(S067) The Wizard's Cellar

The party loots Tharros's hidden laboratory for cosmic secrets, unlocks a dangerous Vecna-warded metal box, and barely rescues Barlo from a vortex shaft leading down to an ancient obelisk and mining cavern.

📝 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

S067: The Wizard's Cellar

Date: 2024-02-17

Short

The party entered a hidden laboratory filled with arcane experiments and carefully navigated its magical traps and alarms. Barlo discovered a dimensional pocket containing a metal box adorned with a crystal and arcane symbols, which discharged electricity when magically examined. After solving the puzzle by touching the abjuration symbol and casting a protective spell, the box opened to reveal crucial artifacts: silver hexameric folia from another dimension that had been destroyed by the arch-lich Vecna, Tharros's personal spellbook, notes about ancient gods and black objects used to manipulate deities, and a partial book discussing the history of Toril and their world's anomalous replacement of it. Calliope touched a cadaver and experienced a vision revealing that a Spellweaver had planned to rewrite the universe, but Tharros had performed a ritual to steal its powers, ending in an explosion.

The party's exploration took a dangerous turn when Barlo triggered a blade trap while opening a door to an unused torture room, then accidentally unleashed a powerful vortex from another door that pulled him into a deep shaft. Bastion transformed into a giant eagle and rescued Barlo, then discovered a large black obelisk in the shaft covered in carvings matching the symbols on the silver hexameric folia. When Sas touched the obelisk, she experienced psychic backlash from Vecna's influence and learned the symbols were arcane iconography tied to the Spellweavers rather than a written language. At the bottom of the shaft, Bastion found an excavation and cave network where metals had been mined. When the party returned to the first floor, they discovered the laboratory had mysteriously reset to its original state, as if an unseen force had tidied up in their absence.

Summary

The party cautiously entered a hidden laboratory previously discovered by Barlo, a room filled with arcane experiments, large vials of strange liquids, and a prominent symbol drawn on the floor. Sas used her magic to detect traps, sensing a glyph and alarm-like signals near the entrance and desk—mechanisms designed to alert rather than harm. She sent Princess, her flying snake familiar, to scout ahead, confirming the presence of vials containing greenish liquid with swirling colors, metallic objects, and wizard supplies, but no additional dangers. After careful deliberation about whether triggering the alarms would compromise their element of surprise, Barlo stepped into the room, and Shadow noticed a subtle shimmer on the floor as he moved forward.

Barlo investigated a bookshelf and discovered a hidden piece of wood that, when pressed, revealed a shimmering blue light above a desk—a dimensional pocket. Using a ten-foot pole from his magical robe, he confirmed the space existed, then reached in and pulled out a large, heavy wooden box. Inside was a solid metal box adorned with a crystal on top and eight traditional arcane symbols engraved on its sides. The crystal flashed five colors in sequence, and when Barlo attempted to identify the box magically, it discharged electricity, interrupting his spell and causing him pain. The crystal continued to flash new patterns of colors with each passing minute. Sas used a magical hand to touch the crystal and symbols, causing them to light up in different hues. Barlo then touched the abjuration symbol and cast a protective spell, which triggered the box to open with a slight sound.

Inside the metal box, the party found a large book of notes, a partial book titled "The Lord of the End of Everything," and three small, hex-shaped silver plates covered in unfamiliar symbols. Sas performed a ritual to identify the plates and experienced a disturbing vision of a skeletal face and a drop of blood. She learned they were called silver hexameric folia, artifacts from another dimension that once possessed sentience but were destroyed by the arch-lich Vecna, who also attempted to obscure their identification. The notes discussed ancient gods, black objects used by the Netherese to manipulate deities, a dragon prophecy, and the gems of Tharizdun that could unlock a dark god. The partial book contained historical information about a deity, handwritten notes by Tharros mentioning figures like Meklan of Toril and Jergal, and redacted sections discussing the history of Toril and the anomaly of their world. The large, leather-bound book was identified as Tharros's personal spellbook, written in his own hand.

