(S063) Crossing the Streams

The party revives Calliope, discovers the real Ursa is a ghost while their roommate is a doppelganger, and flees Outding Refuge aboard an airborne ship with a dormant Warforged, new passengers, and an incoming crystal dragon threat.

📝 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

S063: Crossing the Streams

Date: 2023-12-23

Short

The party emerged from the Crypt of Outdated Death after defeating a death tyrant, carrying an unconscious Calliope and a mysterious Warforged construct composed of metal, stone, wood, and crystal with a peculiar chest cavity. Kyleanna Heyton revealed that their companion Ursa was actually a doppelganger, while the real Ursa haunted their house as a ghost. After Sas revived Calliope with restorative magic, Calliope touched the Warforged's sigil and experienced a vision revealing it had been a battlefield commander from Eberron who was brought to their world by the fake Ursa for dangerous planar experiments involving world orbs. The party discovered connections between the cracked Eberron orb, a dead tiefling near the beholder, and Ursa's secret headquarters beneath the church. Realizing the danger, they informed Jeets of Ursa's true nature and decided to flee Outding Refuge immediately, converting their gold to platinum and preparing their ship for departure.

At the docks, Barlo accepted a lucrative job from a Shadow Thieves operative to transport five mysterious passengers and cargo to the desert coast. The passengers included Garm, a silent figure in a wooden mask; gnomish brothers Dipple and Balabar; Nissa, a half-elf monk; and Yggdra, a red dragonborn with Vecna's mummified hand grafted to her arm, making her a vessel for the lich's return. As the ship became airborne and sailed into the night, the party noticed they were being scried upon and witnessed strange magical phenomena in the sky. During his trance, Bastion experienced a traumatic memory of the elf Kolvar killing his parents and learned he had been used as a vessel for communication. Garm revealed himself as a Plasmoid from an intergalactic organization called Ashla, seeking a way home. The session ended with Shadow spotting two black crystal dragons emerging from a magical storm cloud and flying directly toward the ship, forcing everyone to prepare for an aerial battle.

Summary

The party stood at the entrance of the Crypt of Outdated Death, having just defeated a death tyrant that had been hovering near Obala's carved remains. Calliope lay unconscious, affected by strange energies from the battle, while the others carried a mysterious Warforged construct they had discovered in the depths. The construct was a patchwork of metal, stone, rotted wood, petrified wood, and crystal shards, with a peculiar round cavity in its chest and an enigmatic sigil on its forehead. As they emerged from the crypt, Kyleanna Heyton appeared, now more in control of his faculties, and revealed a shocking truth: the ghost haunting their house was the real Ursa, and the Ursa they knew was a doppelganger.

Desperate to revive Calliope, the party tried various methods to wake her. Sas attempted to play a pan flute near her ear, producing surprisingly melodious notes, but Calliope remained unconscious. Bastion considered using magic to dispel whatever was affecting her, but realized her powers were now inherent to her being rather than an external enchantment. Finally, Sas channeled powerful restorative magic, placing her hand over Calliope's heart. Light spread through Calliope's body like spores from a mushroom, and her eyes opened as she took a deep breath of air. Once awake, the party quickly informed her of their discoveries: Ursa was a doppelganger, the ghost in their house was the real Ursa, and they had found a dormant Warforged in a secret chamber beneath the church.

Calliope approached the Warforged and touched the sigil on its forehead, immediately experiencing a vivid vision. She saw the construct in its former glory as a battlefield commander on the plane of Eberron, its sigil and eyes glowing with power as it directed troops. The vision shifted, showing the Warforged falling in battle and being buried beneath the dead. Time passed, and the construct suddenly appeared in the church where they had found it, the obelisk glowing red without any blackness. Ursa was there, directing people to tear down walls and set up an experiment. In the vision, Ursa handed a world orb to a tiefling, and Calliope recognized it as the cracked Eberron orb they had heard about. When she shared this vision with the party, they realized the tiefling was likely the corpse they had found near the beholder, and that Ursa had been conducting dangerous experiments with planar magic.

The party discussed the various world orbs they knew of: the Toril orb that Sas carried, the Eberron orb that was cracking, the orb in Pradam's hat, and the Mystara orb that Bargol possessed. They debated whether to insert the cracked Eberron orb into the Warforged's chest cavity to activate it, but feared it might explode or turn hostile. Ultimately, they decided to wait until they reached a more remote location, like the desert, before attempting such a dangerous experiment. Realizing that Ursa would soon discover they had destroyed her experiment and stolen the Warforged, the party decided to leave Outding Refuge immediately. Bastion sent a message to Jeets, informing him that Ursa was a doppelganger running a secret headquarters under the church and experimenting with other planes of existence. Jeets responded that he would devise a plan and urged them to keep things secret.

