Session 3: Falling Snow, Falling Water Report

General Summary

The night's cast included everyone!:
Fenn, the fisherman-come-Warlock who has been exiled from his village for dealings with devils, and the lack of a soul.
Lord Justice, a driven seeker of Justice with a keen mind for technological creation.
Morgwyn Mossridge, an outcast ranger travelling far and wide in search of knowledge to protect the forests of her home.
Tiny the Giant Dwarf, a far-from-home Duergar who dabbled too deep in magic beyond his knowledge, searching for someone who knows better.
Aranck, a fungus-coated Tortle on a mission to protect nature in a foreign land, last seen wandering into the wilderness.
Joshua Till, an academic wizard ridiculed and unjustly rejected by the Soltryce Academy on a mission to prove his theories.
Key points from the session:

The party, settling down to camp for the night at the edge of the treeline partway up the Siberquel Range, were inturrupted by a fireball centered on Tiny and the howls of encroaching wolves. A brief combat ensued before..

Fire and brimstone exploded from all around, the wolves were instantly disintegrated by tendrils of flame. In the epicenter of the hellish explosion stood a short figure, immaculately dressed in butler's garb, with slick red skin.

Fenn, having a good guess as to the background of this figure, stepped forward to receive a letter. The figure then vanished again in a burst of flame and a smile.

The letter, apparently blank, sprouted a magic mouth and in a shrill voice demanded that Fenn ensure that a prisoner in a cell in the Master's Lair was under no circumstance freed.

The party finally slept, before heading off further up the icy mountain first thing in the morning. After several hours of trekking, Aranck spotted a number of kobolds above a higher slope of loose snow. Helpless to stop the kobolds, the party watched as several explosions set off an avalanche cascading toward them.

Via a challenge of various skills, the party manages to avoid the full force of the avalanche by predicting its path and setting up some minor braces. Despite being scattered and buried, the party emerged relatively unscathed. The mountainside had been transformed by the avalanche, transforming what was originally a mild climb into a sheer cliff of ice and rock protrusions. 

Fortunately equipped with climbing supplies from Zendasa's shop, the party began ascending the ice cliffs while tied to one-another. After climbing half way, with a sheer drop below them, a Hippogriff 'mounted' by a kobold came screeching around the mountainside, immediately engaging the party in a precarious combat. Ranged attacks prevailed in whittling down the creature, Lord Justice leapt from the cliff onto its back, and brought it to the ground at high speeds by felling it midair. With seconds to go, he managed to leap to a rocky outcrop and watch the fallen hippogriff plummet away. On the outcrop were the remains of an adventurer, clutching a magical bow.

After finishing the climb, the party ascended the remains of the peak to come to sights with the remarkably beautiful waterfall which flows from this point all the way to the city of Hupperdook far far below. Following the guidance in the note found in Nima's house, the party ascended a switchback path and found the concealed entrance to the  lair behind the waterfall. Morgwyn, in a dubious attempt to remain stealthy, popped her head around the corner to find a large blue drake, several kobolds, and a striking goliath woman at ease in the cave.

Lord Justice led the charge past the waterfall, after leading with his vox seeker automaton, to find.... nothing! Until he was ambushed by kobolds leaping down from the ceiling. A massive fight ensued of creatures stabbing and biting, arrows and spells flying (including missiles  from Joshua which were unable to miss, creating holes in Skenn's defence where the others were struggling), poisonous spores clinging to foes, and steel clashing as the party fought Skenn Zabriss and her posse. From beneath a table across the cave, a shackled gnome hand emerged when possible to lob explosives and hamper the enemy. As Tiny fell unconscious and the party's front line began to buckle from the relentless attacks of the drake, a clutch hunting trap rendered the beast immobile and unable to continue its charge. Lord Justice, slipping in and out of consciousness (aided by Aranck), managed to secure a gauntlet-enhanced deadly grapple onto Skenn Zabriss and bring her unconscious. With a snort of hellish powder and brimstone, the drake was finally killed by a series of scorching rays launched by Fenn, and the dust finally settled.

Around Skenn's neck was a large iron key, which appeared to exactly match the large iron door at the far side of the cave. This must be the lair of the 'Master', just as the Inventor had said. Nima emerged from beneath the table, shook with fear, and longing to get home safely.

Rewards Granted

Trampling Crossbow
Weapon (crossbow, heavy), uncommon
This heavy crossbow carries with it the force of a raging bull. When you roll a 20 on an attack roll made with this magic weapon, the bolt transforms into a spectral stampede immediately after it hits the target. When it does, the target and up to 2 other targets of your choice that you can see within 15 feet of it must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 1d8 bludgeoning damage, and if it is Large or smaller, it's pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, a target takes half as much bludgeoning damage and isn't pushed. This bludgeoning damage is doubled against objects and structures.
Potion of Healing x 1

Missions/Quests Completed

• Skenn Zabriss has been detained.
• Nima Cinnarid, Natural Scientist & Blasting Powder Specialist has been found safely. 

Character(s) interacted with

• Skenn Zabriss, Prisoner of War and Xhorhasian Warlord (captured).
• Nima Cinnarid, Natural Scientist & Blasting Powder Specialist (rescued).

Campaign

Wildemount Wanderers

Protagonists

Tiny the Giant Dwarf

Lord Justice

Morgwyn Mossridge

Fenn

Joshua Till

Level 1 Human Lawful Good Wizard

/ 8 HP

Report Date

27 Jul 2020

Primary Location

Hupperdook

Secondary Location

The Marrow Valley