Back to the Shadow

January 7, 2016

(We started with a recap of last time.  I wanted to emphasize that they needed to get a weapon to fight the queen and they knew it was on the Shadow Plane but that was it.)  

The group realizes they need to head back to the Shadow plane and find the sword.  They start getting resources together to do this.  They go talk to Yaris Verso, at Theumanexus College, due to Cress not liking the Acadamae, and get some help in the form of advice, a wand of locate object, a scroll of locate object, and a place to cast the ritual, or have it cast for them.  They go back to the followers of Iomadae to let them know about this option, who are quite happy about it.  Indeed, they ask for an introduction to Yaris and set up a portal casting for a few days, as soon as they can get some supplies together.  The group asks if they can come along, and the other group agrees.  

The rest of the town has been mostly quiet.  The Queen has definitely consolidated her power in the main town.  A group known as the Four have taken over Old Korvosa and so far the Queen has not forced that matter.  Many of the Korvosan guards have come over to the PCs area to try and help out there.  Apparently, in the city proper, many guards are told to do as they are told and follow the Queen's edicts.  But after how the Queen disbanded Sabine company, many are not happy with this.  

After gathering some supplies, the characters find out the hard way it wasn't enough.  When they portal over, the temperature was at least fifteen degrees colder, if not more.  As soon as the doors are open, snow, ice, and a bitterly cold wind are revealed!  The head to the castle to meet up with the Enrico's group, shivering the whole time.  When they get there, they find they have no spells or means to protect themselves against the extreme cold.  Sam especially seems not to like it and once there is a fire nearby, refuses to leave it.  Cress takes the time to write the scroll into his spellbook and then learn it.  He goes up on the ramperts to cast the spell.  

He finds himself in an underground amphitheater.  At the center, is the sword.  He heads to some door to figure out where he is, when others show up.  They talk about being surprised that others have arrived and they need to summon the guardian.  Cress tries to interfere, forgetting it's just a vision, not real.  He does manage to step outside and find out where this is before the vision ends.  When he explains it to the group, they see the urgency in going now.  

They ask Enrico to join them and see if they can get some warmer clothing.  He barely says it would be three cure light potions when the group throws the potions at him and gets the clothes!  Once attired, they head out in the cold.  

It could be Grohlyn isn't over in the town proper much.  Or maybe Grohlyn hasn't done as much training in foraging and trail blazing because he leads them into an ambush.  They all see it in time to get one spell off before the frost giants attack.  Cress tries to hide but his spells give him away and he becomes a target.  Grohlyn and Sveinn hold the line against the three in the front but Niko and Lazarus can't keep the one in the back from getting to Cress.  However, some desperate fire spells and fancy moves takes the giants down before anyone in the group is hurt fatally.  After healing, they keep going.  

They come to the only bridge across to Old Korvosa, to find a figure on it waiting.  Liz reveals herself, yelling at them to leave, because the island is theirs.  Grohlyns snorts and starts walking forward.  

(We had done more but I'm ret conning it to here.)  

GM Notes

• This is how the level gain went.  "Well, go ahead and gain two levels since I prepped a CR 12 encounter and you guys are only level 7."  :)  
• I had a lot of fun!  I think we got a lot done, more than the above summary shows.  Usually after a long break, it takes an hour or two to settle into the game but I think we were going much quicker.  Helps that four of the six of us work together!
• I was shocked at the treasure opportunity they missed.  It was mostly money, though, so probably not too much of a loss.  
• I messed up with Liz at the end.  I realized too late into it that it wasn't going to work out.  Fortunately, it was late enough that we could stop, I could regroup and rethink it, and I can do better next time! 

BACK