(S040) Beneath River's Keep

Navigating Jacoby's trap-filled quarters, the party uncovers dark Residuum research, defeats a mimic, and steps through a mirror portal into a fierce battle against the wizard and a stone golem to rescue Sas's father Solec.

📝 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

S040: Beneath River's Keep

Date: 2022-11-04

Short

After Barlo and Shadow secured their defeated enemies, chaos erupted when an accidentally awakened prisoner forced a brief combat. During the aftermath, as Sas reconnected with her freed father, a seemingly rescued Leonin prisoner named Kryrez suddenly teleported away with him, leaving the party stunned. Investigation revealed Kryrez had never been a true prisoner—his cell contained mechanisms for easy escape. Jacoby then contacted Sas telepathically, demanding a book hidden in her shell in exchange for her father, offering either a dangerous teleportation route or a long journey to Eushia. The party also discovered that Bajol, another silent Leonin, was actually an illusion-covered construct spying for Jacoby. After freeing Barlo's sister Mellow (who immediately left to find her love), restraining Bajol, and navigating multiple deadly traps protecting Jacoby's quarters, the party uncovered crucial intelligence: notes about the Arcane Order's manipulation of Reginald's family, research on Residuum (a powerful magical element created from black Chardalyn crystals), and mysterious references to mind flayers and Ship's Haven. They defeated a Mimic disguised as a chest and discovered a functional portal mirror leading to Jacoby's lair.

After resting in a conjured mansion and preparing for battle, the party activated the portal and confronted Jacoby, who held Sas's father captive with a stone golem behind an invisible barrier. When negotiations failed, Bastion teleported past the barrier and transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex, grappling Jacoby while Calliope countered his devastating fireball spell. Shadow's arrows broke Jacoby's concentration on the force shield, allowing the full party to engage. Through coordinated attacks—including Calliope's cloud of magical daggers, Barlo grappling and toppling the golem, and Artie restraining the construct—the party defeated Jacoby and shattered the stone golem when Shadow's arrow struck its weakest point. With Sas's father finally freed and their tormentor defeated, the party stood victorious, though many mysteries remained about the book's secrets, Residuum, and the strange artifacts they had discovered.

Summary

As Barlo and Shadow worked to move the bodies of their defeated enemies into the cages, a mishap occurred when Barlo accidentally let one slip, causing the prisoner to wake with a start. A brief but intense combat ensued as the party scrambled to subdue the awakened captive and secure the others. Once the chaos settled and some prisoners were locked away while others were dispatched, the group finally had a moment to breathe. During this respite, Sas took the opportunity to speak with her father, beginning to reconnect after their long separation. Among the freed prisoners was a Leonin named Kryrez, who slowly made his way through the group, his intentions unclear and causing Shadow to grow increasingly wary. Before anyone could react, Kryrez thanked the party and reached out toward Sas's father, and in an instant, both vanished in a flash of teleportation magic. Calliope, still in her bat form, was unable to intervene with a counterspell, leaving the party stunned and helpless as Sas's father was taken from them once more.

The party remained in the chamber with Mellow, Barlo's sister, who had been freed, and Bajol, a silent Leonin who stood motionless and unresponsive. Determined to understand what had just happened, Barlo rushed to investigate the cell where Kryrez had been held. He discovered that the bed appeared barely used and suspiciously new, and upon closer inspection of the cell bars, he found a hidden mechanism that would allow someone to unlock the door easily from the inside. This revelation suggested that Kryrez had never truly been a prisoner at all, but rather an accomplice in some larger scheme. Sas, meanwhile, examined her father's former cell and found fragments of his damaged shell scattered about, along with various furs indicating the cell had housed many different creatures over time. She carefully collected the shell pieces, placing them in her bag of holding, sensing they might prove useful later.

It was then that Sas heard a voice echo in her mind—the unmistakable telepathic contact of Jacoby. He informed her that he now held her father captive and demanded the book that her brother had once possessed, the one she had hidden in her shell. Jacoby claimed he wanted the book for the secrets it contained and offered Sas two paths to reach him: a dangerous quick route through his room via a teleportation device, or a long journey of many days to the distant city of Eushia. Sas relayed this information to the party, and they used magic to determine whether Jacoby was lying, but the divination revealed it was very doubtful he was being dishonest. The party's attention then turned to Bajol, the silent Leonin who had remained eerily still throughout the ordeal. When Shadow slapped him to test his nature, her hand struck something as hard as rock, and Bajol retaliated with a powerful bludgeoning strike that sent her reeling. Further magical investigation revealed that Bajol was not a living creature at all, but rather a construct covered by an illusion spell, and he was actively sending messages to Jacoby, serving as a spy.

With this disturbing revelation, the party freed Mellow from the magical bracelet that had been suppressing her powers. Barlo worked carefully to pick the intricate lock, and when the bracelet finally fell away, Mellow expressed her gratitude but immediately announced her intention to leave and find her love, a figure she called "the beast," who was waiting at the Skola Vale. Despite Barlo's concerns for her safety, Mellow insisted she had not seen her beloved in over three years and could not wait any longer. She vanished, leaving the party to deal with the remaining threats. They attempted to contain Bajol by using magic to transform a metal bar into restraints that wrapped around his legs, then sealed the area behind a conjured iron door, hoping to prevent him from following or reporting their movements.

Before proceeding further, Sas used a magical scroll to contact their distant allies, Lars and Ursa, sending a brief message to ensure they were safe and to inform them that Jacoby was still alive. Ursa responded, confirming they were well and had heard news of Jacoby from Jeets, one of their companions. Shadow then retrieved Artie, her loyal owlbear companion, who squeezed through the tight tunnels to rejoin the group, though he was slightly singed by flames in one of the passages. With their party reassembled, they turned their attention to Jacoby's private quarters, knowing that the path ahead would be fraught with danger.

