kalh-plays-dnd

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #8

Summary: The party ventures deeper into Cantata, towards Rosa Mors, and finally meet Mother Morelle. Viliam remembers his long-lost love; Aaria has a vision of her mother and Alarion, the Lord of Earth; and Zia dreams of Mara, the previous Lord of Water.

The party follows the brick road deeper into the forest. Trees rise tall on either side, like the pillars of cathedrals, and vanish into shadows above. Faint daylight seeps down, revealing moss-covered banks and tufts, fallen trees, half-rotted stumps, and little white flowers that fade into the distant twilight. Every thirty feet, the road is flanked by marble pillars with bronze braziers on top holding flickering flames that illuminate their immediate areas.

Two narrated scenes take place:

Viliam. Your divinity — your domains — are inexorably tied to Fundat. At your core, you are a Champion of Fundat, a fundamental force only slightly younger than the plans themselves. Entering a different world always raises uneasiness in the back of your mind — a feeling of uprootedness, like you have stepped out of your front door and found a vast, unknown world before you. And yet, you are not helpless, for travellers exist everywhere — even in Cantata. And you recognise that you are not a prime deity here, but you are not unknown; whispers touch your mind — “Keep my sons safe” — “Protect our path” — “Bring them home” — “Bring them home” — and you know the divine part of yourself, the true Lord of Life, is embracing these prayers that have gone unanswered since Cantata’s Champions vanished.  You have taught yourself distance, to remain rooted in the present while some subconscious part of your mind handles the everyday mundanity of divine tasks, but here, in this world that is both new and old and deeply terrifying, you take stock of what you hear, and you find a familiar voice — a thin thread of golden light that winds between the trees, beneath the roots, into Cantata itself: an image of a tall, dark-skinned woman, in her forties, with silvery curls glittering like starlight. She turns and looks at you, her eyes sparkling like bottomless pools of radiant life, and she smiles. “Hello, old friend. Do you remember me yet?”

Viliam now remembers the face of the woman he once loved, Aamira Ok'oree.

Next:

Fred. The last couple of days have shown signs that there may be more to it, but in your heart, you know Nordhafen has always been, and will always remain, your home: the streets you roamed as a child; doing your best to stay out of trouble; coming home with scraped knees; helping the your dad at work; helping your mum at home; helping the neighbours with home repairs and decorating for festivals and that little celebration when the couple down the street finally, successfully, delivered a daughter — Some might have called it a small life, but it was full, brimming with life, laughter, joy, and sorrow. It was home. Walking down this cobblestoned road, your feet tread unfamiliar ground, and yet these memories come back to you, carried by a gentle gust of air that tousles your hair and brings a warm vividness to your mind. You look around, and it is like a foggy morning has cleared: colours present themselves in ways you have never perceived; whispers fill your surroundings — the natural chatter of the world itself — and yes, Nordhafen is your home, but this feels damn good too. Fred, roll me a d12. Until your next long rest, you have [1d12] temporary hit points. 

Aaria then receives a vision. In this vision, the forest closes around her into an underground tunnel. The roof is held up by interwoven roots. At the end of the tunnel lies a green hollow with multiple other tunnels emerging into it. Sun filters down through large apple trees. In the centre of the hollow stands a carved wooden statue, life-sized, of an armoured woman with a sword in her hands. Her face and curly hair is that of Aaria's mother.

Aaria approaches the statue. Ivy climbs up along it. It must have been there for a long time.

Reaching out, Aaria places her hand on the statue. The wood is smooth, polished, and pulses under her touch. A warm glow emerges from beneath her palm. The statue opens its eyes and says: "She's here."

The surroundings then rush past Aaria — down another tunnel, further and further, through winding, underground chambers, into the bedrock of Cantata — until she arrives in a domed chamber. In the centre, roots have pushed down to create a cage. Within this cage sits a golden tiefling with antlers instead of horns. They must have been beautiful once, but that beauty has given way to sunken, green eyes and jutting bones.

Aaria approaches the cage. She touches the roots. A golden glow pulses from her palm. She tries to push the roots apart to free the tiefling. The tiefling tells her to leave it be, that the cage is there to protect everyone else. They then introduce themselves as Alarion, or "what remains of the Lord of Earth". They will remain imprisoned here in their domain, in Dar Tarium, either until they die or until their successor takes up the mantle of the Lord of Earth. Aaria asks what happened, to which Alarion says: "Your predecessors made mistakes. We thought we did the right thing." They then admit that the previous Champions of Cantata tried to kill another Champion. They tell Aaria to be careful, that she has little time, but that (for now) she is concealed.

As the vision begins to fade, Aaria turns to run back to the statue of her mother. She never makes it. The last she hears is Alarion's request: "Please put Velaldel out of his misery."

The vision vanishes and Aaria realises she is running down the brick road, back the way the party had just come. She stops. Zia follows to check on her. Aaria admits she had a vision, but doesn't elaborate.

The party proceeds. The more perceptive of the group begin to notice the forest teeming with life: creatures scuttling out of sight; the furry back of something vanishing between the trees; the slim limbs of a white, horse-like creature with a single horn protruding from its forehead. Above them, the large red birds with raptor-like feet continue to follow, slowly coasting from one branch to the next.

They stop for lunch. Aurora and Viliam wander off to talk. Niko asks Aaria about the Message cantrip Aaria has been using, and acquires a piece metal string from her to practice with as he begins to decipher the cantrip.

Zia settles down to rest against a tree and feels the tree adjust around her, making itself more comfortable. She drifts off into a dream-state, wherein she's underwater in some kind of pool or lake. Around her drifts seaweed. Among the seaweed she catches a glimpse of purple as Betta emerges.

The scene alters, so that Zia and Betta are in some sort of white marble-like structure with a domed roof above. It overlaps with the underwater scene in the way dreams often do, looking like one thing but feeling like another. Betta changes into Mara, the blue-haired halfling who was the previous Lord of Water, though Zia can still see the outline of Betta around her — almost like Betta contains Mara.

Zia and Mara have a conversation about Zia's past and her purpose now. Mara confirms that ferrying people between Macawra and Fundat was an important part of Zia's work, and that prior to coming to Fundat, Zia was training to become the next Lord of Water. Mara clearly doesn't know the details of Zia's life prior to arriving at Venas Adanath (the domain of the Lord of Water), but provides the following insights:

although Zia looks to be in her mid-twenties, she is actually in her mid-forties;

Zia was born to the House of Natica, a family that resided in Daravana;

Zia's mother was called Lyer Natica, and Zia's father was Piccasso;

Zia was identified as the next Lord of Water when she was twelve, but only came to train when she was twenty-one or twenty-two;

the triggering event that sent Zia to Venas Adanath was rescuing a small ship that had been caught in a sudden storm outside the ports of Daravana;

Zia spent some time at the University of Daravana studying music and art.

Mara confirms that this conversation is happening entirely within Zia's head, that it's likely a dream, and chastises Zia for trying to help when Mara was raising the boundary that separated Cantata from Fundat and Macawra.