Barlo hurried to the docks to prepare their ship for departure. There, he was approached by a halfling wearing a dark cloak—the same one who had previously stolen his helmet. The halfling revealed himself as an operative of the Shadow Thieves and offered Barlo a lucrative job: transport five passengers and some crates to the desert coast, with a stop in Thornwend, for one thousand gold upfront and another thousand upon delivery. Though the halfling refused to disclose the cargo's contents, he assured Barlo it was not dangerous and that the passengers simply needed discreet passage. Barlo agreed, and the captain promised to have the ship ready within an hour. Meanwhile, Calliope and Barlo visited a banker in Outding Refuge, converting fifteen thousand gold into fifteen hundred platinum for easier travel. The banker gave Calliope a special black metal card with hidden runic designs, which would allow them to access banking services at other ports.

As the party prepared to leave, Bastion spent time in the library researching notable locations across various planes of existence, learning about the Outlands and the City of Sigil, which connected all the planes. They gathered their belongings, including the Ender Box, and used stealth magic to discreetly transport the Warforged through town to the ship, strapping it to Artie's back. Once aboard, the captain introduced them to their five passengers: Garm, a silent Jedi Knight wearing a wooden mask; Dipple and Balabar, two gnomish brothers with greasy black hair and amber eyes; Nissa, a friendly half-elf monk from the Black Owlbear Monastery; and Yggdra, a quiet red dragonborn with a strange metal hand. Nissa explained that she and Yggdra were fleeing a doomsday cult that had used an artifact of Vecna to resurrect Yggdra, grafting the lich's mummified hand to her arm and turning her into a vessel for his return.

The ship sailed out of the harbor, passing invisible guard towers that shimmered faintly in the night. As the captain performed the ritual to make the ship airborne, Bastion channeled magical energy into the keel, causing the waters around the ship to glow and the vessel to lift into the air. Shadow noticed a scrying orb near the water, indicating they were being watched, though they used a magical eight-ball to determine it was likely not Ursa. A strange cloud of red and green light appeared in the sky, which Nissa recognized as a magical phenomenon that had been spotted around Outding Refuge. During the first watch, Bastion and Shadow spoke with Nissa, who shared her past experiences with doppelgangers. She recounted how a wizard named D'arno Dallbrek had lied about being a doppelganger victim while working with Vyrith and her brother Nezznar to control a forge in Phandalin. The party realized this Vyrith might be connected to the one they had freed from the Underdark years ago.

That night, Bastion entered a trance and experienced a vivid, haunting memory. He saw through the eyes of an elf who entered his childhood home and killed his parents, then heard a voice thanking him for being a vessel. The spectral form of Kolvar, a disgraced elven knight, appeared before him, revealing that he had killed Bastion's parents as part of a contract and had been using Bastion as a vessel to communicate. Kolvar's sinister presence left Bastion shaken, and he realized the memory would not fade like his other trance visions. When Shadow took over the watch, Bastion shared his unsettling experience, and they approached Garm, who was meditating on the deck. Garm's wooden mask faded away, revealing his true form as a Plasmoid—a gelatinous, ooze-like being with floating elements inside. He explained that he and Relia had crashed on this planet decades ago and were seeking a way to return home, and that he was part of an intergalactic organization called Ashla.

As the ship flew through the night, Shadow took to the air on a broom to scout ahead. He spotted another strange cloud forming, and from it emerged two black crystal dragons, their obsidian-like forms gleaming as they flew directly toward the ship. Shadow immediately returned to warn the captain, who shouted for everyone to wake up and prepare for a confrontation. The session ended with the party bracing for an aerial battle against the mysterious crystal dragons, their ship soaring through the night sky as danger approached from the magical storm.

Scenes

Reviving Calliope and Discussing Discoveries

The party attempts to revive the unconscious Calliope using various methods, eventually succeeding with powerful healing magic. They then update her on their recent discoveries, including the true nature of Ursa and the Warforged construct they found.

• Sas attempts to wake Calliope by playing a pan flute near her ear, but she remains unconscious.
• Bastion considers casting a magic-dispelling spell on Calliope, but realizes her magic is now inherent and not an external effect.
• Sas casts a powerful restorative spell on Calliope, causing her chest to glow with light and small orbs of energy to emanate from her hand, successfully waking her.
• The party informs Calliope that Ursa is a doppelganger and the ghost in their house is the real Ursa.
• They discuss the Warforged construct they found, noting its unique composition of metal, stone, wood, and crystal shards, and a round cavity in its chest.

Investigating the Warforged and Ursa's Plan

The party investigates the Warforged construct, and Calliope's touch reveals a vision of its past and Ursa's involvement in its current state. They learn about its origins and Ursa's experiment with planar orbs.

