Session Thirty-Eight: In Times of Despayr
General Summary
The session started with Nyx, Sneatcha and Cora making their way across one of the suspension bridges towards the canyon side from the tower in the middle of the rift. Nyx went ahead to scout the area and found the bridge ended at a small clearing on the canyon rim. Three Dark Disciples guarded the area as a Dark Priestess was working on a small bellows. In the corner of the area was a large section of mushrooms which appeared to have human faces on top of the caps. Nyx returned and told the party what she found. Cora examined the mushrooms from a far and concluded it was some form of a cave mushroom which is eatable. The three decided to quickly dispatch the Dark Disciples and the Dark Priestess while they had the element of surprise. Nyx went invisible as Sneatcha snuck behind one of the Dark Disciples. Cora waited behind at the end of the bridge and was ready to attack when Nyx and Sneatcha made their move. Sneatcha grappled one of the Dark Disciples to the ground pinning him. Using his claws, Sneatcha ripped the Dark Disciples’ throat out. Nyx surprised another Dark Disciples striking him down in a series of claw attacks. The last remaining Dark Disciples turned to see what was going on and was met with a deadly snowball cast by Cora. The snow caved in the Dark Disciples’ skull as he fell to the ground. The Dark Priestess saw Nyx appear and casted a spell on Nyx which failed. Sneatcha moved forward and struck down the Dark Priestess in a series of blows.
Nyx made her way over with Cora to the mushrooms while Sneatcha checked the bodies. Cora tried to talk to the mushrooms but discovered they were a common cave mushroom which appeared to have mutated under the influence of the shadow weave. Nyx collected some samples of the mushrooms when Sneatcha turned his attention over to the bellows. Sneatcha saw strange arcane writing on the bellows which seemed to glow. Sneatcha attempted to sabotage the bellows but ended up overloading the bellows. The bellows, unable to contain the magical energy, exploded causing an energy blast which hit Sneatcha.
Back at the tower, Cannella turned to Thundar and asked him if he could hear the voice. Thundar listened but was unable to hear the voice. Cannella told Thundar he felt like he knew the voice and the voice was calling out their names. Hearing the explosion, Thundar crossed the suspension bridge and asked if everything was ok. Nyx filled Thundar in what happened and Thundar told Nyx about what Cannella told him. Nyx approached Cannella after he crossed over the suspension bridge. Cannella asked Nyx if she heard the voice. Nyx attempted to listen but could not hear the voice. Nyx asked Cannella to point to the direction of the voice which Cannella point to the southeast section of the rim where the party last saw the dragon.
The party felt it was safer to travel the path on the canyon wall over crossing the suspension bridges. Nyx took point again and checked out the chamber which the path led into. Nyx saw in the far section of the chamber a metallic bull next to what appears to be a statue of humanoid shape. Sneatcha peered into the chamber and saw the bull. Sneatcha thinking the bull is a training aid in how to ride grabbed a rope and tried to rope the bull. The bull saw Sneatcha and breathed out a green gas which hit Sneatcha. Taking a step back from the gas, Sneatcha charged forward and grabbed the bull by the horns attempting to wrestle it to the ground. Falling at his grip, Sneatcha was pushed aside as Thundar moved in to assist. The bull reared back and breathed out the green gas again hitting Sneatcha and Thundar. Sneatcha was able to resist the effects of the gas but Thundar failed becoming petrified into a statue. The bull turned aside and was able to gore Sneatcha with its horns. Nyx moved forward to attack as Cora wild shaped into a Tyrannosaurus and charged the bull missing it. Sneatcha regained his balance and attacked the bull destroying it. Sneatcha set about detaching the head of the bull as Nyx restored Thundur from his petrification. Nyx moved over to the other humanoid shape statue and tried to restore the figure but the figure did not survive the shock of transforming back crumpling to the ground.
