Session Briefing

Introduction:
A party of four sets out on a quest to obtain treasure foretold by a stranger in a tavern. The party consists of a three-foot tall halfling (Halflings), a human Thief (Humans) who grew up on the streets, a human Wizard who graduated from a magic academy, and an elf Warrior (Elves) who left his home in the mountains. The journey begins as they walk through the forest trail shown in the hand-drawn map by the quest-giver. The sun is starting to set, and the party decides to set up camp for the night. It is agreed that Vaarkus, the thief, will take the first wacth as everyone else sleeps. During his watch, Vaarkus hears rustling in the nearby bushes, proceeded by animalistic grunts. Vaarkus' tourettes is triggered, causing him to loudly yell profanities, and throw the dagger from his hand. As everyone else in the camp wakens, Delvin (the wizard) produces an orb of light, but all that appears is the silhouette of a large creature within the bush. Just as Martyn falls from his hammock, the elf produces a flare-like flame to cast further light onto the surrooundings. With this, the party sees that a Wolf is in the bushes. The wolf has two arrows in its side, and Vaarkus' dagger lodged in its throat. After removing the dagger, Delvin casts a spell to heal the wound. Martyn then removes the arrows from the wolf, and again Delvin heals him. Without any hesitation, the wolf flees. The party then follows the trail until they reach a cliffside, where an archway is blocked by a Brass Golem. The elf approaches the golem, who then reaches its hand out to the elf, revealing three small slots in the golem's hand. The golem gives a riddle, asking for iron penance. With much questioning, gruelling thought, and a massive amount of time, the riddle is solved by a fluke, and a fish's blood is given to the golem, who then reveals the archway.

First Dungeon:
The party then enters a dungeon, where Martyn rubs his hand along the smooth wall, only to feel a lick. Upon reaching a room, a single chest lines the floor, bolted down and chained shut. A crevice opens in the room, and from it, a large tongue emerges. The elf approaches the chest whilst the rest of the party is intrigued with the tongue, and reads the runes on the chest "This chest can only be opened with one object, but this object, you are near". Vaarkus then proceeds to cut off a piece from the giant tongue after being asked by Entreri, and then tosses it to him. As soon as Entreri catches the piece of tongue, the cahins on the chest retract, and the chest opens, releasing a large sum of gold. The gold keeps pouring out, and the group soon realizes that the gold is multiplying, and if touched, can burn. The party acknowledged the fact that if the gold keeps multiplying, it will force them down the chasm left after the tongue retreated. Everyone begins to shovel gold down the chasm, while Delvin attempts to stop the gold by de-enchanting it. After a few attempts. Delvin manages to stop the gold from reproducing, and a new tongue appears. The tongue reveals a pile of gold coins, which the group avoids, and walks across the tongue to reach the other side of the chasm.

The Study:
The group follows a path to their right, which smells of cinnamon. Upon entering the room, the walls change from stone to wood. The room is made out to be a study, where bookcases line the back wall, and a single desk at the entrance houses the skeletal remains of a human, missing its entire right arm. Exploring the room, Martyn selects a book from a shelf, and puts it on the desk, calling the rest of the party over. The book is written in a long forgotten language, which no one is able to read. The elf, who found a translation key in the skeleton's satchel, deciphers the title of the book "The Necromicon". Entreri opens the book, which then starts flipping pages on its own, while shadows are being created from the book. Noting that something is amiss, Entreri attempts to shut the book, but it is opening magically. Before Delvin can light the book aflame, Martyn pours water from his water skin onto the book, but to no avail. This only causes Delvin's flame to be useless, as the book opens to the last page, A shadow starts to pour from the pages, rebuilding the skeleton at the desk. The party can only watch as the skeleton's organs, capillaries, muscles, and skin reform. Before the process completes, Martyn attempts to jump onto the desk and kick the skeleton, only to miss the kick due to his short legs. When the skeleton's flesh finishes regenerating, an inky black cloak obscures the body, and a deep, ghoulish screech is realised from the foul creatures mouth. The shadowed figure stands up, and turns to black smoke before escaping out the door. Before leaving the room, the elf grabs a small chest of which may house something of use, but can not be opened.

