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• Adrian Silverstrength (Human Paladin)
• Morsus Firebeard (Hill Dwarf Cleric) – Departs this session
• Buppido Diinkarazan (Rock Gnome Cleric/Wizard) – Enters this session
• Sephrenia (High Elf Cleric)
• Ragnaroc (Aasimar Warlock) 
• Don Kannin (Half-Elf Ranger)
• Korra (Air Genasi Rogue)

Korra discovers that with Priestess Krill’ith defeated, she now has access to Arcane magic once again. (This is actually because when Korra joined, she joined at Level 4 or 5 – and as a Rogue wasn’t promoted when she just jumped to that level to choose a path – she’d been considering dipping into an Arcane class as a multi-level but discovered she’d never taken a path – so at the end of Session 41, everyone leveled up to Level 6 – and she selected Arcane Trickster as her Rogue path granting her access to Arcane magic)

She summons an animal unique to the Plane of Air – named “Skyfox” to be her familiar which connects to her family.

The party, while helping the Dwarves recover and finish off the remaining Drider and Drow – come to realize the vision that Sephrenia, Morsus and Adrian experienced was “witnessed” by all clerics of light and goodness – and that indeed, the Drow Priestess, Krill’ith Grix’thall managed to raise an elder goddess (L’orak’ana, the Spider Queen) who entered Aftgrand – and for each of her legs – she killed eight deities before being banished to Garengrand. The deities she killed were: Airana, Akanda, Drakenfiel, Elenar, Krauzden, Lauhzar, Tavara and Teakak. (As a DM note – I felt I had too many deities in my world and used this event to kill some off – not only did that help me clean up the deities roster – it also feels like her return had impact since deities perished).

The Dwarves award Adrian with a set of Adamantine Armor, and the others make some purchases with the Dwarves at a very discounted price. The party spends several weeks with the dwarves, helping clean up the area and provide proof in the Courts that the Drow were behind all the manipulations.

The party learns of the lore of the Broken Lands, which seems to be where they’re headed next. With the Dwarves still digging out the main entrance which the Drow had exploded originally; the Dwarves escort the party through a number of tunnels that brings them close to a major settlement on the surface known as Ridgecrest. Pren joins the party to the surface, because he needs to go to Spire’s Edge.

