Snow and Slime - Session Logs

Two lines of black were formed, solving that third of the puzzle, as the red energy field drop. Unfortunately, this was the empty one, but Nadia investigated the remnants of the shield and found, written in Elvish, the word black. Investigating the blue energy field, the party found the same writing but this time, saying white. This being the only clue to act on, the party solved the puzzle once again, this time with the white tiles, ending the blue barrier, allowing the party to grab the keys while avoiding the Nightwalker.

Proceeding down the hall, a swift investigation of a mysterious dead end, lead the party to realize that it was actually an illusion. On the other side sat an Ooze who approached the party curiously, and non-hostilely which was surprising given the environment. The ooze wiggled when spoken to and lead the party to a nearby table with brass tablets. Red, following the oozes suggestive wiggles, slid one of the tablets into the ooze. A moment of sizzling before the tablet was pressed out with writing on it, explaining the ooze was a fabrication ooze, and his duty was to make items for the library. Naming the ooze, Foz, the party proceeded to have some basic mundane items made, as well as a map of the library.

From there, the party heads back to the beginning, to a sealed door and tried the keys found near the slider puzzle. But the door refused to open as second set seemed to be needed. With this, the party headed back to the library they passed being the only other place they haven’t looked yet. Here various books stood around the room, guarded by the Magus guards that loomed in the east. On a desk towards the back of the room, they found the keys they needed but knew taking them would start a tough fight. Instead, Krim grabbed clay from the Foz’s room and made a casting of the key and brought it back to have a copy made, bypassing the issue entirely.

From here the east wing was opened and the next riddles were found. Behind a magical veil lay a set of braziers with two chests between them. The chests contained a variety of 1-5 leveled wizard spell scrolls and a large number of true polymorph spells. The braziers had a selection of riddles on them, the party quickly realized that the bottom row was asking for spells and the top row was asking for creatures. As the party answered a few, one was given incorrectly, damaging them all. Krim volunteered to be the caster being the sturdiest and took the damage on the failure, as the rest waited beyond the veil they first walked through.

The north questions were…

• Born of chaos; one of two and feeling especially blue. With ill-used claws and crunching bites, It's often happy for a fight.
• A curse like others, seen in night But it's compass keeps it right. Perhaps the only one that's true And may fight to defend you.
• Breath of acid, breath that slows A love of wit that it shows. Jokes and stories are it's game But woe to those who lack the same.
• Tis a creature with many eyes, but its nature's a surprise. A bit unhinged, but less than vile Standing in one place for a while.

The south questions were…

• The artisan's bane, this spell will make the raw into the finished. And if your source is good, not fake, the quality won't be diminished.
• When you have a truth to seek, this spell may serve your needs. But these answers aren't for the meek, Your mind, unhinged, after the deed.
• A little trick to grease the wheels, and make a man your friend. But take care with any timing, as he may resent you at the end.
• A bounty hunter you may be, if so, this spell's for you. Another creature you can see, even when you're out of view.

After the answers, blue slaad, werebear, bronze dragon, spectator, fabricate, contact other planes, charm person and locate creature were given, Krim heard a jingle behind him as another set of keys presented themselves. Exiting the veil, all of the spell scrolls vanished, saddening Nadia, who would have had a spell book so thicc it would give disadvantage on stealth checks. Continuing down the hallway, yet another illusionary wall, and behind it three chests, guarded by three steel predators. They explained, bluntly, that answering another set of riddles would open the chests, but their contents would vary depending on the order opened. Also, that they would shred the party if given the wrong answer.

The three chest’s riddles were…

• Tend the herd, control the pack, Ride the beasts as you attack. Train them well, give out commands, The primal curbed for your demands.
• Bang your drum, perform a skit, Make your latest poem a hit. Take attention, take the stage, Another song that's all the rage.
• Deeply learned, deep in prayer, Perhaps in clothes that are threadbare. Burn the incense, lad or lass And lead onlookers in their mass.

A small conference was had before an answer was given, a wrong answer though. The steel predators teleported, encircling the party, as the party tried to guess the answers mid battle. Even with the predators baned and radio disrupted, their attack hit often and hard, rending the party. As Ulver downed the first predator with a heavy shot, Yannick shouted performance and the south most chest opened. The party realized the answers were skills that they used so Nadia next answered religion and Ulver himself answered animal handling opening all the chests. Still the predators assaulted as one looked ragged, another looped around and used a breath weapon on the party stunning most of them. But as swiftly as they were debilitated, they returned to strength and shredded back, Ulver pierced another’s steel hide, downing it. Red opted to roll through the remaining beast, hoping to give his allies an edge but was knocked unconscious while isolated instead. But while the predators back was turned Tye broke it’s back with his Warhammer and casted healing word, reviving his downed companion. With the predators gone the spoils of war were soon to be collected.