Zia eventually tries to figure out how to wake up. She settles into a beanbag-type of stool her mind summoned into the dream and waits. While she waits, Mara asks if Fred is still around. Zia confirms that he is, and that he has learned to levitate one inch off the ground. This makes Mara laugh heartily. She asks Zia to tell Fred she said hi — when Fred remembers her.

Zia finally awakes to find Aurora and Viliam back. Niko has foraged for herbs and found some basil and oregano, which Viliam has added to the party's lunch for slightly more pleasant rations.

The party resumes their journey. The road seems to be slowly sloping down. Eventually they reach a bridge across a longer lake. Next to the bridge are two black foals grazing on grass and moss. Across the bridge, further along the bank, they spot a lithe woman in a plain green dress. The woman, perhaps twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, has dark chestnut-coloured hair bundled in her neck. She seems to be bathing her feet.

Viliam greets the woman, while Aaria checks her out. The woman replies in a pleasantly melodious voice. She introduces herself as Sylvia, and Aaria immediately remembers Sylvia the barmaid, from the Perlen Tavern in Waldstad. She seems to recognise some of them, notably Aurora, and says she remembers Aurora coming through some years ago. She also refers to Velaldel, the Lord of Fire, by first name.

The party crosses the bridge. As they reach the other side, Aaria approaches Sylvia to check if Sylvia is alright. She asks if Sylvia lives nearby, and Sylvia gestures some ways off along the bank. Sylvia then asks Aaria to hold something for her. As she asks, a green glow emerges in the depth of Sylvia's eyes as Sylvia casts Charm Person. The spell fails, but Aaria still accepts the bundle of seaweed Sylvia hoists out of the water. The seaweed immediately grapples her.

A brief battle ensues, wherein Viliam cuts Aaria free while while Aurora casts Hold Person on Sylvia, effectively paralysing Sylvia before she can do anything else. The two foals, meanwhile, speedily clip-clop across the bridge with their eyes clearly set on food as they attack Zia. One gets a bite out of Zia's shoulder. Fred comes to help Zia.

More seaweed shoots out from the water to grapple Aaria, but Viliam persuades it to release her. When Aurora releases the spell on Sylvia, Sylvia changes into a kelpie and calls the foals off, snarling at Viliam: "LEAVE."

The party hurries on, climbing up a steeper hill until the loose sight of the bridge and the lake.

They continue walking. Eventually, Viliam, Zia, and Aaria catch sight of a large creature speeding towards them. It looks like a large, elongated bear. It has longer legs, pointy ears with tufts at the tips, and a long tail with a poof of fur at the end.

Viliam ushers the party off the road, to let the creature pass undisturbed, but the creature slows and turns golden eyes upon them. Its pupils widen into round circles as it observes them. "Hello, Viliam," it says, and Viliam guesses (correctly) that this might be Mother Morelle.

Together with Mother Morelle, the party continues their walk towards Rosa Mors. A lengthy conversation ensues, wherein Mother Morelle confirms and reveals information, some of which Zia runs by Mara in her head:

Mother Morelle states that the Watcher north of Waldstad was created by Mara when she raised the boundary between Cantata and Fundat. Any prisoners taken by this Watcher will be captured within Mara's Prism Cube.

Zia asks Mara about this, and learns that Mara's Prism Cube is on the top shelf to the right in her bedroom, by the foot of her bed. This is in Venas Adanath, the domain of the Lord of Water.

Mother Morelle suggests that Zia might have had a different name once. Aaria is somewhat upset that she doesn't know Zia's true identity, and Zia explains that she used to take different names while travelling.

Mother Morelle recognises Aurora, who she says trained under Velaldel, the Lord of Fire, for a short amount of time. A friend of Aurora, Luca, came to visit occasionally.

Mother Morelle is far older than Viliam, and has seen many Lords of Fire come and go. Describing them, she says that Velaldel was "like the sun itself". The one before him was particularly stern, then there was one who was gentle, and one who was young.

She explains that Velaldel (the Lord of Fire) and Alarion (the Lord of Earth) went out to face the curse that descended upon Cantata when Tangar fell, while Mara (the Lord of Water) and Fred (the Lord of Air?) took the apprentices (Zia and Aurora) to Fundat for safekeeping.

The curse is a form of aberration that seeps into things and corrupts them from within.

There are rumours of Velaldel's whereabouts, but nothing that Mother Morelle knows for certain. Alarion, meanwhile, she has heard "crawled back to his domain" to willingly be imprisoned. He has, supposedly, been infected with the aberration.

Mother Morelle recognises Niko, though he was much younger when she saw him last. He mentions his dream/vision of the golden tiefling, who Mother Morelle confirms to be Alarion. She says Niko and Adelaide were brought through Rosa Mors, on their way to Fundat, when they were very young. According to her, they were sent away to be kept safe, though she doesn't know what from.

Aaria asks if any of the Champions tried to kill each other, which Mother Morelle denies. Zia checks this with Mara, who laughs at the notion. She says Velaldel was too good, that Fred wouldn't have tried to, and that although Alarion was a bit weird, they were ultimately kind. The archives of the Avarium might have more information, according to Mara.

Aurora asks what Mother Morelle is. Mother Morelle declines discussing this, simply saying that she is the last of her kind.

Mother Morelle suggests the party keeps quiet about their identities when they reach Rosa Mors, as Alaria, the Head of the Council, is not necessarily someone to be reasoned with at this time. There is an implied history of disagreements here. Alaria supposedly exiled Mother Morelle from the Council on the grounds that Mother Morelle encouraged Velaldel (the Lord of Fire) to rush out into battle unprepared.

Velaldel is Alaria's brother.

In Cantata, the souls of the dead go to the Lord of Earth. Life is generally considered the domain of the Lord of Water.

Throughout this conversation, whenever Zia dipped into her own mind to speak to Mara, Mara was entertaining herself by juggling various pieces of fruit.

Towards the end, Zia asked how and why Mara died. Mara explained that of herself and Fred, it made more sense that she should give her life to protect the Planes, because Fred was more familiar with Fundat than she was. As the Lord of Water, Mara therefore performed a massive divine feat that separated Cantata from the other Material Planes and erased everyone's memories of Cantata. Channelling this much divine power was more than Mara was able to handle, so her mortal body disintegrated. What remains in the back of Zia's mind is but a fragment of Mara's spirit.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #7

Summary: Fred has revelations about his youth and learns to fly. The party enters Cantata, and Viliam reveals his identity.

Aaria, Aurora, and Niko stay overnight at the Perlen Tavern, while Viliam, Fred, and Zia camp by the river.

At the Perlen Tavern, Aaria prays to the Whisperer before bed. The Whisperer appears to her as before, and she asks questions about where the party is headed — whether they'll still be with her there, whether she should go, what awaits her, why they're only talking to her now, after years of ignoring her. The Whisperer is evasive in their answers, stating only that they want Aaria to go to Cantata. Before the Whisperer leaves, they tell Aaria to remember her mother.

In another room, Niko makes notes of arcane nature, while Aurora in her own room takes medical notes of the party.

