He's not a smart man, but he knows what love is....

Wild magic in Lleyash surged on healing preventing him from talking (meh). Ysara, under a confusion spell, nearly brained him again as he lay restrained, his sightless form hearing the hammer crash down next to him. A Gloom Weaver ended Ysara after the acolyte paralyzed Ysara. Malsanos soon followed, and things were looking grim. At one point it was Esvele and the tall greatsword weilding man someone had addressed as Derrion. They attempted a short negotiation while Sumfun crept forward to get Ysara back on her feet. The negotiation ended, as expected, with the man’s head flying across the room.

This marked the second time the Delvers had seen the Shadovar and Shadar-kai elves, denizens of the Shadowfell. It was unclear what business they had accompanying the man from House Shadowdusk, but that mystery would have to wait as this marked the first time they would meet the Wizlards.

Following a vision of Lleyash in jeopardy, sent to Lilly from Selune, the Wizlards had made quick time from Saltmarsh to Waterdeep, braving stormy seas and arriving just as the Delvers were fighting in the temple. Abe and Maura, en route to Evermeet, couldn’t be summoned in time, but the ranger Tylsaria hopped on board the Kraken Chaser with Lilly and Ellie and she was the first into the room, raising her bow at Esvele and the panicked senseless body of Lleyash. “Get away from my friend.” With tensions already high, this quickly devolved in to Esvele’s “Fuck you” and an arrow in her shoulder. Ellie was trying to calm Lleyash, but it wasn’t until Ysarra sent some healing around the room the heads cooled. Lilly started the long work of cleaning the desecration from the temple, the Wizlards taking Lleyash above to have his eyes and tongue restored and maybe learn what they’d done to him and what he’s learned in return*

This amounts to using the incubus and shadow demons to keep him under, probing is memories for clues on how he accesses his wild magic. He’d heard them mention the master, the tower, House Shadowdusk a few times, but the only thing that stuck clearly in his fractured mind – wrecked from a couple weeks of captivity, deprivation, torture and the intrusion into his mind – was their interest in his magic and “unlocking Umberlee’s Cache”

As the Wizlards led Lleyash away to a house of healing (who was attended to be a newly restored Froderick via True Resurrection by Team Lareal), the Delvers continued their search of the House of Selune, finding some additional treasures (mostly potions of wild magic seemingly crafted from Lleyash’s blood), maps, chests with hidden bottoms, and the first of many desks and the requisite lore dumps.

Lore in the Consolidated Lore page, but in short the Shadovar and House Shadowdusk seem intent on finding Karsus’ heir, unlocking the secrets of his blood to control the blue flame/wild magic, and this has been going on since the Black Spider and redbrands botched the job in Phandelin some time ago. References to the blackstaff being a weak ally and relying on the tower for help as well as a clue for getting through the scary door using “his symbol” (Manshoon’s Zentarim). The sender confirmed the master’s interest in one of the Queen’s Guard, command them to send any matching Galiana’s description forward. Oh ahd you learned that some hundreds of years ago, the High Initiate of Selune worked with Elmister and Lareal to imprison a dark servant of Halaster or Manshoon in his sarcophagus, certain he couldn’t be killed but needing to keep him from realizing his dark designs. Someone names Tomas, with stern warnings on the consequences of setting him free. Oops. At least you got a couple magic items…

The Delvers took a long rest, and then made their way through the door. Instead of leading to a collapsed larder, by using the symbol they activated some portal which placed them instead in a path leading into the cellars of the famed Kolat tower and the house of Manshoon. They traversed a few empty(ish) lower levels highlighting some history, perceiving as best they can but sometimes rushed in Ysarra’s urgent but dwindling hopes of finding Galiana. Sumfun nabbed an odd ornate robe and purloined the crystal orb someone had recently been using for scrying on Lleyash, found another desk and map and thrilling lore dump about Shieldmeet, the shards, and Manshoon’s history, investigated an odd mirror that showed things as they used to be, and tried to solve a riddle in a staircase wall written in language they couldn’t read. As a result, Esvele and Ysarra went bouncy bouncy trying to navigate the stairs up, but they eventually landed on the Kolat library.

In the library, they made some bad rolls but did stumble on one of the library’s guardians, a dwarf with praying hands that, with inspired insight, they found they could place a book in it’s hands. Esvele handed Ysara the encrypted journal from the jade temple she’d been carting around, and the statue immediately started reading it – the guardians can translate from any language even hidden or ciphered text. Learning more about Acamar from his journal and his focus on the blood war (lore page), they were also joined by one of the Library’s other inhabitants, the ghost Paige Drucker. Paige listened in rapt attention as Acamar’s journal was read, then retrieved it, coded it’s spine, and floated down the hall to place it with other journals. In return for listening to Esvele’s journal and all of her secrets (which she also codes and shelves at the close), she answered the party's question on “the most interesting book” taking them to the center of the library, a pulsing circular floor an a nearby pile of books with one charred book on the floor.

The party found a damaged page, but remembering the mirror below that shows things as they were, Esvele sunk through the floor and was able to read the page in the mirror. Once the party heard the riddle – something about the more you take, the more you leave behind – they struggled to connect it with the designs on the floor until Paige gives them more insight, saying again that the last person – a pale elf with white hair and a scarred face – had been pacing around the circle reading the page before setting it aflame in victory and then disappearing. Making footprints aroudn the middle ring, the party then bamfed to Manshoon’s real chambers (skipping some nasty levels of the tower in the process).

Esvele seemed convinced that the previous visitor might be Rhasbaradon and started running from room to room. The other Delvers, perhaps remembering better his lifeless body being laid in a forest, started negotiating Manshoon’s planar chambers, including the demon head Ladudobby that kept him company in his lab and the childrens books and romance novels he wrote on the side. They accidentally torched some scrolls and lore in a failed attempt to disarm a trap, and also struggled to get past an enchanted table that forces guests to sit and reveal dark secrets about themselves. Up another set of stairs, you learned more of the history of Manshoon and Halaster, their work together and their split and apparent battle. Also (avoiding a mirror that Ladudobby had warned them about), more about Manshoon’s fixation with trapping sentience into objects, tests with his canaries like Daffodil (Xanaphia) and others, and early clues on his ultimate aim to use this "trapped sentience" with the blood of Karsus.

One other item of note was the chess board like the one in the hidden landing above Fiends End. The last visitor had ripped out a page of interest from a nearby tome and the Delvers unraveled the clues left by the last guest and moved the correct piece to the square underlined on the handwritten paper, leading to Shadowdusk.

“…whether you believe the shadow weave is back, or even ever existed, there has always been a white queen and a black queen. There has always been a darkness behind the lights…”

Esvele and Ysarra, ever eager, jumped through the portal, their friends following, leaving the Iron Bands of Bilarro fastened around the unconscious man dying in the cage nearby 😄

As that party was pulled through time and space to the portal in Shadowdusk Hold, the Spear – Zanalor, Peter, Malsanos and Pessius – was taking some extra time in the Academy to rest up and learn what they could about the mage and his mountain. The headmaster confirmed he was not the mage Halaster but an arcanoloth and said that they’d need the aid of his Disciples if they hoped to defeat the mad mage. Another short lore dump using the tapestry, and it seems that at least one disciple Rhodysa has already been killed, the Delvers ending her Leshen form in the druid’s wood above. Tomas has been imprisoned by the chursh of Selune, Akasha and Jhessira, Muriel the Warrior Mage and Styvirwen the summoning master, and perhaps one of the strongest Zarovich who was shunted to antoher plane, his power stripped from him and the threat removed You learned about mythals – how Halaster has controlled magic in undermountain, in the demiplane of Barovia, etc etc but let’s get on with it.

The headmaster took the Spear to Acamar the Apprentice’s chambers in the lower doorms through a secret door they’d missed, and the heroes negotiated some nasty blood pools. They solved the riddle of the portal to the jade temple in Willow’s wood and also learned that Acamar was a Shadowdusk and devotee of the Disciple Akasha, trying to emulate her blood magic. They found a trapped storeroom but used Peter’s knowledge of medicine to correctly solve a riddle of decomposition and enter a subterranean cavern.

In the cavern, they found luminuous crystals, some nasty mushrooms, and another rune from Jhessirya who gave Peter and Pessius boons. They also found cages including one with a trapped man "Porto" pleading weakly for release. Zanalor threatened that any hostile move would be met with death, and hope lit in the captive’s face. When freed, he attacked Zanalor with a sharp rock, but was not killed by the thief. While the party held him in the cavern walls with a magical door from Pessius’ cloak, they discussed ways to interrogate him, causing Peter to question their motives and goodness. When they did bring the captive to consciousness and start asking questions with harsh voices, the captive finally got what he’d been wishing for – the chance to end his own life and forget the horrific things he’s seen and experienced “at her hand.”

The Spear made a more sullen way down the caverns, finding more evidence of cages, a transmutation workbench, and a glowing orange rune that took a large chunk out of Zanalor and Pessius remembered only too late from her prophetic dream days before. Before going into the carved door behind the transmutation bench, Sumfun (read the DMs face and) elected to check on the sounds from the cages and sloshing waters on the other side of the tunnel. He found the cages of the Lords’ Alliance party they’d been sent after (but failed to find the scrying crystal) as well as a Spirit Board, but more importantly, he found the slowly recovering beholder Xanathar, who had fled down the dark chimney of Undermountain to this level.

Pessius was understandably shaken, but her friends made quick and satisfying work of the head of the Xanathar guild outside of his lair. Taking a pound of flesh (that Pessius would soon have made into gloves and undergarments), the Spear then explored another level below.

This level seemed to be of ancient stone of designs (Netheril) that the party couldn’t recognize but also a rank, disturbing thrum and vibration they soon confirmed as living flesh growing down halls and choking rooms with nauseating gore. Avoiding a few traps, missing a few doors, but most importantly avoiding a TPK from two hulking abberations that had been alerted to your noisy presence. After one of them seemed to steal Nuitt’s memories and make him a near idiot, Pessius quickly polymorphed it into a cat and instructed the party to attack the other one. On his turn, Nuitt looked around, not understanding language*, and uttered his battle cry “Blobby purrpurr go burny burn!” and threw one of the fire opals from his helm of brilliance. Since he’s no longer able to use it, the pebble just sailed at the cat without blossiming into a fireball, but it did exactly two points of damage, causing the cat to turn back into the hulking and confused aberration and pissing Pessius off to no end.

On a failed save, the target loses all proficiencies; it can’t cast spells; it can’t understand language; and if its Intelligence and Charisma scores are higher than 5, they become 5.

Peter felt the anger of his Celestial and it fueled a new fiend that joined them, eating into one of the aberrations and keeping it at bay as the party soon downs the first. Ironically, it’s Nuitt who puts the killing blow on the first, but uncertain if it’s dead he continued to punch holes in the lifeless pile of flesh. When the last one died, Pessius turns Nuitt into a turtle and puts him in her bag.

The party decided they will return to the Academy since Nuitt’s condition is beyond any of their abilities, but they ran into a trio of Shadovar demon riders on the way back up. Outmatched, Zanalor made inspired use of Hunger of Hadar, blinding and slowing the enemies within. While Zanalor and Pessius held their attacks, waiting to see if any emerge from the darkness, Peter used his Devil’s Sight to send barrages of eldritch blasts into the darkness. The damage from Hadar and Peter’s bolts soon grinds the patrol into nothingness. During the fight, Pessius had thrown the turtle to the ground and also given Nuitt a new friend to play with, using a patch from her cloak, a mastiff Titties appeared and gave Nuitt no end of joy and comfort. Nuitt, not knowng better, took his nunchucks and sent Titties into the darkness to fetch. Titties seemed to locate the nunchucks but not before the hunger of hadar exacted a heavy price. Pessius (with a nat 20 on animal handling) called to the dog, who summoned his last strength to crawl out of the darkness before dying at their feet.

Returning to the Academy, Pessius used another patch from her coat, making another mastiff for Nuitt. Nuitt knew better, but pretended for the wizard’s sake to embrace the dog and leave the lie alone. They entreated the headmaster to use restorative magic on Nuitt in exchange for Pessius’ cloak and two scrolls she carried. He aslo agreed to let them stay safely in his office while he has the aforementioned undergarments and gloves made. Pessius thought to check on the tiefling twins, finding them in class and making a note to talk to them in the morning. Pessius had a dream of the Open Lord walking down a hall with the Blackstaff, turning to give it to her. Of Zanalor joining her, but when she turned to look at him he had only one eye like the beholder. And he turned their friends to stone statues. When she turned to take the blackstaff, Lareal, zanalor and statues started smoldering in blue flame. Peter also had a dream, where his Celestial warned him of that darkening line between good and evil and (fixing his character sheet) giving him the restoration spell with his level. As the Celestial’s voice fades, it posits one question. “What do angels and devils agree on?...”

The next morning Malsanos heard a brief battle outside and the party saw the fleeing form of the Headmaster as Halaster running down the hall and using his gleaming sword to make some kind of rapid planar exit and saying something about “Tomas” as he leaves. Zanalor also spied a small blood trail in the spellcasting room and founds the bodies of the tiefling twins (they’d been coming to find you for reasons that will forever remain a mystery). At that time, the headmaster in different robes with small stains of blood appeared from a different hall, raising all manner of questions. When told there was another Halaster seen, he seems surprised and vowed to investigate but reminds the party that they have urgent work below. Pessius was mad at the headmaster allowing such carnage to befall children (causing the headmaster to look at her puzzled, as it’s been clear since day 1 that children are never safe in the Academy and murder is, in fact, expected). The party waited while Pessius took the girls to their room and lay them carefully to their rest, taking their list of favorite songs and vowing to learn them. Holding Turbulence, admitting that she envied them a little. “Short term suffering may be better than long term discrimination” Changing their names to Peace and Serenity.

The Spear soon returned to the flesh dungeon and makes a beeline for the grotesque altar, failing to discern anything from the carved symbols around its base or the northern chambers and instead opting to dive down the flesh stairs, the walls and floors now devoid of anything stone or structural and instead resembling the innards of some horrendous creature. Zanalor pushed through muscle into a chamber with a hue pusling heart. But his movements had been noticed, and as the large form of Akasha and her odd bloody dragon-like spouts formed, he unleashed his eldritch blasts. Nuitt was able to enter the chamber before Akasha put up a wall of force, but Pessius was able to step through it with a misty step. Though Peter was blocked, he summoned his fiend using the same rules (a point he can see) and the H was O. Giant fists, siphoning lair and legendary actions, took the party to the brink. What was a brief exchange asking for her help was met with scorn (as the party had attacked “her children” and not found other clues above that might have made her more receptive, but then again she’s pretty flat out evil…) Giant fists, spells and counterspells. Zanalor fell to a Power Word Kill, and Akasha ate a spell from Pessius, saving her counterspell to stop Peter from revifying Zanalor’s body. She seemed intent on feeding off his body, ripping his eye from him before Nuitt severed that siphon. With Nuitt still clinging to the invisible Akasha, she was finally brought low. As her body seemd to be reabsorbed into the inert heart, Nuitt grabbed the (evil) robes of the archmagi and Pessius nabbed the horned ring that circumvents the limitations on planar magic of undermountain.

The voice of Jhessira flared again from a rune at the base, saying that there is no time now. Akasha is gone and cannot help or hinder. Only one, maybe the strongest of them. “The Amber Temple. Zarovich. The binds are weaker… Maybe they will help the saviors of Barovia. Enter, and become what you must…." With her living spells and magic, she forms the hollowed heart into a gruesome conveyance, asking the Spear to return to that dead land and find the power they’ll need to defeat Halaster.

Even with her planar travel restored (once Pessius attunes to the ring), Pessius had no way of knowing where to find the mage. They debated returning to the tavern, going to Blackstaff or the Academy to see what else they could learn. Perhaps splitting the party to send a warning. But in the end they all climb into the fleshboat and were pulled down into the gore, into the darkness, their hope and breath choked from them until they openned their eyes to find themselves coming up through the cold ground at the foot of MOUNT GHAKIS in Barovia, the steps of the Amber Temple just a few minutes to the south and the town of Vallaki a day or two to the north. They needed more diamonds if they would revify again but the Disciple Jhessirya (who keeps spelling her name differently) also impresses on them that time is now gone. The final movements are now upon all. Oh, and Pessius decided to remove her panties to make an eyepatch for Zanalor after giving him her ring of regeneration.

