DND Blog

A place to keep DND session recaps, from various campaigns.

The Hundred and Tenth Session

October 26, 2024, Campaign: As the ground quakes, evil wakes

Dirius' expedition sets off across the desert. An elephant is involved.

Table of Contents

  1. Last session
  2. In Zennir
  3. The Dragonborn Cleric, Embersia
  4. Into the Desert
  5. The evenings questions.
  6. Day 2
  7. Day 3
  8. Next session

Last session

In Zennir

Zennir is built within the rock walls of the mountains that separate the desert from the rest of the world. The town has about a hundred people in it; the expedition's 100+ people are spread out across the basin in tents.

The local bar serves the local specialty: alcoholic mashed potatoes. In Soviet Russia, potato mash Ryltar. The bar is set up with windows directly across the aisle from the bar; Ryltar makes immediate use of this. Percy and Ryltar decide to stop being at the bar.

Nearby is a circus tent. Inside is an elf dancing the Dance of the Seven Veils, with tiny finger tambourines and bells on her hips, and a small band off to one side. There's a manager hanging around the side of the tent; Percival decides to try making some money by hiring out the Magnificent Mansion to hold the burlesque. He makes 65 gold from this, and has brought new life to the town.

The Dragonborn Cleric, Embersia

She is an emissary of Vurguron, and a protector of the Vault. She very conveniently had the day off when we raided the vault. She wants to help find and catalog artifacts. She's a female bronze dragonborn, with spear and shield, and a cleric of the Light Domain.

We change into our desert clothes.

There's a predawn meeting for the expedition, run by a Drow with an Australian accent, describing the goal: we'll head north, one stop along the Water Line every other day. The expedition has lots of camels for hauling, and one elephant. The Party is assigned to the forward scouting.

Into the Desert

We proceed across the sands to the hottest part of the day; rest during that time, and then proceed in the evening. We'll hit the water tomrorrow.

The evenings questions.

Dirius: "Do you trust us to find he Arcadia Infinatum?"

Ryltar: "Yes."

"Did you enjoy our presentation at Quadoads?"

"Sure."

"It'sbeen a long time ince I had the chance to reveal an ancient mystery. I quite look forward to it"."

"Ohs, ure. It's fun. I hink our last one was a mummy lord. But what are you looking for?"

"The achievement of finding something which has survived a calamity, which will show what caused us to lose our history and being from this world." There had been an event which caused a loss of memory.

"Do you resent me for taking Wint's wand?"

"Oh." There's a moment of realization. "It is within your nature to take something that empowers you. It would have been a lot easier if you had allowed the proper authority to discover what was down there."

"I was, and am, under the impression that for one reason or another, I will need this wand."

"Why Percival as a student?"

"I was asked. I am an expert in my field, and as soeone who has the resources an power of the Byron family, they would want to have the best as a tutor."

"I like this game."

"Me, too. I don't have that sort of challenge . I do enjoy tha we are airin out what possible animosity can be held between two people."

She rides on the elephant, on a platform covered by curtains.

Day 2

The morning is cool; it was the winter solstice recently after all.

There's a little tension between the Drow and non-Drow. There's also a set of druids from the Dragonborn house of farmers which is tending the animal and feeding people.

We come to the first well, where a team of donkeys pull 55-gallon buckets from a very deep well.

That night's questioning:

Ryltar: "What do you plan to do with what we find in the library?"

"I will take it to my superiors, and they will make a decision on what to do with it."

"Your superiors where? Back home?"

"There are a few back home, but there are others who are within the Quadroads or traveling around, with the Harbingers as well as independent investors in what I do."

"In an effort to keep it light: What's your favorite plaec to stay in the quadroads?"

"I'm always happy to procure housing within academic housing, but anymore I enjoy staying in the Golden Ladle."

"I've always hated that place."

Back outside, Percival challenges Jerry to a pushup contest; Jerry decides to take it to the camp, and offers a bottle of oil to the winner. An Australian Lizardfolk sets the rules: adds two water bottles per 5 pushups.

  1. Round one: one of the hired help immediately gets a cramp
  2. Round two: Another hired help collapses.
  3. Round three: The interloper collapses.
  4. Round Four: now they add a bucket of water.
  5. Round five: Percival wins!

Jerry gives Percival a bottle of oil.

Day 3

Around midmorning, as we crest a dune, Jerry and the guide see a massive black cloud moving in our direction. The guide says it could be a bunch of different things, but we start to hear chirping and the hum of wings.

It's time to secure the food and stuff. We're scouting well ahead of the column, and Percival Messages Dirius to let her know of the issue. We sprint back to the column, and Percival opens the Magnificent Mansion as a giant dome. With some high rolls, we are able to secure eeryone except the elephant inside the Magnificent Mansion.

After three hours, the guides think that the locusts should be gone, and we start checking in on the options. The elephant is missing, and we need to find it, because it's not just carrying Dirius' palanquin; it's carrying equipment needed for excavation. We head out with the elephant handler. Jerry casts Locate Creature and sees that it's within a thousand feet. We go run off to catch up with the elephant, which has scattered stuff all over the sands.

We load up the elephant and ride it back to the main expedition column.

Percival discusses with Dirius the possibility of using the Mansion for the group's housing at night.

That night, we do use it. Percival sets up blackjack tables and has the servants play the role of dealers and waiters. There is some discontent: If we had this power, why didn't we use it before? Ryltar explains that it's not his job to manage Percival's spell slots.

Dirius asks what Ryltar seeks to gain. He pulls out his holy symbol: he seeks knowledge for its own sake.

One other question: "Will you do everything within your power to keep everyone in this expedition safe and well?" He says yes, and he means it. "Even the elephant?" asks Embersia. Yes.

Ryltar now has tme to ask his questions. "What spells and abilities have we not seen, that the Party can offer in aid?" A question for the whole party.

On the tenth day of travel along the waterline, the plan is to set a base there, then send the excavation team east to find the place. When something is found, they will relocate the group to the dig site.

The elephant handler is a male Drow called Elorand; the elephant himself is called Flundo. Percival brings them all into the poker game. Percival asks Elorand to show him his hand; Elorand does so but doesn't understand how it's going; Percival says that sometimes you want to keep things in your hand. He then bows deeply and loudly announces that he apologizes for his oversight in not sharing before.

Ryltar parties with the officers; Percival parties with the laborers. Embersia is studying, with an eye towards reliquaries. Jerry tags along with Ryltar.

Next session