In the morning, Aaria, Aurora, and Niko have breakfast at the tavern, buy baked goods from Böhler Bakery (bread, lemon cake, chocolate cake, and a tray of almond croissants), and stock up on paper and ink. They then set off back to the river to meet the others.

Meanwhile, Zia is trying to process her last conversation with Viliam. Fred joins Viliam by the campfire to settle for the night and enjoy a cup of tea. They talk about life, family, and love, and Fred remembers a series of images from his youth:

He's helping his dad on a construction site, repairing someone's mansion, when a heavy beam falls towards his dad's head. Fred reaches out to stop it, but is too far away. Still, the beam freezes. In Fred's mind, the air solidifies around the beam and sets it gently down on the ground.

He sits in his bedroom and hears his parents argue.

He walks with his dad to the Temple of Life in Nordhafen. On the steps he sees Viliam waiting for them.

In a completely different place, he meets an ageing bird person (aarakocra) similar to the one he has seen in his dreams.

Fred immediately reaches for arms and threatens Viliam, asking what Viliam knows about him — what Viliam has to do with the bird person — and in this moment Viliam remembers bringing Fred to Kumar Rao, an elderly aarakocra.

Viliam admits to only now recalling this. Fred expresses concern about becoming someone else, and wonders whether his dreams about flying were true. While he contemplates this, he has other memories: training with Kumar, the deep drone of Kumar's voice, studying Aerodynamics: Book I. He also remembers dining with Kumar, reading a letter from his mum, and Kumar offering to support his parents financially.

Fred decides to test whether the flight translates to real life. He stands up, his axe in his hands, focuses on flying, and manages to lift an inch off the ground for 6 seconds before landing again.

In the morning, Viliam and Zia forage and find a bush of gooseberries and a Mother's Rest. They return to the campsite at the same time as Aaria, Aurora, and Niko return from Waldstad with two bags of baked goods.

During breakfast, the party discusses what to do. They debate waiting for Mother Morelle to arrive. Aaria checks in with Hyacinth, but all has been quiet on both sides. Fred tries to replicate flying, but fails. Aurora mentions knowing that people can become Champions.

The party decides to test the limits of the crack between Fundat and Cantata. Viliam disapproves and sits some distance away.

First, Aaria ties Fred's rope to one of the almond croissants. Fred tosses it through the crack, and Hyacinth picks it up. Using Mage Hand, Niko then stealthily floats a slice of lemon cake through, and the air visibly wobbles. Hyacinth picks up the rope and ties it to a tree on the other side. He happily devours the croissant and lemon cake.

The party then debates trying to sneak through the crack. Hyacinth uses the Light cantrip to catch Aaria's attention and asks what they're planning, then warns them that if they try to come through, he will stop them.

Zia finally turns to Viliam and asks him if there's anything he can do. Viliam has been quietly conversing with his associates, informing them of Cantata's existence, asking for advice, and requesting that a garrison be stationed at this location.

He offers Zia the Ring of the Cautious Traveller, saying it will allow her to disguise herself. Zia is confused by this, as she can already disguise herself, and the rest of the party begins to question Viliam's intentions. Zia eventually accepts the ring. Viliam then offers Niko an unused spellbook, which tongue-ties Niko for a while. Viliam then does his best to reassure the party that he wants to help them and ensure their safety. Aaria asks whether Viliam thinks Zia might be in more danger than the rest of them, but Viliam says his gift is based on his conversation with Zia the night before.

Aaria asks Zia what happened the night before, as Zia over breakfast had said nothing of note happened. Zia says she had a memory of Fred carrying herself and Aurora out from Cantata, and about how she lost her eye.

Once the questions and worries have somewhat settled, Viliam approaches the boundary between Fundat and Cantata and commands it to let them pass. And it does. One by one, the party steps unhindered through.

What they see first is this: an overgrown riverbank, with moss curling around the edge and condensation dripping into swirling eddies of water; little star-like flowers glowing against the green; enormous, gnarly roots winding into the water, and rising far above, trees with the first branches starting 10–20 ft above the ground. Red raptor-like birds with long necks watch from distant branches.

Pillars of pink marble stand on either side of what was once the base of a bridge. Brass basins on top of the pillars hold flickering flames. A cobblestoned road leads off between the trees, between mossy banks and roots, and kneeling before a small campfire is a young brown-haired elf with golden eyes and white armour.

The elf struggles to speak as they arrive. Viliam introduces the party, and the elf slowly stands. He acknowledges that he's Hyacinth, the one they have been speaking to, and that Viliam is the man from his visions.

The party asks about Mother Morelle and Rosa Mors. Hyacinth says that the road will lead to Rosa Mors, and that Mother Morelle will be a day or so away. He then sends a message to Mother Morelle, saying, "They are here, in the company you expected."

Fred asks what Hyacinth means by this, but Hyacinth struggles to form words as he looks at Viliam. Fred then turns to Viliam. Viliam suggests Zia explains, but Zia refuses to. Viliam then reveals that he is the Lord of Life, one of the five Champions of Fundat.

Zia corroborates this, and Fred recognises the similarities between Viliam and statues of the Lord of Life in Nordhafen. Aurora is shocked to find her deity present in mortal form and begins to inch away in the direction of Rosa Mors.

While the party digests this information, Viliam confirms what Aurora said over breakfast: that people can become Champions; he himself has been one for over 2,000 years, and he is seeking his successor. He again states that he's deeply concerned about the situation with Cantata, and what might have had the power to wipe it from the memories of the Champions themselves.

Fred goes after Aurora and encourages her to speak to Viliam. When she stutters and tries to explain that she can't make herself look Viliam — look the Lord of Life — in the eye, Fred picks her up onto his shoulder and carries her back to the party, placing her right before Viliam. Viliam explains that even though he is the Lord of Life, he himself is still quite mortal and doesn't hear people's prayers.

The party decides to set off towards Rosa Mors. Hyacinth warns them that spells sometimes go awry. He mentions the four Safe Zones again, and says they're focused around the Cantatian Champions' seats of power: Rosa Mors (where they currently are), Sum Nebuli, Venas Adanath, and Dar Tarium. Aberrations usually can't make it into the Safe Zones, though strays occasionally find their way through.

Aaria leaves Hyacinth with a loaf of bread and several almond croissants.

As the party begins to leave, Hyacinth calls after Viliam: "My Lord, what would you like me to do?"

Viliam clearly feels uncomfortable about everyone suddenly looking at him as a Champion, and tells Hyacinth to come find him when Hyacinth is able to.

Once the party is out of earshot, Viliam apologises to the party for not revealing himself to them, but hopes they understand why preferred not to.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #6

Summary: The party visits the Flachwasser, find a crack between worlds, and speak to Hyacinth.

The party reconvenes at the Perlen Tavern. It's early afternoon. All their sources seem to be pointing north of Waldstad, so they decide to head that way, towards the river.