Meanwhile, the Wizlards looked after Lleyash in the city above as the Delvers started poking around Shadowdusk Hold, following the thinnest of clues left on the scrap of paper from Manshoon’s tower. Esvele found some novel poisons that Malsanos uses on his bullets while also poisoning and then curing herself. Ysara finally got to use Gust of Wind to keep the party from choking on noxious vapors from poisoned pools but we missed the DC25 glinting of the amulet at the bottom of one of them :) That’s okay, since the party soon finds the Shadowdusk Treasure room, but not before setting off the arcane alarms and the thief getting paralyzed. Two large demons Turkeybutt and Cheese arrived in respose but the big bear, the cleric, the gunslinger and the swashbuckler dispatched them. Ysara found the piles of treasure suspicous, but couldn’t stop Esvele and Malsanos from grabbing some of the coins, getting cursed (25% to attack nearest creature and, for Malsanos, a curse that the first person he’s introduced to will hate him uncontrollably).

Sumfun and Ysara found a secret treasure room in the north, and, after removing a trap, Ysara recognized the symbols of Shar on a black chest in the room. Esvele wanted to leave the chest, but Ysara is now in the other role, certain that this must be the treasure. Sumfun encouraged her and she openned the chest to find a simple note (‘The Treasure Was Inside You The Whole Time’) written by one of the Shadowdusk sisters, and felt something bulking now lodged in her stomach. Sumfun doublechecks the chest, finding the secret bottom with the Journal of Arandraya (more lore dump about some trip Halaster took to the Hells at the request of Silverhand etc etc) oh and a magic pistol Thunderbuss (that she got as a gift from the drow). The party wanted to take a long rest but that was still a few hours away.

The party made an odd visit to the Lower Shadowdusk Crypts which involved a headless little boy and the ghost of one of the matriarch’s possessing Esvele when she entered the coffin to steal her book. It was Ysara who noticed something odd in the thief as she was eager to press on but not able to open a simple lock (the ghost forced three checks all of which were fails or botches). When asked what her last name was, the ghost fled the body and was much more than a ghost but no match for the combined awesomeness of the Delvers. The group then explored some upper crypts, finding a small side altar to Shar and a few larger coffins including a wand of Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, but elected to cut their losses and return to explore the central portcullis and the main level below. Almost falling into the pit trap with some kind of beefy maw demon and paralyzing spikes, Esvele helps the part avoid the peril by lodging her rope in the ceiling with her flight and ghostly form. They find a sadists chamber (where they were supposed to run into Acamar but the DM missed that in the description) and Ysara picked up another magic cloak (Cloak of Enlargement, yet to be identified).

South of the creepy sadists chamber, the torture chamber of the Shadowdusks held a drow elf almost entirely entombed in the wall. As Sumfun began removing the mortar that held him captive, the orphan prisoner looked hopefully at the party, but when Malsanos introduced himself, the expression turned to one of hate in one of the best random results of a curse the DM could not have planned better. Despite his own history as a drow orphan and captive, and especially after this drow claimed to have heard of Malsanos from ‘Snails’ who Malsanos knew from his own captivity, the gunslinger just couldn’t reach past the uncontrollable hatred caused by his curse. As the party healed the captive and eventually freed him after Sumfun found and dispelled a necromatic glyph that was draining him, he was given a choice and fled but not before sending one last recrimination towards Malsanos for forgetting his own kind.

The group found empty prison cells and an office detailing a slave trade from Underdark to fuel dark rituals or the evil patrons in the city above. And more lore of course, so don’t miss that riveting page. A Shadowdusk bedroom led the party to discover a wardrobe with a letter from Gemma in the academy above, some Far Plane themed tchotckes, a book on Mystra’s Bargain (More Lore? I know, what did you do to deserve such riches) and an odd spider figurine. While Sumfun and Ysara read about Mystra’s Bargain (Halaster went to Hell to retrieve Eliminster and had his insanity partially cured and put onto Asmodeus? That sounds important!), Esvele read the Undercommon inscription on the spider as Malsanos held it in his hand, and the fangs of the spider took his blood and forged a connection to MocGeiver. Malsanos admitted to needing direction, and MocGeiver said he’s be right there…. Somehow. Maybe through the nearby stairs we didn’t explore.

The Delvers looked into a few more creepy empty orphan prison cells including one with a game on a wall that Malsanos and Snails used to play, and some storage rooms and a few more halls. While the couldn’t find anything in the ossuary bones, Sumfun was adamant about searching the prisons stores after Ysara and found a wicked curved Scimitar (Fools Blade) that he reluctantly released to Esvele in return for the ring purloined from the Fellowship some days back.

At this point, the DM should have said they could long rest but didn’t and no one asked and we were all getting off our game. But it magically happened anyway after, in some alternate reality, they were taken to the Shadowfell and picked a fight with a Disciple general of the demon hordes.

After long rest and new powers, the Delvers followed MocGeiver and the other drow through a false wall, down long tunnels where demond and devils had been warring in some odd siege, and soone came out to an expanse where the joyless vista of the Shadowfell stretched before them. In the distance, an unnatrual tempest of blue fire, with lightning that seems to arc up into the swirly clouds. In tbetween, hills and forsest of the valley dotted with armies of demons fighting devils, some that soared through the colorless sky. In the valley floor, a somewhat familiar village in this realm of Letherna, and on the mountain nearby the Palace of Memory where they had once held audience with the Raven Queen herself.
MocGeiver gestured as if to show a terrible furture. “This is what’s at stake. This will be unleashed on the world above if we don’t stop the mage.” He explained that he cannot lead the Bregan D’earthe as too many would not follow him. He’s not the blood. Only Malsanos can take those reins and help lead them as they must, free of the shackles of Lloth and the politicis of the sword coast.

Meanwhile, as Sumfun struggled with his now blue flame beard and the unnatural storm on the horizon, Ysara did her usual small talk with the other drow, neither of them fond of the other. After pushing him too far, he wheeled on her, showing himself a general of the demon hordes below. Unimpressed, she picked the fight with a Disciple general of the demon hordes and the stronger party bent time, took their rest, then kicked ass.

At one point during the fight a celestial and fiend were summoned to try to help the party withstand the powerful spells and strong swings of the Disciple’s sword (not to mention the demon mount that bore the heads of his recent victims including that of the druid Willow). Esvele tried to fly and occupy attention, but things were looking bleak until Malsanos and then Esvele remembered their potions of wild magic. They were able to unleash devastation at the Disciple. However, then Malsanos other curse overpowered him, and he slowly raised his pepperbox to take point blank aim at MocGeiver next to him. He pulled off a shot, causing the drow to wheel on him and use a shadowy sword to cut him down, kneeling next to his unconscious form and delivering the “chosen one” speech, defeated.

After defeating the disciple Styv, Ysara sent mass healing to all including MocGeiver. He seemed to take this as a sign to stand down, and the party was left on the hilltop of the Shadowfell, odd rocks seeming fall around them from above.

Going to the Chapel, and We’re Going to Get Butt Stuff

The Delvers spent quick night at Fiends End, resting up, crafting new ammo, but Ysara was not to be long delayed from the search for Galiana.  In the Sea District of Waterdeep, the party was soon ascending the steps of the hilltop Temple of Selune.

Feeble cries to Our Lady of Silver, the Moonmaiden, and the Night White Lady come from a few of the huddles massed outside the temple.  Some of the throng call out for money, more for healing or help.  More than a couple ask for mercy, and for death.  Esvele and Malsanos tried to speak to one of the few broken minds that came out of the desecrated temple, but his Drow features only drew fear from her. Ysara, undeterred and unmoved in her singular focus to find her partner, pushed into the temple.

The party quickly set to sorting through the bodies in the dark church, all of them belonging to slain clergy, servants of Selune, or the City Watch and Queens Guard soldiers that had been sent in response to the sudden attack.  No evidence of any other bodies, and no sign of Galiana.

Esvele started sneaking into a dining hall, but Ysara soon thundered through, hearing some faint sounds in the northerly kitchen and kicking in doors.  Suspicious meats is a good name for a band, and also what was cooking on the open hearth oven.  As Esvele crafted a new clutch from a cheese wheel, the party did battle with a drow assassin they weren’t supposed to find hiding high above the pantry shelves.  Sumfun turned into a spider, trying to use his blindsense and shoot hot sticky loads from his butt at the drow, and Malsanos met darkness with darkness “I can do that too”, using his cloak and spidey senses to cast his own webs, ultimately defeating the drow who dropped in flight only to find Esvele’s rapier (and cheese wheel) waiting.

The party poked through the balneary and ran up a hall, pausing at a ruined iron gate that revealed an ancient door.  They wisely left it alone, perhaps to search the rest of the main temple and find a key that might be used to open it.  This would be funny later after having found the key, seen a glowing glyph with a good perception, but then licking it and causing the massive explosion anyway.

The party found a refectory, ignoring a northerly door and passing into the main sanctuary to Selune where Ysara immediately began sorting a pile of bodies that had been stacked on the temple floor.  Finding so sign of Galiana but pocketing 4 pp and 30 silver. 

The party crept to the library, where Esvele attempted to use her brain to ferret out 3 books of greatest interest or rarity.  But murmurs and a flickering lamp from a northern alcove drew their attention, and soon enough the party was busy slaughtering a war priest and two magician acolytes.  Apparently after hearing mention of a “Dark Father” and bringing in more victims, they didn’t need to hear more.  Though to Malsanos’ credit, he DID try to pass himself off as the help.  “Hey, um.... we need more people from the front?”

The priest failed to banish Ysara but went invisible as the party melting the others with a guardian of faith and a lot of steel.  Sumfun, still a huge spider, had replenished his butt stuff and sends more thick steamy strands from his spidey-ass, forcing the priest to clatter away and he used his blindsense to close on the priest.  The rest of the team used that to track and made some best guess attacks before Malsanos used his faerie fire.  This made the fight academic, though just in time as Esvele had been paralyzed and was about to take one for the team, and not in the way she wanted.

The party looted a scroll case that they couldn’t read and the odd key that would let them pass the door to the ancient House of Selune below.  In rifling through the bodies, they noticed an odd tattoo on the priest but couldn’t place it.

Books of interest all centered on Waterdeep new and old, with particular interest in the proximity of “a knot in the weave” and the Netherese wizard Karsus who wrested magic from the Goddess Mystrl but couldn’t hold the power.  Added to Consolidated Lore: Undermountain - Consolidated Lore

(a tome from Gale of Waterdeep)

Ah, yes. Karsus. Karsus was perhaps the most powerful wizard who ever lived. The child-who-would-become-a-god, the elves called him. And he tried. With a spell of his own devising, he endeavored to usurp in one fell swoop the power of the goddess of magic... Imagine what it must have felt like. To be a god. To know yourself to be untouchable. To be mistaken.

— Gale of Waterdeep[9]

A mysterious mage Hilaster mage appeared on the sword coast soon after, finding the place of Karsus’ Folly where the weave was strong but damaged where Karus fell after taking on Mystra’s power. Hu built Halaster’s Hold and began a furious pursuit of knowledge to control fiends, master the planes, and grow even more powerful. He assembled apprentices to speed his total control of Undermountain and left his hold in 309 to live permanently there. Halaster seemed obsessed with Karsus’ efforts to wrest magic from the weave.

Finding some smaller chambers, offices, and a small chapel off to the side of the narthex, the party found some gold and three items in a locked chest. Leaving the gold, they inspected an ornate censer, a large cauldron, and a crystalline mace. Ysara grabbed the mace* and the party left the rest to do cursory exploration of some monk's quarters, an infirmary (where they didn't do poking but could have fought Dybbuk - Monsters - D&D Beyond cuz how cool is that?)

Passing back through the main sanctuary, Esvele stopped, standing near the large statue, looking down at the ruined mosaic of Selune's face. Feeling the emptiness of the temple and surrounded by so much despair, she chastised the Moon Maiden and all the pantheon of light. Speaking half to the goddess and half to herself, she mused that perhaps the reason they did nothing wasn't because they didn't care but that they just don't exist.

After Esvele elected to lick the glyph of warding instead of using the key, the Delvers delved into the ancient House of Selune. Finding some signs of recent use in the centuries old vacant temple, the drow and thief decided to "explore" the heavy sarcophagus in one corner of the chapel. Esvele used her ghost tattoo to pass through the stone, only to find herself trapped - held by some force - and asphyxiating inside, unable to move out despite being ethereal. Malsanos went to fetch Ysara and Sumfun, who despite their dismay were able to move the heavy lid through strength and the ring of the ram. As the lid was pushed aside, Esvele emerged at the same time a shadowy, necrotic cloud sprang from the coffin and seemed to dissipate through cracks in one wall. Almost as if had a consciousness.

Esvele placed a gleaming headband on her head like a tiara and gave a very serviceable belt to Malsaños.

The Delvers then continued through the small temple, finding a horrific scene in the central audience chamber. The ground of the center of the room had been shattered by a great power, and a mangled sea elf, near death, lay bleeding on a makeshift table built on jagged crystal in the center of the rubble. The victim was attended by two shadowy demons and a man looking like a succubus (was actually a variant Incubus keeping Lleyash docile and digging through his mind). The Incubus cast a hypnotic pattern and arrested the entire party, but Sumfun, inspired, did not get hypnotized and used ThunderWave to wake everyone up. After some Call Lighting from the cleric and druid and many stabby stabs, the Incubus was defeated. Sufun also became a bear, because he misses his woods.

Towards the end of the battle, Esvele went to check the body on the table, perhaps fearing it was someone she'd been searching for but finding the unfamiliar form of Lleyash. She moves his body where it had been pierced by the blue mineral, removed a few pipettes draining his blood, causing more damage and sending Lleyash into death saves.

At her side, the forgotten dog Radar (?) starts barking as lights appear in a hallway opposite them.

Seeing the party in need, Ysara channeled a mass healing word, sending healing into the broken elf as well and causing a mighty surge of crackling blue energy as wild magic explodes around him.

The druid Wyllow in her enchanted forest passed along several pieces of information. She has a history with Halaster, the Mad Mage but it was clearly a complicated one. She also took keen interest in Sumfun and his Nobanion aspect.

For the party as a whole she shared:

• Halaster is a master of planar and dimensional magic. Halaster’s domain is here for a reason, going back centuries to a knot in the weave.
• He pulled in her and her forest saying only it was for her own good. He has pulled in any number of horrors above and below to shore up his fortress (again she goes mad just thinking/talking about being under a mountain like this)
• She cannot leave. Halaster has told her the rune gates would be death to her and her forest would die without her. He destroyed the only rune gate she found
• He appears at odd times to talk with her and she is sure he is always watching. Was with her not a week before
• Some of his apprentices are still rumored even after the centuries have passed; the voice in the mountain is rumored to be one of them but she’s stopped talking to Wyllow.
• Monsters have been traversing her wood in a push to leave the mountain. She leaves them if they pass peacefully. Drow, mutations, devils, she abhors them all.
• Several have come over the years to try to descend deep and stop Halaster. A team of dwarven warriors foolishly tried to descend through the tunnels to the east
• The blue veins in Undermountain are arcane in nature and not her specialty. Does not know much as the illusion masks the walls but rumors of an arcane academy below where many answers about the mountain, the disciples, our host might be answered.

She likely had more but this is what you learned.

Arcane Academy (Dweomercore)

Several sources (yet to be explored) including lectures, libraries, teachers and students. Questions persist in the two parties. Apprentices? Runes? Blue veins? Halaster is headmaster? Manshoon? Sex boats? Did Wyllow heart Nobanion?

You did come across fleeting details of some students from talking to a couple and the school store dude.

• Gemma Shadowdusk is a human noble from Pessius' dream
• Elan Thor is a drow
• A Rashemi with his bodyguard
• Two tiefling sisters, Turbulence and Violence, eager to leave
• Cephalosk is an illithid and unpopular
• A bard named Belois Some

Magic and the Mountain

Where Waterdeep stands today, there once stood Aelinthaldaar, the capital city of the ancient elven kingdom of Illefarn. When the elves left, they used a powerful spell to erase all traces of their capital. This spell had the unintended side effect of creating a permanent knot in the Weave, the fabric through which all magic is channeled. This knot lies deep underground and isn’t something that can be seen, felt, or undone, but it can cause madness to bloom in the minds of mortal beings who dwell near it for too long. This knot is maybe the greatest focus for wild magic since an archmage named Karsus first tried to steal Mystryl’s power. Karsus' folly and fall flared very nearby in the world and the surge of wild magic was devastating to the weave - the knot and wild magic and the shadow ran rampant at the start of the Spellplague.
Halaster has changed magic in the mountain via a mythal. It prevents specific extranplanar magic like teleportation and banishment and yet the archmage uses such magic to pull in other realms, lands, and creatures into Undermountain adding more and more levels to keep the himself safe.