The entrance to Jacoby's room was heavily trapped and secured. Barlo carefully investigated the first door, finding it locked, and when he managed to unlock it, a trap triggered, sending poisoned darts flying toward him. His instincts saved him as he dodged the projectiles, which struck the wall and oozed a sickly green substance. Beyond the door lay a hallway that led to a second door bearing a warning plaque that read, "if you see this, you shouldn't be here." Barlo discovered that this door was protected by both a mechanical and a magical lock, as well as a gas trap. He successfully disarmed the trap, collecting the vial of gas for later use, and the party used two magical chimes to unlock both the mechanical and magical seals. When the door finally opened, Barlo stepped forward and triggered yet another trap—a pressure plate that unleashed writhing purple and black tentacles that reached for him. Once again, his reflexes saved him, and after a tense minute, the tentacles receded, allowing the party to proceed.

Inside Jacoby's private room, they found a sad and lonely space containing a bed, a desk covered in notes and objects, and a chest. Bastion immediately set to work examining the desk, uncovering a wealth of critical information. Among the notes were details about the Arcane Order's manipulation of Reginald's family, revealing that they had helped Reginald's uncle gain power but later turned against him when he became too arrogant, restoring the kingdom to Reginald's father as punishment. Bastion also discovered a notebook describing a rare and powerful element called Residuum, which could substitute for any spell material component and was central to two ancient, outlawed spells that could disenchant and enchant magical items. The notebook detailed Jacoby's research into manufacturing Residuum from black Chardalyn crystals, which the party realized were the mysterious black stones they had been finding throughout their journey. Additionally, Bastion found a strange drawing featuring symbols associated with mind flayers and the words "Ship's Haven," a city on Karsus, as well as a brass and gold dodecahedron covered in intricate magical runes whose purpose remained unclear.

As Barlo investigated the chest in the room, it suddenly animated, revealing itself to be a Mimic. The creature's sticky pseudopods grappled Barlo, but he managed to break free, and the party quickly dispatched the monster with a combination of Shadow's burning sword and Bastion's rapier strikes. Within the Mimic's remains, they found a small cache of electrum coins. Barlo then turned his attention to the bed, discovering a hidden mechanism that caused it to rise like a Murphy bed, revealing a stairwell descending into a secret chamber. The party descended and found themselves in a room containing a transportation circle, complete with runes on the floor, a raised platform, and an ornate, unbroken mirror with small cubby holes on its sides. They recognized the setup as a portal, similar to one they had encountered in Tharos's hideout in the Underdark, though this mirror was whole and functional.

Recognizing the danger of what lay ahead, the party decided to rest and prepare. Bastion used a scroll to conjure a magnificent extra-dimensional mansion, a grand castle with luxurious accommodations, where the party could safely take a long rest. During this time, Bastion reconfigured his magical ring to store new spells, Calliope spent hours carefully tattooing a magical mark onto her arm using glowing ink, granting her enhanced accuracy with ranged weapons, and Shadow attuned to her crystal longbow, discovering it would grant her attacks additional force damage. Barlo practiced his lockpicking skills, and the entire party recovered their strength, knowing they would need every advantage for the confrontation to come.

When they were ready, Sas received another telepathic message from Jacoby, instructing her to speak specific words to the mirror to activate the portal. The party gathered, including Artie, and spoke the incantation. The mirror shimmered and glowed, and they leaped through the portal, emerging in a room with greenish stonework and glowing elements. Before them stood Jacoby, his younger self beside him, and Sas's father, held captive by a massive stone golem. Jacoby revealed his desire for the book, claiming it contained secrets put together by Captain Meklan and Jariah Kronamenser, and that it had tormented Barlo and helped him locate Sas's father, who had been hiding his mind for years. When the party refused to surrender the book, Jacoby threatened to have the golem crush Sas's father.

Barlo immediately attempted to grapple the golem's arm to free Sas's father, but he slammed into an invisible barrier that surrounded Jacoby and his captive. The party frantically tried various spells and tactics to penetrate the barrier, but nothing seemed to work. In a moment of desperate inspiration, Bastion used a teleportation spell to bypass the barrier, appearing directly above Jacoby, and then transformed himself into a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex, crashing down onto the wizard and grappling him in his enormous jaws. The impact was not enough to break Jacoby's concentration on the force shield, but it did bring the fight directly to him. Calliope, thinking quickly, cast a spell that caused the T-Rex to dance uncontrollably, forcing Jacoby to escape the grapple, but Bastion managed to bite down on him again, dealing significant damage.

Jacoby retaliated by casting a powerful slowing magic that affected several members of the party, reducing their speed and limiting their actions. He then attempted to unleash a devastating fireball, but Calliope reacted instantly, countering the spell and saving the party from certain destruction. Shadow fired arrows that struck Jacoby, breaking his concentration on the force shield and allowing the rest of the party to join the fray. Sas transformed into a giant vulture to attack from above, while Barlo grappled the stone golem's arm and shoved it to the ground, making it prone. Calliope conjured a swirling cloud of magical daggers that began to cut into both Jacoby and his golem, dealing continuous damage.

The battle raged on, with Bastion casting additional magic to enhance his abilities and striking Jacoby with powerful attacks. Jacoby, weakened and bloodied, attempted to maintain his defenses, but the relentless assault from the party proved too much. As he stood within the cloud of daggers, the magical blades sliced into his flesh, and he fell to the ground, defeated. The party then turned their full attention to the stone golem, which continued to fight with relentless determination. Sas, realizing her non-magical attacks could not harm the construct, reverted to her normal form to prepare a more effective strike. Artie, the owlbear, successfully grappled and restrained the golem with a powerful bear hug, holding it in place. Shadow, seizing the opportunity, took careful aim and fired an arrow directly into the largest crack in the golem's chest. The arrow struck true, and the construct shuddered before shattering into a pile of rubble.

