Check In Question: Where would you go on vacation if funds were not an issue?
- Miranda: Either on the most EPIC Disney World trip ever, or the Lord of the Rings tour in New Zealand (or both). Lysithea would go on a tour of all the world’s libraries.
- Cordelia: Disney World. Surina would want to go to the amusement park in Putbaat.
- Kevin: Mine would be Disney World. Gobbles would want to go on a tour of all the most tourist-trappy locations, like the largest ball of yarn or biggest wheel of cheese.
- Justice: I mean, Disney World! Besides Disney World, I would go to Sicily. Sanford Rockford would like to visit the Apogaz mines.
- Victor: Disney World. Draggy wants to go explore a creepy underwater cave.
When we last left the party they had just slain their first troll in the sewer system under Ryphyet. Lysithea, using her mage hand, pulled a mysterious dagger out of the troll. There are gem shards stuck in the walls of the sewer, and the Kobolds they’ve encountered have been unlike any they’ve encountered before, their scales like crystals.
(Arcana/Nature Lysithea 19, Gobbles 21, Surina 5) Surina is not really worried about the nature of the Kobolds, she just knows they are doing evil things and she wants to put a stop to it. Gobbles and Lysithea, however, know that they’ve never encountered or even heard of Kobolds like this before. Not even Lysithea’s studies have mentioned the existence of these types of Kobolds; however, from their experiences with them they know that they deal psychic damage. They have deduced that these Kobolds are probably psionic. Lysithea begins jotting down notes of all she has learned. They also assume that, due to the constant appearance of the dragon footprint symbol, these Kobolds are followers of the dragon Sardior.
During their short rest Lysithea begins inspecting the dagger she pulled from the troll.
Lysithea: It came out of a troll, I don’t trust it.
Examining the dagger she finds engraved the footprint of the gem dragon god. She can assume that, since she dug it out of the troll’s inner body, that the troll probably ate the Kobold that was carrying it. The blade of the dagger is very similar to the gem shards that are shoved into the walls of the sewer.
Lysithea: Is it going to curse me?
Gobbles: That’s not the question. The question is has it already cursed you.
Lysithea: That’s what Mage Hands are for. I need Professor here, he’s my test subject. Where’s Professor? Should I touch it?
Gobbles: Touch what, this? *grabs the dagger*
Gobbles feels that the dagger is closer to a sword than a dagger to him. Nothing else really stands out to him.
Gobbles: It’s a sword! *waves it around*
Lysithea: Give me that!
Nothing happens to Lysithea as she grabs the dagger away from Gobbles. The dagger feels light and well balanced in her hand.
Lysithea: Here, Surina, do you feel any evil coming from this dagger?
Surina channels divinity using her Divine Sense and feels no evil coming from the dagger; however, as she sends out her homing beacon of divinity she does sense undead coming from the area beneath them.
Surina: There’s undead below us.
Lysithea: Below? We have to go further down? Let me put this dagger away for safekeeping, first, because it’s evidence now.
They leave the room they were resting in and walk to the door at the end of the hallway. Surina opens the door to find stairs going down.
Lysithea: Oh, below us… great… Alright, Surina, lead the way.
Surina leads the party downstairs, the sounds of rushing water accompanying their footsteps. At the base of the stairs is another door. Surina is not sure what she should do.
Surina: What do you want to do, Lysithea?
Lysithea: I think, first, we should try seeing if we can hear anything coming from the other side of the door.
(Perception Gobbles 26, Lysithea 8, Surina 11) Gobbles can clearly hear two, gruff voices yelling from the other side of the door.
Voice 1: HURRY UP AND GET THIS DONE!
Voice 2: YEAH, WE DON’T HAVE ALL DAY!
Gobbles does a series of hand signals to indicate the 2 voices, but Surina and Lysithea can’t decipher them. Gobbles can also hear drilling and the sound of pickaxes chipping away at something, and a lot of rushing water.
Gobbles: What do?
Lysithea: What do you think, Surina? Should we charge in? Should we try to sneak up on them? Should we use Gobbles as a battering ram and open the door?
Surina laughs at the last suggestion. She opens the door quietly (stealth 16) and the party rolls initiative (Gobbles 6, Lysithea 6, Surina 2, Draggy 15).