A Path More Travelled:
Travelling down the corridor into the opposite hallway, the group emerges into another room. A single bone chandelier hangs from the cieling, and the door at the opposite side of the room is covered by a bone rib cage. Patrolling the room are four Skeletons. One is a larger skeleton, another is an average human sized skeleton, and then two dog skeletons notice the party. Waiting for the skeletons to advance, Entreri readies his bow, and fires an arrow at the chandelier. It falls, and lands on top of the large skeleton, trapping it. Martyn, utilizing two sticks, jumps on one of the dog skeletons, crushing its head at the cost of a stick. Delvin creates an air blast to crush the smaller skeleton, butmakes an error in his hand motions, rebounding the explosion towards him, pushing him down onto his back. Vaarkus's claustraphobia cloak forces him to seek the center of the room, and stands on top of the chandelier. After Entreri destroys the last skeletal dog, the large skeleton underneath the chandelier throws off both Vaarkus and the chandelier. With a wind explosion, Delvin obliterates the large skeleton, but also some of the stone within the room. The rib cage encasing the door opens, allowing the progression of the group.

Inside The Ribcage:
On the other side of the door resides another brass golem, wielding a greatsword. As before the elf apporaches it, but this time the golem swings its sword at him. Entreri is able to defend himself just in time, but is dealt some damage. As Martyn and Vaarkus lack the ability to fight the golem, they rely on both Delvin and Entreri. Delvin casts a magic missile at the newfound weakpoint at the back of the golem's left knee, severely damaging it. As oil springs from the wound, and the golem is forced to lean on its sword, Entreri casts a fire bolt at the knee, igniting a fire that consumes the golem's leg, fed by the spewing oil. Another magic missile forces the golem to the floor, allowing the party to escape to the stairs leading out of the room. Just before departing, Entreri casts a centralized explosion on the golem, which lights an inferno throughout the room. As the golem is consumed in flames, the party begins their advance up the stairs, ready to face whatever awaits them...

The Final Room:
After climbing the staircase, the party enters a room. At the end of the room stands a lone chest on top of a pedestal. The group proceeds forward towards the marble staircase when a door closes behind them. Martyn rushes to the chest, and without hesitation, opens it. Inside the chest lies an ornate sword, a gold amulet, a plain gold ring, and a sponge. As Martyn picks up the sword, it talks to him, asking him what he's doing. The sword and Martyn bicker back and forth at each other as the rest of the party takes an item from the chest. Vaarkus claims the ring, and puts it on. Immediately, his finger disappears, and Vaarkus' missing finger feels tingly. Entreri grabs the amulet, curious as to what it might do, and puts it on. After nothing significant happens, he puts the amulet in his pocket. Intrigued as to what properties it might have, Delvin picks up the sponge and squeezes the water from it. The party begins to exit the room, and upon investigating the large door that appeared behind them, it is discovered that it is an illusion. Each member proceeds through the door, and exits the dungeon. Before the party is able to repeat their steps, they notice that the multiplying gold had overflowed from the chasm. Martyn, who was barefoot, recieves a piggie-back from Vaarkus who follows the rest of the party over the gold and out of the dungeon.

A Disappointing Series of Events:
As the sun begins to set, the party exits the dungeon. The party opts to set up camp near the archway rather than proceed down the trail, and set up watches. When it is Delvin's watch, he hears twigs snapping in the forest near the clearing. Delvin wakes up everyone else, alerting them to the situation. Suddenly, Entreri watches as the rest of his friends fall unconscious. Aware of now being severely drowsy, Entreri attempts to identify what occurred, but is unable as he too falls unconscious.

In the morning, the party wakes, finding themselves tied to a tree, only able to identify that the bonds have magical properties. Shortly after waking, a troop of Gnomes approaches the party. The gnomes tell the party that they need their help, and that an evil force is attacking their sacred tree. A gnome wizard releases the bonds that were containing the party, and another gnome tells them to follow him. After a short journey, the group approaches the gnomes' sacred tree. The party immediately notices a bulge on the tree's fifty-foot diameter trunk, at about half the height of the two hundred-foot tree. The gnomes say that the only known way to get rid of that bulge is to find the sword of light, that belongs to Sunshand. The gnomes tell the party that they may find Sunshand in the nearby town.