Disciples of Halaster

Over the centuries Halaster has been connected with disciples known as "The Seven".

• Zarovich a master of undeath who was trapped in a demiplane improisoned by fog and magics from a mythral.
• Rhodysa a savant in nature and transformative magiks and jealous of power (The Delvers are believed to have fought her as a Leshen in the druid's Wyllowood).
• Akasha focused on necromancy and the preservation of life drawing on the mountain itself
• Jhessira is an apprentice most known to the world as around 680DR she had left his service and became Magister at Myth Drannor, writing much of what the world knows of the madness of Halaster. She was a master of aracne weaves and living spells but has been vanished and lost. Rumors of sightings 100 years ago in Maldigas' Refuge
• Tomas engineer and construct master helping Jhessira (with the statues) but also himself becoming "something more"
• Styvirween the Summoner
• Muriel the warrior mage

Temple of Selune and Shieldmeet

_{The mysterious mage Hilaster mage appeared on the sword coast soon after the fall of Netheril, finding the place of Karsus’ Folly where the weave was strong but damaged where Karus fell after taking on Mystra’s power.  He built Halaster’s Hold and began a furious pursuit of knowledge to control fiends, master the planes, and grow even more powerful.  He assembled apprentices to speed his total control of Undermountain and left his hold in 309 to live permanently there.  Halaster seemed obsessed with Karsus’ efforts to wrest magic from the weave.}

_{By the early 11th century DR, the now city of Waterdeep had expanded to encompass the ruins of Halaster's Hold. In the Year of the Bold Barbarian, 1007 DR, Ahghairon cast magical wards on the ruins to stop its hazards getting out into the city, but the odd eddies of wild magic threaten to undo these wards.}

_{Repeated references efforts researching Karsus and some odd blood magic and efforts to locate and coopt the scion.}

Ah, yes. Karsus. Karsus was perhaps the most powerful wizard who ever lived. The child-who-would-become-a-god, the elves called him. And he tried. With a spell of his own devising, he endeavored to usurp in one fell swoop the power of the goddess of magic... Imagine what it must have felt like. To be a god. To know yourself to be untouchable. To be mistaken. — Gale of Waterdeep

The Tower

Mystra's Bargain 1372

Queens

Matt has to add all the stuff from OBX session in Jan

In addition to the events of recent history and the information gleaned by the party, the collective has parsed together the following major events in the timeline of Halastar and the magic of the mountain.

• ~The First Sundering occurred in ancient times (around -17,600 DR) before humans came into Toril, at a time when elven high mages united to create the Evermeet lands.
• ~3920 DR Hilather came from the Raurin in the Imaskari Empire during its Late period (from −3920 DR). A young prodigy, Hilather rose to become one of the foremost archwizards of the empire. When the fellow Imaskari mage Madryoch the Ebon Flame created the Shadow Stone and plotted to take over the empire, the heroic young Hilather went to the fortress of Metos, challenged Madryoch, and finally bound him within the Demiplane of Imprisonment, thus saving Imaskar.[8] He became Lord Hilather, and an Imaskari artificer.
• ~2488 DR,  However, during the ultimate fall of Imaskar Hilather escaped to a secret Imaskari stronghold concealed deep under Imaskar's western mountains and entered a temporal stasis.[9] He was trapped there for thousands of years
• ~~-339 Karsus’ Folly Destroying Netheril.    Netherese wizard Karsus tries to draw too much power to take over the weave destroys it. His damage to the weave caused the floating cities to fall and Karsus himself was dashed to the rocks near Waterdeep. His efforts to claim Mystryl's magic seems of interest to your new adversaries.
• ~Mystra came into being after Mystryl sacrificed herself to save Faerûn from the destruction of Netheril caused by Karsus in DR -339. Mystryl sacrificed herself to save the Weave before the damage became irreparable.
• ~Over time. The Goddess of All Magic accordingly appeared to a few mortals she considered suitable, first in dream visions and then directly, and ultimately invested part of her divine power (known as the Silver Fire) in them. Elminster who was trained by Mystra personally and Khelben Blackstaff were two of the first.
• ~Eventually, Hilather emerged from the temporal stasis and began to explore Faerûn. In the Year of the Addled Arcanist, 128 DR, after arriving in the Shoon Imperium, Hilather was hired by the Imperial Court to research a more secure means of binding fiends to obey their summoners. Hilathar based himself in the remote emirate of Torsil, which lay on the Sword Coast north of the Cloud Peaks, where he worked from an abandoned tower
• ~In the Year of Scattered Stars, 168 DR, a mage calling himself Halaster Blackcloak and only later realized to be Hilather, arrived at the foot of Mount Waterdeep together with his apprentices, collectively called "The Seven".
• ~By 309 DR, Halaster had complete control over the near-endless tunnels and caverns, having extermined their denizens, and began constructing the largest and most deadly dungeon imaginable, Undermountain. By that time, Halaster had become completely mad and wanted nothing to do with the outside world. He left his hold to live in Undermountain itself, allowing the keep to fall into ruin. Several of his apprentices came looking for him; he slew two before demanding the rest help him fortify his dungeon even more. One refused and managed to escape: Jhesiyra Kestellharp, who would later become Magister and would provide what little was known about Halaster
• 340 DR Eaerlann elves seeing human abuse of magic shunt off outside time and space creating the first knot (First Sundering)
• ~in the Year of the Telling Tome, 668 DR, a number of mages from across Cormanthyr and especially in Myth Drannor started to vanish, the cause unknown. The only sign was visible portals in Myth Drannor crackling and flashing blue lightning with rumors that Jhesiyra was collecting power
• ~By the early 11th century DR, the now city of Waterdeep had expanded to encompass the ruins of Halaster's Hold. In the Year of the Bold Barbarian, 1007 DR, Ahghairon cast magical wards on the ruins to stop its hazards getting out into the city.
• ~1358 Godswar.  Time of Troubles.  Arcane magic became dangerous as the weave was unregulated as gods to mortal form.
• ~While tainted by the goddess Shar in 1369 DR, Halaster plotted to steal the secret of silver fire from the goddess Mystra and her Chosen, using drow and the Red Wizards of Thay. This was foiled by the Seven Sisters
• ~In the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR, Elminster was inadvertently sent to the Nine Hells while defending the Dalelands from the Shadovar. Mystra made a bargain with Halaster that she would try to cure his insanity if he rescued Elminster from Hell. Halaster agreed, and entered Avernus. Though he was unsuccessful, and had to be rescued in turn by Alassra Silverhand, Mystra kept her word, and managed to partially cure him. She then proceeded to blast Asmodeus with Halaster's insanity.
• ~1374 open war on Myth Dranor and boosting Church of Shar against Mystra. Shortly after dawn on Eleint 30, the Year of Risen Elfkin, 1375 DR, an earthquake struck Waterdeep. Though the city suffered little damage, many people there saw visions of Halaster screaming, his eyes ablaze with rage, sorrow, and swimming stars. Arcane magic users who saw the visions also reported scenes of destruction in the vast maze of Undermountain: pillars cracking and crumbling, chasms and rifts opening, and explosions of sparks. Many thought Halaster dead from attempting a powerful ritual as he hurled desperate visions and compulsions to people all across the continent.
• ~1385 Mystra dead, weave destroyed for a second time.
  • The second time this occurred was when the goddess Mystra was assassinated in 1385 DR sent by Shar and Cyric
  • ~The Storm of Blue Fire.  The Spellplague manifested in Toril as a storm of blue flames in the Mhair Jungles, west of Halruaa, and quickly grew to a massive size. Halruaan wizards, having divined the death of Mystra and the destruction of the Weave, were able to use the energy of the blue fire to save most of their kingdom by shifting it into another world, Abeir.
  • ~Nobanion tried to save a pride of lions in Gulthandor from oncoming blue fire. He came in contact with the blue fire, and it mutated him into a dark and bestial lion with a mane of blue flame.
  • ~The Spellplague pulled back the Feywild into Toril's proximity, reopening the paths between the two planes again.
  • ~Rifts opened in the Underdark beneath the Sea of Fallen Stars, causing the level of water to drop, cutting many ports off from their livelihood and creating the Underchasm.
  • ~Humans that were somehow tied to the Shadowfell were affected by the Spellplague and transformed into a "new race", the shadar-kai.
  • ~Evermeet was pushed into the plane of Faerie, leaving behind a pale shadow of what the island of the elves used to be, though the isle's residents could move back and forth from Faerie to Faerûn at will.
  • ~In Waterdeep, the Walking Statues of Waterdeep (most resided in the Ethereal Plane) appeared in the city and began to rampage. The Blackstaff at the time was unable to control them or banish them back to the Ethereal Plane. _{Wailing Years | Forgotten Realms Wiki | Fandom}
• ~By 1395 DR, the majority of the effects of the Spellplague had come to an end and most arcane magic had returned to a semblance of normality
• ~By 1479 DR, areas of Toril still affected by the Spellplague were referred to as Plaguelands.
• ~By 1480 DR, the Spellplague had ended with the event known as Mystra's Return. The Weave was resurrected with the goddess and magic became what it was before the Spellplague, though some areas with lingering effects from it remained.
• ~In 1482 DR Lord Ao began the Second Sundering, as a way to restore the worlds of Toril and Abeir of the ravages of the Spellplague.
• ~1492 Beast God Malar (opposed by Nobanion’s mate Lurue)  Lurue dead no one stops Malar Evermeet in trouble

_{In recent years, evil has been stirring in the Sword coast and rumors of terrors and tragedies in far off lands start to surface.}  

_{Phandelin: Pessius Anguish Arniera had fled Waterdeep after refusing to serve the selfish aims of a Blackstaff mage, bringing the charismatic but gruff Zanalor Liadon to a tavern in Neverwinter.  They met Gydion Jo’Daelus and Froderick the Bronze, two stalwart servants of the light and took up work that would be only the first step in an epic journey.  The Spear saved Phandelin, a hamlet hugging the northern span of the Sword Mountains,  from the machinations of the Black Spider.  Some arcane adversary had seized Wave Echo Cave, a lair dug into the same mountains that run all the way down to Waterdeep and the fabled Mount Waterdeep itself.  The ultimate aims of the Black Spider remained a mystery but seemed focused on some ancient source of magic fueling a forge below the mountains. Many factions including the Emerald Enclave, the Harpers,  the Lords’ Alliance and the Order of the Gauntlet slowly united in the common goal to unravel the mystery, while more nefarious guilds like the Zhentarim and Xanathar Guild seemed to step up their own activities.}

_{Barovia: Fates then quickly forced them into Barovia to toil under the ever watchful dread lord of that realm. In this demiplane, time seemed to flow strangely and a fog shunted many of the divine powers and portents they had come to rely on.  Souls were consumed in that plane, and no new soul had been born in centuries.  Slowly the band came to learn that the devil Strahd was once a promising young general and scholor from a far off land that - shunted to this land - had fallen to evil, killing his brother Sergei and causing the death of the woman they both loved.  In the centuries since, he had grown in power thanks to despicable deals made with the power of the Amber Temple.   During their adventures, Pessius was overcome and the spirit she had imprisoned briefly took over.  Cynder had been sought by the Blackstaff mage that betrayed her not long ago for the wild magic she was able to tap into.  However, Zanalor soon struck a bargain with the Vistana gypsies and restored Pessius, but leaving some small channel open to the wild magic within. Strahd entreated Nuitt to take his place but, failing to close that black bargain, fought them. The Spear defeated Strahd, though not without sacrifice.  When all seemed lost in the bowels of Strahd’s castle, some thin filament of fate managed to pierce the fog and save the young heroes from undeath.}  

_{Most returned to Faer’un, wiser and wealthier.  Nuitt Sidenettle, having lost a young love Muriel, remained in Barovia and returned to his monastic traditions in an eternal vigil atop Mount Ghakis.  Pessius resumed studies and service with the Blackstaff in Waterdeep, rising to a trusteed apprentice of Vahjra herself though many in the tower felt her unworthy due to her demonic heritage and the taint of wild magic.  Zanalor stuck to her side, helping to raise the orphan Myrtle - now Galiana - to a young Queen’s Guard captain and staying somewhat out of trouble.  Gwydion spent the year searching for his son in the criminal alleys of Waterdeep and Skullport with help from the Open Lords of Waterdeep.  Froderick ministered to many in the same streets of that town.}

_{Waterdeep: In the late Spring of DR 1492, evils that had simmered just under the surface in so many places seemed to erupt.  Worshippers of the Dead Three revolted in Baldurs Gate, Avernus (the first layer of Hell) claimed the entire city of Elturel leaving only a crater, and the seas themselves seemed to roil with frightful creatures of legend.  Malevolence spilled into the streets of Waterdeep.  Devil-worshippers of Waterdeep including the Cassalanters became more brazen, seeking to strengthen themselves and their wicked patrons with sacrifices and pacts with unnamed denizens of the Underdark.  A conflict between the Xanathar's Thieves' Guild and the Zhentarim escalated into a street war fueled not just by their own greed but a growing pressure from Undermountain and secretive forces in the city itself.  The Wizard Manshoon**, long thought by the Blackstaff to have had his final clone destroyed by Halaster, was seen by some to have started  something within Kolat tower and odd enclaves throughout the city.  The Bregan D'aerthe under the drow Jarlaxle worked secretly to strongarm the Lords' Alliance and consolidate their shipping network and admit the port of Luskan (the Bregan D’aerthe stronghold) onto their council.}

_{Amid this upheaval, the House Neverember sent agents to Waterdeep in hopes of finding the Dragon Vault rumored to hold the half a million gold dragons Dagult Neverember embezzled during his tenure as Open Lord. Four young adventurers that we now know as the Dungeon Delvers found themselves with a tavern and a long list of enemies.  Ysarra Hotpotatos, a neophyte priestess of Valkur, was saved from a shipwreck and sent on a mission to find strength for her god against the evil tides that swell.  Malsanos toiled in Trollskull Alley while a dwarf druid Sumfun followed a pull from his forests to the crowded city streets.  Rhassbaradhon "Boo" Me'itner, failed applicant to Blackstaff and arcane tinkerer, joined them in games of chance but all were quickly pulled into a web more vast than they could fathom.  They found the Dragonvault but also woke the ire of some of the hidden adversaries of Waterdeep, namely Jaraxle and Vajra Blackstaff herself.  Malsanos went alone to confront Jaraxle, awakening a good number of daddy issues and shooting him before being killed by the Bregan D'aerthe but revived by Froderick.  Separately, the Blackstaff Vajra had sealed a bargain with the dark to seize more power in exchange for surrendering some of Faer’un to a Marilith and those she served.  Late in their travels Boo was taken by too sexy demons and was left in the foothills by the Delvers, but the party was then aided by an amical orc cook and a slinky blood hunter.  The Delvers journeyed overseas, to islands, into the Shadowfell, and into the frozen north to meet Auril herself** who made promises of power in exchange for worship and duty.  Resisting the goddess, the party discovered the demonic forces siphoning the eddies of power from the Sword Coast and stopped the Marilith from her ultimate aims.  They are then tasked by the lords of Waterdeep to seek out and stop Xanathar and the flood of evils starting to spill up from undermountain.}

_{**Auril was a member of the Deities of Fury, along with Malar, Umberlee, and Talos. Umberlee and Auril cooperated with some degree of confidence, while Malar and Auril despised each other.  Malar is opposed to Nobanion and Evermeet both who fight the Furies.   Auril tried freezing the north to stop Umberlee.  She used the everlasting rime that she powered from ancient netherese city that fell - She was betrayed when Umberlee convinced the other Dieties to fight her and after the second sundering was weak.  She needs the worship in the north, she needs the power of Ythryn but she needs to stop Umberlee ...}

_{Saltmarsh: Tales of the Delvers and the vast riches quickly spread, most notably through a song penned by the bard Abejunio El Guapo who for several years has sailed the merchant coast with his young friend Jom.  Recently they took work in the village of Saltmarsh near the Mere of Dead Men, just north of Thornhold and just west of Phandelin.  Like most of the Sword Coast, Saltmarsh had seen an outbreak of crimes, murders and mysteries befall its people.  Abe was soon joined by Ellie Han, a cleric that had suffered under a mysterious religious cult, as well as the traveling companions Adamas the Paladin and Lleysash the sorcerer.  The paladin had come to help the young sorcerer flee from the village of Phandelin in the wake of unpleasant revalations and manifestations of his wild magic. They united in helping the town council stop several smaller incursions, but the broader brushstrokes of murder and darker prophesies pushed both time and tide towards a calamitous confrontation.  The Wizlards, in seeking to help the lizardfolk and the people of Saltmarsh against an invasion from the Sauhaugin, learned that their own threads had been spun into the narrative by deliberate and deceitful hands.  The paladin (now revealed as young Lilli), narrowly escaping the attention of the Delvers and their foes in creekbend, found herself the unwitting emissary for Xisar, the blue Kraken most had now thought only a legend.  Xisar had sent Lilli to take charge of Lleyash, a young and unique sea elf with an uncanny aptitude for wild magic.} 

_{The Wizlards confronted the dread Kraken Xisar, ended the machinations of the scarlet brotherhood, and saved Saltmarsh from the Sauhaugin scourge but were not strong enough to ferret out the dim designs of the Talos infidels. Ellie Han, the young thief struggling with revenants and voices that filled her from a past life betrayed by a dark temple, reluctantly assumed her watch over evil tides swirling under the Sword Coast, watching Lleyash, Abe, and Lilli all scatter to the four winds.}   

After the food fight and renegotiating their stay at the Academy with the Headmaster, the Spear found themselves fighting the great devil summoned in the bowels of the Lower Quarters. The skeletal guardians and immense devil raised offered no answers to the questions that started distracting our heroes.  How did they get there?

