CARRION CROWN CAMPAIGN JOURNAL

[phil]

9-01-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 5)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Damien (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), Unholy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- party defeats Vorkstag and Grine after a desperate battle

- Vorkstag appears to be a fey who is able to steal and wear skins from his victims

- Vorkstag was wearing the skin a very tall and muscular mongrelman bearing an old bite mark on its shoulder

- party finds notes, ledgers and letters (see description below)

- Mongrelmen workers flee through the sewers

- party liberates twin brothers (from Marx family) who were turned into slave sentient zombies which brains are kept alive thanks to weekly injections of a weird alchemo-necromantic substance

- party successfully presents additional evidence at court on the 6th day of Neth month :

     - cabinet of skins including the tall mongrelman’s skin with bite mark and other former alleged victims of TB

     - ledger proving link and disagreement between Doctor Brada and VGCW

     - ledger proving that there is a conspiracy to put the blame on TB

- Total number of evidences successfully presented during whole trial = 13

- party visits the University to deal with the theft and vandalism crime TB is accused of

- Doctor Montagnie Crowl indicates that a weird and very ancient small statue called the “Sea Sage”, disappeared on the stormy night when TB was found vandalizing the antiquities department

- the University had wards against living and undead creatures but no protective wards against constructs

- Knick found clues showing that TB may have handed over something though the narrow window to a tiny homunculus (tiny prints outside the window)

- Damien convinced Doctor Montagnie Crowl not to press charges while Bedrork convinced him to even pay 200GP to take care of the Marx Brothers

- Lepidstadt court decided that TB was innocent but had to leave the town to preserve public order as townsfolk were still very hostile

- TB indicated that his father was the Count Alpon Caromarc, who is living in his isolated castle 5h north of town

- TB indicated that his father used a device on him several times ~15-20 years ago but has no recollection of events that occur when under control, however this last control 3 weeks ago was done by several other minds

- party found that Count Alpon Caromarc abdicated 36 years ago after his wife and kids were killed during by a revolutionary mob

- party also discovered that all key Revolutionary Leaders were savagely murdered one by one 16 years ago

- TB thanked the party and left to his father castle, running at very high speed

- Kendra indicated that the Whispering Way seems to be gathering some key components for a major ritual, including the spirit siphoned from Ravengro and the Sea Sage effigy; she does not understand why they would need her father body

- Kendra further checked her father’s journal which seems to indicate that her father has been running from some unknown enemy all his life and after Kendra’s birth they kept changing location every 5-7 years for no apparent reason

- party levels up !


Notes / Ledger / Letters

- correspondence with Doctor Brada (including a crumpled letter from him where he threatens to denounce VGCW them to the authorities 4 months ago)

- correspondence with “A.A.” (as per Grine’s notes this person is associated to the “Way”) : old letter to introduce “CAC” 24 years ago, receipts for various bodies purchases, zombies transaction 2 years ago, 1 letter 5 months ago asking if Grine would be interested to take on a theft job to steal something at the University which Grine comments as a rejection as he does not want to have to deal with wizards, 1 letter 3 months ago requesting a compound that would quickly nullify heavy sedative, 1 week ago letter to ensure TB is found guilty and warning about adventurers with note from Grine wondering why AA wanted TB to disappear and how AA managed to get TB to steal for him at the University, letter to come and collect a fresh rare Alpha werewolf body at the exclusive Ascanor lodge in the Shudderwood in 2 weeks + invitation to enter the lodge signed by Bulgar Bonton

- correspondence with CAC : exotic bodies part and strong sedatives purchases especially 20-24 years ago, hound flesh golem & homonculi transactions 6 years ago, past 15 years receipts are primarily related to sedatives purchases

- recent entry shows that someone sent by A.A. picked up 3 bottles of anti-sedative 3.5 weeks ago and another entry shows an urgent delivery of 24 alchemical fire and 280GP first donation for “Vengeance and Justice”



Resources acquired (with [re-sell costs])

- various alchemical gears and raw substances [600GP]

- 7 alchemical fires and 12 flasks of acid [325GP]

- 200GP from the University to handing-over the Marx Brothers and 5 weekly doses of alchemo-necromantic substance

- jar with injury poison with 20 doses (Con save DC 12, if failed 1d6 poison dmg) [200GP total]

- 4 vials of enhanced antitoxin (Double Advantage to saves vs poison for 1h + reroll on-going poison saves) [200GP]

- masterwork thieves tools [112GP]

- masterwork light crossbow [180GP]

- masterwork surgery tools [200GP]

- various books about chemistry, anatomy, medicine [350GP]

- 1 bottle of purple liquid labelled as “anti-sedative”

- 1 potion of water breathing [40GP]

- 1 potion of darkvision [40GP]

- gold key [10GP]

- silver grail with precious stones [250GP]

- ebony tribal mask from the Mwangi Expanse [175GP]

- silver torc from the Lands of the Linnorm Kings [200GP]

- Jewelry [480GP]

- coins [700GP]

- wand of gentle repose (max 7 charges, recovers 4 charges at dawn) [550GP]

- 1300GP from Judge Embreth Daramid for finding key evidences for the trial



Resources spent

- 1 potion of Healing



Rules updates / clarifications

- Annihilation Trick with portable hole and bag of holding is solely reserved to Deities and their duly appointed Deputies

 Sea Sage Effigy

[phil]

Party mini-downtime in Lepidstadt


- all common items available for sale

- each PC can buy 1 uncommon item if enough GP but it has to be validated by DM

- Kendra proposed an attractive business deal to Knick about Ghost Trap production rights

- Kendra dispelled Boomer’s possession and offered her family ring with 3 daily charges (at Caster Level 5) allowing to cast protection from evil and good as 1 action for 1 charge and which will auto-cast protection from evil and good on wearer for 1 charge as a reaction in case the wearer is the target of charm or fear effects from aberrations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead.