• Calliope touches a sigil on the Warforged's forehead and experiences a vision.
• The vision shows the Warforged as a commander on a battlefield, with its sigil and eyes glowing, but without the added petrified wood and crystal shards.
• Calliope sees the Warforged fall in battle, buried, and then later appearing in a church, where Ursa is directing an experiment.
• In the vision, Ursa gives an orb to a tiefling, and the party realizes this orb is from Eberron and is cracking.
• Calliope explains the vision, revealing the Warforged is from Eberron and was brought to the church by Ursa for an experiment involving planar orbs.
• The party discusses the various world orbs they know of, including those held by Sas, Pradam, and Bargol, and debates whether to insert the cracked Eberron orb into the Warforged.

Planning Departure and a Mysterious Encounter

The party decides to leave town quickly to avoid Ursa's retaliation, making plans to contact allies and prepare their ship. Barlo encounters a mysterious halfling who offers a lucrative, yet suspicious, cargo and passenger transport job.

• The party decides to leave town immediately, fearing Ursa's reaction to their discoveries.
• Bastion sends a message to Jeets, informing him that Ursa is a doppelganger and is experimenting with other planes under the church.
• Barlo goes to the docks to prepare the ship for departure and encounters a halfling who previously stole his helmet.
• The halfling, an operative of the Shadow Thieves, offers Barlo 1000 gold to transport five passengers and some crates to the desert coast, with a stop in Thornwend.
• Barlo agrees to the job, despite the halfling's refusal to disclose the cargo's contents, and returns to inform the party.

Preparing for Travel and Calliope's Research

With their departure imminent, the party makes final preparations, including converting gold to platinum and Calliope researching planar locations. Bastion also reflects on his magical abilities and the nature of his sword.

• The party discusses converting their gold into platinum for easier travel, deciding to convert 15,000 gold to 1,500 platinum.
• Calliope and Barlo visit a banker who provides Calliope with a special metal card for future financial transactions at other ports.
• Bastion spends time in a library researching notable locations in various planes, finding information about the Outlands and the City of Sigil.
• The party discusses the properties of the Sword of Planes, noting its situational bonuses based on location and enemy type, and its ability to tear the fabric of reality.
• They decide to transport the Warforged and the Ender Box with them, strapping the Warforged to Artie.
• Bastion plans to cast a contingency spell before resting, setting up a condition for a future spell to be automatically triggered in battle.

Stealthy Departure and Boarding the Ship

The party discreetly leaves Outding Refuge, using stealth magic to transport the Warforged through town to their ship. They meet their new passengers and prepare for an airborne departure.

• The party uses a stealth-enhancing spell to move the Warforged and themselves discreetly through town to the ship.
• Upon reaching the ship, the captain suggests sailing out first before taking to the air to avoid drawing attention.
• The party enters the ship's common area and is introduced to five new passengers: Garm (a Jedi Knight with a wooden mask), Dipple and Balabar (two gnomes), Nissa (a half-elf monk), and Yggdra (a red dragonborn with a metal hand).
• Nissa expresses happiness at seeing Artie, the owlbear, and shares that she is a wood elf monk from the Black Owlbear Monastery.
• Nissa explains that she and Yggdra are fleeing a doomsday cult that used an artifact belonging to Vecna to bring Yggdra back to life, turning her into a weapon vessel.
• Yggdra's left hand was replaced with a mummified hand, an artifact of Vecna, which now powers her but also curses her, making her a vessel for Vecna's return.

Airborne Departure and Scrying Discovery

The ship departs the harbor and takes to the air, but the party discovers they are being scried upon, raising concerns about their security and the Warforged they are transporting.

• The party watches from the deck as the ship sails out of the harbor, observing invisible guard towers and other flying entities.
• The captain suggests going airborne once clear of the harbor, and Bastion performs a ritual to make the ship fly, channeling energy into the ship's keel and causing it to glow and lift into the air.
• As the ship lifts into the air, Shadow notices a scrying orb near the water, indicating they are being watched.
• The party discusses their magical items and non-detection enchantments, realizing some might be off, and considers where to safely store the Warforged.
• They use a magical eight-ball to ask if the doppelganger Ursa was scrying on them, receiving a 'very doubtful' response.
• A strange, colorful magical cloud appears in the night sky, which Nissa recognizes as a known phenomenon around Outding Refuge.

Nissa's Doppelganger Story and Vecna's Hand

Nissa shares her past experiences with doppelgangers and reveals the tragic story of Yggdra, who is now a vessel for a cursed artifact, Vecna's Hand, after being resurrected.

