with you, you do see his head tilt a little bit. The, We gotta go, gotta go. Let go. If you guys are almost ready, it sounds like he might be ready for you guys soon. |
| Or. |
| Yeah. Yeah. Start stepping out of the door. As you step out of the door, you do see? You have one of the fire breath potions, too. I think it's it says you. Which one of you doesn't have, like, bonus actions to do? I don't have very many bonus action. I don't think either of us did. Okay, I'll give you each a fire room. |
| Oh, what? One of fire breath. Potion. Barbara does breathe. Fire is on section 1232. |
| I hear breath on your breath. |
| At this point, do you want to make s'mores? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, for some time. Let's go ahead and put you guys on a lap that I can, spirit. Let's do it on there. I think it'll be all, |
| It's just in order. |
| For those so happy with. |
| You, As you guys come out in the hallway, you see a very large, creature such as that, those with any understanding of the hells would know that this is a pit fiend. Probably one of the more strongest. Types of devils that exist out there. A hulking monster with a whip like tail. |
| You enormous wings that it wraps around itself like a cloak. You can see even in the hallway. As he's in this hallway, though, you notice the hallway is much larger now to accommodate his size. He looks at you guys and says, if you guys are ready, the boss would like to see you. |
| Okay. We have no choice. We give the wave staff. Do we will want to wait for Calliope. Oh, she just put be right back. Oh. |
| Actually, I can think of 15 right now. What's up? Nothing. Calculating the odds we can take a pit field. Oh, I'm like. |
| I don't know, man. Down that bastion. |
| Well, currently we're not. It's. And so we're okay for now, right? Right. Vernon. Where did all these devils have nasty auras around them? Yeah, where? Where did we put the egg that gets put it in the, the the whole. Yes. That's right, because it was really heavy. Heavy and indestructible. So. |
| Oh, yeah. He does have a Fear aura. So, do any of you guys feel that you guys are hostile to him right now? Oh. |
| He's very, very big. Yep. I'm back. Sorry. I don't want to watch you pooping. No. So the, the very large pitfall, first of all, Puffin has asked you guys to follow him. And as the hallway, like I said, has, kind of grown in size to accommodate him, at this time, the the hallway seems to kind of just go straight down, as you get down towards, a very well, the one door that's not all plain and Spartan like the rest. |
| This one actually has, nice, elegant framing on it. He looks at each of you, pulls from his belt. He pulls out, how long do we have here? It pulls out for, like, yellow ropes. They're about like, about a foot long, and he starts to hand them out to each of you. Here, hold this. |
| What are these for? You will see when you get into the room. But you cannot enter the room without it. They're not. They're not attached to each other. Nope. Just individual yellow rope. About like. I mean, a little on the thicker side, but they just look like plain yellow rope. How long? About a foot long. Okay, I'll hold it away from my body, but I'll hold it. |
| Yeah. Okay. Once he has seen that each one of you has a yellow rope. He. Oh, he, he directs you towards the door. The door begins to open, as you kind of look inside, you kind of you, you start picking up the little sense that are coming out of it. Various smells of burning incense are kind of coming out. |
| You can see just as you the peek inside the room, like, various colors that are in there. As you kind of look, as the door widens, you do notice that the the room, it's very bohemian. A right of color, intoxicating sense, thick with a haze. There's a bit of a haze and smoke from the incense as well. |
| In the back, it looks like, somebody smoking a hookah. You see, like, Silk and pillows all over the floor with, crimson blues and Gold. An opium den back here. Kind of like, Yeah, there's a little bit of that going on there. Do you guys go into the door? Yeah. We have to go in. |
| Yeah. All right, so as you guys are entering the door, you notice, at the heart of this, you see a feline figure, reclining atop a throne of cushions. His fur, it seems, gleamed with, like, black and fire orange stripes. Golden jewelry is all on them with, tuft ears and his fingers, loose embroidered sash across this broad chest. |
| You see, it's, you can see he's very well built. Very, very well manicured, molten Amber eyes, though they flicker with this lazy amusement as he takes another, puff from the Jewel encrusted hookah, exhales a cloud of this perfume smoke, and as it flies out of his mouth, they kind of create various, shapes of little dragons and little demons that kind of come out. |
