Session 3 - The Emerald Temple

 Hex 5612 - The Domes (Temple District of Lydonia)

The Emerald Temple, home to the Hand of the Six

The trio wile away the rest of the afternoon under a tree watching the comings and goings of people in and out of the Emerald Temple.

“So if I’m going to desecrate a holy temple of my God with you,” Norabria asks Orren, “I feel like I should get to know you a bit, especially if this is not your first time sneaking into places. Your accent sounds pretty southern.”

“My people are from the grasslands of Kyzia,” Orren says, “expert horseriders and bowmen. But I grew up in the city of Alkesh, even further to the South. A rich and opulent city, even wealthier than this one, but as much a prison as it is a palace. On every side of it are vast and impossibly hot sands, so to live there is to be trapped.”

“I have heard of it. You are so far from there, did you brave the desert?”

“Not… quite.” Orren chews his lip. “Much like the leytappers here, there are magi in Alkesh. I sought my fortune in the treasure hall of a mage, and narrowly escaped with my life through a portal that dropped me in… what was that town, Rodo?”

“Estinn, on the Northern coast,” Rodolfio says. “An ugly place, stinking of fish and fell worship.”

“Yes, that was it: Estinn. I hired Rodolfio to bring me here, and along the way we discovered common ground. Now we seek fortune and virtuous deeds, if we can find them.”

Rodolfio rolls his eyes a bit, but there’s amusement in them. “Well… fortune at least. I’m a little past my prime for ambitious deeds.”

“Your wisdom and caution will forever be of great benefit to us, Rodolfio,” Orren says warmly.

Norabria finds herself liking these two. And the sun begins to set through the trees, layering everything in leafy shadow and glow.

They watch the evening glow turn into twilight, as elves move about, activating glowmoths among the hanging lanterns of trees.

• Oracle question: is the acolyte entrance watched throughout the night?

Oracle Roll: 12. It is.

“Things seem to be slowing down at the acolyte entrance,” Orren points out. “We should be able to make our move soon.”

Rodolfio peers through the door from across the square. “That scrawny fella’s been just inside for awhile now. Some people he lets through, but others, he asks them something.”

“A password, maybe?”

“I heard you say you mastered the power of sleep,” Orren looks to Norabria. “Care to try it out?”

“I suppose. Let’s wait until it’s even quieter and there’s no-one about. It may just seem like he’s just fallen asleep.”

They approach the entrance from the side, trying to stay out of sight. Norabria begins whispering soothing words near the entrance.

Spellcasting check: 13+4, success.

Orren peeks in to find the acolyte sleeping soundly. He turns back with a grin and a thumbs-up, and then leads them tiptoeing into the Temple, carefully listening and scouting ahead. They see a hallway past what look like storerooms.

“We’re looking for some sort of library, I assume?” he looks at Nora.

“Past the central temple dome, I believe. One level up.”

• Rolling a random room: treasure protected by a hazard (vapors)

They find some stairs and ascend to a landing that splits towards several rooms. They can hear voices from the main temple. Rodolfio points opposite. “Look at this,” he says.

They peek in.

“A contemplation room,” Nora says, sniffing. “Adherents inhale the vapors and contemplate the secrets in the Mirror of Mysteries.”

“Is it worth something?” Rodolfio asks.

“I suppose, but it’s a good way to get into more trouble than we may be able to get out of, if we’re lugging around stolen loot.”

“Let’s pass for now,” Orren says.

“I’ll confess, there are magical scrolls here that I greatly desire.”

“Noted.”

• Rolling a random room: Solo monster - Mighty Spellcaster (Denubrius the Visaged)
• Denubrious is studying in the Arcane foyer, sorting spells.
• Wisdom check to notice the PCs.

Denubrius WIS check: 19+2=21 vs Orren's DEX stealth: 8/7+2=10 stealth

The wizened elf looks up.

“Who are you? What are you doing here? This is a sacred study, not even the acolytes are allowed in here!”

“My apologies, eminence!” Orren holds up his hands. “We were delivering ink and candles to the stores and got lost!”

Denubrius WIS check: 13+2=15 vs Orren's CHA: natural 17. Orren successfully convinces Denubrius.

“Foolish peons. Back down the stairs with you!”

They make a big show of acquiescing and descend back down the stairs.

“That was close!” Rodolfio says.

“Glad we weren’t carrying that mirror,” adds Nora. “But did you see? I think he was sorting spell scrolls.”

“Maybe if we hide in a store-room and wait a bit, he’ll be gone?” Orren says, peeking into a side room.

• Rolling a random room: Solo monster - Sneaky brute (Somil the Cook)
• He’s sorting things in the store-room, and hard to see

Orren WIS check: 12. He just spots Somil as he's putting the evening's leftovers onto the shelves.

Orren hustles them all towards opposite shelving, crouching down.

“If he gets close, try and sleep him.” 