- Chang continues to enjoy his enriched personality fueled by the reality-wrenching contemplation of infinite dark spaces and is free to select another madness

- Bedrork’s crow reveals that it is acting as an agent of Gorum god of battles, Crow has Intelligence 9 now and can speak Common only, it is bonded to Bedrork with same stats as a Valenar Hawk with bestow luck trait (https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/valenar-hawk) but is considered as a magical beast instead of fey and its beak attack deals piercing damage

- Damien’s performance in front of court audience has earned him some recognition from his patron and as a result his Fey Presence ability duration is now extended to 1min

[phil]

16-01-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 6)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Damien (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), Unholy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- on 7th day of Neth month at around 11am, the mounted party arrives at Caromarc castle

- party defeats the recently deceased guards (still wearing uniforms and insignia) turned into skeletons crews

- Knick notices that a homunculus has probably been tampering with guards trail rations over past few weeks

- animals in the guardhouse courtyard appear to have been killed with necrotic energy

- party defeats another hound flesh golem with a “c” on its forehead

- party triggers a gush of wind while on the first bridge and Knick, Boomer, Bedrorls are swept down

- Knick climbs the rock supporting the museum with help from flying Damien

- Damien carries the rest of the party back to the museum in Knick’s bag of holding

- party finds the corpses of 3 dwarven workers nearby the temporary rope bridge

- party enters the museum, finds a flesh golem corpse (with necrotic wounds) with a “c” on its forehead

- party explores the museum, disarms traps and defeats 2 mummies whose sarcophagi were un-chained

- party walk in a half-tunnel carved in the flank of the jutting rock and reaches basement of 4 towers

- party enters a large cylindrical room (60’ diameter, 60’ high with walkway and door 40’ above)

- the room is filled with dying jungle due to lack of light

- party defeats 3 recently killed Girallon now turned into Zombies

- party believes that a furious crowd will reach and probably torch the castle on the next day in the evening

- party levels up to level 7 !

- it is now 4PM on 7th day of Neth month


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- 2 chainmails [75GP], 10 longswords [75GP], 12 heavy crossbows [300GP]; total weight 110+30+216=356lbs

- 12 days worth of trail rations; total weight 24lbs

- 3 vials with a sticky greenish substance

- mummies jewelry [800GP]

- mummy’s finger with magical gold ring displaying the head of an evilly grinning long horned goat

- 2 sarcophagus metal lids weighting 80lbs each


Resources spent

- 210GP deposit for 2 draft horses + 2 ponies + 1 mule + mounting gear
- 2 potion of lesser restoration + 1 scroll of lesser restoration + 1 scroll of restoration


Rules updates / clarifications

- A creature can be “diseased” or “cursed” with various underlying effects and conditions

- Conditions caused by Diseases or Curses can not be cured unless the source Disease or Curse is removed

- as per RAW, bag of holding opening is 2 feet wide; only medium creatures or below can enter


Girallon Zombie      Mummy

[phil]

23-01-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 7)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Damien / Tiffany (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), Unholy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- party defeated a summoned lesser Daughter of Urgathoa but Damien was knocked down

- party defeated a drider like monstrous flesh golem

- Knick activated the golem device and triggered a huge storm with tremendous lightning strikes

- party revived The Beast but as part of the process, Damien took 600hp damage and died

- Tiffany joined the party

- party found Pixie and Chang revived it and became its new master after a suitable blood donation

- party found a note on the wall poorly scribed by Pixie apparently writing down what CAC was saying before dying (see note in section below)

- party instructed The Beast to destroy the golem device, after which The Beast died

- party gleefully cut Shirley’s hands and feet in order to salvage its magical boots and gloves

- party thoroughly searched the ransacked lab under the dome and found various loot

- party investigated the castle’s residential building and found loot + a hidden safe with treasure and notes / ledger (see section below)

- on 8th day of Neth month, party returns to Lepidstadt at around 6am and spends the day long resting

- Judge Embreth Daramid reveals that she is a member of the Palantine Eye whose ideals are in opposition with the Whispering Way

- She asks the party to stop the Way from gathering components for a great ritual they seem to be preparing

- So far the Way as collected a powerful spirit from Harrowstone, the Sea Sage Effigy and they seem to be looking for another component in the Shudderwood

- party learns that the Shudderwood is a dangerous place infested with monsters; this is attracting high level hunters and influential nobles who gather at the exclusive & fortified Ascanor Lodge

- entrance at the Lodge is only possible with an invitation


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- mount rental deposit refund minus rental fee [202GP]

- broken owl shaped homunculus

- Pixie homunculus now serving Chang

- 6 bottles of cognac are still there [90GP]

- fresh tobacco [80GP]

- spices [70GP]

- 2 ivory pipes [60GP]

- 2 masterwork halberds [600GP]

- letters and ledger (see below)

- old family jewelry [6,000GP]

- coins [800GP]

- spellbook with 8 Level 1 Spells / 6 Level 2 Spells / 4 Level 3 Spells / 2 Level 4 Spells [1,640GP]

- engineering sketch book with an attached pen allowing to cast Stone Shape once per week through a 1h ritual requiring to draw what shape is intended [1,100GP]

- wand of create food and water 7 charges [1,500GP]

- 2x scroll of stone to flesh [5,500GP]

- 1 wand of heightened sleep Spell Level 3 affecting 40hp of creatures with 7 charges [1,500GP]

- 3x potions of greater restoration (beats DC 20 effects including advantage) [3,000GP]

- 1 wand of lesser restoration (beats DC 17 effects including advantage) with 7 charges [1,100GP]

- 1 unguent of regenerate [4,000GP]

- alchemical equipment and materials [700GP]