In the hours prior, they’d sidestepped murderous run-ins with most of the students.  The absent Yazol, who’s dorm was littered with old treatises on the Blood War and notes on summoning. Gemma Shadowdusk, the girls from Pessius’ dream, who they’d learned sent Yazol on a fool's errand and other students to meet their death* with ‘the Apprentice’.  Nylas and his ogre bodyguard, asking them to steal spellbooks from the Headmaster, and suggesting that the Headmaster, like Optimus Prime, is more than meets the eye.  The drow Elan Thor, who entreated them to kill Spite Harrowdale and restart a smuggling ring, saying there was a secret portal back to Undercity he’s used for this purpose.  Everyone wants everyone dead but unwilling to take action.  The Spear soon found that Yazol had not been idle, and summoned the great bone devil ‘to battle the darkness’ but was overcome, if they read the small puddle of intestines correctly.

*(Dorothea to meet the wizard, the lion, the tin man and her death in Wyllowood)

With great gorilla punches and the sun sword swinging blindly in the arcane darkness, the Spear ultimately vanquished the devil and its guardians.  Still tending to their many many wounds, they staggered back towards the common room, only to meet another band of adventurers. 

The Dungeon Delvers had negotiated the shimmering gates and runes, talking to the disembodied voice of the mountain who led them towards the gates of the Academy.  Faint recognition and short greetings passes among many of them; Pessius had helped shepherd them in their quest for the Dragon Vault, Nuitt testing their mettle, Zanalor trying to steer them from trouble and then being freed from his captivity after their appeal to the Open Lord.  Promising to reunite and compare notes, the heroes engaged with another set of newcomers. 

Standing near the arcane cabinet and the ‘Thay You Will’ game, three figures doffed their hoods, revealing Helion Moonstar, his engineer MocGeiver, and the Open Lord herself.  Lareal Silverhand remarked that the party had apparently been enjoying themselves.  She confessed that a smuggling portal had been found in Skullport, letting them come to find the party.  The Spear was dubious and chagrined at having been sent ‘the long way’, but Lareal insists that the need is great.  The terrors that continue to spill into Waterdeep are now only part of her concern.  She needs the Spear to honor their oaths and stop the Mad Mage at all costs.  As the Spear goes to find the Headmaster to secure his promise for safe passage below, the Open Lord turned to the Delvers.  She did not send them on this errand below, but is grateful to find them, as another need is one only they can address.

The Delvers learn that the Sword Coast is plagued by more than the monsters of Waterdeep.  Temples and towns all over Faer’un have been defiled right at the time of the Shieldmeet, and the lords of the great cities are at a loss.  Esvele told her new companions that she’d visited many of these temples during her wandering hunt for Boo and other truths and filled in some lore.  Shieldmeet is a festival every four years, aligning with many important rites and rituals among the races of the world. Elves celebrate Cinnaelos'Cor where elven archers celebrate the start of a new age, the Wild Hunt of Meliki rides against the beasts and Gods of Fury, and the priestesses of Selune perform the Conjuring of the Second Moon, calling astral shards from the Goddess herself to fall to earth and push back the evils and darkness in the world.  Lareal told the Delvers that she’s had to dispatch every able-bodied soul to protect the temples, but the death toll has been too great and the damage already done.  She appealed to the healers in particular, but confronted with their hesitancy confesses that she can’t sent the Spear.  In sending the Queen’s Guard, she’s also allowed the daughter of Pessius and Zanalor to assist, and that daughter – like so many others – has not returned.  She needs the Spear to fulfill their charge while asking the Delvers to help her honor her promise to them, rescue Galiana and restore the Waterdeep’s temple if they can.

Their escorts led the Delvers to the small Academy store and the false wall, passing to a small portal in a hidden room.  The Open Lord noted that she’ll come find them again; the portal can’t be used from above, as the portal’s key is a jeweled skull that Lareal must keep herself.  She promised to find them in short order and activated the portal, triggering the mountains glowing rune as the Delvers pass through, returning them to Skullport and a hurried slog back to the frightened streets of Waterdeep above.

Even as the Delvers made their way to Selune’s Temple in the city, down below the face of Lareal turned to her companions.  The glamour on her features faded, showing her to be drow Cai’lel Cadarn.  She regards her drow companions.  “Find the others.  Time is short.”

·       The Spear is still tasked with stopping Halaster and flood of evils from Undermountain.  They need to get past the Academy and the Headmaster promised to provide them passage.

·       The Delvers are standing in darkened entrance of Waterdeep’s Temple of Selune, the steps clogged with frightened and injured townsfolk unable to get any respite within

·       The DM is looking at a parade of still unpainted minis and futher truncating his adventure but promising to do better at OBX!

(The Headmaster granted the Spear two spellbooks (mage and archmage). They also have

• 1 journal
• 1 note
• 345 gp
• 1 glaive (L)
• 1 chainmail (L)
• 1 gem (chime of openning)

Leaving the school store with some nunchucks and potions....

Explored south dorms (at least the DJs)

Killed Cephalosk after he asked you to help him kill the girl

Slept in Spite's Room. "What is the test? Killing everyone?" "Um, yes?" Large closet for the half ogre body guard. Something in the ceiling smells nauseating. Decided to help by stealing the headmasters spellbook and also privately help the sisters escape by making a diversion. It was intricate and clever but sadly Hannibal did not love that plan.

But it was not much of a diversion since the headmaster was not yet in his office. Zanalor set off a trap and felt his brain fry a bit so left to go follow the sweet girl that took a muffin full in her face. Pessius found many interesting books... but...

The headmaster seems unimpressed with her greater invisibility (thanks, Devil's Sight) and after a quick barrage of counterspells including one she quickly recognizes as rather beefy which makes her want that spellbook even more. he agrees not to fry if they will finally take care of the "sanitation project", clarifying that an overzealous student took to summoning devils when only minor demons were permitted. somewhere in the lower halls is the problem that needs sorting.

Zanalor follows the girl but arrives at large rancid flesh golemns. Makes his way back only to be propositioned by a drow Elan Thor. The party begins making their way back there after a short stop by the DJ and library. T

Not far from Elan's room, sounds are heard

Bethesda February.  The Delvers wiped the Middle Earth gore from their armor and carefully made their way north down the dark tunnel, pausing at the DMs repeated references to drums in the dark and open musings on the mysterious ring they found.  They arrived at a turn with an acid-scarred skeleton pointing down the western tunnel.  Esvele and Malsanos made haste while Ysara decided to keep her noisy armor to herself and snapped into a Slim Jim while she waited.

The western tunnel soon opened to a narrow landing on the shore of the same river that had brought them into these depths, with a nondescript rowboat with a blanket tethered to the shore.  Esvele, slowly overcoming her shock at the recent carnage, stepped into the boat to peek under the blanket only to learn it was actually a tongue. 

The river mimic quickly held her fast and started moving into the current while Malsanos unleashed a barrage from Bad News.  This was effective but bloodied Esvele as well, who bravely decided to fight instead of break free. Her shrieks also heralded the arrival of a large cave bear.  Sumfun was ready to dogpaddle to the rescue and took a hefty bite out of the side of the boat, which now also held him fast as the water started seeping in and sinking the trio.  Esvele fought free, the mimic died after a few more wounds, and the party gave a collective high five as Ysara arrived loudly but sexy like.

The party backtracked and took the north passage which continued to wind down in the dark ending in a gargantuan hole easily 30 feet across.  A chimney of sorts.  The party found signs in the earth of past monster travels and deep below sounds of scraping, clawing, inhuman shrieks could be hear in the distance.  A torch was dropped and fell from sight.  The party (wisely?) decided not to attempt a descent.

Returning to the tunnel mouth and crossing the bridge, the party returned to the jade temple and informed the dragon Tearulai that the tunnel was clear and a large hole did in fact exist to speed his exit.  While he was dubios, the promise of dead wyrmlings in the tunnel sparked his interest and he took flight, leaving the Delvers to trespass into the temple loft.

A well-organized treasure was found neatly piled in the center of the dusty room, directly below a large hole in the ceiling.  Most of the party took the coin (2,400 gp) leaving the 6,000 sp and 15,000  because no one has huge pockets).  They also nabbed a 500 gp black pearl with a minor magical property (it glows faintly when undead are within 120 feet of it), a ring of animal influence, a scroll of summon greater demon, and a journal written with text they couldn’t understand (but would recognize symbols if they saw them again).  Esvele investigated to conclude the coded journal was written in a transposition cipher that needs some outside input with the only clue being the series of symbols used on the books binding.

Finding faint human tracks in the dusty floor, the party found a secret door in the corner of the room gained entrance to a small pristine closet chamber with an immaculate floor and a large stone arch which somewhere another party recognized as a gate portal.  The Delvers, thrilled with their new discovery, entered to investigate but the floor was trapped with a glyph and soon a toxic cloud was spreading into the room.  At this time, the party also heard great wings above and a sonorous challenge.  “Who is at my treasure?  Is it you, little wyrmlings?”  An unhappy green dragon head poked through the hole in the main chamber and a deceitful diplomatic joust began.  Combat was only avoided as the Ysara honestly claimed she didn’t take any treasure.  Esvele somewhat less successfully tried to persuade Terulai that nefarious dwarves had stolen away into the forest.

With a temporary reprieve and the need to flee the cloudkill spell, the party quickly fled the temple, found the tunnel exit opened by Wyllow, and accessed a glowing run which spoke to their minds.  She did not seem to like Sumfun. “Strange. She did not bring you. Strange… you may be enough…”  Before the voice faded, the party asked who she was and she simply said “…the mountain…I am one of his. Held prisoner for so long. I will help you….” Then faded away like Yogurt and the schwarz.  They took the leap of faith across a river and began a descent towards a swampy cavern and ultimately hoped to find some arcane academy rumored to be deeper in the mountain.

At the same time the Delvers were making friends with druids, the fickly railroading fingers of fate found the Spear of Phandelin (META: group decided this placeholder name was fine until you come up with something else) left the bullywog swamp and descended into an ancient hallway with a set of double doors and **gasp** another glowing rune.  “You persist. But you are followed. It must be you. You know what you must do.”  Zanalor wasn’t entirely sure on that so she persisted, entreating the Spear to stop Halaster before he ends everything.   Zanalor, who interacted with the rune, received a random roll table boon which ultimately didn’t do anything (You recover all expended spell slots 6th level and lower.  If you have no spell slots to recover, a magical shield surrounds you for one hour instead.  This shield grants you resistance to all damage and can't be dispelled, though contact with an anitmagic field destroys it.)

Through those doors, a trapped hall appeared with bright mosaics of magic battles and statues of eighteen wizards of all different magic schools on both sides.  The party took playful hops, finding and disarming traps but did not avoid the attention of a man’s left arm floating near the end of the hall and a larger set of double doors.   A battle ensued and Pessius quickly learned that the arm was casting powerful spells including Time Stop and perhaps other deadly efforts, but she cast a globe of invulnerability which most of the party except the most plucky used.  It was soon clear that one floating limb was outmatched and as it dissipated the double doors opened admitting a tall man in flowing robes. “Yes, yes, enough with Manshoon…” a name that means a lot to the party exploring somewhere overhead.   He introduces himself as the headmaster and explained that “the fabled Dweomercore” provides the best instruction of the arcane arts unhampered by the ineptitudes above.  Those not gifted might win passage by helping with “an overdue sanitary service.”  The party didn’t ask for clarity so none was given.  Zanalor surprised him with a short demonstration and soon he and Pessius were bamfed away leaving Nuitt and Peter to take themselves through the doors to the main central square.

Zanalor and Pessius appeared in a small meeting room and were immediately left alone as well, with the headmaster simply saying they would need to complete testing.  Exploring their immediate environs, they avoided a demolished classroom with rather ominous rumblings within, noting two sets of stairs down and also passing but not exploring a dining hall with an ornate tapestry at one end.  They were interested in sounds to the south of a pitched battle, and through a couple doors found a Tiefling fighting three wizard like constructs and not doing well.  As they arrived, she surrendered to the wizards and they retreated to alcoves in this spellcasting chamber.  They learned she was named Turbulence and asked if they would help she and her sister Violence escape the school by creating a distraction.  In return she would help them with whatever she knows.  She tells them Violence is most likely with the headmaster Halaster in his office and nods to the north (where they had come from).

At the same time, Peter and Nuitt explored the central square.  A visitor registration desk with names crossed out and happy skulls next to each.  A central fountain.  A reading niche with a Rashemi man reading (about Ahghairon, the archwizard who founded Waterdeep) guarded by a hulking half-ogre woman.  Nuitt found a creepy portrait gallery showing past graduating classes with one picture notable as Halaster appears in all portraits except a central one.  A room with some kind of aracane college radio station helmed by a lithesome Yuan-Ti (Belouisss Ssssome) with a “shitty bard” paper taped to her back who promptly announced the arrival of “new party favors” to the academy and begins to play “Lady in Red” while drawing sad hearts on her paper.  

Peter meanwhile found another alcove in the square that had a student registry below the bust of a feral jackal like creature.  The book is open to a page for the current year 1492 and all names have an icon like a demon or devil next to them as well as one indicating a school of magic. The top names seem to be in heavier red lettering. The last three names have been struck through.

• Gemma Shadowdusk (demon evocation)
• Elan Tanor’thal (demon conjuration)
• Nylas Jowd (demon necromancy)
• Spite Harrowdale (devil illusion)
• Cephalossk (devil transmutation)
• Turbulence (devil evocation)
• Violence (devil evocation)
• Belois Some (demon enchantment)
• Pessius Arineria (devil divination)
• Zanalor Liadon (demon illusion)
• Yazul Ko (devil conjuration)
• Dorothea Baum (devil illusion)
• Terenzio Cassalanter (devil enchantment)

When Nuitt joined him, Peter pointed out the room with the curious cabinet nearby and when the party was fully joined again through the doors connecting the central square to the spellcasting chamber to the west, the Spear took turns at the cabinet mastering “Thay You Will”.  The cabinet’s illusion had them control a red wizard fighting symbols for Harpers, Witches, and eventually large boss battles against the Seven Sisters themselves.  Victors received a handful of tickets featuring a cheering Halaster on one side an a lich Ssass Tam on the other.

The party decided to check the Library, where an ill-conceived (DM) event unfolded.  Huge bookshelves promising a treasure of lore beyond even that of Candlekeep.  Desks with small floating luminous orbs and curious display cases that the party did not find curious enough but held wands from wizards with small placards denoting their provenance.  Some famous names like Silverhand, Soulmore.  Other odd names like Spengler and Stanz.  Oh well.  Ghostbusters library battle ensued without getting the wands to cross the streams.  The librarian was pretty sweet though.  The ghost had a power to make characters sleepy (Nuitt), horny (Pessius), confused (Peter), or Berserk (Zanalor) but as it played out wasn’t able to do much as the party kept her at bay but did little damage.  A slow slog. Sorry.