Begin Sewer Battle
Inside this room there is a lot of rushing water. There are 2 larger figures standing there with 4 kobolds standing on top of piles of rock chipping away at the ceiling above them. There’s a lot of water dripping from the ceiling. The first individual is a snout nosed, tusked figure in red, and the other has a huge rhinoceros horn wearing grey. Draggy moves in to attack the rhinoceros horned figure, but one of the Kobolds spots him first. The Kobold stops his mining, swings his pickaxe at Draggy, but it flies, spinning, out of his hand, collides against the wall, and falls into the water. Lavy, from Draggy’s shoulder, uses his fire breath on the rhino (attack 26) for 14 fire damage. Draggy swings his mighty Berserk warhammer down on the rhino’s head (attack Nat 1), but the rhino stands strong and laughs off Draggy’s attack. The sound made from the strike echoes, as if the rhino’s head is completely hollow. The first Kobold runs over to the party still in the doorway, and uses its Dragon Breath weapon (dexterity saving throw Gobbles 10, Lysithea 11, Surina 9). They all fail their save, but they luckily only take 5 psychic damage. The Kobold then tries to attack Surina with its sword, but misses. Surina takes an attack of opportunity against the second Kobold, who moves past her, (attack 21) and deals 11 damage. The Kobold makes a Dragon Breath attack (dexterity save Gobbles Nat 1, Lysithea 19), dealing 9 damage to Gobbles and 4 to Lysithea. Gobbles feels that this attack was the breath of Sardior striking him.
Gobbles: Noooo!
The Kobold then attacks Gobbles with its sword, but misses. The third Kobold stands behind one of his comrades and uses its breath weapon (dexterity save Gobbles 6, Lysithea 6) dealing 3 psychic to Gobbles, Lysithea, and one of its teammates. It then attacks Surina but misses. The final Kobold attacks Draggy twice. The first attack deals 4 damage, but Draggy is able to block the second attack with his shield. The tusked figure takes an axe, casts Magic Weapon on it, then rushes up to attack Surina, but she is able to dodge the attack. He attacks her again, but misses.
Gobbles: You’re doing mind stuff? I’m going to use mind stuff, too!
Gobbles attacks one of the Kobolds with Mind Sliver, dealing 10 psychic damage and defeating the Kobold.
Surina: Bye bye forever!
Gobbles: Yeah!
Lysithea also casts Mind Sliver on the Kobold directly in front of Surina, dealing 5 psychic damage. The rhino pulls out his axe and casts Magic Weapon, giving Draggy an attack of opportunity. Draggy (attack 24) hits the rhino with his hammer for 13 damage. The rhino then attacks Draggy back with his great axe for 9 damage, pushing Draggy back 5ft. The rhino steps forward and attacks again, dealing 5 to damage to Draggy and pushing him back another 5 ft.
Lysithea: Surina, smash!
Surina attacks the warthog (attack 19), hitting for 7 damage. She hits him again (attack adjusted 20) for an additional 11 damage. Draggy runs over to help his teammates. He jumps in the air and smashes his warhammer down on the ground, knocking all of the Kobolds prone.
Lysithea: Good job, Draggy!
The first Kobold stands up, not realizing he is giving both Gobbles and Surina an attack of opportunity. Surina takes her attack first (attack 19), hitting for 9 damage. Gobbles follows (attack 16), dealing 2 more damage to the Kobold. The Kobold returns the favor and attacks Surina twice, but misses both attacks. The second Kobold stands up and attacks Gobbles, who ducks behind his shield and avoids the attack. The Kobold takes another attack against Gobbles and hits this time for 6 damage. The warthog lets out a huge roar and dark energy flows from him in an attempt to frighten the party (wisdom saving throw Gobbles 18, Lysithea 21, Surina 15, Draggy 15) but they confidently stand their ground. Gobbles casts Bardic Inspiration on Surina, then Confetti Eldritch Blasts the Kobold in front of Surina (attack 21, 19) for a total of 4 damage. Lysithea casts Fire Bolt at the warthog (attack 18) for 11 fire damage. The rhino attacks Draggy, missing his first attack but hitting with his second. The attack deals 9 damage to Draggy and pushes him back 5ft. Surina swings her sword twice at the warthog (attack 16, 11) and misses both attacks. Her jaw drops with disbelief that she missed twice. Draggy swings his Berserk warhammer at the warthog (attack 23) for 7 damage, then swings again (attack 21) for 11 more damage. The first Kobold attacks twice, but Surina is able to dodge both attacks. The second Kobold attacks Gobbles, hitting once for 6 damage.