- Thunder gloves (augment unarmed strikes using fists with +1 magical bonus and +2d6 thunder damage, are also considered as light simple melee weapons whenever beneficial for the wearer and as a result 2 weapon fighting bonus action can be taken if both hands are used to attack with fist unarmed strikes, require attunement) [11,000GP]

- Boots of Speed [11,000GP]


Resources spent

- none


Items previously acquired and now identified (with [total re-sell costs])

- ring of ram (gold ring displaying the head of an evilly grinning long horned goat) [11,000GP]

- 3 vials of Wyvern Poison (sticky greenish substance) [180GP]


Rules updates / clarifications

- A creature transported in a bag of holding has 1 chance out of 20 to be lost in the Astral plane



  Lesser Daughter of Urgathoa   Pixie

[phil]

Notes / Ledger / Letters found in CAC’s safe

(CAC = Count Alphon Caromarc, AA = Adivion Adrissant, AV = Auren Vrood, VG = Vokstag & Grine)


- notes describing how CAC and his family were caught in revolutionary crowd and his wife and daughter were killed in 4670

- list of names of key revolutionary leaders

- research notes to create a powerful flesh golem to get his revenge

- first meeting with AA in 4679 followed by multiple visits and letters about bodies animation

- CAC describes AA as a well mannered and educated researcher, obviously from aristocratic background, with average build, well groomed black short hair and brows, trimmed greyish bear, amber eyes, pale skin with very light olive tint who sometimes visited him with his silent tall assistant AV tall, with elongated face and thin arms but rest of body is quite fatish, pale (almost greyish) skin, deeply set brown-reddish eyes and sparse grey-reddish hair and he has a slightly lurching gait

- AA introduces VG in 4782 and CAC starts spending a fortune buying body parts from various creatures

- CAC first custom flesh golem is very powerful but can not be controlled, is kept under heavy sedatives

- CAC designed a specific device to control his second custom golem, after using the device the first time, the golem started to develop sentience

- CAC used its second golem to assassinate the revolutionary leaders in 4690, but it did not bring him the peace he craved

- CAC was surprised and frustrated with his second golem sentience as it did not allow him to control it at will (as the device could only be used once every 2 weeks)

- CAC mostly abandoned his second golem and continued his research albeit at a slower rate

- CAC was selling flesh golems hounds and homunculi to fund his expensive research

- 2 months ago, AA sent a letter to CAC telling him that he discovered an elixir which could be used to establish long lasting command on flesh constructs and potentially this could be used on TB or on the AB. He informed CAC that AV would bring the concoction in early Lamashan. CAC was expecting the visit around 3 weeks ago.




Notes scribbed on the wall by Pixie



“adivionadrissan yuzedme hewaz infakofze vizpereenwai

weit pixie mi mi mi I fil I am fentinagen

mor water pleiz

sanks

pleiz kontinu writeen until mylasbreas

zeuzed ze goleen kontrol devis for zeir nifarius purpozes ze nided tostil somesing

zenze avok my firsmad kreacion and left but pixie mi mi mi undiedme ontim toalome dohidher

pixie mi mi mi wereismy midicin myhard kanottakid animor

u whoareding zozlasdords uar mylasdchanc toredimyself

distroi zidevis grandmy sicondson zipece he diservs

stop zeoe orenvrood oaz eksidedli diskusin abud neksdstop ataskanor loge inze chuderood tosekur anozer inegerediend ofze karionkron

tomuch pen

giv blod to pixie mi mi mi

uz my lasdoels beind zemiror in in in

fur siks se veen ti”




“Adivion Adrissant used me, he was in fact of the Whispering Way

wait pixie (it’s me me me !), I feel I am fainting again

more water please

thanks

please continue writing until my last breath

they used the golem control device for their nefarious purposes, they needed to steal something

then they awoke my first mad creation and left but pixie untied me on-time to allow me to hide in here

pixie (it’s me me me !) where is my medicine, my heart can not take it anymore

you who are reading those last words, you are my last chance to redeem myself

destroy the device, grant my second son the peace he deserves

stop the Way, Auren Vrood was excitedly discussing about next stop at Ascanor Lodge in the Shudderwood to secure another ingredient of the Carrion Crown

too much pain

give blood to pixie (it’s me me me !)

use my last wealth behind the mirror in in in 4 6 70 in”

[phil]

30-01-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 7)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Tiffany (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- party leaves Lepidstadt on 11th day of Neth

- party decides to proceed using the 23-30 Neth reservation made for Vorkstag and Grine and signed by a noble called Bulgar Bonton

- party arrives to Shudderwood edge on 12th day of Neth evening

- party defeat a huge spider-centipede with mesmerizing powers on 13th day of Neth evening
- party finds the recently killed body of a noble called Etchmoor Dravin whose family crest is a soaring hawk holding a dagger + a reservation to the Lodge from 8th to 22nd Neth under his own name + his guard corpse

- Chang ceremoniously buries a mother with her child

- party visits a rare Fey Witchmarket on 14th day of Neth evening

- Irma the fortuneteller foresees a murder which the party will try to resolve with the help of an ally they must seek

- Party’s ally is “The Courtesan” : “Beauty often blinds those who would see beyond the body. Look further and you will find someone able to gather secrets.”