• Making their way down the frozen mountains and then moving southeast towards Ridgecrest, the party arrives and Morsus explains that he must go after what he’s witnessed about the death of the gods in Aftgard; there is a panic among some of the Churches about their gods having gone silent
  • Morsus passes the Drow Dagger to Korra (which is just a Dagger +1), as well giving the Dust of Disappearance to Don Kannin
  • He gives 1,000 of his gold to the party to split and use as community gold
  • With Morsus’ departure, Adrian remains the only original member left
    • Dickpoop (Wizard) and Rex (Bard) departed
    • Apostrophe (Cleric) perished, was resurrected by his god; and during his demise, he saw a War in the Heavens was coming (fitting that it would lead to the Drow event)
• In Ridgecrest, the party sees the town is quite active – and there’s a large line to get into the town itself
• They approach one of the gate guards who shouts, “Papers! Papers! Have your papers ready!”
• He hears Morsus talking his goddess – and sees Morsus’ symbol – and allows him to pass
• Adrian’s paperwork was lost when the ship he was originally on sank
  • Adrian explains how he was on a boat – it sank – they washed ashore on an island – then some things went down on the island – and then the island itself sank – and somewhere around there he lost his paperwork
  • The guard stares at Adrian and says, “So you mean to tell me – the boat you were on… sank. You washed ashore on an island. And then the island… simply… sank? You can see how that sounds… ridiculous.”
  • Ragnaroc slides some (18) gold into the guard’s hand, and the guard clears his throat and says, “Well, I can make some exceptions. This will only clear you for entrance into Lower Ridge. You will not be able to access Mid or High Ridge.”
  • The party enters Low Ridge – and sees the city is built on the side of the mountain and realize Low Ridge is the slums – where, the sewage, literally rolls down hill and empties into Low Ridge from Mid and High Ridge
  • Ragnaroc pays the guard 50 more gold, saying he wants access to High Ridge. The guard smiles, and says, “Thank you for your very kind donation. However, I do not have the ability or the paperwork that grants you access to Mid or High Ridge. There is another set of guards at Mid Ridge Gates – to check paperwork. However,” he smiles as he pockets the gold, “thank you for recognizing me for all the hard work I do here.”
• The party enters Low Ridge, and a salesman spots them, and approaches them, “Ho! Look what we have here! Some might fine adventurers! You could use a wagon! A horse! And you – small one – a pony! I can get you a grand deal!”
• Adrian asks how much
• The salesman (Orith Woodmaker) asks if they’re looking for a carriage (hold 6 people), a cart (to be pulled), chariot (hold 2 people), wagon (holds items)
• He explains a good carriage (and he makes the best ones!) – and offers one for 175 gold. He explains it requires two horses at least because of the medium/heavy armor being worn by the party – and offers a “sale” of two Draft horses (75 gold each)
• While Don looks at the condition of the horses; Adrian looks to see if there other vendors and it seems only Orith has a few openings; so Adrian asks why they should go with him rather than the other vendors
• And Orith replies, with a hearty pat to Adrian’s back, “You know why? Because there’s a bond between you and I – we’re – what’s your name?” Adrian answers with his name and Orith smiles, “See, we’re friends! I know your name, you know my name.”
• Adrian asks why his stall isn’t as busy and Orith replies, “Because I only take on serious adventurers! These others – they’re savages! I’ve raised each and every one of my horses to be in peak condition. Selling them breaks my heart – but I feel better knowing they’re in capable hands. These other merchants only care about the jingle of their pockets.”
• Don uses Speak with Animals to ask how the horses have been treated, and the horses confirm that they are bred on an enormous farm; that the horses are well fed; that he has children that have rode and kept the horses entertained. Don passes this information to the others.
• Don also purchases his own horse, feeling he’d rather be one riding a horse than being someone sitting in a wagon, forcing the other horses to pull
• As the party completes the purchase of the wagon and the horses, Orith mentions, “Oh, I failed to mention – if you are indeed headed to the Broken Lands – or whatever the natives call it – you will want to purchase two sheets of metal for each side of the wagon – and one of these specialty made weave covers for each horse – you see, the sand storms in the Broken Lands generate extremely sharp pieces of glass that have proven fatal if caught in it unprepared. The sheets of metal my sons can help rig to your wagons – the weaves you’d just throw on the horses and hope none of it blows away or gets damaged in the sandstorms.”
• Each sheet of metal is 100 gold, and each weave tarp is 50 gold
• Adrian asks, “What else are you hiding from us?”
• Orith feigns insult, and says, “Friend! Friend! I was never hiding anything from you! I am looking out for your safety, as a good friend, and the safety of my precious horses – as I said, I am selling – still dearly care for them.”
• Orith then says, “Let me tell you about the laws of the Broken Lands. They don’t operate by our laws. In their land, if you are even suspected of theft, they will cut your hand off before even determining if you’re innocent or guilty. Be very careful out there… not just in the desert, but in their cities.”
• Adrian asks since Orith loves his horses so dearly, if he’d be willing to cut them a deal and Orith says, “Friend! Dearest – pardon me, what was your name again? Adrian, yes Adrian! Dearest Adrian – I would love to offer a discount – but if you look about you, if I do, I will lose money quickly – and without money I can’t maintain my large farm, feed my horses, I am sure you understand!”
• The party spots a Rock Gnome walking around asking if there’s room on the wagon; but most of the people explain their wagons are full – and with Don, having purchased his own horse rather than riding on the caravan – this creates an opening for the small Rock Gnome to ride along with them. Sephrenia notes that the Rock Gnome looks like a Wizard, and that she had begun learning Wizardry – and perhaps the Rock Gnome could be of use to her. Party extends an offer to him and he says, “Thanks, my name is Buppido Diinkarazan! I am a small gnome and I won’t take up much room!” (The rest of the party does a round of introductions – DM Note – this is the same player who played Morsus and traded his character to this new character). Buppido Diinkarazan explains that this was all pre-destined and that he knew he was chosen to work with you – and he said, he was Chosen by Bargledar (the God of the Gnomes) and that he’s on a very special mission.
  • Ragnaroc spots several members of another wagon, that will be a part of the Caravan, that look to have possibly been members of the Cult of Belaros – a demon lord; however, the person (Bren Darkenson) quickly covers their marking
  • Don Kannin recognizes an old friend on one of the wagons also; a female rock gnome named Eldeth Hammerlight, that he’d known back on the main continent
  • Buppido also recognizes the same female rock gnome, as one of his old flames he (thought) he’d left behind on the main continent
  • Sephrenia spots an old rival, a human named Kaliea Moonguard, who she believes had stolen her family heir loom brooch
• The party learns it’s going to take roughly nine days to even reach the Broken Lands (each arrow is one stop)

• The caravan makes it’s way in a southern direction eventually, and the night’s travel is uneventful as the caravan makes it’s first stop at the ruins of Stoneguard.