| You see that? He's, He seems relaxed. Every Slow movement he's got, looks to be reversed, unnaturally flexible fingers that, seem to hint at a deeper, subtler strain. This, the strange articulation seems to have, could cause a little unsettling for some of you if if it stands out. But there definitely is some strange quirk to this. |
| Possibly, like exotic to Baxi maybe lineage. Across from him, though he is, is hunched over a Dragon chessboard that looks to be carved from possibly Bone Obsidian. You see a lupine figure. He is also dressed in fine, somewhat slightly tattered scholarly robes. He has a sleek, jackal like muzzle twisted into, like a prominent expression of, sharp amusement. |
| His clawed fingers are dancing over the chessboard with, a meticulous, almost theatrical precision. You see, some faint glyphs shimmering and shifting on his robes. Almost like, some type of magic going on there. You see, his ear twitched for a moment, and as he considers his next move on the chessboard, and all throughout the room, though, you do see various, beautiful, strange. |
| Well, looks like a harem, if you will, of various creatures. There's a Tiefling with a lyre. Some, looks to be, some Elvis creature, types. Playing a little game of, with some coins, tossing them, and as you guys do enter the room, first thing I need is, |
| I need an arcana check from anybody that has proficiency in Arcana. And, Yeah, we'll do that. Outside of that, as you guys do enter, though, you do see the rope that each one of you holds, becomes animated. For, shadow. You see, it? Kind of. It flings to where your bow is and it ties up your bow. |
| Does you just turn my weapon? See, Barlow? You see where your claws are? It starts kind of like wrapping a little bit around your right hand. A little bit the cat nail, nail caps. For Calliope, the, the weapon that you had, crafted that gets piece tied. And same with, your club. It, as it is on your belt there, there's this yellow tie. |
| Kind of keeps it tighter against the belt. As that happens, anybody have a proficiency in Arcana? Nope. I you not. Oh, and I forgotten there was one change that when I wrote my notes that has changed since, which is the fact that also next to this, to back sea looking creature, is a, your friend Bastian. |
| He seems to be, sitting there. He also has a yellow tie around his sword. You can see he's kind of in the moment, though he doesn't seem to be of himself. He's doesn't seem concerned. He does have a glass of wine in one hand. He is talking to, one, a to back. |
| See? I'm sorry. No, that's back to, a Tiefling. He's kind of he's very close, though. To this to backseat type creature. I say that in the sense that he doesn't exactly look to back, like, exactly like to back sees his feline. If anybody is proficient in religion or history, you can do a check to see if maybe you might know more about what he is. |
| Not me. Nobody has religion or history. No consciousness. Oh, I have, I have plus five religion. Go for that. Oh, I mean, don't you have a proficiency in it, though, where? It's got a little bubble right there. Oh. |
| That's what I'm hoping is that you guys might have a. The only other thing I can think of it would be, actually, I will let, just, Barlow, since I know he did look at that book. You can roll a history or intelligence. Okay. So with that, this. My my passive perception is super high. |
| Can I just say that it's sort of pinging around in the periphery? What is it, 24? All right. I will definitely say with your perception, though, you're and being a to back to yourself. He does not exactly. He's he's a lot bigger than you would expect for a to back see, especially the build and the way that his hand is moving is backwards as you see him grab a one of the Dragon chess pieces. |
| His hands are actually grabbing it from the back side, so. That's so gross. There is definitely something very odd with that. Unfortunately, Barlow does not recall if he had read anything about such a, type of creature in those book. And that book. I just mean that I want, but my passive. I'm keeping an eye out for what's around. |
| Oh, I got you. Okay. Yeah, well, what I was given, though, is at least with that, you're definitely picking up something odd about that hand. Yeah, yeah. So as he's looking down, he takes a moment to notice you guys walking in and gives the piece Ty, just a moment so he can do its job as he's thinking about his next move. |
| You see him? Grab a piece, as I just said, he. When he sets it down, the are kind of, the, Sorry, the other creature with the, kind of like a, What did I say? Jackal? Yeah. The jackal looking creature, kind of, like, looks upset. He kind of shakes his head and then, you see, like, an expectation of, like, this is not the first time he's lost to him. |
| He he notices that you guys have come into the room and notice he gets up. I will take my leave. You do what you've got to do. You let me know when we're ready to move on with our other things. He walks past you all, he takes in the side of each one of you as he walks by, and he leaves the room. |