- Irma promises a boon to help the party with upcoming events when the time comes : The Queen Mother (Bedrork), The Carnival (Boomer), The Lost (No Name), A gagged rotting skull (Kendra)

- Irma says that Kendra and her companions may yet decide the Fate of the World

- party visits following market’s landmarks : Aggys in the Cart, The Absorbing Laughing Muse, Hoya’s Lost & Found Tent, Halama’s Fortune Lemon Tree, Zana’s Love Fountain, Paul’s Extraordinary Candikery, Trok the sad Troll

- Tiffany : loses and regains her name, trades away her last breath, generously trades her left hand to the poor Trok, loses 5 permanent hp and gains blood link with the Absorbing Muse, gains +2 Con and +2 Cha as stackable Luck bonus beyond 20 cap, becomes a tasty primary target for all flesh eating / blood sucking creatures

- Bedrork : acquires True Love for Boomer, loses 5 permanent hp and gains blood link with the Absorbing Muse, trades away his last breath, acquire Proficiency in 2 Charisma based skills with Expert level in 2 sub-skill for each : first one is Performance (with Expert Level = +3 in Dance and Poetry sub-skills), second Charisma skill to be selected by Bedrork with 2 sub-skills at Expert Level

- Boomer : loses and regains 5 permanent hp and gains blood link with the Absorbing Muse, gains +2 Cha as stackable Luck bonus beyond 20 cap

- Chang : loses Pixie and his token, gains a Wand of Secrets, gains a Potion of True Love, regains his Sanity, becomes a fervent supporter of Paul’s yet to be famous Candikery, promises to pay a future price to the fey

- Kendra : committed to always face dangers even during retreat in exchange of 2 Lemon Tree lucky draws : 1 Ring of Swimming, 1 Cloak of Protection


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- wagon with 3 draft horses

- Etchmoor Dravin corpse under Gentle Repose

- signet ring with soaring hawk holding a dagger crest [200GP]

- nicely decorated silvered masterwork longsword [350GP]

- masterwork composite longbow made of rare woods [300GP]

- 30 arrows with silvered tips [150GP] (when missing target 50% of breaking the arrow)

- gems [1800GP]

- coins [300GP]

- sealed reservation to the Lodge from 8th to 22nd Neth under Etchmoor Dravin name

- Witchmarket token to each except Knick


Resources spent

- Pixie homunculus

- scroll of Gentle Repose


Rules updates / clarifications

- Crit success on a craft check allows to complete the crafting in 25% less time

- Divine caster can teach a spell to another eligible caster by spending 1 full day per Spell Level

- 1 week crafting = 5 working days

[phil]

06-02-2022 Session


Characters (Lv 7)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Tiffany (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- The Absorbing Muse link triggers whenever the afflicted is at 50% max hp or more and gets hp damage, in that case a DC 10 flat check is required to avoid 5hp extra damage to be caused by the Muse absorption

- Tiffany finds back her hand in exchange of keeping with a small ebony box with her for 1 year and ensuring it is not lost and not opened

- Tiffany gets her hand sewed back in exchange of living by the credo “Defense is for the Meek” which prevents her from taking the Dodge or Disengage actions

- party rests on 15th day of Neth

- Tiffany triggers a trap 1 day away from the Lodge by approaching a dead body attached to a large tree

- party recovers a large masterwork silver hunting knife (with a crest showing a bear fishing salmon) plunged in the heart of the corpse

- party checks-in at the Ascanor Lodge on 20th day of Neth as Vorkstag & Grine and manages to get free upgrade from servants quarters to guest room

- party hunts with Duristan, defeats 3 large Dire Boars and faces 2 Primal Werewolves who claimed that they will not accept Malthus as the new Packlord and that he will pay for his betrayal. They will revenge Sain’s assassination and threaten the folks at Ascanor lodge who have plotted with Malthus. They demanded that all humans left the Shudderwood forever.

- party manages to intimidate Estovion to get access to the Lodge real main library

- Nick and Boomer find information about the Werewolf Tribes and the Region (see notes below)

- One the older hunting logs mention a lost ruin in the forest and at that location of the logbook a whole page was missing and a folded piece of paper was found mentioning that this is most likely the lost Rose Garden Stairs temple of Milani mentioned at page 322 of the “Mystic Garden” book in the Religion private section; this book could could not be found in the library

- Tiffany interrogates the courtesan Niama who surprisingly appears to be eager and willing to help the party

- Niama explains details about a strange visit which happened on 11th day of Neth (see notes below)

- Tiffany decides to explore new horizons and depths with Niama

- party spends a day exploring the forest to no avail

- when party comes back in the middle of the night (around 3AM on 23rd Neth day in the morning) they find Cilas Graydon savagely killed in his room; Speak with Dead does not reveal much information

- Full Moon is expected on 23-25th nights


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- large masterwork silver hunting knife [350 GP]

- Tiffany’s hand [0 GP]

- free upgrade from servants quarters to guest room [0 GP]

- giant boar head and tusk collected by Bedrork [0 GP]


Resources spent

- 1,650 GP for 11 days full-board for 1 room with 2 guests

- 220 GP for 11 days servants quarters with servants food

- 250 GP for Madam Ivanka’s Services : cards reading (tea included) + 2h entertainment with extra guest fee


Information collected

(1) Werewolf Tribes

- The Primals formerly led by Kvalca Sain who was also the Tribes Packlord; this is a very small tribe originated from Khellid ancestors, not interested by what is happening outside Shudderwood and unwilling to deal with human, they can take large form with ebony black fur and are most physically strong as individuals; they strongly oppose the Silverhides and are wary of the Demon Wolves; Long have the Primals ruled the Shudderwood as their leaders were traditionally the strongest warriors amongst all the tribes

- The Silverhides led by Malthus Mordrinacht have gray white fur with silverish sheen; they are currently claiming leadership as Malthus is claiming Sain’s Packlord position after her downfall; they are subtle and apt to mix with humans; the Silverhides always considered themselves as the rightful rulers of the Shudderwood and claim direct links with the Stairs original founders

- The Demon Wolves led by Adimarus Ionacu have individuals from various sizes and shapes as they aggressively recruit infected werewolves from various origins to increase their rank; Demon Wolves are worshippers of the Demon Lady Jezelda whose influence is strong further to the north closer to the Worldwound, their lycanthropy strain is very infectious and cause high aggressiveness, fur color gains a reddish tinge and eyes become reddish. The Demon Wolves tribe size is growing fast but they are still not strong enough to forcefully seize power against all other Tribes if united against them.

