The characters have leveled up to level 3! Cordelia gives Surina Oath of Vengeance, and Victor had Draggy take the Champion arc: he now crits on 19 and 20, and he can take an extra action once per encounter.
At the end of the previous session the players had returned the stolen gems to the tomb thus lifting the curse on the town. They were greeted by guards who asked what they were doing there.
DM: You walk out of the tomb and see mostly Dragonborn, some humans. There are 5 people on the ground just looking around confused.
Lysithea: We just cured your curse.
Miner: What are you talking about? It looks like you just broke in to our mining area.
Lysithea: Did you really have no idea that you’ve been between dimensions?
Miner: *look at her like she’s crazy*
Lysithea: Were you recently attacked by floating weapons?
Miner: Yes, was that your magic? Why did you attack us?
We try to get Cordelia to say something, but she is struggling. She had recently stepped in an ant pile, and she is allergic to ants, so she was not very comfortable. Before the session started we checked with her to see if she still wanted to play, and she did, but she had a hard time focusing due to her swollenness and itchiness. We reminded her of her character traits, particularly her bond, which says that she constantly needs the common folk to see her as a hero.
Miner: What sort of evil magic were you casting?
Surina: We are not evil.
Professor: That’s right.
Surina: We are here to find the purple comet (Rolls persuasion, 10).
Miner: How can you prove that you’re not evil?
Octavia: Ah, that is a very good question. There’s been a lot of misunderstandings here.
K’un-Lun: It’s sad that you do not realize that you were in between realms and were saved by me, the great K’un-Lun (rolls persuasion, 7).
Miner: We’ve never heard of you.
K’un-Lun: Yeah, that’s cool, that’s cool… *internally destroyed*
Lysithea: *speaking really slow and loud* You took a gem from this temple. When you took it you all became cursed and were between dimensions, or covered in an illusion. We put the gem back and lifted your curse, which is why we can now see you and you can now see us (Rolls persuasion, 15).
Miners: Well, strange things have been happening, but I still think you were in the temple where you shouldn’t have been. We may have to talk to the mayor about this.
Octavia: Show us the way, we’ll explain.
At this point Victor begins watching Gravity Falls in the other room, starting the show over for the 5th time in 2 weeks. This is important information for Cordelia that I will elaborate on in the analysis at the end of this post. Draggy will be played by the uncles for combat purposes.
DM: They lead you out and bring you to town, where there’s a bunch of guards armed with makeshift weaponry. They look like town’s people armed with makeshift swords and hammers.
K’un-Lun: *tries to walk past them*
Guard: *tries to grab him*
K’un-Lun: *reacts and steps back* Woooah, woah, woah, don’t you know who I am? I am the great K’un-Lun, your hero. Let me through (rolls persuasion, 11). You all are doing a great job right now.
Guard: You are the thieves who stole the jewels from the town hall.
K’un-Lun: What jewels? *slowly backs away*
Guard: According the mayor and the advisor you have cursed us!
K’un-Lun: What? No, we just cured your curse!
Guard: You have cursed us!
Octavia: If you let us talk to your mayor we will explain. Just calm down.
Guard: Look!
DM: The two guards on the end transform in to jackal-human hybrids, Jackalweres.
Lysithea: *rolls eyes*
K’un-Lun: That was kind of cool.
Octavia: This is getting a little serious.
Guard: You must go retrieve the items and bring them back!
Professor: What happens if we leave?
K’un-Lun: Who cursed you?
Guard: You have!
K’un-Lun: Whose jewels are these anyway?
DM: The remaining guards transform in to Jackalweres as well. You hear the shrieks of people watching from above.
Professor: I don’t think you know who you’re messing with. This is the great Klin-Lin, a great fighter. Show them what you’ve got.
Party rolls initiative.
Begin Jackalwere Fight
Professor casts catapult, and launches a rusty helmet with a catapult that magically appears in front of him at the center Jackalwere. The Jackalwere passes its dexterity saving throw with Nat 20, so the helmet just bounces off the ground in front of it. Professor nonchalantly slides behind K’un-Lun. Draggy (played by both uncles) moves and attacks the first Jackalwere with his battle ax. He hits with a 14, doing 13 damage. The weapon definitely hits him, but it didn’t seem to do anything at all. The Jackalwere just shrugs it off.
Lysithea: That’s interesting… Let’s try this.
Lysithea uses Scorching Ray on the other three Jackalweres. She hits the second Jackalwere with Nat. 20, and the third with 21, but misses the fourth. The second Jackalwere takes 9 fire damage, and the third takes 10 fire damage. Both look really hurt.
