(S101) The Shadow Escaped

Fleeing an unstable spellweaver node that unravels Vecna's history-erasing rituals, the party experiences massive lore revelations regarding the Meklan Marauders, Barlo's childhood cubes, and the parting of their inner spirits. Bursting back into the lizardfolk tunnels, they join forces with Venger to battle encroaching shadow demons.

📝 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

S101: The Shadow Escaped

Date: 2026-02-28

Short

The party fled from an unstable spell weaver node after rescuing two beings called Vengers, causing spiritual connections bound to party members to manifest as separate entities. During their escape, Barlo experienced a profound moment when the deep dragon spirit within him, revealed to be named Whitescar, communicated that it needed to find its own path and dramatically separated from him in ethereal form, dragging Shadow's reluctant owlbear manifestation along with it. Critical revelations emerged about their interconnected pasts: the Meklan Marauders—including Sas's father (Solec), and Jade Gift and Barlo's father—had initiated the events the party now faced, and most significantly, Barlo's act of giving money to an old adventurer named Grognard years ago to enter The Yawning Portal had set the entire chain of events in motion. Barlo also recalled that multicolored cubes Grognard had taught him to use as a child were actually keys to Sas's magical Silver Hexameric Folio, capable of unlocking different pages of the telepathic book.

The party emerged back into the lizardfolk tunnels to find a scene of carnage, with dead lizardfolk scattered everywhere and desperate tribal leaders pleading for help against the shadow creature slaughtering their people. Bastion scouted ahead and discovered freed prisoners fighting a shadowy creature, while Barlo engaged the Shadow Demon. Venger, one of the rescued Vengers recognized by the lizardfolk, stayed behind with Hex Coda remained behind, and the group prepared to face the dangers ahead in this strange realm where wild magic effects still lingered from earlier spellcasting.

Summary

The party found themselves fleeing from an unstable spellweaver node, a remnant of creatures from a higher dimension whose knowledge had been hidden by Vecna himself. As they ran, time itself began to fluctuate around them, and the secrets that Vecna had woven into his rituals started to unravel. Inside the node, they had successfully extracted two beings known as Vengers from a dark ritual, but this act had destabilized everything. The spiritual connections that had been bound to various party members had manifested as separate entities—Bastion's bronze dragon spirit, Sas's spore connection, and Shadow's owlbear swarm form had all separated from their hosts.

As the party made their escape, Barlo experienced a profound moment with the deep dragon spirit that had been dwelling within him. The spirit, now revealed to be named Whitescar, telekinetically communicated that it needed to find its own path, though it would leave part of itself with Barlo. Through the dragon's scales, Barlo could see what appeared to be scars marking its ethereal form. Then, in a dramatic display, Whitescar began floating out of Barlo in an ethereal state, forcibly dragging Shadow's reluctant owlbear manifestation along with it despite the creature's resistance.

During this chaotic retreat, important revelations about the party's past connections came to light. The Meklan Marauders, a group that included Sas's father (Solec), and Jade Gift, Barlo's father, and Sas's village elder Abbott, had started many of the events the party was now trying to resolve. Their ship, which had been buried beneath the Skola Vale where Calliope was from, had been flying when magical gems opened a portal above it. Even more significant was the discovery that Barlo had given money to an old adventurer named Grognard years ago to enter The Yawning Portal, and this single act had set in motion the entire chain of events they were now experiencing.

Barlo also recalled memories of visiting Grognard as a child, when the old man had taught him a game using multicolored six-sided cubes. Though Barlo could no longer remember how the game was played or its true purpose, the cubes had been so important to him that when they were stolen by someone named Joshua, he had hired a tracker from the Black Road to recover them. Now it was revealed that these seemingly simple gaming pieces were actually keys connected to the magical book Sas carried—the Silver Hexameric Folio, which could think and speak telepathically. By placing different faces of the cubes into the book's lock mechanism, different pages could be unlocked and accessed.

The party emerged from the white room with six doorways and passed through a melted hole that Bastion had created earlier, hearing screams echoing from ahead. They found themselves back in the lizardfolk tunnels where they had previously made a deal with the tribal leader. Wild magic effects lingered in the area from Willowbrush's earlier spellcasting, and the scene before them was grim—dead lizardfolk were scattered across the ground, and the sounds of battle filled the air. The lizardfolk boss and his advisor stood near a table, and when they saw the party, they desperately offered even more rewards and a way out if the party would help them fight the creatures that were slaughtering their people.