As the party collected the items from the chests, they realized Ulver was nowhere to be seen. After checking under the predators in case he was crushed, they found a note from Ulver saying he discovered a small hole and went to explore. Tye healed the party before pressing forward to the east.

To the east the party found a large chamber with a cherub statue with four ransacked offices within the corners and behind the statue stood two machines. Investigating the machines, they were revealed to be the library card printer but tinkering with it the party learned it to be unpowered and in disrepair. The statue seemed to be on a pivot, able to rotate to face around the room. The cherubs gaze was moved to machine as they hummed to life but other beings were summoned as well, living spells.

A large crushing Bigbsy hand, a noxious Cloudkill, a spindly Lightning bolt, a blisteringly hot Burning hand and two constructs with spinning blades for arms encroached on the party. The party was already battered from the earlier fight and the fumes of the cloud kill proved strong, injuring the Nadia Krim and Yannick heavily. However the toll was heaviest on Aidan, who died, but his spirit was absorbed into Nadia’s staff. Tye swiftly became surrounded by the spells but his spirit guardians dealt with the Burning Hands quickly. Red forced the attention of the cloudkill on himself and freed his companions from its fumes. Nadia fireballed, curling it around Tye and highly damaging the Lightning and Bigby hand, which were cleaned up by spirit guardian’s next turn. Meanwhile the mechanoid surrounded Krim and Yannick with buzzing blades, taking damage just by being near them. Nadia finished the cloudkill, and the rest of the party ganged up on the mechanoids ending them soon after.

With the living spells finished, the party took a much-needed short rest and acquired their library cards. Nadia in this time was also able to resurrect Aidan. Before leaving for the room, Red thought that the party might be missing something and turned the Cherub southwest (despite being told not to by Nadia) summoning the living spells and a construct again. The fight was short however, due to the multiple AOE spells and Red doing Blur, sprinting around the battlefield like a madman.

In the wake of the battle, the room to the southwest had been restored, and a note there referencing a set of keys that should not be left in his office, addressed to a “neighbor”. Knowing what the cherubs gaze would bring this time and needing the keys, the party rotated the cherub northwest and held attacks, once again ending the fight quickly. There in the restored room, the party found the last set of keys they needed as well as a note saying “the answer should be obvious”.

Heading back to the restricted section, the party used the key sets they acquired and turned their attention to the riddles.

• What is something that dawns on you even when it shouldn’t?
• What is it that you when you need it not, but throw out when you need it?

The answers were given; obvious and anchor, and the door opened. Over an intercom, a voice welcomed the party to the restricted section and stated to keep their library cards visible at all times or risk disintegration. Happy to have printed their cards earlier they ventured further into the library eventually coming to a large open room filled with desks and bookcases. Inside another voice called out “it’s been so long since I’ve had visitor”.

As the party approaches the talking book, Yannick triggered a Scooby-doo style trap, revealing Ulver but trapping himself in the walls. Enjoying the lounge he found there, he opted to stay a while. The Party conversed with book learning his name was Mezzan. He was once a being cursed a long time ago and worked for Daganth. He wished to share more, but couldn’t, as an additional curse prevented him from doing so, only removeable by a powerful spellcaster. The party pocketed the book for now not wanting to waste time and grabbed books on curses, fiends, liches and Maelstrom and any other book that looked valuable. While going through the books, Krim found a row of false books hiding a rather impressing looking war-hammer behind.

Nadia set up a tiny hut on stairwell and the party long rested. During the rest, Red contacted Aelith about the curse on the book and the need for a powerful spellcaster. He replied saying he had someone lined up already within Arcadia. The party ended their rest during the night and set off. It was easy enough to find the administrator building and as they approached, their quarry, the dragon swooped inside. Tye opted to sneak to a nearby window and witness the dragon searching the nearby room. Tye turned to face the party trying to decide what to do, and when his gaze returned to the window, he was met with a large glowing reptilian eye.

In a panic, Tye charged the eye and struck it through the window before rushing out of the room, dodging the grip of the Dragon in retaliation. Now back with the party, light spells were cast before walking into hall where the dragon nested. Despite being a red dragon, Tabbarris wished to speak oppose to directly attacking. He told his story, saying he’s been trapped here by Vaeril, who keeps him from dying from the radiation in exchange for keeping him safe. He was lured into this trap by was trapped there by Corinth the Steel, a dragon rival (with a familiar name).

