Session 092: New Surprising Friends Report

     

Summary

The party found themselves recovering in the portal chamber after their harrowing encounters with the dragons. The cats of Ultharr had previously helped them learn Dreamscape powers and rescued them when they died fighting the dragons, bringing them back through some temporal flux. They had successfully closed the portals in this chamber to prevent reinforcements from reaching the black dragon, and defeated the black puddings that had attacked from the ceiling. Now, as they completed their rest, they turned their attention to the mysterious obsidian daggers that had somehow appeared in each of their possession.   Calliope used her magical identification glove to investigate her dagger, experiencing a disturbing out-of-body vision. She found herself pulled into a realm of blackness surrounded by white horizons that multiplied and frayed at the edges. As she zoomed toward the light, she witnessed her own bag appearing and disappearing in what seemed like a temporal loop. The vision suggested these daggers were artifacts displaced through time and space, likely connected to the ongoing disruption caused by Paradox being held hostage by Vecna.   The party thoroughly searched the bodies of their defeated enemies, discovering twelve obsidian dragon pins shaped like dragon heads, valuable gems, gold and platinum pieces, and an immovable rod from one of the wizards. Bastion examined the portal ruins, finding intricate draconic runes inlaid with obsidian that had powered the magical gateways. The acidic air of the chamber continued to wear on them, causing gradual damage from prolonged exposure to the toxic environment.   During their investigations, Sas noticed her tiny myconid companion Feerus busily planting spores throughout the stonework of the chamber. The six-inch mushroom creature explained through telepathic communication that he wanted to establish a new colony here after the dragon was defeated. Feerus revealed that myconids could communicate across the globe through spore networks, and that Sas had been unknowingly spreading fungal spores across multiple realms during their travels. Sas affectionately gave him one of the dragon head pins to wear, and the tiny creature proudly made roaring sounds while wearing his new decoration.   As the party prepared for their assault on the black dragon, Barlo suddenly froze and grabbed Shadow and Calliope by the shoulders. He announced that something inside him was speaking - a gravelly voice that sounded like his own but with an eerie feedback quality. The voice claimed that the dragon had "made me who I am" and expressed hatred for the creature. Through careful questioning and insight, the party realized this was likely connected to their encounter with the metallic doppelgangers in the Feywild.   The voice revealed itself to be a chrome piece from the black pudding that had been absorbed into Barlo's skin during their previous battle. It explained that it was originally part of an experiment created by Vyrith, the doppelganger who had been tracking them. Vyrith had used black oozes supplied by the dragon to create these experimental creatures, but the chaotic magic of the Feywild had caused the experiment to go awry, resulting in this chrome entity bonding with Barlo instead of functioning as intended.   The entity provided crucial intelligence about their target, revealing that the black dragon was extremely evil with a large cult that had been used to attack Vyrith's island. The dragon possessed a ship where he tortured prisoners and hoarded treasure in acidic water, and there might be dragon eggs hidden in the lair. Most importantly, the voice warned them about a protective orb on the ship's mast that would need to be destroyed before they could seriously damage the dragon, and about hidden archers positioned throughout the cavern who served out of fear rather than loyalty.   The party began navigating the treacherous caverns leading to the dragon's lair, using their various skills to overcome the challenges. Barlo's internal companion served as a guide, helping them avoid hazards and find the safest routes through the narrow, winding passages filled with slime trails and scorch marks. Their careful progress was interrupted by blood-curdling screams from a side tunnel, where they discovered three injured adventurers in distress.   They found a gnome wizard named Blink, an Aarakocra paladin named Zenthus, and a tiefling rogue named Vorn who had lost half his leg in a catastrophic teleportation accident. Vorn's leg remained trapped inside solid rock while Zenthus used healing magic to extract him and Blink provided a magical brass prosthetic that created a spectral red glow where the missing limb should be. The three wore red obelisk pins instead of dragon pins and were clearly not allies of the dragon.   Through careful interrogation, the party learned that these adventurers had been hired by Ursa to steal a book from the black dragon's ship. Ursa's partnership with the dragon was deteriorating, and she wanted the book to enhance her crafting abilities using magical forges. The three revealed that Ursa's previous group, including the wizard Karsus, had been avoiding her since helping another wizard escape with important items, forcing her to hire less experienced adventurers who seemed set up to fail.   Recognizing an opportunity for mutual benefit, both groups agreed to work together against the dragon. The party shared their dragon pins to help the injured adventurers navigate the cave's magical wards, while Vorn's team provided flying potions and tactical information about the dragon's lair. They learned that the vast cavern was filled with acidic water, with a central landing containing a black obelisk fifty feet from the entrance, and the dragon's ship positioned in the northwest area where he kept his treasures and prisoners.   Shadow received a potion of flying and purple worm poison to coat her arrows, while the groups coordinated their strategy for the upcoming battle. They planned to destroy the protective orb on the ship's mast, deal with the hidden archers, and potentially steal both the book and any dragon eggs they might find. With Blink's teleportation magic as their escape route to the town of Thornwinds, they prepared to enter the dragon's lair, knowing they could potentially let Ursa and the dragon destroy each other while accomplishing their own goals. As Vorn's rogue companion went invisible and they approached the entrance to the dragon's domain, they realized they were returning to the same location where they had previously teleported, ready to face the ancient evil that awaited them in the acidic depths ahead.  