As the party approaches the town gates, a watchman inquires about what business the travellers have. Impatiently, Martyn sends his shoulder dragon to breathe fire on the watchman's face. Seeing the dragon, the watchman grabs the dragon, and throws him away. The watchman then calls for guards, and a sqaud emerges from a door near the gate, encircling the party. Everyone is knocked out, and the guards bring them into the town. Each person is interrogated separately, then knocked out again. Vaarkus, Martyn, Delvin, and Entreri all wake inside a jail cell, where the captain of the guard approaches the cell. Trying to negotiate their release, Martyn attempts to bribe the captain. As Martyn fails miserably, Delvin casts a spell that forces Martyn against the wall. Not seeing magic before, the captain is frightened, and places the keys near the jail cell. The party unlocks their cell, and opens the door to the next room. Six guards have their swords drawn and face the party. Stating that they do not want to harm anyone, Delvin produces flames from each hand, scaring each of the guards. As the guards cower against the wall, it is revealed where their equiptment and weapons are kept. Vaarkus forces the guards into a cell, and locks it. As the group calmly leaves the guard's barracks, they enter the training grounds, where dozens of guards are training. Slipping into the town unnoticed, the party restocks on supplies, and then walks to the tavern. In the tavern, the party meets Casia. Martyn produces the sword that Casia asked for, who then reveals that the gold reward lies in a chest upstairs. Martyn then points the sword at Casia, who jumps and grabs the sword from Martyn, delivering a brutal knee to Martyn's back. Casia escapes from the tavern, and disappears into the town. As the rest of the party catches up to Entreri, they look into the chest he has opened. One hundred gold coins sit in the chest, which is equally divided amongst the party, Entreri, Vaarkus, and Delvin getting thirty-three coins each, and Martyn getting one. The party deposits money into the bank, and then continue searching for Sunshand.

Meeting Gods:
Entering another tavern, the party disperses. Vaarkus, slipping some silver across the table, asks the bartender if he knows of Sunshand. Eventually, the bartender tells the party to follow him into the back. As everyone enters the room, the door closes, and a thick black smoke envelops the room. The bartender is now floating, and reveals himself to be Sunshand. The party asks for his assistance, namely his sword, to destroy the evil presence in the gnomes' forest. Each member of the party is required to give up an item of value for his assistance, and everyone obliges. They leave for the sacred tree, and upon reaching it, Sunshand simply floats up to the bulge, and strikes it with his sword. Immediately the bulge explodes into a thick black fog, and flies into the air. Upon asking if that was all that was required by the party, Sunshand then disappears. With more questions flowing through the party's mind, they decide to return to Sunshand. Re-entering Sunshand's tavern, the party apporaches Sunshand. He offers to assist the party greatly, but at the cost of blood. Unaware of the preposition, Martyn offers himself, and Sunshand devours Martyn. Using Martyn's blood, Sunshand produces a portal, and tells the trio that they will find help through it. Entering the portal, the trio find themselves in another plane. They are standing on an obsidian bridge, all around them is basalt, obsidian, and fire. Following the bridge, the trio reaches a fortress, where a ten-foot tall Lesser Pit Fiend stands in their path. After being told that Sunshand sent them, the pit fiend escorts them into the fortress. As the trio is guided into the throne room, a being speaks to them in a deep, malevolent voice. It dawns on them, that they are in the presence of Volos, and thus, are in Hell (See Planes of Existence). Volos offers to help the trio defeat the darkness that plagues Arxenthor, which is caused by a Lich King, if they retrieve six gems lost across different planes by Volos' daughter. The trio accepts, and Volos summons his son Maldrek to accompany them across the different planes. Without hesitation, the newfound party sets out on their quest.