With the immediate threats eliminated, the party stood victorious in Jacoby's lair, surrounded by the remnants of their enemies. Sas's father, though shaken and weakened, was finally free from captivity. The party knew they still had much to address and many questions to answer, but for now, they had succeeded in rescuing Sas's father and defeating the cunning wizard who had tormented them. The secrets of the book, the mysteries of Residuum and the Chardalyn crystals, and the implications of the strange dodecahedron and the drawing of Ship's Haven all awaited further investigation, but those challenges would have to wait for another day.

Scenes

Aftermath and Abduction

Following a brief skirmish while caging prisoners, a Leonin named Kryrez, who was just freed, thanks the party and then mysteriously disappears with Sas's father.

• Barlo and Shadow move bodies into cages; one prisoner wakes when Barlo accidentally drops him, leading to a brief combat.
• The party cages some prisoners and kills others.
• Sas speaks with her father, who was among the freed prisoners.
• Kryrez, a Leonin freed from a cage, thanks the party and then vanishes with Sas's father by teleporting.
• Calliope, in bat form, is unable to cast Counterspell to prevent the disappearance.
• The party remains in the chamber with Mellow (Barlo's sister) and Bajol (a silent Leonin).

Investigating Kryrez's Cell

The party investigates the cell where Kryrez was held, discovering it was unusually clean and had a hidden mechanism for easy escape, suggesting he might have been an accomplice.

• Barlo investigates Kryrez's former cell.
• The bed in the cell appears unused and newer.
• A trick piece is found in the cell bars, allowing easy unlocking from the inside.
• Sas attempts an insight check to determine if Kryrez knew her father beforehand, but gains no clear information beyond noticing he perked up when the book was mentioned and during the mending of the shell.

Sas's Father's Cell and Shell Fragments

Sas investigates her father's cell, finding remnants of his damaged shell and other furs, indicating the cell's prior use for various creatures.

• Sas investigates her father's cell.
• She finds bits of his damaged turtle shell scattered around, which appear to be fragments that broke off during the mending spell.
• Other types of fur are found, suggesting the cell was used for various creatures over time.
• Sas collects the shell fragments, placing them in her bag of holding for potential future use.

Jacoby's Message and the Book

Jacoby telepathically contacts Sas, demanding 'the book' in exchange for her father, and offers two paths to reach him: a dangerous quick way or a long journey.

• Sas hears Jacoby's voice telepathically, stating he has her father and wants 'the book' in exchange.
• Sas confirms the book is the one her brother had, which she hid in her shell.
• Sas uses a sending-type spell to ask Jacoby why he wants the book and where to meet.
• Jacoby responds, stating he wants the book for the 'secrets it contains' and offers a dangerous quick way through his room (via a teleportation device) or a long journey to Eushia.
• Sas uses the Bast's magic to determine if Jacoby is lying; the result is 'very doubtful' that he's lying.

Investigating Bajol

The party investigates Bajol, the silent Leonin, discovering he is an illusion-covered construct sending messages to Jacoby.

• The party investigates Bajol's cell, noting a trick lock and an unused, clean bed similar to Kryrez's cell.
• Shadow slaps Bajol, feeling like rock and taking no damage; Bajol retaliates, hitting Shadow for 17 points of bludgeoning damage.
• Bastion uses Detect Magic on Bajol, which does not register any magical aura on him.
• Calliope uses Identify on Bajol, discovering he is affected by an illusion spell to change his appearance and a sending spell, implying he is a spy for Jacoby.
• Mellow reveals that Bajol and Kryrez were often seen with guards and taken to Jacoby's bedroom, confirming suspicions about his nature.

Mellow's Freedom and Departure

The party frees Mellow, Barlo's sister, from her magical bracelet, and she promptly leaves to find her love, 'the beast,' in the Skola Vale.

• Mellow explains that a magical bracelet prevents her from using her powers and leaving.
• Barlo attempts to pick the lock on the bracelet, struggling initially but eventually succeeding after using inspiration.
• The bracelet, described as having faint glowing runes and a combination of mechanics and magic, unlatches and falls to the ground.
• Mellow reveals her patron is a genie and that she is a warlock.
• Mellow departs to find her love, 'the beast,' who is in the Skola Vale, despite Barlo's concerns about her safety, saying she hasn't seen him in over three years.

Containing Bajol

The party attempts to contain Bajol by fabricating manacles and sealing him behind an iron door.

• The party discusses what to do with Bajol, the silent Leonin construct.
• Shadow attempts to lead Bajol by grabbing his arm, but he remains still.
• Bastion uses a Scroll of Fabrication to transform a cell bar into metal restraints, wrapping them around Bajol's legs.
• Bajol looks down at the restraints but remains standing.
• The party decides to leave Bajol restrained in the cell area and seals the exit with an iron door conjured from Bastion's Robe of Useful Items.

Contacting Allies and Retrieving Artie

Sas uses a magical scroll to contact distant allies, and Shadow retrieves Artie, preparing the party for their next move.

• Sas uses a Sending Scroll to contact Lars and Ursa, asking 'Jacoby still alive. Are you all okay?'
• Ursa responds, mentioning they heard about Jacoby from Jeets and are doing well, expressing hope to see the party soon.
• Shadow goes to retrieve Artie, her owlbear companion, who navigates the tight tunnels and joins the party in the weapons room, getting slightly singed by flames in one tunnel.

Jacoby's Room Entrance and Traps

The party attempts to enter Jacoby's room, encountering multiple traps and locks before finally gaining access.