The party felt slighting bad about killing a trapped creature but not bad enough to stop them as the fight began. Tabbarris exhaled sharply, nauseating the party and deals heavy damage, as the party noticed that he seems to radiate the sickness of the area around him. Krim moved up only to be struck hard multiple times. Red used his second dose of Blur (hopefully last dose) and taunts, hoping keep Krim and Tye safer. Tye moved up to flank, casting bestow curse on the dragon, freezing Tabbarris when he tried to attack. Nadia threw a chromatic orb at the dragon as it wheeled around biting and slashing Tye thrice, but Tye was able to hold on to the curse. Red baned Tabbaris as well and gave his own curse and sliced as Ulver took aim and pierced his hide. Tye was sickened by the radiance coming from Tabbarris so he disengaged fell back and guiding bolted. Tabbarris inhaled, tempting to breath his noxious miasma on most of the party, but was halted by Tye’s curse. Krim deals another heavy hit that seemed to weaken the dragon, slowing its onslaught.

Tabbarris exhaled again on Krim and Tye, leaving Tye barely standing. Red attracted the dragon’s attention and dodges the all the attacks. Ulver pierced Tabbaris’s hide on one side as Nadia casted vitriolic sphere on the other, damaging the dragon it’s on various turns. The sphere earned the Tabbarris’s ire as its breath hits Krim once again and Nadia through the window downing her. Red revives Nadia as Ulver hits with another arrow. Krim once again slowed Tabbarris’s attacks but it shed the curses placed upon it as its skin slopped off. Here the party unloaded on Tabbarris, Nadia lightning bolts, Red’s infernal flaming blade, burned into the once red dragon, Ulver’s arrows continued to hit the mark, as well as Tye’s guiding bolt. Krim released a volley of 4 attacks, and yet Tabbarris still stood, bloodied but still with plenty of fight yet.

Tabbarris loomed over the party but before he could bear down, Yannick burst through a window, slashing and shooting with his problem solver. Tabbarris countered with his toxic breath, downing half of the party, Krim, Yannick and Tye. Fearing what Tabbarris could bring next, Nadia mustered a chromatic orb with all her might, electrocuting Tabbarris till his body seized violently then stopped, dead.

After the party was healed, Ulver looted a nearby chest finding a large donation to the Arcadian SPCF, 3000 plat and a very impressive looking rapier. With Tabbaris dead and looking at the amulets that were now rapidly deteriorating, the party rushed to get off the island. Tye is transformed into a teradon quetzalcoatlus and flew the party off the island and when the spell ended, they row boated the rest of the way into Arcadia.

Upon landing at the beach in Arcadia, the party heard that Dave was in the nearby police station, so they visited him, gave him money for his lost airship and wished him well on his journeys. Here the party headed to an inn, The Gilded Mare, and rested for the night. In the morning, the party found themselves at a small feast set up by Red to celebrate the new year (which was today!) along with gifts for the party. Still wishing to celebrate a bit, Red took the party to see a show performed by his old theater troop. As they were leaving theater Ulver saw a local dentist who installed new gold teeth for him.

Having had their fun for the day, the party headed to the Marble Tankard looking to meet with Aelith’s contact. After saying the code word to the bartender (frost), they party was escorted to a back room where they met with a veiled woman. Dalia, a hemo-mancer applied her craft on the Book, rubbing blood into the book until the curse was broken. Huang Zheng was quite talkative once freed and told the party that he helped design Dagoth’s phylactery, which is stored within an artificial demon, who happens to be Dagoth’s second in command.

Sending were sent to Aelith, informing him of this information and the party split for a bit, with Krim, Nadia, Tye and Yannick enjoying the local nightlife. Meanwhile Red and Ulver visited The Loom’s Better, a tailor’s shop to fit Ulver for a fancy suit and for Red to see his parent’s, the owners. As the party reunited at the rave, Huang Zheng was crowd surfing when his was abducted / stolen. The party gave chase into the streets as the suspect began to fly. Tye thinking quickly, casted dispel magic causing the criminal to drop to the ground. Nadia teleported ahead of the thief/kidnapper and grappled him as he approached. Seeing he had no escape; the thief gave up quickly.

