Session 36

Session 36 - Shadow Well: Magma's Glow

Last crossing into Shadowfell: Yanin the 18th, 8.5 bells    
58 total bells since last crossing
5 total bells passed on Aventainya (nearest half bell)
Date/Time on Aventainya: Yanin the 18th, half past 13 bells

Upon your return to the Shadowfell Garrison from Master Yon's arcane laboratory, with Quaesitor now the host to the ooze entity dubbed the 'Pseudocat', you are warmly greeted. Alwin and Freer wave from the northeast tower, signaling a welcome. Alouise, Purtham, Freer, and Alwin descend from their watchful perches and hasten to open the gates for your arrival.

As your steeds are being dismounted with tack and saddle tended to, you are anxious to confirm the passage of time, and request to see the Bellmirage coin left at the garrison. Freer produces it, and you confirm that the expected duration has indeed passed and nothing more: a two-bell ride to the site, one bell in the laboratory equating to twelve Shadowfell bells, and a two-bell journey back. A total of sixteen bells, thankfully not stretching into days, weeks, or even months - a learned uncertainty in extraplanar travels. Quaesitor resets his coin, syncing it with the garrison's.

You quickly rally most of the Garrison Occupants, while Alouise instructs Freer and Purtham to maintain their watch. The looming threat of the Shadow Scholar or one of his agents remains a pressing concern. 

Meanwhile, Sylvi takes on the task of caring for the horses. Utilizing her magic to communicate with the garrison's animals—Zoose, Mystof, and Fifi—she emphasizes the importance of familiarizing them with your steeds: Grazer, Charger, Lillith, and Maximus. She states ensuring the animal are comfortable with each other is crucial, if venturing into the Shadowfell together may soon become the norm.

Jha, taking center stage in an area you've all come to regard as his storytelling platform, embarks on narrating your recent adventure. He skillfully weaves a narrative filled with bravery and epic exploits. He omits the less glamorous details, such as the harrowing encounters with ooze golem vomit and the repetitive, futile collisions with the same magical barrier.

Oddo, can you help us understand this?

Freer is the first to speak, with a question to Oddo about how Lux ever gained her knowledge of the Shadow Scholar, his experiments, and any information regarding Aventainya or the blight. Oddo, with a hint of uncertainty, admits his lack of insight into Lux's sources. He clarifies that Lux, one of Master Veridian's few contacts, appeared weeks after Master Veridian had departed to an undisclosed location. Oddo was left only with instructions to safeguard the scholar's research and abode, and was in the dark about her destination. Lux's involvement, as explained to Oddo, revolves around disrupting the actions of the entity Oddo refers to as the "devil Pit Fiend" or the Shadow Scholar, which, according to Lux, is key to Master Veridian's return. It is clear to you that Lux was not forthright with Oddo, but this does not seem obvious to Oddo.

The inquiry deepens as you all probe Oddo for any knowledge he might have about the gnolls and the blight, Tahink inquiring as to their exact connection. Oddo repeats what he has been told by Lux: the Shadow Scholar's machinations, coupled with Aventainya's reconnection to the multiverse, have twisted into a curse that afflicts the Aventainyan gnolls, followers of their forsaken deity, Yeenoghu. This curse is the source of the blight, with the gnolls both its progenitors and spreaders, casting a shadow of corruption across Northern Valerest.

You delve deeper into Oddo's origins, sparking a recount of his inception in the Astral Plane, a creation of Master Moremack, a gnomish spellcaster of considerable power. You inquire about the nature of Oddo's existence. In response, Oddo reveals an internal compartment, showcasing a spellbook suspended within, bathed in tendrils of golden light that tether it to his being. Tahnik, intrigued, questions the consequences of removing the spellbook, to which Oddo offers a profound clarification: he is the spellbook. His consciousness, his very essence, originated from this sentient spellbook crafted by his master long ago. The body he possesses serves as a vessel to interact with the world, allowing him to cast spells from the book and absorb new ones from other spellbooks he encounters.

You reassure Oddo that he is among friends here; not masters but allies. Oddo, warming to the sentiment, shares his understanding of friendship, a lesson he attributes to Master Veridian from Sigil (pronounced, he says, with a hard "g", which he notes the denizens of Sigil will mock one for if pronounced incorrectly). He reveals that Sigil is accessible through a portal known to Lux to the north, who hinted at its recent emergence. The portal's key, the Chimes of Opening, now in Quaesitor's possession following their retrieval from Lux's camp, seems of little concern to Oddo, perhaps indicative of his unique perspective on ownership.

