Session 16: The one where Mike plays a cool lizard named Frederick (April 26, 2023)
Last session, our heroes discovered that Thom’s metal cylinder was a puzzle box of sorts, slowly transforming as you fiddle with it until it eventually reveals its final form. They also learned that it once held an ancient spiritual entity which is now possessing Thom and takes over his body when the moon is out. They decided to tie him up rather than let him sell the puzzle box at the auction later that day. They would revisit him at moonrise.
The party then went shopping, getting splint mail, an Alchemy Jug, a Rope of Climbing, a Mystery Key, and a Knock-off Sapphire Sword. Elias also ran into Ana Cardi, who informed him that defeating the burglars at Potion Pitstop embarrassed some people who will likely try to attack the party again.
Next, the party had their scheduled brunch with Bloody Mary. She informed them that the Bands of Loyalty were purchased by an old inventor friend of hers who is starting up a business venture. They were purchased through her so as not to draw too much attention to her friend in the early stages of his business. She slid the party a piece of paper stating that her friend would be at a summit in Bad Zamdorf on Mistburn 16, some 20 days from now, to network and schmooze clients, and that the party could go and meet him there. She also shed more light on why Governor Literi owes the party a favor: in defeating the burglars, they party showed how ineffective they were, and thus potentially not worth the Governor paying for unless improvements are made.
After getting a Sending Stone to communicate with Mary in the future, the party left to check out the items at auction. The main ones advertised were the puzzle box, a book from the founding of Arkos, a valuable painting, a pair of gnomish castanets from Homeburr, a colorful hat with bells from Tidefill, and the main attraction, a large golden candelabra believed to originate from the dwarves of Hamp Desh. Elias decided to check out the auction to see if anyone was interested in the puzzle box, and Heph and Rormir headed back to Aqua Vista to check on Thom.
- Jeremias goes into the Regal Connection Multi-Purpose Center where the auction is being held to see if he can find anyone interested in the puzzle box
- The doors to the auction haven’t opened yet and everyone is milling around in a bar area
- Jeremias walks up to the bar and sits next to a dragonborn
man who is tossing back drinks
- He’s doing party tricks, spitting out alcohol and lighting it on fire with his breath
- He seems a bit sad
- Jeremias orders a Boulevardier
- He copies the dragonborn by spitting his drink into the air and lighting it with Prestidigitation
- Unfortunately, as he does this someone comes in the door and a breeze blows the flaming spray directly into the dragonborn’s face
- The dragon born spits alcohol right back at
Jeremias, who ducks and does it right back
- The dragon born also ducks
- They meet eyes and the dragonborn says he likes him
and wants to be friends
- They introduce themselves, the dragonborn saying his name is Frederick Ehrhalt
- Jeremias asks what Frederick is looking
for
- He says he’s looking for a puzzle box, but the guy selling it isn’t here at the auction
- Jeremias asks for more info
- Frederick says the object wasn’t listed as a puzzle
box, but he recognized immediately that it must be a puzzle
box of legend
- He’s an archaeologist
- The puzzle box has the spirit of a giantess named Jörnann trapped inside
- Jeremias says he may know where to find the box, and Frederick nearly falls out of his chair in shock
- They meet up with Heph and Rormir, who are upstairs with Thom tied to a chair
- Jeremias introduces Heph as “Pancake” and Rormir as “Naked Guy”
- Frederick immediately bows to Thom to show
devotion to Jörnann
- Jeremias follows suit
- Frederick suggests they give Thom the puzzle box and have him recite an incantation
- The party discusses whether the puzzle box should be in
Thom’s mouth while it is recited
- As they discuss, the sun finishes setting and the moon begins to appear
- Thom’s face goes blank and his head drops
- It then slowly rises and everyone rolls initiative
- Thom’s eyes are growing grayish blue, and he looks at each of the
party in turn
- In a booming voice Jörnann asks what is going on
- Heph explains that she is in Thom and was previously in
the puzzle box
- Frederick bows and explains that he is trying to restore her to her former glory
- Heph backs into a corner and hides behind the couch
- Jeremias follows along with Frederick and bows to Jörnann
- Rormir asks Jörnann what she wants in this world
- She says she wants followers and her body back
- This current one is small and weak
- Rormir offers to kill her so that she can reincarnate into a
better body later
- She is not really convinced at all by anything that Rormir says
- Frederick has an idea of where her body might be, and offers to journey with her to restore her to her former glory
- She says it’s time to test their faith, and asks Heph to bow
- A piece of marble breaks through the wood paneling of a wall and shoots at Heph, hitting him hard in the helmet
- Jörnann is not happy with his lack of bowing, and Heph heals himself a bit and stumbles into a kneeling bow
- Jeremias continues to bow to Jörnann
- Jörnann turns to Rormir and demands he bow
- Rormir tries to hand her his bow
- She is amused by the joke and says he can be a jester in her court
- Rormir bows slightly but not deeply
- Jörnann steps into the center of the room and
Rormir takes a swing at her with an opportunity attack
- His fake sapphire sword cuts into her flesh, but there is no blood
- It sounds almost like metal scraping on stone
- The party fails a group persuasion check and Jörnann asks that they prove themselves using combat
- Jeremias steals the puzzle box from Heph using Mage Hand and pledges to keep it from falling into the wrong hands
- Frederick carves the symbol of Jörnann (a jagged mountain peak) into his arm
- Jörnann launches more marble from the wall at Rormir
- Heph walks out from behind the couch and blasts
Jörnann with Thunderwave
- The thunder damage seems to be extra effective against her crumbly form
- Jeremias continues to try to get information from
Frederick
- He shows Frederick a mountain tattoo similar to the one he just made, created with Prestidigitation
- Rormir shoots at Jörnann again and hits
- Frederick asks what he must do, Jörnann
says to try to hit her to prove himself
- He casts Vicious Mockery, and she fails and looks really hurt by his words
- The first blood she’s bled so far drips out of her nose
- On a successful joint intimidation/persuasion roll, the party finally convinces her that they are worthy to be her followers
- Heph looks disappointed, and Jörnann notices and lets
him hit her again
- He punches her twice with his Thunder Gauntlets, and she looks really really hurt now
- Jörnann turns to Frederick and asks him to help her get her real body back
- Everyone but Frederick leaves for the other suite
- Frederick stays behind to tend to his Queen
- Jeremias asks what the hell is going on
- Back in the other room