He explained he works for the Magnate of Clarity and that she wished to speak with them. The Party followed thief to this Magnate, Marana Fontaine, who greeted everyone by name including Red’s real name. She explained that in her many visions of possible futures, Aelith and the Prince of Maelstrom conquer the world, with the Prince becoming a demon of his own ambition (not sure if that was figurative or literal). The party explains their reasons for working with Aelith in regards to the High Regent and Marana explained that she works with him and can get him to stop creating the demons, but requires he party to kill Aelith. Now the party stands at an impasse, continue with the deal they had made or work with people who associated with man that creates demons.

With the delicious cookies on the table Yannick and Ulver, ate and ate until they fell into a sugar induced coma. They sat and digested while the rest of the party decided who to work for. Many pointed out that no one trusted Aelith when they worked with him, but saw him as the only option at the time. This was a new option, but they were hesitant to work with someone who works with the High Regent and knew of his actions. Here Red received sendings from Aelith asking them about the thief who stole their stuff. Red replied saying it wasn’t an issue, but this let the party knew they were being spied on.

The Party was still indecisive as to who to work with so they turned to Marana to discuss what the future could hold (a totally unbiased opinion). She stated how her powers worked, she can see the future but each subsequent time it became less accurate. As they discussed options with her the Party’s favor slowly shifted to working with Fontaine. The conversation eventually came to Aelith and how he came to have his powers and work for the Prince of Maelstrom. Marana replied that he was basically adopted by the Prince and raised to be a soldier but his frost powers came from a curse inflicted by a hag. This fact resonated with Nadia who questioned which Hag set the curse. Marana used her powers and discovered that it was Grandma Gristle, the same Hag that cursed Aidan.

This presented the party with a dilemma, where killing the Hag would weaken Aelith and help Aidan, it would also little time to get to Aelith after, but Aelith was powerful and that fight would not be easy either. Marana viewed the possible futures seeing that both options had 35% chance of success with direct confrontation being slightly higher. Despite this, the party decides to kill the Hags to weaken Aelith and contacted an old friend, Arsene, with instructions (and a super inspiration) to slow down Aelith as long as he could.

The party buys healing potions in prep for the hard fight ahead. They found themselves a teleportation circle and traveled to the Pisallo. In the middle of the busy street, Tye is transformed into a quetzalcoatlus, and they took off into the mountains. They got slightly lost, losing about 20 mins, but the party eventually found the hut. Outside sat two dire trolls and three hags desecrating a human body over a caldron.

Tye swooped in, getting hit with a boulder doing so but got the rest of the party into range. Granny Gristle and Aunty Frostbite take off avoiding the cluster, while Aunty Agony pulled a wendigo from the caldron. The troll to the south swiped, hitting most of the party except Nadia who phased to another plane. Aunty Frostbite opened with a cone of cold hitting the same cluster and at this point most of the party is on their last legs. The other troll chases Ulver who scooted away and clobbered him badly.

Red misty steps above Granny and knocked off her broom and her to the ground. Nadia popped back to fight and lighting bolted the wendigo, Aunty Agony and a troll before fading again. The southern troll knocked out Tye with a flurry, as Ulver dealt with his own troll, attacking and darting away. However, the troll catches up with him, knocks him unconscious as well and begins dragging him away. Krim gets paralyzed by Aunty Agony as the wendigo raked at his flesh. Yannick popped some Blur (we may need intervention soon) and clobbered the troll with flame-tongue and hits Wendigo, learning that its immune to fire. Red said a barely witty one-liner before fading from Gristles range and healed the party, bringing up Tye and Ulver. Aunty Frostbite raised her staff and with it rose a wall of ice, cutting the party off from each other. Nadia pops back on top of the ice, knowing Granny was look for her to appear. She fireballs the troll and Aunty Frostbite, dropping the ice wall but drops into Gristle’s touch, poisoning her.

Freshly awoken, Ulver escaped, using Kasdiels blessing, before darting away again. The Wendigo clawed at the still paralyzed Krim, downing him. Yannick feed a potion to Krim and shotgun blasts wendigo and Granny Gristle. The second troll still bore down on Ulver and downed him again, Red brough back with potion shortly after. Aunty Frostbite casted cone of cold again, with Red, Krim, Nadia and Yannick in the path, downing Krim again. Nadia misty steps away after being surrounded by hags and gives Krim a potion. Ulver smited the troll from the ground as the other troll beat on Tye until he was down and then some, almost killing him. Red killed the regenerating troll while it was down and saved Tye from death. Enraged at being knocked down again, Tye jumped back to his feet and wailed on Aunty Agony. Wishing for the fight to end, Granny Gristle raised her staff and blasted necrotic energy, casting Circle of death on the entire party and the other Hags, downing Red, who no one could notice. Nadia lightning bolted, killing the wendigo and injuring Aunty Agony.