Session Two: Further in to Not-Blue-Alley

General Summary

The small group was still recovering when they notice a skeleton giving off what smelled like a sweet, cloying, dead smell. Anya shifts back into her elf form and approaches carefully, her tattoo black as night. Drawing closer, Sikander is first to notice the fine black armor on the large framed skeleton, Anya noting the unusual teeth. Rayne finally reaches out to touch it, and in doing so they watch in a kind of awe as the skeleton is quickly covered in tissue, sinew and muscle, rebuilding itself into a large humanoid, barbaric in size and quite muscular. As this is happening, the entire hall begins to shift and change until they all find themselves in a room of stone with 30 to 40 feet ceilings, a light filtering down from an unknown source to the cobblestone floor they all stood on.   Sikander, Anya, and Piper were unsure and wary of the new arrival, while Rayne was far more quick to extend the hand of comradery. The not-a-skeleton introduced himself as Stefan Blackstrike, and was quite confused as to how he came to be within Not Blue Alley. Last he remembered he had gone on a journey and ran afoul of a sorcerer. While they took a few moments to tensely introduce themselves, the odd smell of death returned as long, sticky black hands dropped from the ceiling, grabbing at the party and managing to capture Rayne, Sikander, and Tal in their grasp. The next few moments saw Tal blink out their grasp to Anya's side, Anya and Piper shooting at various hands only doing minimal damage, Rayne channeling his thunder magic, weakening some of the hands, with Stefan working on freeing Rayne by spider climbing up and attacking the hands. Rayne is freed (sparred from falling by Anya's spectral rope) and they anxiously watch as Stefan frees and catches Sikander with relative ease. As Stefan releases Sikander, Anya and Piper begin working on one of the doors, prompting Sikander to try bashing the other. The girls get the left door open and the party finds a stone-walled glade with a star shaped fountain in the middle. While the others check out the minotaur statues, Anya finds a cave mushroom, a piece of Asarabacca, and 2 groupings of Alether berries. As they are in the glade longer, they notice different sounds coming from each hall, including:

a scratching sound from hall 7

an eerie wind from hall 11

the feeling of a void and sound of nothingness, as if from a tomb to the north

a burning sound to the west

and a whipping sound to the south

Realizing potential dangers ahead, Rayne suggests resting, which Anya and Piper join in on, while Stefan, Sikander, and Tal rotate through watches. A couple hours in, an apparition of a man appears over the fountain, startling the dwarf and dhampir, so much so they both attempt leaping at it, and fly through to the other side of the fountain. With all the noise they make, Rayne and Anya wake, nearly rested (Piper sleep right through) and irritated. Seeing the man present but not causing harm, she looks closer at the fountain and finds dwarvish runes that indicate the pool will hurt, then heal, rotating back and forth.  (The group convinces Rayne to test the water and confirm this is true). While they are tasting the water, Anya is studying the wizard's face, trying to understand him (an older elf, middle aged, with salt and pepper hair, and a scar over his left eye), finally recognizing "Valas elanda" (God Eater) and "Ilumtala" (They are coming). Concerned, Anya continues studying the wizard asking him questions. (She asks in Elvish "Who" and "When" and loosely read "Calen, Alah"  (Soon & Always)) While she is focused, Stefan picks up Sikander so he can grab the horns on one of the minotaur statues, then pulls on Sikander try and pull it free. Initially unsuccessful, they pair tries again, this time Anya notices and tries heating the statue to get Sikander to let go. Instead, it allows the horn to slide forward and click into place, summoning a full minotaur that charges at them.    Through the fight, Sikander and his great axe Wibbles, shine with the amount of damage dealt to the creature. Stefan shifts into a werebat in front of the group for the first time, showing off more of his abilities including a stinger tail. Rayne, a dark look on his face, gathers a storm above him and calls lightning down onto the Minotaur (Piper is completely frightened and Sikander is clearly uneasy at the sight). A moment passes where he looks down at his sword, an unspoken change come over him and he dissipates the storm, draws his sword, and moves in to attack. Anya, not impactful in dealing with the minotaur, comes alongside Piper to help ease her discomfort.    Once the beast falls, Stefan and Sikander each collect a horn from him. Anya goes through his pockets and finds a diamond worth 5000gp and a needle that poisoned her. Sikander comes and lays hands on her to remove the poison, essence of Tymora coming off of him. As he does, Anya's vision shifts from the glade to a city skyline with the sky being ripped open and monsters pouring through the tear. Panicked at receiving visions again, she shares what she saw with the others, insisting they find the unicorn quickly and get out of the Not-Blue-Alley. At this, Rayne suggests they start with the most disconnerting or dangerous sounds hall, and they all agree, heading toward the northern hall, with the sounds, or lack therein, of a void.

Rewards Granted

5000gp diamond (in group inventory)   Anya collected a cave Mushroom, a piece of asarabacca, and two alether berries   Sikander and Stefan each collected a horn from the slain Minotaur

Missions/Quests Completed

No missions or quests completed

Character(s) interacted with

The party currently consists of:   Anya Galanodel   Piper Boxermix   Rayne Gellar   Sikander Steelestone   Stefan Blackstrike   Tal the Blink Dog

Notes

New party member! Stefan Blackstrike   Party is still searching for the Celestial Unicorn   Anya interacted with the wizard apparition and received a vision, learning about the God Eaters, their impending arrival (possibly seeing it as well)   Resting: Rayne, Anya, and Piper started a rest. (Long rest (4 hours) for Anya and Rayne and partial (5 hour) for Piper). Rest was interrupted two to three hours in (wizard appeared). They all received the benefits of a long rest, but did not fully recover from any injuries incurred before. (Restore to 90% full HP) Stefan, Tal, and Sikander have not had a rest since entering the Not Blue Alley   Arrows: Anya currently has a full quiver