K’un-Lun: I don’t think we should kill them.
The second, third, and fourth Jackalwere all attempt to attack Lysithea back, but all three miss. This was very fortunate for Lysithea as her AC and HP are not the highest. The first Jackalwere attempts to attack Draggy, but fails. K’un-Lun moves, but the second Jackalwere gets attack of opportunity first. It hits K’un-Lun with a 21 and does 4 damage.
K’un-Lun: *scoffs at its puny attack*
K’un-Lun attacks the third Jackalwere with advantage, hitting with a 19 and doing 6 damage. K’un-Lun spends a key point to uses Flurry of Blows to attack 2 more times. He punches again with 22 and does 7 more damage, but misses the final punch. His attacks are hitting, but they do not seem to do any damage at all. Surina uses Searing Smite to attack the fourth Jackalwere. She hits with a 20 and does 12 damage total. Surina enchants her weapon and hits the Jackalwere, setting it on fire. Magic attacks seems to cut through better. The fourth Jackalwere is now actively on fire. Octavia does not want to fight the Jackalweres, and feels the situation has gotten out of hand. She rolls nature (18) and realizes that these don’t seem natural, like the people themselves are not natural. Octavia backs up and rolls to shoot at the second Jackalwere with non-lethal damage. She hits with a 24 and does 11 damage. The shot hits, but her arrow deflects off of him, leaving just a little scratch. Professor casts Arcane Weapon on his hammer hand and casts Fire Bolt at the second Jackalwere. His attack hits with a 25 and does 6 fire damage. Draggy moves back to the rest of the party and lines himself up with the second, third, and fourth Jackalwere. The first Jackalwere gets attack of opportunity and hits, doing 5 damage. Draggy uses his lightning breath on the lined up Jackalweres, who now all have to make a dexterity saving throw. The second and third Jackalwere both fail their saves, but the fourth succeeds. The fails take 7 lightning damage, and save takes 3 damage. The second and third Jackalweres are now defeated, having been electrocuted. Lysithea moves and uses Fire Bolt on the first Jackalwere, hits with a Nat. 20, and rolls 2 perfect 10s for 20 fire damage. The first Jackalwere is now dead, burnt to a crisp. The remaining Jackalwere fails it saving throw from being on fire from Surina’s Searing Smite, and is consumed by the flames.
End Jackalwere Fight
The miners who were leading the party run off.
Professor: I told you not to mess with the one and only Klin-Lin!
K’un-Lun: *speaking almost in sync with Professor* I told you not to mess with the great K’un-Lun!
DM: Out of the main town hall building steps a very formal looking Dragonborn, and a cloaked individual.
K’un-Lun: *instantly starts comparing his cloak to the other’s cloak, satisfied that his cloak is cooler*
Billowing Loud Voice: THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE STOLEN FROM OUR TOWN AND HAVE CURSED US. THEY BECAME INVISIBLE, AND YOU SEE THE TOWN GUARDS WERE STRICKEN DOWN WITH A JACKAL CURSE.
Lysithea: *uses thaumaturgy to boom her own voice* NO, WE RETURNED THE JEWELS THAT YOU STOLE FROM THE TEMPLE AND CURED YOUR CURSE!
The Voice: That is not what actually happened. Look at our town. Look at our guards you’ve stricken down.
K’un-Lun: I’m a hero. Everybody knows that.
Billowing Loud Voice: NOW WE WILL PUNISH THESE INFIDELS WITH THE MAGIC PASSED DOWN TO OUR ADVISOR FROM THE TEMPLE!
K’un-Lun: Sounds like he’s cursed.
DM: From the center well you all feel a rumbling, starting from below your feet, and a giant skeleton emerges from the well. It has the head and horns of a bull, with a giant battle ax ready. You feel dark energy coming from the cloaked individual. Lysithea, Octavia, and Surina roll perception or arcana (Octavia 14, Lysithea 15, Surina 4). Lysithea, this is the same magic you felt in the main building with the scarecrows and in the room of nothing (see Session 6). I am going to allow you to quickly get in a battle formation.
Boss Fight: Giant Minotaur Skeleton
The skeleton charges forward and hits with a gore attack against Draggy, but gets disadvantage because of Surina’s Protection. It misses! Professor rolls an arcana check to check the dark energy, but rolls a 7. It’s a dark energy, but he can’t tell anything else. He casts Fire Bolt on the skeleton…
Professor: I don’t know what’s going on, this is weird!
… but misses with a 9.
