Session 24

Property	Value
Beginning XP	975 XP (Level 5)
Beginning gold	345 gold, 353 silver, 813 copper
Ending XP	576 XP (Level 6)
Ending gold	360 gold, 353 silver, 813 copper

2 Rova 4710 (Continued)

The Pier

Near the dilapidated pier lay the shattered remains of three wooden crates. Animals and rot had gotten to most of the contents. One glass vial survived intact—a moderate potion of swimming. A tattered leather pouch held 15 gold pieces and a garnet worth 55 gold.

Candlemere Island

The water was covered in greenish scum, and the land around them was marshy and boggy. Ghost-like lights drifted above the swamps, slowly floating toward the towers. Kairos identified them as Will-o’-Wisps—aberrations common in the River Kingdoms. This behavior, luring travellers deeper into the swamplands, was typical. They tended to glow and made their lairs in desolate swamps and forests.

The party explored the island before following the wisps. Leonardo spotted signs of Yog-Sothoth—glyphs carved into walls at several places. The trees were relatively indigenous, and the island was known among the population of the River Kingdoms.

The Tower

Leonardo walked into the tower and was hit by a wave of dread. Something in the tower filled him with deep, unsettling fear. Kairos detected high-level magic present in the structure.

A Will-o’-Wisp rose up from behind Weiß and surprised the party. It struck Djacques and Weiß, then went invisible. Djacques recalled that Wisps were magic-immune, except to Force Barrage, Quandary, and Revealing Light. Leonardo attacked toward Djacques’s position, then used Shield of the Spirits on Kairos.

Kairos drew her scroll of See the Unseen and cast it. The Wisp struck Weiß and Djacques again—Shield of the Spirits absorbed some damage, though the Wisp itself was immune to the retaliatory hit. It then zapped Kairos with electricity. Djacques fired off Force Barrage. Leonardo finished the Wisp with Sure Strike leading into Shielded Advance.

The party returned to the tower interior. Leonardo felt the same dread. Djacques followed and also became unsettled. Kairos entered next—shaken, but not overwhelmed. Partially concealed under a stone, they found a unique bloodletting kukri named Thirst.

Djacques identified the Bloodletting property. Kairos identified something darker: the weapon’s damage doubled against humans, provided it had killed another human within the last 24 hours.

The Cellar of Yog-Sothoth

The tower had few openings—a window to the west, and a staircase tumbling downward. Below, they arrived in a cellar that had been used as an altar for Yog-Sothoth. Ancient coins from the Age of Destiny littered the floor. The altar read “We are those who stand at the threshold,” but Leonardo realized the basin bore a different inscription: “We are the thresholders.”

Kairos detected magic.

Djacques cautiously picked up the coins with an eyebrow pincette and placed them in a small pouch, wary of curses. They followed deeper into the cellar. Kairos recognized traces of a high-level event that occurred millennia ago—stories about Yog-Sothoth fighting Pharasma. After further study, she determined it had been a Meteor Spell.

The Shadows

The next chamber was massive, surrounded by three arched doorways with runes. The other arches framed blank stone.

Djacques started Lingering Composition with Courageous Anthem and moved to Daze. Kairos moved in for a Spellstrike but noticed her blow didn’t deal as much damage as it should have. One of the creatures drifted into Leonardo and stole his shadow. Leonardo used Shield of the Spirits and repositioned.

Djacques used Recall Knowledge. Shadows—creatures that preyed on those who strayed too far from the light. Kairos Recalled Knowledge too, then Spellstruck again. Another Shadow attacked Leonardo, stealing more of his shadow. Leonardo became Enfeebled 3 and lost his shadow entirely to a Shadow Spawn.

More Shadows went after Kairos, but she dodged their strikes and their attempts to steal her shadow. She retaliated with Spinning Staff against two of them, including the new spawn, killed it, and entered Arcane Cascade.

One of the remaining Shadows hid. Leonardo attacked where he thought it was. They fought the Shadow in the darkness and eventually beat it.