• The party decides to enter Jacoby's room through the eastern door.
• Barlo investigates the door, finding it locked.
• Barlo unlocks the door but triggers a dart trap that releases green ooze; he evades the darts with his Danger Sense.
• They proceed through a hallway to a second door with a warning plaque, 'if you see this, you shouldn't be here'.
• Barlo investigates the second door, discovering both a mechanical and a magical lock, as well as a gas trap.
• He successfully disarms the gas trap, collecting a vial of the gas.
• Two 'Chimes of Opening' are used to unlock both the mechanical and magical locks on the door.
• Upon opening the door, Barlo steps on a pressure plate, triggering a trap that unleashes purple and black tentacles (Evard's Black Tentacles), but he evades them using his Danger Sense.
• The tentacles recede after a minute, allowing safe passage into the room.

Jacoby's Study: Unveiling Secrets

The party enters Jacoby's personal study, a sad and lonely room, where Bastion meticulously examines a desk filled with notes, uncovering critical information about the Arcane Order, a rare element called Residuum, and Jacoby's ambitious research.

• The party enters Jacoby's room, which contains a bed, a desk with notes, and a chest.
• Bastion investigates the notes on Jacoby's desk.
• Bastion discovers notes detailing the Arcane Order's manipulation of Reginald's family affairs, including their role in helping Reginald's uncle and then turning against him when he became too arrogant, restoring the kingdom to Reginald's father as payback.
• Bastion finds a notebook describing 'Residuum,' a very rare and expensive element capable of replacing any spell material component, and its connection to two ancient, outlawed spells: 'disenchant magic item' and 'enchant magic item.'
• The notebook reveals Jacoby's research into manufacturing Residuum from black Chardalyn crystals, which are created through a ritual involving a well drawing energy from the Shadowfell and diamond dust.
• The party identifies the black stones they've been finding as Chardalyn crystals, which absorb spells.
• Bastion finds a strange note with a black and white sketch featuring symbols and the words 'ship's haven.'
• Bastion also discovers a brass and gold dodecahedron with various colored faces and intricate inlays.
• Using his researcher ability and a history check, Bastion identifies 'Ship's Haven' as a city on Karsus and recognizes the symbols in the sketch as similar to those used by mind flayers, possibly depicting a mind flayer nautiloid ship.
• An Arcana check on the dodecahedron reveals hidden runic symbols and various magical energies, suggesting it's a complex magical object requiring further study in a specialized library.

Mimic in Jacoby's Room

While investigating Jacoby's room, Barlo encounters a chest that reveals itself to be a Mimic, leading to a brief but intense combat.

• Barlo investigates a chest in Jacoby's room, which suddenly animates and grapples him with sticky pseudopods.
• Barlo struggles but manages to break free from the Mimic's adhesive grip.
• Shadow attacks the Mimic with her burning sword, searing its flesh-like interior and dealing significant damage.
• Bastion casts Hex on the Mimic and then strikes it with his rapier, dealing the final blow.
• The Mimic is defeated, melting into an amorphous gray blob, and the party discovers 14 electrum pieces within its remains.

Discovery of a Secret Passage and Transportation Circle

After defeating the Mimic, Barlo investigates the bed in Jacoby's room, uncovering a hidden stairwell that leads to a room containing a magical transportation circle.

• Barlo investigates the bed in Jacoby's room, discovering a mechanism that causes it to rise like a Murphy bed, revealing a hidden stairwell.
• The party descends the stairwell into a secret room.
• They find a transportation circle on the floor, adorned with runes, a raised platform, and an ornate, unbroken mirror with cubby holes on its sides.
• The party recognizes the setup as a transportation circle, similar to one they encountered previously in Tharos's hideout in the Underdark, though this mirror is complete and whole.
• The party discusses the danger of the portal and the need to rest before proceeding.

Resting in Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion

Recognizing the danger of the transportation circle, the party decides to take a long rest, with Bastion conjuring a magnificent mansion for their safety and recuperation.

• The party discusses the need to rest before using the potentially dangerous transportation circle.
• Bastion casts Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion from a scroll, creating an extra-dimensional dwelling for the party to safely take a long rest.
• The mansion is described as a large, gray castle with white roofs and blue mold, featuring servants and jacuzzis in each room, with an extra-large room for Artie.
• Bastion reconfigures his Ring of Spell Storing, replacing Private Sanctum with Polymorph, and adding Shield and Scorching Ray.
• Calliope spends four hours tattooing the Mark of the Archer onto her left inner arm using glowing ink from the Chaos Quadrupod, gaining a bonus to ranged attacks.
• Barlo practices lockpicking to improve his skills.
• Shadow attunes to her Crystal Longbow +2, discovering it will grant 1d6 force damage upon attunement.
• The party takes a long rest, fully recovering and preparing for the next encounter.

Jacoby's Lair

The party uses the mirror portal to teleport directly into Jacoby's lair, where they find him holding Sas's father captive, guarded by a stone golem, leading to an immediate, chaotic battle.