| At that point, the host stands up. Yes. My young adventurers, you have finally come. Take a seat. Take a seat. Pull up. Pull up a pillow. Would you, like, buy basins, drinks, anything? To to smoke from the hookah. |
| Hey. I'm good. |
| Do you guys sit? What do you guys do? Sure, sure. Let's see what goes from here. |
| Well, I'll take a cup of whatever he has, but I won't drink it or I'll pretend to try out. So here you see him bring. He kind of offers, there's like, there's servants of various types. And one comes over with, a platter, sets it down. You see that? There's like a large carafe of water, puts out some little cups. |
| Also has a bottle of wine, like a large, carafe of wine. It's puts out of some wine glasses next to you guys. All, Says, So I am pleased to meet you. I know, There was a bit of subterfuge to to to, to a lot of this, obviously. I needed you to, to handle a situation for me without my name being addressed to name of it. |
| And, you did. You did beautifully. The the egg you have taken from my house. Obviously, if anyone is to ask of me, I will say that, I was unawares at that moment, and I was unable to to best you, I do have a favor to ask, and we will get to that in due course, because that will help me sell the story, obviously. |
| And I do apologize for taking your friend earlier. There was, certain facts that I was unaware of that I still needed to be assured of. And, he was the one best suited to answer these questions for me in his way. So. But I do feel like I have no manners. My name is Wescott, and I know very well who you all are. |
| I have, I have followed your adventures. As well as I could, from afar. |
| But I am certain that you have some questions and, as well as I can answer those that I can answer, I would like to give you an opportunity, since you have helped me in one way. |
| You wanted the egg gone? Yes, I well, I need the the head con. I was looking for other things I could do with it. But the main purpose it was in my house is, let's say that I have. I am part of an unfortunate ordeal in which I must assist, the Red Abishai that you had dispatched, which, can I ask of you? |
| How many of you know? What do you guys know of the abishai? Is any of you guys learned about, about our kind and their kind? I do, |
| What are you going to say? Some battle? Oh, I do not, Well, as your, as your your esteemed sass over here, would certainly. No, you guys conquering wrath. This, on the Material Plane means that, he will be returning from the river to into the material plant. His defeat is very short lived, as since you defeated him here and not in his native plain. |
| The hell's. And I'm certain that he's probably going to want to fight you guys again. Abishai. Can be as petty as, sometimes almost as petty as, you can say, the, Rock socket. A lot of cache Rock songs, can often be Rock. Cross that Rock. Sasha. Granted, we, sometimes are considered to be very petty ourselves. |
| That said, and that's going to be actually part of the the arrangement I'm hoping you guys will agree to is that maybe you can kind of it will help hold him off from coming to the Material Plane. Just for a little bit longer. But once I, like I said, I will we'll get to that. I was answering the question. |
| Yes. I wanted you to take the egg because he works for Tmnt and I have to Work with him for some of the things that we do on this plane. Unfortunately, my allegiance, if it was, if I was to have any allegiance, would be to a, devil that's a little higher on the totem pole than Tiamat. |
| And let's just say he does not want to have that egg. But obviously I couldn't just take the egg, so I needed some interlopers to take the egg. |
| Excuse me. Did you say somebody higher than Tmnt? Yes. |
| And who or what might that be? Well, really, there's only one that's really above Tiamat, and he is pretty much an above all in the hells. And, is Mobius. That would be the name. |
| Asmodeus. Well, we will say is no devil truly wants all of reality destroyer. Because who could we corrupt? If there's no material plan, there's no home. There's no Earth, no planet. We need things to exist for us to be able to corrupt it. She was hoping to pretty much be able to, hoping to destroy a lot. So that way she could betray Asmodeus for how she has been stuck as a guard in between those two level. |
| Layers of hells. So? So, yes, but with the eggs? Nothing. He just doesn't want her to have it. That's why he's willing to let you guys have it. I didn't I didn't say we had the egg. No, but I know you have the egg. I know pretty much everything that goes on this home. It looks over at Barlow. |
| I also know when people are trying to, a little subterfuge and say they speak for me, if you will, but then a sinister little smile comes on his face. I understand such lies. |
| So to answer your question, as you were put, takes another head of his, hookah. I needed you to take the egg. |