Into The Abyss:
As the party exits from Maldrek's portal, they find themselves in a gloomy, fiery place similar to Hell. As soon as they steady their feet, a large Infernal Pit Fiend flies towards them. It lands, the demon angrily yells, telling the party that they may not take his gem. Acknowledging the fact that they will have to defeat this demon, Delvin traps the demon in a water tornado. Out of the depths of The Abyss spring two more opponents. One, being a ten-foot tall Avatar of Balor  wielding a sword and fiery whip; the other being a seven-foot long serpentine Flame Imp wielding a spear. The Avatar of Balor charges at Maldrek, who blocks his attack with his battleaxe, jumping back towards the Infernal Pit Fiend. The smaller Flame Imp lunges at Vaarkus, who deflects the spear, and then plunges his sword into its chest, wounding it. Wasting no time, Entreri sprints towards the Avatar of Balor. Entreri runs along the wall and jumps off of it, forcing his sword deep into the gap between the Avatar of Balor's neck and shoulder, killing it instantly. Delvin casts a spell aimed towards the Infernal Pit Fiend, attempting to explode its heart. The demon's chest violently explodes, exposing its chest cavity. Maldrek lunges towards the demon, slashing at its neck, cutting it deeply. After Vaarkus removes his sword from the serpentine demon's chest, it flies into the air, attempting to flee. Vaarkus aims his crossbow, and fires the bolt right into the Flame Imp's wing, causing it to fall and land harshly on the ground. Just as Vaarkus shoots down the serpentine demon, Entreri fires an arrow towards the Infernal Pit Fiend, piercing its heart. Maldrek rips the gem from the demon's chest, and opens a portal. The party then sets out into the next plane.

One With Nature:
The party finds themself in a mountainous, and heavily forested land known as Elysium. Soon after their arrival, a series of small Fairies begin to circle around the party. As Entreri attempts to speak to them, the rest of the party escapes the encirclement. After trying to communicate with the fairies, a voice tells Entreri to follow it, as a fairy changes colour and leads the way. As they follow, each member of the party has their mind breached, and each of their fears invoked. Maldrek becomes fascinated, and entranced by the fairies, allowing them to rest on him. The party approaches a lake, where above it, a large floating mountain resides. The fairies begin to completely transform. Two fairies carry Maldrek up towards the floating mountain. Seeing this, each member of the party attempts to defend themselves from the fairies, but to no avail. Delvin, Vaarkus, and Entreri are all grabbed by fairies, and carried to the mountain. Atop the mountain, a snake-like being approches them. Entreri and Delvin recognize it as a Liland, who then welcomes them, and guides them into the palace on top of the floating mountain. They are brought to a chapel, where they see the gem that they are searching for. The Liland will only part with the gem for something equally, or even more beautiful than the gem itself. Vaarkus puts on his ring, and in the distance, a massive finger appears. It is then immediately swarmed with faires who begin eating it. The mystery of where Vaarkus' finger goes, and why it feels tingly when he has the ring on, is solved. Maldrek, meanwhile, who has been woken up by Delvin, asks wha is going on. Delvin urges him to produce a portal as soon as they grab the gem to allow them to escape. Maldrek decides to grab the gem himself, which angers the Liland, and more enter the room. Faced with eight opponents, the party prepares for battle.

The Liland attack, as four lunge towards Maldrek and Delvin.Delvin dodges their attack, but Maldrek recieves a small wound from one of the Liland. Retaliating, Maldrek cleaves the head of one of the Liland, scaring the other three. The other four Liland are concerned with Vaarkus and Entreri. Vaarkus sneaks behind one of the Liland, and drives his dagger through its head. As the remaining three turn to Vaarkus, they attack, but Vaarkus is able to defend himself against all three. As Vaarkus is defending himself, he sees Entreri jump towards a Liland, and watches as a sword is driven through the chest of one. Delvin heats the blood of one Liland, causing it to explode. Terrified, the Liland retreat, but Maldrek disposes of one of the retreating Liland. Vaarkus drives his sword into another Liland's throat, causing the last one to attempt to retreat. Effortlessly, Entreri launches an arrow at the escaping Liland, which tears completely through its neck. Pleased with their victory and recovery of the second gem, the party walks into Maldrek's portal to another plane.

Session 3
TBA