The party continued their exploration, finding two mortars containing fine red and blue crystal powders, which they collected in jars. Sas investigated a large container in the corner filled with greenish liquid and a blackish, moldy sludge at the bottom, identifying it as a living ooze. They discussed the timelines of their world and Toril, learning about the Dalereckoning calendar and the year of the Great King, and how Toril's destruction and replacement by their world had occurred long ago. Calliope touched the cadaver on the table and experienced a vision of a skeletal face, gaining knowledge about a Spellweaver who had lived multiple lives, planned to rewrite the universe, and whose final life ended in an explosion after Tharros performed a ritual to steal its powers using a fluid-filled tank.

Barlo then attempted to pick the lock on another door, successfully opening it but triggering a blade trap that descended from the ceiling, slicing him as he jumped aside. The door revealed a torture room containing various devices, leather straps, chains, and an eternal fire spell, all covered in dust and seemingly unused for a long time. Barlo found a small, cryptic note with chicken-scratch handwriting within one of the torture devices. He then forced open another door with a crowbar, breaking it off its hinges and unleashing a powerful vortex that pulled him into a deep, dark shaft. Bastion quickly transformed into a giant eagle and dove into the shaft, catching Barlo before he could fall to his death.

Bastion, still in eagle form, carried Barlo back up the shaft, and the party observed a large, black obelisk in the center of the tunnel, covered in fine carvings matching the symbols on the silver hexameric folia. They lit an arrow and shot it down the shaft, but it disappeared into the darkness without revealing the bottom. Bastion flew down with a lighted sconce broken from the wall, discovering an excavation and cave network at the bottom where metals had been mined. Sas attempted to understand the obelisk's carvings by touching it, but experienced psychic backlash from Vecna's influence, learning the symbols were not a written language but arcane iconography or mathematical symbols tied to the Spellweavers. The party returned to the first floor of the keep, finding the laboratory mysteriously reset to its original state, with animated objects and the hidden safe reclosed, as if an unseen butler had tidied up in their absence.

Memorable Moments:

• Barlo getting shocked by the mysterious metal box.
• Sas experiencing a disturbing vision of a skeletal face from the silver plates.
• Bastion transforming into a giant eagle to save Barlo from falling down the dark shaft.

Scenes

Entering the Laboratory

The party cautiously enters a newly discovered laboratory, previously found by Barlo, which is filled with various experiments and arcane tools. They use magical detection and a scouting familiar to assess potential dangers before proceeding.

• The party enters a laboratory, previously discovered by Barlo, which contains various experiments and a large symbol on the floor.
• Sas casts a spell to detect traps within the room.
• Sas senses a glyph and an alarm-like signal trap near the entrance and another near a desk, noting they seem to be for signaling rather than causing harm.
• Sas sends her flying snake, Princess, into the room to scout for visual confirmation of traps and other details.
• Princess observes large vials containing green liquid with swirling colors, a metallic object, and a desk with wizard and alchemy supplies, but no additional traps.
• The party discusses the nature of the signal traps, debating if triggering them would alert others to their presence.
• Barlo cautiously enters the room, carefully avoiding the areas where traps were detected.
• Shadow, maintaining high alert, notices a brief, subtle shimmer on the floor as Barlo takes his first steps into the room.
• Barlo investigates a table, finding various chemicals and tools used for autopsies and arcane practices.

Investigation of the Hidden Laboratory

The party explores a hidden laboratory, discovering a secret compartment, a mysterious metal box, and various arcane notes and items.

