Previous Session Recap
- Covered house situation and role-playing.
- Created two hirelings:
- Mimsy: mouse lady with her dog, peaceful country mouse, INFJ, loves Swiss cheese.
- Nadir: one-armed elf, ex-villain turned reformed ally.
- Met Garnet Lark from the observatory:
- Human scientist/astronomer.
- Predicted meteorite landing within a few feet using her abacus.
- Party is traveling with Garnet back to the observatory.
Owlbear Encounter (Resolved)
- Party killed an owlbear last session.
- Cheri found a broken sword, now functional as a dagger.
- Found broomstone in the owlbear gizzard.
- Owlbear attacked unexpectedly (unusual for territorial predator).
Dwarven Ruins Discovery
- Imogen scouting ahead (Perception 17) spotted ruins off the road
- Old dwarven ruins covered by landslides and other debris
- Garnet confirms she’s seen them but hasn’t investigated
- Party decides to investigate
Combat: Ruin Grinder vs Clodlings
Enemies Encountered:
- Ruin Grinder: Large ancient dwarven metal construct with scoopy grabbers, built for mining/construction, guarding mines
- Clodlings: Dirt elementals (legendary creatures, rarely seen), about small snowman-sized, can reform after being damaged
Pre-Combat Negotiation:
- Clodlings want the treasure (old dwarven metal)
- Party negotiates: they’ll help the clodlings defeat the Ruin Grinder
- In exchange, the summoner will teach them how to summon clodlings
- The clodlings agree
Initiative Order:
- Cheri (18)
- Imogen (17)
- Bonk (16)
- May (14)
- Ruin Grinder (13)
- Clodlings (last)
Combat Summary:
Round 1:
- May casts Bardic Inspiration on Sherry (d8)
- Sherry uses crossbow, uses Bardic Inspiration to hit (15 total damage), attempts trip attack (DC 15 Dex save – Ruin Grinder rolls nat 20, stays standing)
- Vesolnir holds action, casts Moon Strike (waiting for target to be knocked prone)
- Bonk moves forward
- May attempts Tasha’s Hideous Laughter – Ruin Grinder fails save and falls prone laughing
- Veselnir triggers held action with Moon Strike – CRITICAL HIT (13 radiant damage), target takes 2d8 damage if it moves 5+ feet
- Bonk uses Reckless Attack with warhammer (11 damage total with rage bonus)
- Ruin Grinder smashes two clodlings (they start reforming)
- Clodlings attack ineffectively
Round 2:
- May gives Bonk Bardic Inspiration
- Cheri kills the Ruin Grinder with dual-wielding attacks (dagger + short sword, 23 damage total) – strikes to chest and head
Post-Combat:
- Found treasure: old dwarven metal (copper, nickel – not very valuable)
- Party gives treasure to clodlings as agreed
- The summoner teaches them how to summon clodlings using a Clod Rod through a ritual dance
- Clodlings can be summoned as dirt soldiers in future combat (though they’re not very effective fighters – they can reform when damaged)
- Party acquires “dirtle” (turtle) guide from clodlings for hidden mountain paths
Ruin Grinder Salvage:
- Party wants to salvage the construct
- Contains various crystals embedded in it
- Too heavy to move immediately (several tons)
- Veselnir examines it (Arcana 26): sees mathematical diagrams, different gems describing functions
- Party drags it into the ruins entrance to hide it from elements
- Plan to return with crew to haul it later
Continuing to Observatory
- Using hidden paths via dirtle guide to avoid being exposed on mountain
- Spot a Roc nest in the distance (CR 11 creature – very dangerous)
- Giant eagle on floating stone platform with nest of branches/twigs
- Nest is 80-100 feet up in the air, about a mile away
- Party debates investigating but decides to visit observatory first and return later
- May wants to send Unseen Servant to investigate (invisible, 60ft range limit)
- Party convinces her to wait and gather intel at observatory first
Arrival at Observatory
- Party successfully reaches observatory entrance
- Dirtle returns home
Meeting “The Doctor”
- Garnet calls out for the Doctor
- The Doctor is up on viewing platform, very dramatic and pretentious
- Calls them “mortal fools”
- Implied to be a Gith (monastic culture, not warrior)
- Veselnir uses Detect Thoughts: Doctor is stressed, running out of time to figure something out, has data he needs to understand
- Doctor is fixated on collecting data related to the moon and stars, becoming obsessed with the moon
- Very worried/anxious about something
- Party presents their writ/permit from King AElor
- Doctor grants them a “full cycle” (full day) to use facilities
- Garnet offers to show them around since Doctor locks himself away
Current Status:
- Party acquired: Dirtle guide, clodling summoning ability, knowledge of Roc nest location
- Items to investigate: Ruin Grinder (left in ruins), Roc nest, broomstone mystery
- Active mystery: Doctor’s obsession with the moon, whatever he’s trying to figure out
- Location: Just arrived at observatory, about to tour facilities
Character Updates:
- Mimsy (NPC): Mouse person, youngest sister, runt of litter, peaceful country mouse, uncomfortable working with cheese-making, favorite cheese is Swiss, INFJ personality
- Ms. Cheri: Has Elven Cloak (advantage on stealth), broken sword of unbreaking (now a dagger), dual-wielder
- May: Learning clodling summoning dance
- Veselnir: Suspicious of the Doctor
- Imogen: Wants to investigate/rob the Roc nest later
- Bonk: Bonk nervously eyeing Roc nest
Notable Items This Session:
- Tree token from hag (instant tree, one-use magic item)
- Broom of flying (carrying capacity 200-400 lbs)
- Broken short sword of unbreaking with elven name (now dagger)
- Clod Rod is a magical rod capable of summoning clodlings from surrounding dirt
Ongoing Quests/Hooks:
- Pecorino mouse statue quest (need to go to Ellyria Noonmoon in Starbit Bay)
- IImpending Starbit Bay visit; tension between Imogen and Raksana
- Mystery of broomstone appearing in creatures and habitats
- Doctor’s moon obsession
- Roc nest treasure!?