As they come through Waldstad and reach the overgrown path that runs north through the woods (the Walden), Zia—who has some familiarity with paths—remarks that this one looks like it was frequently used, then suddenly came into disuse a couple of years ago. Viliam takes a moment to tap in with the Lord of Life, and sees echoes of the people who travelled this path before them. Passing around them, he sees the impressions of merchants, soldiers, and travellers, but he also sees familiar figures: three firbolgs, barely any younger than Granny Peacock and her daughters/granddaughters; a familiar orc leading two young women away from the river, all three differently dressed but clearly recognisable as Fred, Aurora, and Zia, and Zia is clutching her eye; the same orc, this time carrying a blonde boy, maybe 6 or 7 years of age, away from the river; then himself, carrying a blonde girl, maybe 6 or 7 years of age.

Viliam asks if anyone remembers coming this way before, and explains his visions. Niko remembers being carried away from something—he doesn't remember what—and being reassured that everything would be alright. At the time, he didn't know the voice, but thinking back he recognises it as Fred's. Niko then remembers a blindfold being removed, and seeing this path and the world as though for the first time.

Aaria has second thoughts about everyone going to the river, wondering if Viliam's visions might be premonitions of things yet come to pass. Viliam casts Warding Bond on Zia and Niko, and Niko casts Mage Armour on himself.

As the party reaches the end of the forest, they see a path winding down a steep slope, some 60ft from the river. Where the path meets the river, stand the rotted remains of a bridge, and lying in the bridge's place is a ladder stretched across the river. In the middle of the river, directly above the ladder, is a rift, approximately 3–4ft wide—large enough for a medium creature to squeeze through. The rift looks as though a sheet of glass has cracked and been forced apart, revealing a view of a different world through the crack. The river itself is 30ft across.

Viliam casts Detect Good and Evil. He picks up on a presence that seems to stretch along the centre of the river, as far as the spell allows him to sense. The presence is, at its core, celestial, but has a touch of aberration to it. Other presences in his vicinity are Aaria (celestial) and Zia (fey).

Viliam asks the party to stay back, and explains that he has seen things like this before. These are spectral watchers, usually created by Champions to protect or guard an area. If the people they are looking for—Rogan, Wish, Luca, and Adelaide—have been taken by the watcher, they will have been placed in stasis on a demi-plane, sort of like being put in a bag of holding, and will in theory be safe. Watchers are only triggered if they perceive a threat, and what constitutes a threat will have been defined by the Champion who created the watcher.

Aaria decides to approach the rift and tries to send a message to Wish using the Message cantrip. She gets a reply in a language she doesn't understand. She messages back, and after a moment, she gets a reply from a young male voice who seems to understand her, and who she in turn can understand. A length back-and-forth occurs, during which the party learns:

The young man is an elf/part elf who goes by Hyacinth Paeleiros. Hyacinth is a Light Cleric of the Lord of Fire, and lives in the Safe Zone surrounding Rosa Mors in Cantata.

Cantata is a third world, similar to Fundat and Macawra, that has been cut off from Fundat and Macawra with a "divine weave". Cantata was cut off 2–3 years ago, after their third moon, Tangar, fell from the skies and caused war, famine, and illness to spread across the land.

Four Safe Zones were established by the Champions of Cantata (Lord of Water, Lord of Earth, Lord of Air, and Lord of Fire) to keep the war, famine, and illness at bay. Within these Safe Zones, people are safe. Outside, beings are aberrated and magic keeps going awry.

The Lord of Water and the Lord of Air passed into Fundat before the "divine weave" separated the worlds.

The Lord of Fire and the Lord of Earth are still in Cantata, though anyone who tries to contact them is never quite right again after. Hyacinth says he could try, but he doesn't want to, as he has two younger brothers who need him to look after them.

Rosa Mors is the centre of the Safe Zone established by the Lord of Fire, and is where the Court of the Lord of Fire used to be. This is where Hyacinth has been living for the past 2–3 years, since he and his brothers left the family farm in Lepidaria to seek refuge in the Forest.

Hyacinth has had two visions of an elderly elf with a big beard, the last vision being a week ago when the weave ruptured. Hyacinth was making lunch for his brothers when he heard a knock on the door. He turned around to see the elderly elf. "They're coming," the elderly elf said, then vanished. Hyacinth was not frightened, as he believes the old man has good intentions.

The person who might be able to answer more specifically about the watcher and people caught by the watcher, is Mother Morelle, who resides at Rosa Mors. Hyacinth summons here, but says it might take a couple of days for her to arrive at the rupture.

Viliam has a couple of recollections. He remembers Morelle DomCopia, a Li'shay (elf-adjacent race) from Cantata. In his memory, Morelle was over 6ft tall, with white skin, eyes as black as soil, and a mantle of green leaves cascading down her body. He recalls her having one of the highest positions within the Court of the Lord of Fire.

Viliam also recalls being told that Tangar, the third moon of Cantata, was deteriorating.

When being told about Tangar, Niko remembers sitting in a woodland hollow surrounded by trees, with a small fountain-like geyser in the centre. Tunnels and doorways lead from the hollow, into underground caves and tunnels. In the memory, he looks up at the moons: the two big ones, close to their intersection, and the third, like a white star, directly above the treetops. He doesn't know why he's looking at the moons, just that he's looking. While he sits there, a golden tiefling places a hand on his shoulder and suggests he return inside to go to bed. The tiefling has gold, flowers, and laurels hanging from their horns, and smiles warmly at Niko.

During the conversation, Zia examines the weave and tries to figure out how far upriver it goes. She then reaches within herself, asking Betta if Betta knows anything. Zia then has a memory she does not share with the rest of the party. (DM-note: How Zia lost her eye.)

The party decides to split up while they wait for Mother Morelle to arrive. Viliam, Zia, and Fred stay by the river overnight to keep an eye on the rift, while Aaria, Niko, and Aurora go back to Waldstad to try to figure out who Rogan Underbite might have visited and spend the night in actual beds.

Back at the Perlen Tavern, Aaria asks Sylvia the barmaid some more questions about Rogan, and learns that while Sylvia was working that evening, Rogan was asking about herbs and botany. There are two places in town to get plants, so he might have gone to one of those. He didn't leave with anyone, but he might also have found someone to spend the night with.

Niko comes across a couple talking about a strange guy asking about a dwarf (Niko was the strange guy), and the girl says her mother saw a dwarf visit Maggie the herbalist a week ago. Niko grabs this information, catches up with Aaria, and heads directly to Maggie's Herbarium.

They find the Herbarium closed for the day, but persistent knocking draws Maggie out. Aaria convinces Maggie to talk to them about Rogan. Maggie invites them in and makes them some tea, then explains that Rogan came around asking about the aerofleet plant that grows north of Waldstad, fixed some plumbing issues she had, and stayed the night. Maggie says she herself hasn't been north of Waldstad in a few years, and some prodding makes her suddenly remember that her dad went that way some years ago to restock and never came back. She had completely forgotten. She's visibly shaken by this recollection, but the house always being in disrepair suddenly makes sense, as it's her father's house and he has been gone for months, if not years.

Aaria tells Maggie they think Maggie's dad might be wherever Rogan is, and that hopefully they're all fine. She entreats Maggie to stay in Waldstad, maybe talk to some friends, and promises that she and Niko will look for Maggie's dad.

Aaria and Niko then excuse themselves and return to the Perlen Tavern to have a drink and go to bed.

