Session Eight – Battle with the Fungal Aliens
5/27/2025
Ref: EvilTables
Players: Viv – mapper, Ebba dwarf, level 1
Rogue – treasurer, Jorcal the Cleric level 2
Zero – scout, Hanlant, Level 1 Fighter
jay – scribe Cecelia, Level 1 Cleric,
Boreal – caller, Salimas, halfling Cleric powers from voices in head
Region: Caves of Intensity
Fjording the Stream
The party set out from Fort Hom, composed largely of adventurers who are new to the Northern Strata. After hearing the rumours of the Caves, they travelled with sleigh until reaching a newly formed stream that was blocking their path. Ebba the Dwarf bravely volunteered to carry the rope across, although the water was nearly up to her head. The others followed suit. Together, they helped the caribou across and then finally heaved the sleigh after them.
Given that they were all wet and freezing, Hanlant lit the party’s last bundle of firewood, and everyone spent the next few hours drying their clothes. Finally, they set off towards the Caves of Intensity, reaching them an hour or so before nightfall.
Reuniting with Apple the Gnoll
Sleeping on his rock, they found Apple the Gnoll whom they had heard many rumours about from past fallen party members. He was a bit shook when they arrived, since he did not recognize them, but then apologized and said his stomach hurt after taking his medication. When asked, he told them that the medication was given to him by the Scientists, who got angry if he didn’t take it, and that it was supposed to help with his anger. Hanlant shared that he too becomes angry, although his anger is against great injustice, and Apple nodded and agreed.
The party continued northward into the crab caves, where they had seen the door earlier labeled with science. The crabs were still dancing, but in a more aggressive manner, banging their very heads against the wall. Although the door was locked, Hanlant smashed the lock with his warhammer to break it aside.
Continuing inwards, they discovered a room with many different animals: snakes,
Further on, they approached a room with scientists. Sneaking past, they found a further room with brains in vats that seemed to be talking, wishing to be rescued. After the fungal aliens heard the noises, a fight ensued.
[Unfortunately, the text abruptly terminates at this point, and no notes were further recovered.]
Session 9 – “Power Comes to Those That Dare”
8/5/2025
Ref: EvilTables
Players: Idraluna Archives (Porphyriana), Oldhawkeyes (Roald), Roguewithwhimsy (Jorcal)
Region: Forest East of Scholars’ Tower
Description: A month after the preceding expedition, during the waning days of summer, Jorcal, a cleric, Roald, a fighter, and Porphyriana, an elf (currently in mage-mode) gathered at the Scholars’ Tower for an expedition from in search of treasure and/or knowledge.
After soliciting rumors, they were told by Professor Picot about three possibilities for acquiring new magical capabilities (noted below). The adventurers settled on investigating the two to the east and set out on foot (eschewing their sledge due to muddy conditions) with two hired men-at-arms (Hardred & Werdox).
On the first day of travel, they walked southeast. To the north, they noted pine trees of uniform height and sighted a green wrym of some sort. By covering themselves in mud, they evaded the beast’s attention and were able to continue further southeast, sheltering overnight amidst piled rocks on a mossy tundra.
With the dawning of day two, they ventured northeast and approached an 80’-high plateau. The top afforded an excellent view (including of the staircase to the northeast) and contained other curiosities. While Porphyriana investigated a serrated mossy rhizome, Roald searched the plateau and found a strange-smelling hole in the rock.
The hole contained far more than peculiar odors — after a 30-40’ descent, it opened into a sizeable cavern containing scattered human bones (perhaps 20-30 dead of varied ages), a bronze anvil, stone hammers of various sizes, wall paintings (large squares of various sizes & a rolling field of grass), and fragmentary magical inscriptions (“ER” & “HU”).
Jorcal was the first to examine the anvil. After a few experimental taps, he tried hammering Werdox’s dagger. Immediately, he was gripped by a compulsion to keep hammering, as though on the verge of completing a monumental task; only with effort could he tear himself away.
Intrigued, Porphyriana took up the hammer and dagger, this time intentionally succumbing to the compulsion. The hammer blows moved from the blade to her own hand, at which point Roald unsuccessfully tried to restrain her. “Stay back! I’m almost finished!” bellowed the crazed elf. Though technically true, only healing magic from Jorcal enabled her to survive the ordeal. Werdox’s dagger was now fused with her flesh, faintly luminous, & imbued with the power to detect sloping underworld passages.
After exiting the plateau cavern, the adventurers went north into a pine forest where orange moss exuded a sickly-sweet & slightly soporific peach scent. Concerned that these vapors might be problematic if inhaled overnight, they withdrew. In their haste, they forgot to gather firewood and experienced a miserable frostbitten night.
On the third day of travel, the party returned to the forest of orange moss to find the peach scent replaced by that of oaks. After a minor navigational mishap, they reached the stairway in the afternoon. This was a stone structure, 200’ high with a square wooden platform at the top. At its base were scattered corpses — the bones of a penguin in particular evoked feelings of pity from Roald.
Porphyriana led the ascent & used Read Magic to decipher the runs carved into the wooden platform. These provided instructions for magical flight along with a note: “Power comes to those that dare”. Throwing herself recklessly off the platform, she was lucky enough to have correctly evoked the flight spell and spent the next hour flying around & making grandiose pronouncements.
While departing from the stairs, the party collected 24 pentagonal geometer coins & examined the corpse of a blue wizard, taking his pair of magical boots (later identified as boots of those who can take long steps & jump great heights).
The return journey was relatively uneventful. Back at the Scholars’ Tower, the blue wizard’s death was reported to Secretary Momus & the moss samples Porphyriana took were delivered to Professor Picot. The latter constituted a minor scientific discovery, as the orange moss is an ingredient in Telekinesis potions.
Rumors: There is a staircase promising the power of flight to the East (confirmed), northeast nearby there is a forest-dweller selling herbal remedies, there is a strange family far to the west with some kind of beef with Prof. Challenger.
Gold & XP: 530 gp total, divided for base XP award of 662.
Special or Magic Items: Boots of those who can take long steps & jump great heights, magic dagger that can detect sloping passages implanted into Porphyriana’s arm.
Written by: Idraluna Archives