| Yeah. Now, what you do with it is up to you. I am aware of, |
| A certain being who has been trying to, get other items from you. Such as? And he looks over at, says, I know he's trying to get that book from you. Which I would say that you definitely do not want that to happen. Do you even know what that book is? |
| Why don't you tell me? |
| Well. Imagine. If you could have every single book, you could fill a library with. But what if you wanted to take that library with you? That's what that is. Believe it or not, that book is actually a complete library. You can say that library has been lost for a very long time. That is the lost library of Carl Cagliostro. |
| He was a Wizard from another realm who collected every book you find and got tired of building libraries. So he built one library in a book. And to function that library, it's all about having the magic cubes. And that's how you retrieve the Books that you need. |
| And, it would seem that your patron, the gentleman who has been pulling at your fate strings, if it were this, he looks to, Barlow and says, you know him as Macklin. He looks over at, Bastian kind of looks at him, kind of shakes his head a little bit, knowing that Bassett's probably not paying much attention right now, and has he knows him as grog nard. |
| And as many know, had I've been starting to learn of him as Paradox. He found that library, and he has been trying to use it in various ways. |
| In fact, I mean, I have one of the cubes for that library. I can actually, if you let me look at the book, I can pull up some of these Books. And why should I trust you with that? He smiles. I don't think I've ever said you should trust me. |
| I'm just trying to see how curious you are and say I'm sorry. What? But no. But you did ask for my trust. I could see where you thought that. It's more about your curiosity that I'm interested. |
| Okay, this might be a good sign for. For us to make a deal. And you said the word. What deal would you like to make? |
| As a leader of the group. But you don't want to make. |
| What? I'm just saying. As long as you don't steal the book a little look at it. But you've got to keep it. We got to keep it. Keep it simple. Let's look at the book. Go ahead. Well, something like the book does not leave his hands. He can look at it while it's in her hand. |
| Or will he just cut off her hands? |
| Well, I just think that he will maintain the ownership. Possession of the book will let you look at it for a turn. Ten minutes. Tell us. One more about these dudes. One of these groups. You can tell I don't know. You know a little bit about the cubes, because it'll come up a little bit. Yeah. Remember, you would learn that there's on the book. |
| There's a little square, little indent hole. You had already learned that there, that there was cubes that, you thought were gaming cubes. That was that might fit in there. Yes, yes, yes, yes. So that moment. |
| Yeah. |
| And I guess for knowledge of these cubes and how they Work and. |
| What we can use them for, well, the first time making a deal with the devil. Yeah. You don't know what to ask for. To help us out. Okay, everybody. Is this something? Everybody know what book? Will we maintain possession of the book stays in our ownership, and you can look at it and read it. If it tells us about the cubes. |
| Like what their purposes and how we can use them. And if there are any limit, though. |
| And a minute, two minutes. I don't know how long we'll need. That word for you. Sure, sure. Oh, look there, Boss Barnes. That works for you, too. |
| Who did she go that? |
| She. The boss car is gone. That's okay with us. You know. |
| Oh. Are you. I thought you were talking to her. Are you talking to. That's outside of us. Cardinal. If not, deal's acceptable. Oh, you maintain the possession of the book. It's in Starsk. And hold it to me to keep it. I wasn't kidding, of course. I mean, it. I wasn't planning on taking it from you. The only thing that I wanted to do was to use the cube to show you how it works, and to obtain the one book out of the library that the cube is for. |
| Yeah. Would I I'll ask you to do is just set the book down on the table and you can hold it. Each book is tied to us. This cube is tied to a single book. So you see that he pulls out of his coat, like out of a fold of the little fabrics. Is has, you see a cube? |
| It's the same as the same size of the gaming cubes that you had seen before. And that looks like it's going to fit in there. This one's all black. It looks like to be made of Obsidian. As you kind of look inside of there, you see what looks to be like a tiny little white skull inside of there. |
| Oh. Yeah. I mean, you're okay with it. We're okay with it. |
| So as you put the knowledge in this, do you put the book down? Says. Yeah, but I don't play right there. You don't have to let go of it. That said, you can lay down the. So yeah. Yeah. So you see yes. He gets up and he comes over towards you. |