• Nissa expresses nervousness about sharing her past experiences with doppelgangers.
• She recounts an incident where a doppelganger replaced a teammate in an old mine, leading to conflict.
• Nissa explains that a wizard named D'arno Dallbrek initially claimed to be a victim of a doppelganger but was later revealed to be a liar, using a forge for dangerous crafting.
• She clarifies that D'arno Dallbrek was working with Vyrith and her brother Nezznar to create a criminal enterprise and manipulate people.
• Nissa reveals that Yggdra died three years ago in a battle with Orcs and was resurrected by a cult using Vecna's mummified hand, which replaced her left hand.
• The hand is cursed and cannot be removed without Yggdra dying, and previous attempts to remove the curse have failed.
• The party discusses whether to help Nissa and Yggdra, ultimately deciding against getting involved at the moment due to the complexity and their own pressing matters.

Bastion's Trance and Kolvar's Revelation

During a trance, Bastion experiences a vivid memory of an elf killing his parents in his childhood home, leading to a confrontation with the spectral form of Kolvar, the elven knight responsible.

• Bastion takes the first watch on deck, while Artie guards his door and Garm remains in a trance-like state.
• Bastion enters a trance, experiencing a vivid memory of an elf in a courtyard, entering a house, and killing two people.
• A voice calls out, and Bastion sees a young face, realizing he is trapped in the memory.
• As the dream version of Bastion jumps from a window, he freezes, hearing a voice thank him for being a vessel.
• Bastion confronts the spectral form of Kolvar, who reveals he has been trying to find a way to communicate and has been living off Bastion's connection.
• Kolvar admits to killing Bastion's parents as part of a contract, revealing the house in the memory was Bastion's childhood home.
• Kolvar implies Bastion's blade-singing abilities are linked to him.

Bastion's Watch and Garm's Identity

Bastion takes watch and engages Garm, the Jedi Knight passenger, in conversation, discovering Garm is a Plasmoid and learning about his intergalactic origins.

• Bastion takes over the watch from Shadow, who shares his unsettling experience with Kolvar.
• Bastion approaches Garm, who is meditating on deck, and asks about his trance and origins.
• Garm's wooden mask fades, revealing a gelatinous, ooze-like face with floating elements, identifying him as a Plasmoid.
• Garm reveals he is a Plasmoid, a gelatinous being, and that his wooden mask is a synthetic visage.
• Garm explains he and Relia crashed on this planet decades ago and are seeking an escape to return to their home.
• Shadow, now awake, joins the conversation, and the party learns Garm is part of an intergalactic organization called Ashla.
• Garm mentions that there are others of his race on the planet, but he tries to keep his visage hidden.

Approaching Storm and Crystal Dragons

As the ship flies through the night, a strange cloud forms, and two black crystal dragons emerge, flying towards the vessel, signaling an imminent threat.

• Shadow flies ahead of the ship on a broom to scout the area.
• Shadow spots another strange cloud forming, similar to one previously encountered.
• Two black crystal dragons, described as obsidian-like, emerge from the cloud and fly towards the ship.
• Shadow immediately returns to the ship to warn the captain and crew.
• The captain yells to get everyone up, anticipating a confrontation with the approaching dragons.

Memorable Moments

Calliope touches the Warforged's sigil and experiences a vivid vision, seeing it as a battlefield commander from Eberron, then buried, and finally being experimented on by Ursa in the church.

Calliope's vision reveals the Warforged's origins and Ursa's sinister experiments with planar orbs

Bastion enters a trance and experiences a haunting memory of an elf killing his parents in his childhood home, then confronts the spectral form of Kolvar who reveals he has been using Bastion as a vessel.

Bastion discovers the truth about his parents' murder and his connection to the disgraced elven knight

Garm's wooden mask fades away, revealing his true form as a Plasmoid—a gelatinous, ooze-like being with floating elements—and he explains he crashed on this planet decades ago.

The party discovers one of their new passengers is an intergalactic being seeking to return home

Nissa reveals that Yggdra carries Vecna's mummified hand grafted to her arm, which keeps her alive but makes her a vessel for the lich's return, and she is being hunted by a doomsday cult.

The party learns the dangerous truth about their new passengers and the cursed artifact they carry

Two black crystal dragons emerge from a strange magical cloud and fly directly towards the ship as it soars through the night sky, prompting the captain to sound the alarm.

The party faces an imminent aerial threat as mysterious crystal dragons approach their airborne vessel

NPCs

Kyleanna Heyton

An individual who appeared at the crypt entrance, now more in control, and was able to identify the ghost in the party's property.

Ursa (Doppelganger)

A doppelganger who has been impersonating the real Ursa and is involved in a 'weird experiment' with planar orbs under the church. The ghost in the party's house is revealed to be the real Ursa. She is conducting experiments in a secret headquarters under the church, involving other planes of existence and magical orbs.