Scenes

Recap and Recovery

The party recovers from their previous encounter and discusses their mysterious obsidian daggers while preparing to continue deeper into the dragon's lair.

The cats of Ultharr had previously helped the party learn Dreamscape powers and brought them to fight dragons

The party had died fighting dragons but were brought back by time flux

They successfully closed portals in the portal chamber to prevent reinforcements for the dragon

They defeated black puddings that had attacked them from the ceiling

The party completed a short rest to recover hit points and spell slots

They discussed the mysterious obsidian daggers that appeared in their possession

Calliope used her magical glove to investigate the daggers, experiencing a vision of time and space distortion

The party decided to loot the bodies of defeated enemies in the portal chamber

Looting the Portal Chamber

The party searches the bodies of defeated enemies in the portal chamber after their recent battle.

Party investigates bodies of fallen lizardfolk and cultists

Found 12 obsidian dragon pins, 4 gems worth 10 gold each, 150 gold pieces, 35 platinum pieces, 25 silver

Discovered an immovable rod on one of the wizard enemies

Bastion examines the portal ruins and finds draconic runes with obsidian inlays

Barlo climbs to high points to survey the area

Party takes 2 points of cumulative acid damage from prolonged exposure to the acidic air

The Mystery of the Obsidian Daggers

Calliope uses her magical glove to investigate the mysterious obsidian daggers that appeared in everyone's bags.

Calliope uses her identification glove on her obsidian dagger

Experiences an out-of-body vision showing white horizons and frayed light

Sees her bag appearing and disappearing in a time loop effect

Vision suggests the daggers are connected to time and space distortions

Party tests if daggers react to each other but finds no magical properties

Daggers appear to be well-crafted obsidian weapons that somehow displaced through time

Bastion uses his researcher ability to analyze the dagger's craftsmanship and origin

The party discovers the daggers are expertly crafted from a single piece of obsidian with leather-like texture carved into the hilt

Bastion determines the daggers show elvish influence and likely come from a secluded island elf tribe

The daggers are revealed to be magically tempered to prevent breaking while maintaining normal dagger damage

Feerus the Myconid's Colony Plans

Sas discovers her myconid companion is preparing to establish a new colony in the portal chamber.

Sas notices Feerus planting spores in every nook and cranny of the stonework

Feerus explains he wants to establish a new colony here after the dragon is defeated

The myconid reveals he can communicate with spores across the globe and has been dropping fungus during their travels

Feerus expresses hope that the magical energies in this place will help other myconids

The party learns that Sas has been unintentionally spreading fungal spores across multiple realms during their journey

Sas gives the small myconid companion one of the dragon head pins to wear

The myconid says 'roar' when wearing the dragon pin

Sas names the myconid 'Feerus'

Feerus expresses gratitude for the journey and desire to establish a colony in the cave

Feerus explains he can reconnect with Sas later through spore networks

Pre-Dragon Battle Preparations

The party prepares for the upcoming black dragon fight by distributing items and discussing spell preparations.

Sas offers a fire breath vial to party members

Barlo already has a fire breath vial so Sas gives hers to someone else

Discussion about black dragons being resistant to acid, not fire

Party confirms they have looted, investigated, and rested

Party prepares to move toward the black dragon encounter

Barlo's Internal Voice Awakens

Barlo suddenly freezes and reveals that something inside him is speaking, leading to revelations about his connection to the Feywild doppelgangers.

Barlo grabs Shadow and Calliope by the shoulders and announces something is talking to him

The voice is gravelly and sounds like Barlo but with feedback-like distortion

The voice claims the dragon 'made me who I am' and doesn't like the dragon either

Shadow uses survival knowledge to recognize this as similar to spirit possession

Party recalls fighting metallic versions of themselves in the Feywild

Realization that Barlo's voice may be his doppelganger from the Feywild encounter

The voice explains this is the first time it has reached out to communicate

The voice reveals it was part of a chrome piece from the black pudding that got absorbed into Barlo's skin

The voice reveals it was an experiment created by Vyrith (the doppelganger) using black oozes supplied by the dragon

The experiment went wrong in the Feywild due to the plane's chaotic magic, causing the chrome piece to bond with Barlo instead

Intelligence Gathering About the Black Dragon

The voice in Barlo's head provides crucial information about the black dragon's lair, defenses, and connections to their enemies.