| Okay. Once again I want to double check something. I just want to see if there's any type of aura or thing I need to be aware of. Which, as he comes over, he puts the cube, into the little hole that's on the the cover of the book. The latch that is locked on there, and clicks and it comes open as the latch falls to, to the side and allows the book to open. |
| Peek with the backwards hand of his, you see, he pulls open, he opens the cover of the book, and as he does so, out kind of pops up another book from the inside of it, almost kind of like, you know, how you have like the, Books with like, hidden compartments. Well, the whole book was like a hidden compartment, it seems for this one book that's inside of there that pops out, this book is, it looks to be made, a raven black Leather. |
| It's embossed with these patterns of small grinning skulls and a little Sunburst against a twisting, warped background of torture and chaos. The book has golden hinges and clasp, on the cover. It looks to be a very large skull with this, like, blackened Sunburst behind it. He grabs that book, as he, looking at it when he brings it out. |
| Any writing with words and spine, which is most detailed? This book is you do not see any words upon the book? Just the skull on the front that's the size of, like, a child's fist dominating the front cover. You do see, it looks like that skull, though, is. |
| How do I say, it does seem to have, like, little slight movements to it. |
| And, he with his. That's with his right hand, and he pulls it out as he would use this left hand to, open up the book that says that was holding, with that hand. He now closes it and takes out the cube. He starts to step back with his new, the book that he has pulled out of it. |
| See, you still have your book. And now I have, how do you say when you go to a library? I have withdrawn the book that I had requested. He puts the the Q back into the folds of his shirts. The man, as he sits down, he sets his, the new skull encrusted book down next to him. |
| See? And so if you were to find these cubes for whatever book that is, contained within that library that you hold, you are able to retrieve that book. Maybe letting him take a book was not a good idea. But I think this book just screwed up. For my. Yeah. There's something second to class. As he does look over at shadow, who seems to be feeling a little oh shit moment, he does seem to notice that across your face. |
| Do not worry. This book is not nearly as bad as the one that Vecna wants to get out of. There. That's the book you need to be worried about, for we all have a little Fear of that great. |
| That's comforting. Yeah. |
| So if if there's nothing else you guys are curious about, maybe we can, look at the other important thing that needs to get done. Then. Which is, as I said, you have made a, a new friend when you defeated, my, compatriot. And soon enough, his body will be remade in the hells. And then when that is done, he is going to want to come back and find you. |
| He is more than likely going to take the easy way to get here. I would like to Slow him down a little bit. That works to your benefit because, the longer it takes for him to come back, the less that time he will have to pursue his own interests, such as finding you and ripping out your hearts, as opposed to doing what he's supposed to be doing for Tiamat. |
| I mean, what do you recommend to do to Slow him down? Well, the short cut he's going to want to take is in our basement. We have a portal that goes straight to the Hells. And if you go down there and I will act as if I had other interests and I was unable to stop you. You'll just have to fight a few devils of sorts and, just destroy the, the gemstones that keeps that portal open. |
| You do that and I'll keep him, from coming back so early. And the longer it takes him to come back, the more that tlmt will want him to do what she wants and not what he wants. And those gemstones are just right on the other side of the portal. There will be devils on both sides. Which would mean that you want to be very quick about taking it down. |
| The longer it takes you to destroy the gemstones means that it gives a more likelihood that other devils will see what's going on and want to come and stop you. Okay. I just wanted to be sure that you said that the gemstones through this portal are right on the other side. Oh, no. They're on. They're on our side. |
| Oh, yeah, do I do I believe him, though, when he's like, just a few devils. No big deal. Give me an insight. |
| And I look up my ring of spelling. Yeah. Give me an insight with an advantage, a natural one, but it's a ten. So obviously, what I'll say with you is, you can tell that he's deceitful. You can't tell if he's being deceitful right now. Definitely. Shadow can always feel like she is a little unwary, though. With Calliope, you got a dirty 20. |