Meanwhile, Viliam communes with the Lord of Life. He and Zia then have a private conversation on the riverbank that leaves Zia somewhat shaken. (DM-note: This is about Betta and the Lord of Water. Zia does not share how she lost her eye.)

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #5

Summary: Aaria and Zia interrogate a barmaid, Fred and Aurora get pastries and cake, and Viliam eats pancakes.

Aaria, Zia, and Niko head towards the Perlen Tavern. Along the way, Niko splits off to go speak to people in the streets, to hear if anyone's heard of Wish or Rogan Underbite.

At the tavern, Aaria and Zia speak to Sylvia, a human barmaid in her early twenties—blonde bangs, large ear rings, and (in Aaria's eyes) an attractive figure. Sylvia tells them Wish was there a week ago, with three others: a dwarf, a wealthy lady, and a bland guy whose face she doesn't recall. The party stayed overnight in rooms rented by one Rogan Underbite, though the dwarf went out in the evening and didn't return until the morning.

Aaria and Zia get each their glass of a fruity beer called lumiere, made by the local brewery, and get a table. Other patrons include a man day-drinking in the corner, and two people either having a late breakfast or an early lunch.

Fred and Aurora make their way back from the mayor's, bickering like an old married couple. They stop at Böhler Bakery, where Fred treats them to a chocolate croissant (for Aurora) and two slices of raspberry and white chocolate cake (for himself). They make for the tavern, where Aurora reveals she's somewhat uncomfortable with the atmosphere taverns normally garner. Fred reassures her, and they join Aaria and Zia.

Zia takes the stage to play gentle lunch music.

After speaking to Dr Schmidt, Viliam heads to Granny Peacock's Pancakes—a stone-built square tower, two floors, with children's paintings on the lower stones and a little flowery herbal garden surrounding it. Inside, a Alena the firbolg greets Viliam. She has rich blue fur and thick green hair with golden tips. She tells Viliam to take a seat upstairs, and that she'll come take his order shortly.

Upstairs, Viliam finds a panorama view of Waldstad. Most of the tables are small, made for two, with candles and fresh flowers. He sits by the north-facing window and lights the candle on his table. Alena comes up and takes his order. While he waits, he observes the Walden, the forest beyond Waldstad, and sees birds flying across the tree tops.

A couple, two young men, arrive and sit by one of the other tables. (One of them is the young man who served Fred and Aurora at the Bakery.) Alena comes up with a plate of three fluffy pancakes arranged around a blue sugar flower of a design Viliam has never encountered. Viliam asks about the flower, and Alena reveals that Granny Peacock calls it a 'Dream on a Plate'. Viliam asks how the firbolgs came to be in Waldstad. Alena says they travelled there some 2–3 years ago, from some village to the north, and settled here. Apparently the tower used to be a kindergarten.

Viliam eats the pancakes, then heads downstairs to pay. Another firbolg—Gloria—also young, though shorter and rounder, takes the payment. In the corner, Viliam sees an elderly firbolg with greying fur, grey streaks in her hair, and little round spectacles perched on her nose, hunched over a table and a lamp making detailed sugary works. He compliments the flower he had, and Gloria laughs and says Granny Peacock learned the art from her grandfather, but that she's not taught either of her grandchildren yet.

Viliam then heads towards the tavern, where he finds Alvin already warming his seat at Aaria, Zia, Fred, and Aurora's table.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #4

Summary: The party is attacked by a diseased deer and arrive in Waldstad.

The party travels with Adrian Tanzer, a half-elf in his late twenties, for the remainder of the afternoon and evening. The road is distinctly narrower than the main road from Nordhafen to Gre'gel, and continues to slope faintly up towards a wooded horizon. Fields of wheat and grass grow on either side, untouched by sea or salty air.

While they walk, Adrian and Fred chat, and Fred recommends Adrian try "the old man's tea", implying it's "the good stuff".

When they set up camp for the night, Adrian dons studded leather armour and equips himself with weapons (short bow and two short swords), and takes a swig of some kind of flask. He warns the party not to wander off. He's to keep watch all night, and they're welcome to keep watch with him should they wish to.

Fred takes first watch, alongside Adrian. This night, he's keenly aware of the sound of crickets, of the smell of grass and cooling soil, and of how far away from Nordhafen he is.

During the second watch, Zia hears something moving in the field beyond their camp. She alerts Adrian, and they go to the edge of the firelight when a hoarse, bone-chilling scream cuts through the air. Adrian shoots towards the sound. Out of the field and the darkness barrels what must once have been a deer: bloated, with predator-like teeth and lips that curl into a snarl, a second head growing from its neck, with visible wounds where the skin and fur has split to permit it. It lashes out, teeth narrowly missing Adrian and Zia.

The rest of the party wakes up—Fred and Viliam move to help Adrian and Zia, while Niko, Aurora, and Aaria keep back. Fred deals a significant amount of damage, but it's ultimately Viliam's spear that brings the creature down.

Adrian checks that no one has been injured, then goes to retrieve an oil cloth to wrap the carcass and bring it back to Waldstad, for Dr Schmidt to examine. While he does so, Aurora and Viliam examine it for themselves: Aurora carefully performs a partial autopsy, finding the joint in the neck where the second head seems to have sprouted from, and identifying the second one as only a week old, while the rest of the deer is a couple of years old. Using magic, Viliam detects an infection in the deer's blood and saliva. He warns everyone to clean up properly after handling the deer, and Aaria assists with prestidigitation.

Aurora and Viliam take samples of the blood, which Aurora keep. Adrian wrap the deer and bind it tightly, and hoist it onto the cart.

Meanwhile, Niko asks Aaria how she was able to terrify the creature during the fight. They discuss the different ways in which they cast spells, and Aaria offers to show Niko how she casts spells, to see if it's something he can learn.

After the encounter, Fred and Aurora have each their cup of Viliam's tea:

Fred dreams that he's in Nordhafen, in the temple of the Voice of Fundat, kneeling in front of a shrine with his mother. He's a decade younger, and his mother is lighting a candle for his father who recently died of illness and old age. Fred is perturbed, as he left both his parents alive and healthy in Nordhafen only a week ago. He hugs his mother and the dream shifts: he's drifting in mist, directionless. Walking forward, he finds a ledge of sparkling rock, and when he tosses himself over the edge, he flies. He rises up above the mist, to the palace on the mountain top, and sees the sunrise glitter in the stonework. He lands on the nearest landing platform. A door at the end opens and a guard welcomes him back, saying that breakfast is ready. When Fred walks through the door, he wakes up.

Aurora dreams that she's in the Rose Garden: a beautiful, lush garden of roses and pink quartz statues. She's standing on a round platform, together with an elf with curly red-golden hair and glittering jewellery. The elf shows her how to manipulate fire by creating a trickling waterfall of it, from the top of his palm, to his fingertips, then trickling down and fizzling out. He tells her that it's important to be able to control it. When she tries, she partially recreates it, which seems to please the elf.

Viliam and Adrian talk. Adrian explains that Waldstad has been aware of this creature for a few days, and that it has stalked the outskirts at night. He himself is a part-time monster hunter, which is why he's ferrying the party from the main road up to Waldstad, instead of the usual coachman. When he's not monster hunting, he works at the stables.