Jeets

An ally of the party who is informed by Bastion about Ursa's true nature and her secret activities under the church. He previously warned the party about Ursa and acknowledges the information as an 'interesting wrinkle', stating he will devise a plan.

Halfling Operative (Shadow Thieves/Blackroad) Garret

A nondescript halfling wearing a dark cloak, identified as a Shadow Thieves and Blackroad operative. He approaches Barlo at the docks to offer a job transporting passengers and cargo, having previously stolen Barlo's helmet. He offers 1000 gold upfront and another 1000 upon delivery for discreet transport to Thornwend and the Desert Coast.

Captain Johnas Scott

The captain of the party's ship, who is aware of Barlo's past and helps prepare the ship for a discreet, airborne departure. He also introduces the new passengers and suggests tactical maneuvers like going airborne. He has a long history with Barlo and is capable and discreet.

Garm

A Jedi Knight and one of the new passengers on the ship. He wears a wooden mask that is actually a synthetic visage, is very quiet, and enters a meditative trance that causes him to float. He is revealed to be a Plasmoid, a gelatinous, ooze-like being who crashed on the planet decades ago with Relia and is seeking a way to return home. He is part of an intergalactic organization called Ashla and possesses unique trance abilities connected to the Ashla.

Dipple Sprocket

One of two gnomish brothers, passengers on the ship, who wear pastel clothes and have amber eyes with black, greasy hair. They are curious about the party and polite upon meeting them.

Balabar Sprocket

Dipple's brother, one of two gnomish passengers on the ship, who wears pastel clothes and has amber eyes with black, greasy hair. He is curious about the party and polite upon meeting them.

Nissa Silverfrond

A half-elf monk and passenger on the ship, traveling with Yggdra. She is from the Black Owlbear Monastery and shares information about her past encounters with doppelgangers, a wizard named D'arno Dallbrek, and a doomsday cult. She is friendly, open, cautious but sincere, and protective of Yggdra. She is knowledgeable about doppelgangers and their deceptive tactics.

Yggdra

A red dragonborn and passenger on the ship, traveling with Nissa. She has a metal hand covering a mummified hand of Vecna, which is a cursed relic that was used to bring her back to life after she died three years prior in a battle with Orcs. The hand keeps her alive but also makes her a vessel for Vecna's return, and she is the target of a doomsday cult. She is quiet and appears concerned, unable to use her left hand.

Kolvar

A disgraced elven knight who once worked for King Edward Toukan of Dwendalian. His spectral form appears to Bastion during a trance, revealing Kolvar was the one who killed Bastion's parents as part of a contract. He claims to have been using Bastion as a vessel and implies Bastion's blade-singing abilities are linked to him. He has a sinister aura and is associated with nefarious activities.

D'arno Dallbrek (The Spider)

A wizard from Nissa's past who lied about being a doppelganger. He was involved in a criminal enterprise with Vyrith and Nezznar, using a forge for dangerous crafting and manipulating events in Phandalin.

Vyrith

A drow elf mentioned by Nissa as D'arno Dallbrek's accomplice and Vhalak's sister. She was involved in causing confusion through doppelganger impersonations. The party recalls freeing a Vyrith from the Underdark below Outding Refuge in their past.

Nezznar

The employer of Vyrith and Vhalak, mentioned by Nissa as being involved in the criminal enterprise in Phandalin.

King Edward Toukan

A king of Dwendalian from decades past who employed Kolvar, a disgraced elven knight, for potentially nefarious means.

Professor Umbercresct

An automaton that assists the captain. It floats out from the captain's quarters to help with the ship's airborne ritual.

Banker Wrenn Bafflestone

A financial associate in Outding Refuge who assists Calliope with converting gold to platinum and provides a special black metal card for future transactions, indicating an affiliation with the government of Outding Refuge.

Ratlok Darksky

A bugbear who previously informed the party about a tiefling bringing a source of great power to a beholder.

Viggie Storr

The former mayor who was executed for trying to expose Ursa, serving as a warning to the party about the dangers of confronting her without proof.

Relia

Mentioned as having crashed on the planet with Garm decades ago. She is Calliope's mother and gave Calliope a small, powerful orb called an Orrery that allows the user to see the entire solar system.

Locations

Crypt of Outdated Death

The crypt where the party defeated a death tyrant and found a Warforged construct. It was the site of a 'weird experiment' involving planar connections.

Outding Refuge

A mystical city where the party resides, featuring a public library, bank, and docks. Connected to the cosmic cat guide and the cats of Outding Refuge. The party prepares to depart from here after discovering Ursa's secret activities under the church. Strange magic cloud manifestations have been spotted around the city.

