Session 42
Contents
Recap
- Investigated the docks
- Attended the Castle and met Lyal
- Sat down to meet the Shadowmage who is the master.
- Conversations happened, he offered to send you home
- You attacked him, and killed him.
Plot Points
Lyle - What the hell have you done?! "Sigh", Well, thank you for the chaos. Wait here, I'll send you back. Where do you want to go?"
If pressed, the Shadowmage at least keeps a semblance of order here so there will be... a period of chaos.
Dungeon for the phylactery
Room 1: The Castle Ruins - Entrance to the Tomb
Description: The party discovers a long-forgotten trapdoor beneath the ruins of a fallen statue in the castle courtyard. The door is covered with moss and crawling vines, but beneath the growth, they find an iron ring. When opened, a cold, musty air rushes out, and a dark staircase spirals downward into the darkness.
Challenges:
- Trap: As the party descends, the steps are rigged with pressure plates that trigger falling rocks from the ceiling. This trap does 1d6 bludgeoning damage to anyone who steps on a plate. The traps can be disabled with a successful DC 12 Investigation or Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check.
Enemies: None in this room, but the ominous feel of the tomb starts to set in.
Room 2: The Guardian’s Hall
Description: The stairway opens into a long hallway, adorned with faded murals of Shadowmage's former glory. At the far end, two ornate doors stand ajar, revealing the next room. In front of the doors is a large stone statue of a knight, holding a sword aloft. On the floor before the statue is a large engraving of a cracked skull surrounded by runes.
Challenge:
- Puzzle: To pass through the doors, the party must solve a puzzle. The cracked skull engraving represents the “broken soul” of the Shadowmage, so the party must "complete" it. To do this, one of the characters must place their hand in the engraving, triggering a vision where they must recite an incantation from a forgotten language, solving the riddle: “Bound by death, but free from life, I walk in shadows, sword in strife. Who am I, my soul now whole? I live in death, an endless goal.” Solution: The correct word is “Lich.” The person who speaks this word aloud will complete the puzzle and unlock the doors.
Enemies:
- As the party solves the puzzle, the statue of the knight animates and charges, attacking anyone in the hallway.
- Statue Knight (AC 14, HP 45, 2 Longsword Attacks +4 to hit, 1d8+2 slashing damage, immune to poison and psychic damage)
- The Knight fights until destroyed or the party retreats.
Room 3: The Tomb of Shadows
Description: Beyond the doors is a dimly lit chamber filled with stone sarcophagi. The air is thick with the stench of decay. In the center of the room lies an altar with a glowing, cracked gemstone. Along the walls are statues of the Shadowmage's undead servitors, frozen in poses of reverence. The tomb is eerily silent, and no light seems to penetrate the room.
Challenge:
- Trap: As the party investigates the sarcophagi, opening one will trigger a burst of necrotic energy. This causes the room to fill with shadows, and Shadow Spawn (small, incorporeal undead that have the ability to drain life energy) will be released from the sarcophagi.
- Shadows (AC 12, HP 16, 1d6 necrotic damage, drains 1 Strength on a hit) Combat: The party must deal with a swarm of 4 Shadows. Each time a Shadow is destroyed, it bursts into a cloud of necrotic energy, forcing a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to avoid 1d6 necrotic damage.
Enemies:
- 4 Shadows (they emerge from the sarcophagi and attack anyone in the room).
- They retreat back into their sarcophagi if reduced to half HP, forcing the party to act quickly.
Room 4: The Final Chamber
Description: The party enters a grand chamber, the walls lined with cracked and crumbling frescoes depicting the Shadowmage's life. At the center is a stone slab, raised slightly from the floor, upon which lies the phylactery—a small, ornate box with dark runes glowing faintly in the darkness. The box rests upon a pedestal of black stone. In the center of the room, a Guardian of the Tomb, a death knight in tattered armor, waits. His eyes are dark, and his sword pulses with necrotic energy.
Challenge:
- Final Guardian Combat: The Death Knight will challenge the party, demanding that they leave or face death. He was once the loyal protector of the Shadowmage, and now serves as his last line of defense.
- Death Knight (AC 17, HP 67, Multiattack: 2 Longsword Attacks +6 to hit, 1d8+4 slashing damage, plus 2d6 necrotic damage on a hit; can cast Animate Dead and Hellish Rebuke).
- The knight will fight to the death unless the party can convince him to leave them be (a DC 15 Charisma check could persuade him, but failing this will trigger combat).
