Did the rooms magically move around? Possibly. I feel like these things just… happen in a magical mansion. It’s not like I was… distracted. At all. Pssh. Not sure what you are talking about there…
While this week in my personal life took a dive, it’s been really nice to be able to throw myself into writing – because honestly, this week I needed it. So enjoy!
Sporky, the DM
Warning:
This campaign exists within and contains spoilers for, the Dungeons & Dragons adventure: Candlekeep Mysteries. Each individual character has their own story to tell and I am merely the arbitrator of this world. Are all the details correct? No. It’s my John Dory and it’s better than a kick up the backside.
Find more info about our Adventurers and NPC’s.
Read along at your own peril.
We left our fam with book-flail in hand. Do you grab the book or the chain? Is it one-handed or two? Is it like attacking with my childhood journal or a book of shadows? Do you think it makes a thump or a whoosh?!
The adventurers, reverting to their diverse interests in exploration, decided to split up once again. Cuz this went so well last time, guys…
Catrin, Caelum, and Quentin found themselves once more captivated by the allure of the suit of armor on the landing, contemplating its decorative nature. Meanwhile, Tizva and Eryn, not to be deterred by the previous animated challenges, ventured back into the exercise room for another round of exploration.
Spotting the animated broom in the exercise room, Eryn, with an audacious spirit, decided to seize the opportunity. Not the broom!!
With a swift move, he grabbed the broom, initiating an impromptu dance with the airborne janitorial tool. The broom, as if to say “Bad Eryn”, swings up and wiggles its bristles at him. Tizva, feeling the need to assert her presence, swung her Warhammer at the broom, while Eryn grappled it in a comedic struggle for control.
Upstairs, Quentin, always ready for action, hears the commotion and sprints down the stairs. In a remarkable feat, he leapt over a cat on the stairway, showcasing his agility. That roll was on point!
Caelum, not one to be left out, sees Quentin dashing and follows. Screeching into the room like a student late for class, with a burst of magical prowess, he throws an eldritch blast at the animated broom.
Amidst the chaos, Tizva’s Warhammer landed a solid hit, resulting in a resounding crack. However, the broom, demonstrating an unexpected sense of self-preservation, broke free from Eryn’s grasp and fled to the corner of the room.
Eryn, in a valiant attempt to react, found himself reaching for the elusive broom, only to watch it fly out of his grasp. In an attempt to show its non-threatening nature, the broom awkwardly swept dust into the corner, as if trying to assert its innocence. I’m just a broom… See… sweepy sweepy.
Quentin, undeterred by the broom’s domestic demonstration, took matters into his own hands, literally, breaking the broom in half. Tizva, suddenly understanding the innocuous nature of the broom, theatrically sagged to the floor in a display of melancholy.
What have we done?!
Tizva
As the remnants of the animated broom lay scattered on the floor, Eryn couldn’t shake the tinge of remorse that crept into his thoughts. In a moment of reflection, he found himself feeling a twinge of guilt for impulsively seizing the seemingly innocent janitorial tool. Amid the magical chaos, Eryn couldn’t help but ponder the unintended consequences of his actions, a rare moment of self-awareness amidst the whimsical dance of enchanted brooms and animated adversaries.
Regrouping, the party moved back to the study, where a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf adorned the far wall. Scarlet armchairs and small tables played host to more books, creating an inviting literary haven. Caelum and Catrin, now searching for secrets, focused their attention on the left bookcase, where Caelum, with a keen eye, discovered the elusive secret door. As the bottom leftmost book was pulled, the bookcase slid forward, revealing a hidden passage behind it, inviting the adventurers to explore further into the mysteries that lay ahead.
Having descended to the lower reaches of the mansion, Tizva, leading the intrepid party with Quentin’s encouragement, chose the straightforward path through a hefty door, bypassing an alternate route to their right. As they swung open the door ahead, the unmistakable aroma of alcohol and brine greeted them. The room unfolded as a curious tableau of glass vessels, ranging from diminutive flasks to towering six-foot containers, arranged meticulously on the floor and tables. Each glass enclave cradled a creature, suspended in clear liquid, creating a peculiar aquatic symphony.