They don't know much about what has caused the deer to become like this, only that it spreads through bites. They've been lucky that no humanoid has been caught yet, but they've lost some livestock that they've had to put down. Dr Schmidt is currently researching the disease to try to find some antidote.

Viliam then asks if Adrian has seen a white-skinned red-haired tiefling come through Waldstad in the last week. Adrian hasn't noticed a tiefling, though there was a wealthy young woman who dropped her horse off at the stables just over a week ago, who talked about travelling with some companions. She said they were staying at the Perlen Tavern.

In the morning, Adrian stows his armour and weapons, and prepares Klara the horse. Fred tells Viliam he doesn't want any more of the tea that's been making him dream, and warns Viliam to be careful with it, as not everyone might be able to handle it.

An hour or so before noon, they arrive in Waldstad. Adrian points out the Perlen Tavern. Aurora takes note of Mugs'n'Bugs, one of the stores at the square, and sees a display of jars and medicinal herbs through the window.

The party goes directly to the Garrison, where Adrian and Fred unload the carcass and the crates Fred is delivering. Dr Schmidt, a scrawny elf with glasses and bony fingers, comes out to briefly inspect the carcass and sign Fred's papers. When Fred asks whether anyone would be able to approve leave time, Dr Schmidt suggests Fred talk to Sir Corrint, the mayor.

Meanwhile, Zia, Aaria, and Niko head off to the Perlen Tavern to ask about Wish, the tiefling. Viliam instructs his bearded dragon, Alvin, to follow the crates and find out what's inside them. Viliam then helps carry the carcass upstairs, to Dr Schmidt's research area. Various chemical tests are undergoing in different parts of the room. A separate table has been prepared, with oil cloth around it to avoid contaminating the floor. Dr Schmidt directs them to place the carcass there.

Viliam asks Dr Schmidt about the disease, but Dr Schmidt doesn't seem to know much more than Adrian has already shared. All other instances have been burned to avoid a further spread.

Aurora and Fred go to the Mayor's Cottage, a five-minute walk from the Garrison. They argue the whole way—about Fred using nicknames for everyone ("old man" for Viliam, "doctor lady" for Aurora, etc.), and about their dreams. They're so caught up in the argument that, when they reach the gate to the Mayor's Cottage, they don't notice the Sir Corrint there until, during a lull in the argument, he asks if he can help them. He approves Fred's leave, and tells Aurora they know Dr Myrk stayed at the Perlen Tavern for a night, then headed north through the Walden, but beyond that he seems to have vanished. If Waldstad can be of any further assistance to her, he places himself at her disposal.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #3

Summary: Some of the party members have visions. They arrive at the juncture to Waldstad.

DAY 4–6 (ON THE ROAD)

What follows is three uneventful days on the road. The caravan progresses at a steady pace, and party slowly warms up to each other and to the idea of travelling together.

Viliam continues to pursue the possible connection between them. In conversation, Zia recalls sitting on a raft travelling down-river. Present with her is Viliam, as well as a blue-haired halfling. In the memory, she has the distinct feeling that Betta is shared between herself and the halfling, and that she and Betta are only starting to get to know each other.

Afterwards, Zia draws the halfling's portrait and shows it to Viliam, upon which Viliam recalls the halfling's name: Mara.

The evening of the fourth day comes, and Viliam offers Fred a cup of tea. That night Fred dreams of a palace built into the sparkling top of a mountain. Inside this palace, Fred is in a great hall, levitating. A stern voice is instructing him, but when he turns to see the speaker, he wakes up.

The following morning, Fred attempts to ascertain whether Viliam added any particular substance to his tea. To Viliam's knowledge, he hasn't, but Fred is convinced something is up with it. That evening he gets Aaria and Luna to also try it. All three of them have vivid dreams:

Luna dreams about running through the most beautiful green fields.

Aaria dreams about a garden in her village, her mother—hair like silver, and a gown like silky cobwebs—and of being lifted into her mother's arms. Her mother smells of petrichor and flowers, and there is a deep sense of belonging.

Fred dreams about plummeting towards clouds far below. Above him, a voice tells him to focus on flying, and after a couple of tries, he manages it. When he looks up, he sees the face of a large bird-like humanoid. He asks who the bird-like humanoid is, to which the humanoid only says, "You know me".

They share their dreams over breakfast on the sixth day. Viliam attempts to figure out if something really is up with his tea, but when he goes through his notebook, he can't seem to find the right recipe. Eventually he realises this particular blend has a crucial ingredient (redberry—soft leaf, small, white fur, blue tinge) that only grows on the slopes of a sparkling mountain—and that, if he is to continue to supply this tea, he will eventually need more.

Between all this, Niko has a memory of playing with a toy wand and imagining to be a wizard. In this memory, a blonde blue-eyed girl wants to also play with the wand and tries to wrestle it from him. He wins and she's unhappy about it, the way children usually are.

The party travels on with the caravan. In the late afternoon, they reach the juncture to Waldstad, where a boy with a book in his hands waits on a horse-drawn cart. They load Fred's cargo into the cart and leave the caravan.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #2

Summary: The party begins to form as they get to know each other and exchange experiences.

DAY 2 (ON THE ROAD)

At the end of Session #1, Viliam noticed a cloud of dust quickly approaching on the caravan's trail. Now, the cloud closes in and turns out to be two young men — barely out of boyhood — sharing a horse. Both have tanned skin and sandy hair, with bandanas pulled up to over their noses and dusty capes obscuring their physique. The one holding the reins has a slight point to his ears, while the other is distinctly human. Both carry short swords.

Fred notices they both wear standard military boots with reinforced steel toes and a small insignia on the side.

Around the party, time stops. There is a noticeable absence of sound as the human stranger begins to get off the horse. The pointy-eared one clutches something against his chest. Fred prepares to charge, but Viliam calls him back and asks the strangers what their business is. Aurora, with Fred's intimidating presence, convinces the strangers to keep going and raid another caravan.

As the strangers leave, time resumes and the pointy-eared one discards what he had been holding, which Fred collects: a roughly hewn cobalt stone wrapped with fine silver threads, attached to a leather cord. Fred considers it spoils of battle and puts it on. Viliam identifies the stopped time as some form of the spell Time Stop. Niko convinces Fred to let him attempt to identify the cobalt stone, but casts Prestidigitation instead to cause a flash of light. He warns Fred the stone might be a dangerous item.

During the caravan's lunch stop, Aaria and Zia are offered complementary tea and biscuits. Viliam sends Alvin to attempt to steal some tea from the caravan's storage, to figure out what type it is. Alvin is semi-successful: he gets caught, but the teabag he stole is already wet, so he absconds with it. Viliam identifies it as an average black tea with floral overtones.

Over dinner that night, the party attempts to figure out why they were unaffected by the time stop. Conversation reveals they all received the same message from Rogan Underbite, and that Zia and Aaria know Wish, that Aurora knows Rogan and Luca, that Fred, Niko, and Viliam know none of them, and that no one knows Adelaide.