While untold answers wait to be found in the great library, the party was really feeling school spirit and hell-bent on finding a school store, asking at the odd music desk of a young elf (with a sign “same shitty bard” taped to its back) and getting directions to the west.  Passing the same spellcasting chamber and there pausing only to note a gore-soaked rabbit laying on a top hat and slowly gnawing on the intestines of “the amazing Kressangel.” Passing the unexplored dining hall and other rooms to descend the stairs in the north and entering what seems to be a floor with classrooms and dorms.  One door had a doorframe carved with arcane sigils showing schools of magic and another a lecture hall, but excitement for the ultimately underwhelming school store was high so they pressed ahead.

One room, when opened, briefly paused the persistent pursuit of the school store.  Opening the door, all saw a dorm room clearly belonging to a woman, with silk bedsheets, soft furs from exotic beasts, fresh fruit, a censer next to a cushioned wicker chait etc etc.  However, it was the dresser that caught Pessius, who felt the strong pull of divination and déjà vu, recalling “the small vase on your bedstand to check yourself in the mirror, a stranger staring back with bright red hair and beautiful grey eyes. You straighten your purple wizards robe and run to open the door to you chamber, whispering "Acamar..”  A short search of the desk reveals a diary which is not a school store so was pocketed unread.  This chronicler expects someone at some point will read it so below are salient point.

The diary belongs to a Gemma Shadowdusk. The book affords a rare glimpse into the insane mind of a Shadowdusk family member. In addition to expressing contempt for her peers in Dweomercore, Gemma rails against the constraints placed on her by the headmaster. She contemptuously chronicles her fellow students, mentioning efforts to end them. She believes this is the actual “test” the headmaster expects, subduing other students. Last year she sent Dorothea to the Apprentice knowing he would find some unsavory use for her.  She made a pact with the twins to feed another peer "to the kettle". She also speaks of an imaginary lover named Acamar, who comes from the void beyond the sky, and talks about visits to the Far Realm in her dreams. Acamar has been counseling her on how to advance but increasingly adamant that she stop Yazol in his efforts to summon devils.

The dresser contained ten sets of fine clothes and a set of traveler’s clothes and a small chest lay at the base.  This is also not a school store unless, like Narnia, it lay beyond the wardrobe.  So the Spear left and ultimately found reached their destination.  Huzzah.

Up a small set of stairs from the dorms and classrooms, the small round arcane shop was quiet with a number of wares on tidy shelves – many seeming made by students in the course of their studies – and staffed by an apathetic Aarakoa named Schuster.

·       Armor of Fungal Spores - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) (Chain Shirt) UC

·       Astral Shard - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 3500g

·       Lantern of Revealing - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 450g

·       Philter of Love - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 250g

·       Pixie Dust - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 370g

·       Potion of Diminution - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

·       Psi Crystal - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

·       Restorative Ointment - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 4 charges 400g

·       Scroll of Protection - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) fiends fey or undead 3500g

·       Smokepowder - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 200g

·       Spell Scroll - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

o   Lightning Arrow - Spells - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 3rd level 300g

o   Detect Magic - Spells - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 1st level 75g

o   Magic Mouth - Spells - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 2nd 150g

o   Evard’s Black Tentacles - Spells - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 4th 500g

·       Wand of Enemy Detection - Magic Items - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)

·       Nunchucks - Magic Items - Homebrew - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com) 3000g

Nuitt got the Nunchucks and all began to wonder what to do.

OBX January.   There was some pregame preparation including the rule on ranged attacks (disadvantage while ANY hostile creature withing five feet of attacker) and the short summary of the group heading down before through Skullport, losses and divination dreams, and the services available to sell magic items or transfer magical properties.

The tavern had been doing passably well [rolled for cost profit over the past 5 tenday periods resulting in 240g for the tavern] but the heroes were restless for their own reasons.  Sumfun felt a bit lost and disconnected at Midsummer,  Ysara’s second Valkur temple had been struggling with sailors and citizens both growing fearful of monsters from below and storms to the south (Wizlards) with few answers to their prayers.  Malsaños helped at his fathers’ forge and stayed distant from Fitemi, but hadn’t charted and new path for his days until last night.

At the same time the Spear (first Phandelin group) went through their gate, the Delvers got summoned to the Yawning Portal and down to Skullport.  There you met with two drow, the proprietor of the Flagon and Dragon Cailel Cadarn and a large engineer named Moc’Geiver.  He noted that Waterdeep has sent soldiers and heroes below and that the Bregan D'aerthe wants Malsaños to enter Undermountain to ensure that events unfold to their benefit – that Silverhand doesn’t disrupt the drow below and any change in status quo serves the network.  Malsaños made an inspired (point) and heated rebuke of Moc, asking why he should trust anything when they were happy to stand idle when his father murdered him and cast him away, pounding tables and pointing to his true friends saying he would listen but would be interested only where their interests are also cared for.  Moc’Geiver clearly had no regard for the others so dismissed that out of hand.  He promised Malsaños “what you want the most” perhaps justice, retribution, his birthright.  He suggested that he and others are less than happy with Jaraxle as well and might welcome a change.  In the end, all conceded that a journey below may serve multiple aims even if they don’t align. As Malsaños pointed out while getting lost in his own sentence, “It’s true that the timepiece at times will tell the right time…”

Helion Moonstar approached as Moc’Geiver left and made introductions, offering to buy Ysara’s formidable Efreeti chain (she turns him away with sass, gaining inspiration) and ultimately agreeing to buy the Deck of Many Things from Sumfun for 23,520g (and some other mundane items) and also agreed to hold these funds for the Delvers, witnessed by the Watch and a member of the Lord’s Alliance.

The first offer to buy the Deck was rejected by Sumfun, causing a spit take from a lithesome half-elf who had been sitting at the bar.  You were reintroduced to Esvele Rosnar, who was already a few pints past reason and lambasted the table for being so quick to move on from losing their friend Rhasbaradon.  She didn’t understand why they didn’t bother to research the “why” or even if their friend may even yet be in need. She alluded to her own efforts and travels with little detail, only that they’ve led her down here with Meleghost Starseer.  Ysarra rejoins with a quiet yet powerful rebuke of her own. “You’re better than this” and starts killing Esvele’s tirade with kindness, resulting in Esvele joining up with the Delvers the next morning.  Because they can’t use the nearby waygate – an arcane gateway allowing travel between levels but keyed on a unique item or action – the Delvers (now loaded up with 20 days of rations) were taken to a rowboat on the river Saragauth and sent down into the dark.

While the early rowing was easy enough, the last half of their water journey showed no place to make a mooring or rest.  After 14 hours on the boat and a mounting uncertainty if they missed their only exit, they became exhausted and could no longer scout or row effectively.  Luckily, the cold and dark channel opened to an autumn forest with a morning sky and life all around.  The party struggled to land the boat on the western shore, but Malsaños made a crossbow grappling hook and Sumfun turned into a bear to finally push the boat to safety.  The party took a long rest in cliffside crevasse, doffing their armor in order to rid themselves of their exhaustion and wake to an afternoon sun and a Hydra that took interest in them until Esvele chopped of a head (making two more) and the party all do JUST enough damage each turn [<25] to win the day without causing more heads.

The Delvers poked their way through a few ruined and derelict buildings (a tavern, a garrison) and scout using the crumbling walls that dot the forest.  Splitting the party, Esvele and Malsaños examined a refreshing but disquieting pool near a western cliff, ultimately put off by giant ape skull under the waters or the smear of blood sliding down the far wall.  Meanwhile, Sumfun and Ysara pushed deeper into the lush forest, now finding rusted adventurers’ gear around the grounds and frightening totems or effigies among the trees.  At this time, the autumn sun set and illumination from an impossibly large tree to the east was evident.  The party reconnected and made their way to lights.

The huge tree was an arboreal palace, replete with an awakened tree named Halastree carved to look like a bearded man as well as a displacer beast pet Crisann and a timeless druid named Wyllow.  She welcomed the party conditionally to her realm and palace, admonishing them to do no harm to the innocent creatures in her domain.  Malsaños made flowery speeches and she is pleasantly surprised by his humility but clearly put off by his race.  He quietly directed the party’s attention to a symbol she wears around her wrist – the lions head on a green shield Sumfun immediately recognized as the symbol for Nobanion.  While Halastree wordlessly dissuaded Esvele from exploring given the large crate of totemic effigies at her feat, Wyllow entreated the Delvers to prove their worth by ridding the forest of the blight to the north, though clearly without any hope that the Delvers would actually honor the ask.  All stayed the rest of the evening into early morning and set out while it was still dark.

In the north forest they found a ruined church on a hill surrounded by a neglected cemetery with grave markers all over 200 years old.  As the party approached the ruin, Malsaños and Ysara were confronted by wight clawing it’s way from a grave while Esvele and Sumfun squared off against a large horned skeleton and – for a moment – an ethereal specter which soon disappeared.  Both Sumfun (pre-bear) and Ysara caused the night’s storm overhead to send bolts of lightning into the fray and the wight and skeleton were soon defeated, but Esvele was now hacking at Sumfun’s bear hide with her swords.  Malsaños failed to tackle her and the party set out beating Esvele into an unconscious pulp.  The specter reappeared and was dispatched with haste, while Ysara and Sumfun set about restoring some of the thief’s health.  They moved ahead up to the ruined church, where a bit more health would have been nice.

An odd creature clawed up from a central pit, huge with plant-like roots but skeletal arms, claws and skull around a torso that was once humanoid.  The foe summoned dire wolves and wrapped foes in roots, teleported in swarms of pecking crows, and was generally unpleasant.  However, the Delvers were equally unpleasant with Sumfun’s fire elemental, Ysara’s spirit guardians, Esvele’s devastating flanks and ripostes, and the gritty explosive shots ringing from Malsaños’ Bad News.  Though Ysara fell in battle, you won the day and over a short rest found hysterical journal papers and bits of cloth from the corpse that still defied logic.  The journal ended with mad scratchings "whatwashelookingforwhatwashelookingfor...." and was marked with a stylized "R"

Ysara even (one of several skill-based 20s prompting a DM pivot) found one shattered pew with “H+W” scratched in the wood.  The Delvers briefly explored some of the nearby north forest and elected not to engage with foul, fetid “swamp buffalo” (catoblepas) who were unhappy with your approach.

Turning south toward the palace, the party intended to check on a lifeless expanse they had seen near the river but not before Malsaños ran to the refreshing pool and healed up by taking a deep drought from the waters.  Sumfun greeted a family of five cave bears roaming the woods but contented himself with grunts and waves as they passed through. [From Ysara's notes: "we run into five cave bears and Sumfun decides family time"] In the lifeless garden, Esvele scouted ahead followed by Sumfun and Malsaños while Ysara, still pondering her recent brush with death and not stealthy at all, hung back.  Esvele concluded that the regular hills of the forest might have been houses or huts from a fishing village or (considering the higher crumbling walls) a castle’s hamlet, but the unease she’d been fighting grew and, spying a larger lifeless tree in the center standing over a prone scarecrow, she finally gave into her fear and bolted back to the garrison building.  Sumfun and Malsaños explored the decaying scarecrow, remarking on it’s lifelike features and the creepy tree above.  Sumfun started to talk to the tree. 

Ysara arrested the flight of Esvele who was now in full panic, screaming “I need you to take my temperature!” Ysarra slapped her hard across the face.  Esvele commentted (gaining her own inspiration) “That’s not how my mom took it…” but was calmed again by Ysarra’s steady presence.  They made their way back towards the others but not before Sumfun – no doubt hoping to help the poor tree (gaining the final inspiration) - learned instead that the dead tree is evil, abhors him and all life, is trapped, and Malsaños offered his thoughts on this by dropping trousers to urinate refreshing pool water onto the roots.  The tree (Yggdrasti) sents lightning at the drow, who’s constitution spectacularly failed him and he continued to soil himself completely while skeletal owls exitted the tree and the other Delvers arrived.  Guns, bane spells, thorn whips, wicked scimitars all dispatched the evils (though maybe the urine helped) and the party retreated to the nearby pool largely because the drow insisted that he can’t return to Wyllow looking and smelling as he did.  He and Ysara took more healing waters but when Sumfun took the fourth drought he was assaulted by a slimy pseudopod.  A huge grey ooze fought the party, quickly becoming gargantuan, but the ooze was more annoyance than threat.  It destroyed most of Esvele’s mundane shortsword but quickly dissipated, allowing the Delvers to complete their return to Wyllow.

Wyllow, surprised to see the party alive but appearing grateful, now conceded to offer some answers though perhaps not all [the party had not cleared some optional blight and not explored some other areas which may have helped]. Sumfun, still not sure himself about the knowledge of Nobanion within him, was unwilling to offer any of that to Wyllow but asked about the Mad Mage and this domain, further expanded by others.  Wyllow sensed his unease, attributing it to being under the mountain and far from true nature, and took the party to a wooden fresco they’d passed a couple times, showing cloud chariots pulled by fiery horse coursing through the stars, and using a hidden button on a star revealed a workroom and gave Sumfun “the only one that worked” – a staff of flowers that will help ground him in his travels. Sumfun asked if she knows Larue, which Wyllow found to be an odd question but confirmed that she and Larue were friends for her part and Lurue has been in the woods many times until she died in the blue fire.

Esvele offered the patch of fabric found at the church and asks information on it or what business Wyllow has with Halaster.  “None of yours,” was the short answer.   But Wyllow offered a lot of information about the Mad Mage, Halaster, a master of planar and dimensional magic who forcibly pulled this place into the mountain and has held her an all here a prisoner.  His domain is here for a reason, going back centuries to “a knot in the weave.”  She mentioned apprentices and speculates the creature in the north “must be one of his” mentioning another that studied living spells and gave a voice to the mountain but she hasn’t spoken in a long time.  She mentioned an arcane academy somewhere lower in the mountain where a promising went not long ago.  Yakul may help find more information and, if shown a feather token given to Esvele, might offer something more practical in reward or recognition. 

[Note: Consolidated “Lore Learned” as you advance will be put here as well as a shared, persistent handout within the game]

When asked if the party could linger to get their sleep cycle aligned with the night cycle of the forest, Wyllow returned to one of the items that the party had not explored or investigated, a large stone table that she can use to shift the day or season to something of her liking.  She moved the sun to night causing the whole forest to speed through the day, and bade the party good luck, offering Esvele a creepy dress made of animal hide and spiderweb or a nicer one with bright colors and nature designs/symbology.  Esvele claimed the prettier dress offered in a small wicker basket while Ysara claimed the loyalty of a small mangy dog (that she named Riptide) found earlier hiding under a bed upstairs; Willow is only too happy to be rid of it, surprised “that thing is still here.”  She offered to let the party leave the domain through a sealed entrance to the south.  She is aware of an exit to the east as well where others have gone, but as she has never left the forest can offer nothing further. 

In the new day, the Delvers moved south, passing several ossuaries built into western walls near the palace.  Two searched.  Sumfun searched and was able to deduce that many had been killed with acid and great poison damage but as the bodies were so old there was little left of interest.  Ysarra (rolling a 20) explored outside the second ossuary and found that some remains were more recent, confirming a human female largely buried in the bones had been dead for about a year with some few traces of flesh intact under a threadbare uniform. This body was next to an abnormally large feline skeleton that had been well chewed upon by enormous teeth.  You watched three giant apes swing through the forest.

The party then found a wrecked trader’s cart in the forest nearby, with only a few crates intact.  One held potions, prompting Esvele to revisit her favorite drinking game Best Friends Tea Party and drinking one of the five vials at once.  You found Hot Brown Morning Morning Potion (Sumfun), an Ale of Heroism (Malsaños), a Potion of Bears Endurance (Ysara), and a Potion of Truth that Esvele nabbed though would use in short order.  You also found some billets and scraps of paper placing the cart in a time around 120 years ago and a place – Demara – long distant from the Sword Coast.  Having learned some of the history from Willow by this time, you quickly connected some dots; the cart being outside of place and time connects with what you know.  The Delvers take copious notes from a billet about Gareth Dragonsbane spreading his faith in Damara and seeking supplies and his magic sword and makes the DM feel guilty that maybe this was just temporal window dressing – the DM vowed to make it relevant somehow. 