Somil's WIS check: 2 vs. Orren's DEX hide: 9/20+2=22
Nora DEX hide: 15, Rodolfio DEX hide: 13

• Somil wanders out of the storeroom. The PCs wait for a bit, triggering a possible random encounter.

Random Encounter roll: 4. Nothing

• Oracle check. Has Denubrius left the study?

Oracle check: 18. He has.

They slip up the stairs again.

“I think he’s gone, but he’s locked the door behind him,” Orren whispers, listening at the door and peering at it. “Nora, let me see that dagger.”

Nora hands Orren her thin mage’s dagger. Orren fiddles at the doorlock.

Lockpick check: 8/2+2=10. Not good enough.

“No good. We’ll need a key, or at least better tools.”

“Let’s go to the library,” Nora suggests.

• Rolling a Temple Encounter for the heck of it.

Temple Encounter: 30. Movement darts inside the boarded-up ruins of a church.

• They’re inside the temple, so it just means they’re not alone in the library. An Ordian guardian watches the library at night.
• I decide it’s a summoned Imp, the librarian successfully summoned it to help her sort books.

Imp DEX sneak: 20+3=23 vs Orren/Nora/Rodo WIS checks: 13/2+1/6. They don't see it.
Reaction roll: 8. Suspicious

The Great Library of Ord

 

They move into the candlelit library, oblivious to the winged shape peering at them from atop the bookstacks. They begin to move about, peering at spines of books.

“Monsters… witches… where are the anthropologia, or the fey lore. Hmm”

• It’ll take them a few rounds to find something. The imp decides they’re up to no good, and decided to try to sting Nora, maybe because of lingering Hand of Six resentment.

Imp attack roll: 7+3=10. That beats her AC of 9 (oof)
2 damage and a dc12 CON or fall asleep for 1d4 hours
Nora CON roll: 14. She's okay for now.

“Ow!” Nora cries. A bat-winged creature swoops from the stacks and has stung her. “Get off!”

• Initiative: Imp’s at 20, Orren at 18, Nora at 12, Rodolfio at 5
• The Imp might assume that Nora’s about to fall asleep, so goes after Orren

Imp attack roll: 10+3=13, that's a hit
1 damage and dc12 CON for Orren
Orren CON roll: natural 13. He's okay too.

“Bastard! He’s stinging me now!”

Orren draws his shortsword and takes a stab at the imp.

Orren attack: 17 unadjusted. Hit!
2 damage on the imp (from 9 down to 7)

Nora doesn’t want to set the library on fire, so positions herself to catch both the imp and Orren in a sleep spell.

Spellcasting check: 10+4. Sleep goes off.

She weaves her sleep spell and Orren and the imp both collapse to the ground.

Rodolfio looks about for a cage or something to trap the imp while it’s asleep.

“Just kill it!” Nora whispers. “It’s a summoned being, it shouldn’t leave a corpse.”

Rodolfio uses his action to gently pull Orren away from the imp and shake him awake, covering his mouth to keep him quiet.

“Hmmmph. Mmph?” Orren asks, blinking. “That sting puts you to sleep?”

“No, that was my spell,” Nora whispers. Can you kill that thing?

• Random encounter check to see if the noise drew anyone to the library.

Random Encounter check: 5. Nothing.

Orren nods and raises his shortsword over the creature. He looks at Rodolfio, who readies his spear. Rodolfio nods.

Orren attack (with advantage because the imp is unconscious): 16, a hit, with sneak attack.
7 damage. Enough to kill the imp.

Orren stabs the imp clean through. It lets out a shriek and then shrivels up and disappears in a puff of sulfur. They sit back, panting. Nora and Orren check their wounds.

“Hell of a nasty welt. And some sort of venom. But perhaps it’s too weak to do anything?”

“Perhaps,” Nora says. “Let’s make it quick and keep searching for books.”

• Two more rounds go by. That’s another possible random encounter.
• Also check if the Imp has any sort of treasure

Possible treasure (3:6): 6. It does!
Treasure (0-3): 60 - bundle of five red dragon scales
Encounter Check: 3. Safe

Rodolfio finds a makeshift cubby the Imp likes to hang out in.

“What do we have here? These looks valuable.”

Nora comes over. “Dragon scales! Those certainly are. Can be used as reagents, or decorate. Fireproof, too.”

“Nice.” He pockets them.

• First XP awarded! 25gp worth of dragon scales nets the team 1 xp each. 9 to go!
• At this point, the team has been searching for a bit. Nora finds the book.

“Look at this, I think I’ve found a book! It’s called Woodfolk of the Wilds.” she whispers.

They crowd around, bringing it over to some candlelight to peer closer.

“Ugh… is that what she looks like?” Rodolfio says.

Illustration of a Weald Hag

• Rolling a prompt to determine the Witch’s weakness.

91 and 40. "Banish Disgust" Perhaps it is repulsed by something? Maybe an item of banishment? That seems narratively promising.