• Stoneguard was was the power of a powerful wizard, who had fallen in love with a woman from the town Westbrook (just southwest of his tower) that loved another. The powerful wizard (Boris Den) continued to try to win the love of the maiden, many years younger than him (a human woman named Airey Moonstone).
  • When it became clear that Boris would not be able to win her over, Boris abducted her lover (a human named Martell Starborn) and told Airey that Martell had left her.
  • In truth of it was that Boris had let Martell starve to death hoping this would allow her to see him as a suitable lover.
  • Before dying, Martell turned to a demon – Belaros – to seek vengeance.
  • When Airey still did not accept Boris’ hand in marriage, the enraged wizard kidnapped Airey – and when the town realized what happened and revolted against Boris.
  • It was Boris’ familiar (an Imp) that blew up the entire tower and was the sole survivor of the explosion.
  • The demon Belaros found amusement in granting Martell’s wish to come back undead to “seek vengeance” knowing that the object of Martell’s obsession had perished in the explosion.
  • Martell rose as a Wight only to discover the tower he had perished in had exploded and the one he’d hoped to kill died in the explosion.
  • Martell turned to what remained of his human side and returned to the town of Westbrook, where he was naturally attacked. He killed those who did not flee and rose them up as a wandering army of undead that walked around Westbrook.
  • His presence corrupted the surrounding land, killing the trees, and nature, and turned Westbrook into a ghost town.(DM Note – Part of this was also greatly influenced by the corruption due to a Sea Hag’s presence in the lake, drawn by the tragedy it sensed in someone pure, like Martell – in death – turning to a demon and coming back as undead, all due to a broken heart – the Sea Hag, however, would later meet her demise at the hand of another group of adventurers)
  •  A group of adventurers defeated Martell where he was put to rest once and for all, his soul, tragically forever burning in Hades.
  • There are stories that the familiar still roams the ruins of the tower and that it was perhaps – still haunted by ghosts or demons – depending on who you listened to.
  • The residents of the town (Westbrook) southeast of the tower who had fled and survived Martell’s approach migrated to the safety of Ridgecrest (accepting their place in Low Ridge).
• Despite the odd stories about the tower; the caravan makes a stop here because of the shattered tower walls, it provides great shelter and cover (to ensure the caravan can’t easily be surrounded by bandits)
• As the caravan stops – people unpack and begin drinking, shooting darts, arrows, pit fighting, gambling
  • DM Note: To ideally encourage partaking in these events – each time a player enters an event they get 1 “Event Token Marker” – once they get 10 they get Inspiration
• Adrian decides he wants to partake in the pit fighting, where they’ve moved some of the bricks from the tower to create a seating arrangement around the improvised ring
  • Torin Stonepassage, a half-elf from the caravan decides to enter the ring to attempt to defeat Adrian
    • First round is an Athletics Check to out maneuver the opponent: Torin wins that portion of the fight
    • Second round is Acrobatics to avoid being pushed down: Torin wins the second portion of the fight
    • Third round is a Constitution Check to endure the whole fight: Adrian wins that round
  • So with one success, Adrian is able to win 50 gold
  • A rich Tiefling named Kraun Torodon sees how Adrian fights in the ring and propositions him to do a job of questionable legality but very profitable; however, Adrian declines the offer.
• Ragnaroc sits at the gambling table
  • His opponent: Grum Thakblood, a Half-Orc Fighter (one of the guards for one of the many caravans)
  • First round is an Insight check to see what the opponent is holding: Grum wins the first round
  • Second round is a Deception check to fool the opponent into believing you have a better hand: Ragnaroc wins this round
  • Third round is an Intimidation check to see if they will fold: Ragnaroc (Natural 20!) wins this round, allowing Ragnaroc to win 300 gold
  • Grum Thakbold takes an interest in Ragnaroc’s ability to win when it seemed like Grum was winning
• Sephrenia steps up to shoot some arrows
  • The rules for the archery and darts is different than most of the other events
    • The D100 is rolled, one at a time
    • The player can choose to re-roll once (for the entire three rolls – so one re-roll in 3 rolls) – but must do so before the next roll and take the next roll no matter what
    • A roll of 100 allows for another free shot (additional points), a roll of a 1 reduces the highest of the rolls made (explained as a penalty such as stepping over the line)