The Delvers continued south, finding a passage in a south cliff wall with a flickering energy field some 40 feet within.  Wyllow arrived on the displacer beast, shifting forms and ready to honor her pledge to let them pass.  Before that, Esvele connected some dots and Wyllow grudgingly admitted that she was close with Halaster once, that the church was theirs and they were to be married. She was clearly unhappy and unwilling to discuss her business further. As the Delvers weren’t yet ready to depart, she touched the wall an area of blue flame appeared on the wall farther down the tunnel.  The Delvers may leave when they will, but the way back will be closed.  She cautioned them against intruding in the temple to the east, cryptically leaving them with “It’s not for you.”

The four adventurers continued south and east, towards what became clear as an outer bailey wall buried in the mountain, but Ysara picked out a metal glint in a clearing the east.  The party investigated the clearing, with Esvele continuing a string of high skill checks and spotting an enticing handaxe buried in a tree but failing to extract it while the rest of the party examined the rusted nimblewright slowly overgrown with the forest.  Ysara helped free the axe (which Esvele later confirmed to be a Berserker Axe but did not attune to it) while Esvele used extra lamp oil to free the jaw of the construct.  The nimblewright immediately requested the return of his axe and was not immediately open to other questions without further help, prompting Esvele to dump the Potion of Truth down it’s gullet.   It seemed to resist, but offered very truthful information on other random topics.  It was clearing the wood for the Garteth Dragonbane 25^th Spectacular at the direction of Quartermaster Fitzroth of the keep who was a good friend of the aunt and uncle, Elyndra Rosnarstein and Leroyacles Jenkinks who were bringing their cordon of show ponies…… entirely too much information for a session recap but nice that we all wrote it down so there.  It described Willow as that bitch that fried him with lightning and left him for a century until someone else… his story was interrupted by the Anointed Hammer of Valkur collapsing his newly oiled jaw, and a second series of blows reduced him to a melting pile of metal as riptide ran up to it whining plaintively before Ysara called him back.

The collective began remarking on events and similarities to fables of Oz.  Flying monkeys may be bats.  A scarecrow.  This woodsman.  They pondered “falling into a new realm” and began to speculate if they were “serving the bad guy”.  However, there was fun to be had as the party explored some of the collapsed castle in the south, largely subsumed by the mountain but the odd room or hallway still navigable.  Malsaños gutted a large stuffed creature and took the “squatch kit” as a costume despite it’s heavy weight.  Farther south in castle, they found a sunken chamber with a colossal stone statue coming from the earth and a purple worm devouring a bulette on the far end.  While Esvele mused that the statue might look like Halastree, Sumfun gave wise counsel to perhaps avoid this predator and the party left to the north again. 

After a short debate of using the south passage exit and heeding the druid’s caution or investigating the green temple to the east, the plucky crew decided to check out the temple and discovered a tiered ziggurat very similar to the one they fought on with Vajra and the Marilith.  On this Ziggurat, however, a sleeping green dragon stirred, announcing himself and Tearulai and extolling the beauties of Myth Drannor (and Ysara’s armor). Esvele recalled that dragons are intelligent and (with some rolls) that green dragons are known to decimate their foes with poison and are evil.  He commended the wormlings for their proper awe and humility toward the dragon and noted that he and Wyllow shared an accord of sorts to share the forest though he is desperate to leave.  The magic that would allow him to do so is somehow blocked and he is not able to traverse the river either south past the “waterfall to death” or north through smaller tunnels above.  There is a hole, he is certain, in the east past the cliff and he implored the party to make a larger entrance that he might finally exit and return to his home, prompting another verbal explosion about Myth Drannor.  Tearulai also confirmed that Halaster has frequented the wood to see Wyllow and destroyed the North forest quite some time ago.  More recently, a robed woman appeared and caused the storms and blight that remain there today.

The party noticed a jeweled sword embedded deep in the dragon’s skull, the hilt jutting from behind an ear.  Multiple offers to help the dragon by removing the sword were flatly and soundly rejected as he loves his shinies.  As if in foreshadowing, Malsaños confirmed that the sword was precious to him.

The party crossed the bridge over the river to a rickety wooden bridge crossing before a wide cliff waterfall where an encounter could have happened but Ysara spied a ghoulish face watching them from a crevasse 30 feet above on the other side.   That seemed more fun, so the Delvers crossed the bridge, entered a cave, and were spotted by an elven archer who, panicked and weary in his own flight, first saw the drow Malsaños and sent two arrows into his ribs as he asked “who goes there?”.  As both parties gradually filled in – the collective from the bright crevasse and the other from the dark tunnels below – more blows were traded.  Rangers, dwarves, halflings all defended their friend.  But to no avail.  Malsaños used a piercing shot to demolish Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas.  Sumfun summoned 8 wolves and himself ended Frodo and Boromir after Esvele had shattered his horn and a few other things besides.  Merry and Pippin were the last to fall.  At the end of the fight, a hidden ghoulish creature hopped to Frodo’s corpse to retrieve a ring and made a beeline for the exit but it took him by Ysara’s Guardian of Faith who fried him in radiant brilliance.  A ring clattered to the floor while behind and down the tunnel you heard drums. Drums in the deep.  

We turn our attention to Saltmarsh where a new set of heroes is starting to make waves.

In time, these heroes - those who live - will join the Dungeon Delvers and the Saviors of Phandalin in an epic battle for the souls of Waterdeep as we dive into the Lair of the Mad Mage.

Until then, here's an illustration of all of these groups meeting up outside the docks of Waterdeep. It's an artist's representation so there are some things a bit off....

Breakfast. Zanalor brooding. Peter feeling empowered and offering aid everywhere. Nuitt looking content and getting some free food (20 days of rations now for all players)

Pessius snuck out the visit to gnomes who own The Sea Chest. There are other stores in Skullport that may offer clothes and equipment, but nothing like she can get in Waterdeep. For her need the proprietors stitched together a pair of long silk gloves that are a patchwork of some serviceable gloves and silk they repurpose from old clothing

She reentered through the front of the Flagon and Dragon and made a point to sit by Zanalor. The reunion was delicate; it’s clear that he’s been fiercely worried and she is making a point to hide her own pains. She mentioned a “fever dream”, but quickly shifts topics when he mentioned his own dream from a new patron. He has had a pact with Hyrsam, the Prince of Fools. Pessius was surprised, as he’d not shared this patron with her or anyone before. “I’m sure if you had told me this earlier, I would made a point to mention it… often.” The greater surprise was his visit last night from another of the Arch Fey, a woman who gave him new power and a charge. Pessius raised an eyebrow. “So you’re taking orders from another woman now?”

“When have I ever listened?” Zanalor was glad to have Pessius back, and she pulls her chair closer while Cai’lel and Katabek came to visit with a glowing Nuitt. Peter, who had communed with his own visitor overnight, extended her radiance to bolster his new companions. [10 temporary hit point that would soon be need by all]

Lareal stood, having been informed that there seems to be some stirring trouble down the Coast so she can’t linger in Skullport. She asked that the party relent in their revenge against Xanathar – she had made a pledge with the Lords of Waterdeep to quell the Guild’s uprising and thanked the party for their very messy but effective disruption in the lair below – as it’s clear the real danger was coming from deeper in Undermountain itself. She restates the most immediate need that Joroth Brighthelm of the Lords Alliance and Helion Moonrise had described the day before. A band of dwarves led by a Falkir Gravelfist had entered Undermountain with a scrying stone, a great emerald that was set into “a helm like a boar’s head”. They were blind to Undermountain and feared the missing stone that had gone dark could somehow be used against them and the city above. The hard work is at hand as she asked you to push into the uncharted regions of the Mad Mage’s domain.

Pessius asked what the party should expect for payment, given your reputation. Lareal frowned. “Given your reputation, I thought you might do this for good of the people above. Your friends. The family you have in the city.” Pessius pushed back again, but then Peter stood to say that he would do this without coin and for the good of all. Nuitt nodded his assent as well. Zanalor tried to calm Pessius with gentle but still firm tones, reminding her of their daughter and others. Lareal agreed to continue to watch over Galiana, and Pessius finally relented.

Pessius thought to teleport to Waterdeep in the hopes of better outfitting herself and the party. Lareal, however, confirmed that there is a witch of some sort on the second level of Skullport, nodding with her head up to the buildings built on top of the riggings and planks you’ve seen stretch above the streets. “Tasselgryn of The Poisoned Quill [edit: DM didn’t have the name handy at the time] will be able to teleport you for 50 gold per person.” When Pessius asked why they would do that when she can do it herself, Lareal encouraged her to reach out and try. Pessius stretched for her divination powers only to find that her access to her teleportation circles seemed somehow blocked, reminiscent of a feeling she had in her dreams last night. She worried openly how the party would be able to return from the levels below. Lareal confirmed that the party would have to be careful. There are likely more gates, but even as the party descends into Undermountain you’ll need to remember your way back and be mindful of the resources you have left. Pessius remarked how happy she was to be doing this for free.

Helion Moonrise provided more information about House Moonrise’s services available to Silverhand and the party. He or others would remain in Skullport. His house provides most of the magical items in Waterdeep. Moonrise employs a cadre of artificers and arcane engineers working under the Chief Artificer, the drow MocGeiver. For trusted adventurers who do not antagonize the House, MocGeiver and his support offers specialized services.

In working directly with Moonrise, adventurers are rewarded for their patronage with the items they want in exchange for a small amount of coin and patience. The House increases it's stores and coffers.

MocGeiver will:

• resize magic armor +/-1 size for 20% of the armor cost
• Transfer the Power: transference is rechanneling the magical properties into a similar items at a cost of 20% of the new item cost. [makes the random magic item table rolls a bit more useful and also provides Malsanos access to ranged enchantments on par with others]
• Exchange the item for a similar item, requiring time and funds for sourcing [if you’ve been wanting that +2 rapier but the +2 longsword drops instead….]

You can also sell spellbooks to the Chultan priest Obaya Uday priced on the highest spell contained. [more details on the handout].

With some health potions, 20 days of rations, and confirming your bedpacks, ropes, and torches, you were led through the morning streets of Skullport to a tunnel descending in the northwest quadrant. A dwarf led you into a narrow cave passage that wound north and south, past small caverns of jeering hobgoblins. The dwarf provides some history of coming down through upper levels with Janzo, and a conflict between a drow temple and hobgoblins on this level centering on an ancient dwarven city. Your work, however, lay much farther below. He took you to an arched gate showing a carved dwarf maid with a keyhole which Nuitt found rather suggestive. Zanalow approach and activated the gate with the stone key from Janzo, absorbing some kind of arcane rune and hearing a voice that seemed to test each of you before deciding you were worthy. “Finally, finally. Yes. Maybe you will be enough. Maybe to can be strong enough to do what must be done. You may pass…”

The party considered the door a moment longer while the voice [DM should have made it more clear that the voice still seemed present in case you had anything to ask] waited. Unable to see through the arcane veil, Zanalor jumped through. The rest of the party waited to see if he would join the pile of bloody limbs on the floor, but the voice then prompted them. “This door will close…”

You soon found yourself in swamp filled caverns. Zanalor took the lead, reclaiming the stone key that fell from the inert gate’s twin and turned down a south passage to investigate a ledge 20 feet above. Just as Nuitt was preparing to join him, two massive fern fists pummeled Peter from behind. Grappling him. Soon enough, Peter was engulfed within one of the three shambling mounds that assaulted the party. Pessius picked fire, cold, and lightning spells and was dismayed at the results. Zanalor did some massive assassination damage, but quickly used one of his new powers to thunderstep to his wife’s defense.

Pessius tried to banish one of the hulking plants but the spell failed, as whatever bridge the spell required to the other plane was somehow blocked not by the monster but the mountain itself. Even in the thick of battle, she began to surmise from her access to teleport circles and this spell failure that some specific magic in Undermountain is altered or suppressed.

Nuitt had leapt into the fray using his abilities to run up walls and be awesome to try to help free Peter, but learned quickly that these monsters had less trouble hitting him than the lowly minions of Xanathar. He fell unconscious quickly under the unrelenting attacks of two Mounds. In a miracle that he may share someday, he surprised everyone by leaping to his feet the next round and regrouping. And then he became a dinosaur….

Having cast spells, Pessius felt the odd tingling in her limbs near the end of the fight as crackling blue flames - a sign of wild magic - snaked around her hands.

It was an eventful night.

Pessius had a dream?

Having spent the last day in a petrified state, your body fairly collapses after being restored to the familiar flesh. A small trickle of healing provided by a subdued Gwydion staunched the bleeding, but you're still painfully aware of the mangled mess of pain that lives where your left shoulder and arm used to be. You think of your daughter, of the risks Zanalor took to get you back, and for a moment resign yourself almost happily to the thought of retiring from the danger and drama of your old life. These thoughts, still new to you, are short-lived. A slate-faced Silverhand - you can never read her very well - informs you that she's sent for "one of her best." You are led upstairs as Zanalor and the others make a hasty exit from the Inn.

In only a couple hours (which in your pain feels like so many more), she enters your room above the Flagon and Dragon with a sour man in tow. You dimly recognize him - she calls him something like "ghost" - as a priest in Waterdeep. He bends down and asks you to calm yourself. "You may want to let your mind wander.... this may not be pleasant."

You are not a trusting sort but are utterly spent. You nod and close your eyes, reaching out with your divination for the arcane paths that have always been an easy road for you. To your surprise, you feel yourself pushing against some invisible block, a wall between you and your magic. This is more terrible than anything, and you open your eyes to see the face of the priest muttering feverishly over your bead with Lareal, back against a wall, muttering herself but looking at you with disgust. You try to move, to speak, but feel trapped in this same invisible crystalline prison. Suddenly, a streak, a fracture in the air in front of you as if a long black blade was carving at glass.

You feel a shattering and you are suddenly falling through the night. Below you, far below you, a city. Waterdeep dressed in early morning hours. You look around you, and see odd meteors streaming like you, starting to glow in their descent. You look up, and see elves in cloud chariots pulled by fiery horses, coursing through the starry skies. You reach out as if for help, and a hand that is not your hand - stronger, scarred, but feminine - stretches out a finger and press one of the stars as the night sky seem to be now cast in some kind of wooden relief. The star depresses like a button, and the sky swings open to reveal a staff humming with power.

This hand reaches forward but the staff springs forth in dizzying explosion of stylized daffodils. You cradle a few in your hand, and look up from the small vase on your bedstand to check yourself in the mirror, a stranger staring back with bright red hair and beautiful grey eyes. You straighten your purple wizards robe and run to open the door to you chamber, whispering "Acamar..."

You are running through the door and onto an evening field of red and gold, a great open space where rows of ancient elven archers to your left and right raise their bows and loose arrows, each release in time with a droning chant that you can't place because your are flying with the arrows as they climb high into the starry sky to pierce a pair of eyes that close and start weeping blood.

The blood falls into a silver statue. You will yourself closer even as the silver starts to melt, first the left arm and then every where the blood has touched, the silver smokes and soon bursts into spouts of bright blue flame. You will yourself still close to make out the detail, but these flames soon fill your vision and though painful and blinding - you can feel a great pounding behind your eyes - you can’t look away.

The fire soon fades into a brilliant blue mane of a giant lion, who regards you expectantly before his eyes turn angry. The lion opens his enormous jaw to reveal a cavernous grin of sharp canines that even now seem to stretch towards you. These fangs are stylized into some kind of symbol or rune, in fact that's now all you see, and before your mind can digest what it might mean you see them sinking into flesh, and your mind recoils as you see it’s Zanalor who seems to be ripped and mangled by the rune. He turns to you, his eyes telling you he knew or maybe blaming you - because his pains are always for you - even as the life fades. Your own fill with tears at a feeling of powerlessness and you fall into yourself, falling into darkness and shadow and… a glimmer.

Falling and falling feeling your power growing even as the glimmer resolved itself to a crystal, no an octagonal room with eight paintings and full of crystals and orbs all rushing towards you until you slam into the floor on your side, your left arm screaming in pain. You look up, and for once understand where you are though take no comfort. In this room, your Blackstaff teacher of divination eyes you appraisingly, asking now what you've seen in the cracked crystal in your hand. For a moment, you wonder if this has all been a dream or a portent, that perhaps all of your imagined travels have been just one possible future, but you think then of Myrtle and a feeling that cannot be false warms you. You regard him* with hatred, rise to throw the crystal at his head and grab the staff from his hands. As you struggle, this office fades except for the rough stone floor and this wizard seems to turn to another silvered statue, the staff between you a familiar black staff. You try to pull it free, but before you’re able the stone pavers at your feet begin to bleed. Your now standing before a large stone, blood pooling or streaming down and you remember, briefly, the smell of blood and a forest somewhere in your memory.