Aaria is convinced they ought to help Rogan, with Zia, Aurora, Viliam, and Niko willing to help. Fred is hesitant due to his job and commitments to his parents, but Viliam offers to hire Fred's services (3gp per day, doubled after Rogan and co. have been found). Fred remembers the terms of his assignment and agrees to discuss time off with the Garrison in the hopes they might approve it. Aurora offers to assist.

DAY 3 (ON THE ROAD)

In the early pre-dawn morning, Aaria is visited by Sussorra (the Lord of Dreams/the Whisperer), who tells her that they want to see her flourish, that she is to keep an eye on the old man (implied to be Viliam), that she is to say hi to the Lord of Life when she meets him, and that Wish is beyond their sight. Aaria wakes up and goes to sit outside, falling asleep by the remains of the campfire. Viliam, who only needs 4 hours, wraps her with a blanket when he wakes.

Later, when the party asks, she says she was inspired to compose music.

During lunch, Aurora pays the caravan driver 20gp to get Niko and Viliam seats in the covered carriages. She doesn't tell them she's the one who paid.

With the third day being an overcast, though peaceful day, the party has plenty of time to converse. Conversation returns to Rogan's message and what they might expect. Most importantly, they try to work out what connects the party-members — why the six of them?

As the question comes up, it strikes Viliam that he recognises Aurora, Zia, and Fred. He doesn't know where from or in what context, but he has met them before. This sparks a suspicion that something has been hidden — memories vanished from their minds by magic means. It reminds him of his lost love — a beautiful woman, dark skinned with silvery hair, braided, like starlight — whose name he realised two years ago he doesn't remember.

Zia talks about travelling, and has the distinct impression she used to always have company in her travels — a sense that she was never alone. When she has this revelation, Betta awakens in the back of her mind, and she sees that Betta is aware and watching. Zia asks if Betta is alright, to which Betta says, "No."

Eventually, the party reaches the end of the day and everyone retreat to sleep. Viliam sits on the steps outside a carriage to watch the stars, while Niko finds a space to curl up on the floor of the same carriage in which Fred and Aurora are.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Southern Sík: Map

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Welcome to the Campaign

Summary: Campaign starting notes and maps.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Rough compilation of party illustrations. Left to right: Niko Warren (wizard) with the familiar Luna; Fred (barbarian); Zia (bard); Aurora Nyx (sorcerer); Aaria (bard); and Viliam (paladin) with familiar Alvin.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #1

Summary: The party-members' paths begin to converge as they prepare to set out from Nordhafen.

AURORA

Aurora Nyx is working one of her last days at the medical practice attached to the Temple of Traveller in Nordhafen, looking forward to returning to Gre'gel to there be reunited with Dr Luca Myrk, her husband-to-be. Upon receiving the message from Rogan, she immediately closes for the day and sets out to find information.

From the army offices in Nordhafen she gets no answer, beyond a recommendation to reach out to the offices in Gre'gel. It will take a minimum of 48 hours for a reply, but she sends a letter and waits.

While she waits, she sets about securing passage on the next caravan leaving Nordhafen for Gre'gel, with the intention of getting off at the juncture to Waldstad. The next caravan is with Safe Travels, leaving at 10am in two days.

On the morning of departure, half an hour before she has to leave, a reply arrives via dusty currier. Aurora embraces the young delivery woman, pays her, and shuts the door in her face to read the following letter:

Enclosed is a letter of introduction addressed to Sir Flynn Corrint at the Garrison in Waldstad, asking his assistance on behalf of Aurora.

AARIA & ZIA

When Aaria receives the message, she quietly slips out of the lecture she's currently in and goes to find Zia Taleweaver. She only makes it a few steps down the corridor when Zia sprints around the corner – having received the same message.

They decide to go to the library – a dusty half-abandoned affair behind the music hall, with the librarian seemingly always absent – to figure out where Waldstad is. Aaria is familiar with the place and its sorting system (alphabetically by category, alphabetically by author surname within each category) and quickly finds a book titled Music Throughout Benfer. Here she finds a map showing where various songs and artists are from. The map includes the location of Waldstad. While Zia keeps watch, Aaria cuts the map from the book and tucks it away. The book returns to the shelf.

Having travelled much, both know that cities the size of Nordhafen usually have some sort of travel agency that helps people get from point A to point B. While Aaria goes to pack, Zia tracks down Safe Travels, one of the major travel agencies in Nordhafen. On her way, Zia attempts to commune with Betta, but all she sees in the back of her mind is the flicker of a blue-and-purple fish vanishing in seaweed as a bone-deep sense of dread settles over her.

At Safe Travels, the receptionist (a female halfling with glasses and a neatly trimmed bob), offers Zia two comfort tickets for the caravan going to Gre'gel at 10AM in two days (10gp per ticket). Zia is too out of it to argue and simply accepts the tickets.

On the way back she stops at Boots & Keg, a local tavern in the area Wish has rented a flat for them – an elegant, well-maintained flat with two and a half bedrooms, in an equally elegant, well-maintained neighbourhood. The horse-shoe shaped bar in the centre of the inn is currently manned by Philip Nietzsche, the owner of the tavern. Zia sits by the bar and orders an ale to quietly process. Every once in a while she casts a Message cantrip to hopefully reach Aaria when Aaria passes.

Aaria packs her own and Zia's belongings, then heads towards the centre of Nordhafen to find Zia. She hears Zia's Message cantrip in passing and diverts to Boots & Keg, where Zia shows the tickets and explains they won't be leaving for a couple of days. Aaria notes that 10gp per ticket is ridiculously overpriced. They discuss leaving immediately, since they have the map.

Next to them, an elderly elf with an enormous beard and a cup of tea offers to help with the travel company. He introduces himself as Viliam. After some conversation, Zia gets fed up and goes to sulk in a corner. Aaria talks to him for a little while longer, advising him to not listen in on other people's conversations, then goes to sit with Zia. Aaria is silently enamoured by Alvin, Viliam's pet bearded dragon.

Zia stays in bed for the next two days, while Aaria keeps up with her lectures. She apologises to Zia for being short with her.

FREDERIC

It is a lovely day in Nordhafen, and Frederic is a middle-aged orc on his way to work. Frederic works for Werder Shipment (owned by the Werder family), a trading company based in Nordhafen, through which goods pass from abroad and is dispersed throughout Benfer. Frederic is one of the higher-ups in terms of on-site security – one step away from management – and has the last 20 years worked on-site around the storage units. The site-manager is Krista Egger, a down-to-earth half-orc woman in her late fifties, who Frederic gets reasonably well along with.

Shortly after he takes up his station this morning, Frederic is called into Krista's office, where one of the higher-ups in the company overall, Rupert Hofberg, is waiting. Hofberg is a tall, gangly human in his thirties. He presents the following mission to Frederic:

A shipment of high-security goods have arrived from a research institute in Damaray, a country north of Benfer, and is to be delivered to Dr Bosant Schmidt at the Garrison in Waldstad. Krista has recommended Frederic for the position of Acting Head of the security team sent with the goods to oversee their delivery. A successful mission could mean a higher position within the company for Frederic, with double the pay he currently gets.