Gobbles: You sunk my Gobbleship.
The warthog once again attacks Surina, hitting her for 7 damage and pushing her back 5ft. He steps forward and attacks Gobbles…
Gobbles: I probably need an adult!
… but he misses.
Gobbles: Hello there. I’m Gobbles the Goblin. Scary to meet you.
Bebop:*points to himself* BEBOP! BEBOP WILL SMASH!
Gobbles pulls out his kazoo and blows into it…
Gobbles: CHARGE!
… and casts Dissonant Whispers on Bebop.
Bebop: Goodbye.
Bebop, in his attempt to get as far away from Gobbles as possible, dives into the sewer water and swims away.
Gobbles: Yeah, and stay away! Onward to victory!
Gobbles disengages with the Kobold and hides behind Surina. Lysithea fires Magic Missile, sending the first missile at the Kobold in front of Surina and defeats it with 5 damage.
Surina: Goodbye forever!
She sends the two remaining missiles at the other standing Kobold for 7 damage. The rhino turns to the Kobold who is still knocked prone and shouts…
Rhino: MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL!
He grabs the Kobold and chucks him at the ceiling. The impact causes the ceiling to crumble a bit faster, and more water starts dripping from above. He then turns around, runs into the water, and swims away. The Kobold falls unconscious to the floor, with cartoon stars floating around its head. Surina attacks and defeats the remaining Kobold (attack 16) with 12 damage.
The ceiling is crumbling. Surina leads the race to the door on the other side of the room while Lysithea and Gobbles use their Mage Hands to hold the ceiling in place. Draggy grabs the unconscious Kobold on his way to the door, in hopes that they will be able to interrogate him. They open the door, run inside, and close the door behind them. In this room there are more Kobolds who are trying to move a big, mechanical suit. In the corner on the far wall they see in a jar what looks like a floating brain.
Lysithea: Ooh, science!
They don’t hear anything, but they feel psionic energy all around them. Draggy rushes in and attacks one of the Kobolds by the mechanical suit (attack Nat 20), dealing 16 damage to the Kobold. He attacks again (attack 21) for 9 damage, defeating the Kobold. Upon the Kobold’s defeat the party all hears the voice of the brain inside their heads.
Brain: Okay, okay! Stop! We give!
Lysithea: Uh-huh…
Brain: We won’t do anything else. We were just trying to make this sewer livable for my people. Just let us leave and we’ll stop fighting you.
(Insight Lysithea 19, Surina 13) He is telling the truth.
Lysithea: Why were you fighting us in the first place?
Brain: You busted into our temple and came down into our sewers and started attacking us first.
Gobbles: I guess that’s fair.
Lysithea: *pointing to Surina* She kindly knocked on the doors first and instead an ambush lay waiting for us.
Brain: When he busted into the back?
The brain seems to know everything that has happened up to this point, despite being a mere brain in a jar.
Lysithea: Yeah, I’m a little weirded out talking to a floating brain in a jar that seems to know everything that we’ve done…
Brain: Can the Kobolds carry me out?
Gobbles: Not until my turn!
The Kobolds grab the jar and start shuffling towards the mechanical suit. Gobbles casts Aberrant Mind to telepathically connect with the brain.
Gobbles: You better not attack us, cause I can do brain things, too!
Gobbles then scrambles forwards and tries to scramble himself into the slot of the mechanical suit where the brain jar fits.
Gobbles: This is ours now!
Brain: No!
Gobbles: Dibs!
Brain: I’ll just explode it, then. Self destruct. Get off of it!
Gobbles: How about we’ll hold onto this and give it back to you in a week?
Brain: No!
Gobbles: I mean, if you’re going to destroy it you won’t ever get it back.
Brain: I’ll have my people build another one. Get out of it!
Gobbles: But it’s ours now!
Brain: No it’s not!
Lysithea: Gobbles!
Gobbles: It’s a brain!
Lysithea: Yeah, this whole thing seems wrong.
