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• Aros – Lightfoot Halfling, Rogue
• Galiena Erenaeth – Half Elf, Celestial Warlock / Druid
• Baldur – Human, Pack Chain Warlock (Spear) / Paladin
  • Hellina Kaitlyn Deramu – Human NPC, Wererat
• Wickedstraza – Dragonborn (Bronze), Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline) – Not present

Following the instructions from Shelly Cadwell‘s journal, the party makes their way to Glacier Falls, named as such because at the very top of this massive mountain’s peaks, there appears to be what looks like massive glaciers that cling precariously over the edge; but in doing so, they also have a large river that runs beneath it – careening off the mountain, creating an elegant waterfall that’s massive in size.

The party examines the falls and can see a way, with great difficulty to make their way up the mountain – and throughout the face of the mountain, they see a number of caves – but Shelly mentioned that there’s a cavern hidden behind the waterfall somewhere – but it’s not obvious where along that massive waterfall. The party finds some climbing hooks along the mountain (grants advantage on Athletics). Aros decides he will climb up the mountain face (two natural 20s and one unnatural 20) – and in doing so – Aros is able to spot the cave behind the waterfall that is noted in Shelly’s book.

He moves closer and notices that this cave looks ventured; where as other caves, looked as if people camped in some of the caves along their climb. A thick layer of dust was still on the ground, there’s no evidence of campfires, as if this cave was being actively avoided.

Aros edges around the waterfall and looks down to see Baldur and Galiena below. He suspects there’s something unusual about this cave – just as Shelly’s journal indicated. Baldur looks at Galiena and says, “Can you imagine falling from that height?”

Galiena stares at Baldur with a scowling look, knowing her fear of heights and specifically climbing the rope.

Aros tries to give a thumbs up to indicate he’s found the cave, however he slips slightly, and makes a waving gesture (failed athletics) – and Baldur perceives it that he is gesturing about some kind of flying bird (failed perception). Galiena (rolled Critical Fail perception) can’t even see where Aros up there (being a halfling and that she’d turned her back after Baldur had mentioned falling), so it takes Baldur trying to point out where he is up on the ledge by the waterfall. (DM Note – something I enjoy doing is having the player tell me not that they’re signaling other party members – but describe it – and then roll performance vs perception, and if it’s misunderstood give a fun, creative thing that the party interprets the signals as).

Aros comes up with a new idea, where he puts a piton into the side, then runs a rope through it and ties a lantern on the other side and begins swaying it slightly, before setting it down. Baldur looks and tries to figure out what Aros is trying to do, and recalls that when someone has a light on – that means, they’re home and doing something. He pieces together the previous indication of the flailing arms and it being a bird gesture – and asks Galiena, “Do you think he found an Aarakocra up there that he’s sleeping with?”

Galiena shakes her head, “Or maybe there wereravens?”

Baldur nods, “That makes way more sense. I’ve not seen any Aarakocra anywhere on this island. And I have been talking up my intimate relationships with werekind, such as Kaitlyn and I. I wonder if he’s picked up on it and found a wereraven up there to get, you know, personal with.”

Galiena looks nervously at Ramgor, then back to Baldur, “I’m happy for him.”

Aros looks down and now sees his companions are nodding in agreement – but none of them have begun climbing up the face mountain yet.

Aros removes the piton and lantern and looks around for a small rock to throw at them down below. He finds a small rock and throws it – and it goes way off, but no one sees Aros throwing a rock – except Ramgor, who isn’t engaged in the conversation between Galiena and Baldur. Ramgor says, “He threw something – but it landed it the waterfall and landed in the lake.”

Baldur looks up and sees Aros seems him still standing there with his hands on his waist. Aros shakes his head and disappears behind the waterfall and peers deeper into this mysterious cave.

Moving in slightly – he can smell something that bares a strong semblance to the smell of something decaying, as an unpleasant smell assaults his nostrils.

Down below, Baldur sees that Aros has disappeared behind the waterfall again and this time not surfaced back. He turns to Galiena and Ramgor and says, “I am going to climb up there and see what’s going on.” (After three successful Athletic checks, Baldur eventually makes it up – only slipping once and taking minor damage). He reaches the top path where he last saw Aros and yells down below, “It’s easy!”

Peering into cavern, he sees Aros barely in the cave. Looking around, Baldur steps around the waterfall and does the flapping bird motion similar to what Aros had done, believing it would have been easier to fly up here. He then gives a thumbs up and enters the cavern and calls to Aros who turns around. “Did you use my rope to climb up?”