Your mind flies to a forest - maybe the same maybe different, some small corner of your mind is aware that you are following these divination paths pulled by energy instead of directing it - flies to a forest and towards a mountain where another statue, skeletal and horrible, holds forth not a staff but a grim contract. Your sight somehow takes in the ethereal spectres of ancient dead in the crypts around you, and while this teases something from your training you realize too late that familiar figure of Nuitt has stepped forward, a cheeky comment belying his dread underneath. He grabs the contract and is swallowed in shadow as he lays himself down in a sarcophagus. You fly into the dark coffin towards another glimmer, some shifting dim blue grey on a horizon when you feel a chill salty wind at your back and a hand on your shoulder.

You spin, expecting to see Nuitt but instead find the face of the Drow gunslinger you helped not long ago. He smiles at you sadly, clutching an odd feather in his hand, before turning and running into the wings of a giant shadowy dragon.

When these wings fold and unfold again, you see a figure kneeling before a large dark man with dark wings who slowly opens his eyes, releasing a brilliant swarm of radiant insects that push you to your knees. You ward off the assault and shield your eyes, only to find the Blackstaff in your hand. You swing your staff - your staff - forward at the dark figure, only to find an old man catching the your swing of the Blackstaff and measuring you and your power through the length of wood. And you feel - as you have privately felt so many times before - that your power may not be enough.

You look into his unfamiliar face, but something in his eyes is a warning. No, just one. Just one eye, and not unfamiliar. This eye is looking back at you and you find your hand turning to stone and watch as it creeps up your arm, a terror and a dread familiarity settling into your spine. The pain that never really left your arm is now throbbing in time with a pounding in your head. You looking fitfully to your left and right, seeing some skeletal Xanathar laughing and your friends also turned to stone. You nose fills with salty air, the pounding behind your eyes returns pushing you to be somewhere else. Someone whispers something.

You turn your head, and start running down the long wooden hallway, dimly registering the doorways, the outstretched hands, but still running. You pass eight paintings, and pass them again, and your lungs start to burn with your efforts. You know you are getting nowhere, lost in some other kind of prison, but still running until the hallway, the floor, the world itself seems to fracture in a jagged stab of ice. Sulphur.

A long hallway but now of greenish metal, and a crouching figure of a huge, impossibly beautiful man with thick black hair and your own red skin. You’re horrified and screaming, not at him but watching yourself bow your head, freed but defeated. “I finally understand." You reach out to take his hand. The flesh of that left hand and arm chars, your red skin burning away to reveal a sinuous, oddly muscled arm that is bleeding from many wounds and ending in a taloned claw that is grasping its twin from the Arch Devil. You blink.

Your eyes fly open, quickly adjusting to the dim light of the bedchamber. The bedclothes are soaked and in bloody tatters on the floor. Sitting near the one window that looks out uselessly on the perpetual dim of Skullport, Lareal Silverhand looks back at you. She was softly singing something that sounded almost like a lullaby, and in a language you shouldn't know but seemed to make sense of. Seeing you sit up, she stops and rises, crossing not to you but to the door. As she opens the door and without turning, she addresses you in her impenetrable tone.

“Your friends are finishing breakfast and asking how your are. What do I tell them?”

As you think of your answer, you understand you are changed. Perhaps in some profound way, certainly physically as your left arm is the horrific mirror of your dream. But also in a way Vajra had told you months ago. You now have The Third Eye.

(welcome to level 10, Pessius)

Zanalor had a dream?

The rooms of the Flagon and Dragon are crowded, with Silverhand’s retinue, the drow of House Moonrise, and others filling the small inn beyond its berth. Returning from the Xanathar Lair and taking what refreshment you could, you quickly asked after Pessius. Calal refilled your wine and nodded to one of the tables near the stairs. "The Mystral priest there came down from Waterdeep with Lareal. Must have been the witch, which I’m sure put him in the foul mood he’s in. He’s looked in on her not two hours ago."

You slip your coin to the half-drow and push aside a soldier to seat yourself, unannounced though not unfriendly, at the priest’s elbow. You pepper your short conversation with more esteem than the usual Liadon interrogation, with respect for a man who has been helping your wife. It’s becomes quite clear though that this man, Meleghost Starseer – while he is a powerful priest in the Church of Mystra and a friend of Silverhand – is wearied and worried from his efforts with Pessius. His assurances that "all will be well"ring in hollow pantomime of a useless mayor in Barovia, and you are also unsettled by the two guards you find soon after outside her door on the second floor.

Not to be kept from her side, you take to the roof and make your way to her window in the early afternoon. You can see into the chamber, where Pessius lies wrapped in sheets with her face frozen in the faraway sleep that her dreams sometimes bring to her. More immediately, a stream of smoke from Lareal Silverhand’s pipe causes your eyes to water; as you glanced into the room, the calm face of the Open Lord sitting near the window stares back at you without so much as a blink. "She is mending. She’ll need you. Right now, she needs me." Her hands are resting on the hilt of glimmering sword and even her silver hair seem to threaten objections. Though every fiber in you yearns to leap through the window, you recognize that a return to the common room is not a retreat. You nod once, think better of shooting a warning to the powerful Open Lord, and go back to the common room.

That night, half-dozing outside Pessius’ guarded door, you’re chilled as two clear crystal eyes pierce the gloom. A great silver serpent floods your vision, and even as your spirit remembers what it means to commune with your Arch Fey, you vision clears to see it is actually a great ice dragon, a stylized carved throne. Sitting on that throne, smiling slightly as she waits for your mortal senses to adjust, waits the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. Beautiful and alien. Fey. "Titania." Her skin glows – not unlike yours – like sun-warmed honey, her eyes like your sunsword, all beneath waves of hair shimmering in rich red gold. When she speaks to you, it warms you and sounds a little like the rivers you played in as a small child. She speaks to you like she is addressing one.

"Little Liadon. It has been a time. And I know you are pained. But the time is coming when you will need more than your quick steel and strong words. The time," she sings, sitting forward and lowering her voice, "is at hand when a man is no longer enough. You need more of my power for the trial ahead. The summer children also do not sleep easy. Under their feet, as not far beneath your own, stirs a great peril." She sits back, her hands making a steeple under her chin. "I fear an old evil has been left idle too long. You have found strong friends. I will make you fast. Fearsome. I will honor our pact, but ask you to do more. Be more. Be better."

She reached to touch your hand, and your shadow blade brings unbidden into your fist. "You must be my steel. My eyes. My will. We lend you our strength for your work ahead. You must make haste, put aside your vengeance to fight a greater peril. You must, again, put others before yourself." She sees you stiffen.

"You are good, Zanelor Liadon. You think not, but you think of others always. Not so good, as you must be willing to walk where the righteous will not." Your mind shifts to the warlock Peter, pausing, considering, hesitant. "You must be ready to run when the battle is lost." You and Nuitt, barely alive in arena, in the crypt, with you the voice of reason. "I know you are brave. And I know you are loyal. And if you will not be good, have a care….." Images swim before your eyes. A clownish gnome at the end of your sword, a dinosaur running rampant through houses, a prisoner disembowled, a hapless dwarf running from Pessius, fire streaming from her fingers. "Where some may go, you must not follow."

"She is good. I won’t leave her."

"Yes, Liadon. You love her. But you will both have a choice. I have chosen you, my warlock. In the end, she cannot."

You wake with your back a hot mess, two different guards at the door and the smell of breakfast from the kitchens below. More people telling you what to do.

Peter had a dream?

Eirwyn comes to you at night, offering soothing hymns and chants during your medications, guiding you to be stronger and to help others find strength in your service.

At the end of your rituals, she comes to rest a hand on you. Not on your head like some benediction, but on your shoulder and then along your cheek in an almost tender and affectionate gesture. Surprised, you look up to see what looked like worry cross her divine, usually implacable features.

"Peter, you will serve well. I have made you stronger (hello, Celestial Resistance!) But you are just one man, and in the company of others who are themselves flawed. You must always remember these and be mindful. To be good, to be righteous, does not go to the grey areas where others like to live." She looks at the walls of your room as if looking through them at an unseen host, and her face, returning to yours, darkens. "You must take care of these soldiers, for the need is great. But do not let them draw you down the path of blood. Like them, you must be fierce and fearless. But you cannot sacrifice the good when seeking the greater good." Taking this charge as wisdom, you nod and thank your Celestial, but she lifts your face one more time. Hers is grim. "Be careful on the path of others. They stride over a rift so deep it passes beyond salvation."

In your fitful sleep, you dream of a story your mother used to tell you back in the deserts of your childhood. A man, at the urging of an old friend and desperate to find water for his family, was pulling a camel towards a distant oasis. The camel would not move, stubborn and set on turning back to camp. The man, near delirious himself, grabbed the water cans and ran into the desert. The camel watched as he foundered in the sand and was struck by the snakes that the camel could sense though the man did not. The camel returned to the camp to feed the family as well as it could.

Breakfast in the dim morning does not warm the soul.

Nuitt... well, no. Nuitt didn't get a lot of sleep.

The rooms of the Flagon and Dragon are crowded, with Silverhand’s retinue, the drow of House Moonrise, and others filling the small inn beyond its berth. Returning from the Xanathar Lair and taking what refreshment you could, you watch as your haphazard party quickly scatters. Gwydion finds a corner with some of his unit, Peter ran around asking if people knew of his celestial. You joined Zanalor at the bar, as much because there was on open seat as anything else. Zanalor, single minded as every, was already asking the half drow Cailel about Pessius. She turns to fill your goblet as she tells Zanalor about a vested man near the stairs. "The Mystral priest there came down from Waterdeep with Lareal. Must have been the witch, which I’m sure put him in the foul mood he’s in. He’s looked in on her not two hours ago."

Zanalor slips Cailel a coin and shuffles off to make his usual polite introductions, and you resign yourself eating alone.

"You don't like the wine? Not fancy enough for you?" Cailel seems harried by the unexpected press of people at her inn but for the first time you notice she's really rather lovely.

You reach into your monks robes. "Let me show you something...."

She grabs your goblet and downs the wine as you pull out the empty wineskin from Barovia. Her eyes register a little disappointment until you explain how this magical artifact works. Saying she doesn't believe you, she smiles and pours you another.

In the late evening, she finds you again. She wraps her hand in you robe, explains that you have something to prove, and pulls you up the stairs, past a dozing Zanalor huddled against a wall, and into a room where she closes the door and spins almost laughing to you. You notice that she's both managed to disrobe you, and that this room is a makeshift infirmary with 10 bloodied cots. Six of them are occupied by the wounded soldiers from the skirmish outside, and only two of them seem to be doing very well.

She pulls a nearby cot closer to one of the wounded. "It fills when you spend the night with the dead? How long does it take?"

You express your answer using a combination of kata and some new moves she teaches you over the next couple hours. When you wake in the morning, she is languidly drawing on the full wine skin while deftly arranging her blouse, which she had to offer... Your own body is a mess of bruises, caked blood, dirty cot, and drow loving. You wonder if you're supposed to say something meaningful but she smiles, says it was fun, and promises you a good breakfast as she leaves the room.

You wonder briefly at the lack of drama, but then quickly worry at the diseases that must be coursing through your system. With this thought, though, you feel surge of new power, you body and mind pure. Level 10, bitches. It's a new day for you.

You fairly skip down the stairs.

Somewhere far above the resting heroes, Malsanos gets a letter and the druid has a vision.

Above and across town, Malsanos gets a crack on his window and a wicked looking crossbow bolt lodged in the wood. A small parchment is wound around it, which he quickly retrieves after a careful scan of the street. He goes back to practicing his quick draw with one hand while the other unravels the missive.

"Yawning Portal at dawn. Bring Friends. Someone is after what is rightfully yours. Plunder and power." It is stamped with the sigil of the Bregan D'aerthe

To be revisited someday when we start bum bum bum bum The Lair of the Mad Mage!!!!.

Peter, Nim, Gwydion, Nuitt, and Zanalor returned to Xanathar’s lair via the bloodied alleys of Skullport.

You swiftly made you way down the long tunnel and returned to the dark vault-like crypts below. There you found Feoderick’s armor, the iconic lightbringer mace, and a few other magical belongings that had not been destroyed by the behoders’ disintegration beam. Nim claimed the Guntlets of Ogre Power, and Gwydion donned the gleaming plate armor of Sergei Von Zarovich. Of Pessius there was no sign. You party wisely surmised she may have been removed from the room, as a new secret door was evident in a northwest alcove near the elaborate stone carvings on the western wall.

You made their way back towards the audience chamber, rememering it had been full of statues, your efforts soon rewarded with the sight of the petrified Pessius standing in the center of the room. Your caution counted for nothing, however, as many soon felt an enfeebling loss. The powers granted from your magic items seemed to leech away, and you noticed that the everburning torches around the chamber seemed to wink out in places. You used this information to surmise where Xanathar’s gaze (antimagic cone) was directed as the beholder seeme to come from nowhere. Taking a few shots buts scattering, Gwydion went to confront a swarm of thugs from a trapdoor while Nim managed to create a harpoon from his double-bladed scimitar and arrest Xanathar’s flight for a few rounds. Nim became ensorcelled by the beholder and then the walls erupted in odd black tentacles to wrap him up. Zanalor deftly maneuvered to avoid them and, with Nuitt, land some serious blows on the beholder’s flank.

Peter had joined Gwydion, who’s aura protected those closest to him from the worst of Xanathar’s effects. However, his magic was nullified as Xanathar made a point to keep his antimagic gaze on the caster. He nearly fell to more theives streaming into the room, but with some help from the palading and his own divine powers was able to get free of the beam and heal himself.

Freed of the makeshift harpoon, the beholder seemed to winked out of existence. The party noticed a round door opening in the south and, dispatching the last(?) of the thieves, gave chase into a room filled with purple haze. Zanalor fell into a form of short term madness, paralyzing him, while Nim ran into the room, destroying a huge fishbowl and accosting a shifty dwarf who was devastated by the attack. Otto Steeltoes suggested that his master would deal with them soon enough, and when Nim took a fish from a smaller feeding bowl, Otto fled through the northern door. Nim pursued and sliced the fleeing dwarf stem to stern.

Peter and Nuitt examined other areas of the room, including a large mirror that, when Nuitt spoke, seemed to show the street outside Xoblob’s shop. Nim gave the party 7 years bad luck by breaking the mirror. You also saw some crystalline lattice in the southern area of the room over what looked like a sleeping pallet. Unable to divine its purpose, you destroyed it and, once Zanalor was free from his paralysis, fled some footsteps to the west by taking a raised eastern tunnel. You found your way back to the area where the mind flayer had been working, and opened another room with two bodies on tables. Nim disembowled the still one, learning in the process that the body was alive and eliciting a cry of “Skarn!” from the other one, jabbering nonsense the rest of the time. You looted and left them, eliciting a small concern from the good Peter in the process.

After your short rest and murder, you elect to retrieve Pessius and, with Nim and Gwydion shouldering the burden, ran into a beholder waiting in the arena you’d fought in the day prior. However, it was clear after a short time that this wasn’t the same beholder; with something unclean and fetid about it. Pessius was almost dropped. Peter hung back and lit it up with eldritch blasts while Nuitt was able to put his wall walking to optimal effect, braining the zombified creature after a few short rounds. Running into Katabek in the exit tunnel, you returned to the Flagon and Dragon with the petrified Pessius.

[DM realizes these recaps used to be / should be shorter… so…]

Peter returned Pessius to flesh using the Greater Restoration scroll from House Moonrise. She collapsed to the floor, streaming blood from the mess where here left shoulder and arm used to be. Gwydion stopped the worst of it and she’s taken above after finding a few choice comments for the party.

You returned again to the lair and through the secret tunnel to the crypts, emerging into the dark vault near the intricate stone carvings of two wizards with glinting eyes. You were greeted by a large crossbow bolt into Nuitts shoulder. Amerago, perhaps perpetually grumpy that people never get his name correct, was up to something in the room. Exchanging a few unpleasant words with Zanalor, he and a few guild lackeys tried to end you. Peter revealed his divine patron, sprouting wings and nearly frying the dwarf. Nim had some bad luck with his alpha test functions but soon felt the rush of extra attacks and soon used his battlemastery to knock the lieutenant prone. From near the crypt a shadow appeared, sapping nuitt of some strength before falling to Zanalor’s sunsword. Having dispatched Amergo you pondered the wisdom of continuing to face off against the beholder. Perhaps feeling stronger in power or weaker in spirit, you decided to return to the Flagon and Dragon to rest up again. You ignored again the carved western wall on your way out, because there was certainly no reason it got mentioned every time your came to the room.

