Mission 025: The Spa Episode
A former client has extended a free spa retreat to a select number of Golden Standard members as a gesture of gratitude for a past job. Enjoy Vesper Sacred Springs Spa!
Mission Log
As a thank you to the Golden Standard for past services rendered, a mysterious benefactor (revealed later to be Garlan Hido, a dragonborn druid rescued from certain death in Mission 008) offered five experienced adventurers a chance to rest, relax, and rejuvenate at Vesper Sacred Springs Spa on the continent of Issylra, not too far from the first Exandrian city, Vasselheim. Auron, Jace, Rhuck, Wendelin, and Wild Yarn gathered by the teleportation circle in the early hours of the morning with their belongings for the trip only to be handed a beech bark envelope to open. Inside was the name of the spa and the words Hurry or you'll miss it, which proved to be an important instruction when the envelope suddenly grew into a tree and opened a portal to take them to their destination by Teleport Via Plants. On the other side of the portal, the adventurers discovered a beautiful, snowy valley with a magically temperate atmosphere and a natural hot springs where the retreat was located.
They entered the main building to meet Inga, a soothing Issylran woman with some natural magical talents, who explained that their all-inclusive, three-day retreat meant access to the pools, spa treatments, room and board at the lodge, and participation in any of the provided activities. She also mentioned a special couples' offer for a wine bath and massage, which Wendelin leapt at the chance to volunteer herself and Auron, oblivious to the sorcerer's hesitant glances at Jace. The party asked a number of questions (including learning the identity of their mysterious benefactor, inquiring in further detail about some of the treatments, and Rhuck wanting to know who exactly they were here to kill) and stored a couple of valuables in Inga's safe before heading to the lodge to find their rooms. They stopped to grab lunch from the buffet as Jace helped carry Auron's bags up to his room, where the two of them had a conversation regarding who Auron was intending to take the couples' package with; though Wendelin remained his choice out of loyalty and friendship, Auron was able to clarify that he wasn't romantically interested in her and invited Jace to linger a little longer. (Rhuck provided Jace's lunch upon request and Wild Yarn provided a captive audience to the comings and goings...)
Much alcohol, good food, and gossip was had as the five adventurers enjoyed their first night at the spa. They chatted briefly with the Nuns of Kord relaxing in the pools, and Wendelin and Auron had a brief conversation with a couple of bounty hunters (Vanessa and Mertin) from the Slayer's Take on their anniversary vacation to the spa. The five adventurers received their initial treatments from cordial tabaxi masseuses, some of which proved to have multiple beneficial effects, both short- and long-term. After dishing in the wine bath, Auron and Jace retired for the eve while Wild Yarn (sober) and Rhuck (drunk) along with Wendelin (drunk) participated in a late-night hike to a nearby lookout for stargazing, yoga, and deep conversation.
The next day, Auron, Jace, and Rhuck headed to Vasselheim for a day trip to visit the frozen Earth Titan sitting next to it, tour the Crypts of Thormala inside its shoulders, and see the ancient city of Thar Amphala atop its head where a party of heroic adventurers triumphed in battle against a false god twenty years ago. It was an emotional visit for Auron as he tried to grapple with the loss of life and history of the place, an awe-inspiring experience for Jace to be atop an Earth Titan, and an exciting view for Rhuck overlooking much of the continent itself. They shared a lunch provided by the spa from a Bag of Bounty, gifted to them afterward, and had some time in the city, where Rhuck was accosted by a goliath Nun of Kord who brought him to The Crucible for a sparring session that he ably won.