Victor finally decides to join in! He comes over to hit the boss, first asking, “I’m the boss?” He’s disappointed that he is not the boss, but got excited when he saw the big figure on the battle map.
Draggy attacks with his battleax, hitting with a 15 and doing 5 damage.
Draggy: Take that!
Lysithea tries Fire Bolt on the Minotaur Skeleton, but misses with an 8. K’un-Lun moves to flank the Minotaur and punches him, hits with a 17 and does 7 damage. He uses a bonus action to punch with other hand, hits with an adjusted 20 and does 5 more damage. Surina attacks it with her sword, hits with a 14 and uses Divine Smite, doing an additional 13 radiant damage. Octavia moves back and shoots the skeleton, hits with a 23 and does 6 damage. The cloaked individual uses Eldridge Blast on K’un-Lun. A beam of crackling energy streaks towards K’un-Lun, hits him with a 22, doing 8 damage. An arrow is shot at K’un-Lun by the mayor figure, but K’un-Lun uses Deflect Missile. He powers up his heat hand, which starts to glow, and the arrow splits in twain against his hot hand. The Minotaur swings it great ax in a cleaving motion towards Surina, but it fortunately misses. Professor twists off his hammer and puts it in his pocket, attaches his crossbow to his forearm, casts Arcane Weapon on the crossbow, and shoots at the Minotaur. His arrow hits with a 13, doing 8 piercing damage and 3 fire damage. Draggy swings his ax at the Minotaur, rolls a Nat. 20, and does 15 damage. The Minotaur crumbles at Draggy’s feet in a pile of bones, demoted to dust. Lysithea casts Magic Missile at the cloaked figure as a level 2 spell, doing a total of 15 damage. K’un-Lun moves towards the cloaked individual, hits him with a 22, and does 7 damage. He hits again with a 21 and does 4 more damage. Surina moves towards the attackers and throws her javelin at the cloaked individual, much to K’un-Lun’s delight. She hits with a Nat. 20 and does 6 damage. Octavia moves forward and shoots her longbow at the cloaked figure’s shoulder, hits with an 18, and does 10 damage. The cloaked figure is casting a spell at K’un-Lun, who can take an attack of opportunity. K’un-Lun boxes the figure’s ears with a 19 and does 5 damage. The individual shoots Scorching Ray at K’un-Lun. All three rays hit K’un-Lun for 23 damage, bringing his HP is below 0. K’un-Lun rolls a saving throw and succeeds with an 11. The mayor shoots an arrow at Surina, but misses. Professor cannot move fast, which is unfortunate. He moves forward and shoots his crossbow at the cloaked figure, but misses. Draggy moves in to range and shoots his crossbow at the cloaked individual, hits with an adjusted 20, and does 7 damage. Lysithea uses Magic Missile as a first level spell against the cloaked figure and does 13 damage. His body falls to sand and dust, and the cloak droops down, à la Obi-Wan Kenobi.
End Boss Fight
There’s silence for a bit. The mayor looks around.
Lysithea: You’ve been cursed, and we just lifted it.
K’un-Lun: Help me!
Surina uses Lay on Hands on K’un-Lun and heals him for 15 HP.
Mayor: We’ve been cursed? What?
Lysithea: Okay, we need to go sit down and have a long conversation.
Lysithea then explains the entire tale to the Mayor (see Sessions 5, 6, and 7).
The party inspects the area where the cloaked individual was, and K’un-Lun compares cloaks.
DM: There’s nothing of worth there, but you find this weird pendant with an odd looking symbol of a jackal head. K’un-Lun recognizes the pendant as a pendant to an old god from his original time, a cult symbol.
K’un-Lun: I’ve dealt with this bozos before.
Professor: Bozos you say?
K’un-Lun: Yes. Wouldn’t you call those guys we just beat up “bozos”?
Octavia: I call them dead.
K’un-Lun: Dead bozos.
Lysithea rolls arcana on the pendant (22). It’s the symbol of a warlock that made a pact with some being. She stores the pendant safely.
Mayor: I’m not really a mayor… I’m just the foreman. They started to dig here, but then weird things started happening. This advisor, Lacrim, came about promising us more wealth. We started prospering, but that’s all I remember. From my recollection, we were told to bury the things in the crops to protect them from thieves.
K’un-Lun: I hope it’s cool that we killed him.
Foreman: Seeing how our well has been destroyed and been contaminated with it…
Professor: It was a Minotaur.
K’un-Lun: Did he bring anyone else with him?
Foreman: Well, there were guards he brought…
Professor: Oh, we killed them.