A conspicuous void in the room seized the adventurers’ attention—the notable absence of the four-foot-tall container’s former occupant, the mimic found in the Dining room. The adventurers, drawing upon their collective intelligence and keen observational skills, discerned the enigma within the seemingly vacant container. By connecting the dots between the mimic they had encountered earlier and the now-empty space within the container, they pieced together a deduction. The mimic’s strategic evasion, skillfully feigning death after sustaining grave injuries, became evident through the empty confines of the container. This silent testament unfolded as a testament to the mimic’s cunning escape, slipping away from capture and seamlessly disappearing into the upper reaches of the mansion.
Intrigued, the adventurers embarked on an investigation, uncovering Fistandia’s eclectic collection of rare specimens. A menagerie of common, natural, and aberrant creatures graced the room—a cockatrice, a flumph, a giant fire beetle, a small grell, a myconid sprout, a pseudodragon, and the lively yet potentially perilous slaad tadpole. The adventurers, displaying a commendable sense of restraint, resisted the temptation to open the tadpole’s jar. Yes, Eryn – we’re all looking at you.
Eryn and Caelum, inquisitive souls, meticulously explored the room, their eyes scanning over each peculiar exhibit. However, a curiously deliberate sidestep left the crawling claws, seemingly dormant in the corner, undisturbed. Unbeknownst to the adventurers, the four severed hands, saturated with magical energy, had transformed into animated crawling claws. Positioned in a jar with a removable lid, the enchanted hands awaited their chance to strike, but the clever adventurers, almost but not quite coming within the perilous five-foot range, skillfully avoided any close encounters with the magically charged claws. The room echoed with a mix of wonder and caution, the adventurers navigating the fine line between fascination and potential danger.
Backtracking to the door they had previously skipped, the party entered a pleasant parlour bathed in the warm glow of an illusory fire. Each corner boasted a scarlet armchair, accompanied by a reading table groaning under the weight of entertaining books—poetry and heroic fiction vying for attention. Mounted on the walls were decorative trophy heads, including a stag, a wolf, a peryton, a hell hound, and a black dragon wyrmling. The room exuded an air of coziness, though the illusionary fire provided no real warmth.
In the midst of this seemingly serene setting, Quentin’s discerning eye caught sight of a puzzle book with a distinctive “Y” on its spine. As he reached for the enigmatic tome, the tranquillity shattered, and both swords suspended above the fireplace rattled ominously. Without further warning, the swords dislodged from their perches, bringing unexpected life to the room.
The metallic assailants wasted no time in launching their offensive. The first sword, driven by an ethereal force, honed in on Quentin with swift aggression. A clash ensued, as Quentin, refusing to yield, fought back with determined resilience. Simultaneously, the second sword targeted Tizva, its gleaming blade poised for combat. Eryn, attempting a tactical shift, found his attempt to draw from the weave thwarted still, and he reverted to his trusty boom stick. Boom town, baby!
The party rallied together against the metallic onslaught. Tizva swung her warhammer with precision, dealing blows to the second sword. Caelum, invoking the power of guiding bolt, unleashed magical bolts against the first sword.
Catrin, utilizing her ghostly hand, added a spectral touch to the fray. The first sword, undeterred, struck again at Quentin, who valiantly parried its blows. In response, Eryn resumed his attack, determined to fend off the animated menace. Tizva, unleashing a final decisive blow, bent the second sword in half, rendering it motionless. More like a boomerang now?!
With one sword defeated, the party focused their attention on the remaining adversary. Caelum’s guiding bolt, guided by arcane precision, landed a finishing blow on the first sword, dispelling its magical animation. The parlor, once disrupted by the clashing of blades, settled back into an illusionary calm. The party, victorious yet slightly shaken, collected themselves in the aftermath of the unexpected skirmish. Unexpected is right! How did that room get down here?!