The Secret Armory

Kairos picked up the Everburning Torch. While Leonardo waited off the enfeebled condition, Kairos explored the rest of the room and discovered a secret tunnel leading to an armory that had long since decayed. They found a Wand of Grim Tendrils and a garnet-adorned bronze canister worth 20 gp containing a dose of Dust of Appearance.

The Statue Chamber

The next room held a towering statue with several hollow orbs and spikes at its base. The long room had a high, vaulted ceiling twenty feet above the floor. Near the northern end of the west wall, a staircase led up; near the southern end, another led down. At the south end, a low dais was carved with spiky writing around its base, bearing the abstract statue made of more than a dozen stone orbs. Several orbs had openings showing flames burning within.

Kairos touched one of the statue’s hands with Telekinetic Hand. The statue animated.

It attacked Kairos. Leonardo used Glimpse of Redemption to penalize it. It did not redeem itself. It tried to grab Kairos but crashed prone—a critical failure. Djacques summoned several swans to attack it. The statue struck at Kairos again but didn’t seem to do much. Kairos Spellstruck with Imaginary Weapon. Djacques played Courageous Anthem and sustained the summons. Kairos used Magus Analysis and Spellstruck again.

The statue grabbed Kairos and dipped her into the brazier she was carrying. Kairos struck back with another Spellstrike, and Djacques’s swans finished the statue off.

The Lowest Chamber

They continued down to the lowest chamber. A large black-purple mass occupied the room. An icon of Pharasma hung on the wall, with shadows burned into the stone by divine backlash. A ring dangled within the black mass. Kairos cautiously used Telekinetic Hand to grab it.

The masses spat at Kairos but missed. In their aura, Kairos became confused and stumbled toward the creatures to Strike blindly. She recovered a moment later. Leonardo wasn’t affected—he moved in and struck. Djacques and Weiß also resisted the confusion and moved to dazzle one of the oozes.

Kairos recognized them as Gibbering Mouthers—perpetually ravenous, odd creatures that never seemed sated. They had limited intelligence, gibbering and babbling in Aklo. Kairos didn’t care. She kept bludgeoning them with her staff.

Another Gibbering Mouther moved in. Kairos caught it with a reactive strike. The creature grabbed Leonardo and tried to swallow both him and Kairos. It failed to consume Kairos but swallowed Leonardo.

Leonardo ruptured the creature from within and broke free. Kairos finished it off with a critical Spellstrike.

Inside the mass they found a Ring of Negative Energy Resistance bearing the symbol of Pharasma. Kairos took it.

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Summary:

Major Events (2 Rova 4710):

• Explored Candlemere island and its tower
• Fought a Will-o’-Wisp outside the tower
• Discovered the bloodletting kukri “Thirst” inside the tower
• Found a cellar dedicated to Yog-Sothoth with ancient coins and inscriptions
• Fought Shadows in the ruins; Leonardo lost his shadow temporarily (Enfeebled 3)
• Discovered a secret armory with a Wand of Grim Tendrils and Dust of Appearance
• Animated and destroyed a stone statue guardian
• Defeated Gibbering Mouthers in the lowest chamber
• Retrieved a Ring of Negative Energy Resistance (symbol of Pharasma)

Combat Highlights:

• Will-o’-Wisp: +80 XP
• Shadows: +160 XP
• Statue: +106 XP
• Gibbering Mouthers: +255 XP

XP Gained:

• Will-o’-Wisp: 80 XP
• Shadows: 160 XP
• Statue: 106 XP
• Gibbering Mouthers: 255 XP
• Total: 601 XP
• Session total: 975 XP → 576 XP (Level 6)

Loot:

Found/Acquired:

• Moderate potion of swimming (pier crates)
• 15 gold pieces + garnet worth 55 gp (pier)
• Thirst (bloodletting kukri)
• Ancient coins from the Age of Destiny (Yog-Sothoth cellar) — Djacques carrying, 6 coins
• Everburning Torch
• Wand of Grim Tendrils
• Garnet-adorned bronze canister worth 20 gp (contains Dust of Appearance)
• Ring of Negative Energy Resistance — for Kairos