• Sas receives a telepathic message from Jacoby, instructing her to speak specific words ('Jacoby's Eushia Home houpetor skatuch') to the mirror to teleport to him.
• The party, including Artie, jumps through the shimmering mirror portal.
• They arrive in a room with greenish stonework, glowing elements, and multiple doors.
• Jacoby is present with Sas's father, who is being held by a large stone golem.
• Jacoby reveals his desire for the book's secrets, claiming it tormented Barlo and helped him locate Sas's father, who had been hiding his mind.
• Jacoby threatens to kill Sas's father if the book is not surrendered.
• Barlo attempts to grapple the golem's arm to free Sas's father but is blocked by an invisible barrier.
• Calliope attempts to cast Mage Hand and Shatter, but both are blocked by the invisible barrier.
• Barlo climbs the wall to try and bypass the barrier, but it extends to the ceiling.
• Bastion uses Misty Step to teleport above Jacoby and polymorphs into a T-Rex, landing on Jacoby and grappling him, though the fall damage is not enough to break Jacoby's concentration on the force shield.
• Calliope casts Otto's Irresistible Dance on the T-Rex (Bastion), causing him to dance, allowing Jacoby to escape the grapple.
• The T-Rex (Bastion) bites Jacoby, grappling him again and dealing 27 points of piercing damage.
• Jacoby uses his first legendary resistance to maintain concentration on the force shield after being hit.
• Shadow shoots arrows at Jacoby, breaking his concentration on the force shield and hitting him.
• Sas transforms into a Giant Vulture using Wild Shape.
• Calliope attempts to cast Command on the stone golem, telling it to 'drop,' but it resists the spell.
• Barlo grapples the golem's arm and then shoves it to the ground, making it prone.
• Bastion casts Haste on himself, which is ruled to negate the Slow effect Jacoby cast on him.
• Jacoby casts a spell that slows Artie, Sas (in vulture form), and Bastion (in T-Rex form), reducing their speed and actions.
• Jacoby attempts to cast Fireball, but Calliope successfully uses Counterspell to negate it.
• Calliope casts Cloud of Daggers, damaging both Jacoby and the golem.
• Bastion attacks Jacoby with his rapier, dealing heavy damage.
• Jacoby falls, defeated by the Cloud of Daggers.
• The party continues to fight the stone golem.
• Sas, in giant vulture form, attempts to attack the golem but realizes her non-magical talons cannot harm it, prompting her to revert to her normal form.
• Artie, the owlbear, successfully grapples and restrains the stone golem with a bear hug.
• Shadow delivers a final, powerful arrow shot into the golem's chest, causing it to shatter into rubble.

Memorable Moments

Kryrez, a freed Leonin prisoner, suddenly teleports away with Sas's father after thanking the party, leaving them shocked and unable to prevent it.

The party had just freed prisoners and were beginning to relax when this unexpected betrayal occurred.

Bastion uses Misty Step to teleport above Jacoby, then polymorphs into a massive T-Rex, crashing down on him and grappling him in his jaws.

A bold and unexpected move to bypass Jacoby's invisible force barrier and engage him directly in combat.

Calliope casts Otto's Irresistible Dance on Bastion while he's polymorphed into a T-Rex, causing the massive dinosaur to dance uncontrollably.

An attempt to control the chaotic situation, resulting in a comical image of a dancing T-Rex with Jacoby in its mouth.

Calliope successfully counterspells Jacoby's Fireball, saving the entire party from a devastating explosion.

A critical moment where Calliope's quick reaction prevented massive damage to the party.

Shadow delivers the final arrow shot into the stone golem's chest, causing it to shatter into rubble and ending the threat.

After a long and difficult battle, Shadow's precise shot brings down the formidable construct.

NPCs

Kryrez Roughpride

A Leonin prisoner who was freed by the party. He thanked them before mysteriously teleporting away with Sas's father, suggesting he might have been an accomplice to Jacoby. His cell had a trick lock and appeared unusually clean and unused.

Bajol

A silent Leonin who appeared to be a prisoner but was revealed to be a construct or golem covered by an illusion spell and actively sending messages to Jacoby via a sending spell. He feels like rock, takes no damage from non-magical attacks, and retaliates with powerful bludgeoning strikes. He was often seen with Kryrez and frequently taken to Jacoby's bedroom.

Sister of Barlo, Mellow Robin "Mellow"

Barlo's sister, a warlock with a genie patron, who was imprisoned and had her magic blocked by a special bracelet. After being freed by the party, she quickly departs to find her love, 'the beast,' in the Skola Vale, stating she hasn't seen him in over three years. She provides crucial information about Bajol and Kryrez's suspicious behavior.

Sas's father (Solec)

A turtle held captive by Jacoby and his golem. He was initially abducted by Kryrez and later used as leverage by Jacoby to acquire a powerful book. His shell was damaged during his captivity. He is eventually rescued by the party.

Jacoby Drexelhand

A powerful and cunning wizard who holds Sas's father captive, seeking a mysterious book for the secrets it contains. He uses magical defenses including an invisible force barrier and a stone golem, and is capable of powerful spells like Fireball, Otto's Irresistible Dance, and a slow-like effect. He is ultimately defeated by the party in his lair, falling to Calliope's Cloud of Daggers spell. He resembles Jeremy Irons in appearance.

Stone Golem

A very large, rock-like statue that serves as Jacoby's bodyguard, holding Sas's father captive. It is immune to non-magical, non-adamantine attacks and possesses magic resistance, making it a formidable opponent. It is eventually grappled and restrained by Artie and destroyed by Shadow's arrows.

Ursa

An ally of the party who responds to Sas's sending spell, confirming she and Lars are well and have heard about Jacoby from Jeets.

Jeets

A halfling who was part of the 'fortunate mead heroes' and was the first to find the party on the beach. He is currently outside the party's keep and has informed Ursa and Lars about Jacoby.

Lars Heyton

An ally of the party, contacted by Sas via a sending spell.

Mimic

A creature disguised as a wooden chest in Jacoby's room. It has sticky pseudopods and sharp teeth, attacking Barlo when he attempts to investigate it. It was quickly defeated by the party.

Arktos "Artie"

Shadow's owlbear companion, who accompanies the party through the portal and participates in the fight against Jacoby and the golem. He successfully grapples and restrains the stone golem with a bear hug, contributing to its defeat. He is affected by Jacoby's slowing magic during the battle.

Locations

Chamber (Prison Area)

The current location of the party after the initial combat, where they have just finished caging prisoners. It contains multiple cells, including those that held Kryrez, Bajol, Sas's father, and Mellow. Jacoby's bedroom is said to be to the northeast from here.

Kryrez's Cell

A cell that appears unusually clean with a bed that seems barely used. It contains a hidden trick mechanism in the bars allowing for easy unlocking from the inside, suggesting Kryrez was not a genuine prisoner.

Sas's Father's Cell

A cell where Sas's father was held, containing fragments of his damaged shell and other furs, indicating it housed various creatures over time. The bed shows signs of long-term use.