Bastion moved ahead to assess the situation, opening doors and discovering what appeared to be prisoners who had been freed from an obelisk, now fighting against shadowy creatures. He teleported behind one of the enemies and called out his observations to his companions. Barlo positioned himself strategically and launched himself at Shadow Demon of The Nameless One. His claws connected twice, and he discovered that while the creatures were made of shadow, they could still be damaged by physical attacks. Venger, one of the Vengers they had rescued, was recognized by the lizardfolk and chose to accompany the party into battle, while Hex Coda, the other Venger, remained behind as he was not suited for combat. The party prepared themselves for the fight ahead, knowing that more mysteries and dangers awaited them in this strange realm.

Scenes

Recap and Lore Unveiling

The DM provides a recap of recent events and unveils significant lore about the Meklan Marauders, Vecna's secrets, and the party's connections to key figures.

• The party is in the realm from the 1980s Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, seeking a unicorn horn or spirit with help from Willowbrush, a pixie who had problems with Shadow.
• After making a deal with lizardfolk and killing some of them, the party entered a darkened room that turned out to be an abandoned spell weaver node.
• Inside the node, party members' spiritual connections manifested separately: Bastion's brass or copper dragon spirit, Sas's spore connection, and Shadow's owlbear swarm form all separated from their hosts.
• Barlo's deep dragon spirit emerged and the party was able to extract two 'Vengers' from a ritual machine, causing everything to become unstable.
• As the party fled, Barlo's chromatic dragon spirit briefly returned to him, telekinetically communicating that it needed to find its own way but would leave part of itself with Barlo.
• The dragon spirit, now known as Whitescar, began floating out of Barlo in an ethereal form, forcibly dragging Shadow's owlbear manifestation with it despite its reluctance.
• Barlo noticed what appeared to be scars visible through Whitescar's scales.
• The DM reveals that the spell weavers are creatures from a higher dimension outside the material plane and far realms, with five-sided pyramids in different places. Their spell went wrong, killing many, and Vecna hid knowledge of them.
• Barlo recalls visiting old man Grognard as a child, who taught him a game with multicolored six-sided cubes. The cubes were stolen by Joshua, prompting Barlo to hire Adrex from the Black Road to recover them.
• The six-sided cubes are revealed to be connected to the book Sas carries, able to unlock different pages within it by placing different faces up in the lock mechanism.
• The ship buried beneath the Skola Vale contained both Sas's father and Barlo's father, who were flying it when the gems opened a portal above.
• The Meklan Marauders are revealed to have started many of the events the party is now trying to resolve. Members included Abbott (Sas's village elder), Plentyta, Captain Meklan, Reginald (Sam's first character), and Jade Gig (Sas's father).
• A Pharaoh needs the party but requires them to become more powerful first.
• Barlo gave Grognard money to enter The Yawning Portal, which started the chain of current events. Grognard told many wild stories to young Barlo.
• Shadow wonders if she has met Grognard before or if the shaman or even Bast might be Grognard.
• Barlo's client Vyerith was held prisoner by Tharros the Wanderer, preventing her from reaching their meeting spot.
• Calliope's goal remains reaching the City in a Mirage to return orbs, and she has improved her plant abilities by laying spores across different realms and planes.
• The Silver Hexameric Folio in Sas's possession can think, talk telepathically, and grant powers if attuned to. Part of its essence was used in the Venger ritual.

Escape from the Unstable Node

The party flees the collapsing spell weaver node after destabilizing it by extracting the Vengers from the ritual.

• As the party runs from the unstable node, time begins fluctuating and Vecna's secrets start coming loose and undone.
• The party hears screaming ahead as they flee through the passages.
• They pass through a white room with six doorways before reaching the main hallway.

Return to the Lizardfolk Hallway

The party returns through a melted hole to find the lizardfolk area under attack by the released Shadow Demon of The Nameless One

• The party re-enters through a hole Bastion had previously melted, noticing wild magic effects in the area from Willowbrush's earlier spellcasting.
• They see the lizardfolk boss and his main advisor on the other side of a table, not actively fighting.
• Sounds of battle echo from down the hallway, with weapons clashing and Shadow Demon attacking.
• The lizardfolk leader offers the party even more rewards and a way out if they help defeat the creatures killing his people.
• Venger, one of the Vengers, is recognized by the lizardfolk and chooses to accompany the party.
• Hex Coda, another Venger, stays behind as he was not made for combat.

