Session 56: Sygmis, Tanyth 23

Brandybuck and Zannan did a thorough check of the Mayor’s bedroom. They opened up a chest, which contained several money pouches, 3 small gold bracelets, 1 Potion of Superior Healing, and two potions they couldn’t yet identify (one is made of a transparent liquid with what looks like a fingernail floating in it, and the other is made of a dense purple liquid with an ovoid cloud of pink floating in it).

Meanwhile, Hazel stayed downstairs talking to the gnome female cleaning staff (whom she had previously charmed). The gnome talked about her comfortable family home, her child, but mostly about her five cats (one of which is named Nibbles).

After checking the bedside table in the room, Zannan found a book. It looked well worn, as though it had been read many times. It was bound in green leather with an embossed image on its cover: a young elven boy playfully strolling in a forest, accompanied by a bear walking on its hindlegs, also in a frolicking, playful manner. The book is called “The Forest Scroll”.

Zannan remembered this tale from his childhood, about the boy who got lost in the forest, made animal friends and learned how friends provide each other the “bare necessities” and keep them safe. There’s even a song about it.

Zannan sang the song while touching the head of the bear rug, and the mouth of the bear mount on the wall opened up. Zannan first checked it with mage hand, with no result, and then put his own hand in there. He felt the familiar sensation of the inside of a bag of holding. He then thought of the Orb of Yigdrasiil and immediately felt the sphere come to his hand.

Simultaneously, Lennie now felt the presence of the orb, but also saw Darastrix (the Mayor) riding exasperatedly and angrily towards his mansion. He bolted in, bringing his guards, while the remainder of the group attempted to flee with the orb safely tucked away in their bag of holding.

The group succeeded to escape the mansion, however Hazel was approached by a halfling male wearing a chef’s hat, who could see her despite her invisibility. The halfling told her it was time for “Auclair and Kauma to come trade with his master”. Hazel noticed the halfling was in fact a construct magically disguised. He also added that his master had something of great importance to each of them: Hazel’s brother, and something “worth its weight in gold” for Lennie. 

After much hesitation, Lennie and Hazel accepted to be transported to its master, and Brandy and Zannan jumped into the bag of holding. Upon arriving at the destination, the group found themselves inside a stone building with sandstone floors and quite a bit of sand spread out everywhere. The air felt very dry. The room they were in had no windows, but it felt like they must have been deep underground.

The first person to approach them was an elven woman familiar to Hazel: Vaeri Helethana. She requested again that Hazel hand over the blueprints she requested, and that Elenion would hand over her family signet ring and a vial of her blood. There were a number of drow individuals also in the room. They were mostly covered (including their faces), but their incredibly intricate armor and weapons suggested they were of a high rank among the drow.

Vaeri signaled the drow to show the prisoners. They unlocked and opened two heavy metal doors: one revealed a small boy (Remy), looking dirty, but otherwise unharmed, fast asleep on a pile of hay. The other door revealed Garth in his elven form, looking rough and heavily hurt, bloodied clothes, his eyes looked exasperated and panicked. Once he saw Elenion he dashed towards the open door, at which point the drow pushed him back in and closed the door.

The group attempted to negotiate with Vaeri, but she seemed to care little about the negotiations and was unbending on her terms. She wanted what was convenient, and if the group wasn’t willing to trade, she had no problem disposing of her prisoners. She also pointed out that she knew they had the orb and that it doesn’t belong to them, but to her. It took some convincing by Zannan, but she eventually accepted the compromise of having Hazel provide additional drawings instead. Hazel signed that contract. Hazel also requested to see the face of one of the drow. Lennie cut a large gash across her own face.

The group gave Vaeri all she wanted, and she honored her part of the bargain, returning the prisoners to them and having Tin Can (the construct) teleport them back to the alley near the Mayor’s house. From there, the group returned to their room at the inn. Lennie kissed Garth, he kissed her back, however didn't seem able to say anything to her. He also didn't seem to understand what anyone was saying. Hazel tried to read his mind, but it was very tumultuous and made no sense. Hazel fed her brother some cookies and comforted him.