Baldur looks, “No, my own. I used the pitons next to your rope.”

Aros says, “OK. So where is Galiena?”

“Down there,” Baldur gestures over his shoulder, past the waterfall. “With her lover boy.”

“We should get her up here,” Aros says. “Something weird about this cave. It’s the only one where it looks like other climbers avoided it.”

Galiena down below signs as Aros and Baldur gesture towards her to climb up. Galiena casts Guidance on herself – however, due to her fear of climbing ropes (no advantage for her using the pitons) – she tries to climb and falls the first time (taking 1 point of damage, banging her ankle) – she tries again, and slips yet again. Baldur shouts, “Stay on the rope! It’s not that hard!”

“You don’t know what this is like!” Galiena screams back up.

“Yes, I do,” Baldur shouts down, “I literally just did it.”

Ramgor tries to help Galiena and explain how to successfully climb the rope and pitons (which allows the first one at Advantage, which allows her to scale the first position), so now the second climb is without advantage because Ramgor himself is behind her climbing. She makes it up the second portion, praying to herself with each grip of stone. She looks up knowing she has one more climb to go – with Baldur and Aros yelling at her – trying to guide her, however, she manages to slip – taking 4 damage.

“How many ropes do you need?” Baldur yells down. “Listen to how we’re telling you to do this!”

Galiena shouts, “Just shut up!”

And manages to climb the rest of the way up, and as she makes it over the ledge into the cave, she collapses on the floor and rolls away from the edge.

Baldur smiles, “Good job. Should be better when we go down, right?”

Galiena, with her eyes closed growls, “Baldur, jump off the ledge.”

Ramgor climbs over the ledge as well and comes to sit next to Galiena to ensure she’s OK after seeing her fall again. Galiena looks around the cave – feeling save with Ramgor next to her – and other than the roaring waterfall, she doesn’t notice anything unusual.

Aros points out, “It stinks really bad if you go into the cave further.”

Aros reviews the tome from Shelly’s notes about the cavern – and she mentions a “Fey” that she found in this cave – that was friendly – and as the entries continue – she speaks of coming here frequently – however, the entries begin to indicate that she thinks something is wrong is wrong with “The Fey” (whom she never names). The last entry about “The Fey” is “I believe he’s cursed.”

Baldur yells into the cave, “Mister Fey, we’re here to help.”

An echo reverberates through the walls – but what comes back is a deeper voice echoing back Baldur’s exact words.

Baldur looks for animal tracks (Natural 20 Nature Check) and spots what looks to be giant centipede tracks. Baldur looks into the dark cave, “I think there’s a giant centipede in here somewhere. We should try to get to Mr. Le Fey before this giant centipede gets to him. Because there’s no other signs of any other kind of animal.”

Aros rips off a piece of cloth from his backpack and uses it to cover his nose and mouth; however Galiena and Baldur do not. As the party slowly moves deeper and deeper into the cave, the pungent smell grows stronger and stronger. The cave begins to have mushrooms – first small, but the deeper they go – the more there are – and the larger they become – first being ankle height, then knee height, then as tall as Aros, then some as tall as Baldur and Galiena themselves. Pausing they notice an unusual mushroom that looks “death grips” – decaying fingers coming from under the ground (Dead Man’s Finger).

The large mushroom as they proceed, seem to range from sickly yellow and green colors, and the party realizes that it’s coming from these sick mushrooms. The party hears something through the mushrooms – and the “centipede” steps owner suddenly becomes clear as a carrion crawler bursts through the mushrooms, had been drawn here by the scent of decay.

Galiena launches an Eldritch Blast – being startled by the mushroom, she’d instinctively launched the spell and misses – destroying a mushroom next to it. The Carrion Crawler lunges at Aros, wrapping him in its tentacles – and injects him with the poison that’s laced on the Carrion Crawler’s poison, but Aros is able to avoid its effects (successful save). It pulls Aros closer to its mouth and bites into Aros (instantly making Aros bloody).

Baldur shouts, “Stay away from the mouth, Aros!”

Ramgor rushes up to try and help Aros and hits with his Moon-Touched Rapier.

Baldur also rushes forward and tries to stab with the front of the spear – and misses – and uses the blunt side – and also misses.

Aros, wrapped in the tentacles, manages to stab the Carrion Crawler – he manages to stab it successfully (with sneak damage, because Ramgor and Baldur are next to him) – and then quickly using Cunning Action to step away.