Foreman: And the supplies he brought…
Professor: We need to inspect them.
The party goes to the 2nd floor of the main building where the riddle rooms were (see Session 6). Professor recognizes the materials and tools in the room where they built the enchanted scarecrows. Lysithea checks the room they initially found nothing but eerie darkness and an evil presence in, and finds the room completely normal. No darkness, no evil, no windows, only a key in the middle of the floor. Lysithea detected faint remnants of a darkness spell, but it must have disappeared when the caster died.
K’un-Lun: Wow I feel nothing in this room right now. What’s with this empty room?
Octavia: It wasn’t empty before, it was dark before.
K’un-Lun: Boring.
Lysithea takes the key. It has an intricate design – a lion head is on one side, and a jackal head on the other. She stores it safely.
The foreman feels disoriented. Surina wants to help him so she rolls medicine (12) to reorient him. There’s a growing crowd outside talking. K’un-Lun thinks they are there to meet him, so he goes outside to greet them (rolls performance, 16). All eyes turn to him. He starts doing acrobatics, shooting his sun hands in to the air (acrobatics, 14). He does rather well, taking the peoples’ minds off what just happened.
K’un-Lun: Yes, come look at me! I just saved you single handedly (rolls deception, 18). *thrilled* *goes to the audience and shakes their hands and introduces himself as a man of the people*
Back inside the main building…
Foreman: You say we were cursed?
Lysithea: Yes.
Foreman: But we are not anymore?
Lysithea: As far as I can tell.
Foreman: So can we keep taking things from the temple?
Lysithea: No.
Foreman: But we aren’t cursed anymore!
Octavia: You aren’t cursed because we took back the things you stole from the temple.
Dad talks to Cordelia. Does she think the temple in Dalvok would want them to keep stealing things?
Surina: You need to report everything back to the museum (rolls persuasion, 21).
Foreman: I guess you make a point… we’ll turn over all our documents. *gets a big ledger* Can one of you all bring it back?
Professor: Yes, of course. *grabs the book* Do you happen to have any accommodations for us?
Foreman: Sure, we have a few rooms.
Professor: Yes, but which are the nicest ones?
Foreman: Well, mine.
Professor: Well, thank you so much.
K’un-Lun: Hey guys, I’m back. Where are we staying tonight?
Professor: The foreman has graciously offered his house.
K’un-Lun: That’s so nice! *hugs the foreman*
Foreman: What? I… fine… I have documents to write up anyway.
DM: Octavia, make a survival role (22). You know the way to the comet. Everyone takes a long rest and heals. It will be about a day’s trek.
Professor gives K’un-Lun his pot back by hanging it over him while he is resting. K’un-Lun jumps up and screams, hitting his head on the pot.
Professor: Congratulations!
The pot is now a pot of holding.
K’un-Lun: *dunks his head in to it* Hello!
The trek to the comet is completely uneventful. The party comes up to crater where the comet should be, but nothing is there.
Lysithea: Oh no! (Rolls arcana, 12). There was magic here, but only remnants of magic remain. It’s been about a day since they were here.
The crater has a 15 foot radius, and is 10 feet deep.
The party investigates surrounding area (roll investigation Professor 17, Lysithea 18). The comet was definitely taken. There are clear footprints (animal handling Surina 17, Octavia 18, K’un-Lun 17). There’s a mixture of human and jackal footprints, plus footprints that looks like a jackal-human hybrid. All of the footprints head east.
K’un-Lun: It seems we have no choice.
Octavia: We must follow.
Where is the comet, and who took it? End session.
Analysis: When it came to combat Cordelia was armed and ready today. For everything else, Cordelia was a bit distracted. She had 2 things working against her today. For one, her leg was swollen with itchy ant bites. Two, her brother was watching Gravity Falls. Why is that an issue? It’s their favorite show. They have watched it 4 times through within the past 2 weeks, and Victor started play-through number 5 when we started our adventure. Even though she had seen it 4 times recently (it’s all they would watch), she claimed she couldn’t concentrate because she could hear the show. Normally we would make Victor put something else on so that she wouldn’t miss anything, but he also wasn’t feeling well, and with everyone else playing D&D we thought it would be nice for him to watch his favorite show. Also, she had already watched Gravity Falls in it’s entirety 4 times! Let’s just say we learned that if we want Cordelia to concentrate Gravity Falls needs to be on only in her mind and not the television.
Note: This session happened a couple of weeks ago. As of now we are on Gravity Falls play-through number 8… and yes, that includes the Shorts.