Bajol's Cell

A prison cell where the silent Leonin, Bajol, was held. It features a trick lock and a bed that appears largely unused, similar to Kryrez's cell, suggesting it was not a genuine place of confinement for him.

Weapons Room

A room where the party previously found various weapons and items, including a gold ring and some powdered diamond dust. Artie joins the party here after being retrieved by Shadow.

Jacoby's Hallway

A short, trapped hallway leading to Jacoby's private room, featuring dart traps with green ooze, a gas trap, and both mechanical and magical locks on the doors, as well as a pressure plate that unleashes magical tentacles (Evard's Black Tentacles).

Jacoby's Private Room

A sad and lonely room containing a bed, a desk covered in extensive research notes, and a chest (which turned out to be a Mimic). It serves as Jacoby's research area and contains a hidden passage beneath the bed to a transportation circle.

Transportation Circle Room (Portal Room)

A small, hidden room accessed via a stairwell from Jacoby's private room. It features a transportation circle with runes on the floor, a raised platform, and an ornate, unbroken mirror with cubby holes on its sides, indicating it's a portal. The setup is similar to one previously encountered in Tharos's hideout in the Underdark.

Extra-Dimensional Mansion

A conjured, safe dwelling appearing as a large, gray castle with white roofs and blue mold, complete with servants and jacuzzis in each room, used by the party for a long rest. It was created by Bastion using a scroll of Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion and exists for 24 hours.

Jacoby's Lair

A room with nice greenish stonework and glowing elements in the seams and flower pots, accessed via the mirror portal. It features double doors on two sides and a single door on another. This is where the final confrontation with Jacoby and his stone golem takes place, with an invisible force barrier initially protecting Jacoby and his captive.

Skola Vale

A location mentioned by Mellow as where 'the beast' (her love) is located, prompting her departure after being freed.

Eushia

A distant location mentioned by Jacoby as the destination for the 'long way' to reach him, implying many days of travel.

Ship's Haven

A city located on Karsus, mentioned in a drawing found in Jacoby's study. It is associated with mind flayers and their astral ships (nautiloids).

Items

The Book

A significant item that Sas's brother previously had, now hidden in Sas's shell. Jacoby desires it for the 'secrets it contains' and is holding Sas's father hostage to acquire it. The party asserts they have read it and found no such secrets, but Jacoby claims it was put together by Captain Meklan and Jariah Kronamenser and contains secrets they don't understand.

Turtle Shell Fragments

Pieces of Sas's father's damaged shell, found in his former cell. These appear to be fragments that broke off during the mending spell. Sas collects them in her bag of holding, believing they 'might be needed later on'.

Ring of Spell Storing

A magical ring belonging to Bastion that can store spells. During the long rest, Bastion reconfigures it, adding Polymorph (level 4), Shield (level 1), and Scorching Ray (level 2), and removing Private Sanctum. It has a maximum capacity of eight spell levels.

Jar of Eyeballs

A peculiar item found on a dead troglodyte in the cells.

Silver Pieces

Four silver coins found on a dead troglodyte in the cells.

Mellow's Bracelet

A magical bracelet worn by Mellow that blocked her magical abilities and prevented her from leaving. It featured faint glowing runes and a complex mechanism that was both mechanical and magical. Barlo successfully removed it by picking the lock.

Vial of Gas

A small glass vial containing an unknown gas, retrieved by Barlo after disarming a trap in Jacoby's hallway.

Chime of Opening

A magical item used by the party to unlock both mechanical and magical locks on Jacoby's door. It can bypass certain magical effects like Hold Portal or Arcane Lock but does not disarm traps. Two uses were expended, leaving seven uses remaining.

Jacoby's Research Notes

A collection of research papers found on Jacoby's desk, detailing the Arcane Order's political manipulations involving Reginald's family, the properties of Residuum, and experiments with Chardalyn crystals to create Residuum. They also mention two powerful, rare spells for enchanting and disenchanting magical items.

Notebook on Residuum

A specific notebook found among Jacoby's papers, focusing on Residuum as a very rare and expensive element that can substitute for any spell material component and its potential use in disenchanting and enchanting magical items. It also describes a ritual involving a well drawing energy from the Shadowfell, diamond dust, and Chardalyn crystals.

Chardalyn Crystals

Rare, naturally occurring black, smooth stones, often described as looking into the void itself. They possess a magical absorbing quality and can absorb spells. Jacoby's notes reveal he is researching ways to convert their spent powder into Residuum. The party has been finding these black stones throughout their journey.

Drawing of Ship's Haven

A black and white sketching found in Jacoby's room, featuring symbols and the words 'Ship's Haven.' Bastion recognizes the symbols as similar to those used by mind flayers and the ship depicted as a nautiloid used for astral travel. Ship's Haven is identified as a city on Karsus.

Brass and Gold Dodecahedron

A strange, small object found on Jacoby's desk, made of brass and gold with intricate inlays and concentric circles. It has faces of different colors (one purplish, one reddish) and appears to be imbued with various, seemingly random, magical energies and hidden runic symbols. Its purpose is unclear and would require further study in a specialized library.

Robe of Useful Items

A magical robe used by Bastion to conjure an iron door to seal off the area where Bajol is restrained.

Scroll of Fabrication

A magical scroll used by Bastion to transform a metal bar from a cell into solid metal restraints for Bajol's legs. The spell allows for the creation of items from raw materials but does not work on already fabricated items.

Sending Scroll

A magical scroll used by Sas to cast the sending spell, allowing her to communicate with Lars and Ursa over a long distance.

Electrum pieces

Fourteen coins found within the remains of the defeated Mimic in Jacoby's room.

Mark of the Archer Tattoo

A magical tattoo Calliope applies to her left inner arm during the long rest, depicting an intricate arrow with designs reminiscent of her home (the shadowed highlands and the circular path her tribe takes). It grants a +1 bonus to ranged attack rolls with ranged weapons.