Session 55: Sygmis, Tanyth 23

The group finished clearing Charles’ home of mimics. Upon inspection of the rooms, the group noticed that the furniture in Charles’ bedroom and his kitchen appears to have been dragged, however his sister’s bedroom seemed untouched (except for a missing dress, likely the one Charles was wearing). Lennie also remembered that mimics are known for being solitary creatures, so it's very odd to have so many in one place.

The group proceeds to the Mayor’s residence, some remaining invisible (Brandy and Lennie), and some changing their appearance to look like runners. Hazel wrote an illusory script to make it look like they have patrons for the race, someone out of town. 

The group agreed on codeword: Chestplate.

Lennie traces Mayor’s location somewhere in New Mire, at a winery not too far from the mansion where they had been before.

Hazel and Zannan charmed two guards at the manor entrance, and spoke to them a bit. Lisa was the most talkative and she revealed that some days the mayor likes to spend time either at the Duskgrove gardens feeding the fish at the pond, or sampling wine at the Ibbania Adega (a winery) in New Mire.

Hazel also charmed one of the servants in the house. The servant mentioned an elven woman with red hair visiting the mayor recently.

Brandybuck snuck upstairs into the Mayor’s bedroom. He noticed a bear rug on the floor with a flat patch of fur on its head. Once Brandybuck touched it, he noticed the eyes on the bear head mounted on the wall glow.

Session 54: Sygmis, Tanyth 23

The group decided to collect information from townsfolk. Elenion was determined to kill the Mayor during the heist, but Hazel disagrees. Zannan spied on the house with his magical eye and was able to have a good look at 3 out of 4 servants and guards.

The group went to the tavern to gather more information. They learned that: 

1.     The manor has 4 servants who come into the market often for food and supplies

2.     There are some resident guards, a few people know how many exactly (4)

3.     In the evening, additional guards (city guards) reinforce security around the manor. They usually arrive at sundown (7:00), otherwise it’s just the 2 guards outside (1 by the front door and one walking around the property) and 2 inside.

At the tavern, Elenion also talked to a half elf man named Charles. He was wearing a dress and seemed distressed.

He mentioned that his table, 4 chairs, and wardrobe started attacking him. He fled his house and the only thing he had to wear was his sister’s dress, because his own wardrobe became violent.

The group learned where Charles lives, and that he wrote letters regularly to the mayor to complain about how unsafe the city is. Elenion kept one of the letters. She also suggested Charles becomes the next mayor, which had him excited. 

Upon arrival at Charles’ house, the group quickly learned that the furniture is in fact mimics.

Session 53: Sygmis, Tanyth 23

The group managed to sneak down to Zix’s cell, through a combination of teleportation, invisibility, some deception, and Hazel’s making the lock of the cell seem damaged.

Zix, upon arriving at the locked door, started turning the dials at the door, while simultaneously saying “Olly olly oxen free”. The group could hear gears turning behind the door, the locks engaging and twisting, and the door started to gently swing open. As the door opened further, the group saw a large octagonal room, dimly lit by torches and glowing mushrooms. There are a few bunk beds to the right, and some crates, barrels, grain sacks, and tables to the left. In the centre of the room, there’s a large enchanted surface, which the group immediately recognized as a teleportation circle, though containing a strange, enchanted alcove in its centre. 

From behind one of the crates, opposite the door, they noticed a small hand holding a crossbow, and a small head with silvery white hair, with golden streaks, braided very intricately with purple ribbons, surfacing and peeking at the door. Two large eyes, one red and one purple, go wide and an excited screech takes over the entire room as the little girl dashes towards the door: “Ding-Ding!! Papa!! You brought new friends??”. The girl is barely 4 feet tall, her skin has purple and light pink/pearly patches. She embraces Zix’s legs, and her facial features resemble his very closely, if it wasn’t for her unique colouration.

 Lilah is an Eladrin/Drow child. She was particularly chatty towards Elenion. Lilah's mother's name is Laserie.

The group offered Zix, Lilah and Ding-Ding passage to the teleportation circle in the former Hopeful Dawn cave.

Zix wants to use the amber orb to teleport himself, Ding Ding and Lilah to another hidden teleportation circle.

The group makes plans for a heist in the Mayor's house, to help steal the amber orb.