The Docks (Outding Refuge)

The port area of Outding Refuge where the party's ship is docked. Barlo goes here to arrange for their departure and encounters a halfling operative from the Shadow Thieves.

Public Library (Outding Refuge)

A library in Outding Refuge where Bastion researches planar locations, finding information about the Outlands, the City of Sigil, and notable locations across various planes. He also researches Kolvar, finding a reference to a disgraced elven knight.

Bank (Outding Refuge)

A financial establishment where Calliope and Barlo convert the party's gold into platinum and receive a special black metal business card for inter-port banking services.

The Party's House (Outding Refuge)

The current residence of the party, where they discussed their next moves. The basement contains a teleportation circle linked to a specific garden in the Feywild. The ghost of the real Ursa haunts this property.

The Ship, The Audacity

The party's vessel, which is prepared for a discreet departure from Outding Refuge. It is capable of becoming airborne and serves as a temporary home for the party and their new passengers. It has a deck, captain's quarters, and a 'Feywild part' that functions as a private garden for the elder.

Harbor

The port area from which the ship departs. It is guarded by invisible towers and other flying entities, only visible as a shimmer or when light hits them.

Thornwend

A port city mentioned as the first destination for the ship's new passengers and cargo.

Desert Coast

The ultimate destination for the ship's new passengers and cargo, and a potential location for the party to experiment with the Warforged.

Phandalin

A village where Nissa's past adventures took place, involving a forge, doppelgangers, and a wizard named D'arno Dallbrek. The location where her past team encountered doppelgangers and a forge, which was later controlled by D'arno Dallbrek and his associates.

Underdark below Outding Refuge

A subterranean region where the party previously found and freed Vyrith from a cell.

Shadow's Childhood House

The house where Shadow grew up, vividly recalled in a trance as the site where his parents were killed by Kolvar.

City of Sigil

A planar city that connects all the planes, mentioned in Bastion's research as a notable location in the Outlands.

The Outlands

A plane of existence mentioned in Bastion's research, containing numerous notable locations including the City of Sigil.

Items

Warforged Construct

A dormant construct made of old rotted wood, petrified wood, metal, stone, and crystal shards, found in the crypt. It has a round cavity in its chest and a sigil on its forehead. Calliope's vision reveals it was a commander from Eberron who fell in battle, was buried, and was later brought to the church by Ursa for an experiment involving planar orbs. It is heavy and requires stealthy movement, eventually being carried on Artie's back to the ship.

Pan Flute

Calliope's musical instrument, which Sas attempts to play near her ear to wake her up, but it proves ineffective.

Eberron World Orb

A cracked and breaking world orb from the plane of Eberron, seen in Calliope's vision being given by Ursa to a tiefling. It is one of several such orbs known as Gems of Tharizdun. The party debates whether to insert it into the Warforged to activate it.

Toril World Orb

A world orb from the plane of Toril that Sas already possesses. It is one of the Gems of Tharizdun, representing different planes or worlds.

Pradam's World Orb

A non-magical world orb kept in Pradam's hat, mentioned in comparison to other world orbs.

Bargol's Mystara Orb

A world orb representing the plane of Mystara, belonging to Bargol.

Professor Orbs

Magical orbs distinct from world orbs, specifically Professor Oberon and Professor Meklan, implying they are sentient or have unique properties.

Sword of Planes

A legendary longsword that Bastion possesses. It provides situational bonuses depending on the plane of existence and the type of enemy, with increased combat bonuses when fighting on or against creatures from specific inner planes like the Feywild or Shadowfell. Its primary power is the ability to tear the fabric of reality to create a portal for travel between planes. The party decides Barlo should carry it.

Ender Box

A large, heavy box that the party decides to take with them on their journey, strapping it to Artie. Its weight is noted, but its utility as a storage item is valued.

Metal Card

A blackish metal card, approximately 1.5 by 3 inches, given to Calliope by a banker in Outding Refuge. It has hidden runic designs visible only when light hits it and serves as a business card for financial transactions and banking services at other ports, with associates dealing in gems and jewelry.

Scrying Orb

A magical orb, similar to those seen at yawning ports and used for scrying, that is spotted near the ship as it takes off, indicating that the party is being watched. It becomes more visible as the ship ascends.

Wooden Mask

A stoic wooden-looking mask worn by Garm, the Jedi Knight. It appears to be made of wood, but articulates in a strange, almost synthetic way when he speaks. It is revealed to be a synthetic visage that conceals his true Plasmoid form, fading to reveal a gelatinous face beneath.

Vecna's Mummified Hand

A cursed relic, specifically one of Vecna's hands, that was used to revive Yggdra and is now grafted to her left arm. It keeps her alive but also makes her a target for a doomsday cult that seeks to use her as a weapon vessel for Vecna's return. It is covered by a metallic container and cannot be removed without killing Yggdra.