Glowing Ink

A special ink obtained from the Chaos Quadrupod, used by Calliope to create her magical tattoo. It causes the tattoo to glow.

Crystal Longbow +2

Shadow's bow, which she attunes to during the long rest. Attuning to it grants her an additional 1d6 force damage on her ranged attacks.

Residuum

A very rare and expensive element, described as a residue of arcane energy. It can be processed from different places and has the unique property of being able to substitute for virtually any magical spell material component. It is central to two ancient, outlawed spells: 'disenchant magic item' and 'enchant magic item.' Its rarity and potential to make magic too accessible have led to its outlawing in most places.

Spells

Counterspell

Calliope, in bat form, was unable to cast this spell to prevent Kryrez from disappearing with Sas's father. Later, Calliope successfully uses it to negate Jacoby's attempt to cast Fireball during the confrontation.

Sending

A type of spell that Sas uses to telepathically communicate with Jacoby, asking about his motives for the book and meeting location. It has a 25-word limit. Bajol is also revealed to be using a sending spell to communicate with Jacoby. Sas also uses a Sending Scroll to contact Lars and Ursa.

Detect Magic

A spell cast by Bastion to examine Bajol, revealing that no conventional magic registers on him, despite his unusual nature.

Identify

A spell cast by Calliope on Bajol, revealing that he is affected by an illusion spell to change his appearance and a sending spell, indicating his true nature as a construct and a spy.

Mending

A cantrip attempted by Sas on Bajol, but it had no effect as it is meant for objects, not living creatures, confirming Bajol is a creature of some sort.

Glyph of Warding

A spell considered by Bastion to protect an iron door, but not cast due to the lack of sufficient diamond dust (200 gold pieces worth) for the material component.

Command

A spell attempted by Shadow on Bajol to make him follow, but it was unsuccessful as he remained still. Later, Calliope attempts to cast it on the stone golem to make it 'drop' Sas's father and then 'freeze,' but the golem resists both attempts.

Fabricate

Used via a scroll by Bastion to transform a metal bar into restraints for Bajol. The spell only works on raw materials, not already fabricated items.

Guidance

A minor divine blessing used to assist Barlo in his trap disarming and investigation checks.

Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion

Cast by Bastion from a scroll to conjure a safe, extra-dimensional dwelling that appears as a grand castle, providing a safe and luxurious space for the party to rest for 24 hours.

Polymorph

A spell added to Bastion's Ring of Spell Storing during the long rest. Bastion later uses it to transform himself into a T-Rex to attack Jacoby, landing on him and grappling him.

Shield

A defensive spell added to Bastion's Ring of Spell Storing during the long rest. Bastion uses it as a reaction to increase his AC to 24 against the stone golem's attacks.

Scorching Ray

An offensive spell added to Bastion's Ring of Spell Storing during the long rest.

Mage Hand

A spell attempted by Bastion to interact with Jacoby's golem, but it failed to penetrate the invisible barrier.

Shatter

A spell attempted by Calliope to attack Jacoby's golem, but it failed to penetrate the invisible barrier.

Misty Step

A teleportation spell used by Bastion to bypass Jacoby's invisible barrier and position himself directly above Jacoby before polymorphing into a T-Rex.

Otto's Irresistible Dance

A spell cast by Calliope on Bastion (in T-Rex form), causing him to dance uncontrollably, which temporarily allowed Jacoby to escape the grapple. It imposes disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws and attack rolls, and the target can only make one attack per turn.

Haste

A spell cast by Bastion on himself to gain an additional action and increased speed. It is ruled to negate the Slow effect Jacoby cast on him, granting him normal speed, AC bonus, and an additional action.

Fireball

A powerful area-of-effect spell attempted by Jacoby, but successfully counterspelled by Calliope before it could unleash its destructive energy.

Cloud of Daggers

A spell cast by Calliope, creating a swirling vortex of magical daggers that deals continuous damage to creatures that enter or start their turn within its area. It proves effective in weakening both Jacoby and his golem, ultimately dealing the killing blow to Jacoby.

Hex

A spell cast by Bastion on the Mimic during combat and later on the stone golem, cursing the target and causing it to take additional necrotic damage from his attacks.

Hunter's Mark

A spell cast by Shadow on Jacoby and later moved to the stone golem, marking the target and causing her attacks to deal additional damage to it.

Wild Shape

A druid ability used by Sas to transform into a Giant Vulture to join the attack against Jacoby. She later reverts to her normal form when she realizes her non-magical attacks cannot harm the stone golem.

Suggestion

A charm spell attempted by Calliope on the stone golem, but it was ineffective as the golem was immune to charm effects.

Shillelagh

A spell Sas plans to use to empower her staff for an attack after reverting from her Giant Vulture form.

Hideous Laughter

A charm spell attempted by Calliope on the stone golem, aiming to incapacitate it with uncontrollable laughter. However, the golem's magic resistance allows it to resist the effect.

Magic Missile

A spell cast by Bastion after dropping his Polymorph concentration, sending multiple darts of magical force to strike Jacoby.

Classic

Last we left off, our intrepid party found themselves deep within a prison complex, working to free captives and confront old enemies. After a chaotic struggle to secure their defeated foes, what should have been a moment of triumph turned to devastation when Kryrez, a seemingly imprisoned Leonin, revealed himself as a traitor and teleported away with Sas's father in a flash of arcane light. Investigation of his cell revealed the deception—hidden mechanisms and barely-used furnishings proving he had never been a true captive at all. The mastermind behind this betrayal soon made himself known: Jacoby, reaching into Sas's mind with telepathic demands for the mysterious book hidden within her shell, offering her father's life in exchange and presenting two paths to reach him—a dangerous teleportation through his trapped quarters, or a journey of many days to distant Eushia.