Phylactery's Protection: The phylactery is protected by a Necrotic Aura that deals 1d6 necrotic damage to anyone who touches it without the correct ritual (the party may need to perform a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check to recognize the ritual).
- Ritual: A character must cast Dispel Magic or perform a ritual to attune to the necrotic energy of the phylactery. This could involve placing a piece of the party’s life essence or performing a brief prayer to the gods of death (depending on the party's actions). If successful, the phylactery can be removed from its pedestal without triggering further damage or reanimating the guardian.
Dungeon Conclusion:
- Escape: After retrieving the phylactery, the party may find the tomb’s exit is blocked or sealed by magic. The phylactery holds an arcane key, and if they place it in a designated spot in the tomb, the barrier is lifted, allowing them to escape. Alternatively, they may have to backtrack and deal with the tomb’s traps again.
- Optional Twist: If the lich’s soul is disturbed or the phylactery is taken, he might return in his weakened state to seek vengeance on the party, either as they leave or in the future. This could l
Return Ritual
Ingredients:
- A black candle (symbolizing the darkness of the nightmare realm)
- A silver mirror (to reflect the boundary between planes)
- A small bowl of midnight salt (to stabilize the portal)
- A shard of obsidian (to channel the energies)
- A cloak of shadows (to shield from the nightmarish energies)
- A written incantation on parchment (inscribed in an ancient, forgotten language)
- A circle of chalk, drawn with precise measurements
Preparation:
- Draw a circle on the floor using the chalk, ensuring it is large enough to stand within. Inside the circle, inscribe ancient runes that correspond to the crossing of realms. These symbols must be perfect in their design, for any flaw may cause the portal to destabilize.
Steps:
- Place the Candle: Place the black candle at the centre of the circle. Light it with a match, focusing on the flame as a conduit between the two planes.
- Place the Mirror: Position the silver mirror facing outward, just outside the chalk circle, with the reflective side pointing toward the darkness. This mirror acts as a window to the nightmare realm.
- Place the Bowl of Salt: Place the midnight salt next to the candle, symbolizing the boundary between the waking world and the nightmare. Sprinkle a small amount of salt around the edge of the circle.
- Obsidian Shard Placement: Place the obsidian shard just inside the circle, within arm's reach. This will help focus the energies.
- Incantation: Stand within the circle, holding the shard of obsidian in your right hand. With a deep breath, speak the incantation written on the parchment, aloud and clearly. As you speak, envision the dark veil between the planes tearing open. The words are ancient, carrying the power of crossing between worlds: "From the depths of the unshaped dark, I call the shifting, cruel spark. Through nightmare's door, I bid thee come, From the realm where shadows hum. Open the way, let passage be, Between the dream, and what I see."
- Focus the Energy: As you chant the incantation, focus on the reflection in the mirror. Feel the energy of the obsidian shard intensify, and allow the image within the mirror to warp and twist, distorting as though the fabric of reality itself is bending.
- Opening the Portal: Once the mirror reflects a swirling, dark vortex, you know the portal has opened. At this moment, the air will grow cold, and a heavy silence will fall. You may hear distant whispers or feel a sense of impending dread.
Closing the Portal:
Once your purpose is fulfilled, the portal will begin to close on its own. To ensure the portal fully seals, chant the reverse of the incantation to reverse the flow:
"From the dark, I sever the tie,
Close the door, and bid thee fly.
Return once more to endless night,
Let this realm know only light."
Important Notes:
- This ritual is dangerous. The energies of the nightmare realm are unstable and may cause unintended consequences. Proceed with caution.
- Only those prepared with knowledge of the dark planes should attempt such a ritual.
- It is advised to have a secondary method of protection, such as a binding ward or safety circle, in case the portal becomes unstable.
Nightmares
Keph - Hellfeathers
Djinn - You're in a forest, unfamiliar to you. Your hands are covered in blood. You look around, confused. Do you don't see whose blood this could be, or where this could have come from. You just see before you Jeremiah... scared, backing away from you before he turns and just runs.
Zannotah -
Elswyth - Melystra looks upon you, her radiant glow illuminating the space surrounding you both. Her gaze rests upon you and she makes eye contact you see that she looked panicked as she whispers softly "Flee my child, you are.. everyone is..in.." and before she can finish that sentence you see the cracks enveloping her form as the light fades and she begins to crumble before you.