• Barlo cautiously enters the laboratory, observing a slight shimmer on the floor, indicating a subtle magical presence.
• Shadow investigates a bookshelf, finding a book with notes about a 'cadaver' and runes designed to hide knowledge, and discovers a hidden piece of wood.
• Shadow pushes the hidden piece of wood, revealing a shimmering blue light above a desk, suggesting a hidden space.
• Barlo uses a ten-foot pole from his robe to poke the blue light, which causes the pole to disappear into the light, confirming it's a dimensional space.
• Barlo reaches his hand into the blue light, feeling something hard, and pulls out a large, heavy wooden box.
• The wooden box contains a solid metal box with a crystal on top and eight traditional arcane symbols engraved on its surface.
• The crystal on the metal box flashes five colors: blue, yellow, white, pink, and a fifth color, then the blue light from the hidden space disappears.
• Barlo attempts to cast a spell to identify the metal box, but it emits an electrical discharge, interrupting his casting and causing him discomfort.
• The crystal on the box flashes a new pattern of colors: red, purple, blue, green, yellow.
• Sas attempts to cast a spell to identify the metal box, but it emits another electrical discharge, interrupting her casting and causing her discomfort.
• The crystal on the box flashes a new pattern of colors: orange, red, white, blue, pink.
• Sas uses a magical hand to touch the crystal and then the eight symbols on the metal box, causing them to light up with different colors (blue, yellow, white).
• Barlo touches the abjuration symbol on the box and casts a spell, causing the box to emit a slight sound and open.
• Inside the metal box, the party finds a large book of notes, a partial book, and three small, silver, hex-shaped metal plates.
• Sas examines the silver plates, which have fine, small, unfamiliar symbols, and casts a ritual to identify them.
• During the identification ritual, Sas experiences a vision of a skeletal face, feeling a drop of blood fall, and gains knowledge that the plates are 'silver hexameric folia' from another dimension, once sentient but destroyed by Vecna.
• The party discusses the notes, which mention gods, ancient objects, a prophecy involving Vecna, and a figure named Jergal.
• The partial book, titled 'The Lord of the End of Everything,' contains historical information about a deity, handwritten notes by Tharros, and redacted sections, discussing the history of Toril and the concept of D&D as an anomaly.
• The large, leather-bound book is identified as Tharros's spellbook, written in his own hand.
• The party finds two mortars on a table, one with fine crushed red powder and the other with powder matching the crystals, and collects samples in jars.
• Sas investigates a large container in the corner filled with greenish liquid and a black, moldy sludge, identifying it as a slime or ooze that appears to be alive.
• The party discusses the timeline, learning about 'Dalereckoning' (DR) and the 'year of the Great King' on their world, and the history of Toril's destruction and replacement by D&D.
• Calliope touches the cadaver on the table, experiencing a vision of a skeletal face and gaining knowledge about a Spellweaver who lived multiple lives, planned to rewrite the universe, and whose final life ended in an explosion, with his powers stolen by Tharros.
• The cadaver's symbol was used to hide it from Vecna and Jergal, and the container of fluid was a 'bacta-like' tank where Tharros was attempting a ritual to steal powers, which resulted in an explosion and his current state.

The Torture Chamber and the Vortex Trap

Barlo attempts to pick a lock, triggering a blade trap, and then uses a crowbar to open another door, which unleashes a powerful vortex that pulls him into a deep shaft.

• Barlo investigates a door, finds no traps, and attempts to pick the lock.
• Barlo successfully picks the lock, but a blade trap descends from the ceiling, slicing him as he jumps out of the way.
• The door opens to reveal a torture room, containing various devices and an eternal fire spell.
• Barlo investigates a torture device, finding leather straps and chains, and discovers a small, chicken-scratched note.
• Barlo investigates another door, finds no traps, and attempts to pick the lock, but struggles.
• Barlo uses a crowbar to force open the door, breaking it off its hinges and triggering a trap.
• A powerful vortex erupts from the doorway, pulling Barlo into a deep, dark shaft.
• Barlo attempts to grab onto the tunnel walls as he falls, but is unable to secure himself.
• Bastion transforms into a giant eagle and dives into the shaft, catching Barlo before he hits the bottom.

The Obelisk Shaft and Return to the Keep

Barlo and Bastion explore a deep tunnel containing a large obelisk with strange carvings, then return to the main keep to find the laboratory reset.

• Bastion, in eagle form, carries Barlo back up the shaft.
• The party observes the large obelisk in the shaft, noting its fine carvings match those on the silver hexameric folia and the note.
• The party lights an arrow and shoots it down the shaft, but it disappears into the darkness without revealing the bottom.
• Barlo uses a crowbar to break off a lighted sconce from the shaft wall.
• Bastion, as a giant eagle, takes the lighted sconce and flies down the shaft, discovering an excavation and a cave network at the bottom.
• Bastion flies back up, confirming the obelisk's carvings are consistent with the other mysterious writings.
• Sas casts a comprehend language spell and touches the obelisk, experiencing a psychic backlash from Vecna but gaining insight that the symbols are not a written language but rather mathematical or arcane iconography related to the Spellweavers.
• The party returns to the first floor of the keep, finding the laboratory reset to its original state, with the animated objects and the safe reclosed, as if a butler had tidied up.

