Session I: At Ellie's Report

General Summary

Invitation

  Messengers delivered ornate invitations to each party member. Some received it at the library, others at a crowded market or tavern. Over the course of the day everyone worked out the puzzle as at least one person in each group of people could see the faint letters "In the dark solitude, let the light shine forth." Once they were alone in the dark with a single light source, the envelope opened right up and they received a coin and letter inviting them to Ellie's Inn and Tavern at 7pm the following night.  

Arrival

  When the groups of party members arrived at the tavern the following night, they met Ellie, an unusual elven woman. They were lead to a room with a feast in it where Ellie left them and suggested that they come find "them" after dinner. Through a detect magic spell, Arnav detected a magical inscription above the door instructing the party: "You must decide, sun or moon, but declare yourself true and the way will become available to you." They also discovered six slots cut into the surrounding roots which perfectly fit their coins. After several failed tries, they figured out that each person must place their coin in on either the sun or moon side, and through his Druidic knowledge, Manan figured out that they must declare their true name. Doing so bound the coin to them and inscribed their name on it. Once everyone had done this, the door unlocked.  

Teeny Tiny Town

After some exploration, they discovered a room with a locked door that everyone knew was locked just by looking at it, with a large ornate lock on it. Trox ran up and touched the door, triggering a trap that made everyone except Foust tiny or teeny tiny. Despite the trap, the door did swing open, and the teeny tiny party discovered a pedestal with a scroll underneath a (now) heavy glass dome. Through the combined efforts of Arnav and Manan, they were able to pry the glass top off and discovered a scroll of speak with the dead. Fortunately, Trox remembered that enlarge/reduce goes away over time, so the party short rested and removed the stacks, going back to their normal side.  

Interloper's at Ellie's

Post-trap, the party was considerably more cautious, Foust leading the way while stealed, exploring the passageway to the next room more carefully. They discovered a group of 6 kobolds and one human drinking. When they showed themselves, the group was... not particularly happy to see the players, accusing them of also being hired by Arnie to steal their contract. After some back and forth, and some really bad attempts at calming everything down, the first dagger was drawn.   Immediately after the fight started, Tobby got up in the human's face - who was a foul mouthed drunk asshole - and tried to intimidate him... it didn't work out very well. And when the drunk got the chance to attack him, he almost killed him with a single blow. However, Mintabie did massive amounts of damage to the drunk with their bow - though, if you ask them, they will swear upon their lives that they were right up their stabbing the drunk with a rapier, and it's best to just accept their version of events.   One by one the enemies crumpled until there were three kobolds left. Two surrendered, and one fought to the death.   Afterwards, the kobolds were spared provided they lead them back the way the kobolds came from - they described a door that sounds suspiciously like where the party might need to go, as well as a "scary statue that asks uncomfortable questions". The kobolds lead the party to that door while Arnav and Trox stayed behind and used the scroll of speak with the dead on the belligerent drunk.   They learned that:

• The group was hired to assassinate Ellie
• The group was hired by Arnie, the drunk's brother's boyfriend
• The drunk did not know who was really behind it

  The two of them rejoined the rest of the party, ending the session!