Galiena tries to use Sacred Flame, but the Carrion Crawler is able to avoid its effects. Galiena – furious – invokes Witchbolt – (Critical Strike, Natural 20!) doing 24 points of damage!

The Carrion Crawler attempts to tentacle and bite Ramgor, since he’s close – but both miss; but in turn, as Ramgor dodges the attacks – also throws him off – so he misses with his own Moon-Touched Rapier.

Aros drops his dagger and quickly pulls a bow and fires a shot, hitting the Carrion Crawler (with Sneak Damage), killing it with an arrow just as it lunges forward at Ramgor again – the arrow enters the mouth and pierces the back of its mouth – and directly to the brain – the entire Carrion Crawler’s body shudders and collapses to the ground.

Aros takes a deep breath and sits down on a small mushroom and mutters, “So, can I get a heal since I gave away all my potions to you guys?”

Galiena approaches Aros, placing her hand on his shoulder, and uses Cure Wounds on Aros, restoring 6 health back. Galiena summons her Unicorn Patron and extends additional healing to those around her.

As they proceed – Aros catches sight of what looks to be a giant snake with wings inside the cavern and is momentarily stunned.

Aros gently taps the person closest – who happens to be Galiena who is look back at the entrance of the cave, dreading the idea of eventually climbing down. She looks down at Aros who gestures to remain quiet – and he’s pointing. Galiena turns her head and looks deeper into the cave – and up in the cavern – she too sees this unusual creature.

Galiena looks at this elegant creature who hovers in the air, observing them with great interest. Galiena knows that they’re creatures of great fortune and emulate great goodness. Galiena does a deep courtesy before this mystical creature and says, “Great Couatl, is there anything we can do for you?”

This draws Baldur’s attention who believes to Couatl to be a dragon and readies his spear. The Couatl speaks directly into Baldur’s mind, “Hold your weapon.”

It then faces the entire party and says, “I have a message for you,” and then looks to Galiena and says, “My name is Slyver. You are on a path of great darkness; and I hope you are not lost, and that your light will shine bright enough to find your way home again. Know that the travesty of what lies before you, can not be undone; but hope and faith, may save the damned. Beware of the darkness.”

Baldur asks, “Are you the Fey? The one from Shelly’s journal?”

“I am not Fey,” Slyver responds.

“Do you know of the Fey that lives in this cave?” Galiena asks.

“Once, he danced merrily,” Slyver responds, “until his soul was taken. He’s drank from the darkness, and now has lost that which was his.”

“Do you know about the vampires?” Aros asks.

“I know much about the Darkness,” Slyver responds, but stops there before saying more. “I wish I could tell you what to do – but your destiny is your own. Each of you will walk the line between shadow and light – and some will fall.”

“Is there a cure for the vampirism?” Aros asks.

“There is,” Slyver nods.

“Is it in this cave?” Aros pushes.

“It is not,” Slyver whispers, “but that’s not why you’ve come. You’ve come to find the cure to the Vargouille’s Kiss.”

“How could you possibly know that?” Aros asks, astonished.

“Much passes before my eyes,” Slyver responds.

“Well, is the Fey in here?” Baldur asks.

“He is,” Slyver nods.

“What kind of Fey is he?” Galiena asks.

“Once he danced about, but now drowns in doubt; once he sang aloud, pleasing the crowds; but now, in the shadows of his soul, drowned in the bleak hatred of what he’s been forced to do, he’s lost his voice, his love, his passion,” Slyver answers.

Galiena and Baldur exchange glances and shrug, as does Ramgor, but it’s Aros who whispers, “Is it a Satyr?”

Slyver nods.

Slyver suddenly looks alarmed and looks at them and says, “I am needed elsewhere!” And shimmers out of existence as if he’d never been there.

The party peers deeper into the dark caves and realize that only Galiena has any form of dark vision. The party decides to light a lantern and are surprised when the yellowish mushrooms brightly reflect the light back at them, causing the glare to make seeing anything ahead of them extremely difficult. Galiena decides that casting Light may also be beneficial, and does so on Baldur’s shield.

Due to the thick mushrooms, the party is forced to march in single file – with Baldur in the front, followed by Aros, then Galiena, and Ramgor in the rear – as they cut their way through the large mushrooms – Galiena hears Ramgor complaining about how dark and odorous the cavern is – when suddenly he sounds muffled. She turns around and sees a creature had leapt onto his head.

She sees it only for a moment, before it “inks” the room – drowning out the light that they’d made – plunging them all into complete darkness. Baldur shouts from the front, “Galiena! Your light spell went out! I need you to recast it!”