Hallway Combat Begins

The party engages Shadow Demon of The Nameless One, fighting hook horrors in the lizardfolk tunnels while discovering freed prisoners and fallen lizardfolk.

• Bastion moves ahead, opening doors to assess the situation, discovering what appear to be 'good guys' freed from an obelisk fighting shadow creatures.
• Dead lizardfolk are scattered on the ground throughout the area.
• Bastion uses Misty Step to teleport behind one of the Shadow Demon, activates his Bladesong, and shouts his observations to the party.
• Barlo moves around a pool to get into position and attacks Shadow Demon of The Nameless One with reckless strikes, landing two hits.
• Barlo notices the Shadow Demon of The Nameless One is made of shadow but can still be damaged by his attacks, dealing significant damage to it.
• Shadow moves into position and prepares to engage the shadowy creatures.

Note on lore revealed

Many things were discussed and brought to the attention of the party.

• At some early point of history Vecna was able to destroy all knowledge of the spellweavers from history and records, this "secret" was part of the ritual done in the Realm of D&D to grant him power
• There were many other secrets woven into this spell and when the party released the two Vengers (a Paladin and the evil Sorcerer version) it began to unbind the entire ritual.
• The ritual created many portals into various realms where they all had parts of the same broken black obelisk...
• This room was the Arcane Forge of the Spellweavers, a room they used to create & destroy magic and magic items. Similar to the one on Dierde that is now the Arcane Forge at Outding Refuge.
• This wild magic is what caused the wild magic effects through the Node. It is also why the party had "separation issues" when they entered. It is also why Venger had two parts. He had gotten separated when he investigated these caverns.
• Barlo is no longer connected to the Deep Dragon, Whitescar, or the chrome doppelganger. The dragon was furious and flew off into a portal. The chrome doppelganger said he had learned much but needed to find his own way. He left behind a part of himself that he was sure the silver flame could use
• Bastion saw his Bronze dragon spirit leave to find his way as well. But the powers remain. The Bronze dragon was connected to the situation at Outding Refuge. A part of Remington's Simulacrum turned whtie dragon... seemingly due to what Jacoby and Gruzzusk were doing.
• Calliope had no "other", but there was a reminder about her "inheritance" being the Skola Vale and there would be a choice to make.
• Sas had her spores separate and create a single large spore creature...it came back to her though. Similar to how Shadow saw her swarm become a large
• The fact that the Meklan Marauders had attempted to stop the orbs being used long ago under the Skola Vale was discussed.
• ...need to finish.

Memorable Moments

Barlo's chromatic companion telekinetically communicated it needed to find its own path, then floated out in ethereal form.

As the party fled the unstable spell weaver node with time fluctuating around them

The revelation that Barlo giving Grognard money to enter The Yawning Portal years ago started the entire chain of events the party is now dealing with, and that the six-sided cubes from Barlo's childhood game are keys to unlocking pages in Sas's magical book.

During the DM's lore reveal about the Meklan Marauders and the party's connections to past events

Barlo struck at the Shadow Demon of The Nameless One twice with his claws, discovering it was made of shadow but could still be damaged by his attacks.

First engagement with the mysterious Shadow Demon of The Nameless One in the lizardfolk hallway

NPCs

Willowbrush

A pixie who was supposed to help the party find a unicorn horn or spirit but abandoned them due to a problem involving Shadow. Her earlier spellcasting caused wild magic effects in the area.

Whitescar

The name of the deep dragon spirit that was inside Barlo. It was removed in the Arcane Forge room and flew into a portal.

Grognard

An old adventurer who told wild stories to young Barlo and taught him a game with multicolored six-sided cubes. Barlo later gave him money to enter The Yawning Portal, which started the chain of current events. Shadow wonders if she has met him or if other NPCs like the shaman or Bast might be Grognard.

Joshua

The individual who stole Barlo's important six-sided cubes, prompting Barlo to hire Adrex to track them down.