The voice reveals the black dragon is very evil and has a large cult

The dragon's cult was used to attack the island where Vyrith lives, explaining the sahuagin attacks they witnessed

The voice warns that the dragon and Vyrith are planning to double-cross each other

The dragon has a ship where he tortures prisoners and hides wealth in acidic water

The voice suspects there may be dragon eggs in the lair

The dragon prefers to stay airborne and has hidden archers in the rocks for protection

There's a magical barrier preventing entry to the main cavern, but the obsidian dragon pins might help bypass it

The voice offers to help guide them through the caverns as an internal compass

The voice reveals that archers guard the dragon out of fear, not loyalty, and will flee if the dragon dies

Barlo gains insight that his internal companion seeks connection and fears being alone

The party learns about a protective orb on the dragon's ship that must be destroyed first

Dragon Combat Strategy Discussion

The party discusses tactics for fighting the black dragon, including spell choices and positioning.

Party debates whether blindness/deafness spell would be effective against a dragon with blindsight

Discussion of dragon's legendary resistances and the orb's role in negating them

Calliope prepares to cast protection from energy on Barlo for acid resistance

Shadow considers using Pass Without Trace for stealth approach

Party plans marching order for entering the dragon's cavern

Shadow tests the acidic water and takes damage, confirming the dragon pins only protect from airborne acid

Navigating the Dragon's Caverns

The party uses their skills to navigate through the dangerous caverns leading to the black dragon's lair, with Barlo's inner voice providing guidance.

Shadow dismisses Artie into her swarm and redistributes his saddlebags

Party establishes single-file marching order with Barlo leading

Group performs stealth checks with Pass Without Trace bonus

DM explains skill challenge mechanics requiring five successes before three failures

Barlo uses athletics to clear hazardous terrain and find safe paths through the caverns

Shadow uses perception to spot slime marks, scorch marks, and track signs from lizardfolk

Calliope uses history knowledge to prevent the party from going in circles and identify correct routes

Bastion scans for magical traps and residue to avoid dangers

Sas uses animal handling to read the behavior of cave creatures for navigation clues

The party gains hit points from successfully navigating the easier routes

A blood-curdling scream is heard from a side tunnel

Discovering the Injured Adventurers

The party encounters three injured adventurers in a side cavern, with one having lost his leg in a teleportation accident.

The party finds a gnome wizard named Blink, an Aarakocra paladin named Zenthus, and a Tiefling rogue named Vorn

Vorn's leg is stuck inside solid rock from a failed teleportation spell

Zenthus pulls Vorn free, but the leg remains trapped in the rock

Blink provides a magical brass prosthetic that creates a spectral red glow where the missing leg should be

The party observes the adventurers wearing red obelisk pins instead of dragon pins

The injured group is trying to recover from the teleportation mishap

Shadow and Barlo rush forward to confront the strangers

Vorn draws a dagger but puts it away when surrounded

Artie the owlbear investigates Vorn's spectral leg prosthetic

Interrogating the Rival Adventuring Party

The party questions three captured adventurers about their mission to steal a book from the black dragon for Ursa.

Shadow performs an insight check on Vorn the tiefling rogue, determining he's a skilled liar but being mostly sincere

Vorn reveals they were sent by Ursa to steal a book from the black dragon's ship

The party learns about Ursa's partnership with the black dragon and her use of forges for crafting

Vorn explains that Ursa's other group (including Karsus) has been avoiding her since helping a wizard escape with something important

The party discovers the three adventurers wear red obelisk pins instead of dragon pins

Calliope successfully identifies Zenthus the Aarakocra's religious symbol as belonging to Torm, god of duty and courage

The party gives the three adventurers dragon pins to help them navigate the cave wards

Both groups agree to work together against the dragon and potentially double-cross Ursa

Planning the Dragon Assault

The party and their new allies discuss strategy for infiltrating the black dragon's lair and coordinate their approach.

Vorn's group explains the layout of the dragon's lair - mostly acidic water with a central landing containing a black obelisk

They reveal the dragon has a ship in the northwest area where he keeps treasures and tortures prisoners

The group learns about hidden archers positioned in the rocks throughout the cavern

Vorn's team shares their flying potions and offers one to Shadow for aerial reconnaissance

Barlo gives Shadow purple worm poison to coat three arrows with deadly venom

The teams discuss the protective orb on the ship's mast that must be destroyed first

They plan potential escape routes using Blink's teleportation spell to Thornwinds

The group considers stealing dragon eggs and the book while letting Ursa and the dragon fight each other

Shadow drinks a potion of flying, gaining flight speed equal to walking speed for one hour

Party discusses using flying potions to transport members across the acidic water

Shadow considers carrying Barlo 50 feet to the middle platform using her flying potion and feline agility

Discussion of encumbrance rules and movement penalties when carrying other party members

Barlo mentions storing his gold and platinum in a magical hole to reduce weight

The rogue from the allied group goes invisible as they prepare to enter the dragon's lair

Party realizes they are returning to the same location where they had previously teleported

     

Experience



t Milestone Experience: 2,000 | Total: 152,650 (Next Goal: 165,000) t