    • The total of all three shots is then totaled
    • Her opponent Kearic Skywise, a High Elf
      • Seprehnia loses the first round in points
        • She fires a second shot – but opts to reroll that one and rolled a lower roll as a result
      • Her opponent wins the second round
      • On the third round, she rolls low again (but can’t reroll, because she’d already rolled – but she still manages to beat him on that roll)
      • When the totals are done – she has lost by 4 points
      • Which means she lost 25 gold
  • On the complication table, Kearic Skywise believes he’s a far superior archer to Sephrenia and believes she somehow cheated to score as well as she did (or perhaps cause him to miss)
• Adrian looks for Korra at the Caravan and the two of them decide to partake in some social drinking
  • Adrian goes to get the drinks and brings them back; when Adrian walks away to get a second drink, and during that time someone approaches Korra and talk to her, and when Adrian returns they depart. However, when Adrian takes his drink – the world quickly swirls around – and Adrian starts rambling in gibberish and trying to start fights with other caravan members – for reasons as simple as the color of their shoes or hair
  • Korra quickly grabs him by the arm and tells him to come over to the side (DM Note – I sent Adrian a note as to what’s happening) – and Adrian slurs, “Hey there good lookin’ – have we met before?”
  • Korra explains how they know each other and Adrian slurs, “I don’t remember any of that, but that sounds really cool.” Korra grabs Adrian’s arm and drags him back to the wagon, paying for the drinks. As Korra pays – she does take notice that Adrian’s drink seems to have a tablet at the bottom of his glass. So she takes that to see if they can determine what might have happened.
  • On the way to the wagon, however, Adrian collapses and blacks out (failed Constitution Save – becoming dead weight in his heavy armor). It takes great effort, but she slowly begins trying to drag him back to the wagon.
  • Korra calls out and it’s Buppido who comes out and comments, “Wow, you guys party hard.” With Buppido’s help – the two are able to get the passed out Adrian, lying against their wagon. (Natural 20!) Korra then takes the gold and pockets it and puts it in her pouch for safe keeping. Buppido calls for his owl familiar to land on Adrian’s head and keep watch.
  • Korra takes the flask back to the bartender where they drink; and asks the dwarven merchant about the bubbling drink. The dwarf merchant mentions that the “Tabaxi Twins” (Gaagii Talonhawk and Gaarwine Talonhawk) are notorious for this – one is a bard, who plays music to get people’s attentions, while the other often pick pockets those who are enamored by the show.
  • In the meantime, Buppido heads into the pit fight square, shouting, “I have foreseen it! I will defeat who ever dares challenge me!” And the opponent who takes up the offer is a Lizardperson from one of the caravans named Taarush Skygloom.
    • When Taarush enters – Buppido shouts, “I am going to win so well – that I will even keep my eyes closed!”
    • Buppido uses his Portent roll in which one was a Natural 20 and the other 11 – using the Natural 20, wins the first two rounds for him
    • Taarush wins the third round (Constitution, which makes sense) – but still gave Buppido two victories in that round, which allowed him to win 250 gold
    • During the fight, the Complication rolled – Buppido dealt a near fatal blow during the fight (which coincides with his Natural 20 roll), and this grants him Disadvantage on all social checks during the Caravan (due to people thinking he took it a little too far)
• Don Kannin decides to partake in the archery contests
  • His opponent is a Kenku from the Caravan named Hollow
  • Don fires a shot and rolls really low, so he re-rolls, which pays off as he rolls higher than Hollow for that round
  • Don fires his second shot, which rolls low, but Hollow’s roll isn’t much better, but the higher roll goes to Hollow
  • Don fires another arrow, and rolls low again; and Hollow rolls higher
  • Don scores 113 points, while Hollow scores 145
  • With the difference of 32 points, Don pays 25 gold to his opponent
• Ragnaroc approaches the gambling table again
  • His main opponent at the table is Kortar Stormwave a blue skinned Tiefling
    • The first round goes to Kortar
    • The next round Ragnaroc rolls Natural 20, allowing him to win the next two rounds
    • This allows Ragnaroc to win 250 gold
• Buppido heads for the base of the sundered Stoneguard Tower and rolls a perception of 16, he manages to spot what clearly appears to be footprints of an Imp (Imp-prints if you will – Aaron) which look recent