| And what's your what's, Calliope is concerned. I know what, shadow is focusing on. What are you focusing on? As far as the insight? I am just trying to see. It's bullshit. Okay, well, definitely the same kind of thing. You can tell that there is, He's a deceitful being. He's not telling you the whole truth of anything, but there's definitely a lot of truth to what he's been saying. |
| With the dirty 20, It definitely sounds like, it's it could be a little bit of a battle downstairs. And the Fear that there are other devils that can get through if you're not quick enough. That does sound sincere. Definitely. The, the fact that, the devil will come back and haunt you guys. |
| That was sincere. Awesome. Okay, so we don't have to step through the portal into hell and stay here. We take care of on this. It shouldn't be too hard for, adventurers skilled as you are. |
| Okay, so heads up. We can kind of expect down there. We're not going to see any more of a point over to the big guy. We're not gonna see anybody like him over here, are we? Well, he. Yeah, he would be outside the door, but he obviously knows who you're talking about. There should not be any while there's no pit Fiends down there. |
| As far as, that's guarding it. No. Currently, the last I checked, there's a couple orphans and, various other, type of devils that could be down there, but the. Yeah, the, the toughest ones that we have currently guarding it from our side. Usually at the base that that portal would be a couple orphans. |
| And if anybody's curious, you can give me a history or religion check. You don't have to be proficient. The names mean nothing to. Well, you could you can give me a history or religion because the, the book it might be in there 19 for history. What the hell? I'll give you the shot. That's the first one since. |
| 11th. Yeah. Marlowe doesn't really know. He doesn't remember if he read anything about him. But you said 19 foreshadow this story. History. So you. What I will say with you is that you have heard a little bit about orphans. They are also known as rage devils. These tend to be like the heavy infantry. |
| Our those are just like you. They can be, anything from, formation fighters, brutish berserkers, bounty hunters. Their name stems from the joyful frenzy they entered when they smelled the blood of their enemies. Or they felt the foe's resolve weakened before the merciless assault. They are sometimes the same rank as, Lilith's smell runs worse. |
| Pop up up up up up up. So as far as power, like, sometimes they're they can be lesser or greater devils. So they, they're pretty big guys, though. You remember that. They can be large and they're just large, hulking, humanoid figures with large horns. You're right. Well, wait till you guys actually see. It's this show picture. |
| Yeah. Then you will. You, as far as what's on the other side of the, the portal, though, you can never be certain, the orphans are meant to to make sure that we don't need all of those devils coming in. We have operations in this house. But if they do see something happening, it's very likely some of them might be curious and want to join into, whatever you guys are doing. |
| Which means if there's any battles going on up there, there could. I mean, it's the it goes. It's a portal to the first, first level of the hells, which is the known as a furnace. It's the battle ground. There's always wars out there between the devils and the demons. So if they see you, it's possible you might have, reinforcements against you. |
| So I'd be quick once you start our friend back to us. Oh, he he's, he's just enjoying some libations. But when you guys are ready to, take care of the portal, I'm sure he'll. He'll be ready for that. |
| Great. |
| Looks like we're, going downstairs. Okay. But the next time. So while we can get up to that point, I wasn't planning on you guys. Actually, if you guys were going to go down, that I wasn't gonna have you guys do the fight tonight. So that way, you guys would have bastion. I got some more, questions about. |
| Of course, if we have time. I mean, it's going to take a little while till his, his form is reconstituted, and then he has to come back. So you have a little bit of time. What was your curiosities? You have individual cubes. I this specific box is every single both sides of the cube or only certain powerful or special blocks. |
| As I understand it, there are some cubes that might hold many Books, especially as you're saying, rare tome such as the one that I needed to retrieve from you. Here. It takes very special cubes for these ones. The the book that Vecna is trying to get out of there. That I have for the, forgot the name of right now. |
| If it's in his book. And that's the one, that would be the Book of Vile Darkness. And, he definitely needs that to Aid in his return. But that, as I understand it, to, that book, holds all the private notes and works of Paradox, hence why he was in possession of that he had been using. |