- The Broken Ones led by Cybrisa Dorzhanev are a reclusive matriarchal group of more peaceful smaller size individuals with dark golden brown fur. They are organized in small tightly knit communities trying to live harmoniously with Nature and wisely using the Shudderwood resources. They want to avoid unnecessarily bloodshed and are typically supporting the legally appointed Packlord to help stabilize the Tribes political landscape. They are very wary of the Demon Wolves ambitions.

- The Prince's Wolves led by Rhakis Szadro have individuals with brown or gray fur; The Prince’s Wolves are neutral in the Tribes leadership conflict, they are mostly motivated to oppose anything linked to Tar Baphon and associated Necromantic Cults. They have a strong and complex code of Clan Honor with fierce loyalty to their leader and very little recognition for the Tribes politics.

- The 5 Tribes are led by a Packlord, who is selected by challenging and defeating the existing Packlord through a one to one confrontation and ritual public consumption of the vanquished Packlord heart at a holy place called the “Stairs”

- The Stairs are also used for important meetings between Tribes


(2) History / Religion

- The Shudderwood was an important place of Resistance against Tar-Baphon tyranny around 1100 years ago

- The Resistance was composed of multiple guerilla groups from various origins

- Milani clergy had a secret temple in the Shudderwood and was supporting the Resistance against persecution

- Milani’s temple was called the Rose Garden Stairs and it is said that Milani’s Blood Rose relic had been moved there to help support the Resistance against the Lich Lord's oppression

- However, some betrayal happened amongst the Clergy ranks leading to the discovery of the temple location by Tar-Baphon armies which then managed to shatter the Resistance

- The various Resistance groups were defeated and survivors fled in small groups deeper into the forest and often fell prey to the forest monsters and predators (including original werewolves living there)

- It is not known what happened to Milani’s Blood Rose relic but the priests somehow managed to prevent it from being taken over by Tar-Baphon’s armies when they overran the temple


(3) Explanations from Niama

- Visitors came from outside on 11th day of Neth and were admitted without checking in : 3 nobles from Courtaud but clothes were not that rich and accent was very much southern like the speech : 1 authoritative tall cloaked man, with lurching gait, thin limbs but large belly and with a scary tiny lizard humanoid on his shoulder + 2 other cloaked figures, Niama noticed those 2 were wearing some kind of bulky amulet hidden under their shirt while their leader had an ugly armor made of bones under his cloak. They were joined by a tall kind of woodsman with a silver beard, very muscular, handsome despite a strong forest and animal odor.

- Conversation pieces heard by Niama : noble leader was discussing an imminent plan to ambush someone called “Sain” together with the woodsman at the “Stairs”; the woodsman was called “Malthus”; noble leader agreed to share a piece of Sain’s heart with Malthus


Rules updates / clarifications

- Ready Action allows you to ready an Action to be used on a trigger as part your Reaction

- If your Reaction is not on your turn, then actions which have to be done on your turn can not be done as part of your Reaction

- To avoid a Cosmic White Hole Chain Reaction, a Simulacrum can never ever use any spell or effect which would lead to the direct or indirect creation of a Simulacrum




  Niama (before interaction with Tiffany)

CC Broken Moon Ascanor Lodge Characters-co....pdf (663.1 KB)

[phil]

13-02-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 7)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Tiffany (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- party performs the enhanced double fork Werewolf test on all guests and staff without success

- Bedrork uses her newly found poetry skills to convince Corvin to reveal his bloodied shirt

- on 23rd Neth day evening, party convinces the guests to spend the night in the main dinning room

- on 24th Neth day, party infiltrates Estovion’s private office and obtains the Mystic Garden book together with a map to the Rose Garden Stairs temple; party also defeats WW agent and recovers an Alpha female werewolf body with missing heart and patches of necrotic injuries

- The Mystic Garden book indicates that an ancient sacred relic called Milani’s Blood Rose was protected in the temple but that the clergy somehow managed to “blend it” it there before the surrounded temple fell to Tar-Baphon’s troops. The book indicates that the relic could be made to bloom again through a holy ritual after the temple has been cleansed and restored.

- party defeats a Werewolf spirit (with silverish fur) who was possessing Corvin but Corvin is killed as a result and Tiffany is infected and immediately transforms into a Werewolf as this is full moon time

- party leaves for the temple on 25th Neth day and decides to camp in the evening about 1.5h from their destination; Tiffany is tightly tied by the party while spending the last full moon night

- 3 Primal Werewolves assault the party but are calmed down thanks to Bedrork intense poem

- Knick explains the situation to them through Kendra’s voice

- The werewolves explain that the Stairs in an ancient temple considered as holy to the werewolves due to ancient history linked to the werewolf tribes origin and the presence in its basement of a ferocious ancestral werewolf spirit called the Vilkacisis. The Stairs are used for rare Tribes meetings and for ritual succession fights (using natural weapons only) between tribes leaders in order to determine who the Tribes Packlord will be; as part of the ritual the victorious werewolf has to devour the defeated leader heart in front of witnesses

- The Werewolves explain that Sain, their leader and Tribes Packlord was challenged by Malthus the Silverhides leader at the Stairs on the 13th Neth day. Despite Sain’s superior strength, she was somehow killed and her body disappeared leaving Malthus with a tiny piece of her heart which he devoured in front of witnesses. Convinced that there was treachery, the Primals did not accept this outcome and assaulted the temple but were finally repelled by Malthus entrenched forces which were also supported by the Broken Ones tribe

- party decided to hand over Sain’s corpse to the Primals who will use it as evidence of foul play and association between Malthus and the WW


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- bag of holding [1100 GP]

- Alpha female werewolf body [0 GP]

- masterwork composite longbow [400 GP]

- 2x scrolls of Gentle repose [80 GP], 1x scroll of Sending [125 GP], 1x scroll of Darkness [40 GP]