Memorable Moments

Bastion transforms into a giant eagle and dives into a dark shaft to catch a falling Barlo.

Barlo forced open a door and was pulled into a powerful vortex.

Sas experiences a disturbing vision of a skeletal face and a drop of blood.

While performing a ritual to identify the silver hexameric folia.

Barlo attempts to magically identify a metal box, only to be shocked by electricity.

Investigating a mysterious box found in a dimensional pocket.

NPCs

Princess

Sas's flying snake familiar, used to scout ahead into dangerous areas. She is sent into the laboratory to visually inspect for traps and other notable features, reporting back what she sees.

Vecna

An arch-lich who once sought godhood, whose spectral image appears in visions when the party interacts with ancient magical items. He is responsible for destroying the sentience of the silver hexameric folia and attempting to obscure knowledge related to them and the spell weavers. His psychic presence attempts to block understanding of the obelisk's symbols.

Tharros

The former occupant of the hideout, whose notes and spellbook are discovered. He researched ancient deities, the 'reversion cataclysm,' and attempted a ritual to steal powers from a spell weaver, which seemingly went wrong. He found the Spellweaver's corpse and used symbols to hide it from Vecna and Jergal.

Jergal

A former god of death, mentioned in Tharros's notes in connection with Vecna and the 'gems of Tharizdun.' The notes suggest he needs to be reminded of his purpose and ancestry.

Spellweaver

The deceased occupant of the cadaver on the table, a being from an ancient civilization that sought to rewrite the universe. This individual lived multiple lives, practiced powerful magic, and sought to create 'reversion cataclysm' events. His final life ended in an explosion after Tharros performed a ritual to steal powers from this six-armed entity, locking himself in a fluid-filled tank.

Locations

Laboratory

A hidden room filled with various experiments, large vials containing strange liquids, a desk laden with wizard and alchemy supplies, and a prominent, large symbol drawn on the floor. It appears to have been undisturbed for some time, covered in a layer of dust. The room mysteriously resets after the party leaves, with animated objects returning to their positions.

Torture Room

A barren, dusty room containing various torture devices including leather straps, chains, a clockwork mechanism for stretching victims, and an eternal fire spell. It appears unused for a long time.

Obelisk Shaft

A long, dark, vertical tunnel (15x20 feet) with a large, black, straight-edged obelisk in its center. The obelisk is covered in fine, unique carvings matching symbols found on the silver hexameric folia. At its bottom, it opens into an excavation and a cave network where metals have been mined, with one tunnel leading upwards.

Tharros's Hideout (Main Hall)

The main area of the hideout, which mysteriously resets itself after the party leaves, returning animated objects and reclosing hidden compartments.

Items

Wooden Box

A large, heavy, plain wooden box, about a foot and a half wide, two feet tall, and a foot deep. It was retrieved from a shimmering blue dimensional space and contained a metal box.

Metal Box

A solid metal box found inside the wooden box. It has a crystal on top and eight traditional arcane symbols engraved on its sides. It emits electrical discharges and flashes patterns of colors. It was opened by touching the symbols in a specific order corresponding to the traditional colors of schools of magic.

Silver Hexameric Folia

Three small, hex-shaped pieces of thin silver metal, covered in fine, unique symbols. They were found inside the metal box. Through a ritual, it was revealed they are from another dimension, once sentient, and were used to create spells by rearranging pages. They were destroyed by Vecna, who also tried to block their identification.

Notes (from metal box)

A large book of notes found inside the metal box. It discusses gods, ancient objects, a prophecy involving Vecna, and a figure named Jergal. It mentions 'gods refuge,' 'black objects' used by Netherese to manipulate gods, a 'dragon prophecy' linking magic and gods to a dragon's awakening, along with safeguards like obelisks, and the 'gems of Tharizdun' that can unlock a dark god.

The Lord of the End of Everything

A partial book found inside the metal box, with its cover and first few pages. It's a historical text about a deity, with handwritten notes by Tharros mentioning 'Mecklin of Toril' and 'Bargal of Mystara,' and redacted sections. It discusses the history of Toril, the concept of D&D as an anomaly, the 'Great Awake,' and the potential return of Eo and Tharizdun's realm.

Tharros's Spellbook

A very large, leather-bound, elegant spellbook found inside the metal box. It is written in Tharros's own hand and contains various spells that would require time to decipher.