Frederic accepts the mission, and Hofberg leaves Krista to explain the details. Towards the end of the day, Frederic receives the following written brief:

Frederic ensures his parents will be well cared for in his absence, checking in with the neighbours and asking them to help out with anything necessary. On the morning he leaves, his mum, Hilda, makes him a sandwich and his dad, Gerome, tells Frederic not to worry, because Gerome has "looked after this family for forty years".

NIKO & VILIAM

Niko Warren receives the message with a splitting headache. He doesn't recognise any of the names, though he feels like he should. He is intrigued by the concept of "bullshit magic".

Before he does anything, however, he goes out to find breakfast. Swinging by Mrs Harder's bakery, he picks up two slightly-burned bread rolls. He shares one with Luna and keeps the other for later.

Next, he tracks down Slick and Dolly and sets Slick up with a job at the docks.

In the afternoon, he goes to check when the next caravan eastward leaves Nordhafen. While he examines the timetable and prices outside Safe Travels' offices, an elderly elf with an enormous beard comes by to also have a look. They talk, and the elf introduces himself as Viliam. Viliam offers Niko tea for the headache. They sit underneath the timetable and continue their conversation. Niko mentions Slick and Dolly, and wanting for Dolly to have a childhood. Viliam offers a place for her at the Temple of the Traveller.

When Niko suggests the Temple to Slick, Slick has strong opinions, but sulkily says he'll "think about it".

After speaking to Niko, Viliam goes to the Temple of the Traveller and speaks to the priests and priestesses about Slick and Dolly. One of the priestesses promises to look out for them and do what she can.

Before Niko leaves Nordhafen, he uses Luna as distraction and steals a top-hat and a cane from a gentleman outside a restaurant.

On the day of departure, he meets with Viliam and they set out together in advance of the caravan, so they can quietly merge with it as it catches up.

ON THE ROAD

The first day passes peacefully, with good weather. When the caravan pulls off the road to stop for the night, they set up at the same time as a dwarf with an enormous backpack and a sign that reads "GORMAND'S GIFTS". The most prominent of Gormand's wares are jars of preserved strawberries (5sp), packets of smoked pork strips (2sp), and silver jewellery. Frederic buys a packet of smoked pork strips and, upon eating them, gains 1 Temporary Hit Point.

The caravan sets up a large campfire. Aaria and Zia have food provided and receive porridge with honey. Viliam brews tea. Aaria recognises him, notices Luna, and is immediately enamoured. Frederic offers Luna pork, and Luna gains 1 Temporary Hit Point.

Aurora takes the time to talk to Gormand, asking about Waldstad and anyone he might have encountered there.

The following day, Aaria and Zia come out to walk alongside the caravan for a little while. While Zia cuddles with Luna, Viliam notices a cloud of dust quickly approaching on the caravan's trail.

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Notes: Session #0

Summary: Rogan Underbite travels to Waldstad, learns of the Aerfleet Plant, and breaks an invisible boundary.

The session starts in Gre'gel, in the workshop of Rogan Underbite (PC), a dwarven engineer and inventor renowned for experimenting with flying contraptions. In Rogan's company is Luca Myrk (NPC), a long-serving half-elven doctor of the Benfer Army currently stationed in Gre'gel due to the unrest and ambushes in the surrounding Gilpfel Mountains, and Wish (NPC), a tiefling engineer who has come halfway across the world to see Rogan.

Wish has only been around for a couple of days, having left her companions, Zia (PC) and Aaria (PC) at the Bardic College in Nordhafen. Luca, on the other hand, is a good friend of Rogan's. The two have worked together on multiple occasions to develop various tools for Luca's practice, especially in recent time as Luca prepares to leave the army, marry a doctor from Nordhafen (Aurora, PC), and settle down.

Tonight, Rogan is making plans for an expedition to Waldstad, a town – barely large enough to be called such – a few days' travel from Gre'gel. His research indicates there might be some natural resource there he might harvest in order to get his flying contraptions off the ground, so to speak. Wish offers to accompany him, and Luca has a few days off and decides to accompany them.

During her time in Gre'gel, Wish is staying with a wealthy patron, Lady Adelaide Merrill (NPC), and upon mentioning the expedition, the Lady expresses a wish to join them, as her family used to run some business in Waldstad and she should like to visit again.

In the morning, the party sets out.

In Waldstad, they take rooms at the Perlen Tavern. Rogan makes enquiries, and eventually finds his way to the Herbarium – an overgrown building with a few loose tiles, ivy, and a veritable jungle inside. Rogan takes the time to repair the loose tiles, and the proprietor, Maggie, a red-haired half-elven woman, emerges. She is happy for it to be repaired, as her landlord has made no move to repair any of the issues yet.

Rogan finishes with the tiles. Inside, Maggie offers tea as thanks. In return, he offers to make any other repairs. (In the morning, he fixes a leaky tap in the bathroom.) From Maggie, Rogan learns of a lily-like flower called an Aerfleet Plant. Supposedly, this plant can be used to create a substance that helps constructs fly. As far as Maggie is aware, it grows best north of the Flachwasser, the river that runs north of the woods encircling Waldstad. There is an old path through the woods in the north-western corner of the town, to where there used to be a bridge. Whether it's there still, she doesn't know.

Rogan spends the night with Maggie. In the morning, they express a mutual desire to see each other again, then Rogan leaves, gathers his travelling companions, and sets out to find the Flachwasser.

After an hour of trudging along a partially overgrown path through the Walden, they reach the slope down to the banks of the Flachwasser. It's 30 feet across, and the majority of the bridge seems to have either collapsed into the river or been scavenged. Rogan lays his foldable travel ladder across and, after some poking about, discovers an invisible wall running along the centre of the river.

The party is attacked by a spectral being and, despite their bests efforts, are consumed by it. Rogan is the last to be captured, and in his final moments his mind expands and reaches for anyone who might hear him: "If anyone can hear me, we need help. Some bullshit magic north of Waldstad. It's got Luca, Wish, Adelaide, and me. Come find us."

In the late morning of Nordhafen, five people hear the message: Niko Warren (PC), a homeless wizard; Aaria (PC), a travelling bard; Zia (PC), a travelling story collector; Aurora (PC), a doctor looking forward to her wedding; and Frederic (PC), a mercenary guard on his way to work.

There are no traces left of Rogan and his party, except a 2-foot crack in the invisible wall, right where the bridge ends.

STAT BLOCKS: Luca Myrk, Wish, Adelaide Merrill

[kalh-plays-dnd]

Directory

#player character (#rogan underbite, #aurora nyx, #aaria, #zia taleweaver, #frederick, #niko warren, #viliam)

#npc (#luca myrk, #adelaide merrill, #wish, #maggie the herbalist, #granny peacock, #sylvia the barmaid, #hyacinth paeleiros, #mother morelle, #aamira ok'oree)

#divine champions (#viliam, #mara the lord of water, #velaldel the lord of fire, #alarion the lord of earth, #kumar rao the lord of air)

#lore (#macawra, #fundat, #cantata)

#session notes cc