Choosing the perilous route, the party navigated a gauntlet of deadly traps—poisoned darts, noxious gas, and writhing tentacles—before breaching Jacoby's private sanctum. Within, they uncovered crucial intelligence: notes detailing the Arcane Order's manipulation of kingdoms, research into manufacturing Residuum from black Chardalyn crystals, and mysterious references to Ship's Haven and mind flayers. After defeating a Mimic disguised as a chest and discovering a hidden portal chamber, the party rested in a conjured mansion, preparing themselves for the confrontation ahead. Calliope inscribed magical tattoos upon her flesh, Shadow attuned to her crystal bow, and Bastion prepared his most powerful spells.

When they finally stepped through the shimmering portal into Jacoby's lair, they found the wizard waiting with Sas's father held captive by a massive stone golem, protected behind an impenetrable force barrier. What followed was a desperate and chaotic battle—Bastion teleporting past the shield and transforming into a Tyrannosaurus Rex to grapple the wizard in his jaws, Calliope countering devastating spells and conjuring clouds of magical daggers, and Barlo wrestling the golem to the ground while Shadow's perfectly aimed arrow shattered the construct into rubble. Now, standing victorious amid the wreckage of their enemies, the party has finally freed Sas's father from captivity, though the mysteries of the book, the Residuum research, and the strange connections to Ship's Haven still loom before them, waiting to be unraveled...

Middle English

Harken well, ye gentlefolk brave,
Of heroes bold who dared to save;
When Barlo dropped a prisoner's weight,
The wretch awoke to seal his fate!
With cages filled and bodies bound,
Young Sas her father's presence found,
But Kryrez false, a Leonin sly,
Did steal him hence with magic's cry!

The party searched with heavy heart,
And found Kryrez had played his part—
His cell a ruse, his bonds a lie,
A traitor's nest where secrets fly.
Then Jacoby's voice in Sas's mind,
Did speak of bargains most unkind:
"Bring forth the book thy brother kept,
Or see thy father's life be swept!"
And Bajol stood, a construct cold,
A spy of stone in Leonin's mold.

Through trapped halls they made their way,
Where poison'd darts and tentacles lay;
Past locks both magical and keen,
To Jacoby's chamber, dark and mean.
There Bastion found the villain's notes—
Of Residuum and power's quotes,
Of Chardalyn stones and ancient spell,
And secrets that the Order'd tell.
A Mimic chest did Barlo fight,
Ere finding portals hid from sight!

They rested well in mansion grand,
With magic'd ink and weapons' brand;
Then through the mirror's gleaming face,
They leapt unto the villain's place.
There Jacoby stood with golem strong,
And Sas's father held in wrong.
When Bastion turned to great beast's form,
A Rex of might midst battle's storm,
And Calliope's spells did fly,
To counter fire from the sky!

The shield did fall, the battle raged,
Till Jacoby's life was finally caged;
The golem fought with fists of stone,
Till Shadow's arrow struck it prone.
With Artie's grasp and heroes' might,
They shattered it in glorious fight!
Thus Sas's father was set free,
From captive's bonds and tyranny.
Though mysteries remain untold,
This day the heroes proved most bold!

Snarky

When last we left our heroes, they'd just wrapped up what should have been a simple prisoner-moving operation, but naturally, Barlo fumbled the bag—literally—waking up a captive and sparking a whole new brawl. After finally securing the chaos and sharing a tender reunion moment between Sas and her father, things went sideways faster than you can say "trust issues." A suspiciously well-groomed prisoner named Kryrez thanked them for the rescue and promptly teleported away with Sas's dad, because apparently this party can't have nice things for more than five minutes. Cue the investigation montage: Barlo discovered Kryrez's cell was basically an Airbnb with a hidden escape hatch, Sas collected her dad's shell fragments like the world's saddest scavenger hunt, and they learned that the silent Leonin Bajol was actually a rock-hard snitch construct reporting directly to Jacoby.

After freeing Barlo's sister Mellow (who immediately peaced out to find her boo), restraining the spy-golem with some creative metalwork, and checking in on their distant pals Lars and Ursa, the party decided it was time to crash Jacoby's place. What followed was a gauntlet of traps that would make Indiana Jones sweat: poisoned darts, ominous warning signs, magical locks, and tentacles that really wanted to get to know Barlo better. Inside, they found Jacoby's sad bachelor pad filled with research notes about magical manipulation, rare Residuum crystals, mind flayer doodles, and a Mimic chest that tried to eat Barlo because of course it did. Discovering a secret portal beneath a Murphy bed, the party wisely took a long rest in Bastion's conjured luxury mansion—complete with Calliope getting a magical tattoo and Shadow bonding with her new bow—before diving through the mirror to confront Jacoby. The final showdown was pure chaos: Bastion teleported in and turned into a T-Rex to chomp the wizard, Calliope made the dinosaur dance while counterspelling a fireball, and after breaking through force shields and slowing spells, the party tag-teamed Jacoby and his stone golem into oblivion. Shadow's perfectly aimed arrow shattered the golem like a piñata, and finally—FINALLY—Sas's father was free, leaving our heroes victorious but with a whole new pile of magical mysteries to unravel.

Limerick

When Barlo dropped a foe with a slip,
The prisoner woke from his kip.
They fought and they locked,
The cages were stocked,
While Sas spoke with dad on this trip.

A Leonin named Kryrez gave thanks,
Then teleported away with his pranks.
He took Sas's father,
Causing great bother,
Revealing he'd fooled all their ranks.

Young Jacoby's voice filled Sas's head,
"Bring the book or your father is dead!"
Through traps they did creep,
Past tentacles deep,
To find where the villain had fled.

In Jacoby's room secrets were found,
Black crystals and notes all around.
A Mimic chest bit,
But they conquered it,
Then a portal beneath the bed's ground.

Through the mirror they leaped for the fight,
A golem held father so tight.
Bastion turned Rex,
Bit Jacoby's neck,
And they shattered the golem outright!

Exported from GMAssistant on 2026-08-16