Gobbles: Brains don’t typically own robots.
Lysithea: Or function outside of bodies! What’s keeping this thing alive?
Gobbles: How about this – I’ll trade you the robot for the jar.
Brain: So, you’ll let me go into my robot?
Lysithea: Why are you in the sewers?
(Arcana Lysithea 8) She knows that it’s an undead brain in a jar. This is what Surina was sensing earlier.
Gobbles: I don’t need that jar. What will you offer me to trade?
Brain: Your lives!
Gobbles: We already have those!
Gobbles is desperately trying to fit in the mechanical suit.
Gobbles: Thistle, can you help me here?
Gobbles’s head suddenly feels a bit lighter as Thistle flies away.
Lysithea: Yeah, no, I don’t like this.
Lysithea blasts Fire Bolt at one of the Kobolds (attack 27) for 9 fire damage. Surina moves in to attack the Kobold (attack 26) and deals 11 damage, defeating the Kobold. She follows up by attacking the brain (attack 9), but her sword bounces off of the jar. Gobbles is still trying to figure out how he can fit inside the mechanical suit, spouting ideas as ridiculous as removing his own head so that he can fit. Everyone, except for the brain, has to make an intelligence saving throw (Gobbles 5, Surina 7, Lysithea 8, Draggy Nat 20). Everyone except for Draggy takes 4 damage and is stunned for the next minute. Draggy lines himself up with the Kobolds and the brain in the jar and casts his lightning breath, dealing 8 damage to the brain and 4 damage to each Kobold. The Kobolds move and start climbing on top of the mechanical suit. Gobbles and Surina are stunned, but are able to shake it off (save throw Gobbles adjusted 20, Surina Nat 20). Surina not only is able to recover from being stunned, but she feels so good that she can make a quick attack. She hits the brain with her sword (attack 12) for 11 damage. Lysithea, on the other hand, is still stunned (save throw 10). The brain tells Gobbles a hilarious joke about a Goblin and a minotaur (wisdom saving throw 12), and Gobbles becomes overcome with laughter. He’s laughing so hard that he falls prone off of the mechanical suit. Suddenly the entire area becomes filled with purple smoke. Shadows drop down from the ceiling, and Surina gets the feeling she can make an attack. The shadows grab the brain and begin lifting it up to the ceiling. She takes one last hit at the brain (attack 25) and hits the jar for 6 damage. Unfortunately, her attack does not do enough damage and the brain is lifted away. The party, no longer stunned, looks up to find a giant hole in the ceiling. The last thing they see is the giant mechanical suit being lifted away by shadows. (Perception Surina 10) Surina can see the shadow of wings through the purple smoke.
End Sewer Battle
The party is left alone, besides the Kobold they brought for questioning.
Lysithea: Shall we wake him up?
Gobbles: Yeah, let’s ask our Kobold what is happening. Hello, hey, hello! Hey, listen!
The Kobold begins to wake up. Gobbles casts Aberrant Mind on the Kobold, imitating the voice of the brain telepathically.
Gobbles: Quick, tell me what our plans were again. (deception 8)
Kobold: Steal the gems. Take the gems. Take all the gems.
Gobbles: Remind me again, where from?
Kobold: Above.
Gobbles: More specific.
Kobold: Must dig.
The Kobold rises and starts walking towards the door.
Kobold: Must keep digging.
Gobbles: Okay, have fun!
Lysithea: Let’s follow him.
The Kobold goes back to the previous room, grabs a pickaxe, and starts chipping away at the ceiling. The ceiling had not fully collapsed yet, but it is crumbling quickly and puddles of fresh, blue water are dripping from the ceiling.
Lysithea: Are they trying to steal the fountain? Go knock him out Gobbles!
Gobbles: Sleepy time!
Gobbles bops him on the head, incapacitating the Kobold.
Lysithea: I think we need to go alert somebody.
Gobbles: Yeah, I don’t think we’ll be able to track them and catch them right here right now. We’re gonna need a game plan, alert somebody, and track them down somewhere else later.
Lysithea: Yeah, they got away. We should go alert…. I don’t know, the police seem pretty incompetent and so does the City Council, but I feel like we need to tell somebody.
They hear bubbling coming from the sewer water.
Lysithea: That’s gross.