Nuitt and Zanalor made little effort to move quietly. They saw a familiar cook approach and three floating eyes bob into view as they turned to sprint up the stairs towards the main level. A south wall of the Arena started to resolve into a in a familiar round stylized door and open as they rushed past. Nuitt insulted the odd animated armor as you all eventually found your way up to a vacant Guts and Garters.

The Xanathar tavern and the public square outside were littered with bodies and signs of recent battle. Bodies of guild thieves and warriors lay next to others in Waterdavian livery; the city guard has been battling with members of the guild, perhaps even some that had come up in search of the missing party. Despite the din of battles echoing from nearby, you quickly found your way back to the Flagon and Dragon. Which was good, because the DM hadn’t imagined you’d try to go anywhere else so that’s where the help was.

When you first returned to the Flagon and Dragon, it was much changed from your time here just two or three days prior, one more uncecessary reminder of the fates moving faster and farther than you imagine. It was bright and almost crowded with signs of 10 or 20 breakfasts still scattered the tables. The retinue of the Open Lord and a few notable guests were stationed here. Perched at the bar near Cai’lel and talking with Silverhand sat the familiar form of Thorvin Twinbeard. He seemed to be compaining that a Guard Captain was still held prisoner in the lair, but stopped short when he say the two return.

Lareal didn’t go to any pains to explain her presence, allowing Thorvin to tell the party about

• a paranoid Xanathar “…paranoid. Erratic. Even more so of late as many in the guild seem to slipping away into Skullport or up to Waterdeep to go raiding with all manner of horrors. He wavers between blaming the Zhents and caving to a growing fear that Undermountain itself"
• A captured drow scout he was hoping to interrogate himself. “There are two noble houses that have been locked in battle in the mountain beneath. House Auvryndar and House Freth. The Auvryndar scout we had was going on and on about Freth trying to summon a demon. It’s strange to see any of them in Skullport.” When Nuitt mentioned they’d found said scout, Thorvin was excited and asked if he was safe. Nuitt lied and said yes, remembering that Pessius had offered this drow to Xanathar as a hostage and the beholder immediately blew him to pieces.
• A Guard Captain (Mike joked that he was named Janzo, when in fact I named him Janzo. "You know him?"") that had led a sortie down the first few levels of undermountain and held important information. Held in the cells near Nilhoor and the Kuo-Toa.

An injured dwarf, Joroth Brighthelm, introduced himself and started in on a request from the Lords Alliance. Propped between a table and the thief Katabek Insale, he said the Open Lord and others [Gwydion] vouched for the party, and he needs you to find a missing party of four dwarves and their leader Falkir Gravelfist. “A helm like a boar’s head and a big emerald…” Lareal told him to rest and that this business could wait. He retired, and Lareal introduced Helion Moonstar, another half drow patron conencted to a noble house known for collecting magic items.

Helion Moonstar’s retinue included a familiar face. The metal nimblewright Nim approached, introducing himself as a finder of magical items and a master of disguise. He had gears and gadgets popping out at odd angles and a voice that he could change to sound like…. Different kinds of robots. I should have given inspiration points for using the Commodore SAM emulator, and did so retroactively. Nim was offered to the party and agreed to join, saying he had a secret mission of his own. Which is secret. Or is it?

Helion and a dark skinned Chultan priest are providers of magic items. Lareal says this missing emerald is particularly important, as the arcane engineers of House Moonstar imbued it with scrying powers to keep an eye on undermountain. But it has failed or gone missing, leaving Waterdeep in the dark and at risk. There was clearly more to this story, but Joroth had told Gwydion of your arrival. The paladin came downstairs.

"Joroth said you’d returned, and faster than the Harper thought."" His eyes immediately take in the silvered fdragon shield in Nuitt’s hand. “Where are the others?” He was visibly upset that that you left them behind [it is a defining trait on Gwydion’s character sheet – inspiration point for npc]. "I have alwasys sworn to bring others to safety at all costs. Especially friends. I don’t know you enough to have thought better. But you” looking at Zanalor, “for you, I’d have hoped, At least our friends. At least.." thinking better and only late of what you have lost, sits quiet. “How did you leave them?”

Zanalor [won an inspiration point himself] offered a pointed reply. "Not well, and I’m going back with or without help, so you can go back and sit on your little wall and do nothing.…" offered some conciliatory comment and pledged to help in a rescue mission.

He and Lareal moved forward, confirming that the dust remains of Froderick were beyond their power to restore, but Nuitt volunteered his one slim hope, the Luck Blade from Ravenloft. He threw the dust in the air and waved the sword like a magic wand. The room grew cold and dark, then a bright light flared, and a booming voice responded. “Froderick was a good servant, but other services are needed in this new hour of peril. I send you another servant. Help him do what needs to be done.” The wish spell was not used, and when the light faded, a crouching figure (hero landing) introduced himself as Peter, a celestial warlock in service to the astral deva Eirwyn.

Zanalor, fidgeting to return to the rescue, asked the other warlock a pointed question. “What good are you, Peter?” The dark-skinned newcomer responded promising “goodness and justtice and.. some firepower to your effort”

Before the party left, Lareal and Gwydion collected Froderick’s dust and shield. She walked to Nim [the only one besides Gwydion who could use it]. "Make good use of this and honor its [last] bearer." Nim responded with something about detecting magic. But as the party left, she finished. "Froderick did more for Waterdeep than any of you know."

You woke rested and eager to put your new plan into action. Smokepoweder kegs were stashed in bags and brassiers, and you made your way out of Nar'l Xibrindas' office en route back to Thorvin. The lair, perhaps due to the early hour, seemed uncommonly quiet.

Ahmergo and Nar’l were not where Zanalor had last encountered them. He led his friends through the promenade and audience chamber into a hall with more statues Pessius keenly confirms to be petrified heroes from the past. She marvels at the flawless detail and yearns to join them…. Oh, too soon.

Before the party can find Thorvin, an odd deep gnome dressed in flamboyant colors and wearing garish clown make-up confronts them at the door. Flutterfoot Zipswiggle salutes the party, claiming to know the Xanathar and many secrets, and answering Zanalor’s usual grumble with a titter, offering the secrets if the could answer a riddle. He hands curl around a bag as he begins, but Zanalor cuts to the chase if chase = the gnome’s throat. The bag and now useless dust of disappearance falls to the ground, Froderick scoops up the body, and Zanalor leads the party south to Thorvin’s workshop.

The workshop was still loud with the stonework and gears that Thorvin was tinkering with under the watchful gaze(r) of a floating albino eyeball. Thorvin turns to regard the party, and Zanalor now feeling his assassin’s adrenaline, immediately steps forward and slizes Xanathar’s gazer in half. Thorvin is mortified. “What have you done?” He admonished the team for forcing this point of no return by slaying the gazer, though conceded that, having missed the audience last night, they had cheated death but mobilized the guild into a search of the lair and now stretching out into Skullport.

The party immediately confirmed the stash of smokepowder and Thorvin grabbed charcoal to note six specific locations on a crudely drawn lair map. There was some confusion on placement, on the best routes, on what might lie within the other areas, and perhaps a sinking feeling when Thorvin said that a certain clownish gnome was a font of lair secrets all for the price of a riddle. Thorvin mentioned other ways to shake up the guild though worried that time might be against the party now. He encouraged you to take out the scrying wizards in a room to the north, and, now free of the gazer’s attention, asked if you had more questions. He confirmed he could not accompany you and would be leaving the lair, but suggested there might be more to do. He said this last bit to the retreating form of Nuitt, as Zanalor and Froderick were already awkwardly moving north like a clumsy three legged race. This team has NO TIME!

You found a room with five or six shield dwarves all in a circle and monitoring the scrying eyestalks around the lair. Pessius quickly determined their nature and function though Nuitt had softened them up considerably by killing them with yet another fire opal fireball from his Helm of Brilliance. Froderick finished off the last one with a guiding bold, and Pessius tried to use her own divination talents but could not use the scrying magic (though perhaps caught a glimps of Ahmergo and some minotaur porn). There were sounds in the western rooms, so Zanalor slipped into the Promende to the east while Nuitt the party looted the bodies for a couple minor scrolls. Zanalor exchanged words with Ahmergo there, though it was a short conversation as Ahmergo accused Zanalor of being a traitor, a liar, and a dead man. Outnumbered, he retreated… somewhere and the party decided to start their demoltions in the crypts.

Semantically, that’s a fun phrase.

Back down the stairs, you thought you heard sounds down the west hall. You turned east, and glancing into Nar'ls office found the drow mage impaled with pitons to the wall, his grell bodyguard in a heap at his feat. The friends decided not to investigate but turned to the north door.

In the darkness of the vaulted chamber, they saw some dim alcoves, large crystaline containers with embalmed beholders. They saw creepy stuff. They couldn’t see the Xanathar, who decided it was a fine time to announce himself with eye beams at the three closest heros: Nuitt, Zanalor, and Froderick. In his randomness, the disintegrating ray, death ray, and charm ray were the first to fire. The elves shrug off the effects from the unseen assailant, but the cleric felt an all hostility leave him. First in combat, he moved into the room and tried to perceive, aware the rays came from high to the east. Pessius moved farther into the room and felt suddenly leeched of her power, similar to the holding cells. The Xanathar, next to act, shifted his focus – Zanalor now felt the leeching of his power while Pessius feels her own surging back. The beholder triggered three more eye beams and again triggerred the more devastating of them -disintegration, petrification, and fear.

Froderick was the first to fall (even borrowing a saving through from inspiration). He was a stout cleric (76 hp with his buffs), but Xanathar rolls 10d6+40 for 77 damage*, and Froderick disappeared in a collapsing cloud of dust and ash. Pessius succumbed to the second ray, and feels her body start to stiffen and seize up, restrained but fighting off petrification. Nuitt shrugged off the last and threws one of the eight remaining rubies from his Helm, triggering a Wall of Fire that sprung up to hide them but seemed oddly abbreviated (by the antimagic). As he ran toward the Wall and Froderick’s remains, the walls of the crypt explode in a mass of black tentacles that reach out for Zanalor and Pessius. Zanalor entered farther into the room to a point where he can feel his power come back and hides. He sees his wife raise her hands to cast a globe of invulnerability, but the petrification takes hold and the tiefling becomes solid rock. Somewhere, someone yelled “Snails!”

Nuitt felt the tides turning and quickly gathered Froderick’s dust remains and shield. As Nuitt fled through the door, Zanalor said something awesome which the DM didn’t write down so we’ll just say “Choke on this, muthatrucka!”. He hurled his powderkeg at the wall of fire, triggering an explosion that shattered the nearest crystal tomb and took part of the petrified Pessius’ chest and left arm off. She was reduced to 14 hit points but survived. He tried to move his petrified wife, but no gamma Hulk powers materialized; Pessius is now well over 700 pounds. Zanalor had to withstand the tocix effects of the noxious gases from the embalmed remains as he fought his way out the door.

* I rolled the disintegration 10d6+40 ten more times later as I couldn't believe how close I was. The rolls exceeded the 76hp on four out of ten tries but always so close.

6/30/2020, 10:30:11 PM] Zanelor Liadon Thieves’ Tools This set of tools includes a small file, a set of lock picks, a small mirror mounted on a metal handle, a set of narrow-bladed scissors, and a pair of pliers. Proficiency with these tools lets you add your proficiency bonus to any ability checks you make to disarm traps or open locks. Use Thieves’ Tools Dexterity Expertise ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:30:13 PM] Zanelor Liadon 15 Thieves’ Tools - Tool Check (Dexterity) 1d20 + 5 + 8 = 2 + 5 + 8 = 15 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:35:32 PM] Beholder 1d10 1d10 = 9 = 9  [disintegration ray] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:35:35 PM] Beholder 1d10 1d10 = 10 = 10 [death ray] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:35:38 PM] Beholder 1d10 1d10 = 1 = 1 [charm ray] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:37:40 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle 25 Dexterity Saving Throw 1d20 + 5 + 4 + 1 = 15 + 5 + 4 + 1 = 25 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:37:44 PM] Zanelor Liadon 19 Dexterity Saving Throw 1d20 + 5 + 4 = 10 + 5 + 4 = 19 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:38:08 PM] Froderick 9 Wisdom Saving Throw 1d20 + 3 + 4 = 2 + 3 + 4 = 9 [charmed] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:38:47 PM] Froderick 20 Wisdom Saving Throw 1d20 + 3 + 4 = 13 + 3 + 4 = 20  [doube click] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:40:18 PM] Beholder 17 Beholder rolls for Initiative! 1d20 + 2 = 15 + 2 = 17 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:40:19 PM] Froderick 20 Froderick rolls for Initiative! 1d20 + 1 + 2 = 17 + 1 + 2 = 20 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:40:27 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria 18 Pessius Anguish Arineria  rolls for Initiative! 1d20 + 1 = 17 + 1 = 18 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:40:29 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle 17 Nuitt Sidenettle rolls for Initiative! 1d20 + 5 = 12 + 5 = 17 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:40:33 PM] Zanelor 9 Zanelor rolls for Initiative! 1d20 + 5 = 4 + 5 = 9 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:41:23 PM] Froderick 11 Perception Skill Check 1d20 + 3 = 8 + 3 = 11 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:41:24 PM] Froderick Froderick's Turn Froderick ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:44:11 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria Pessius Anguish Arineria 's Turn Pessius ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:49:28 PM] Xanathar 1d10 1d10 = 9 = 9  [disintegration ray] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:49:30 PM] Xanathar 1d10 1d10 = 8 = 8  [petrification ray] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:49:33 PM] Xanathar 1d10 1d10 = 3 = 3 [fear ray] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:51:02 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle 17 Wisdom Saving Throw [fear ray] 1d20 + 3 + 1 = 13 + 3 + 1 = 17 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:51:07 PM] Froderick 6 Dexterity Saving Throw [disintegration ray] 1d20 + 1 = 5 + 1 = 6 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:51:28 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria 8 Dexterity Saving Throw [petrification ray] 1d20 + 1 + 2 = 5 + 1 + 2 = 8 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:52:48 PM] Beholder 10d6+40 10d6 + 40 = 37 + 40 = 77 [disintegration damage] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:55:07 PM] Froderick 8 Dexterity Saving Throw  [GO INSPIRATION] 1d20 + 1 = 7 + 1 = 8  [poop] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:56:00 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Nuitt Sidenettle's Turn Nuitt ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:57:23 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle 18 Dexterity Saving Throw  [tentacles] 1d20 + 5 + 4 + 1 = 8 + 5 + 4 + 1 = 18 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:58:51 PM] Zanelor Liadon Zanelor's Turn Zanalor ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 10:59:10 PM] Chris oof Froderick ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:00:43 PM] Zanelor Liadon 22 Stealth Skill Check 1d20 + 9 = 13 + 9 = 22 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:01:12 PM] Froderick Froderick's Turn Froderick ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:01:20 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria Pessius Anguish Arineria 's Turn Pessius ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:04:04 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria Globe of Invulnerability  6th Level Abjuration Casting Time 1 action Range Self/10ft.  Duration up to 1 minute Components V, S, M  Concentration An immobile, faintly shimmering barrier springs into existence in a 10-foot radius around you and remains for the duration. Any spell of 5th level or lower cast from outside the barrier can't affect creatures or objects within it, even if the spell is cast using a higher level spell slot. Such a spell can target creatures and objects within the barrier, but the spell has no effect on them. Similarly, the area within the barrier is excluded from the areas affected by such spells. At Higher levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the barrier blocks spells of one level higher for each slot level above 6th. ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:06:17 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria 23 Dexterity Saving Throw 1d20 + 1 + 2 = 20 + 1 + 2 = 23[tentacles] ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:09:54 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Nuitt Sidenettle's Turn Nuitt ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:11:55 PM] Zanelor Liadon Zanelor's Turn Zanalor ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:13:22 PM] Froderick Froderick's Turn Froderick ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:14:55 PM] Pessius Anguish Arineria 13 Dexterity Saving Throw
[pessius remembers and reminds DM that she should have not done that and made her 2nd petrification save] 1d20 + 1 + 2 = 10 + 1 + 2 = 13 ---------------------------
[6/30/2020, 11:16:11 PM] Nuitt Sidenettle Nuitt Sidenettle gets high from the statue ---------------------------