• Buppido sees the tracks seem to disappear into the rubble of the base of Stoneguard‘s remains and he shouts, “Hey! Are you still down there?”
• The rest of the party except for Adrian (who is passed out), and the rest of the party observes Buppido simply staring at the ground
• Buppido discovers that several of the rocks have been recently moved; so he moves them and discovers a trapdoor
• He opens the trapdoor and heads down into the trapdoor
• Several of the party members spot Buppido disappearing down into the ground
• Sephrenia goes to Adrian and uses Lesser Restoration to remove the effects of the knock out pill that rendered Adrian out cold
• Sephrenia and Korra are both looking at Adrian as he comes to, running his hand through his hair – only to discover that there’s an owl perched on his head
• The entire party now sees Buppido heading underground
  • Korra shouts, “Where are you going?”
  • Buppido shouts, “Down this hole.”
  • Korra shouts back, “That doesn’t seem like a good idea. What are you doing?”
  • Buppido replies, “To go meet this Imp. I found footprints.”
  • Korra says, “That Imp blew up this tower.”
  • Buppido shrugs, “Well, it won’t be able to blow it up again.” Then casts Minor Illusion to make it appear as if he’s still standing there.
  • Korra returns to the party to explain the Rock Gnome that’d ridden with them is headed down a hole, into the base of the tower
  • Don and Ragnaroc decide to hang back
  • Adrian tries to stand and ends up face planting, muttering, “I’m still conscious.” (Critical Fail) Adrian ends up using a point of Lay On Hands to remove the effect completely out of his system and stands up more coherent
  • The Owl perched on Adrian’s head points with its wing, towards the hole that Buppido went down
  • Ragnaroc tells Don that if they’re going to go down the hole; then they should probably go to, to prevent splitting the party
• As Buppido heads into the fallen tower – there’s lumber precariously holding up some of the halls; every so often dust falls from the ceiling as the world shifts ever so slightly
• Buppido casts Mending on the beams around him, fixing a small section around him
• Up ahead, Buppido hears a voice that sounds like it might be talking to itself; Buppido attempts to hear what’s being said – which he can hear, but whatever language it is – it’s not one he understands. He shouts, “Hablas El Common?” And the voice stops.
• Buppido ventures forth and sees a room to the left, where it appears to have at one time, long ago, a wizard’s study – there’s books there, scattered all over the place – most of them severely damaged
• Realizing that the language was Infernal, he begins heading back – only to be greeted by the party as they enter into the hall. He asks if anyone speaks Infernal, and Don explains that he’s able to speak it.
• They head back into the room and it’s quiet. Buppido tells Don say, “Say hello in Infernal.”
• Don does so
• And a voice further down the hall, booms in a deep, demonic sound, “Leave this place,” in Infernal which Don explains what it said – and that it wants them to leave.
• Don shouts, in Infernal, “We are not afraid of ghosts. We shall continue our business down here.”
• The voice responds in Infernal, “If you believe I am a ghost – you are mistaken. I am a Demon and this is my tower. Proceed further at the cost of your lives.”
• Ragnaroc mentions how he’s familiar with demons and if it’s true – they should definitely heed the Demon’s warning – the party all agree
• On the way out, Buppido spots a Alexanrite gem (worth 100 gold) – and uses Mage Hand to quickly get it and exit the tower with the others
• When they reach the wagons again – Buppido places two gems at the bottom, one at the top – and sits in triangle – with another gem right in front of him, examining the gem
• Don teases Buppido that he owes him a fight, because he’d want to the demon; they decide to enter a playful pit fight against one another
  • The announcer shouts, “Who would like to place their bets with the tall, agile, well built, agile, Ranger that stands before me?” or the “Small, short, squat, fragile, gnome?” – 100 gold buy in
  • Sephrenia bets on the gnome
  • Sephrenia spots Korra and puts her money on Don
  • Ragnaroc puts 100 on Don
    • First round – Buppido gets an 11, Don gets a 20 (Athletics)
    • Second Round – Acrobatics – Don gets a 7, Buppido gets a 20
    • Third Round – Constitution – Buppido gets 16 and uses his last Portent to give Don an 11, allowing Buppido to win two rounds
  • The announcer is shocked that Buppido is the main victor
  • Each who voted on the gnome; win 100 gold (200 total, 100 they put down, the 100 victory), those who bet on Don lose 50
  • Don and Buppido each get 50 gold for being participants
• The party goes back to the bar, and Don buys a round of drinks for everyone, except Sephrenia (who’d bet against him) for 100 gold total
• At the bar, Adrian tells Korra doesn’t remember much at the bar
  • He asks what her plans are, since she’d originally been sent to investigate what the Drow were up to
  • She reveals that what she’s learned is that four Drow possess rings that allow each of the Drow to call upon and enslave the Elemental Elders for brief amounts of time; and that they can summon normal Elementals by their will – so she needs to find them and return the Elemental Rings to their proper Kingdoms (where the High Priest of each Elemental normally wears it)
• The following morning, all the members of the caravan begin packing up and proceed on their way – their next major stop will be at a town called Lakefront
• However, on the second day (on the way there), one of the passengers (Complication Roll) because violently ill and dehydrated – and the caravan is forced to stop and delay the speed as they tend to others who have fallen ill (nothing mysterious, just traveling sickness)
• The wagon eventually proceeds on their way to Lakefront

TO BE CONTINUED!