Session 5: Capturing Shadows Report

General Summary

After lighting the bazier to attract the Shadow Lurker, the party waited in silent anticipation. The stillness was broken by Annie's shriek as a long tentacled arm reached up to grab her from below. A large shadowy octopus form rose from the depths and battered the party as two smaller shadow octopuses harrassed them from the opposite side. With some quick footwork, Houdini disposed of the smaller ones while Mulush and Varuna battered the large one. Euthen passed out enchanted fruit which seemed to help resist the shadow (void) damage and helped Houdini finish off the stragglers. Using its innate control over the shadows, the larger one coalesced a thick mass of shadows around itself which held Mulush at a distance. Varuna fearlessly rushed headlong into the thick shadows and smashed it hard with his giant polearm. After finally getting free from the tentacle's grasp, filled with a mixture of digust and anger, and flung an arrow directly into its eye for the killing blow. She then raced forward and used the Shadow Essense Urn to capture the dying Shadow Lurker.

The group quickly retreated off the platform and into the safety of the room, closing the door behind them. This was a wise move. As they retreated, they could vaugle see the form of massive tenticles smashing onto the platform they had left moments before and heard the deep, terrifying bellow of a unknown creature blindly smashing the platform from below. Finding nothing on the platform, the vicious attack soon stopped and the party took a short break to patch up their wounds before leaving the mines to return to Anna Stone.

Unfortunately, Mulush must have gotten hit in the head harder than he thought, because he really struggled to pickup their old trail to the top of the mountain. The group persisted though, and with some help from Euthen who spotted some old tracks, they were finally on their way back to the summit.

They reached Anna's shack and she ushered them inside. The interior looked quite different now. Gone was the mess of books, achemical supplies, and research notes everywhere. Instead, the shack looked more like a traditional natural healers hut with herbs drying and a few non-descript tomes on floura and fauna. The party questioned Anna a bit more and she told them with the captured Shadow Essense she could now perform a ritual to reactivate the compass to point at the lost shipwheel needed to repair the ship. The ritual would take Anna most of the night, so the party setup camp outside while Euthen and Houdini decided to observe the ritual. After a few hours of advanced occult ritual magic Houdini couldn't follow, he decided to tuck in while Euthen studiously took notes about the ritual.

The next morning was a calm and refreshing one atop Mount Foss. Having completed the ritual, Anna caught a few hours of sleep while Euthen ate up the morning sunlight. After a quick breakfast the party woke Anna and she presented them with the charged Ancient Compass which pointed steadfastly southwest. She also gave them a small collection of magic items she had laying around, a key to her house in the port town, an coin with the Aleran Royal Navy insignia to pay a (trusted) captain for their journey, and the secret location of the teleportation circle which connects the top of the mountain to the basement of her port town house.

They wasted no more time and set off across the invisible bridge to the far shore, then to the hidden cave, and finally into the teleportation circle Anna had directed them to.

Rewards Granted

Milestone

Loot

• Mentalist Staff (Annie)
• Striking Rune (Varuna)
• Jolt Coil
• Deadweight Mutagen (Lesser) x 3
• Oil of Mending x 2
• Darkvision Elixar, Moderate x 4
• Mistform Elixar x 1
• Case of unidentified old wine worth 50 GP (from mine store room)

Missions/Quests Completed

Restore the Ancient Compass
Capture a shadow essense