The party decides to stick around to see what’s causing the bubbles, thinking it may be Bebop and friend from earlier. Suddenly, a Tortle, wearing a purple ninja eye mask, jumps out of the sewer water.
Tortle: Where did they go?
Surina: Where did who go?
Gobbles points to the ceiling and the Tortle nods in understanding.
Tortle: This looks unsafe.
Lysithea: *confused* It is unsafe…
Tortle: We should do something, definitely.
We interrupt this session for a quick world building session. There are 4 famous artists from Corde history that need names. At first we tried coming up with D&D puns, and named the first artist Daggertello. For the remaining 3 artists we used our process of each player adding one letter at a time to create the name. Using this method we came up with the names Coxaar, Xijot, and Gunyo. We now return you to your regularly scheduled session.
Tortle: We should save this area before it falls.
Lysithea: *still really confused* Yes we should.
Tortle: We should fashion some pillars.
Lysithea: Who are you?
Tortle: I am Daggertello!
Gobbles: Hi, I’m Gobbles the Goblin. Nice to meet you.
Lysithea: Named after the artist?
Daggertello: Yes. My master named my team after the famous artists of this world.
Lysithea: Okay… Do you live down here?
Daggertello: We protect Ryphyet.
Lysithea: Are you competent?
Daggertello: We have protected Ryphyet since the ancient High Lord Salazar Breadcrumb saved the town. We have been charged with protecting it.
Gobbles: You aren’t teenagers, are you?
Daggertello: Our training has been passed down generation to generation, choosing young students each generation and training them to protect Ryphyet.
Gobbles: Well put my name in the hat for the next round!
Daggertello: Then you need to speak to our master.
Lysithea: Do you know what a library is?
Daggertello: Yes, our master has one.
Lysithea: Okay, this guy can actually help so let’s let him help.
Gobbles: So how can we make this safe?
Lysithea and Gobbles start using their Mage Hands to secure some of the crumbling ceiling. (perception Gobbles 15, Lysithea 5, Draggy 5, Surina 9). When they turn around Daggertello is no longer with them.
Gobbles: Uh oh, he Batman-ed out of here.
Lysithea: What’s a Batman?
Gobbles: It’s like a man but it’s also a bat.
A few minutes later Daggertello pops back out of the sewer water with three other Tortles, each wearing a different colored ninja eye mask – one blue, one red, and one orange.
Lysithea: Ah, there’s more of you.
Daggertello: These are my brothers.
Lysithea: The ones that are also named after famous artists?
Daggertello: Coxar, Xijot, and Gunyo.
Lysithea: I have got to meet your master.
The four start Tortles start jumping, moving very quickly for Tortles, and begin securing the room.
Daggertello: This should serve well until we get more supplies. They were trying to steal the statue, you said?
Lysithea: Amongst other things they were doing, yes.
Daggertello: Who were they?
Lysithea: I think one said his name was Bebop, he was a warthog man. There was a rhinoceros man, and then there was a brain in a jar that was trying to get into a mechanical suit.
Daggertello: The Foots.
Gobbles: I think it’s pronounced ‘feet’.
Daggertello: They’re thieves.
Lysithea: We gathered that.
Daggertello: Thank you for your assistance. As you’ve noticed, Ryphyet is not very well protected.
Lysithea: It’s special.
Gobbles: That’s coming from the protectors of it?
Daggertello: Well, we must protect it when we can.
Gobbles: Where were you guys during the whole Battle of the Bands?
Daggertello: That was outside of Ryphyet. We are charged with protecting Ryphyet, and High Lord Salazar Breadcrumb’s legacy.
The Kobold starts waking up.
Kobold: What is going on?
Lysithea: That’s what we would like to ask you.
Kobold: Our priest just started ordering us to follow this group. He said it was for the glory of Sardior, that we were going to take our rightful place back.
Lysithea: And you didn’t question any of the things you were having to do?
Kobold: No.
Lysithea: What is with this town?
Gobbles: Hey, you know Sardior is, like, a bad guy, right?
Kobold: We worship him… He’s our god…
Gobbles: But, like, why not worship a good guy? Less of a bad guy.
The Kobold looks at his crystalline scales and just points to them.
Gobbles: Have you heard of the glory of Bahamut?