- coins [250 GP]

- 2 vials of silversheen oil [1h effect] with 3 doses each [240 GP]


Resources spent

- Alpha female werewolf body [0 GP]

- 1 charge spent from ectoplasmic detector (24 remaining)


Rules updates / clarifications

- Infected Lycanthropes only gain related abilities when transformed during full moon while Natural Lycanthropes keep relevant abilities regardless of their form

- Targeting a non-visible target with a spell is possible as long as the Spell does not require the target to be seen + as long as there is line of effect (applicable for most spells) + as long as the correct square is targeted (similar to RAW related to attacking unseen foes)

[phil]

20-02-2022 Session


Characters (Lv 8)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Tiffany/Natbis (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- party assaults the temple tower top on 26th Neth, defeats Malthus and aligns with Cybrisa Dorzhanev the leader of the Broken Ones who kills Malthus and eats his heart

- Tiffany is heroically killed during combat by 2 hungry werewolves and is replaced by Natbis

- During interrogation, Malthus admits having worked with the WW but they betrayed him by stealing away Sain’s body resulting in him having a weaker claim as Packlord and creating chaos amongst the Tribes

- Malthus heard that the WW was to continue their journey during 1 week to the South East

- Cybrisa indicated that the inner temple ground floor was a sacred forbidden place for the Tribes, where the former clergy of Milani lived and where their Werewolf ancestral spirit the Vilkacisis now resided

- Malthus indicated that someone in Ascanor Lodge had managed to align with the Vilkacisis who at times appeared there and as a result the Werewolves avoid interfering with the Lodge matters.

- A pack of werewolves are tracking the heart (carried by the whispering way) down south

- Malthus only ate a part of the heart and gave the rest to the Way as payment for helping kill Sain

- Malthus justifies his actions because the first Packlord was a silverhide so the Primals don’t have right to it

- Under the tower rooftop, the party found a large antechamber with a heavily damaged religious floor mosaic depicting a large dark red rose

- The party entered the inner temple chamber and found a recently killed (~2 weeks ago) WW member behind the altar, Natbis also detected a partially collapsed passage leading to deeper corridor, Knick detected strong undead presence in that direction


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- Malthus’s Silver Greatsword “Thorn Cleave” +1 with delicate vine roses engravings (upon hitting a foe as bonus action can also attack another foe adjacent to the one being hit, 3 times per day) [3500GP]

- cartographer kit (with pens, ink, paper, compass and sextant) on WW body with damaged folio containing maps of Harrowstone, Lepdistadt University, Caromarc Castle and half-drawn map of the Garden Stairs temple

- magic wand

- scroll case

- black onyx [200GP]

- Unholy symbol in the shape of a Gagged Skull with Urgathoan features (dead flies and scythe engravings)

- masterwork battle scythe [350GP]

- 3 vials of murkish liquid


Resources spent

- 1 charge spent from ectoplasmic detector (23 remaining)


Rules updates / clarifications

- please do not forget concentration restrictions when using spells

[phil]

06-03-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 8)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Natbis (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- party defeats the Vilkacisis and discovers former Grand Priest's notes about his son’s curse and the ritual needed to cleanse the temple and restore the Blood Rose

- Boomer performs the ritual successfully, finds the Rose and decides to keep it

- all party members are cleansed of all fey related curses and associated benefits (of course it is possible to go back to the Witchmarket to negotiate again), the True Love potions effect remains as this a powerful enchantment instead of a curse
- Bedrork and Boomer marry, benefiting from permanent Ceremony Wedding effect
- Knick and Kendra also marry, with regular Ceremony Wedding effect
- all 4 spend their first wedding night in the Shudderwood
- party meets Rhakis Szadro, the Prince's Wolves Leader who confirms that 2 weeks ago the Demon Wolves led by Adimarus Ionacu himself, went in pursuit of the WW following the Sain’s heart scent

- Rhakis Szadro indicates that he also sent a group of his own scouts to monitor the situation and try to take advantage of the Demon Wolves and WW conflict; 1 of this scouts just came back and pointed Feldgrau as being the place where the WW settled to raise an army of undead

- Feldgrau is an abandoned town 6-7 days to the South-East, where all townsfolk were massacred 18 years ago during a grim civil war event

- the map found on the WW corpse indicate Thrushmoor as the WW next destination after Feldgrau

- party finds remains of Duristan's hunting party who was killed by the Demon Wolves, but Duristan corpse is missing

- party goes back to Ascanor Lodge on 27th Neth evening and ambushes Estovion in his study, he barely manages to flee with most of his belongings

- Bedrork offers a Giant Boar head trophy at a Gorum war shrine, allowing the battle raven to level-up to level 2

- party travels to Feldgrau by wagon and arrives there on 8th Kuthona morning

- Feldgrau town square is occupied by a large trench with around 80 regular skeletons and 25+ skeleton warriors commanded by several WW cultists and acolytes

- party assaults the ruined tower fort guarded by 8 Skeletons crossbow-unmen and defeats 2 WW members + 1 Festrog

- Knick is diseased during the fight with the Festrog (regain only 50% of any healing and have disadvantage on all Con checks and Saves)


Resources identified from previous session(s)

- 1 Wand of Magic Weapon (7 charges) [2000 GP]

- 3 vials of unholy water


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- Milani’s Blood Rose [priceless] :

        - attuned Milani’s worshipper gets +2 Sacred bonus to Wisdom and the Rose is considered as a Divine focus
    
        - at will Grasping Vine spell (no concentration, 1 effect at a time, max target size Huge)

        - 1x/day Beacon of Hope spell (no concentration)

        - 1x/day Freedom of Movement spell

        - 1x/week Reincarnate spell (5emagic.shop/my-reincarnation special divine intervention if roll same triple digits)

        - Spell Level and DC are the minimum to cast the spell or the priest ones if better