The conversation shifts towards strategizing about the Shadow Wells' influence on the Shadow Scholar and the blight. Oddo recounts Lux's efforts to disrupt the wells in her search for Master Veridian, though her ultimate objective remains a mystery to him. Whether she aimed to weaken the Shadow Scholar, mitigate the blight, or achieve an entirely different end, Oddo cannot say. He was focused on what Lux stated as her primary objective: finding Master Veridian, with Oddo's help.

It's acknowledged that Lux's visit to the Shadow Well near which Oddo was found was part of her scheme to manipulate Sylvi's mercenary group, a plot that included enchanting them to harm fellow Aventainyans if necessary. This revelation prompts a broader contemplation on how many Aventainyans might have unwittingly traversed to the Shadowfell, and the mechanisms of portal travel, which you've long ago learned are governed by divine blessing or guidance. Lux's means of moving between Aventainya and the Bowencroft region remains a mystery.

You theorize that each Shadow Well must act as a nexus for two overlapping interplanar portals: one leading into the well's inherent dimension and another connecting to Aventainya. The Shadow Wells appear to be navigable with ease to those who are blessed, but you have yet to attempt finding and using a portal back to Aventainya beyond the one found in the garrison. The crossings must work in rarer instances, even to those who are not blessed, revealing the complex and layered nature of planar interactions surrounding the Shadow Wells.

Amidst the myriad of paths laid before you, a spirited discussion ensues, weighing the merits of investigating the Shadow Wells already tampered with by Lux, those most frequented by the Shadow Scholar, wells yet untouched by Lux, or venturing to Sigil through the portal identified by Oddo.

Your collective decision steers you towards one of the Shadow Wells most often visited by the Shadow Scholar, and from there on to Sigil to seek more answers. Orson turns to Oddo, seeking details about this particular well. Oddo shares insights garnered from Lux: the Shadow Scholar engages in spellcasting at each site, and employs an arcane device, devoid of alchemy but constructed from sharp metallic plates and glass baubles. Quaesitor surmises this might serve as some form of attunement apparatus, but cannot be sure. 

Oddo again clarifies that while the "demon Pit Fiend" tends to all the Shadow Wells, his frustration rises the most at three sites. His work, tied to the manipulation of planar energies, aims to forge a concealed transitive plane akin to the Astral Sea. Moreover, the Shadow Scholar is heard conversing with unseen entities, speaking in a tongue unfamiliar to Oddo. According to Lux, he speaks of reinforcements, his tone laced with frustration over their absence. Oddo also notes what you already know: the Shadow Scholar views the undead of the area as nothing more than a side effect and a nuisance. They do not appear to answer to him and he, on occasion, destroys them if they distract him directly.

Oddo knows of no terrain that will prove difficult when venturing to the target Shadow Well, other than the need to cross the Shadowfell's mirror of the River Kass. Oddo describes that the portal to Sigil is just past the main gates of the city of Kass' reflection in the Shadowfell, in an alleyway near the Tide's End Tavern. It is contained within a tall arch, the only such arch, leading to the walled perimeter of the tavern's empty mirrored stables behind it. It leads to an alleyway in Sigil.

Preparations

Having settled on your next move, the group collectively decides to afford Orson some much-needed rest in preparation for the garden-enhancing spell he must complete, allowing him to retire early... but only after his culinary duties. Together, you share an exceptionally prepared meal, marveling at Orson's culinary skill before he retires for the night.

The Garrison Occupants share updates of their day's achievements while you were away, notably the construction of a pulley platform for the garden and replenishing the stock of wood-fired coal in the kiln. Tahnik proposes repurposing the now obsolete remaining drawbridge mechanism into a small lift for easier access to the bridge platform, which houses a storeroom for additional, seldom-used dry supplies. Alouise commits to undertaking this new project with the elves, as well as as finishing a wash basin now that the forge is stocked with fresh coal.

The discussion then shifts to the composition of the group for the upcoming venture. Alwin and Purtham, eager yet inexperienced, volunteer to join, only to be promptly vetoed by Alouise. She sternly reminds them of the perils they faced in Bowencroft and the even greater dangers of the Shadowfell, deciding it best for them, along with Freer and Oddo, to remain at the garrison. They request Gourmet stay as well, which Quaesitor grants, to continue his current duties in constantly patrolling the ground-level perimeter of the garrison.

Sylvi, with her mercenary skills, and the rest of you, seasoned adventurers all, are the best prepared. Thus, it is decided: the seven of you will undertake this next journey into the Shadowfell's unknown depths.