Lysithea: Gobbles, we’re not here to try to convert them.
Gobbles: He is also a dragon god, except he is a platinum dragon, which is better.
Lysithea is off to the side rubbing her temple in annoyance.
Gobbles: Does your god give you the ability to do this? *pops a couple confetti blasts*
Gobbles feels a weight come back to his head.
Thistle: New friend, I have something to tell you.
Gobbles: Yes? What is it, Thistle?
Thistle: We have to go up now!
Gobbles: It is time to ascend to a higher level!
Lysithea: What?
Gobbles: I’m being told from my hat dragon that we should… *points up*
Lysithea: Oh! I think we need to go up.
Daggertello: We will handle this here.
Lysithea: Okay. Thank you. I really want to meet your master.
The Kobold follows the party back up the stairs.
Gobbles: Hi, I’m Gobbles the Goblin. Nice to meet you. What’s your name?
Kobold: I am Kurg.
Gobbles: Alright, let me and Surina here tell you about Bahamut and how cool he is.
Lysithea: Oh my gosh, Gobbles, no!
They make their way up and find a giant hole in the floor where the brain and suit were carried through. There’s a lot of nuts, screws, and bolts scattered about. The party deduces that they took the mechanical suit apart rather hastily, and that the brain wasn’t lying about the “self-destruct” mechanism. They also find another crystalline Kobold tied up in the corner.
Gobbles: Hey, Kurg, is that a friend of yours?
Kurg: That is high priestess Cheh!
The party is unable to determine if Cheh is still under the influence of the brain. Surina tries healing the priestess with Lay on Hands. Cheh suddenly becomes alert and starts looking around.
Cheh: What’s going on?
Lysithea: We’d like to ask you the same thing.
Cheh: I was tied up and left here.
Lysithea: That’s not what we meant.
Gobbles: You got brained. Do you know where the brain is? The one that mind controlled you?
Cheh: No! I was helping and all of a sudden they started tying me up for no reason! I was ordering all my Kobolds to help them.
Lysithea: Why?
Cheh: I don’t remember.
Lysithea: There’s a lot of that happening in this town, have you noticed? A lot of people don’t seem to remember the terrible things that they do and why.
Cheh: All I know is I was left tied up.
Lysithea: What is your purpose?
Cheh: Purpose in life? Our purpose in life is to spread the word of Sardior, the Keeper of Secrets.
Lysithea: Do you still intend to help this brain thingy?
Cheh: I never intended to help to begin with. (Lysithea insight 16)
She’s telling the truth – she never intended to help evil.
Cheh: This was our temple down here. We were to bring the glory of Sardior back and then all of this happened. I don’t remember why we did it.
Lysithea: Can you intend to undo all the damage you’ve done?
Cheh: Well what damage did we do?
Lysithea begins listing everything that’s happened.
Cheh: Are you saying that my people are knocked out and unconscious, too? Or killed? Well, that is their fault then. But yes, we will work to undo the damage we’ve done. We need to keep our… oh no, all of our secrets… we have to go someplace else now.
Gobbles: The people of the temple of Bahamut are helpful.
Cheh: *glares at Gobbles* No. Untie me now and we will get to work. We don’t have anything against Bahamut, we just don’t like him.
Gobbles: Why not change that?
Cheh: Bahamut is the father of Sardior, so we feel some connection.
Lysithea: Right now we need to solve the problem that’s right now, right now. You know, so we can untie this person and let them go and then continue trying to solve our current issue.
Thistle: *whispering to Gobbles* Ask about the wings.
Gobbles: What do you know about the wings?
Cheh: Ah, the one with wings that I had never seen before?
Gobbles: Yes.
Cheh: He was the one that told them to tie me up.
Lysithea: Did you get a good look at him?
Cheh: No, he was wearing a purple cloak. But he had wings like a bird.
Gobbles: So like a bird and not an angel or a dragon or anything like that?
Cheh: Definitely not like a dragon.
Gobbles: So feathery wings made of feathers? Were they glowing?
Cheh: They were not glowing.
Lysithea: Well, we’ve got one more adjective. It’s a purple cloak and bird wings.
Gobbles: Did the winged creature say anything?
Cheh: He said to tie me up and distract you.
Lysithea: Ah, we’re being distracted. Untie her and let’s go!