        - As a bonus action, the Rose can transform into a beautifully rose stylized +1 Morningstar causing extra 1d6 radiant damage but while in this form no other Rose effects can be triggered

- gems and coins recovered in Estovion’s office [6000GP]

- black onyx [350GP]

- 1x Unholy symbol in the shape of a Gagged Skull with Urgathoan features (dead flies and scythe engravings)

- masterwork battle scythe [350GP]

- 3 vials of unholy water

- 2 ethereal roses

- 4 vials of concentrated wolfsbane ingested poison (Con DC 16, if succeed 2d8 (9) poison damage, if failed 4d8 (18) poison damage and Poisoned status then new save every hour, 3 successful saves are required to remove the Poison)

- 1 magic wand

- 2 vials of silversheen with 3 doses each [240GP]


Resources spent

- 3 charges spent from ectoplasmic detector (20 remaining)

- 1 scroll of detect evil and good


Rules updates / clarifications

- Bedrork Hawk base stats : www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/valenar-hawk

- When offering trophy to Gorum, the Battle Raven will level-up by 1 level if the defeated beast was at least of a CR higher than the Battle Raven level; the Battle Raven level can not be higher than 50% of Bedrork level (rounded up)

- For each level, the Raven gains following benefits on top of base stats above :

        - +5hp
        - +1 AC or +1 to hit or +3 to damage
        - every 4 levels, the Raven gains one Feat or +2 to one Stat






Festrog

[phil]

13-03-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 8)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- on 8th Kuthona, party defeats the WW necromancer Auren Vrood who was protected by 2 medium size crawling hands and a solid manifestation of a lesser Daughter of Urgathoa

- party finds series of large and supposedly grandiose painting apparently drawn by Auren Vrood himself depicting scenes leading to the creation of the Carrion Crown :

(1) the capture from Harrowstone of a powerful spirit into a bottle with a silverish swirling mist

(2) the theft of the Seasage effigy from Lepidstadt University

(3) the extraction of the Packlord heart and transfer into a dark red crystal vessel

(4) the collection of 100 skull fragments from corpses in Feldgrau in order to construct a elongated skull

(5) 2 riders in black robes leaving Feldgrau and carrying precious components to the south

and a non finished painting showing Auren Vrood himself on a shore of a vast lake or sea, handing over the Seasage effigy with one hand and ready to receive something from the other hand

- party also finds a poem written by Auren Vrood (see separate section below)

- party levels up to Level 9 !

- party clears the town on 9th Kuthona (some fights between WW and various werewolf factions ensue, some survivors manage to flee) and teleports to Lepidstadt and then to Thrushmoor the next day

- party finally tracks the riders who pass through Thrushmoor on 13th Kuthona during the night

- one rider appears to turn back north while the other one takes the coastal road to the south east


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- black onyx [1000GP]

- diamond dust [500GP]

- 1x Unholy symbol in the shape of a Gagged Skull with Urgathoan features (dead flies and scythe engravings)

- darkly decorated battle scythe +1 [1850GP]

- 3 vials of unholy water

- paintings [800GP]

- Crawling Hand trophy collected by Bedrork

- Potions : Fly [125 GP], Gaseous Form [125 GP], Invisibility [40GP], Cause Major Wounds 22hp 4d10 x2 [80GP]

- Scrolls : Sending x2 [250GP], Gate ritual scroll to a specific location in Abaddon plane (requires 10min casting time) [unsellable]


Resources spent

- none


Rules updates / clarifications

- AoO requires to perceive the target with precise sense

- it is possible to dispel a magical ability/effect with a dispel targeting this specific effect if this effect is equivalent to a spell (although dispel magic will still not work on curses, diseases, poisons even if the effect is magical in nature), in that case the spell level will be typically similar to the equivalent spell level (although it could be higher for a stronger signature ability of the creature) and the DC is typically the same as the creature’s abilities DC or item’s DC (based on item’s CR); in case the magical effect/ability is permanent, it can be re-activated by the creature or automatically after 1r in case of effect not requiring activation



   elongated skull made of 100 fragments    crawling hand

[phil]

Auren Vrood poem

Upon the ashen pathways tread
Softly, as the whispered dead.
As mortal flesh doth rot and fail
To leech and maggot, ebbing frail.
Unhallowed words cannot be spoken,
With whispered oath, death lies broken.
Shed fear, shed life, shed pain, shed time,
Eternity seized shall soon be thine.
First spirit torn from Grave-Lady’s grasp
Be rent and sown as soured ash.
Soft the spiral song reverses,
Judgment lost, damnation surges.
Keeper of the damned’s soul take,
With packlord’s heart the beast shall wake
And flesh be wrought in disarray—
Stillborn cocoon, to blessed decay.
A hundred slain lie innocent,
Grind bone and marrow to cement.
Craft now a skull of splintered graves,
Unmake life, unmake the slave.
Where history churns dream to blister,
Necrophagous secrets whisper
Through chronicles of Raven’s tongue—
A legacy of fear unspun.
Blood spilt atop the Iron Thorn
Invokes that which cannot be born.
Arise the Tyrant now unbound,
Bearer of the Carrion Crown!

[phil]

20-03-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 9)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Natbis / Nephthor (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement)

Key events

- Natbis trades away his token at the Witchmarket and has to remain there until the end of times

- on 14th Kuthona, party meets the inventor Horace Croon and saves his floating platform “Isinglass” and the “subaqueous exploration and research vessel” it carried

- party reached the small town of Illmarsh but is initially unable to find the tracks of the black rider

- townsfolk in Illmarsh are quite ugly, do not look healthy and are unpleasant to deal with

- the town was founded over 200 years ago by a sea captain called “Cassius Undiomede, First Lord of Illmarsh.”