Magical Stone (for messaging)

A stone used by Bastion to send messages to allies like Jeets, conveying important information about Ursa.

Diamonds

Seven diamonds, each worth 50 gold pieces, stored in the party's bag of holding. They are specifically mentioned as being sufficient for one revivify spell and are used as spell components.

Sapphires

Gems mentioned as being in Sas's possession.

Bag of Holding

A magical item used by the party for storing various items, including diamonds and the Sword of Planes.

Eight-Ball

A magical item used by the party to ask questions, which provides 'very doubtful' as an answer regarding Ursa's scrying.

Animated Shield

A magical shield belonging to Barlo.

Stone of Good Luck

A magical stone belonging to Barlo.

Ring of Crits

A magical ring belonging to Barlo.

Ring of Truth-telling Protection

A magical ring belonging to Bastion.

Red Weave Gem

A powerful magical gem belonging to Sas, capable of providing a free counterspell.

Orrery

A small, powerful orb given to Calliope by her mother, Relia. It allows the user to see the entire solar system and is crucial for breaking a magical shield.

Gold

The party's primary currency, which they convert a significant portion of (15,000 gold) into platinum at a bank. 1000 gold was paid to Barlo by the Blackroad operative for a transport job, with another 1000 gold promised upon delivery.

Platinum

A valuable currency that the party converts from their gold reserves at a bank (1,500 platinum from 15,000 gold).

Statuette of Ivory

A component required for Bastion's contingency spell, carved from ivory in the likeness of the caster.

Spells

Dispel Magic

A spell considered by Bastion to remove a magical effect from Calliope, but he determines it would not work as her magic is now inherent rather than an external spell effect. He attempts it on the unconscious Calliope, but it proves ineffective in waking her.

Greater Restoration

A powerful healing spell cast by Sas on Calliope. It causes Calliope's chest to light up with energy and small balls of light to emanate from her hand, successfully awakening her from her unconscious state. It was also attempted on the Warforged automaton but had no effect.

Lesser Restoration

A healing spell considered by Sas to wake Calliope, but ultimately deemed less suitable than a more powerful variant for the unknown affliction.

Pass Without Trace

A spell cast by Shadow to enhance the party's stealth, adding a significant bonus to their stealth rolls as they move the Warforged and themselves discreetly through town to the ship.

Teleportation Circle

A spell that Bastion considers using to transport the Warforged, but realizes he cannot cast it without having written it in his spellbook. The party also discusses the general mechanics of teleportation circles and their connection to specific locations, requiring drawing a specific circle to match a known destination.

Contingency

A spell Bastion plans to cast before resting, setting up a condition for a future spell to be automatically triggered in battle. It requires a statuette of the caster carved from ivory.

Haste

The spell Bastion intends to set as the contingent spell, to be triggered in a future battle.

Airborne Ship Ritual

A magical ritual performed by Bastion, channeling energy into the ship's keel, causing the waters around it to glow and the ship to lift into the air, allowing it to fly.

Scrying

A divination spell that allows a caster to perceive events at a distance. Its effect is manifested as a 'scryball' or scrying orb in this instance, indicating someone is magically observing the party's ship as it departs.

Tiny Hut

A magical shelter spell considered by the party as a way to safely contain a potential explosion if they attempt to activate the Warforged with the Eberron orb.

Mage Hand

A cantrip considered by the party for remotely placing the Eberron orb into the Warforged while remaining safely inside a Tiny Hut.

Teleportation

A method of travel discussed by the party, specifically regarding the use of teleportation circles to move between locations or planes. Bastion researches notable locations on various planes to enable this.

Attunement

The magical process required to unlock the full special abilities of certain magic items, such as the Sword of Planes. The party discusses its implications for using multiple magic weapons.

Skill Empowerment

A spell Calliope offers to use to enhance a party member's skill check, specifically mentioning its potential use for a persuasion roll during financial negotiations.

Revivify

A spell discussed in the context of the party's inventory of diamonds, confirming they possess enough components for one casting of this spell.

Classic

Last we left off, our adventurers emerged from the Crypt of Outdated Death, having defeated a death tyrant and rescued a mysterious Warforged construct from the depths beneath the church. After reviving the unconscious Calliope with powerful restorative magic, the party learned a shocking truth from Kyleanna Heyton: the Ursa they knew was a doppelganger, while the real Ursa haunted their house as a ghost. When Calliope touched the sigil on the Warforged's forehead, she experienced a vivid vision revealing the construct's past as a battlefield commander on Eberron, and more disturbingly, showed the real Ursa conducting dangerous experiments with planar magic and world orbs. Realizing they had stolen Ursa's experiment and fearing her retaliation, the party made hasty preparations to flee Outding Refuge.