Quaesitor offers to tend to Purtham's arm, focusing his remaining magical reserves to healing. It works, and both Purtham and Alouise are extremely grateful. Alouise declares that in your absence she has set a new watch schedule, involving herself, the elves, and Freer. You can all rest uninterrupted through the Shadowfell "night." Confident in the new arrangement, you each retire for the necessary six bells of sleep, which passes without incident.

Last crossing into Shadowfell: Yanin the 18th, 8.5 bells    
64 total bells since last crossing
5.5 total bells passed on Aventainya (nearest half bell)
Date/Time on Aventainya: Yanin the 18th, 14 bells    

Orson, having retired a bell earlier than the rest of you, is the first to rise, immediately heading to the garden to conclude his divine soil preparations. You learn that Oddo "rests" differently, by deactivating for four bells, during which his body and mind "repair" themselves in some arcane manner.

Upon awakening, everyone experiences the fleeting sensation of a significant but elusive dream, a commonality you all reveal during discussion over breakfast. Every occupant of the garrison experienced the same sensation, other than Oddo, but no solid theories emerge.

While Orson dedicates the next several bells to his spellwork in the garden, the rest of you engage in essential maintenance: repairing gear, sharpening weapons, and tackling long-neglected tasks. Quaesitor, immersed in more reading from Evdarin's Collection, inquires about "Yaweaving" and wonders if any of your allies have heard of such a term. It is a topic unfamiliar to all, including Oddo.

With a resonant flourish that echoes across the garrison, Orson completes his garden spellwork. Exhausted but content, he signals that the time to set out on your next journey has finally arrived. Sylvi produces another bowl of goodberries to reduce the loss of actual rations, and you are on your way.

Traveling

Last crossing into Shadowfell: Yanin the 18th, 8.5 bells    
72 total bells since last crossing
6 total bells passed on Aventainya (nearest half bell)
Date/Time on Aventainya: Yanin the 18th, half past 14 bells    

Venturing north by northeast, you follow the slender course of the Shadowfell's River Kass, finding manageable crossings further north. A noticeable transformation has occurred within a nearby copse of trees: once short and gnarled, the trees now stand taller, adorned with the sparse foliage of late fall. You have learned this is typical of the Shadowfell, where the landscape shifts unpredictably, mirroring the Prime Material in distorted ways.

Approaching your destination while crossing a bridge, Sylvi's keen eyes detect the Shadow Scholar flying in the distance. Swiftly, you seek cover among the trees as Sylvi casts a spell. The ground erupts with shadows that muffle sound and obscure you and your passage. All of you successfully evade his notice as he continues southwest, away from your intended Shadow Well. Quaesitor notes the fortunate timing; had you departed sooner, a confrontation might have been inevitable. Now, with the Shadow Scholar confirmed to be preoccupied elsewhere, you have a window of opportunity to explore the well undisturbed.

Hidden devils

Arriving at the targeted Shadow Well under the veil of Sylvi's spell, you find it exuding the same dense, shadowy essence as experienced before, encircled by an arrangement of standing stones, unlike the towering megaliths of other wells but modest in height, scarcely a foot or two tall. Among these stones, some form odd patterns while others encircle the well, all bearing the marks of ancient times.

As you near, Nona, elevated on her broom, catches sight of something unsettling in a nearby tree. Her reaction is swift yet silent, her breath stilled as her gaze locks onto a barbed devil perched within the branches, its skin bristling with thick, menacing spikes. Avoiding direct eye contact and suppressing her initial shock, Nona opts for a preemptive strike. With swift precision, she nocks and releases two arrows; one misses, veering off into the shadows, but the second grazes the devil's shoulder. The creature reacts with a venomous hiss, and at that moment, following Nona's lead, you all become aware of the devil's presence, hidden until now in the tree's embrace.

Prompted by Nona's attack, Tahnik releases an arrow towards the devil, only to watch it deflect harmlessly off its hide, a reminder of the resilience some creatures possess against mundane weaponry. Sylvi, armed with a magical bow, utters something about a swift end and lands two golden arrows into the devil's shoulder, visibly impairing its arm as it howls, barely able to hold onto the tree. Jha prods Lillith, the steed shared with Pyrora, forward and peppers the devil with mundane arrows that mirror Tahnik's and Nona's in futility. At the same time, Quaesitor propels forward, launching firebolts from atop Maximus. Despite their accuracy, the spells dissipate upon impact, revealing the devil's immunity to such assaults.