With Cora still in her wild shape form, the party decided to continue to follow the path on the canyon rim instead of crossing over the suspension bridge. The path ended in another chamber which contained four large tapestries. Nyx and Cora moved into the chamber to examine the tapestries. Sneatcha saw a creature step out of the shadows and called out to Nyx and Cora. Nyx attacked the creature as Thundar moved in to assist. The creature lashed out and was able to hit Thundur grappling him. Cora charged at the creature but at the last moment was able dimension step into a shadow and move across the chamber taking Thundur with it. Sneatcha seeing the creature moving crossed the chamber and attacked it. Sneatcha connected with a series of blows and followed up the attack with a second round of blows killing the creature which melted into a puddle of black goo. Nyx went over and grabbed a sample of the black goo while Sneatcha grabbed one of the tapestries to take. When Sneatcha pulled on the tapestry it sprung down and shot across the chamber. Sneatcha stepped back thinking it was some type of creature. Nyx approached the tapestry and discovered it was a tapestry of flight. Climbing on it she flew down the tunnel as the party followed. As the tapestry flew Nyx was shrouded in darkness.
The tunnel entered into another chamber. Nyx flew into the chamber and saw three Dark Priestesses looking at a set of six stone biers in the chamber. One of the Dark Priestess heard Cora approaching and shouted to the others. Sneatcha and Thundur entered the chamber and struck two of the Dark Priestesses down as Nyx takes the other one out. Cora, out of frustration, charges and hits one of the stone biers. After discovering nothing happened, Cora let out a sigh as a body appeared on the bier. The body briefly stayed on the bier then it disappeared. This was followed by a different body appearing on the bier before it too disappeared. Nyx noticed the Dark Priestesses body disappeared as Cora observed the bodies of the Dark Disciples the party killed earlier appeared on the biers before disappearing. Nyx consulted with Glorr and theorized it was some type of magic device which was warped by the shadow plane. Cora noticed a follower of Mystara appear on the bier before disappearing again. While Cora and Nyx were examining the stone biers, Sneatcha checked out the bellow in the chamber. Sneatcha saw pipes extending to the south from the bellow and decided to try to reverse the bellow. Sneatcha was successful in changing the flow but was caught in a shadowy blast from the bellow causing him to feel weaker. Nyx handed Sneatcha a restore potion as they party noticed the shadowy mist was starting to fill up the room. With the only exit across a suspension bridge Cora transformed back and closed the chamber off as the party crossed the bridge.
Across the bridge was another chamber which contained several book cases and tables. Books were moving off one book case and moving to a different one. Five skulls glowing green emerald flames were mounted on the walls. Sneatcha remarked it would be cool to take one. Thundur made his way over to the closest one and tried to pull it off the wall. The skull became animated and hit Thundur with a fireball. The party moved into the chamber attacking the skulls dropping each one. Cora and Nyx went to examine the book cases as Sneatcha grabbed a book out of the air. Cora and Nyx looked at the book and discovered the book was written in Sharian. Nyx tried to burn several of the books but found out the book cases and tables where fire resistant and protected the books. Cora ripped a book apart but felt a jolt going through her body which did not have any effect. Cannella told the party he heard the voice again and it was coming to the chamber directly south from them. The party decided to follow Cannella into the chamber.
In the chamber was a shadow dragon with strange, glowing purple markings covering its scales crouches on a wide dais in the center of the chamber. Above it spins a black sphere that looks like a frayed ebon cloth that’s been crumpled into a ball. A shard of stone the size of your thumb hangs from a thin bronze chain about the dragon’s neck. Along the walls are cages, all of which hold wasted humanoids in ragged robes. The cages are so small and fit their bodies so closely that it seems they can do little more than twitch which many of them are doing, as a glowing blue energy floats up from each of them like smoke toward the snarl of darkness above the dragon.
The dragon introduces himself as Despayr. He tells the party he has been awaiting their arrival. Despayr belittles Cannella by thanking him for bringing him what he seeks for his mistress. Despayr reveals to be Cannella’s uncle. Disgusted by Cannella’s father placing faith in humans and trying to help them Cannella’s father disgraced their family lineage by mating with a dwarf to create a protector. A Despayr chime in it was a bonus the Black Staff and the Seer’s Eye are there. Despayr turns to Cora and smirks about the Alchemist daughter is here and would like her back. Despayr looks down at Sneatcha calling him an experiment reject which he will send back to his creator. Despayr turns to Thundur and tells him how he is a failure trying to find his lost brother was pathetic. Looking towards Valna he laughs how she had all the power at her hands but turned out to be too afraid of it and hides from it while she gets others killed. Turning back towards Cannella he gleefully proclaims to the party he will let them live if they turn over the Seer’s Eye and Black Staff as well as the Alchemist and leave Cannella here to suffer for his father’s sins with Valna the weak. The session ends with the party taking in the chamber and Despayr for a deadly fight ahead.
