Tl;dr: The completion of the fort at Ruined Oak required some scarlet velvet, which was acquired by adventurers from Vampire Earl Sitaris, in exchange for helping him cleanse an ancient temple of a continuously returning foe.
Future Adventure Notes:
•The fort at Ruined Oak is now complete.
•A fishery owned and operated by Vampire Earl Sitaris, staffed with zombie workers is north of Ruined Oak, nearby a ruined temple. While not profitable it is an amusing business.
•Beholders can have dreams that manifest and try to kill them.
•Spirit Naga will return to existence unless their remains are placed in the magic circle that bound them, which is then dispelled.
Session Title: Finishing a Fort in Ruined Oak
Session DM: Calmseeker
Session Date: 3 April 2022 @ 01:00 UTC
Session Risk: 7
Characters:
•Barry (Cleric 5/Fighter 5) with Cultist and Dragonborn the Skeletons (played by Tootired78)
•Gau (Druid 14) (played by Konopa)
•Katla (Fighter 14) (played by Arden)
•Valorean (Paladin 6/Sorcerer 10) with Azure the Griffon (played by Mal)
Barry and group assemble at Ruined Oak. Contact by worker from fort, say want “Scarlet Velvet” for fort carpet, with some sold at stall north of Ruined Oak. Barry not sure why carpet matter at fort, but Barry and group agree then go. Rather pleasant day for walk.
Barry and group arrive by midday, see marble temple, vertical pillar of rock. Between is market stall, sell fish, run by many zombie. Barry think Tempus might disapprove using valuable corpse for merchant work, not battle, but Barry not say. On sign next to stall, price for fish, also special offer on Scarlet Velvet.
Psychic Katla inquire from zombie, with much pantomime, zombie finally understand, get excited. Zombie point to further on sign, “inquire with manager to buy.” Many zombies give loud whistle, one place placard on stall say “Please Wait.” Barry and group wait.
Soon after, familiar black carriage pulled by nightmare drive in from west. Vampire Earl Sitaris exit, greet us, say he manager. Say he was told to say he manager not owner by local merchant to improve sale. Say has Scarlet Velvet sample in carriage. Psychic Katla goes in, touches stuff. Vampire Earl Sitaris say it feel incredibly smooth to touch and quite pleasant on feet if used as carpet.
Vampire Earl Sitaris ask how much Barry and group want, and when he learn, he say he have that amount but will not sell it. Will barter it for adventurer help cleanse temple by fish stall of nuisance who keep returning. Barry and group have no choice but to agree. Vampire Earl Sitaris shrewd merchant.
Vampire Earl Sitaris instruct Blueford, the Butler to stay with wagon and mind stall, as Vampire Earl Sitaris will join Barry and group. Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris make way over then into ruined temple. Say creature in temple was like snake, and one had many eye tentacle. .
Snakelike creature Vampire Earl Sitaris name spirit naga. Say it regenerate few day after death and Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris will need to take its body or core of body Barry not sure, to magic circle that bound it, dispel circle while body inside to kill permanent. Many eyestalk creature shoot ray from eyestalk, each ray do different thing, all bad.
Inside temple, water everywhere. Barry happy not deep enough need swim. Vampire Earl Sitaris say temple once belonged to creature that lived in lake, were plotters but cleared out awhile ago. Vampire Earl Sitaris lead way. Vampire Earl Sitaris think secret entrance somewhere near that spirit naga use.
Psychic Katla find secret button, hidden in brick. When pushed wall over, stair down behind. Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris descend. At stair bottom, see dead dwarf and dead horse. Vampire Earl Sitaris say look like merchant who suggest term “manager”. Both dead from necrotic energy, body have journal, last part readable:
“I am the last of my fellow associates to still live, yet I am unsure if I am lucky to have gotten the floating eyeball’s interest. I never expected us mere merchants to get the curiosity of an aberration enough to be attacked. I heard it mutter again in its sleep tonight. As it slept, it almost seemed like it’s something is forming next to itself. It looked like another floating eyeball. Was that how it… dreams?”
“They don’t seem to get along. I fear the worst…”
Psychic Katla talk about how aberration “beholder” can dream, with such powerful mind, dream become real, and try to fight itself.
Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris go deeper, exit into large cavern, lit by many gentle purple crystal, sense of magic in air. Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris follow way south, pick southwest passage. Find magic circle inscribed on ground. Vampire Earl Sitaris think beholder use circle to summon naga to guard it treasure.
Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris return to fork, take southeast passage. Hear bubbling cauldron, see many table and shelf filled with vial and paper. One read:
“Research into dreaming up minions. Also research how much water a fat dwarf can drink before he explodes?“
~Pupilius the beholder
While look around, a rumbling noise came from further back in tunnel. When Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris go back, see massive boulder roll away, leaving gap in wall. Through gap to north was massive pile of dead animal, and fungi growing. Barry hear shout in weird language, Psychic Katla shout back, start going south.
Barry hear more shouting, follow. Barry see many thing never see before. Small brain moving on ground, large mouthy thing, large snake thing, blood-coloured tentacle creature, zombie beholder and faded mist-like beholder. Psychic Katla tell Barry after, creature name; intellect devourer, adolescent aboleth, spirit naga, death kiss, Pupilius and Irissa.
After words between Psychic Katla and beholder, Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris attacked. Barry could not see what Dragonborn Valorean, Psychic Katla or Vampire Earl Sitaris do. Barry skeleton Dragonborn shot with ray, collapse to ground. Barry skeleton Cultist shot with ray, made dust, along with Barry weapon. Barry see Druid Gau use powerful healing magic into fight, hear after Psychic Katla angered imaginary beholder, name Irissa, try to disintegrate her like Cultist.
Tempus magic find spectator hidden in alcove, watch fight. It die. Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris all survive, except Barry skeleton. Barry will remake Dragonborn later and with use dwarf skeleton on stair to replace Cultist. Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris take dead spirit naga to magic circle. Druid Gau dispel. Vampire Earl Sitaris say work. Barry and group search in alcove spectator in, find treasure.
Barry and group and Vampire Earl Sitaris exit temple. Vampire Earl Sitaris say wait, while he go and get Scarlet Velvet from mansion. Barry and group wait. Vampire Earl Sitaris take time, almost evening when return. Vampire Earl Sitaris provide thirty pound of Scarlet Velvet. Say that “while fishery not profitable, it is an amusing business, make a note.”
Barry and group return to Ruined Oak after, same day, pushing along road to get back safely. Worker take Scarlet Velvet, say Fort should be done in couple of day.