In response to the attack, the devil retaliates, hurling small fireballs from its hands. Nona, leveraging her tiefling heritage's resistance to fire and her adeptness at maneuvering on her broom, manages to deflect the worst of the impacts. The devil, realizing its precarious position, leaps from its perch and starts to flee. Almost simultaneously, a second devil reveals itself, also escaping in the same direction—an indication they might be seeking to inform the Shadow Scholar of your presence.

The chase ensues. Pyrora and Orson, invoking the divine powers of Ya and Aven, cast Moonbeam spells, bathing the devils in searing, holy light. The pursuit intensifies as everyone contributes, launching spells and attacks to prevent their escape. The first devil succumbs to the relentless assault of a Moonbeam while hindered by your attacks, while the second, hampered by a leg wound from Sylvi's arrow and Jha's magic, finds its movements significantly slowed.

Quaesitor, in a display of agility uncommon for an elf of his build, dismounts a galloping Maximus with a dramatic roll and intercepts the impaired devil. Its attempt to change course, hindered by the lingering effects of Jha's spell, proves both futile and fatal. Trapped under the relentless radiance of the Moonbeam, the second devil dissolves into dust, leaving no trace behind but the lingering threat of what its escape could have meant.

It seems, perhaps, the Shadow Scholar's request for reinforcements may have been answered or, alternatively, these are the last of his existing forces at this commonly visited location. Which is true is unclear.

Putting this out of your mind for now, you approach the short circular standing stones. The more oddly placed stones are wide, though still only one or two feet high. Carvings are etched into them, and you attempt to decipher a pattern. None are found, but you do detect that while many of the etchings are likely ancient, some are fresh. They are sharp, and positioned equidistant from each other in similar patterns. Quaesitor surmises these markings are perhaps evidence of the equipment Oddo mentioned the Shadow Scholar employs during his interactions with the Shadow Wells.

Venturing into the well

You decide to make good use of this time and dive into the well before the Shadow Scholar or any more devils appear. As Orson approaches, the shadowy substance begins to swirl around his feet, creating the portal downward. He ushers each of you through, giving you Aven's guidance as you pass.

Stepping through the shadow portal, you once again find the disorienting sensation of leaping downward, only to land with gravity reoriented, depositing you rump first onto unfamiliar terrain. You quickly find yourselves enveloped in an environment of otherworldly beauty and palpable danger. The cavern around you is illuminated by the eerie glow of red crystals embedded in the walls, casting a blood-red hue across your surroundings and painting everything in an atmosphere of surreal, haunting beauty. It's immediately apparent that color has returned to your vision, signifying your departure from the Shadowfell.

The air is heavy with the warmth radiated by a bubbling magma pool, its menacing glow serving as a beacon in the distance, marking the sole tunnel leading away from the portal's inky entrance. As you take a moment to orient yourselves, a wave of intense heat sweeps over you, an uncomfortable but not harmful indicator of this cavern's fiery heart. Amidst the constant churning sound of the magma, another noise begins to resonate through the cavern—an echo of a mournful cry from some colossal beast, its source unseen. The sound is both eerie and disconcerting.

As you delve deeper into the cavern, Quaesitor actually avoids contact with the crystalline protrusions from the walls, while Nona takes the lead towards the chamber harboring the magma pool. Quaesitor, exercising caution and curiosity, casts a See Invisibility spell as he navigates past the pool. To his amazement, he discerns two entities hidden within what appears to the unaided eye as mere magma clumps. Revealed through his enchanted vision, these beings resemble tiny, orange-winged goblins, cleverly masquerading as part of the magma.

Alerting the rest of you to their presence, Quaesitor points out the disguised creatures. With focused attention, you manage to discern their subtle forms amidst the molten disguise. They remain still, seemingly content to observe rather than interact as you pass.

Choosing prudence over confrontation, you collectively decide to proceed, leaving the magma-disguised watchers undisturbed. Together, you continue your exploration down the tunnel, venturing further into the cavern's unknown depths.

You proceed through the cavern and veer left at the first fork, drawing closer to another longer magma pool. It's Nona's sharp eyes that first spot the anomaly amidst the natural chaos of the cave—a statue, or so it seems, of an elven warrior standing in silent vigil. Yet, as her gaze shifts back to the pool, a more grisly discovery captures her attention: a stone head, unmistakably elven and disturbingly severed.

With cautious steps, Nona approaches and retrieves the stone head, its visage frozen in an eternal stoic expression. As she examines the item, turning it in her hands, the horrifying truth reveals itself. The "carvings" on the severed neck—the intricate details mimicking the throat, veins, and musculature—speak of a craftsmanship far beyond the scope of any artisan. This was once a living elven man, now petrified, his head's last moments preserved in stone. His companion, the statue she first noticed, stands facing the other direction as a silent witness to their shared fate, only his stone cloak disturbed by broken bits.