| He had kind of converted that to his own personal library, his, his little organization gone rogue, as you have heard of the, the known as the Arcane Order, they, had been seeking that book to get away from him for quite some time. |
| Okay, well, I noticed your book was black and your cube was black. Just a color, you know, thing. Well, I'd say you had a red cube or a cube. I would say that it would depend on. It would depend on the the magics that were created to connect, the cube to the book. This, if you had to guess with your knowledge of this book, the cube with multiple colors, one a different color on average things. |
| What do you think that might be? |
| Oh. Oh, goodness. What I will say is my knowledge on the Books that are contained in there as I have a lot of knowledge on it, but it's not comprehensive, without actually seeing the cube and being able to discern from that, it would be very hard for me to know. I mean, to be fair, this is not the only book that was attached to a black cube. |
| We're going. We get to our catalog. What's the Dewey Decimal system of, the lost Library? Yeah. Said I was asking from a distance. Where do we get a card catalog? Yeah, well, I'll say if it's in the book that is infinite. All the knowledge Books. And that that means there's that many fucking cubes. Yeah, there's. It would be nearly impossible. |
| Even the cubes inverse. But, I mean, who knows? One of these days, maybe you guys, I mean, my understanding is currently Paradox is, hanging out with your new friend Vecna. So maybe when you. End up out there, maybe you can, talk to him. |
| Because he definitely would know more about it than I do. |
| Is there any other questions then, for you? |
| So many questions. But then this brings up more questions. I don't want to ask questions. Man, literally everybody tell me again, how the hell did you end up all this shit? When did all this? Violence started when you were on a ship. Maybe the, If you're wondering how things started, I'm not going to lie. There have been many who have been trying to manipulate you guys. |
| I'm just one of many. |
| And I only started doing that once. You got on my radar. |
| I will say, though, if you're concerned, one of the biggest groups that have been really steering things towards you would be the Arcane Order. Outside of your friend grog, nard Macklin, aka Paradox. |
| But really, when I say that I repeat myself, don't I? Yeah. |
| Okay, I have no more questions. |
| Well, if we have no more questions, I'm. I'm getting really, really, really tired. Okay. No worries. We, you know, we'll just move right into it if we're all done with the questions. Okay. So we we can we're going to just set it up for the next game. So at this point, he kind of helps Bastian off up on his feet, kind of brushes his shoulder and says, okay, if you guys are ready, I will send you down there. |
| Remember, when you get down there on the sides, there will be two red gemstones. You just need to destroy one of those red gemstones. You will have to fight some devils. So you'll have to figure out the priorities. With that, he kind of shakes his head. He claps his hand once there's a puff of smoke around each one of you guys. |
| You guys now find yourselves. We were fighting the devil. He was that. We know what he was. Think he did say what he was. He was a boy. Who? Yeah, that's part of the. Yeah, he did say what? He was right? Right. Sasha. Oh, he's a Rock star. Yeah. He said they could be just as petty as my kind of resorption. |
| Oh, I thought I got some, Is this dark just so. As you guys come in here. Oh, you guys come into a small. It's actually kind of a small, Small basement looking room. We I you get we'll put your guys pieces out, next week. But you guys do see, as you guys come into the room, against the far wall is a very large portal. |
| And as you look into it, it looks like it is. The hell's just lava burning devastation. You hear the, just the worst kinds of sounds out there, as you can see, fighting taking place far off in the distance between, various demons and devils, in front, though they are these two very large creatures with these horns, high, around the corner here. |
| You do you see these spiky looking devils that are over here? And on the portal, there are two little red gemstones on either side of it, with a very, they glow very brightly and intently as they kind of, help create this like little, smoky, rim of the portal. So that's pretty much how we're gonna it'll start off with the next game where you will have to take care of that. |
| And then we will go ahead and call it there. Easy peasy. So otherwise, I hope you guys all had fun. There was some things that once the Horse. |
| Cheats. |
Table of Contents
Campaign
The Wild Cards
Protagonists
Session 085: The Mansion
Table of Contents
Sas W.T. Rayce
Calliope Galanodel
Barlo
Chaotic Neutral Tabaxi (Smuggler)
Barbarian 8
Barbarian 8
85 / 85 HP
STR
18
18
DEX
16
16
CON
16
16
INT
10
10
WIS
11
11
CHA
14
14
Shadow in the Snow
Report Date
05 May 2025