The party quickly unties Cheh and she points to a ladder leading up and out of the sewers. They climb up and pop off the manhole cover to find themselves in the back alleys of Ryhpyet.
Lysithea: Oh thank goodness, we’re out of the sewer.
They immediately scan the sky to see if they can spot the winged person, but the skies are clear. They begin scanning the ground for any sign (investigation Lysithea 21, Gobbles 14, Surina 8) and Lysithea finds some tracks leading to the town center. They follow the tracks, which lead them straight to the front steps of Town Hall. They decide to go in even though they are covered in grime and smell of sewer. There is a receptionist at the front desk.
Receptionist: Welcome to Ryphyet Town Hall. How may I help you?
Lysithea: Did anyone come in here just before us?
Receptionist: We have many visitors here, but yes. They came, they talked to somebody, and they left.
Lysithea: Of course they did.
Receptionist: They sold something to somebody, but it’s highly unlike me to blab about information like that.
Lysithea: Who did they sell to?
Receptionist: Well I’m glad you asked! This rather suspicious fellow came in just before you, I mean, you all are suspicious, too, but I recognize Surina. She did awesome. I might need an autograph. But, he came in and asked for a council person. So of course I called the one lowest on the totem pole, they were kind of nasty looking, and they offered to sell something and they left. The person bought it.
Lysithea: Did you happen to see what was sold?
Receptionist: No, but this person, she’s always buying things like this. You know, I’ve heard she’s used taxpayer money to pay for things like this, but, you know, that’s beside my paygrade.
Lysithea: Can you describe this person that was selling things?
Receptionist: No, cause I had a feeling that he was going to just come in and leave and he kinda looked disgusting…
Lysithea: Disgusting in what way?
Receptionist: He smelled kind of like you all smell a little.
Lysithea: We’re still waiting for them to give us our house so we can bathe.
Receptionist: We have the paperwork right here. I was told if we saw Surina to get you to sign the paperwork and take you to the tax room to take care of your legal obligation taxes.
Lysithea: I have to go over all the paperwork before I sign anything.
Gobbles: What was the council person’s name who bought the stuff, by the way?
Receptionist: Madora. We don’t like her around here. She was around when the battle happened.
Lysithea: Yes, we know.
Receptionist: I can summon her for you.
Lysithea: Would you mind?
Receptionist: Of course. Can I get that autograph?
Surina: Of course. *signs autograph*
The receptionist walks off and a few minutes later she returns with Madora Cammish.
Madora: Ah, the great Surina and the Crystal Gems, minus a few of you. How can the great city of Ryphyet be of service? I notice you haven’t signed your paperwork yet. Shall we go do that now and we’ll discuss it in my office?
Lysithea: We actually have some other pressing matters at the moment. We just need to ask you a question or two.
Madora: Okay. Let’s head to my office.
They begin walking down the hall towards Madora’s office. Each office door they pass looks like it is trying to outdo the others in their decoration. Madora opens her door, which is covered in beautiful flowers and floral decorations. Inside there is a piece of art that looks like a metal arm and hand placed upon a bookshelf.
Lysithea: That is a fascinating piece of art. Where did you get it?
Madora: Have a seat. This piece of artwork was just brought in. I was told that it was just discovered below Ryphyet. Legend has it that it comes from the time of High Lord Salazar Breadcrumb. Any piece of art that comes from the time of Lord Salazar is a high status symbol.
Lysithea: This is new technology.
Madora: Well, you know a lot of old technology looks new to us because we are not used to it. I don’t expect someone to understand it right away.
Surina: Where did you get the metal arm from? (persuasion 22)
Madora: Where did I get the metal arm from? Someone just sold it to me. If you must know, this collector of fine goods came to me just now and said he knew that I would want this object for my office. And so of course I bought it.
Lysithea: Is this a well known collector?
Madora: No. He just said he was a collector of fine goods.
Gobbles: And just managed to convince you to buy it for a price that he set?
Madora: Well of course! He said that he was a fine collector, he requested me specifically, and he said that this piece of art would look wonderful in here. I took him at his word, and of course it does. I paid for it, and he left.
Surina: Where did he find it?
Madora: He told me he found it in the abandoned ruins underneath Ryphyet.
