(S031) Stop Hitting Yourself

Interrogating a distrusted Beast and cracking an ancient Netherese journal, the party takes a quivering plunge into a mirror realm to conquer metallic reflections of themselves and claim legendary treasures.

📝 Session Summary

The Wild Cards were called The Menagerie by some until they came up with the name The Wild Cards.

• Barlo: A grizzled tabaxi barbarian who has been doing some work for a network that one should be wary of.
• Bastion: An orphan human who spent his life studying magic and blades, even though his elder pushed him away from the sword. He replaced Reginald.
• Calliope: This bardic faun joined the party late when she needed to find help to save her homeland.
• Reginald: A leonin cleric who was off to show his family's royal background and would later find out there were secrets leading to him becoming a king.
• Sas: A tortle hermit was given an item of power and a quest.
• Shadow in the Snow: This tabaxi got a coin, and her curiosity set her on a path.

🎬 Scenes

• Scene 1: Barlo's Backstory — From The Bronze Canyon in Kampos. Gave up Tabaxi name, "Smiles". Help move people. On way to Eushia to help Black Road with a client. Currently on ship near Carrune.
• Scene 2: Bastion's Backstory — When Bastion Bladesinger was very young he lost both of his parents to a plague. He took care of himself as he taught himself how to use the rapier his father once wore. He lived in Dyrt and watched all of the great knights. He also had an interest in the ways of magic and he wished he could do both – use swords and excel in magic – like many elves he had heard about.
• Scene 3: Calliope's Backstory — Calliope was born into the nestled highlands of the Oraniad Mountains. The Skola Vale, wild and free, blessed by the gods and inhabited by whimsical Satyr and Faun. Deep within it among the lush valley, reside the Dawngreets, a long generational line of storytellers and lore keepers.
• Scene 4: Reginald's Backstory — He was born at home, a modest-sized mansion where his family lived a modest means – even though his father could never stop talking about how they were royalty and yet this was the only lands they currently possess. His childhood was generally a happy one full of several friends. He was an only child.
• Scene 5: Sas' Backstory — Sas was born on the continent of Oth'Mar – a content mostly inhabited by Tortles and is far to the south of the Carrune Isles.
• Scene 6: Shadow's Backstory — Deep in the snowy mountains high in the north, there lived a large group of Tabaxi, The Blinding Wild Clan.

📜 Missions & Quests

• Completed:
  • Established individual party origins and initial connections to the world of Dierde.
• Active / Discovered Threads:
  • Barlo's ties to the smuggling rings and the Black Road.
  • Bastion's mysterious past and fallout with Grognard.
  • Calliope's quest to save the Skola Vale.
  • Reginald's pursuit of his family's royal mint commission and claim in Neyer.
  • Sas's vision of the Cat Goddess Bast and journey to find her lost lands.
  • Shadow's golden coin and mystical calling from her clan shaman.

NPCs

S031: Stop Hitting Yourself

Date: 2022-05-20

Short

This session sees the Mighty Menagerie grappling with ghosts of the past and literal reflections of themselves. As they delve into the secrets of a mysterious Netherese journal, they must decide who to trust in the shifting reality of the Feywild. Their journey leads them to a confrontation with a cosmic observer, Tharros the Wanderer, who tests their mettle against their own abilities.

Summary

Following their escape from the Meenlock tunnels, the party took a moment to breathe and interrogate Brother of Shadow Belly of a Beast. The air was thick with tension as Shadow in the Snow made her distrust of the Tabaxi clear, citing his past betrayals for the sake of a mysterious book. Barlo pressed for news of his sister, Mellow, only to find that time in the Feywild had muddled the timeline—Beast had lost her to the villainous Bargle and a Warlock of Tharizdun months ago.

The focus shifted to the Journal of Grognard, a magically and mechanically sealed Wizard’s book. Through a combination of Barlo’s lockpicking, his mysterious ancient music sheets, and Calliope’s musical talent, the book was opened. Inside, they found blueprints for an Adventurer Class Airship written in Loross, an ancient Netherese tongue. To keep the book safe, the party executed a ruse: they sent Beast and the rescued Dryad back to Skola Vale, letting Beast believe Bastion held the journal while Sas actually hid it within her shell.

Their trek through the Feywild led them to a chrome-brick well filled with quicksilver. After several experimental attempts—resulting in the familiar Princess being shunted between planes and the bear Arktos falling into a deep magical slumber—the party plunged in. They were transported to a surreal, orange-hued mirror chamber to meet Tharros the Wanderer. Tharros revealed he had been observing them and challenged them to a grueling battle against Metallic Mimics—liquid reflections of the party themselves. Emerging victorious, the group felt a surge of new power, reaching Level 7, and claimed a hoard of legendary treasures before continuing their hunt for the Hag.

Scenes

Interrogation of the Beast

The party learned that Barlo's sister, Mellow, was captured by Bargle and a Satyr Warlock. Beast claimed he only wanted the book to trade for her life.