Back at the spa, Wendelin and Wild Yarn spent the day together in the pools between treatments. In the morning, they were joined in the pools by a number of very relaxed capybaras who seemingly arrived of their own accord and didn't mind being petted by the charmed elf and tabaxi. In the sweat lodge, they met a tattooed tiefling named Sabbath (previously acquainted by other members of the Golden Standard), who gifted them a magical pipe, discussed tattoos with them, and flirted obliquely with Wendelin. They left the women to bliss out together, first in the lodge, then moving into the chromatherapy room to stare at prisms. Their relaxing afternoon was abruptly cut short when a giant bubble rising out of the mud pools burst on them, splattering them, and then they discovered that everyone's robes had been stolen from the locker room cubbies — as well as their valuables from the safe, Wild Yarn found out when she asked Inga to check on a hunch. Wendelin summoned a mirthful fey spirit (inciting Inga's extreme disapproval for the use of arcane spells in a place where arcane magic is highly taboo), who was able to at least confirm that somethings at the spa were playing tricks and that they weren't fey, before it headed off at Wendelin's behest to rearrange Jace's personal belongings.
The adventurers reunited in the lodge, joining Sabbath for dinner. Rhuck grabbed food from the tiefling's plate, but the tattoo artist seemed unintimidated by his confidence, instead saying "what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine" before snatching a feather from Rhuck's plumage. A hasty cloud rune intervention by Jace was the only thing preventing a full-on punch to the face in response. Despite the rocky start, the party settled down to recount the day's events to each other, mentioning some of the unusual activities in the pools and introducing the others to Sabbath (aside from Auron, already acquainted), then moving to the pools to spend the rest of the evening smoking from the Pipe of Peace while Wild Yarn received a tattoo, Jace opted not to accept a steep deal from Sabbath for the Eldritch Claw he's been yearning after, and Rhuck remained sober and suspicious. Even with his Robe of Eyes, Rhuck was only able to catch glimpses out of the corner of his vision of whatever was lurking around the spa. As the couples began pairing off for the evening, Rhuck and Wild Yarn shared a serious conversation about Rhuck's interest in potential partners and/or friends, which he stated flatly that he had no use for before grabbing a couple of bottles and electing to spend the rest of the night drinking with the tabaxi.
On the final day, Rhuck got into the cold pools for the first time to do his traditional Aarakocran bathing ritual. Instead, he nearly drowned as a wave knocked him over and held him under, and was rescued by Jace, who he accidentally punched in the face as he flailed at the unseen enemy. Upon hearing what had happened, Jace loudly declared that the spa was haunted, and the adventurers attempted to usher the other patrons out of the pools. When Inga arrived to find out what had happened, she agreed that there was indeed something wrong and asked the party to help sort things out.
Civilians safely cleared out and armed with their gear, the five began thoroughly searching the spa for the intruders. They swiftly discovered that all of the pools had become host to a number of elemental creatures that posed potential threats to the clientele. Rhuck, being the only member of the party who could speak a dialect of Primordial, became the main communicator between the party and the elementals, but the attempts at reaching an accord fell flat: the steam mephits were assholes with sticky fingers, the mud frogs didn't seem willing to talk, Wendelin attacked the water elementals first, and the fire salamander belched tried to roast them all with its scorching breath. Though some hard hits were taken throughout the long and arduous fight, the party's use of Sleep by Wendelin, Spirit Guardians and Guiding Bolt by Auron, Rhuck's magical fists, Wild Yarn's clutch Inspirations and dancing dragon head fountain, and Jace's size and Stone Rune decimated any and all elementals that they weren't able to round up.
As they killed the fire salamander, however, the entire spa went quiet, and out from the waterfall emerged a unicorn. It healed them all and cried for the loss of the fire salamander, producing a red gemstone, then telepathically wished them better luck next time in peacefully resolving conflicts before departing, leaving behind a lingering sadness. Inga showered them with apologetic gift bags and financial reward for their efforts before the party packed up their things and returned to the Golden Standard via beech, neither rested nor rejuvenated, but certainly changed.
SUMMARY
DM Zoe
PLAYERS Emily (Wendelin), Katie (Wild Yarn), Lou (Auron), Luke (Jace), Sarah (Rhuck)
RESULT Mission Complete
TOTAL XP 3130 xp awarded (+300 xp to Rhuck)
TOTAL GP 150 gp each