Nona secures the head in her backpack for now, wanting to perhaps study the effects later, despite the grisly fate of the man.

Nona and Sylvi tread cautiously around the petrified figure of the whole elven man, their attention divided between the statue and the surrounding cavern. Meanwhile, the rest of the group investigates the nearby magma pool. As Nona scrutinizes the statue, a sudden hiss and growl pierce the silence. She whirls around to find four peculiar lizards, each sporting eight legs—a mix of larger and smaller beasts. Locking eyes with one, Nona feels an alarming numbness spread through her body, her limbs stiffening and bones cracking into place. With a gasp, she manages to break free from the petrifying gaze, bits of stone flaking from her skin.

"Shit! They're right here, whatever they are! Don't look at them!" Nona shouts, launching arrows without direct eye contact, gauging their position from the periphery of her vision. Her arrows find their mark, piercing the creatures' scales, as they advance with aggressive hisses.

Alerted by Nona's warning, the rest of you rush to her aid, careful to avoid the creatures' petrifying gaze. The battle intensifies near the statue, making it difficult to evade their eyes without losing sight of their movements or exposing yourselves to their attacks. Due to the creatures' deceptive feints and sudden darts, designed to catch your gaze or deliver a venomous bite, Pyrora and Orson almost succumb, narrowly escaping the fate of the stone-bound elven man.

At that moment, the cavern's tension escalates as two fire elementals, emitting fearsome roars, manifest in the distance, originating from the vicinity of a second magma pool. Accompanying their arrival, two of the tiny winged beings leap from the same pool, their vigor seemingly amplified by the presence of the elementals. With a menacing velocity, the elementals surge through the cavern, targeting your group with their scorching wrath, just as Pyrora unleashes another Moonbeam spell aimed at the reptilian foes. Simultaneously, two more winged creatures join the fray, propelled from the direction of the first magma pool, and unleash a fiery onslaught, which you narrowly manage to evade.

In a moment of quick thinking, Orson summons a substantial quantity of food and water, the latter cascading down in torrents sufficient to douse the fiery assailants significantly. Engulfed by the deluge and assailed by your spells and magical weapons, the elementals' fiery forms flicker and wane. Nona, harnessing her tiefling heritage, delivers the coup de grâce with a potent gust of magic-imbued breath, extinguishing the last of the elemental foes as one would snuff out a candle.

Tahnik charges into the melee, unleashing his fury before swiftly channeling it into a state of focused calm, a technique he's never before attempted. Drawing on the strength of his ancestors, their spirits emerge to encircle both him and the adversaries. These ancestral guides not only focus your tactics but also reveal critical weaknesses in the foes, their ethereal forms of blues and greens weaving around the combatants. Among these spirits, figures of orcish, human, tiefling, and elven heritage, including Mariam, Brigette and Droxdis, swirl in a spectral dance, distracting and disorienting the creatures.

This ancestral intervention grants you a significant advantage, helping you evade the reptilian stares and the remaining tiny creatures while you land your attacks more effectively. Two of the tiny winged creatures quickly fall, and the other two flee immediately, likely returning to their magma pool of origin. The two larger beasts fall under your coordinated assault, their smaller counterparts emitting cries of rage and fear. One of the two remaining small reptiles are slain and the other emits an almost painful sound and darts away. You give chase, but quickly lose the last creature near a large river of lava, losing sight of which way it ran. The skirmish concludes swiftly, leaving you to gather your breath and reflect on the brief yet intense encounter, victorious with the aid of ancestral power.

Eggs and the path forward

Nona lingers by a nest she notices in the aftermath of the battle, her attention captured by a clutch of eggs. Nested among rocks and detritus are five eggs, each roughly the size of a human head, some trembling under her touch as if on the cusp of hatching. Tahnik, offers Nona his cloak of protection to carefully wrap one, both driven by curiosity about the creature it might yield and the possibilities it harbors. The timing of the hatching remains uncertain.

Navigating along the river of molten lava, you encounter remnants of a collapsed bridge and observe a spectacular lava fall cascading downward in the distance, while another large fall feeds the lava river from above. Amid this fiery landscape, Sylvi, keen on tracking the elusive reptile, discovers a minor stream of lava emanating from a small opening across the river. Marked by countless small claw scratches, the opening beckons further into the unexplored depths of the caverns. The group shares a moment of contemplation, weighing the risks and potential rewards of the path that lies ahead...