The Musical Cipher

Barlo provided old, torn music sheets of unknown origin. Calliope matched the chords to the mechanical melody of Grognard’s Journal, successfully unlocking the Netherese artifacts within.

The Shell Game

Deeply distrusting Beast, the party staged a deception. They sent him back to the village for "safekeeping" while Sas secretly stowed the Airship blueprints in her shell.

The Quicksilver Well

In the Feywild fields, the party discovered a metallic well. Arktos touched the liquid and fell into a deep sleep, forcing the party to leave him behind temporarily as they entered the portal.

The Trial of Tharros

The party met Tharros the Wanderer, who dismissed their previous "Monster Hunting Guide" as a fake. He forced the party to fight metallic versions of themselves.

A Massive Windfall

After defeating the mimics, the party discovered a chest containing

• Flame Tongue Shortsword
• Instrument of the Bards (Cli Lyre/Pan Flute)
• Bracers of the Illusionist & Ring of Protection
• Amulet of Health & Animated Shield
• 200 Platinum Pieces and various potions.

Level Up

The group successfully reached Level 7 through the experience gained in the chrome chamber.

NPCs

Bargle

Bargle is an "evil" wizard from the world of Mystara . A pale-skinned Human with a well-manicured goatee who appears to be the leader of the enemies in the Grand Chamber. He was expecting the party and expresses disappointment that a Red Dragon did not stop them. He finds Barlo's name amusing. He was first seen the Ziggurat of Tharizdun, below Skola Vale . He is later named on the Lord of the End of Everything documents found in the Floating Keep of Tharros Near Outding in what appeared to be the handwriting of Tharros the Wanderer

Grognard

An adventurer and friend of Bastion's parents who originally owned the Stone Skin Brooch before giving it to Bastion's mother. He was also a storyteller from Barlo's youth who took Barlo in as a boy and told tales of grand adventures, including slaying dragons and fighting harpies. He left Barlo's community before Bastion was born.

Brother of Shadow Belly of a Beast

Beast is a tabaxi and a brother to Shadow. He has a roguish background and a relationship with Barlo's sister, " "Mellow"". It seems he and Shadow stole a book, later revealed to be Journal of Grognard, Meenlock Caves

Fistandia

A powerful mage, priest of Mystra. She is also the "author" of The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces, a magic item that is linked to a permanent mansion... and now much more due to tinkering by Pradam Estorich

Mellow Robin "Mellow"

Barlo 's sister who was dating Brother of Shadow, Belly of a Beast and later captured.

Sister of Barlo, Sapphire Branch "Branch"

Another sibling of Barlos.

Satyr Warlock of Tharizdun

When the party went into the Ziggurat they met this satyr who was a devoted follower of Tharizdun.

Tharros the Wanderer

This powerful wizard had many hidden locations that the party continued to come across. Here it seems he has them fight metallic mimics of themselves.

Deodara

This dryad was also being held by the meenlocks for some reason.

Metallic Mimics

These mimics were very much like the party.

Locations

Meenlock Caverns Skola Vale, Feywild Side

A claustrophobic network of twisting, constricting passageways with a low ceiling about six feet high. The walls occasionally shake and dirt falls as if something is bumping from the other side. The main chamber contained the mean locks' lair with refuse from the dead, haphazard beddings, and two prisoners chained to the walls. A Dryad's glowing leaves provided the only natural light in the darkness.

Feywild

The magical plane where the caverns are located. The landscape subtly changes over time, and the light has an unusual quality that makes it difficult to discern the passage of time. The party emerged from the caverns to find the light different than when they entered, and witnessed strange V-formation creatures flying low across the fields.

Metallic "Water Well" in the Feywild

A well that the party came across that made them "fall asleep".

Feywild Forest North of Skola Vale

A forest they explored a bit of.

Feywild Fields North of Skola Vale

An area of the Feywild that the party explored.

Kampos

A heavily forested Western continent with mostly fey or anthropomorphic humanoids.

Skola Vale

A large area that exists both on the material plane and the feywild.

Spider Forest of the Feywild

This forest in the feywild was full of various spider creatures.

The Dark Rain Forest

A large forest on Kampos, its growth is fueled by the feywild connection of Skola Vale.

Village of Skola Vale

The main connection of the Skola Vale into the Material Plane.

Items

Journal of Grognard, Meenlock Caves

The Mighty Menagerie found this elaborate locked book in the meenlock caves.

They were able to open it and solve its first riddle.

This book is undecipherable and was found in the possession of the Meenlocks. Shadow's brother seems very concerned and interested in this book.

Rewards

Flame Tongue Shortsword
Instrument of the Bards (Cli Lyre/Pan Flute)
Bracers of the Illusionist & Ring of Protection
Amulet of Health & Animated Shield
200 Platinum Pieces and various potions.

Notes

NEED THIS!!!

Exported from GMAssistant on 2026-08-16