Proceeding down the hall they had previously traversed, the party stumbles upon what can only be described as a summoning room. The air in this dark, stone-walled chamber carries the lingering scent of charcoal and sulphur, a testament to the magical endeavours of times past. Dominating the floor is a five-foot-diameter circle adorned with intricate runes, a mystical canvas that hints at otherworldly connections. A wooden bookstand, bereft of any literature, stands opposite the entrance, while bronze braziers mark the three cardinal points of the magical circle.
Sitting adjacent to the bookstand, a warty toad rests in apparent tranquillity. As the adventurers cautiously step into the room, their attention captivated by the amphibious observer, the toad responds with a loud croak. To the party’s surprise, the toad makes a bold leap forward, prompting them to approach it for a closer inspection. However, their curiosity is met with another resounding croak, and the onlookers watch in awe as the toad’s mouth unfolds, revealing its true identity—a quasit in disguise.
With the revelation unfolding, the adventurers roll into action. Quentin leads the charge, swiftly followed by Tizva and her Warhammer. Catrin employs her spectral hand, and Eryn, wielding his thunderous boom stick, adds to the cacophony of combat. The once-toad-now-quasit, caught off guard by the sudden onslaught, finds itself squashed under the relentless assault of the party.
With the defeated quasit, the room yields no further surprises. The party, contemplating the puzzle books, decides to employ their collective scrabble prowess. Convinced that “Liberty” holds the key, Catrin boldly declares the word. * silence *
However, to their chagrin, no immediate response ensues. Undeterred, the adventurers, ever resourceful, opt for a change of scenery. Returning to the doorway, Catrin channels her inner foghorn, proclaiming “Liberty, Liberty, Liberty…” in a rhythmic chant that echoes through the corridor, a whimsical attempt to unlock the secrets concealed within the mansion’s mysterious enigmas.
As the party ascends to the ground floor of Fistandia’s Mansion, the luxurious enchantments of the study envelop them. The study itself boasts an enchanting aesthetic, captivating the eye with its floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, scarlet armchairs, small wooden tables, and painting-adorned walls. A fluffy black cat lounges comfortably on one of the chairs, seemingly at peace. As the adventurers traverse this refined space, memories of their journey resurface, leading them back to the main foyer.
Catrin, continuing her fervent recitation of “Liberty… Liberty… Liberty…”, echoes through the mansion like a foghorn in the night. As they approach the doors, the portal unexpectedly comes to life, and with excitement pulsating through them, the adventurers step through.
However, the familiar room they enter is no longer the vibrant study of Matreous. Instead, it stands barren and untouched, as though time has left it behind. In the midst of this silence, an invisible imp materializes, launching an unexpected attack.
Caelum, ever vigilant, responds swiftly with his eldritch blast, followed by Tizva wielding her warhammer. Quentin, seizing the opportunity, delivers a double strike with his dagger, ensuring the imp’s swift demise in a flurry of quick, precise movements.
The exhausted party, standing amidst the aftermath of their imp showdown, experiences a jolt of surprise when Fembris stumbles upon them. His eyes widen at the sight, and he hurries over, expressing shock at their three-week disappearance. With a sense of urgency, Fembris hurries off to fetch Kalan Strongbranch. What seems like an eternity later, Kalan arrives, flanked by two avowed priests. Weariness etched on their faces, the adventurers engage in a conversation with Kalan, who reveals the unsettling news of their prolonged absence, Giranior’s note for Eryn, and requests they meet him in the morning to discuss everything that happened with Matreous.
Offering respite in the Pillars of Pedagogy, conveniently situated on the same floor as Matreous’ study, Kalan extends a night’s stay for the weary party. Amidst the discussions, Tizva inquires about her parents, and Kalan discloses that they had come looking for her but, finding her absent, had headed to Baulder’s Gate in search of her.
The party rests for the night and like a microwave, a ding goes off in the distance. Level 2, fam!
What happens next? Well, that’s an interesting question… We’ll be back in 2024! Thanks for an amazing few weeks! I’ve really enjoyed writing these.
Till next time.