Galiena shouts, “It’s not my spell! Something has attacked Ramgor!”

As combat starts, Ramgor manages to take it off of his head (Natural 20 on Initiative) as he shouts from the darkness, “There’s something in here! This is magical darkness!”

Swinging wildly, Ramgor hits hard stone in the dark – and loses his blade in the magical darkness (Critical Fail on Attack). Baldur then feels something wrap around his leg, and squeals, “Something’s touching me!”

Despite the advantage it has in the darkness, the Dark Mantle creature quickly meets its demise and the plunging darkness disappears.

Baldur looks at Galiena, “Your spell broke at the worse possible time.”

Galiena opens her mouth to explain, but instead lets out a sigh and turns to face Ramgor to ensure he’s all right. Ramgor picks up his blade, found between two mushrooms and assures her that the only thing hurt is his pride.

The party continues moving forward – when they’re startled by a woman who seemingly comes out of nowhere – directly in front of them. She is beautiful, but her expression is one of great sadness.

The Dryad says, “My name is not important. I know why you’ve come. You’re here to put an end to Ossis. It’s tragic what he’s become – and I will not move to stop you. I only ask that when the time comes, you find it in your hearts to do what you must, and make it painless for Ossis.“

“I heard he’s not the great dancer he used to be,” Baldur says, recognizing the woman as a dryad. “Were you his previous dance partner?”

“No,” the dryad replies, “I came here when I had to make the difficult choice… to banish him from the Feywild… Now I check on him from time to time… Because I miss who he was…”

“Is he a vampire?” Baldur asks.

“No, not a true vampire,” the Dryad answers. “But something twisted from fey magic that mimics vampirism.”

“Are you friends with the fire dragon we saw a moment ago?” Baldur asks.

“I know not of any fire dragon in this cave,” the Dryad responds.

“Pardon my friend,” Galiena sighs, “he means Slyver.”

The Dryad smiles. She steps into a mushroom and disappears, with her final words, “I wish you well.”

Baldur rolls his eyes and looks at Galiena, “Well, she was as helpful as that fire dragon thing.”

“Slyver,” Galiena sigh.

Galiena turns and faces Ramgor, “Are you all right?” referencing the Dark Mantle.

“It was disgusting,” Ramgor mutters. “I could hear it trying to suck my brain.”

“I am glad you’re okay,” Galiena smiles as she places her hand on his cheek.

Ramgor places his hand on Galiena’s and says, “I will always be OK, so long as you are near me.”

She replies, “I will be thankful that you can help me climb.”

“That,” he chuckles, “may yet be the death of us both.”

As the party pushes forward – Aros is suddenly consumed with some kind of unease. He looks around nervously and whispers, “Something doesn’t feel right.”

“Nothing about this cavern feels right,” Ramgor mutters from the rear, keeping his eyes on the ceiling.

As the party pushes on, their light struggles to illuminate the cavern before them that seems to be drowning in magical darkness; however, a lone figure can be seen sitting on a giant mushroom that’s been carved into a throne. A pair of red eyes break through the darkness.

“Who dares come into the Forbidden Cavern?”

“We’ve come seeking your help,” Galiena responds.

“Address him by his name, Le Fey,” Baldur nudges her.

The figure stands from the mushroom and the darkness seems to part the way allowing him free passage, as it swirls around behind him, like a living entity.

As he steps closer and closer, his hooves creating a rhythmic beat, as he places a flute to his lips – the party suddenly finds – they can’t resist dancing (all failed Savings Throws), except Galiena (thanks to her advantage against being Charmed). Galiena looks at the others who are dancing and wonders what they’re doing. Every once in awhile, they’re able to stop – but if they lose concentration on focusing on not dancing – they begin dancing again.

Aros keeps dancing, while Baldur is finally able to stop – Aros manages to accrue one level of exhaustion. Galiena looks to Ossis and says, “We’ve heard you can help us. We received a diary from Lady Cadwell, that you are in possession of knowledge that would cure the kiss of a vargouille.”

The mere mention of the vargouille’s makes Ossis’ eyes glow brightly with fury; and he’s forced to take several deep breaths before he calms down. “Lady Cadwell,” he says, “I remember her. I remember her before the cursed clouds… the darkness… before Brenmoon. She was kind. Knowledgeable. How is she that she has sent you here and not come herself?”

“She is dead,” Galiena responds mournfully, hearing Ossis’ deep caring and respect for Shelly Cadwell.

“Dead?” Ossis titled his head. “How?”