Nyx made her way over with Cora to the mushrooms while Sneatcha checked the bodies. Cora tried to talk to the mushrooms but discovered they were a common cave mushroom which appeared to have mutated under the influence of the shadow weave. Nyx collected some samples of the mushrooms when Sneatcha turned his attention over to the bellows. Sneatcha saw strange arcane writing on the bellows which seemed to glow. Sneatcha attempted to sabotage the bellows but ended up overloading the bellows. The bellows, unable to contain the magical energy, exploded causing an energy blast which hit Sneatcha.
Back at the tower, Cannella turned to Thundar and asked him if he could hear the voice. Thundar listened but was unable to hear the voice. Cannella told Thundar he felt like he knew the voice and the voice was calling out their names. Hearing the explosion, Thundar crossed the suspension bridge and asked if everything was ok. Nyx filled Thundar in what happened and Thundar told Nyx about what Cannella told him. Nyx approached Cannella after he crossed over the suspension bridge. Cannella asked Nyx if she heard the voice. Nyx attempted to listen but could not hear the voice. Nyx asked Cannella to point to the direction of the voice which Cannella point to the southeast section of the rim where the party last saw the dragon.
The party felt it was safer to travel the path on the canyon wall over crossing the suspension bridges. Nyx took point again and checked out the chamber which the path led into. Nyx saw in the far section of the chamber a metallic bull next to what appears to be a statue of humanoid shape. Sneatcha peered into the chamber and saw the bull. Sneatcha thinking the bull is a training aid in how to ride grabbed a rope and tried to rope the bull. The bull saw Sneatcha and breathed out a green gas which hit Sneatcha. Taking a step back from the gas, Sneatcha charged forward and grabbed the bull by the horns attempting to wrestle it to the ground. Falling at his grip, Sneatcha was pushed aside as Thundar moved in to assist. The bull reared back and breathed out the green gas again hitting Sneatcha and Thundar. Sneatcha was able to resist the effects of the gas but Thundar failed becoming petrified into a statue. The bull turned aside and was able to gore Sneatcha with its horns. Nyx moved forward to attack as Cora wild shaped into a Tyrannosaurus and charged the bull missing it. Sneatcha regained his balance and attacked the bull destroying it. Sneatcha set about detaching the head of the bull as Nyx restored Thundur from his petrification. Nyx moved over to the other humanoid shape statue and tried to restore the figure but the figure did not survive the shock of transforming back crumpling to the ground.
With Cora still in her wild shape form, the party decided to continue to follow the path on the canyon rim instead of crossing over the suspension bridge. The path ended in another chamber which contained four large tapestries. Nyx and Cora moved into the chamber to examine the tapestries. Sneatcha saw a creature step out of the shadows and called out to Nyx and Cora. Nyx attacked the creature as Thundar moved in to assist. The creature lashed out and was able to hit Thundur grappling him. Cora charged at the creature but at the last moment was able dimension step into a shadow and move across the chamber taking Thundur with it. Sneatcha seeing the creature moving crossed the chamber and attacked it. Sneatcha connected with a series of blows and followed up the attack with a second round of blows killing the creature which melted into a puddle of black goo. Nyx went over and grabbed a sample of the black goo while Sneatcha grabbed one of the tapestries to take. When Sneatcha pulled on the tapestry it sprung down and shot across the chamber. Sneatcha stepped back thinking it was some type of creature. Nyx approached the tapestry and discovered it was a tapestry of flight. Climbing on it she flew down the tunnel as the party followed. As the tapestry flew Nyx was shrouded in darkness.