Adrex Lhamboldennish

A tracker from the Black Road hired by Barlo to recover his stolen six-sided cubes.

Solec

Sas's father, and a member of the Marauders.

Abbot Grok

A figure Sas looks up to, mentioned as part of the Meklan Marauders.

Captain Meklan

A member of the Meklan Marauders, a group that started many of the events the party is now resolving.

Reginald Ivoryclaw

Sam's first character, who was a member of the Wild Cards when they were still the Menagerie.

Father of Barlo, Jade Gift

Barlo's father who was one of the Meklan Marauders.

The Nameless One

A very large chrome-colored creature that emerged from a cloud, described as column-like coming down from the clouds.

Vyerith

Barlo's client who was supposed to meet him but was held prisoner by Tharros, preventing her from reaching their meeting spot.

Tharros the Wanderer

An individual who held Vyerith prisoner, preventing her from meeting Barlo.

The Pharaoh

An unnamed figure who needs the party but requires them to become more powerful first.

Venger the Paladin

One of the two Vengers extracted from the ritual in the spell weaver node. He is recognized by the lizardfolk and chooses to accompany the party in their fight against the Shadow Demon.

Hex Coda

A six-armed automaton (war forged) that was an assistant for the Spellweavers.

Lizardfolk Boss, Sleyvas

The leader of the lizardfolk who made a deal with the party. He offers them more rewards and a way out if they help fight the Shadow Demon attacking his people.

Lizardfolk Advisor

The main advisor to the lizardfolk boss, seen standing with him during the Shadow Demon attack.

Shadow Demon of The Nameless One

He was an underling of The Nameless One that corrupted Venger then was locked in the Black Obelisk in the dungeon.

Locations

Spell Weaver Node

An abandoned node created by spell weavers, creatures from a higher dimension outside the material plane. The party destabilized it by extracting two Vengers from a ritual, causing time to fluctuate and Vecna's secrets to come loose.

White Room

A room with six doorways that the party passed through while fleeing the unstable spell weaver node.

Lizardfolk Hallway

A tunnel system where the party made a deal with the lizardfolk boss. The area came under attack by shadowy Shadow Demon, with dead lizardfolk scattered on the ground. Wild magic effects are present near the melted entrance hole.

The Yawning Portal

A location that Grognard entered after Barlo gave him money, which started the chain of events the party is now dealing with.

City in a Mirage

Calliope's destination where she intends to return the orbs she carries.

Skola Vale

The location where Calliope is from, beneath which a ship was buried containing Sas's father and Barlo's father.

Items

Six-sided Cubes

Multicolored cubes that Grognard used to teach young Barlo a game, though Barlo cannot remember how the game was played or what it was meant to do. They were stolen by Joshua, causing Barlo great distress. The cubes are connected to the book Sas carries and can unlock different pages within it by placing different faces up in the lock mechanism.

Silver Hexameric Folio

A book carried by Sas that can think and talk telepathically. If attuned to, it grants certain powers. It was how the Spellweavers recorded history and studied magic.

World Orbs (333 Gems of Tharizdun)

Objects that Sas is carrying and intends to return to the City in a Mirage. These are dying worlds frozen in their final moments due to a ritual done in them from early wizards seeking power. These can summon Tharizdun from his prison, or do many other evil deeds.

Lost Library of Cagliostro (Meklan's Old Journal)

It has a lock with a square mechanism where the six-sided cubes can be placed to pull out specific books or unlock different pages. Part of its essence was used in the Venger ritual. A Rakshasa previously used it to pull out books.

Spells

Misty Step

Bastion used this teleportation spell to position himself strategically behind a hook horror enemy during the hallway combat.

Bladesong

Bastion activated this ability upon entering combat with the Shadow Demon, enhancing his combat capabilities.

Classic

Last we left off, the party fled from a collapsing spell weaver node—a remnant of higher-dimensional beings whose secrets had been buried by Vecna himself. Their successful extraction of two Vengers from a dark ritual had destabilized everything, causing the spiritual bonds tied to several party members to manifest as separate entities. Bastion's dragon spirit, Sas's spore connection, and Shadow's owlbear swarm all tore free from their hosts. In the most profound moment, Barlo's deep dragon companion—revealed to be named Whitescar—communicated that it must find its own path, though it would leave part of itself behind. The ethereal dragon forcibly dragged Shadow's reluctant owlbear manifestation along as it departed, leaving the party forever changed.