Red Crystal Powder

A very fine, crushed red powder found in a mortar in the laboratory, likely derived from processed crystals.

Blue Crystal Powder

A very fine, crushed blue powder found in a mortar in the laboratory, likely derived from processed crystals.

Green Liquid Container

A container, about half-full, holding a greenish liquid with swirling reds, blues, purples, and oranges, and a blackish, mold-like sludge at the bottom that appears to be a living ooze. It was part of a 'bacta-like' tank where Tharros attempted a ritual to steal powers from a spell weaver.

Spellweaver Skeleton

The skeletal remains of an ancient Spellweaver, lying on a table marked by a large symbol designed to hide it from Vecna and Jergal. Touching it grants visions of its past, revealing its ambition to rewrite the universe, its multiple lives, and its final demise in a ritualistic explosion.

Cryptic Note (Torture Chamber)

A small scrap of paper found within a torture device in the torture chamber, containing chicken-scratch handwriting that reads: 'Need the track move for longer time. Last time was before that, I feel like I was a track up to the mom.' It is believed to be from Tharros's assistant.

Obelisk

A very tall, black, straight-edged obelisk located in the center of a deep shaft. It is covered in fine carvings that match the symbols found on the silver hexameric folia and Tharros's notes, representing arcane iconography or mathematical symbols rather than a readable language, tied to the spell weavers. It seems to be protected by a psychic ward linked to Vecna.

Lighted Sconce

A sconce broken off the wall of the obelisk shaft, which appears to have a permanent light spell cast upon it, useful for illuminating dark areas.

Crowbar

A tool used by Barlo to force open a stubborn wooden door, leading to its destruction and the triggering of a trap.

Spells

Find Traps

Cast by Sas, this spell allowed her to sense the presence and general nature of traps within the laboratory, identifying a glyph and an alarm-like signal trap near a desk, indicating they were not designed to cause direct harm.

Identify

A spell used by Barlo and Sas to try and discern the magical properties of the metal box and the silver hexameric folia. Its casting on the box was repeatedly interrupted by electrical discharges, but when Sas performed it as a ritual on the folia, it revealed their origin, sentience, and connection to Vecna, despite his attempts to obscure this information.

Mage Hand

A conjuration cantrip used by Sas to remotely interact with the metal box's crystal and symbols, causing the symbols to light up with different colors without direct contact.

Shield

An abjuration spell cast by Barlo while touching a specific symbol on the metal box, which contributed to the box opening by activating the correct color sequence.

Polymorph

A spell used by Bastion to transform into a giant eagle, allowing him to fly down the obelisk shaft, rescue Barlo from a fall, and explore the depths of the shaft.

Comprehend Languages

A spell cast by Sas on herself to understand the writings on the obelisk. While it allowed her to perceive the symbols, she experienced psychic backlash from Vecna's influence and found them to be arcane gibberish rather than a coherent language, suggesting they were mathematical or symbolic iconography related to the Spellweavers.

Dispel Magic

A spell used by Bastion to attempt to end magical effects on the mysterious metal box, but it had no effect as the box was an inherent magic item, not under the influence of a spell.

Classic

Last we left off, our intrepid party delved deeper into the mysteries of Tharros's hidden sanctum. After carefully navigating the trapped laboratory discovered by Barlo, they uncovered a dimensional pocket containing a puzzle box of arcane design. Through clever experimentation with its color-shifting crystal and symbolic engravings, they managed to unlock its secrets, revealing treasures both wondrous and terrible: Tharros's personal spellbook, cryptic notes about ancient gods and world-ending prophecies, a fragment of "The Lord of the End of Everything," and three silver hexameric folia—artifacts from another dimension, their sentience destroyed by the arch-lich Vecna himself. Sas's ritual to identify these plates brought disturbing visions of skeletal faces and blood, while Calliope's touch upon a cadaver revealed the tragic fate of a Spellweaver whose power Tharros had stolen in a ritual of dark ambition.