The group quickly gathered their resources and allies for the journey ahead. Barlo secured passage for five mysterious travelers—including Nissa, a monk fleeing a doomsday cult, and her companion Yggdra, a dragonborn grafted with Vecna's mummified hand. After converting their gold to platinum and smuggling the dormant Warforged aboard their ship, they set sail into the night sky. During the voyage, Bastion experienced a haunting trance vision revealing that the spectral knight Kolvar had murdered his parents and was using him as a vessel, while Garm revealed himself to be a Plasmoid seeking a way home to the stars.

Now, as their airship cuts through the darkness, strange clouds of red and green light gather in the sky above them. Shadow, scouting ahead on his broom, spots two black crystal dragons emerging from the magical storm, their obsidian forms gleaming as they fly directly toward the ship. With the captain's warning cry echoing across the deck and danger approaching fast through the night, we pick up as our heroes brace themselves for an aerial battle against these mysterious crystalline predators...

Middle English

Harken well, ye gentle folke,
To tales of dread and wonder spoke!
From crypts of death our heroes came,
With Warforged strange and secrets' flame.
False Ursa's treachery revealed,
The doppelganger's plot unsealed!

Fair Calliope lay still as stone,
Till Sas's magick light hath shone.
Through spores of healing, bright and pure,
She woke to learn of danger sure.
The ghost they feared was Ursa true,
Whilst false one wrought experiments new!

A vision came through sigil's touch,
Of Eberron and orbs and such.
The Warforged once did armies lead,
Now dormant in their hour of need.
With world orbs cracked and planes entwined,
They fled ere Ursa's wrath could find!

Upon the ship, five souls did board,
Each fleeing fate by blade or word.
A Plasmoid knight in mask of wood,
Gnomish brothers, misunderstood,
And Yggdra cursed with Vecna's hand,
All sailing toward the desert sand!

But lo! From clouds of crimson light,
Two crystal dragons pierced the night!
With obsidian wings they did descend,
As Shadow cried to warn his friends.
Now airborne battle must be fought,
What doom have these fell creatures brought?

Snarky

Our intrepid party emerged from the Crypt of Outdated Death hauling an unconscious Calliope and a mysterious Warforged that looks like it was assembled by someone shopping exclusively at a post-apocalyptic hardware store, only to receive the galaxy-brain revelation from Kyleanna Heyton that their beloved Ursa is actually a doppelganger and the REAL Ursa has been the ghost haunting their house this whole time—which honestly explains so much about why the ghost seemed perpetually annoyed with them. After Sas literally mushroom-spored Calliope back to consciousness, they discovered that fake-Ursa has been running a secret planar experimentation lab under the church like some kind of interdimensional mad scientist, complete with cracked world orbs and a Warforged with a chest cavity just begging for someone to insert unstable magical artifacts into it (they wisely decided to save that particular disaster for when they're in the desert where collateral damage is less of a concern).

The party speedily yeeted themselves out of Outding Refuge after Barlo accepted a suspiciously lucrative smuggling job from the Shadow Thieves, because apparently their solution to "a powerful doppelganger will soon discover we destroyed her secret lab" is "let's also become criminals on the side." Their five mysterious passengers include: a Jedi Knight who's actually a sentient ooze in a mask, two sketchy gnome brothers, a friendly monk named Nissa, and Yggdra—a dragonborn who's casually serving as a vessel for the lich Vecna's resurrection via his mummified hand grafted to her arm, which is DEFINITELY the kind of low-key passenger you want on your ship. Just as Bastion discovered through a traumatic trance that the ghost of an elven assassin has been using him as a communication vessel after murdering his parents (because this party can't go ONE day without new emotional trauma), two black crystal dragons emerged from a magical storm cloud to attack their airship, proving once again that this group's travel insurance premiums must be absolutely astronomical.

Limerick

A death tyrant fell with a crash,
While Calliope lay in a flash.
They found Ursa's a fake,
A doppelganger snake,
And a Warforged beneath in a stash!

With visions of Eberron's war,
The construct had fought there before.
An orb cracked and red,
Near a tiefling now dead,
Revealed Ursa's experiments' core.

They fled Outding Refuge quick as could be,
With passengers five and a fee.
A lich hand on dragonborn,
Gnomes and a Jedi reborn,
All sailing the sky o'er the sea.

In trance Bastion witnessed his past,
His parents were murdered at last.
By Kolvar possessed,
This vessel distressed,
Found truth that would haunt him steadfast.

Two dragons of crystal flew near,
From magical storm clouds so drear.
The captain cried "Wake!"
As the ship starts to shake,
And battle approaches with fear!

Exported from GMAssistant on 2026-08-16