During their chaotic escape, stunning revelations about their interconnected pasts came to light. The Meklan Marauders—including the fathers of both Sas and Barlo—had inadvertently started the very events the party now struggled to resolve. Most shocking of all, Barlo discovered that years ago, he had given money to an old adventurer named Grognard to enter The Yawning Portal, and this single act of kindness had set their entire journey into motion. The multicolored cubes Grognard had taught him to play with as a child were revealed to be keys to Sas's Silver Hexameric Folio, a sentient magical book that could unlock different pages depending on which cube faces were inserted into its mechanism.

Now, emerging back into the lizardfolk tunnels through a melted passage, the party finds themselves amid a massacre. Dead lizardfolk litter the ground as shadowy Shadow Demon—creatures with elongated limbs ending in wicked hooked hands—slaughter everything in their path. The desperate lizardfolk leader offers even greater rewards for aid, and Venger, one of the rescued Vengers, joins the party as they charge into battle. With mysteries still unraveling and physical attacks proving effective against these shadow beings, the party prepares to face whatever horrors await them in this strange realm...

Snarky

When last we left our party, they had just escaped a collapsing spell weaver node with way more questions than answers—and also way fewer spiritual companions than they started with. After rescuing two Vengers from Vecna's twisted ritual and accidentally causing every magical bond in the vicinity to go haywire, our heroes watched as their spiritual hitchhikers literally peaced out. Whitescar, the deep dragon spirit living rent-free in Barlo's soul, decided it was time to find itself (very millennial of it), but not before dragging Shadow's extremely unwilling owlbear manifestation along for the ride like a parent forcing their kid to leave a playdate.

But wait, there's more! In between all the chaos, the party learned that basically everything terrible happening to them is Barlo's fault—well, sort of. Turns out that one time he gave some coins to an old guy named Grognard to get into The Yawning Portal, and that single act of kindness snowballed into this entire nightmare. Oh, and those colorful dice cubes he loved as a kid? Yeah, they're actually magical keys to Sas's telepathic book. Classic. Now they're back in the lizardfolk tunnels, surrounded by corpses and screaming, with the desperate lizard boss begging them to fight off shadow monsters with hooked hands. So, you know, just another Tuesday for this crew.

Middle English

Harken well, ye brave and bold,
Of heroes' deeds in days of old!
From Vecna's node they fled in haste,
Where time itself did twist and waste.
Two Vengers freed from ritual dark,
But spirits torn did leave their mark.

The dragon Whitescar, from Barlo's breast,
Did speak of paths and needed rest.
With scales that bore ethereal scars,
It floated forth beneath the stars.
And Shadow's owlbear, dragged along,
Resisted with a mournful song.

Then secrets of the fathers' ways,
The Meklan Marauders' ancient days!
'Twas Barlo's coin to Grognard given,
That set in motion fate's own driven.
And cubes of colour, six-faced keys,
Unlocked the Folio's mysteries.

Through melted hole to tunnels deep,
Where lizardfolk did wail and weep.
Dead bodies strewn upon the ground,
And battle's dreadful, screaming sound.
The chieftain begged with desperate plea,
"Help fight these shadows, set us free!"

Then Bastion forth to scout the fray,
Where Shadow Demon hunted for their prey.
And Barlo leapt with claws extended,
Found shadow-flesh could be upended.
With Venger joined unto their band,
They faced the darkness, sword in hand!

Limerick

They fled from a node gone awry,
Where Vecna's old secrets did fly.
The spirits broke free,
Whitescar left Barlo's body,
Dragging owlbears into the sky!

The past came to light in their flight,
How fathers had started this plight.
Young Barlo's kind deed,
Set events they now need,
To resolve in this desperate fight!

The cubes were much more than a game,
Keys to the book's magical frame.
The Folio spoke,
Its secrets unlocked,
As memories returned without shame!

Through tunnels they ran toward the screams,
Where lizardfolk died by dark beams.
The boss begged for aid,
A desperate trade,
To fight shadows that shattered their dreams!

With Shadow Demon of shadow to face,
Barlo struck with claws and with grace.
Venger joined the fray,
While Hex chose to stay,
As battle began in that place!

Exported from GMAssistant on 2026-08-16