The tunnel entered into another chamber. Nyx flew into the chamber and saw three Dark Priestesses looking at a set of six stone biers in the chamber. One of the Dark Priestess heard Cora approaching and shouted to the others. Sneatcha and Thundur entered the chamber and struck two of the Dark Priestesses down as Nyx takes the other one out. Cora, out of frustration, charges and hits one of the stone biers. After discovering nothing happened, Cora let out a sigh as a body appeared on the bier. The body briefly stayed on the bier then it disappeared. This was followed by a different body appearing on the bier before it too disappeared. Nyx noticed the Dark Priestesses body disappeared as Cora observed the bodies of the Dark Disciples the party killed earlier appeared on the biers before disappearing. Nyx consulted with Glorr and theorized it was some type of magic device which was warped by the shadow plane. Cora noticed a follower of Mystara appear on the bier before disappearing again. While Cora and Nyx were examining the stone biers, Sneatcha checked out the bellow in the chamber. Sneatcha saw pipes extending to the south from the bellow and decided to try to reverse the bellow. Sneatcha was successful in changing the flow but was caught in a shadowy blast from the bellow causing him to feel weaker. Nyx handed Sneatcha a restore potion as they party noticed the shadowy mist was starting to fill up the room. With the only exit across a suspension bridge Cora transformed back and closed the chamber off as the party crossed the bridge.
Across the bridge was another chamber which contained several book cases and tables. Books were moving off one book case and moving to a different one. Five skulls glowing green emerald flames were mounted on the walls. Sneatcha remarked it would be cool to take one. Thundur made his way over to the closest one and tried to pull it off the wall. The skull became animated and hit Thundur with a fireball. The party moved into the chamber attacking the skulls dropping each one. Cora and Nyx went to examine the book cases as Sneatcha grabbed a book out of the air. Cora and Nyx looked at the book and discovered the book was written in Sharian. Nyx tried to burn several of the books but found out the book cases and tables where fire resistant and protected the books. Cora ripped a book apart but felt a jolt going through her body which did not have any effect. Cannella told the party he heard the voice again and it was coming to the chamber directly south from them. The party decided to follow Cannella into the chamber.
In the chamber was a shadow dragon with strange, glowing purple markings covering its scales crouches on a wide dais in the center of the chamber. Above it spins a black sphere that looks like a frayed ebon cloth that’s been crumpled into a ball. A shard of stone the size of your thumb hangs from a thin bronze chain about the dragon’s neck. Along the walls are cages, all of which hold wasted humanoids in ragged robes. The cages are so small and fit their bodies so closely that it seems they can do little more than twitch which many of them are doing, as a glowing blue energy floats up from each of them like smoke toward the snarl of darkness above the dragon.
The dragon introduces himself as Despayr. He tells the party he has been awaiting their arrival. Despayr belittles Cannella by thanking him for bringing him what he seeks for his mistress. Despayr reveals to be Cannella’s uncle. Disgusted by Cannella’s father placing faith in humans and trying to help them Cannella’s father disgraced their family lineage by mating with a dwarf to create a protector. A Despayr chime in it was a bonus the Black Staff and the Seer’s Eye are there. Despayr turns to Cora and smirks about the Alchemist daughter is here and would like her back. Despayr looks down at Sneatcha calling him an experiment reject which he will send back to his creator. Despayr turns to Thundur and tells him how he is a failure trying to find his lost brother was pathetic. Looking towards Valna he laughs how she had all the power at her hands but turned out to be too afraid of it and hides from it while she gets others killed. Turning back towards Cannella he gleefully proclaims to the party he will let them live if they turn over the Seer’s Eye and Black Staff as well as the Alchemist and leave Cannella here to suffer for his father’s sins with Valna the weak. The session ends with the party taking in the chamber and Despayr for a deadly fight ahead.
Rewards Granted
Experience for the session: 6,000 xp. Party's total experience to date: 338,500 xp.
Items found during the session:
Nyx:
Nyx:
- Tapestry of Shadowy Flight.
- Three sets of +1 Full Plate
- Armor of Darkness
- Staff of the Shadow War
- A potion of Bull Strength
- +1 Breastplate
Notes
Key Findings:
- Despayr is a shadow dragon and Cannella's uncle.
- Despayr is using the followers of Mystra to power a rift in the weave.
Report Date
09 Jan 2022
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