“Oh by the Lost, it says it feeds on pain,” Nora says. “That must be why it kidnaps children and makes changelings. And it can look like anyone it wants to. But if you touch her, you can feel her barkish skin.”

“Hmm… any weaknesses?”

Nora keeps reading. “It’s repulsed by a dryad’s mirror, apparently? Which forces it back into treeform. Then it is vulnerable to axe and fire.”

“Where are we going to find a dryad’s mirror?” Rodolfio wonders.

“In a dryad’s bedchamber, of course,” Orren chuckles, elbowing the halfling.

Nora closes the book, and ponders taking it.

“Ord forgive me,” she whispers. “But our cause is good.” She places it in her satchel. Then she rubs the welt from the Imp’s stinger.

“If we could get back into that scroll study,” she says to Orren. “There is a spell of armoring I would greatly desire to have.”

“That old priest probably has the key, but I can try again with your dagger.”

“Maybe there’s sewing and book-binding needles in the librarian’s desk?” Rodolfio suggests.

“Excellent idea!”

• Adding book to Nora’s inventory
• Are there makeshift lockpicks in the Librarian’s Desk?

Oracle check: 17. There are!

Orren moves to the desk, where various books are in different states of repair.

“Hmm, yes, tweezers and some needles. Nice thinking, Rodo.”

“I’m not just a pretty face,” Rodolfio winks.

• Adding “makeshift lockpicks” to Orren’s inventory
• Checking for Random Encounter on the way back to the Scroll Study

Random Encounter check: 1. An Encounter occurs!
They stumble into an acolyte (Temple encounter table wasn't yielding anything good). Near, Eating, Suspicious

Heading back to the landing, an acolyte ascends the stairs, eating a roll of bread. His eyes widen in alarm.

• Initiative order: Orren 19, Rodolfio 16, Nora 13, Acolyte 4

“Hey, uh…” Orren says, trying to think of an excuse. He almost reaches for his sword, but he doesn’t want to kill this guy. “We’re from the extermination guild? Heard you had an imp problem?”

The acolyte blinks.

Orren CHA check: 15 vs Acolyte WIS check: 5+2=7

“Oh! uh… that’s the librarian’s. He’s not really a pest. I mean, he is, but… Should I take you to the librarian?”

“We know the way, but we’re worried it may have summoned more, or worse,” Rodolfio says authoritatively. “We need to get into the Scroll Study, too.”

The acolyte gets suspicious again. “That’s Denubrius’s study. Not even acolytes like me are allowed in there.”

“Well it’s official business,” Nora attempts. “We’re asking everyone to stay in their rooms until we sort out any possible diabolistic ramifications.”

“Oh. Oh Ord, I suppose that makes sense,” the acolyte stammers. He heads back down the stairs. The trio turn back to the door.

“I feel like we’re starting to run out of time. And believeable bullshittery,” Rodolfio says, watching the stairs.

“Right,” Orren settles himself, kneeling back by the door to the Scroll Study.

Orren DEX check for lockpicking (now normal with picks): 13+2. Success!
Room Check: 1. Empty

He digs in with needle and tweezers, and there’s a click. He carefully turns the handle and opens the door to the study, peeking in. It’s empty.

“Yes!” Nora says, elated. She slips in and starts digging through scrolls. Many are unintelligible or not yet interpreted.

• Oracle: Is there a scroll of Mage Armor in this study?

Oracle Check: 1. Nope! But there's a random spell I suppose.
Random Spell: 1. Alarm

Nora clucks her tongue. “Hmm. Not much, just a spell on setting an Alarm. Oh well.” She puts it into her satchel.

• Adding spell scroll to Nora’s inventory. Between that and the picks, that’s probably worth another 1xp for everyone.

“Let’s get out of here!” Rodolfio says. The other two nod.

• Random Encounter Check to make it back out, and then Oracle Question: Is the guard outside still asleep?

Random Encounter Check: 4. All Clear
Oracle Check: 12. Guard still asleep

The three sneak out of the Emerald Temple and return to Nora’s small apartment, quite late into the night. Having already eaten rations, they get a full night’s rest, healing the imp’s wounds.

• Restoring HPs to full.

Hex 5612 - The Domes District

“I feel like we should set up somewhere else in town after a theft like that,” Rodolfio says.

“I wonder who would know where to find a Dryad? Or her mirror?” Orren muses.

Rodolfio thinks. “I suppose folks at the Wolf Lodge might know, given how they’re always ranging out into the woods.”

“Will you guys be quiet?” Nora says at the other half of the table, her spellbook spread out and making notes. “I’m trying to learn this spell.”

• Nora has to study for a day and then make a DC15 INT check.

“Why don’t you stay here and work on that, Rodolfio and I will check in with the Lodge.”

“Do you think these dragon scales are enough for a suit of chainmail?” Rodolfio asks. Orren looks at them dubiously.

 

• Next: Session 4 - The Wolf Lodge and the Willow