- party learns that only 1 foreigner resides in Illmarsh, at the Bountiful Catch Inn, he has been living there for a few months but he has not been seen in past couple of days

- party talks to the Mayor Early Greedly who proposes a financial reward (3000 GP) and information about the black rider if the party agrees to investigate disappearances over past several weeks; the Mayor suggests to investigate the temple of “The Recondite Order of the Indomitable Sea” and attempt to incriminate Albor Voltiaro head priest and his sons who have been enjoying way too much authority in the town

- on 14th Kuthona night, Nephthor goes alone to investigate the temple but he is spotted by 4 acolytes who pursue him into the townsquare; fortunately he manages to escape

- on 15th Kuthona, party investigates a mostly abandoned road north east of town and leading deeper into the Soddentimbers (swampy forest), party finally finds horse tracks and recent tracks of a group of humanoids coming from town

- party reaches an abandoned mansion and Kendra uses an invisible magic eye to explore it

- exploration shows a stable with a thirsty gray mare next to a storeroom where a fight took place and with a discarded backpack and a padded empty box with lead lining which seems to have been designed to hold the seasage effigy

- exploration shows a large female marsh giant guarding a central room containing an ancient druid stone circle which pillars are embedded into the room walls; another room in the north east corner seems to have been renovated and holds 1 priest, 1 cultist and a wailing baby; on the second floor the head priest and 2 acolytes seem to be nervously searching all rooms and are apparently searching for the head priest’s son


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- Dancer’s Circlet of the Labyrinth Wind [1100GP]


Resources spent

- none


Rules updates / clarifications

- none


Horace Croon     Mayor Early Greedly

[phil]

27-03-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 9)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Nephthor (Raymond), Knicker Knackers (Clement), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)


Key events

- on 15th Kuthona, party explores Cassius Undiomede Pactforger’s original mansion; the group of priests has somehow disappeared and the giant left and returned to the marsh

- in the rider’s backpack they find an empy lead lined padded empty box designed to hold an oblong item (80cm long with some kind of protuberance at one end)

- party determines that one of the druid stone can activated with the head priest medallion in order to open some kind of gate, a similar gate can be detected 60’ below the house’s rock bed (not Bedrork)

- party finds an invisible 300’ shaft above the dome which seems to lead to another dimension, where party defeats a Shantak and finds the head priest son broken body

- party goes back to town and confronts the priests (1 head priest +2 Vicar + 4 acolytes) and the temple guardian by opening a secret door to the temple Dagon’s inner room

- the head priest’s head explodes releasing tentacles which once defeated release reddish slugs who manage to enter Knick’s and Bedrork’s mouths

- 2 acolyte priests manage to flee

- it is now 5pm on 15th Kuthona


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- head of Shantak

- head of Dagon’s temple guardian

- 2 masterwork sickles [650GP]

- 10 vials of unholy water [not resalable]

- 3 tridents +1 [3300GP]

- 1 chainshirt +1 [1100GP]

- 1 fishgold medallion representing an abyssal octopus [400GP]

- coins and gems [500GP]


Resources spent

- none


Rules updates / clarifications

- any effect attempting to move or physically free a grappled target, has to beat the grappler’s DC which is 10+grappling modifiers; in case a magical effect is being used, use the magical effect DC or if not DC use d20+spellattack modifier


Shantak    Dagon's temple guardian

[phil]

03-04-2022 Session

Characters (Lv 9)

Boomer Pyre (Cris), Bedrork (Reggie), Nephthor (Raymond), (Un)holy Chang (Andrew)

Key events

- on 15th Kuthona evening, party discovers a couple with their baby daughter waiting in the temple for their baby to be fostered to the Neighbors; apparently the ceremony has been postponed for several weeks already

- party identified that the temple pools were connected to a subterranean submerged tunnel system

- Chang impressively brought the whole town into terrified submission by uttering pseudo-religious gibberish while dangling a screaming baby in front of the mesmerized crowd

- party dimensioned door to the Mayor office but he was away already

- party investigated Mayor’s home and found signs of a struggle and faint tracks of webbed feet

- party went back to the abandoned mansion and activated the phase door to travel to some caverns

- party found Cassius Undiomede preserved body in a cylinder and his 200 years old decaying journal (see section below)

- party explored underground caverns where they fought fish-men, uber-othyugh, color out of space which caused 70hp damage to Bedrork and turned all his fur silver white and the great Iq’lothatuaa

- the great Iq’lothatuaa capitulated to the party and revealed that he was indeed The Great Iq’lothatuaa himself !

- he explained that his people were recently invaded by the Mi-Go who now control the majority of the Ulat-Kini (fishmen) population

- he explains that his team captured the dark rider and the Dagon Effigy but were themselves overcome by the Mi-go who took both the effigy and the rider while blocking the escape route with the multi-colored mind death

- he explains that the effigy was supposed to be exchanged for an item the Ulat-Kini were keeping in their underwater main temple, in their city at the bottom of the lake

- it is now 17th Kuthona evening ; party levels-up to level 10 !


Resources acquired (with [total re-sell costs])

- Invisibility potion found by Bedrork in the Ethereal plane

- Uber-Othyugh tentacles

- pearls [300GP]


Resources spent

- none


Cassius Undiomede journal

The journal describes Cassius’s first meeting with “the Neighbors”—though Cassius does not describe them physically, the text nevertheless gives the impression that the Neighbors are something other than human. The journal also mentions the Neighbors’ home: submerged tunnels at the bottom of Avalon Bay, at the base of the Tern Rocks. Later entries detail Cassius’s eventual lordship, and the institution of the Fostering Pact between Cassius and the Neighbors, including the line, “I can only ensure the health and prosperity of Baytown and my own line by giving the Neighbors what they require, even if that means giving up my own daughters, and those of my heirs and my people. Regardless of my personal feelings, it is a small price to pay for such security.”


Rules updates / clarifications

- none


  Iq'lothathuaa