Their exploration led them through a dust-covered torture chamber and ultimately to a door that, when forced open, unleashed a deadly vortex. Barlo was pulled into a deep shaft, only to be saved by Bastion's quick transformation into a giant eagle. At the bottom of this abyss, they discovered a massive black obelisk covered in the same symbols as the silver plates—arcane iconography tied to the Spellweavers themselves, protected by Vecna's lingering influence that lashed out at those who dared to comprehend it. Yet perhaps most unsettling of all, when the party returned to the laboratory, they found it mysteriously restored to its original state, as if some unseen force had been watching their every move.

Now, with forbidden knowledge weighing heavy in their packs and more questions than answers about Tharros's true intentions, the party must decide their next move in this keep of secrets...

Snarky

When last we left our intrepid adventurers, they'd gone from "let's carefully explore this creepy wizard lab" to "oh god, everything's trying to kill us and also there's an evil lich involved," which is pretty much par for the course at this point. After Barlo discovered a magical puzzle box that literally shocked him for being too curious, the party uncovered some truly disturbing lore: ancient god-killing artifacts called silver hexameric folia (cursed by Vecna himself, because of course they were), notes about manipulating deities with mysterious black objects, and the unsettling revelation that their entire world is basically a cosmic replacement for the destroyed planet of Toril. Oh, and they found out Tharros was apparently into some seriously dark stuff—stealing Spellweaver powers, keeping torture rooms (mercifully unused), and casually having a living ooze as a pet.

But the real kicker came when Barlo, in a move that can only be described as "extremely on-brand," crowbarred open a door and immediately got sucked into a massive shaft containing a giant obelisk covered in reality-bending symbols. Thanks to Bastion's quick thinking (and giant eagle transformation), our favorite rogue didn't become a pancake at the bottom of an ancient mining operation. After some aerial reconnaissance revealed mysterious excavations and Sas got psychically slapped by Vecna's lingering curse on the obelisk, the party returned upstairs only to find the lab had magically reset itself like some kind of demented Roomba had been at work. Now, with pockets full of cursed artifacts, cryptic notes about dragon prophecies, and way more questions than answers, our heroes are left wondering: what exactly was Tharros planning, and why does it feel like they're standing on the edge of something catastrophically world-ending?

Middle English

Harken well, ye brave and bold,
Of secrets dark and treasures old!
Young Barlo found a hidden room,
Where arcane arts did twist and loom,
With vials strange and symbols drawn,
And magicks wrought from dusk to dawn.

Fair Sas did cast her mystic sight,
To spy out traps in fading light,
Her serpent Princess flew ahead,
Through glyphs of warning, naught of dread.
Then Barlo pressed a hidden seam,
And found a pocket's azure gleam!

Within that space, a box of might,
With crystal flashing colours bright,
It shocked brave Barlo's questing hand,
Till spells unlocked what magic planned.
Inside lay books of ancient lore,
And silver plates from distant shore!

The plates bore Vecna's cursed mark,
Those hexameric folia dark,
And Tharros's notes did speak of gods,
Of Netherese and fateful odds.
They found an ooze, and powders fine,
And visions of a grand design!

Through trapped doors our heroes pressed,
Where torture chambers lay at rest,
Then Barlo broke a door asunder,
And fell through darkness, pulled thereunder!
But Bastion, eagle swift and true,
Did catch him ere his life was through!
Below, an obelisk stood tall,
With Spellweaver marks upon its wall,
They climbed back up with knowledge gained,
Yet found the lab had been maintained—
As if some phantom servant's care,
Had set each object back with flair!

Limerick

The party crept into Barlo's lab find,
With vials and glyphs of magical kind.
A shimmer, a box,
With symbols and locks,
And lightning that shocked Barlo's mind!

Inside lay the notes of dark Tharros's schemes,
Of Vecna, old gods, and prophetic dreams.
Silver plates from afar,
A spellbook bizarre,
And powders that glittered in red and blue gleams.

Poor Barlo picked locks with such daring flair,
A blade trap descended right out of the air!
He forced the next door,
Got sucked to the floor,
But Bastion the eagle saved him mid-scare!

An obelisk black in the shaft they did see,
With carvings of Spellweavers' strange mystery.
When Sas touched the stone,
Vecna's curse made her moan,
As symbols revealed arcane history.

They climbed back upstairs to the laboratory,
And found it reset—quite the strange story!
The safe was re-sealed,
All objects concealed,
As if cleaned by a butler invisible and hoary!

Exported from GMAssistant on 2026-08-16