Lysithea: The sewers?
Madora: We don’t like to call them sewers here. We pay a bunch of Kobolds to keep them clean.
Lysithea: Did he happen to tell you where he was going next?
Madora: No, but he did say people would come and ask about it and for me to hand him a note. I guess since you’re asking about it, he must want to sell you things, too. *hands over a note*
Lysithea: Thank you. That’s all we needed for now. We have another pressing matter to attend to.
Madora: Signing your paperwork! Excellent!
Lysithea: No, no. I’m not going to sign the paperwork unless our entire party is present.
Madora: I guess since it’s the entire party’s house, okay. But there’s elections coming up in a few months and I would love your vote. So if there’s anything I can do to help, remember Medora’s got your back *thumbs up*.
Lysithea: We will make a note of that.
Surina: What is the election for?
Madora: Oh, it’s to elect the council people for the town, like your good friend Madora. We elect new council people every so often, and I would love your vote. Cause Madora’s got your back!
Surina: Okay.
The party takes their leave from Medora and opens the note. There is the same symbol of the dragon foot that they saw in the sewers stamped on the outside. They open the note and it simply reads “Distraction. See you next time.” The party lets out a collective sigh of defeat. Lysithea takes the paper, holds it in her palm, and incinerates it.
Lysithea: They got away.
There’s a sudden commotion coming from the statue of High Lord Salazar Breadcrumb in the town center. The party runs over to see what is going on, and the gem eyes of the statue are missing.
In their defeat the party decided to go check on Tett and the temple. There is a huge celebration happening outside.
Lysithea: At least someone is happy today.
Tett spots Gobbles and Surina and runs happily over to them.
Tett: Great news! The Tortles, the protectors, have recovered all of our lost stolen goods and brought them back!
Lysithea: Oh. Good.
Tett: They said our cousins from across the way had lost their way and they found all of this stolen stuff in the sewers and brought it back to us.
Lysithea: I have got to meet their master.
Tett: But they said that you helped. And also, one of our cousins came over and said how the great paladins of Bahamut helped them as well! And he has converted to Bahamut.
Gobbles beams with pride and joy.
Tett: But all of our stuff has been returned!
Lysithea: This is good to hear.
Tett: Supposedly our cousins are leaving. They handed us a great job offer, too! To care for the crumbling foundation of Ryphyet. And so we will be able to bring the glory of Bahamut through the care of the city!
Gobbles: So they stuck you with the crumbling foundation?
Tett: Stuck? It is a great honor!
Gobbles: That it is.
Tett: The great protectors of Ryphyet, who we will be working with now, left you a note.
“We will continue protecting Ryphyet. Thank you for the assistance. We have a suspicion that you should check into the Acrael Shipping Company. Minobunga! Yes we took credit. Sorry, dudes.”
Will the party be able to catch the winged person? End Session.
Check Out
Spotlight on Another Player:
- Miranda: Cordelia for asking some really good interrogation questions to Madora. Also Kevin because he actually managed to convert a Kobold to Bahamut.
- Cordelia: Victor for playing again.
- Kevin: Cordelia for being very on-point today. You were asking good questions and making decisions in the sewers. It was very good.
- Justice: Kevin for trying to crawl into the mechanical suit.
Challenge/Something Learned:
- Miranda: I had a hard time figuring out what we were supposed to do this time. It felt a little too open to me.
- Cordelia: When I missed twice.
- Kevin: None of us have any ability to detect magic in any kind of way that helps us.
- Justice: I didn’t want to railroad, but sometimes I need to.
Hope or Prediction for Next Session:
- Miranda: I hope we get out of this town!
- Cordelia: I hope we get to another town.
- Kevin: I hope we get more information about the winged person. We’ll probably have to bribe a couple of people with cheese.
- Justice: There are two mysteries that are still present that I hope you’ll explore. And that you get out of Ryphyet and go to another town.
Analysis: Cordelia was on fire today! Every question she asked came straight from her, in character, unprompted! Although there was combat, this was another roleplay heavy session session, but she was there every step of the way. Even when it seems like the adults are dominating the session we are constantly checking with her to see if we are making the correct decisions. Her confidence has definitely grown. She still acts quiet and timid when she speaks, but the fact that she is making decisions and acting in character shows her growth.