“She took her own life at Lover’s End,” Galiena explains. “Her husband and son were taken by the dark, she said – and she searched for them – and in the end, she knew they were gone – and she could not live on without them.”

Ossis’ eyes flash red, as if he tried to stifle the guilt that flared in his eyes. He heaves a deep sigh and whispers, “I am very sorry to hear that.”

“We met her spirit at Lover’s End,” Baldur responds.

Galiena’s able to read Ossis’ body language and can clearly see he’s upset and barely keeping his anger in check. Baldur notes, just as the light flashes off his shield, that Ossis has extremely large fangs.

“Brenmoon is to blame for all of this!” Ossis suddenly blurts, lunging forward as if he was going to attack. “That bas’jak (fey term that is very slanderous) human lured me here with that damn wizard of his – Razathorn – then trapped me here – enslaved me – broke my mind and will – until I showed him how to unlock powerful magic of the Feywild! And now, this! This is the result,” and Ossis steps closer, clearly showing his vampire like fangs, reddish skin, and glowing red eyes. “I am cursed! Cursed! For he did not believe me and tested the magic on me. Now I am forced to drain the life of the living in order to sustain my own life. I’ve tried everything to stop! I want to stop! I don’t want to kill animals anymore! I’ve tried to starve myself – but the hunger overcomes me – takes control – and I go and hunt. The dark magic that emanates from my body has twisted the things around me. I never wanted this! All I ever wanted was love – to sing, to laugh, to dance!”

“As the most knowledgeable about vampires,” Galiena begins to say, “would you help us defeat Lord Brenmoon when the time comes?”

“This,” he gestures to his face and spins on one hoof, turning his back briefly to the party before sitting back down on his mushroom throne, “is not true vampirism – it is what I call Feypirism. There are true vampires out there – but what I’ve been cursed with is something similar to true vampirisim, but uses magic to enhance one’s life – turning a person’s life blood into something of a fountain of youth when consumed. True vampires are a breed of Lycanthropy – which, this island is plagued with – namely wererats, and a small number of wereravens exist on the island. I wouldn’t be surprised if other forms of Lycanthropy thrive here on this cursed island as well.”

“Is there a way to save you?” Baldur asks.

“Kill Brenmoon,” Ossis growls. “But to kill Brenmoon is to end the curse – and though, not true vampirism – daylight is a radiant like magic that will cook those who have succumb to the Feypirism from the inside out.”

“So you must dance a lot at night, since that’s safe,” Baldur shrugs.

Ossis stands, his eyes glowing with fury. “I can not dance! Don’t know you know anything about Satyr! When we dance and sing – we make things around us full of magic – which is why you were suddenly dancing when I played the flute – but long exposure would have twisted you – like these,” and his long claws slash through a large mushroom. “These are taints! Taints! And surly you’ve encountered forest blights in the woods, if you’ve been here for awhile. That’s because of me.”

“Yes we have,” Baldur nods. (Note – Relgar had told them to fetch Blights as a part of a potion to cure Lycanthropy in Kaitlyn, Galiena and Wickedstraza in Session 5, and fought a blight in Session 6).

Ossis sits down, looking somber and says, “Kill Lord Brenmoon… And those turned by Lord Brenmoon will perish, turning to dust.”

Galiena weeps hearing this entire story, having grown up connected to the Fey herself.

“You weep for me, girl,” Ossis asks, his voice sounding tender for the first time. “After you know that I am the reason for the curse… the feypirism… the death… the disease…”

“I do,” Galiena replies, “because this is not of your choice. You were manipulated by a short sighted human.”

She looks to Baldur, “No offense,” then back to Ossis.

Baldur mutters, “None taken,” then speaks up, “We came here looking for that Vargouille’s Kiss cure.”

Ossis stands and cuts a mushroom apart, and uses some of his magic, and hands a bubbling vial to Baldur, “Give this to your friend.”

“This will cure him?” Baldur asks.

“He will be sick for a week, but it will stop his head from severing from his own body, if it’s not already too late,” Ossis says, as he sits down on his throne again.

Galiena hands Ossis a flower she’s forged from a flower from a mushroom, and says, “I wish we could save you. Long ago, the Fey offered me a kindness – I just wish I could save you.”

“I’ve lived this way too long,” Ossis whispers. “I am fine if I must go.”

“Then let us dance again, one last time,” Baldur says, as he uses Minor Illusion to make music and the party share one last dance with Ossis.

They party parts ways with Ossis – and struggle to climb down the cliff side, where they make camp near the lake formed by the massive water fall.

TO BE CONTINUED.